Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Backdrop CMS VS WordPress

Compare Backdrop CMS VS WordPress and see what are their differences

Backdrop CMS logo Backdrop CMS

A free and Open Source CMS for small to medium sized businesses and non-profits.

WordPress logo WordPress

WordPress is web software you can use to create a beautiful website or blog. We like to say that WordPress is both free and priceless at the same time.
  • Backdrop CMS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-02-05
  • WordPress Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-09

Backdrop CMS features and specs

  • Affordability
    Backdrop CMS is a cost-effective solution for small to medium-sized businesses or individuals who need a comprehensive content management system without a hefty price tag.
  • Ease of Use
    It is designed to be user-friendly, making it accessible for users who may not have extensive technical knowledge, which simplifies website management.
  • Drupal Compatibility
    Backdrop CMS is a fork of Drupal, which means it has many of Drupal’s features and benefits, but with a simplified and streamlined approach.
  • Active Community
    The Backdrop community is active and engaged, providing a variety of modules, themes, and a wealth of support resources for users.
  • Customizability
    Backdrop CMS allows for extensive customization with its numerous add-ons and modules, enabling developers to meet specific project requirements.
  • System Requirements
    Backdrop has lower system requirements than some other CMS platforms, allowing it to run on more cost-effective servers.

Possible disadvantages of Backdrop CMS

  • Smaller Community
    Compared to larger platforms like WordPress or Drupal, Backdrop has a smaller user base which could lead to fewer resources or third-party integrations.
  • Limited Modules
    While Backdrop has a fair number of modules, it doesn't compare to the vast library available in more established platforms like Drupal.
  • Less Suitable for Complex Projects
    Backdrop is well-suited for simple to moderately complex sites, but may not offer the depth and scalability needed for extremely large or complex web projects.
  • Migration Complexity
    Migrating to Backdrop CMS from other systems might require significant effort and technical expertise, particularly if coming from heavily customized Drupal sites.
  • Marketing and Awareness
    Backdrop CMS has less market recognition compared to giants like WordPress or Drupal, which might be a concern for stakeholders prioritizing mainstay solutions.

WordPress features and specs

  • User-Friendly
    WordPress is very intuitive and easy to use, which makes it accessible to users with minimal technical expertise.
  • Customization
    It offers a vast array of themes and plugins, allowing users to customize their websites extensively without any coding knowledge.
  • SEO-Friendly
    WordPress has numerous SEO features and plugins that can help websites rank higher in search engine results pages.
  • Community Support
    There is a large and active WordPress community that provides extensive documentation, forums, and third-party resources.
  • Scalability
    WordPress can grow with your business, as it supports both small blogs and large corporate websites.
  • Open Source
    Being an open-source platform, WordPress is free to use, and users can modify the source code to suit their needs.
  • Large Ecosystem
    WordPress offers one of the largest ecosystems of developers, themes, and plugins, providing a lot of options for site building.

Possible disadvantages of WordPress

  • Security Vulnerabilities
    WordPress is a popular target for hackers, which makes it susceptible to security issues if not properly maintained.
  • Maintenance
    Regular updates to the core software, themes, and plugins are necessary to keep the site secure and functioning correctly.
  • Performance
    Websites with many plugins or poorly optimized themes can suffer from slow loading times, impacting user experience.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    While basic use is straightforward, leveraging WordPress's full capabilities can require more advanced knowledge and learning.
  • Potential for Plugin Conflicts
    Installing multiple plugins from different developers can sometimes cause conflicts, leading to site instability or performance problems.
  • Customization Complexity
    Extensive customization may require coding knowledge in languages like PHP, HTML, and CSS, which can be a barrier for beginners.
  • Hosting Dependency
    Users need to purchase their own hosting services and manage that aspect, which may be complicated for non-technical users.

Backdrop CMS videos

Moving to Backdrop CMS

More videos:

  • Review - Session: Moving from Drupal 7 to Backdrop CMS
  • Demo - The Drupal Fork: Backdrop CMS (live demo)

WordPress videos

Users, beware.. avoid WordPress!* | WordPress Review

More videos:

  • Review - Wix vs Wordpress: Which platform is best in 2019?
  • Review - Wordpress.com Review: Good For Users Familiar with Wordpress

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Backdrop CMS and WordPress)
CMS
1 1%
99% 99
Blogging
2 2%
98% 98
Website Builder
1 1%
99% 99
Blogging Platform
2 2%
98% 98

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Backdrop CMS and WordPress

Backdrop CMS Reviews

We have no reviews of Backdrop CMS yet.
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WordPress Reviews

  1. Old legend

    There are many new platforms for creating websites nowadays. But I still use WP and it works well. A lot of plugins and templates. Easy to find a developer to customise theme. No monthly fees. So, I like it.


WordPress vs. Proprietary Site Builders: What to Know Before Starting a Website Development Project
WordPress: WordPress.org (not to be confused with WordPress.com) is an open-source content management system (CMS). When you build a website on WordPress, you own the code, the design, and the data. This means you can fully customize your site, transfer it to any hosting provider, and have complete control over all aspects of the website. The site can be hosted on any...
Comparing 9 WordPress alternatives & competitors in 2024
WordPress is a popular website-building platform, but if you’re looking for different features and security, check out these nine WordPress alternatives.
Source: webflow.com
19 Best WordPress Alternatives in 2025
While WordPress is undeniably popular, it might not be the perfect fit for everyone. Here are the key differences between WordPress.com (hosted platform) and WordPress.org (self-hosted software) to help you understand more about WordPress and why you should look for an alternative website builder:
Source: www.pixpa.com
The 17 Best Wix Alternatives (2024) Who Else Can You Build Your Website With?
WordPress is the undisputed king of CMS or Content Management Systems. From blogs to online stores, there isn’t much you can’t do with this powerful website building solution. Keep in mind that WordPress comes in two versions: WordPress.org and WordPress.com.
Top 10 Web Content Management Systems
There is no doubt that when the conversation shifts to talking about the best CMS options WordPress is always going to be first. According to WordPress itself, nearly 35% of the entire web manages its content via its service, and that’s why it’s number 1 here. WordPress is open-source, which also makes it one of the best free CMS options as well. With a massive legion of...
Source: cloudzy.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, WordPress seems to be a lot more popular than Backdrop CMS. While we know about 782 links to WordPress, we've tracked only 13 mentions of Backdrop CMS. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Backdrop CMS mentions (13)

  • So Long WordPress
    Have you checked out Backdrop CMS? https://backdropcms.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 6 months ago
  • Cold-Blooded Software
    Https://backdropcms.org/ ? D7 fork. If you want to stay there. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Alternatives to Laravel?
    Https://backdropcms.org was a fork of Drupal before the rewrite. It was pretty decent when I tried it (admittedly several years ago). Source: almost 2 years ago
  • The Magic of Small Databases
    I see you decided on Wordpress, if you were going to use a CMS I think Drupal 7 would have been a good choice. Drupal has concept of entities and views. An entity as the name suggests is essentially a table and you can add all sorts of different fields to it. From simple text and number fields to images and fields that lookup other entities thus creating relationships between entities. Views is another construct... - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • Doing some research on technologies: Why are a large portion of Drupal downloads still the Drupal 7 version?
    I think some smaller biz and nonprofits jumped off to https://backdropcms.org. Source: over 2 years ago
View more

WordPress mentions (782)

  • Open Source: A Goldmine for Indie Hackers
    Open source software is built on the democratic idea that everyone should be able to inspect and contribute to the source code. Major projects like Linux, WordPress, and the Apache HTTP Server have shown how collaborative efforts can produce robust, scalable solutions. Indie hackers, often working with limited budgets, gain access to highly dependable tools such as Python and MySQL, which were originally developed... - Source: dev.to / about 13 hours ago
  • Indie Hacking with Open Source Tools: Innovating on a Budget
    Another case involves a duo launching an eco-friendly e-commerce website. Using WordPress paired with WooCommerce, they built a fully featured site with a sustainable operational model. Enhanced analytics from Matomo brought data-driven insights and growth strategies to life. This project highlights the benefits of cost-effective, community-driven solutions in the competitive e-commerce landscape. - Source: dev.to / 2 days ago
  • Open Source: A Goldmine for Indie Hackers – Unleashing Creativity and Collaboration
    Open source software, defined by its openly accessible source code, has democratized software development like never before. Platforms and projects such as Linux Foundation supported Linux, WordPress, and the Apache HTTP Server have paved the way for innovation rooted in transparency and collaboration. Indie hackers, known for doing more with less, have found a goldmine in these community-supported projects. Not... - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
  • Indie Hacking with Open Source Tools: Innovating on a Budget
    Platforms like WordPress combined with WooCommerce allow for seamless website and e-commerce management. - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
  • Indie Hacking Success Stories with Open Source Licenses
    WordPress: The powerhouse behind over 40% of the web, WordPress’s success is deeply intertwined with the open source ethos. Licensed under GPL, WordPress has fostered a rich ecosystem filled with plugins and themes. This robust community engagement, underpinned by open source principles, underlines the importance of continuous user feedback and development. For developers looking to monetize their projects,... - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Backdrop CMS and WordPress, you can also consider the following products

Grav - The modern open source flat-file CMS

WiX - Create a free website with Wix.com. Customize with Wix' website builder, no coding skills needed. Choose a design, begin customizing and be online today

Mastodon - Mastodon is a decentralized, open source social network. This is just one part of the network, run by the main developers of the project It is not focused on any particular niche interest - everyone is welcome!

SquareSpace - Squarespace is the easiest way for anyone to create an exceptional website. Pages, galleries, blogs, e-commerce, domains, hosting, analytics, 24/7 support - all included.

Blogger - Publish your passions, your way. Create a unique and beautiful blog. It’s easy and free.

WordPress.com - Create a free website or build a blog with ease on WordPress.com. Dozens of free, customizable, mobile-ready designs and themes. Free hosting and support.