Next.js vs WordPress: The Truth Web Agencies Don't Want to Tell

Secret #1: "WordPress keeps us profitable through maintenance swamp"

What agencies say: "WordPress is cost-effective and easy to maintain."

The truth:

WordPress websites break constantly, and that's exactly what agencies love. Every plugin update is a potential revenue source. Every security hole means emergency work. Every theme conflict becomes a billable hour.

I've seen agencies with clients paying $500-$1,500 per month just for "maintenance" of a WordPress site. Maintenance that mostly consists of fixing problems that WordPress itself created.

What it costs you:

• Unpredictable costs for "necessary" updates
• Website goes down without warning
• Constant stress about security and performance

The reality with Next.js:

A well-built Next.js website requires minimal maintenance. No plugins crashing, no security updates every week, no compatibility issues. For us, it means less recurring revenue – but for you, it means a website that just works.

Secret #2: "We actually can't build with modern technology"

What agencies say: "WordPress is industry standard and proven."

The truth:

Most web agencies are stuck in 2015. Their developers know WordPress, Elementor, and basic PHP – but modern JavaScript frameworks like Next.js? That requires actual development skills, not just drag-and-drop.

It's easier to sell what you know than to learn something new. Why invest time learning Next.js when you can keep selling WordPress projects with 300% margins?

What it costs you:

• Limited to what WordPress "can" do
• Slow, unreliable website
• Difficult to adapt when business grows

With modern development:

We're not limited by what some plugin developer thought of. We build exactly what your business needs, with unlimited possibilities.

Secret #3: "WordPress projects take longer = more money"

What agencies say: "WordPress development is fast and efficient."

The truth:

WordPress projects are deliberately stretched out in time. "We need to find the right plugins", "We need to customize the theme", "There was a compatibility conflict". Every complication means more billable hours.

An experienced Next.js developer can build a custom website in the time it takes to properly configure and customize a WordPress theme.

What it costs you:

• Longer development time
• Higher total cost
• Delayed launches

The truth about Next.js:

When we build from scratch, we know exactly what's happening. No surprises, no "unexpected complications". Just clean, efficient development.

Secret #4: "We oversell what WordPress actually can do"

What agencies say: "WordPress can do anything!"

The truth:

Technically, WordPress can do most things – but at what cost? I've seen e-commerce sites with 30+ plugins just to handle basic functions. Membership sites that crash under load. "Custom" solutions that are actually five different plugins glued together.

What it costs you:

• Messy code that nobody understands
• Performance that gets worse with every addition
• Impossible to maintain long-term

Modern development means:

We build only what you need, in the way that works best for your specific business. No bloat, no compromises.

Secret #5: "Performance doesn't matter... until your competitor loads 3x faster"

What agencies say: "Speed isn't everything. Content is more important."

The truth:

Agencies downplay performance because it's hard and expensive to make WordPress fast. Instead, they say "content is king" and "users don't care about a few extra seconds".

But Google cares. And your customers care. A one-second delay can reduce conversions by 7%. Would you accept losing 7% of your sales because your agency can't be bothered to optimize the website?

What it costs you:

• Worse Google rankings
• Lower conversion rates
• Frustrated users leaving the site

Next.js reality:

Performance is built-in from day one. We don't need to "optimize away" problems – we build without problems from the start.

Secret #6: "Security problems create job security"

What agencies say: "We handle all security for you."

The truth:

WordPress gets hacked constantly. Not because it's bad per se, but because it's so widespread and complex. Every plugin is a potential security risk. Every theme update can open new holes.

For agencies, it's perfect – every security incident becomes an "emergency response" that can be billed expensively.

What it costs you:

• Constant worry about being hacked
• Expensive emergency fixes when something happens
• Potential loss of customer data

With Next.js:

Fewer attack vectors, modern security by design. We build securely from the ground up instead of patching old vulnerabilities.

Secret #7: "Hidden costs we don't mention upfront"

What agencies say: "WordPress is cost-effective to get started with."

The truth:

The base price is just the beginning. Then comes:

• Premium plugins ($50-$200/month per plugin)
• Security services ($100+ per month)
• CDN and hosting upgrades ($50-$300/month)
• Backup solutions ($30+ per month)
• "Performance optimization" ($1,000-$5,000 one-time fee)

What it costs you:

• Exploding monthly costs
• No transparent pricing
• Dependency on external services

Modern hosting means:

We're transparent with all costs from the beginning. Modern hosting costs a fraction of what WordPress requires for the same performance.

Why do we tell the truth?

Here comes the really uncomfortable truth for us as an agency: We make less money on Next.js projects.

A WordPress website can generate $5,000-$20,000 over a year in maintenance costs. A Next.js website might only generate $3,000-$4,000 in total revenue for us, compared to hundreds of thousands in WordPress maintenance. ($3-4,000 applies to simpler projects – more advanced solutions can cost more, but with the same low operating costs)

For us, it's bad business – for you, it's fantastic business.

We've chosen to focus on quality over quantity. Instead of living off maintenance fees, we build websites that actually work. Our clients come back because they want to grow, not because something broke.

Here's how to recognize an honest agency:

• They ask what you actually need – not what's easiest to sell
• They talk about long-term costs – not just development cost
• They can explain their technical choices – not just say "WordPress is best"
• They show concrete performance metrics – not just pretty pictures
• They're transparent about limitations – both WordPress and Next.js have their pros and cons

Conclusion: Your website, their profit

Next time an agency automatically suggests WordPress, ask yourself: Are they recommending what's best for my business, or what's best for their business model?

The uncomfortable truth is that most agencies build their profitability on your technical debt. The more problems your website has, the more money they make.

We've chosen a different path. We build websites that work so well you forget they exist – until you check your sales figures and realize they just keep growing.

Curious about what a fast, secure, and modern website actually means – and costs? Contact us for an honest discussion about what's really best for your business – not ours.