Drupal is an open-source content management system (CMS) that's been a long-time staple for developers. Known for its flexibility, Drupal allows you to build and customize content-heavy websites, including ecommerce platforms, company intranets, and online directories.

It's written in PHP, a popular web development language for launching websites and web applications. PHP lets you create content dynamically, meaning your site can respond to user input and display customized information according to the elements people click or tap.

While Drupal's PHP-based framework is versatile, it has a steep learning curve, making the CMS too complex for those with smaller websites or limited technical expertise. If you’re looking for a more intuitive option, read on to learn about some of the best Drupal alternatives.

The 6 best Drupal alternatives

Several CMS platforms offer more convenient ways to manage and update website content than Drupal. Here are a few of the best options.

1. Webflow

Webflow is a drag-and-drop web design platform that allows you to build, edit, and manage websites with a composable CMS. Whether you’re designing a personal blog or an enterprise site, Webflow generates clean code in the background and displays functional and visually appealing layouts.

Webflow's CMS is highly scalable and comes packed with native SEO, localization, and hosting features. In addition to these built-in components, the Webflow Apps marketplace offers a full library of third-party extensions that improve your site’s functionality.

If you don't want to build a website from scratch, Webflow has thousands of customizable, mobile-friendly templates to choose from. You can also draw inspiration from the Made in Webflow community, where thousands of Webflow designers offer cloneable sites to get you up and running.

If you run into any hurdles in your design process, Webflow University and the Webflow blog offer step-by-step guides and tutorials to help you problem-solve and troubleshoot common issues.

Pricing

• Free site and workspace plans are available to get started.
• Basic to Business site plans range from $14 to $39 per month.
• Enterprise plans are available at custom pricing.

2. HubSpot

HubSpot CMS, or CMS Hub, is built into HubSpot's marketing ecosystem. It combines a website builder with various marketing tools and features, including automation, analytics, and email marketing.

You can manage all these features from a single dashboard. This capability gives you a more streamlined experience than Drupal, which relies on additional modules for third-party functionality.

That said, HubSpot CMS has fewer extensions than Drupal websites, which might limit customization.

Pricing 

• Free plans are available.
• Professional and Enterprise plans range from $450 to $1,500 per month.

3. WordPress

WordPress.org is an open-source CMS. Unlike WordPress.com, WordPress.org requires self-hosting and offers more customization options.

The program’s dashboard is more user-friendly than Drupal's, with a drag-and-drop block editor for content management. It also has over 55,000 plugins and 30,000 themes, allowing you to extend your site's functionality or personalize its design. 

Plugin maintenance can be time-consuming and expensive, however, and you may need to hire a developer to build custom features. Plus, despite being more intuitive than Drupal, WordPress.org still has a learning curve, especially compared to visual-first design platforms like Webflow.

Pricing

• The software is free to download.
• Hosting, premium themes and plugins, and domain registration cost extra.

4. Squarespace

Squarespace is another drag-and-drop CMS that helps people with little to no technical experience build and customize websites. It's a popular choice if you prefer working with ready-made templates rather than starting from scratch.

This CMS is ideal for creating online stores. Squarespace supports multiple ecommerce features, including selling physical products and subscriptions. It also has tools for inventory management, order tracking, and product handling. Squarespace also sends email alerts for low stock levels and other urgent updates.

Businesses with complex layouts and larger inventories may prefer a more scalable CMS, since Squarespace has scaling limitations.

Pricing

• The Personal plan starts at $25 per month.
• Commerce plans range from $40 to $72 per month.

5. Wix

Wix is a popular CMS for individuals and small business owners who want to build a website quickly without prior coding experience. Its drag-and-drop interface and AI-powered website builder allow you to create layouts with a few clicks, compared to Drupal's more technical approach. Over 900 templates for various industries give you design options out of the box.

For more advanced users, Wix Studio supports APIs, integrations, and custom CSS. Wix's App Market also adds functionality with over 500 applications to boost your site's performance, from SEO to social media add-ons.

But both Wix and Drupal might not be the best option for content-heavy websites and enterprises, since these platforms may struggle with scalability and advanced content management and Drupal requires significant development resources and maintenance.

Pricing

• Lite: $17 per month.
• Core: $29 per month.
• Business: $36 per month.
• Business Elite: $159 per month.

6. Joomla

Joomla is a customizable open-source CMS that's well-suited to content-heavy forums and community platforms. It’s especially useful for managing access control or user features. For example, admins can create specific user groups with unique permissions, making it ideal for membership or subscription-based websites.

It also has built-in SEO tools, allowing you to add metadata, create search engine-friendly URLs, and make basic optimizations without additional plugins. And if you need multilingual content management support, Joomla offers over 70 language packs.

This software does have a technical learning curve, especially when it comes to design flexibility. And to use a custom domain, you need to host the site yourself.

Pricing

• Free to download

How to choose the best CMS platform

The CMS you choose for your website significantly impacts how you manage content and grow your online presence. Here are five tips to help you make the right choice:

• List your must-have features — Identify the elements your website needs. Whether you require ecommerce functionality, SEO tools, or multilingual support, having a list of your must-haves will help narrow down your options when choosing a Drupal alternative. Also, consider if your potential CMS offers additional built-in tools or if you'll need extensions.
• Analyze your budget — Drupal’s pricing is free, so if that’s the best fit for your budget, check competitors’ tiers to see if they offer a free plan. Even if they do, many require additional costs for premium themes, plugins, or hosting, while others might have ongoing subscription fees. Weigh out the long-term costs, including maintenance and potential developer fees, so you pick a platform that suits your budget.
• Know your team’s skills — Choose a CMS that aligns with your team's technical expertise. Drupal requires more advanced coding knowledge, while user-friendly options like Webflow are a great fit for those with little to no web development experience. Collaborate with your team on the final decision so everyone's on the same page and optimistic about the new platform.
• Check support and community resources — Before selecting a website builder, check out each platform’s support options and community resources. Software with large user bases, active forums, and extensive documentation will have more resources to reference when issues arise. Strong customer support also helps during setup or troubleshooting.
• Plan for the future — Your website's needs will grow with your company, so choose a flexible, scalable CMS that can accommodate more users, new functionalities, or increased traffic. This foresight ensures your website performs optimally without compromising speed or performance.

Upgrade your content management with Webflow

The right CMS offers a solid foundation for short and long-term website needs. No matter your industry, your platform needs to offer extensive features, including SEO, responsive design, and ready-made templates.

With Webflow, you have all of these features in one platform. Our website experience platform means you can build, ship, and update your website — all without relying on developers. 

Get started with Webflow and start growing your business today.