Services > Platform Migrations
Drupal to WordPress Migration
Keep your content, structure and URLs. Leave the rebuild cycle behind.
AlphaWeb moves organizations off Drupal and onto WordPress. We inventory every content type, field, vocabulary and URL, migrate it all with repeatable scripts and cover every changed URL with a 301 redirect. Then we train your editors and stay on for hosting and support. It is the same scripted approach that consolidated DrugFree.org's Drupal, ExpressionEngine, ASP.NET and WordPress properties into one WordPress Multisite network.
Who this migration is for
Organizations running Drupal that want a platform their own team can manage, without throwing away years of content. If upgrades are expensive, specialist developers are hard to find or your editors dread the admin screens, a planned move to WordPress fixes all three.
Teams facing a Drupal rebuild
Drupal 7 reached end of life in January 2025. If your next step is a costly rebuild on a newer Drupal version anyway, price the move to WordPress before you commit.
Organizations with several sites
Drupal sites running next to other platforms, each with its own updates, security issues and learning curve. We bring them together on one WordPress Multisite network.
Editors who need an easier admin
Content teams that want to publish news, update pages and add events without a developer. We convert Paragraphs and layout builder content into editable WordPress blocks.
What you get
- Drupal migration audit: an inventory of content types and fields, taxonomy vocabularies, Views, blocks, menus, users and roles, files, modules and every URL, including path aliases and the redirects already in place.
- A cleaner content model: content types become custom post types, vocabularies become taxonomies and fields become custom fields or structured blocks. We simplify along the way instead of recreating every historic decision.
- Repeatable migration scripts: usually built on WP-CLI, reading from the Drupal database or exports. We run them as often as needed while the model is refined, and the final run brings over only what changed.
- Editable blocks, not frozen HTML: Paragraphs and layout builder content converted into Gutenberg blocks your editors can actually change.
- Users and roles: accounts moved with Drupal roles mapped to WordPress roles, plus a password plan that fits your audience: legacy password support on first login, single sign on or a reset email at launch.
- Media and files: files copied with alt text and captions, every reference in content rewritten and Drupal image styles matched to WordPress image sizes.
- Redirect and SEO plan: every path alias mapped to its new URL, every change covered by a 301 redirect, and titles, meta descriptions and canonical URLs carried over. See how we protect SEO during a migration.
- Functionality rebuilt, not modules copied: we look at what each module does for your team. Webforms move to Gravity Forms or a similar tool, Views become Query Loop blocks or custom queries, and workflows become editorial roles.
- Multisite consolidation where it fits: several Drupal sites, or Drupal plus other platforms, combined into one network with shared updates.
- Accessible, mobile friendly design: Section 508 and WCAG requirements in the plan from day one, not bolted on later.
- Training and handoff: role based training on your own migrated content, with short written guides for the tasks each role does most.
- Optional managed hosting and support: security, hosting and monitoring after go-live.
How Drupal maps to WordPress
| In Drupal | In WordPress |
|---|---|
| Content types and fields | Custom post types with custom fields or structured blocks |
| Taxonomy vocabularies and terms | Taxonomies, with hierarchies kept |
| Paragraphs and layout builder | Editable Gutenberg blocks |
| Views | Query Loop blocks or custom queries |
| Modules | Plugins or custom code, chosen by what the feature does |
| Webforms | Gravity Forms or a similar form tool |
| Users, roles and permissions | WordPress users and roles |
| Image styles | WordPress image sizes |
| Path aliases | Permalinks, with a 301 redirect for every changed URL |
Part of our platform migrations service. See also WordPress Multisite and what managed WordPress hosting includes.
How a Drupal migration works
- Audit: we inventory every content type, field, vocabulary, View, module, user and URL, and ask what is still used, who owns it after launch and what it connects to.
- Plan: the WordPress content model, editor roles, design, redirect map, accessibility and launch criteria, in a written scope with a free quote.
- Script: repeatable migration scripts move content, terms, users and media from the Drupal database or exports, converting Paragraphs into blocks and rewriting file references.
- Build: theme, blocks and the features your modules used to provide, rebuilt the WordPress way on a staging site with regular check-ins.
- Rehearse: we run the migration into staging until content, file and user counts match, and your editors review real migrated content, not samples.
- Launch: a short content freeze, the final incremental run, DNS, redirects, smoke tests, and close watch on logs, 404 reports and Search Console in the weeks after.
- Support: editor training, hosting, updates, security and monitoring so the new site stays mission ready.
Planning the move before you talk to anyone? Work through our WordPress migration checklist: every phase from the first inventory to post-launch monitoring, with a free printable PDF.
Leadership experience
Proof: DrugFree.org
From
Drupal, ExpressionEngine, ASP.NET and WordPress
To
One WordPress Multisite network
Scope
Six properties on four platforms
Result
Every property consolidated with no data loss
The nonprofit Partnership for Drug-Free Kids helps families prevent teen substance use and supports those affected by addiction. It ran one Drupal site, two ExpressionEngine sites, two WordPress sites and a custom ASP.NET application, each with its own updates, security issues and learning curve for staff. A custom migration script consolidated every property into one WordPress Multisite network with no data loss.
On the new platform, BuddyPress and bbPress power peer support forums, topic groups and a member activity stream. Custom post types hold content such as Memorials and Stories of Hope, and staff maintain a drug guide organized by a clear taxonomy. Families find help and each other in one place, and staff run everything from one dashboard.
Project leadership by Brian Messenlehner, AlphaWeb founder.
Read the DrugFree.org case study
The same playbook on other platforms
Schoolwires migration
Newark Public Schools
About 80 school websites moved from Schoolwires into one WordPress Multisite network, rebuilt by custom script with menus, page hierarchy and original URLs intact.
Leadership experience
LexisNexis LawLinks
Nearly 3,000 law firm sites moved from a proprietary CMS into one WordPress Multisite, with an automated pipeline that turned each legacy export into a finished site on the network.
Running more than one legacy platform? Read our guide to consolidating legacy platforms on WordPress Multisite.
Drupal migration FAQs
Can you migrate our Drupal site to WordPress?
Yes. Migrations are a specialty. We have moved content from Drupal, ExpressionEngine, ASP.NET and Schoolwires into WordPress, using scripts that preserve your page structure and URLs.
We are still on Drupal 7. Should we move now?
Drupal 7 reached end of life in January 2025, so every Drupal 7 site faces a choice: a costly rebuild on a newer Drupal version or a move to another platform. We give you a full inventory and a written migration plan so you can compare the WordPress option on real numbers.
Will we keep our URLs and search rankings?
Every Drupal path alias gets a mapping to its new WordPress URL, and every change is covered by a 301 redirect. We carry over titles, meta descriptions and canonical URLs, regenerate XML sitemaps and watch Search Console after launch. With complete redirects and preserved metadata, rankings usually hold, though short term movement is normal while search engines recrawl.
What happens to our content types, fields and Views?
Content types map to custom post types, vocabularies to taxonomies and fields to custom fields or structured blocks. Views become Query Loop blocks or custom queries. We often simplify along the way, so a site with many content types may need far fewer in WordPress, with taxonomies doing the rest.
Can our users keep their passwords?
They can. Drupal and WordPress store passwords differently, so we either support legacy Drupal passwords on first login, move everyone to single sign on, or send a password reset email at launch. For public sites with few logged in users, the reset email is often simplest.
Can several Drupal sites become one WordPress Multisite?
Yes. WordPress Multisite lets one install run many sites with shared updates. DrugFree.org's Drupal, ExpressionEngine, ASP.NET and WordPress properties were consolidated into a single Multisite network this way.
How long does a Drupal to WordPress migration take?
It depends on size and complexity. A simple site can move in weeks, while large platforms with many sites take longer. Repeatable, incremental scripts keep the final content freeze short, and your written plan includes a timeline.
Can you host and support the site after launch?
Yes. AlphaWeb offers managed WordPress hosting and ongoing support plans, so the team that migrated your site keeps it updated, secure and monitored.
How do we get started?
Brief us on your mission through the quote form. A specialist will follow up to schedule a call and put together a free migration plan and quote.
Why teams choose AlphaWeb
Veteran owned WordPress specialists
Mission driven, not trend chasing
AlphaWeb is a U.S. veteran owned business. We plan, build, secure and support WordPress sites and mobile apps with the same discipline Brian learned as a Marine Corps programmer.
We wrote the book on WordPress apps
Brian Messenlehner co-authored O'Reilly's Building Web Apps with WordPress, has led WordPress teams since 2008, and went on to become owner of AppPresser and co-found SchoolPresser.