WordPress vs Drupal: Choosing the Best CMS for eCommerce

In the online store world, choosing the best CMS software for eCommerce stands among the most impactful decisions. Two big contenders are WordPress and Drupal. With WordPress powering 43.1% of the internet and 21% of them using WooCommerce, a great share of eCommerce revenue comes from WordPress sites.

As for Drupal, in the first quarter of 2024, Drupal online stores grew by 19% compared to the previous quarter. Yearly, they surged by a remarkable 161% in the same period.

It’s obvious that they both have many features for eCommerce, but which is best, WordPress or Drupal? Let’s take a closer look at WordPress and Drupal for online stores.

Understanding WordPress and Drupal

WordPress is well-known as a versatile CMS that started as a blogging platform and has grown to power millions of websites worldwide. Its user-friendly interface and abundance of plugins and themes make it accessible to users of all levels, suitable for anything from simple blogs to complex eCommerce stores.

On the other hand, Drupal is famous for its scalability and flexibility. Though it might be harder to learn than WordPress, Drupal is excellent for large-scale projects. Developers appreciate its strong structure and customization options, making it ideal for tailored solutions.

Thus, the platforms are widely used outside the eCommerce industry. But here’s why they make online stores specifically so powerful.

WordPress vs Drupal for eCommerce

WordPress has lots of eCommerce plugins, and WooCommerce is the most popular one. It works seamlessly with WordPress and gives users a feature-packed platform to create and run online stores. You can customize your store, manage inventory, handle payments, and track sales, all using the familiar WordPress interface.

Another plugin, Easy Digital Downloads, designed for selling digital products, provides a lightweight yet powerful solution for eCommerce on WordPress. It enables users to sell digital goods like software, ebooks, and music effortlessly, with features for managing downloads, customer accounts, and sales reports.

Drupal doesn’t have as many dedicated eCommerce plugins as WordPress, but it makes up for it with flexibility and scalability. Modules like Drupal Commerce let users build fully customized solutions. With Drupal Commerce, you have precise control over every part of your online store. It is perfect for businesses with special requirements or complex processes.

While not as widely used as Drupal Commerce, Ubercart remains a viable option for eCommerce on Drupal. It offers features such as catalog management, shopping cart, and order processing, providing a straightforward solution for setting up online stores on the Drupal platform.

The choice between WordPress or Drupal for eCommerce hinges on specific business requirements and technical expertise. While WordPress offers unparalleled ease of use and a vast ecosystem of plugins, Drupal excels in flexibility and customization.

Regardless of the platform chosen, Drupal and WordPress both provide advanced modules to meet the demands of the online store.

Choosing the Best eCommerce CMS

We’ve collected the most common factors you’d like to consider while choosing the perfect CMS for your eCommerce project.

WordPress vs Drupal CMS for eCommerce

Requirement

WordPress

Drupal

User-Friendliness

Easy for users of all skill levels to navigate and manage content.

Drupal has a steeper learning curve compared to WordPress.


Requires more technical expertise to fully take advantage of its capabilities.

Customization

WordPress offers a vast ecosystem of plugins and themes.


It allows users to easily customize their websites.

Drupal excels in customization due to its highly flexible architecture and extensive module system for building tailored solutions by a skilled developer.

eCommerce CMS Plugin

WordPress boasts popular eCommerce plugins like WooCommerce.


It provides users with feature-rich platforms to set up and manage online stores.

Drupal offers eCommerce solutions like Drupal Commerce.


It empowers users to build fully customized online stores with granular control over every aspect.

Integration Options

WooCommerce seamlessly integrates with various third-party services and platforms.


It enables users to expand their eCommerce ecosystem with ease.

Drupal Commerce also offers integration with a wide range of services and systems.

Payment Gateways

WordPress offers extensive support for payment gateways through WooCommerce, including popular options like PayPal, Stripe, and Square, as well as numerous other providers.

Drupal Commerce also supports a wide range of payment gateways.

Multilingual Support

WordPress supports multilingual websites through plugins like WPML or Polylang.

Drupal's multilingual capabilities are inherent to the core platform.


It offers built-in support for creating multilingual websites and eCommerce stores without additional plugins.

SEO Optimization

WordPress offers robust SEO capabilities with plugins like Yoast SEO or All in One SEO Pack.

Drupal provides powerful SEO tools and modules, such as Pathauto and Metatag.

Additionally, we recommend diving in the ‘WordPress vs. Drupal Guide’ prepared and compiled by Designrush, where our CTO, Alex Velesnitski shares his opinion on these two platforms.

Success in eCommerce hinges not just on the Drupal vs WordPress choice itself but also on factors like marketing, customer service, and product quality. By carefully evaluating your options and selecting the right eCommerce CMS for your needs, you’ll be well-positioned to thrive in the competitive online marketplace.

Feel stuck about what CMS web development services you need? Don’t hesitate to reach out. At Timspark, we’ve launched global eCommerce projects powered by both systems and can totally suggest the best option for your case.

Rely on Timspark’s specialists for eCommerce solutions

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