WordPress vs a custom Next.js site: when each one fits

At InterHuge we build with both technologies. WordPress is not "bad" and Next.js is not "modern and that is it". They are tools with different strengths, and choosing well saves you money for years. This is the comparison we run with every client before we start.

What each one is, in a sentence

• WordPress is a mature content management system (CMS): you install a theme, plugins and edit from a dashboard. Around 40 % of the web runs on it.
• Next.js is a framework for building custom sites and applications in React. There is no dashboard by default: you program exactly what you need, no more, no less.

Criteria by criteria

Criterion	WordPress	Custom (Next.js)
Upfront cost	Lower: you start from a base	Higher: built from scratch
Maintenance	Constant: core, plugins, security	Low: no plugins to update
Performance	Depends on theme and plugins	High by design (static, no extra weight)
Technical SEO	Good with careful setup	Full control over every detail
Editing autonomy	High: you edit from the panel	As programmed (CMS optional)
Scaling to product	Limited	High: web to app on the same code

Upfront cost and maintenance

WordPress starts cheaper because you build on a ready-made ecosystem. The real cost shows up over time: every plugin is a dependency you have to update, and a site with twenty plugins is a site with twenty possible security holes. Maintenance is not optional; it is the rent you pay for that early convenience.

A custom site costs more to build but does not carry that weight. There are no plugins that break on update, no themes that lose support one day. Maintenance still exists, but it is predictable: reviewing framework dependencies a couple of times a year.

Performance and Core Web Vitals

Here the difference is real and measurable. A typical WordPress install queries the database on every visit, plus the CSS and JavaScript of each active plugin. You can optimise with caching and good hosting, but you start from a high baseline weight.

Next.js generates static pages or renders them on the server: the browser receives ready HTML, without waiting on a database. In InterHuge projects that means a lower LCP and less JavaScript on the client. It is not magic; it is not loading what you do not use.

SEO: similar in theory, different in practice

WordPress does good SEO when configured with judgement (Yoast or similar, clean URLs, correct hreflang). The problem is that every plugin can inject code that clutters the markup or slows the page, and Google notices.

With Next.js you control every tag: metadata, structured data (JSON-LD), sitemap, hreflang and performance all come from the same place, with no layers in between. For a local Girona business competing for specific positions, that fine control makes a difference.

Editing autonomy: where WordPress wins

If your team publishes two articles a week and swaps banners often, the WordPress dashboard is hard to beat: you edit without depending on anyone. A custom site can add a CMS (Sanity, Strapi or similar) for the same job, but that adds cost.

The honest question is: how much will you actually edit? Many corporate sites change three times a year. For that, building and maintaining a full CMS is over-engineering.

When to choose each

• Choose WordPress if you publish content often, your team edits on its own and the upfront budget rules.
• Choose a custom Next.js site if performance is critical, you want bespoke features, long-term maintenance worries you or you expect to scale from web to application.

Frequently asked questions

Can I migrate from WordPress to Next.js without losing ranking?

Yes, as long as you keep the URLs that already rank and set up 301 redirects for anything that changes. A botched migration is the only way to lose traffic; done carefully, you usually gain from the performance jump.

Is Next.js only for large companies?

No. A local Girona business with a corporate site benefits just as much from the performance and low maintenance. What defines the choice is not size, but how much you will edit and which features you need.

Can I edit a Next.js site myself?

It depends on whether a CMS is added. Without one, changes are made by whoever develops it. With a headless CMS (Sanity, Strapi), you edit text and images from a panel similar to WordPress, at the extra cost of setting it up.

Which one ages better?

A custom site without dozens of plugins has fewer pieces that can break. A well-maintained WordPress also lasts years, but it demands update discipline that many businesses end up neglecting.

Conclusion

There is no universal winner: there is fit. At InterHuge we tell you which one suits your case even when it is not the one that bills us most, because a badly matched site is paid for over years. If you are torn between the two paths, tell us about your project or see how we approach web design and custom software development.