Which is better, Joomla or Craft CMS?

Craft CMS edges out Joomla based on user ratings across 52 reviews. That said, the best pick depends on your workflow — Joomla may be a stronger fit for specific team sizes or use cases. Review the full comparison to decide.

What are the main differences between Joomla and Craft CMS?

Key differences between Joomla and Craft CMS include pricing (Joomla starts at undisclosed vs Craft CMS at $199); target audience (Joomla targets Freelancers / Consultants while Craft CMS serves Individuals). Use the Spotsaas comparison table to evaluate each dimension before deciding.

Do both Joomla and Craft CMS offer a Free trial?

Neither Joomla nor Craft CMS offers a free trial.

Who are the typical users of Joomla?

Joomla is designed for Freelancers / Consultants, Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business.

Who are the typical users of Craft CMS?

Craft CMS is designed for Individuals, Freelancers / Consultants, Medium Business, Small Business.

What is the starting price of Joomla and Craft CMS?

The starting price of Craft CMS is $199. Pricing for Joomla is unavailable.

What are the best alternatives to Joomla?

Some top alternatives to Joomla include Story Chief, WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, Webflow.

What are the best alternatives to Craft CMS?

Some top alternatives to Craft CMS include Story Chief, WordPress, Webflow, TalentLMS, Drupal.

Joomla vs Craft CMS vs Story Chief Comparison

Last updated: May 20, 2026

Joomla

4.1(632 reviews)

Starting at Contact for pricing

Freelancers / Consultants
Large Enterprises

Joomla is a content management system that powers millions of websites and enables people to build online communities and powerful online applications. It is used by all types of organizations and individuals, from blogg…

View Pricing Read Reviews

Craft CMS

4.3(52 reviews)

Starting at $199

Individuals
Freelancers / Consultants

Craft is flexible and powerful content management software that helps manage website; from writing, to publishing, to editing and refinement. Craft features a simple content editing interface for users who are not as fam…

View Pricing Read Reviews

Story Chief

4.5(20 reviews)

Starting at $12 /Month

Free Trial
Large Enterprises
Medium Business

StoryChief is a cloud-based content management system that allows editors and designers to manage and automate the process of creating brand-specific content for editorial and marketing teams within an organization. Stor…

View Pricing Read Reviews

Craft CMS leads on user satisfaction with a 4.3-star rating across 52 reviews.

SpotSaaS Analysis

JoomlaCraft CMSStory Chief

The core difference between Joomla and Craft CMS lies in Joomla's focus on multilingual support for larger organizations, while Craft CMS caters to developers seeking a highly customizable and intuitive editing experience. Joomla is ideal for businesses and large enterprises needing extensive customization and multilingual capabilities, whereas Craft CMS is best suited for small to medium-sized businesses with a strong developer presence.

- Best for customizable, multilingual websites - Ideal for businesses and large organizations - Offers extensive customization options - Open-source content management system - Strong support for global audiences - Flexible for various business needs

- Best for developers needing flexibility - Ideal for small to medium-sized businesses - Highly customizable data structure - Intuitive editing interface - Supports collaboration between developers and designers - Focused on intricate website builds

Joomla vs Craft CMS vs Story Chief — at a glance

Feature	Joomla	Craft CMS	Story Chief
Rating	4.1 / 5	4.3 / 5	4.5 / 5
Reviews	632	52	20
Starting price	Contact for pricing	$199	$12 /Month
Free trial	No	No	Yes
Free version	No	No	No
Best for	Freelancers / Consultants, Large Enterprises, Medium Business	Individuals, Freelancers / Consultants, Medium Business	Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business
Category	Content Management Software	Content Management Software	Content Management Software
Platforms	SaaS/Web/Cloud	SaaS/Web/Cloud	SaaS/Web/Cloud
API	Available	—	—
Support modes	Online	Online	Business Hours, Online
Certifications	GDPR	GDPR	GDPR
Data residency	Global	US	Global

Key differences between Joomla and Craft CMS

Pricing: Craft CMS starts at $199. Joomla pricing is not publicly listed.
Target audience: Joomla is built for Freelancers / Consultants and Large Enterprises, while Craft CMS targets Individuals and Freelancers / Consultants.
User satisfaction: Craft CMS scores higher with a 4.3-star average.
Deployment: Joomla supports SaaS/Web/Cloud; Craft CMS supports SaaS/Web/Cloud.

Compare Joomla vs Craft CMS vs Story Chief — and walk away knowing which one fits.

Which tool fits your team best

Which is actually cheaper for your team size

Where each product wins, per real buyers

Most Content Management Software tools look identical on paper. This comparison cuts to the differences that matter — pricing structure, team fit, and what real buyers found after signing up.

Biggest differences

Features

Pricing

Buying details

Security

Buyer feedback

Integrations

Product tour

Other options

	Joomla (366) Talk to an expert Talk to an expert	Craft CMS (32) Talk to an expert Talk to an expert

Biggest differences

Affiliate Disclosure

Start here before you go deeper into features.

Joomla

Best for customizable, multilingual websites for businesses and large organizations.

Choose if

You need a flexible, open-source CMS with extensive customization options.
You require strong multilingual support for global or diverse audiences.
Your team includes web developers or content managers comfortable with medium complexity.

Consider alternatives if

You want a simple, out-of-the-box website solution with minimal setup.
You need access to a large, diverse marketplace of plugins and templates.

Craft CMS

Best for developers needing flexible, customizable CMS with intuitive editing.

Choose if

You require a highly flexible and customizable data structure for complex sites.
Your team includes developers and designers collaborating on intricate website builds.
You want a user-friendly back-end editor with live preview for content editors.

Consider alternatives if

You are a non-technical user without developer support for setup and maintenance.
You need extensive out-of-the-box front-end features like advanced form handling.

Story Chief

Best for streamlined multi-channel content creation and SEO guidance.

Choose if

You need simple, intuitive content editing with built-in SEO tips.
Your team requires easy distribution across multiple social and publishing channels.
You are a small to medium business focused on content or digital marketing.

Consider alternatives if

Your organization demands extensive template design customization.
You require real-time simultaneous collaboration on content creation.

Joomla: Best for customizable, multilingual websites for businesses and large organizations. Craft CMS: Best for developers needing flexible, customizable CMS with intuitive editing.

Description	Joomla is a content management system that powers millions of websites and enables people to build online communities and powerful online applications. It is used by all types of ... Read More about Joomla	Craft is flexible and powerful content management software that helps manage website; from writing, to publishing, to editing and refinement. Craft features a simple content editing ... Read More about Craft CMS	StoryChief is a cloud-based content management system that allows editors and designers to manage and automate the process of creating brand-specific content for editorial and marketing ... Read More about Story Chief
Entry Level Pricing	Not Available	Starts from $199	Starts from $12 , Billed Yearly
Free Trial Availability	No free trial	No free trial	Get Free Trial
Spotsaas Score What's this? ↗	9.7/10	9.1/10	9.1/10
User Ratings Based on verified Spotsaas reviews	4.1 (632)	4.3 (52)	4.5 (20)
Best Company Size	Small BusinessLarge Enterprises	Small BusinessMedium Business	Small BusinessMedium Business
	Get pricing help	Get pricing help	Visit website

Software Demo

Demo		Craft CMS has not given any software demo yet If you're the owner of this profile, add your demo.Contact us

Need a second opinion?

Get shortlist help from a software advisor

Share your priorities, budget, and team needs, and we’ll help you narrow the options and understand the tradeoffs before you talk to vendors.

How do Joomla, Craft CMS and Story Chief Compare on Features?

Total Features	10 Features	10 Features	10 Features
Unique Features	No unique features	No unique features	No unique features
	Get Quote	Get Quote	Visit website

Compare Joomla, Craft CMS and Story Chief on pricing

Review starting price, plan structure, and free-trial access side by side so you can see which option fits your budget and buying process.

Pricing Option
Starting From	Not Available	$199	$12 , Billed Yearly
Pricing Plans	Not Available	Not Available	Free Get Started World-class online editor Invite team members & guest writers Get approval from stakeholders Show more + Essential Get Started Unlimited Stories & Social Updates Measure Article Performance Removed StoryChief Branding Show more + Pro Get Started Includes featurtes of Essential plan, plus Smart Content Calendar Editorial Briefing Show more + Browse all pricing plans
Pricing Page	Pricing information not available
	View detailed pricing	View detailed pricing	View detailed pricing

Other Details

Organization Types supported	Medium Business Large Enterprises Small Business Freelancers Individuals	Medium Business Large Enterprises Small Business Freelancers Individuals	Medium Business Large Enterprises Small Business Freelancers Individuals
Platforms Supported	Browser Based (Cloud) Installed - Windows Installed - Mac Mobile - Android Mobile - iOS Browser Based (Cloud)	Browser Based (Cloud) Installed - Windows Installed - Mac Mobile - Android Mobile - iOS Browser Based (Cloud)	Browser Based (Cloud) Installed - Windows Installed - Mac Mobile - Android Mobile - iOS Browser Based (Cloud)
Modes of support	24/7 (Live rep) Business Hours Online	24/7 (Live rep) Business Hours Online	24/7 (Live rep) Business Hours Online
API Support	Available	Not Available	Not Available
	Get help choosing	Get help choosing	Visit Website

Security & Compliance

Certifications, data handling, and security controls for IT and compliance evaluators.

HIPAA	✗ No	✗ No
GDPR	✓ Yes	✓ Yes
Single Sign-On (SSO)	✓ Yes	✓ Yes
Multi-Factor Auth (MFA)	✓ Yes	✓ Yes
Data Encryption	✓ Yes	✓ Yes
Audit Logs	✓ Yes	—
Data Residency	🌐 Global	🇺🇸 US

Joomla vs Craft CMS User Reviews & Rating Comparison

User Ratings	4.1 (based on 632 reviews)	4.3 (based on 52 reviews)	4.5 (based on 20 reviews)
Rating Distribution	184 122 36 17 7	17 11 3 1 0	20 1 1 0 0
Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI	Buyer sentiment Overall positive sentiment highlights Joomla's flexibility, customization options, and suitability for both novice and advanced users, tempered by concerns about complexity and plugin availability. What buyers like Ease of customization User-friendly interface Open-source flexibility Common complaints Learning curve for new users Limited plugin and template selection	Buyer sentiment Overall positive sentiment highlighting flexibility and developer-friendliness, tempered by concerns about bugs and pricing. What buyers like Flexibility and customization Intuitive content editing interface Active community support Common complaints Bugs and stability issues Pricing concerns	Buyer sentiment Users generally express high satisfaction with StoryChief’s ease of use, SEO features, and multi-channel distribution, though some desire more customization and collaboration capabilities. What buyers like Ease of use SEO guidance Multi-channel publishing Common complaints Limited template customization Lack of simultaneous collaboration
Pros and Cons	Extensive library of components and plugins enabling high customization User-friendly interface suitable for both novice and experienced users Open-source platform allowing customization without licensing fees Steep learning curve due to complex customization features Smaller selection of plugins and templates compared to competitors	Highly flexible and customizable data structure User-friendly back-end editor with live preview Strong support and active developer community Occasional bugs and stability issues, especially with text formatting and asset management Pricing can be a barrier for smaller businesses	Intuitive editor with collaboration tools SEO guidance and readability analysis Seamless multi-channel content distribution Limited customization options in design and templates Restricted native posting channels (e.g., no Vkontakte or Telegram)
Positive Reviews	No reviews available for the product	No reviews available for the product	No reviews available for the product
	Read reviews	Read reviews	Read reviews

Media and Screenshots

Screenshots	No screenshots available.	8 Screenshots
Videos	3 Videos	No videos available.

Alternatives

Alternatives	Story Chief 4.5 WordPress 4.1 Wix 3.2	Story Chief 4.5 WordPress 4.1 Webflow 4	TalentLMS 4.1 Posted 4.1 Drupal 4

Frequently asked questions

Which is better, Joomla or Craft CMS?: Craft CMS edges out the other on user ratings (4.3 vs 4.1). That said, the best pick depends on your use case — use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.
Do Joomla and Craft CMS offer a free trial?: Neither Joomla nor Craft CMS currently lists a free trial.
What is the starting price of Joomla vs Craft CMS?: Joomla starts at Contact for pricing. Craft CMS starts at $199.
What are the top alternatives to Joomla?: Top alternatives to Joomla include Story Chief, WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, Webflow.
What are the top alternatives to Craft CMS?: Top alternatives to Craft CMS include Story Chief, WordPress, Webflow, TalentLMS, Drupal.

Joomla vs Craft CMS vs Story Chief Comparison

Joomla

Craft CMS

Story Chief

Joomla vs Craft CMS vs Story Chief — at a glance

Key differences between Joomla and Craft CMS

Compare Joomla vs Craft CMS vs Story Chief — and walk away knowing which one fits.

Joomla

Craft CMS

Biggest differences

Description

Entry Level Pricing

Free Trial Availability

Spotsaas Score

User Ratings

Best Company Size

Software Demo

Demo

Get shortlist help from a software advisor

How do Joomla, Craft CMS and Story Chief Compare on Features?

Compare Joomla, Craft CMS and Story Chief on pricing

Other Details

Organization Types supported

Platforms Supported

Modes of support

API Support

Security & Compliance

Joomla vs Craft CMS User Reviews & Rating Comparison

Media and Screenshots

Screenshots

Videos

Alternatives

Related Blogs and Articles for Content Management Software

Frequently asked questions