WordPress dominates the web - but is it right for you?
WordPress powers around 43% of all websites on the internet today. That's an impressive number, making WordPress by far the most popular content management system in the world. But popularity doesn't automatically mean it's the best choice for your business.
At Webnation we've made a deliberate choice not to use WordPress. Instead, we build all our clients' websites with modern web technology - specifically Next.js, React and TypeScript. In this article we explain why, and what it means for you as a client.
The problems with WordPress that nobody talks about
Let's be honest: WordPress is a fantastic tool that has democratized the web and made it possible for millions of people to create websites. But it also has significant drawbacks that are rarely discussed:
1. Security vulnerabilities
- WordPress is the most attacked CMS in the world - precisely because it's so popular
- Every plugin you install is a potential security risk
- WordPress sites are frequent targets for attacks because of their popularity
- Constant updates are required to keep the site secure
- A single outdated plugin can expose your entire website to attacks
The WordPress ecosystem is built on plugins - small add-on programs that provide extra functionality. A typical WordPress site uses 20-30 plugins. Each plugin is written by different developers of varying quality, and each plugin has to be kept up to date. If a plugin has a security flaw - which happens regularly - your entire website can be compromised.
2. Performance problems
- WordPress sites typically load in 3-6 seconds - slow by modern standards
- Every plugin adds more code that has to be loaded
- Database calls on every page view slow the site down
- Themes are often packed with features you never use
- Caching plugins help, but don't solve the underlying problem
Google has made it clear that page load time affects search rankings. A page that loads in 3 seconds has a 32% higher bounce probability compared to a page that loads in 1 second. WordPress's architecture, with its database dependence and plugin-heavy approach, makes it hard to achieve truly fast load times.
3. Plugin bloat and technical debt
- Plugins stop being maintained and become incompatible
- Conflicts between plugins are common
- Updates can suddenly crash your site
- You become dependent on plugins that may not exist in a few years
- Every plugin increases complexity and reduces stability
What do we mean by custom-built?
When we say we build custom websites, we mean that every website we create is built from the ground up with modern code. We use:
Our tech stack:
- Next.js - React's framework for production websites, from Vercel
- React - Facebook's user interface library, used by Netflix, Airbnb, Facebook
- TypeScript - Microsoft's type-safe version of JavaScript
- Tailwind CSS - Modern CSS framework for fast, consistent design
- Vercel/Cloudflare - Fast global hosting with CDN
This is the same technology used by the world's biggest tech companies. Netflix, Airbnb, TikTok, Twitch - they all use React. It's not experimental technology; it's the industry standard for modern web development.
Performance benefits: Webnation sites load in 1-2 seconds
The biggest difference you'll notice as a visitor is speed. Our websites typically load in 1-2 seconds, compared to 3-6 seconds for an average WordPress site.
Why our sites are faster:
- Static rendering - pages are generated in advance, not on every visit
- No database - no waiting for database calls
- Optimized code - we only write the code that's needed
- Global CDN - content is served from servers close to the visitor
- Automatic image optimization - images load in the right size and format
- Code splitting - only the code relevant to each page is loaded
Performance comparison:
| Metric | WordPress | Webnation |
|---|---|---|
| Load time | 3-6 seconds | 1-2 seconds |
| Time to Interactive | 5-10 seconds | 2-3 seconds |
| Google PageSpeed | 40-70/100 | 90-100/100 |
| Core Web Vitals | Often failing | Passing |
Security benefits: No plugins = fewer vulnerabilities
Security isn't just about installing the right firewall - it's about minimizing the attack surface. Every line of code, every plugin, every integration is a potential entry point for attackers.
Why our sites are more secure:
- No plugins to hack - we build functionality in clean code
- No database to inject - static pages have no SQL database
- No CMS login to brute-force - no /wp-admin to attack
- Automatic security updates through the hosting platform
- HTTPS by default with automatic SSL certificates
- Less code = fewer bugs = fewer security holes
When your website is statically generated, there are simply fewer things that can go wrong. There's no database to hack, no plugins with vulnerabilities, no login system to brute-force. Your website becomes essentially immune to the most common attacks that hit WordPress sites.
SEO benefits: Faster pages rank higher
Google has made page experience an official ranking factor. That means how fast your page loads, how stable the layout is, and how quickly it becomes interactive directly affect where you land in the search results.
SEO benefits of our approach:
- Faster load times = better Core Web Vitals = higher rankings
- Server-side rendering = Google indexes the content immediately
- Structured data and metadata built in from the start
- Semantic HTML that search engines understand
- Automatic sitemaps and robots.txt
- Optimized images with modern format support (WebP, AVIF)
- Mobile-friendly by default
A study by Backlinko showed that pages on the first page of Google have an average load time of 1.65 seconds. Our pages consistently stay below that threshold, while most WordPress sites are above it.
But when IS WordPress the right choice?
We want to be honest - WordPress isn't always wrong. There are situations where it can actually be the best choice:
WordPress may be right if:
- You need a blog with hundreds or thousands of posts and multiple writers
- You want to update content yourself without technical help
- You have an internal IT department that can handle security and updates
- You need specific plugins that have no modern equivalents
- You already have a large WordPress site and the migration cost is too high
For large media houses with daily publishing, or organizations with dedicated IT staff, WordPress can still be a reasonable choice. But for most businesses - especially small and medium-sized ones - there are better alternatives today.
When is custom-built better?
Custom-built is better if:
- You want a fast, modern website that impresses visitors
- Security matters to you and your brand
- You want to rank high on Google
- You want a unique design that doesn't look like everyone else's
- You'd rather focus on your business than update plugins
- You want a partner who handles the technology for you
- You want a website that works just as well in 5 years
How does it work in practice?
You might be wondering: if you don't use WordPress, how do I update my content? It's a fair question.
The answer is simple: you contact us. As a Webnation client, support and content updates are included in your monthly fee. Need to change some copy, add an image, or create a new page? Send an email or give us a call and we'll take care of it - usually the same day.
For many of our clients, this is actually an advantage. They don't have to learn a new system, worry about accidentally breaking something, or spend time on technology when they'd rather focus on their core business.
Summary: Why we left WordPress behind
We left WordPress behind because we believe our clients deserve better. Better performance. Better security. Better SEO. A website that feels modern and fast, not heavy and slow.
With Webnation you get:
- A website that loads in 1-2 seconds, not 3-6
- Security without constant plugin updates to worry about
- Better Google rankings thanks to optimized performance
- A unique design built just for you
- Support and updates included in the monthly fee
- Technology that will hold up for years to come
WordPress was revolutionary in 2003. But the web has evolved. Users expect fast, secure experiences. Google rewards sites that deliver them. We've chosen to build for the future, not the past.
Curious what a modern website can look like?
Book a free meeting and we'll show you examples of what we've built and discuss how we can help your business. No sales pitch - just an honest conversation about your needs.
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