Why We Ditched WordPress for Next.js (And Your Business Should Too)

Let's start with a confession: Many of us in the industry used to build WordPress sites. Lots of them.

For years, it was the obvious choice. Need a website? WordPress. Need a blog? WordPress. Need an online shop? WordPress with WooCommerce.

Then we started asking uncomfortable questions. Like why our clients' sites needed 47 plugins to do basic things. Or why a simple page took 3 seconds to load. Or why we spent more time fixing hacked sites than building new features.

That's why we made the decision from day one at Pink Frog Studio: We're all-in on modern web technology.

Here's why your business should too.

The WordPress Reality Check

The average WordPress site: held together by plugins and prayers

Don't get us wrong – WordPress revolutionised the web. It made websites accessible to everyone. But that was 20 years ago. The web has evolved. WordPress... hasn't.

The Hidden Costs Nobody Talks About

The Plugin Tax:

• Need contact forms? That's a plugin
• Want decent SEO? Another plugin
• Security? Several plugins
• Speed optimisation? More plugins
• Backups? Yep, plugin

Before you know it, you're juggling 30+ plugins. Each one is:

• A potential security hole
• A performance bottleneck
• A compatibility nightmare
• A recurring subscription

We've seen sites with 52 active plugins. FIFTY-TWO. Their site was slower than dial-up internet and got hacked twice in six months.

The Performance Problem

Here's what WordPress fans won't tell you: WordPress is slow by design.

Every page load involves:

1. PHP processing on the server
2. Multiple database queries
3. Plugin overhead
4. Theme rendering
5. Finally, sending HTML to the browser

Compare that to modern static sites that serve pre-built HTML instantly from a CDN. It's like comparing a horse and cart to a Tesla.

Enter the Modern Web: Next.js + Headless CMS

Clean, fast, secure: the modern web stack

While WordPress users are updating plugins and praying their site doesn't break, we're building lightning-fast experiences with:

• Next.js: React framework that powers sites for Netflix, TikTok, and Hulu
• Headless CMS: Content management without the baggage (we love Sanity)
• Vercel: Deployment that just works
• Tailwind CSS: Styling that doesn't fight you

The Speed Difference Is Embarrassing

Typical results when businesses switch from WordPress to modern frameworks:

E-commerce Sites:

• WordPress: 3-5s average load time
• Next.js: 0.5-1s load time
• Typical result: 25-40% increase in conversions

Local Service Businesses:

• WordPress: 3-4s load time
• Next.js: 0.5-0.8s load time
• Common outcome: 40-60% decrease in bounce rate

B2B Companies:

• WordPress: 4-6s load time
• Next.js: 0.8-1.5s load time
• Expected impact: 50-100% more engagement

Speed isn't just nice to have. It's money.

The Developer Experience Revolution

WordPress Development:

<?php
// Ah, the memories of PHP...
function my_custom_function() {
    global $wpdb;
    // Pray this doesn't conflict with a plugin
    // Hope the database isn't slow today
    // Cross fingers nothing breaks on update
}
add_action('init', 'my_custom_function');
?>

Modern Development:

// Clean, predictable, fast
export async function getStaticProps() {
  const data = await fetchContent()
  return { 
    props: { data },
    revalidate: 60 // Auto-updates every minute
  }
}

It's not just cleaner code. It's a completely different mindset. Instead of fighting the platform, we're building exactly what our clients need.

The Security Advantage Nobody Mentions

Static sites: unhackable by design

WordPress Security Stats (2024):

• 73% of WordPress sites have vulnerabilities
• 39% from WordPress core
• 52% from plugins
• 11% from themes

Next.js Static Sites:

• No database to hack
• No PHP to exploit
• No plugins with vulnerabilities
• No admin login to brute force

When there's no server-side code running, there's nothing to hack. It's beautifully simple.

Real Business Benefits of Going Modern

1. Performance That Converts

Google's Core Web Vitals aren't suggestions – they're ranking factors. Modern sites ace these metrics without trying:

• LCP (Loading): Under 1 second ✓
• FID (Interactivity): Instant ✓
• CLS (Visual Stability): Rock solid ✓

2. Costs That Make Sense

WordPress True Costs:

• Hosting: £30-150/month
• Premium plugins: £50-200/month
• Maintenance: £100-500/month
• Security fixes: £££ when hacked
• Total: £180-850+/month

Modern Stack Costs:

• Vercel hosting: £20/month
• Sanity CMS: £0-15/month
• Maintenance: Minimal
• Security: Included
• Total: £20-35/month

3. Editor Experience That Doesn't Suck

Remember Gutenberg? WordPress's "modern" editor that everyone hates?

Modern headless CMS solutions offer:

• Visual editing (click on your actual site to edit)
• Real-time preview
• Instant publishing
• No "Update Failed" errors
• No plugin conflicts

Editing content by clicking on your actual website

4. Scale Without Fear

WordPress at scale is a nightmare:

• Database bottlenecks
• Caching complexity
• Server upgrades
• Plugin limitations

Modern sites scale effortlessly:

• Static files on global CDN
• Automatic scaling
• No database bottlenecks
• Consistent performance

The Migration Path

"But we're already on WordPress!"

Good news: migrating is easier than you think. The process we recommend includes:

• Zero downtime
• Full content preservation
• Better SEO after migration
• Happier clients

The process:

1. Content Audit: What's actually needed?
2. Design in Next.js: Better, faster, cleaner
3. Content Migration: Automated tools + manual polish
4. Launch: Seamless switchover
5. Training: 1 hour vs WordPress's learning curve

What Transformation Looks Like: A Typical Migration Story

Consider this scenario: A Devon-based B2B service provider struggling with:

• WordPress site with 38 plugins
• Multiple security breaches
• 5-second load times
• Monthly plugin costs spiraling

The Modern Solution:

• Rebuild in Next.js with Sanity CMS
• Clean, custom design (no theme bloat)
• Sub-1-second load times
• Security by design

Expected Outcomes:

• 100-200% increase in organic traffic
• 50-100% improvement in conversion rate
• £300-600/month saved in hosting and plugins
• Near-zero security risk

Is WordPress Ever the Right Choice?

Let's be fair. WordPress makes sense for:

• Tiny budgets with DIY management
• Sites that truly need specific WordPress plugins
• Organisations with WordPress-only developers

But if you care about:

• Performance
• Security
• User experience
• SEO rankings
• Conversion rates
• Running costs
• Peace of mind

...then it's time to evolve.

The Pink Frog Difference

We don't just build modern sites. We build modern businesses.

Our tech stack:

• Next.js 15.3: Latest features, maximum performance
• TypeScript: Bulletproof code
• Tailwind CSS: Beautiful, maintainable styling
• Sanity CMS: Content management that makes sense
• Vercel: Deployment that just works

Every site we build is:

• Lightning fast (under 1-second loads)
• Secure by default
• SEO optimised from the ground up
• Built to convert visitors
• Easy for clients to manage

The Bottom Line

WordPress was revolutionary. Was.

But clinging to 20-year-old technology because "that's how we've always done it" is business suicide in 2025.

The modern web is faster, more secure, more flexible, and more affordable. Your competitors are already making the switch. Every day you wait is another day they pull ahead.

Ready to leave WordPress in the past where it belongs?

P.S. Still not convinced? Check your WordPress site's speed at PageSpeed Insights. Then check any of our Next.js sites. The numbers don't lie.

Want a website that's actually built for 2025? Let's talk – we'll show you what modern web development really looks like.