What is WordPress?
WordPress
WordPress is a content management system (CMS) that runs more than 40% of all websites. It is known for easy editing and a wide choice of plugins.
Pros
- Easy editing: you change content without writing code.
- Quick start: ready-made themes shorten the build.
- Many themes: thousands of free and paid ones.
- Many plugins: for almost any feature.
- Lower upfront cost: less development at the start.
- Large community: help and guides are easy to find.
Cons
- Security: a frequent target because it is so widespread.
- Speed: many plugins slow a site down.
- Maintenance: the core, theme and plugins need regular updates.
- Limits: complex features are harder to fit in.
- Extra code: themes and plugins bring things you never use.
What is React (Next.js)?
React and Next.js
React is a JavaScript library for building user interfaces. Next.js is a framework built on React: it prepares pages in advance or on the server, so they load quickly and Google reads them easily.
Pros
- Speed: pages load quickly and run smoothly.
- Freedom: we build exactly what you need.
- Longevity: widely used and actively developed.
- SEO: pages are prepared in advance, so Google indexes them easily.
- Growth: easy to extend as your business grows.
- Security: fewer moving parts for attackers to target.
Cons
- Higher upfront cost: more development at the start.
- Longer build: the first version takes more time.
- Technical skills: bigger changes need a developer.
- Fewer ready-made parts: more is built to measure.
What drives the costs
WordPress
- Build: lower, because more ready-made parts are used.
- Hosting: standard PHP hosting.
- Licences: paid themes and plugins, often on a yearly subscription.
- Maintenance: regular updates of the core and plugins.
React and Next.js
- Build: higher, because more is built to measure.
- Hosting: often cheaper.
- Licences: usually none.
- Maintenance: fewer patches; changes are made by a developer.
Compare the total cost over a few years, not just the build. We explain what drives the price in How much does a website cost?
How to decide what you need
WordPress
A good choice for:
- a limited budget
- a quick start
- editing the content yourself
- a blog or a company website
- simple features
Good value and speed for standard projects.
React and Next.js
A good choice for:
- sites where speed and SEO matter to the business
- complex web apps
- custom design and features
- projects that will grow
A long-term investment for projects that grow.
A hybrid approach: WordPress for content only
There is a third option: headless WordPress. WordPress is used only to edit the content, and the site your visitors see is built in React and Next.js.
Headless WordPress
Pros:
- familiar content editing in WordPress
- a fast site built in React
- freedom in design
- better security: the admin area is separate from the site
Cons:
- higher build and maintenance costs: two systems instead of one
- a more complex architecture
- needs more technical knowledge
- a longer build
When to choose it: when the content is edited by people without technical knowledge, but the site has to be fast and custom designed. Most often for sites with a lot of content.
Our recommendation
How to choose
For a blog or a simple company website:
WordPress is enough and good value: a quick start, easy editing and a lower build cost.
For web apps and more complex projects:
React and Next.js are the better long-term choice: speed, room to grow and freedom.
For an online shop:
It depends on the size. For a small shop WooCommerce may be enough. For a larger one, with many products and custom features, a React solution works better.
Conclusion
There is no single answer: it depends on your needs, budget and plans. WordPress is good for a quick start and simple projects. React and Next.js are better for more complex projects where speed and room to grow matter.
We work in React and Next.js, but if WordPress is enough for you, we will say so. Get in touch for a call without obligation.