WordPress or custom-built? Choosing the right system

The options

• Content management system (for example WordPress, Contao, TYPO3): Content can be maintained without programming knowledge, many extensions.
• Site builder (for example Wix, Squarespace): A quick start, limited customisation and dependence on the provider.
• Static or custom-built solution: Very fast and less vulnerable, built for a specific purpose, changes usually go through the developer.

Criteria

• Who maintains the content? Doing it yourself and often points to a content management system.
• How important are speed and security? Less technology means a smaller attack surface.
• How complex are the functions? Shop, booking, integrations.
• How long-term? Allow for maintenance, updates and dependencies.
• Data protection: Are plugins and third-party services needed?

What the choice means day to day

The question of the system has less bearing on appearance than on follow-on costs and day-to-day work. With a content management system you can change text and images and add new pages yourself, but you must plan for updates and protect access. With a static solution a text change is quickly done, but usually goes through someone with technical knowledge. Either can be right; it depends on who actually takes on the work day to day.

Decision aid: which system when?

• You update content several times a week (news, offers, dates): A content management system is usually the better fit.
• The site rarely changes (services, contact, references, a few articles a year): A lean static solution saves ongoing maintenance effort and is very fast.
• You want a shop with many products: A shop system or a shop extension usually makes sense, see Online shops.
• Several people are to work with different permissions: A content management system with roles is built for this.
• You just want to start quickly and test: A site builder can be enough, as long as you are aware that moving later takes effort.

Typical misconceptions

• “WordPress is free.” The software is; hosting, theme, plugins, updates and security upkeep are not.
• “Custom-built means expensive and inflexible.” For small business sites it can be cheaper to run, because maintenance and licences fall away. It only becomes inflexible if nobody takes on changes.
• “With a site builder I am independent.” Content and design are tied to the provider, and switching often means a rebuild.

Worked example: a tax practice and a café

Suppose a practice with five service pages, contact details and occasional notices about deadlines changes its site perhaps six times a year. Here the ongoing updates of a content management system are usually effort without real benefit. A café with a menu and events that change every week, on the other hand, benefits from one person being able to change the content themselves without waiting for others. Same job for a website, different answers. So first ask yourself: how often does what change, and who does it? What remains to be done after the decision is covered in Maintenance and security.

Questions for the conversation with the provider

• Who owns the source code, content and domain, and can I move at any time?
• Who installs updates, and how quickly after a security vulnerability becomes known?
• What do the running costs come to per year, broken down into hosting, licences and support?
• How long does a text change take, and who carries it out?
• What data goes to third parties, and which plugins are needed for that?

Evasive answers are a warning sign. A reputable provider states responsibilities and costs without detours.

Our recommendation

We decide together with you in the concept phase, with no predetermined choice. What matters is that the system fits your day-to-day routine. More under Websites.