The Uncomfortable Truth About WordPress
WordPress is everywhere. 43% of websites run on it. It's "easy." It's "cheap."
It's also a security nightmare, slow as hell, and completely wrong for most businesses in 2026.
Let me explain why every serious business I work with is moving away from it.
The WordPress Tax You're Paying
Security Tax
- 90%+ of hacked CMS sites are WordPress
- Average cost of a website hack: $200,000 (IBM data)
- WordPress needs constant updates, plugin patches, security monitoring
- Every plugin is a potential vulnerability
"But I have a security plugin!"
Cool. So does every other WordPress site that gets hacked. The architecture is fundamentally flawed.
Speed Tax
Average WordPress site load time: 3-5 seconds
Average Next.js site load time: 0.5-1.5 seconds
Every second of load time = 7% decrease in conversions
If your WordPress site takes 3 seconds longer to load, you're losing 21% of potential conversions.
On 1,000 monthly visitors at $100 average transaction, that's $21,000/year in lost revenue.
Plugin Tax
That "free" WordPress site? Here's what it actually costs:
- Booking plugin: $99/year
- SEO plugin: $99/year
- Security plugin: $199/year
- Forms plugin: $49/year
- Page builder: $89/year
- Backup plugin: $99/year
Total: $634/year in plugins alone
Plus hosting: $150-300/year
Plus someone to update it: $1,000-2,000/year
"Free" WordPress = $1,784-2,934/year in real costs
Why Next.js Changes Everything
Next.js is what Netflix, TikTok, Nike, and every serious tech company uses. Here's why:
Speed
- Static pages load instantly
- Dynamic content loads in milliseconds
- Built-in image optimization
- Zero bloat
Result: Sub-second load times without effort
Security
- No database attacks (for static sites)
- No plugin vulnerabilities
- No WordPress-specific exploits
- Enterprise-grade security by default
Result: You don't wake up to a hacked website
Scalability
- Handles 10 visitors or 10 million visitors
- No server management
- Automatic scaling
- Global CDN distribution
Result: Your site doesn't crash when you go viral
Performance
- 100/100 Google PageSpeed scores are common
- Better SEO rankings (Google loves fast sites)
- Better user experience
- Better conversions
Result: More money with the same traffic
The Real Cost Comparison
WordPress Site (5 years):
- Initial build: $3,000
- Hosting: $200/year × 5 = $1,000
- Plugins: $600/year × 5 = $3,000
- Maintenance/updates: $1,500/year × 5 = $7,500
- Security incidents (average): $2,000
- Total: $16,500
Plus: Slow speed, security anxiety, plugin conflicts, outdated design after 2 years
Next.js Site (5 years):
- Initial build: $12,000
- Hosting (Vercel): $0-240/year × 5 = $0-1,200
- Maintenance: $500/year × 5 = $2,500
- Security incidents: $0
- Total: $14,500-15,700
Plus: Lightning fast, secure, scalable, modern forever
The "expensive" option is actually cheaper AND better.
"But I Need to Edit My Own Content!"
I hear this all the time. Here's the thing:
How often do you ACTUALLY update your website?
Be honest. For most service businesses, it's:
- Menu/price changes: Monthly
- New photos: Quarterly
- New pages: Rarely
You don't need a full CMS for that. You need a developer who responds in 24 hours.
And guess what? Making changes to a Next.js site takes us 10 minutes. We don't charge for small updates. It's faster for everyone.
When WordPress Makes Sense (Rarely)
I'll be honest. WordPress is right for:
- Content-heavy blogs (50+ posts/month)
- Sites where non-technical people MUST update daily
- Budgets under $3,000
- You have an in-house WordPress developer
For everyone else? It's the wrong tool.
The Decision Framework
Choose WordPress if:
- ✅ You publish content multiple times per week
- ✅ Budget is under $3,000
- ✅ You have WordPress expertise in-house
- ✅ Custom functionality isn't important
Choose Next.js if:
- ✅ Performance matters (it always does)
- ✅ You need custom features (booking, payments, etc.)
- ✅ Security is important (it always is)
- ✅ You want a long-term asset
- ✅ You want the best possible conversion rates
The Bottom Line
WordPress was great in 2010.
In 2026, it's a liability.
Every month you run a slow, vulnerable WordPress site is a month you're:
- Losing conversions to slow load times
- Risking a security breach
- Paying the plugin tax
- Watching competitors outperform you
Let's talk about what's actually right for your business. I'll tell you honestly. If WordPress is the answer, I'll say so. But for 90% of businesses I talk to, it's not.
The future is fast, secure, and custom. That's not WordPress.
