Should I use Joomla or WordPress?

The short version

Both are free, open-source and mature. WordPress started as a blogging tool and has the biggest plugin ecosystem. Joomla started as a content management system and has more features built in, especially for multilingual sites, member access and structured content.

Pick Joomla when

• You need several languages and want them handled by the core, not a paid plugin.
• You need member-only content, different user roles or an intranet: Joomla has nine user groups and access levels built in.
• Your content is structured (events, products, profiles) and custom fields plus categories fit it.
• You want fewer third-party plugins to update and secure.

Pick WordPress when

• You mainly publish blog posts and want the simplest editor.
• You need a specific plugin (or theme) that only exists for WordPress.
• Your team or developer already knows WordPress well.

Good to know

• Both need the same care: regular updates, backups and good hosting. Neither is "secure" or "insecure" on its own.
• Moving between them later is possible but costly, so decide on structure, languages and users before you start.