Why the Mass Exodus from Joomla?

Joomla was once a powerhouse in the world of content management systems. In its prime, it powered millions of websites and captured over 12% of the CMS market. Fast forward to today, and that number has dropped below 3%. More and more businesses are making the switch, but what’s driving the mass migration?

Innovation Has Slowed

Joomla’s development pace hasn’t kept up with modern expectations. Joomla 4, while a long-awaited update, was delayed for years and arrived without many of the features users now consider standard. In contrast, platforms like WordPress continue to roll out regular core updates, block editor improvements, and accessibility enhancements.

Many businesses migrating from Joomla seek out flexible builders like Avada, which offer modern templates, faster design options, and a broader range of integrations.

The Community Is Shrinking

As Joomla’s popularity declined, so did its developer community. Fewer developers mean fewer extensions, slower innovation, and less third-party support. Meanwhile, WordPress enjoys an active community of contributors that maintains more than 59,000 plugins, constantly pushing the platform forward.

The User Experience Is Outdated

The Joomla backend feels complex and heavy compared to newer platforms. Simple tasks like editing a page, publishing a blog post, or adjusting layouts often involve multiple screens and configuration menus.

Modern users expect easier visual editing experiences, like those offered by page builders such as Avada and Webflow, where building pages can be as intuitive as dragging and dropping blocks into place.

Security Takes More Work

Maintaining Joomla security is a hands-on process. Frequent manual updates are required to patch vulnerabilities, and Joomla’s security advisories list dozens of issues patched annually.

Meanwhile, WordPress users hosting on services like Kinsta or WP Engine benefit from automatic core updates, proactive malware scanning, and threat blocking without lifting a finger.

Fewer Integrations and Plugins

Joomla’s extension directory is no longer competitive. When businesses need to connect their website with marketing automation, CRM, or e-commerce platforms, WordPress shines with out-of-the-box integrations to HubSpot, WooCommerce, and Mailchimp.

SEO Isn’t as Straightforward

While Joomla can be optimized, it doesn’t match the seamless SEO capabilities available through Yoast SEO and Rank Math. Joomla users typically need multiple third-party extensions just to manage meta tags, slugs, or structured data, making organic search optimization more complicated than necessary.

Migration Is No Longer Difficult

Migration used to be a major roadblock for Joomla users—but not anymore. With tools like CMS2CMS and real-world experiences like the Bullfinch case study, moving from Joomla to faster, lighter platforms like WordPress or BoltCMS is faster and safer than ever.

The Web Has Moved On

Today’s websites aren’t just static information hubs; they’re dynamic ecosystems connected to CRM systems, ad platforms, e-commerce solutions, and customer portals. Joomla was never designed for this level of connectivity, agility, or speed.

Modern platforms like Shopify, Webflow, and WordPress prioritize mobile-first design, API integrations, and fast deployment—critical elements for businesses competing online today.

Should You Make the Switch?

If managing your Joomla site feels like a constant uphill battle, you’re not alone. Thousands of organizations are choosing to move to platforms that align with modern workflows, faster publishing, better security, and richer integrations.

With migration now easier than ever and design options like Avada making stunning rebuilds possible, there’s little reason to stay trapped in a platform that’s no longer growing with your business.

Thinking about migrating? Reviewing success stories like the Bullfinch Joomla-to-Bolt migration can offer a real-world glimpse into how painless—and rewarding—the process can be.