WordPress or Custom Site? What to Consider

Two very different ways to build a site

Most small business websites in Toronto are built one of two ways. WordPress is a content management system: you install it on a server, pick a theme, and add plugins for forms, SEO, galleries and so on. A custom-built site is written for your business specifically and, in the approach we use, published as fast static pages with no admin software running behind it.

Both can look great. The differences show up in speed, upkeep, security and who makes the changes.

When WordPress is a good fit

• You publish often and want to do it yourself. If someone on your team posts news or products every week, a familiar editor is a real advantage.
• You need a specific plugin. WordPress has a plugin for almost everything, which makes niche features cheap to add.
• You want to hire from a big pool. Plenty of freelancers know WordPress, so it's easy to find help.

Where WordPress costs you

• Updates never stop. WordPress itself, your theme and every plugin need regular updates. Skip them and you are exposed; apply them and occasionally a plugin conflict breaks a page.
• Security is ongoing work. Because WordPress is so common, it is a common target. Outdated plugins are one of the most frequent ways small business sites get compromised.
• Speed takes effort. A theme plus a stack of plugins can load a lot of code on every page, and mobile visitors feel it. Keeping a WordPress site fast usually means caching plugins and ongoing tuning.

When a custom site is a good fit

• Your content changes occasionally, not daily. Hours, prices, a new photo — a few edits a month.
• You care about speed. Static pages are about as fast as the web gets, which helps both visitors and search rankings.
• You don't want to maintain software. No plugins means no plugin updates and far less to attack.

Where a custom site costs you

• You usually can't edit it yourself. Changes go through your developer. On a managed plan that is part of the service, but it is a trade-off to be aware of.
• New features are custom work. There's no plugin to install, so adding something like online booking is a development job rather than a download.

How SERVITH approaches it

We build with Next.js and publish sites as static pages, so there are no plugins to update or conflict, and pages load quickly. On our managed plan we host the site and make your changes for you — one change request a month (up to an hour) is included. If your current WordPress site is slow, keeps breaking, or has been hacked, we can rebuild it and bring your existing content across.

We also don't pretend it's right for everyone. If you publish every day and want to do it yourself, WordPress may genuinely serve you better, and we'll tell you so.

Questions to decide

• How often will the site's content change, and who will change it?
• Who is responsible for updates and security after launch?
• How fast does the site load on a phone over mobile data?
• If the person who built it disappears, can someone else take it over?

If you're weighing a rebuild, get a free quote and tell us what you have now. We'll give you a straight answer on whether it's worth changing.