The Top CMS For Core Web Vitals

Introduction to Core Web Vitals

Core Web Vitals (CWV) are metrics created by Google to measure how fast, stable, and responsive a website feels to users. Websites that load quickly and respond smoothly keep visitors engaged, while sites that fall short frustrate users and increase bounce rates. For businesses and publishers, CWV scores reflect the user experience and competitiveness online.

How the Data Is Collected

The CWV Technology Report combines two public datasets:

1. Chrome UX Report (CrUX): Data from Chrome users who opt in to share performance statistics as they browse. This reflects how real users experience websites.
2. HTTP Archive: Lab-based tests that analyze how sites are built and whether they follow performance best practices.

Ranking by Month-Over-Month Improvement

The July update shows that every major platform has improved since June, but not all gains were equal.

1. Joomla posted the largest month-over-month increase, with a gain of 3.23%.
2. Wix followed with a 2.61% improvement.
3. Drupal came in third with a 1.47% increase.
4. Duda ranked fourth with a 1.33% gain.
5. Squarespace improved by 1.27%.
6. WordPress had the smallest gain, with a 0.90% improvement.

Ranking by July CWV Score

Duda once again led the pack, with 84.96% of websites built with the Duda platform having a good CWV score.

1. Wix ranked second, with 73.37% of sites passing CWV.
2. Squarespace came in third, with 68.93% of sites showing good CWV scores.
3. Drupal ranked fourth, with 60.54% of sites passing CWV.
4. Joomla ranked fifth, with 54.78% of sites having good CWV scores.
5. WordPress ranked last, with only 44.34% of sites passing CWV.

Why the Numbers Matter

Core Web Vitals scores translate into real differences in how users experience websites. Platforms with higher CWV scores offer faster, smoother interactions, while those at the bottom frustrate users with slower performance. While all six platforms in the comparison are improving month to month, what matters most is the actual experience users get right now.

Do Content Management Systems Matter For Ranking?

There is a common perception that the choice of content management system has an impact on rankings. Some people assert that plugins make WordPress easier to rank in Google. However, the facts show that the opposite is true. WordPress is the slowest of the content management systems in this comparison. The percentage of sites built with Duda that had a good Core Web Vitals score is 84.96%, while the percentage of WordPress sites with a good CWV score is 44.34%. This means Duda’s percentage of sites with good CWV scores is about 92% higher than those built with WordPress.

Technical Debt and WordPress

Another issue with WordPress is that it has a considerable amount of technical debt, something that private content management systems do not have to struggle with to the same degree. Technical debt refers to the accumulation of outdated code and design decisions that make it harder to maintain, update, or improve the platform over time. Some reasons for WordPress’s technical debt include:

• WordPress was originally conceived as a blogging platform and has evolved into a full CMS, able to be extended as virtually any kind of website.
• Adding new features on top of legacy code means workarounds must be made for backward compatibility, which creates complexity and slows down innovation.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while the choice of content management system may not necessarily matter for SEO, performance is crucial for things that matter, such as conversions and the user experience. The fact is that the HTTPArchive Technology Comparison Report ranks WordPress last for Core Web Vitals performance in July. Duda is the Core Web Vitals champion, with a score of 84.96% of websites built with the Duda platform having a good CWV score. Joomla had the largest gain, but still ranked near the bottom with only 54.78% of sites showing a good CWV score. Ultimately, the choice of content management system should be based on factors such as ease of use, customization options, and performance, rather than just SEO considerations.