Craft CMS vs Drupal: Which CMS Should You Choose?

Choosing a content management system (CMS) is never a neutral decision. The CMS you pick shapes how your website is built, how your team works, and how easily the platform can evolve as your business grows. Ideally, you get it right once (though, if you don't, it is possible to migrate).

Craft CMS and Drupal are both powerful platforms. They are both regularly considered for builds. But while they are often compared, they’re actually very different in philosophy and approach.

This guide breaks down how Craft CMS and Drupal compare, from editorial experience and flexibility to performance, security, and long-term cost. The aim is to help you make a decision based on how your website needs to work.

💡 Further reading: Craft vs. WordPress

 

Craft CMS vs. Drupal at a Glance

Before comparing features, workflows, or long-term costs, it’s worth stepping back and looking at what Craft CMS and Drupal actually are, and what they are designed to do.

Both are powerful content management systems. Both can run serious, high-traffic websites. But they come from very different philosophies, and that shapes how they feel to use, build with, and maintain.

 

What Is Craft CMS?

Launched in 2013 by software company Pixel & Tonic, Craft CMS is a modern content management system built with flexibility and control at its core. While it’s younger - and less widely adopted - than platforms like Drupal, it would be a mistake to dismiss Craft as a niche or lightweight option.

Craft was designed to be, and remains, a developer-first CMS that prioritises clean code, structured content, and strong performance. Rather than imposing rigid templates or assumptions about how a website should work, it gives teams the freedom to shape content around real business needs.

For marketing and content teams, that flexibility translates into a calmer, more intuitive editing experience. For developers, it means fewer compromises, better performance, and a platform that stays out of the way once it’s configured properly.

It’s these strengths - flexibility, security, and long-term performance - that continue to attract organisations looking for scalable, future-proof websites that are easy to manage day to day.

Craft may power fewer sites overall, but its client list tells a different story. It’s trusted by some of the world’s most recognisable brands, including:

• IKEA
• Volkswagen
• Adidas
• Netflix
• Hootsuite

💡 Further reading: 5 Reasons to Choose Craft CMS for Your Website

 

What Is Drupal?

Launched in 2001, Drupal is one of the longest-standing open-source content management systems. Maintained by a global community and supported by the Drupal Association, it has built a reputation as a powerful platform capable of supporting complex websites.

Drupal is designed for organisations that need to manage vast amounts of content, data relationships, and user permissions, often across multiple teams, regions, or languages. Its architecture is robust, and its flexibility comes from the depth of configuration and customisation available through modules and custom development.

 

That strength makes Drupal a good choice for:

• Large-scale, content-heavy platforms
• Organisations with complex governance or compliance needs
• Websites requiring advanced user roles and workflows

However, that power comes at a cost. Drupal sites typically require significant technical expertise, both to build and to maintain. Content editors often face a steeper learning curve, and updates or changes can demand ongoing developer involvement.

Despite this, Drupal remains a trusted CMS for institutions and enterprises that prioritise control, scale, and long-term stability over speed or simplicity. At the time of writing, Drupal is the platform behind Tesla, UNESCO, UNICEF, and the University of Oxford websites. 
 

Craft CMS vs Drupal: Comparison Chart 

Area	Craft CMS	Drupal
Primary Focus	Flexible, custom-built websites	Large, complex content platforms
Ease of Use	Clean, intuitive control panel	Powerful but steep learning curve
Content Editing	Clear fields, flexible layouts	Structured, form-heavy interfaces
Content Modelling	Custom and adaptable	Rigid and schema-driven
Design Freedom	Full front-end control	Possible, but often constrained
Development Experience	Developer-first, clean templating	Configuration- and module-heavy
Performance	Lightweight and fast	Highly capable with optimisation
Security	Strong core security	Enterprise-grade, proven at scale
Scalability	Scales well for most commercial needs	Built for very large, complex systems
Maintenance	Lower ongoing maintenance	Higher long-term maintenance
Cost of Ownership	Predictable licensing and build cost	No licence fee, higher dev investment
Best For	Brand-led, design-focused websites	Government, education, enterprise platforms

 

How to Read This Table

In short, both platforms are capable of it all (or most of it), but they have different priorities.

Drupal’s strength lies in managing complexity at scale, particularly where governance, permissions, and rigid data structures are non-negotiable. 

Craft CMS focuses on ease, flexibility, and speed. That makes it a better fit for teams that want a bespoke website that they have control over. 
 

Ease of Use and User Experience

You might have the most powerful CMS, but if it’s awkward and tricky to use day-to-day, then your team will get frustrated fast (and get less done). And this is where we see one of the largest differences between Craft CMS and Drupal.

 

Content Editing and Admin UI

Craft CMS is built around clarity. The control panel is clean, fields are clearly labelled, and editors only see what’s relevant to them. This makes updating content feel calm and intuitive, even on larger sites.

Drupal’s admin UI reflects its depth. It offers extensive configuration and control, but that complexity often surfaces in the editing experience. Editors may encounter more fields, options, and system concepts than they strictly need.

 

Learning Curve for Marketing Teams

Craft CMS is typically quick for non-technical users to pick up. It’s very intuitive - just click on what you want. Editors don’t need to understand how the CMS works behind the scenes; they just work with content models designed around their needs. Easy. 

Drupal will require more onboarding; that much is certain. Editors need at least a basic understanding of content types, relationships, and workflows before they feel confident, which can slow teams down initially.

 

Flexibility, Structure, and Content Modelling

How a CMS handles content structure has a long-term impact on everything from design freedom to editorial efficiency.

Craft CMS takes a flexible approach to content modelling. Fields, sections, and relationships are custom-built around the project, rather than imposed by the system. This makes it easier to reflect your real-world content needs and, crucially, evolve them over time without reworking the entire site.

Drupal is far more schema-driven. Content types and relationships are tightly defined, which works well for organisations that need strict data structures and consistency across large platforms. The trade-off is reduced flexibility when requirements change.

In practice, Craft suits teams that value adaptability and agility, while Drupal excels where structure must be locked down from day one.

 

Design Freedom and Front-End Control

Freedom around design is one of the main differentiators when it comes to selecting a CMS. And there’s a big difference here. 

Craft CMS gives developers full control. There’s no need to fight predefined themes or rigid assumptions. In short, Craft CMS is one of the best content management systems for design-led, brand-driven websites. It’s one of the reasons we love it. 

That’s not to say you can’t achieve great-looking websites with Drupal. It can support intricate front ends, but it often requires jumping through more hoops to break free from its limitations. That added complexity can increase build time (and cost).

If visual identity and user experience are central to the project, Craft generally offers a smoother path than Drupal.

 

Performance and Scalability

These platforms have different approaches to performance. Both can handle high volumes of traffic, but they come at scale from opposite directions. 

Craft is lightweight out of the box. With fewer moving parts and cleaner architecture, strong performance is easier to achieve without too much optimisation.

On the other hand, Drupal is built to scale aggressively. It’s proven in high-traffic, high-complexity environments, but often relies on careful configuration, caching strategies, and infrastructure planning to perform at its best.

For most commercial websites, Craft scales comfortably. Drupal comes into its own when scale and complexity are out of the ordinary.

 

Security and Governance

Security is one of the key reasons organisations choose Drupal. And for good reason - it truly excels in this particular department.

Drupal has a long-standing reputation for enterprise-grade security, supported by a dedicated security team and mature governance tools. It’s a strong fit for government, education, and regulated industries.

Of course, that’s not to say Craft CMS isn’t secure. It also takes security seriously, with a strong core, frequent updates, and a more contained ecosystem. While it may not carry the same institutional reputation as Drupal, it meets the needs of most commercial and brand-led organisations. You should have no concerns.

Maintenance, Updates, and Long-Term Cost

The true cost of a CMS often rears its head after launch.

Craft CMS sites are typically easy to maintain. Updates are predictable, the plugin ecosystem is curated and high quality, and day-to-day changes rarely require developer intervention.

Drupal has no licence fee, but ongoing maintenance can be heavier. Major version upgrades, module compatibility, and technical debt often require sustained developer involvement.

Over time, Craft’s predictability can translate into a lower total cost of ownership, while Drupal demands a larger long-term technical investment.

 

Craft CMS vs. Drupal: Which is Right for You?

As with most decisions of this nature, choosing between Craft CMS and Drupal isn’t about which is “better”. Instead, it’s about which aligns best with your business and needs. 

 

Choose Craft CMS if you need:

• A bespoke, design-led website
• A CMS marketing can get to grips with easily
• Flexibility that adapts as your business evolves

 

Choose Drupal if you need:

• Complex governance and permissions
• Rigid content structures at scale
• A platform proven in institutional environments

 

Both Craft CMS and Drupal are powerful platforms. You just need to choose between control and clarity, and scale and simplicity. Start there, and the choice should be fairly easy.