Drupal
A free, open-source CMS for complex, structured and multilingual websites, now with Drupal CMS 2.0, the Canvas visual builder and optional AI tools.
- Free plan
- Free or open source
- Open source
- AI features
- Independent sources
- Verified 13 Nov 2026Sources are dated on this profile
- 3 sourcesLinked, typed and dated
- Vendor and independent sourcesHow this profile was compiled
- Not an endorsementStack18 has not tested this product
What is Drupal?
Drupal is a free, open-source content management system released under the GPL that powers complex, high-traffic and multilingual websites, with structured content types, granular permissions and an API-first architecture, and Drupal CMS 2.0 adding a visual page builder and site templates.
- Best forOrganisations with complex, structured, multilingual content
- Team size fitMid-size teams, Large enterprises
- PricingFree and open source; hosting and development costs vary.
- Main limitationNeeds developers for setup, hosting and upgrades.
- AlternativesWordPress.com, Joomla, Contentful, Strapi · compare all
Drupal overview: who it is for and what it does.
Drupal is used by governments, universities, media groups and large enterprises that need structured content, many editors with different permissions, multilingual sites and integrations through APIs. It is maintained by a global community and the Drupal Association.
Drupal CMS 2.0, released in early 2026 on Drupal core 11.3, made the Canvas visual page builder the default editor and introduced site templates, starting with Byte for SaaS marketing sites. Optional AI tools can draft pages from prompts, help administrators create content types through a chatbot and suggest image alt text for human review.
The software is free. Costs come from hosting, development, security updates and maintenance, which usually require developers or an agency. Drupal suits organisations whose content model and governance needs outgrow simpler site builders.
Main problem it solves
Lets organisations run large, structured, multilingual sites with fine-grained editorial control on software they own.
Typical customer segment
Enterprises, public sector, higher education, media and non-profits with complex content needs.
Target users
- Content editors working in a governed workflow
- Developers building custom modules and headless front ends
- Site owners managing many languages or sites
Primary use cases
- Large corporate and government websites
- University and media portals
- Multilingual sites
- Headless CMS via JSON:API
- Intranets and community sites
What makes it distinct
- Structured content types and fields in core.
- Granular roles and permissions for large editorial teams.
- Visual Canvas builder and optional AI in Drupal CMS 2.0.
Drupal features explained.
Content and editing
- Content types and fields
- Model structured content without code.
- Canvas visual builder
- Default page editor in Drupal CMS 2.0.
- Workflows and revisions
- Content moderation and revision history.
Scale and languages
- Multilingual core
- Interface, content and configuration translation.
- Roles and permissions
- Granular access control.
- Multisite
- Run several sites from one codebase.
Developers and AI
- API-first
- JSON:API and REST in core for headless use.
- Modules and themes
- Thousands of contributed modules.
- Optional AI tools
- Prompt-to-page, admin chatbot and AI alt text with review.
Drupal pricing and plans.
Product facts from vendor and independent sources; pricing depends on hosting or third parties. Checked 13 Nov 2026 against Pulse 2.0 · Drupal.org · The New Stack.
Pricing model
Free open-source software (GPL); you pay for hosting, development and maintenance.
Free plan
Yes (open source)
Free trial
Not applicable
Drupal plans and prices (n/a)
Drupal core and Drupal CMS
Free
n/a
Download and self-host; Drupal CMS adds Canvas, templates and optional AI.
Managed Drupal hosting
Varies by provider
Monthly or annual
Specialist hosts offer Drupal-optimised plans.
Drupal itself is free. Budget for hosting, an agency or in-house developers, security updates and upgrades between major versions.
Prices change. Confirm current plans and terms on the vendor's site before you decide.
Visit official website (external) ↗See alternativesDrupal integrations, API and platforms.
Important integrations
- JSON:API and REST
- Mailchimp recipe in Drupal CMS
- SSO via contributed modules
- Search (Solr, Elasticsearch) via modules
Supported platforms
- Self-hosted (PHP, Linux)
- Managed Drupal hosting
API
JSON:API and REST built into core.
Data import and export
Migrate API for importing content from other systems.
Most integrations come from contributed modules; check that modules you need support the current major version.
Drupal pros and cons.
Strengths, limitations and best fit. Each point cites a source; editorial summaries are not customer reviews.
Strengths
Limitations
Best for
- Organisations with complex, structured, multilingual content
- Public sector and universities
- Teams building headless or multi-site platforms
May be less suited to
- Small businesses wanting a hosted drag-and-drop builder
- Teams without developer support
Top Drupal alternatives and competitors.
WordPress.com
Automattic's hosted WordPress service, with a free plan and paid plans from $4 a month (Personal, annual) up…
Explore →Related productJoomla
A free, open-source PHP CMS with built-in multilingual support, access control and workflows; Joomla 6.1 and…
Explore →Related productContentful
An enterprise headless CMS with a free plan (10 users) and a Lite plan at $300 a month.
Explore →Related productStrapi
An open-source headless CMS that is free to self-host, with Strapi Cloud from $35 per project a month.
Explore →Drupal compared with similar CMS & website builders.
Summaries come from each profile. This is a side-by-side aid, not a ranking.
| Product | Pricing model | Free plan | Starting price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drupal | Free or open source | Yes (open source) | Free and open source; hosting and development costs vary. | Organisations with complex, structured, multilingual content |
| WordPress.com | Flat or plan-based | Yes (subdomain, ads) | Free; Personal $4, Premium $8, Business $25, Commerce $45 a month (annual); monthly… | Bloggers and businesses wanting hosted WordPress without server work |
| Joomla | Free or open source | Yes (open source) | Free and open source; hosting extra. | Multilingual sites on a budget |
| Contentful | Flat or plan-based | Yes (10 users) | Free (10 users, 100K API calls); Lite $300 a month (20 users); higher tiers custom. | Enterprise content operations delivering to many channels |
| Strapi | Flat or plan-based | Yes (self-hosted) | Community Edition free (MIT); Cloud Starter $35, Pro $90, Business $450 a month. | Developers wanting a self-hosted headless CMS without usage fees |
| Drupal | Free or open source | Yes (open source) | Free and open source; hosting and development costs vary. | Organisations with complex, structured, multilingual content |
Drupal vs competitors: head-to-head comparisons.
Drupal questions and answers
What is Drupal used for?
Drupal is used for large corporate and government websites, university and media portals, multilingual sites and headless CMS via JSON:API.
Does Drupal have a free plan?
Yes. Yes (open source). Free trial: Not applicable.
How much does Drupal cost?
Free and open source; hosting and development costs vary. Drupal itself is free.
What are the main alternatives to Drupal?
The main alternatives to Drupal covered on Stack18 are WordPress.com, Joomla, Contentful and Strapi. WordPress.com may suit bloggers and businesses wanting hosted WordPress without server work. Joomla may suit multilingual sites on a budget. Contentful may suit enterprise content operations delivering to many channels. See the Drupal alternatives guide for a side-by-side table.
What integrations does Drupal support?
Documented integrations include JSON:API and REST, Mailchimp recipe in Drupal CMS, SSO via contributed modules and Search (Solr, Elasticsearch) via modules. API: JSON:API and REST built into core.
What are the limitations of Drupal?
Needs developers for setup, hosting and upgrades. Steeper learning curve than hosted site builders. AI tools are optional and need configuration and review.
Which platforms does Drupal run on?
Drupal is documented as available on: Self-hosted (PHP, Linux), Managed Drupal hosting.
When was the Drupal profile last verified?
Sources for this profile were last reviewed on 13 Nov 2026. 3 sources are listed under Sources, and prices and plans can change, so confirm with the vendor.
Where this information comes from.
- Drupal CMS 2.0 launches Visual Builder, optional AI tools and site templates Pulse 2.0 Third-party Accessed 13 Nov 2026
- Drupal announcements blog Drupal.org Official Accessed 13 Nov 2026
- Drupal turns 25 The New Stack Third-party Accessed 13 Nov 2026
Mixed-source profile. Facts and prices come from the vendor’s own pages and independent third-party sources, as marked. Confirm with the vendor before buying.
Plan names, prices and features were checked against the sources listed on 13 Nov 2026. Capabilities were not tested.
Stack18 has not tested this product or received anything from the vendor for this profile. Editorial summaries of vendor information are not endorsements. Confirm details with the vendor before buying.
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