Software Alternatives & Startups

Joomla VS ExpressionEngine

Compare Joomla VS ExpressionEngine and see what are their differences

Joomla

Joomla! is the mobile-ready and user-friendly way to build your website. Choose from thousands of features and designs. Joomla! is free and open source.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
ExpressionEngine

ExpressionEngine is a flexible, feature-rich content management system that empowers thousands of...

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source

Which is more popular?

ExpressionEngine might be a bit more popular than Joomla. We know about 2 links to it since March 2021 and only 2 links to Joomla.

social mentions
2 vs 2
CMS popularity
77% vs 23%

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Joomla
ExpressionEngine
Website joomla.org expressionengine.com
Pricing
Open source
Open source
Company Startup from the United States
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Joomla 5 features
ExpressionEngine 6 features
  • Flexibility
    Joomla offers a high degree of flexibility and customizability. It is suitable for creating a wide range of websites, from small personal blogs to complex corporate websites.
  • User Access Control (UAC)
    Joomla has advanced user access control mechanisms, allowing you to set different permissions and access levels for various types of users, which is particularly useful for large websites with multiple contributors.
  • Multilingual Support
    Joomla comes with built-in support for multilingual content, making it a great choice for websites that need to cater to different language speakers.
  • Extensive Extension Directory
    Joomla has a large extension directory with thousands of free and paid plugins and templates that can be easily integrated to extend the functionality of your website.
  • Strong Community Support
    Joomla has a large and active community of developers and users who contribute to forums, documentation, and third-party resources, providing strong community support.

Possible disadvantages

  • Steeper Learning Curve
    Compared to other CMSs, Joomla can be more challenging to learn for beginners due to its extensive features and complex interface.
  • Limited Built-in SEO
    Joomla's out-of-the-box SEO capabilities are not as advanced as those of other CMSs like WordPress. It often requires additional plugins for better SEO performance.
  • Performance Issues
    Joomla can sometimes have performance issues due to its resource-heavy nature, especially if not properly optimized.
  • Compatibility Issues with Extensions
    Not all third-party extensions and templates are always compatible with the latest version of Joomla, which can create challenges during updates.
  • Hosting Requirements
    Joomla has specific hosting requirements that not all web hosts can meet easily. This can limit your choices when it comes to hosting providers.
  • Flexibility
    ExpressionEngine is highly flexible and can be used to create a wide range of websites, from simple blogs to complex web applications. It doesn't impose rigid structures, allowing developers to design content and data structures according to the project's needs.
  • Template Engine
    Its powerful template engine allows for both simple and complex designs. Designers and developers can create custom layouts and templates without having to delve deeply into backend code.
  • Security
    Known for its robust security features, ExpressionEngine prioritizes the safety of its users. It includes in-built security measures such as data encryption, secure form handling, and regular security updates.
  • Addon Ecosystem
    ExpressionEngine has a diverse addon ecosystem, enabling users to extend core functionalities easily. Many high-quality third-party plugins are available for various needs like SEO, eCommerce, and more.
  • User Management
    The platform offers advanced user management capabilities. It allows for intricate access controls and user permissions, making it ideal for membership sites and other applications requiring multiple user roles.
  • Documentation
    ExpressionEngine provides thorough and well-maintained documentation, helping developers and content managers navigate and make the most out of the platform.

Possible disadvantages

  • Cost
    ExpressionEngine is a paid CMS. While it does offer significant advantages, the cost might be prohibitive for small businesses or individuals who are just getting started.
  • Learning Curve
    While its flexibility is a major advantage, it also means that there can be a steep learning curve for beginners. Those who are new to CMSs or coming from simpler systems may find the initial setup and customization challenging.
  • Performance
    ExpressionEngine can be resource-intensive, particularly for large, high-traffic websites. Without proper optimization and hosting, this could lead to slower load times and potential performance issues.
  • Complexity for Simple Sites
    For simpler websites, the extensive feature set of ExpressionEngine might be overkill. Users looking for a straightforward blogging platform or a basic company website may find it unnecessarily complex.
  • Limited Themes and Plugins
    Compared to other CMS platforms like WordPress, ExpressionEngine has a smaller library of pre-built themes and plugins. This may require more custom development work to achieve desired functionalities and aesthetics.
  • Community Support
    While there is a dedicated group of users, the community around ExpressionEngine is smaller compared to more widely-used CMS platforms. This could make finding community support, tutorials, and third-party resources more difficult.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Joomla 3 videos + Add
ExpressionEngine 3 videos + Add

10 Reasons Why You Should Use Joomla in 2018

More videos

  • - [BEFORE You Buy] Joomla Extensions Review
  • - Helix Ultimate Joomla Framework [Setup/Demo/Review]

ExpressionEngine 2 Tutorials #1 - Installation

More videos

  • - ExpressionEngine 2 Tutorials #18 - Embedded Templates
  • - ExpressionEngine 3 Interface Changes

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Joomla
ExpressionEngine
77% 77%
CMS
23% 23%
86% 86%
14% 14%
85% 85%
15% 15%
100% 100%
0% 0%

User comments

Share your experience with using Joomla and ExpressionEngine. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

Joomla no reviews yet
ExpressionEngine no reviews yet
  • Comparing 9 WordPress alternatives & competitors in 2024
    webflow.com · Dec 2024

    Joomla! is an open-source, free WordPress alternative that combines advanced features with user-friendly interfaces. To customize your sites, check out the software’s massive library of over 5,000 extensions that...

  • 19 Best WordPress Alternatives in 2025
    www.pixpa.com · Oct 2024

    Joomla is an open-source content management system (CMS) that allows organizations to create and manage their websites. It offers a wide range of features, including content management, user permissions, SEO tools,...

  • Top 10 Web Content Management Systems
    cloudzy.com · Mar 2024

    If for whatever reason WordPress does not float your boat as a CMS, then Joomla is a great alternative as a customizable CMS. Joomla is one of the best free CMS options in 2024, featuring a wide range of plug-ins,...

View more

Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Joomla 2 mentions
ExpressionEngine 2 mentions
  • Joomla 3x - How to create a Custom Registration Form (Custom Fields) w/o 3rd Party? [Dev Only Please]
    What resources could someone who has achieved this, point me to. I once came across a development doc link on joomla.org I thought; I cannot seem to find it. I can only recently find this :... Source: over 4 years ago
  • Helping with the basics
    The forums found on joomla.org are great and there are tons of people there to help. Source: about 5 years ago
  • Expression Engine & HubSpot
    Does Expression Engine support integration with HubSpot? Source: about 3 years ago
  • What technologies for these requirements?
    PHP Headless Or you go with a Headless PHP CMS. Some options for that are Bolt CMS, Suru, Twill and ExpressionEngine. A Headless CMS doesn't have any frontend. It can provide you with a REST API or you create it in their template engine... Source: over 4 years ago

Alternatives to Joomla and ExpressionEngine

When comparing Joomla and ExpressionEngine, you can also consider the following products.