WordPress vs Next.js: Which Is Right for Your Business?
WordPress powers 40% of the web, but modern frameworks like Next.js are rapidly gaining ground for business websites. This comparison helps you understand which platform will serve your business best in 2025 and beyond.
Quick Summary
Choose WordPress if you need:
- • Frequent content updates by non-technical staff
- • Hundreds of blog posts to manage
- • Specific WordPress-only plugins
- • The lowest upfront development cost
Choose Next.js if you need:
- • Maximum performance and SEO
- • Modern, interactive user experiences
- • Better security with less maintenance
- • Lower total cost of ownership
Performance: The Numbers Don't Lie
Website speed directly impacts conversions, SEO rankings, and user satisfaction. Google's Core Web Vitals are now a ranking factor, making performance more important than ever.
| Metric | WordPress | Next.js |
|---|---|---|
| Time to First Byte (TTFB) | 800-2000ms | 50-200ms |
| Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) | 2.5-4.5s | 0.8-1.5s |
| First Input Delay (FID) | 100-300ms | <50ms |
| Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) | 0.1-0.25 | <0.1 |
| PageSpeed Score (typical) | 40-70 | 90-100 |
Why Next.js Is Faster
Next.js pre-renders pages at build time (Static Site Generation) or on-demand (Server-Side Rendering), delivering HTML directly to the browser. WordPress generates pages dynamically on every request, requiring database queries and PHP processing before sending any content.
SEO: Beyond Yoast
WordPress has long been praised for SEO, largely due to plugins like Yoast. But modern frameworks have caught up—and in many ways surpassed—WordPress for SEO capabilities.
WordPress SEO
- Yoast/RankMath plugins available
- Easy meta tag editing
- Slow page speed hurts rankings
- Core Web Vitals often fail
- Plugin bloat slows crawling
Next.js SEO
- Built-in metadata API
- Automatic sitemap generation
- Fast page speed (ranking factor)
- Excellent Core Web Vitals
- Clean, crawlable HTML
The key insight: SEO plugins can't fix slow page speed. Google now measures Core Web Vitals (LCP, FID, CLS) as ranking factors. A Next.js site that passes these metrics will often outrank a WordPress site with perfect on-page SEO but poor performance.
Security: Attack Surface Matters
WordPress is the most attacked CMS on the internet—not because it's poorly built, but because it's such a large target. Its plugin ecosystem, while powerful, creates significant security challenges.
| Factor | WordPress | Next.js |
|---|---|---|
| Attack Surface | Large (plugins, themes, PHP) | Minimal (static or serverless) |
| Common Vulnerabilities | SQL injection, XSS, plugin exploits | Rare (static content) |
| Required Updates | Weekly/Monthly critical | Optional, as needed |
| DDoS Protection | Requires add-ons | Built into CDN hosting |
2024 WordPress Security Stats
Over 4.3 million WordPress sites were compromised in 2024, primarily through vulnerable plugins. The average WordPress site runs 20+ plugins, each a potential attack vector. A static Next.js site has essentially zero attack surface when deployed to CDN hosting.
Total Cost of Ownership
While WordPress development may have a lower hourly rate, the total cost over 3-5 years often exceeds a Next.js build.
| Cost Item | WordPress | Next.js | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hosting (annual) | $120-600 | $0-240 | Vercel/Netlify free tiers available |
| SSL Certificate | $0-100 | $0 | Included with modern hosts |
| Security Plugins | $100-300/yr | $0 | Not needed for static sites |
| Performance Plugins | $50-200/yr | $0 | Performance is built-in |
| Maintenance | $50-200/mo | $0-50/mo | Less ongoing maintenance needed |
| Developer Rate | $50-150/hr | $100-200/hr | Higher expertise, fewer hours needed |
3-Year WordPress Cost
$5,000 - $15,000
Initial build + hosting + plugins + maintenance + security + updates
3-Year Next.js Cost
$4,000 - $10,000
Initial build + hosting (often free) + minimal maintenance
When WordPress Still Makes Sense
WordPress isn't going away, and there are legitimate use cases:
- 1Content-heavy publications with hundreds of posts and multiple authors who need an intuitive CMS.
- 2E-commerce with WooCommerce when you need the specific features of that ecosystem.
- 3Tight budgets requiring DIY updates where staff will maintain content without developer help.
- 4Existing WordPress investment where migration cost exceeds the benefit.
When Next.js Is the Better Choice
For most business websites launched in 2025, Next.js delivers better outcomes:
- 1Performance is a priority—you want fast load times and strong SEO rankings.
- 2Security matters—you can't afford the ongoing risk of WordPress vulnerabilities.
- 3Modern user experience—smooth animations, instant page transitions, app-like feel.
- 4Lower ongoing costs—you want to minimize hosting, plugins, and maintenance.
- 5Custom functionality—you need integrations and features beyond what plugins offer.
The Verdict
For most small to medium businesses building a new website in 2025, Next.js offers a better foundation. You get significantly better performance, stronger security, lower ongoing costs, and a modern architecture that will serve you for years.
WordPress still has its place for content-heavy sites and organizations heavily invested in its ecosystem. But if you're starting fresh and want the best possible foundation for your business website, modern frameworks like Next.js deliver better results.
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