Concrete CMS vs Drupal

Wix Studio

Elcom CMS

WordPress

Wix Studio is a cloud-based and AI-enabled website design and development software that enables teams to manage their projects and clients from a centralized workspace.

Elcom is a powerful intranet solution designed to enhance internal communication, collaboration, and productivity within organisations.

WordPress is a website and blog creation and publishing platform with tools for aesthetic designing, visitor tracking, content storage and upload, and more

Concrete CMS (formerly concrete5) makes running a website easy.

Go to any page in your site, and an editing toolbar gives you all the controls you need to update your website. No intimidating manuals, no complicated administration interfaces - just point and click.

Content Publishing Options

SEO Management

Concrete CMS

Web-based

Drupal

Basic

Webmaker

Ease of editing websites, small learning curve for our clients, much safer than Wordpress,

Informatic ingeneer

i'mm using ConcreteCms for all website, e-commerce, content management, proffessionnal software, intranet back end.

Managing Director

concrete5 delivers a complete content management system including WYSIWYG editing, forms etc. without the need for extensions to accomplish basic tasks.  

owner

Owner

Community support is fantastic with user forums and projects, including an e-Commerce solution that is robust and inexpensive to run with no monthly fees (seriously, the best e-Commerce package you're going to find).

In addition, Portland Labs had abandoned their eCommerce and discussion board addons, leaving some site designers high and dry, until the e-commerce function was added by the open source Community Store.

Marketing Director

It has made it possible to both create customer sites for clients in the past as well as maintain a highly functioning enterprise website today.

Web Developer

No equivalent to Wordpress + Advanced Custom Fields' "repeater" fields for adding an indefinitely long list of page/file/user attributes.

Project Manager

I build a lot of websites for different industries like medicine, construction, food, automation, real state etc.

The peer-reviewed marketplace offers out-of-the-box solutions that save plenty of time and cost less than developing on your own with many add-ons available for free.

That said, concrete5 also provides an excellent modern php framework for further development and the marketplace provides a range of useful AddOn components.

Creative Director

This has been design with the basic user in mind, the UX and UI is very well thought out and being able to edit content wihtin the page without having to go to a backend is very valuable.

The separation of page templates from page types also helps, the former being about layout while the latter is more conceptual.

A few options to customize a theme on core system and few themes selling on market place.

This is now my go to CMS, I don't need to keep going and installing updates to keep it secure like WordPress, none of my site have ever been hacked.

Managing Member

Some old extensions are still on the marketplace that are not compatible with the current version and aren't well marked what version they apply to.

Sites can be deployed quickly with minimal costs and end-users can be trained often in minutes instead of hours or days.

Self-hosted and Concrete5 hosted options are available and maintenance is usually easily managed at the user-level.

Lack of a REST API for using as a headless CMS (although I believe this will change with the next major version).

Librarian

Web Marketing Specialist

Not as many developers making plugins/extensions like for other tools like Wordpress.

Software Developer

Inline Editing, Workflows, Permissions, packaging system

Required starting over for most sites, though the old version still runs so disruption was minimal.

You are forced to structure your site to fit it's framework - Concrete5 is very flexible to your needs.

No built-in way that I'm aware of to integrate React and/or Vue components.

Web-Developer / General Manager

It is not known very much in Germany, so it might happen that you have discussions in the selection process and have to prove more than with other systems that this CMS is the right choice.

PR Assistant

At any rate, we had spent thousands of dollars to get this beautiful site and once it expired in 2019 we had no option but to start again from scratch.

It had the best user interface for users to manage content.

The team behind this CMS is constantly improving and updating it but not just fixing bugs, really user improvement.

The platform is secure and allows fine-tooth permissions control.

I used to build *all* my sites in Concrete5 version 5.6.

The principal benefit is the time I save building with concrete5.

It has a wide range of features and can be easily customized and extended.

More recently others have imitated their approach but they still show their clumsy roots in a way C5 doesn't.

Designer & Develooper

The marketplace is smaller than other CMS like Wordpress.

Some template designers use tricks that undo the ease of use.

We deliver content managed websites to our clients who find concrete5 easy to use.  

Needless to say we did not have our website rebuilt in Concrete5.

Easy: installation, configuration, customization and to do improvements.

from simple one pager to complex applications

The user forum needs a shakeup and update.

A great community that help everyone in trouble (if hapens).

Extending C5 is also very straight forward.

When our website was first built in this software we were thrilled.

Web Designer

The ease of use of Concrete5 is its defining feature.

It was truly an upgrade from our former site.

I generally found Concrete5 to be easy to install and quite extensible.

A great CMS that makes updating a site easy.

Website Creation

Marketplace

Page Templates

Updates

Customer Support

Integrations

Concrete5

Pricing

Editing

Client Support

Mid-size Business

Large Enterprises

Small Business

Freelancers

Google Drive

Google Drive is a cloud storage and backup platform to access files, docs, photos & more, store them in a safe place, and collaborate with other people

Microsoft SharePoint

SharePoint is a collaboration & content management platform which can be used to build portals, collaboration sites, & also content management sites

Drupal is an open source content management platform powering millions of websites and applications. It’s built, used, and supported by an active and diverse community of people around the world.

Text Editing

Video Support

Audio File Management

Some reviewers find Drupal’s open-source model and lack of licensing fees appealing, and users appreciate the free modules for building robust sites. However, some reviewers feel ongoing maintenance, paid plugins, and unclear roadmaps increase long-term costs.

Value for money

By industry, Drupal reviewers are most commonly professionals in computer software (16%). The most frequent use case for Drupal cited by reviewers is content management (94% of reviewers).

Open Source

Joomla

Content Hub

Confluence

Brandfolder

dotCMS

Revver

Frequent technical glitches

Data Analyst

Due to gaps in Drupal caching process, old content continues to persist on some web pages.

63% of reviewers feel negative about bugs and issues in Drupal. Users report experiencing persistent problems with the cache system, outdated content display, and occasional failures in core functionalities like file uploads and calendar features. They mention that technical glitches can disrupt workflows, cause server instability under heavy traffic, and sometimes require frequent troubleshooting or restarts. Reviewers indicate that these recurring issues increase maintenance time and can be frustrating, especially when they lead to unexpected errors or inconsistencies across different browsers and environments.

Steep learning curve for beginners

52% of reviewers feel negative about Drupal’s training and learning curve. Some users say the platform’s complexity makes it challenging for newcomers and non-technical users to get started. They find the system less intuitive than other CMS options, often requiring significant time and practice to master basic tasks. Reviewers mention that the steep learning curve can hinder collaboration with less experienced colleagues and may result in slower project ramp-up. They indicate that only those with technical backgrounds can efficiently manage and customize Drupal.

Extensive community module support

96% of reviewers feel positive about Drupal’s community modules. Users indicate that the vast library of contributed modules allows them to add almost any functionality without custom development. They appreciate the active global community, which offers peer-reviewed modules, security updates, and collaborative problem-solving. Reviewers say the community’s support makes it easier to find solutions, templates, and extensions for diverse project needs. They find that the availability of free, high-quality modules significantly enhances productivity and scalability, making Drupal adaptable for various types of websites.

Highly customizable and flexible

94% of reviewers feel positive about Drupal’s flexibility. Some users report that the platform’s modular architecture allows them to tailor websites to precise requirements, supporting a wide range of applications from simple blogs to complex enterprise solutions. They find the customization options extensive, enabling detailed control over structure, design, and functionality. Reviewers appreciate the scalability and adaptability, noting that Drupal can grow with their business needs. They say this flexibility is especially valuable for organizations seeking unique, feature-rich, and secure web solutions.

Cost-effective open source platform

100% of reviewers feel positive about Drupal’s open source nature. Users say they value the absence of licensing fees, making it budget-friendly for businesses of all sizes. They appreciate the ability to modify and improve the software freely, which fosters innovation and adaptability. Reviewers mention that the active community continually enhances the platform, providing solutions and regular updates. They find the extensive ecosystem of free plugins and features particularly beneficial, and many highlight the long-term sustainability and flexibility that open source brings to their projects.

Business Systems Analyst

There were no issues with ongoing use, just may have slowed us down from implementing custom/unique functionality without having a dedicated web developer on staff

Administrator

Every aspect desired was implemented using Drupal architecture and we covered successfully everything in good time.

Excellent flexibility and endless configurations are all offered.

Programmer

Drupal offers a wealth of themes and modules that make it possible to create almost any type of website, all backed by its robust and secure security system.

Frontend Engineer

Drupal's modular architecture allows me to create and customize websites and applications to meet client needs

Online Marketeer

Drupal offers powerful content management capabilities with excellent flexibility, but comes with a steep learning curve.

Senior Tester

Drupal is a flexible CMS that I can use for robust projects.

It can take some time to get used to the sheer amount of options and settings within Drupal, which can be overwhelming and difficult to navigate.

Drupal was my first attempt at CRM website development.

It allows you to create any kind of website you want, and you can even create one with unique functionality that is not available with other platforms.

System Specialist

Drupal can handle a large number of users and a large volume of content, which is essential for our company as we have many different departments and teams that need to access and manage their own content.

RevOps

We use Drupal extensively for Government, Post-Secondary Education, Pharmaceutical and Multi-brand enterprises extensively, it minimizes GTM time, satisfies compliance requirements and its modular nature makes it possible for businesses to quickly re-use functionality across their ecosystem (with the appropriate build strategies). If you need a brochureware website, it might not be the best solution (equivalent of taking out a mosquito with a bazooka).

a very powerful tool that allows me to manage large customer websites

Procurement Manager

The system can be quite intricate and may require a significant investment of time and effort to grasp its full potential

Team Coordinator

Drupal can have a steep learning curve, especially for those who are new to web development or CMS.Customizing and managing a Drupal website can require more technical expertise than other CMS options.

Web Development Lead

Bugs were everywhere when we tried to do something as simple as backup/migrate.

Permissions and user accounts were managed via oAuth.

there are a few aspects that could be considered challenging for some users.

The supportive community has been invaluable, providing assistance, updates, and a wealth of knowledge

Developer

In terms of learning curve it's not much different to WordPress, and I found nodes and content to be just as rich in terms of editing and customising.

Executive Director

Overall if you understand some coding and don't mind some design limitations Drupal is a secure CRM that can provide you with a robust system.

You can use it both if you just want to create a blog, or if you need a portal at a professional level.

Web developer

Drupal has been useful in my day by day work, when I needed to work with complex websites hosting a great amount of data.

Additionally, the module repository is vast, and it has been very easy for us to find and install the modules we need to improve the functionality of our content management system.

Chief Operating Officer

We use Drupal for most advanced developments we can't do with using Wordpress, it does do its job and way beyond that.

Had I a chance to do it over, I probably would've just rolled a Wordpress site.

WP developer

SEO Strategist

Easily integrates with other tools and has plenty of options to use preexisting code, which has certainly saved us time here and there.

the devs with Dripal cost a lot to be hired.

The SEO and security capabilities OOTB are second to none, and integration capabilities are extensive.

A solid platform for publishing web content, flexible and scalable, although often requiring a lot of work and attention.

As a user of Drupal in our company, I have found it to be a powerful and flexible content management and document management system.

Software Engineer

The more recent versions of Drupal enable the creation of many cool things and are friendlier and more intuitive.

It is very popular in the web industry for its flexibility and robustness along with the community that supports the software.

Some plugins and integrations can be limited compared to other CMS options.

Drupal wasn't as easy to upgrade between plugin and core versions compared to CMS such as wordpress.

Web designer

There is quite a large quantity of training resources available for new users and the community support solution is also great.

Senior Systems Engineer

It has a fairly easy to understand GUI that can be used by users of various levels of technical skills for content and website management

The frequency of security and new release notifications makes them a headache.

It's a bit more complicated to use than other CMS which requieres more "hard to find" developers with experience on it.

IT Manager

We've been pretty happy for the most part with Drupal powering out website. Though it can be finicky at times, it gets the job done for sure.

Owner/Operator

Drupal is good for big projects but maybe not the right fit for smaller websites

Associate Project Manager

Provides support for e-commerce websites.

principal

Requires low level software skill to utilize full features of this software

The software is very well-known for being highly customizable and it is constantly evolving.

Freelancer 

The interface is not user friendly and has limited modules.

Drupal is known for its security, making it a reliable choice for businesses and organizations.

IT Manager 

I have used Drupal and its amazing when it comes to content and document management.

Concrete CMS vs Drupal Comparison (2026)

Concrete CMS

Drupal

Overview

Video & Screenshots

Pricing

User reviews

Key features

Integrations

Alternatives