WordPress Performance: Core Web Vitals Rankings Show Lag Behind Competitors
WordPress Lags Behind Competitors in Core Web Vitals Performance
In a revealing July 2025 Core Web Vitals Technology Report by HTTPArchive, WordPress ranked last among major content management systems for business websites, with only 44.34% of its sites achieving good performance scores. Duda led the pack with an impressive 84.96% of sites meeting Core Web Vitals standards.
The comprehensive analysis, which combines Chrome UX Report data and HTTP Archive testing, shows all platforms improving their performance metrics, though at varying rates. Joomla demonstrated the most significant monthly improvement at 3.23%, while WordPress showed the smallest gain at 0.90%.
Technical Performance Analysis
WordPress's struggle with technical debt has emerged as a significant factor in its performance issues. At WordCamp EU 2025, contributor burnout was highlighted as a critical concern, with the platform facing challenges in maintaining legacy systems while innovating new features.
The current CMS rankings by Core Web Vitals scores are:
- Duda – 84.96%
- Wix – 73.37%
- Squarespace – 68.93%
- Drupal – 60.54%
- Joomla – 54.78%
- WordPress – 44.34%
User Experience Impact
Website performance directly affects user engagement and conversion rates. While CMS choice may not directly influence search rankings, the significant performance gaps between platforms can substantially impact business outcomes.
"Technical debt refers to the accumulation of outdated code and design decisions that make it harder to maintain, update, or improve the platform over time," explains the report, highlighting WordPress's particular challenges in this area.
Security Considerations
Given the performance challenges, websites must prioritize both speed and security. Implementing robust WordPress security measures becomes increasingly important as sites balance performance optimization with protection against vulnerabilities.
According to Google's Web Vitals documentation, businesses should regularly monitor their performance metrics and implement optimization strategies to maintain competitive advantage in the digital landscape. While WordPress maintains its popularity, alternative platforms like Duda and Wix demonstrate superior performance in delivering fast, responsive user experiences.
