The Honest Truth
43% of the web runs on WordPress. Popular isn't the same as right.
The choice isn't about platforms. It's about what your site needs to do.
This isn't a hit piece. It's a comparison based on building both.
Speed
Average WordPress site: 4.7 seconds. Average custom Next.js site: 1.2 seconds.
That's not a small gap. Google says 53% of visitors leave after 3 seconds.
Speed isn't a feature. It's the product.
WordPress: database request, PHP render, 20–50 plugins, dynamic load. Every time.
Custom code: pre-built, served from a CDN edge. No server. No wait.
Cost
WordPress looks cheaper. The bill comes later.
- WordPress: £3,000–8,000 in year one once you add hosting, plugins, and maintenance
- Custom code: build cost only. Hosting free. Plugins none. Maintenance near zero
- By year two, custom is cheaper. By year three, it's not close
SEO
Core Web Vitals are a direct Google ranking signal.
Custom sites: 90–100. WordPress average: 50–70.
Both handle meta tags and sitemaps. Only one passes the performance test.
Security
90% of hacked CMS sites in 2025 were WordPress. Popularity is the vulnerability.
Each plugin is an attack surface. Each update is a potential break.
Custom static sites have no database, no admin panel, no plugins. Nothing to hack.
Use WordPress When
- Non-technical staff need to publish content daily
- 1,000+ product e-commerce (WooCommerce)
- Budget under £2,000 and speed of launch matters more than performance
- You need a specific plugin that exists nowhere else
Go Custom When
- Your site is your primary source of leads
- Speed and search ranking are competitive advantages
- Your competitors are using the same template as you
- You're tired of plugin updates breaking things
- Ongoing costs close to zero
The Verdict
WordPress works. For the right use case.
For service businesses where the site needs to generate leads: faster performance, better ranking, lower long-term cost, nothing to hack.
Custom wins on every metric that matters.