• 9 min read
Start with who edits the site
If non-technical staff publish weekly, a well-configured CMS wins. If the site changes a few times a year, the editing argument for WordPress mostly disappears and speed and security matter more.
Cost over three years, not at launch
WordPress is cheaper to launch and carries ongoing plugin, hosting, and maintenance costs. A custom build costs more upfront and less to run. Compare the three-year total, including the hours your team spends.
Performance and security
A plugin-heavy WordPress site is slower by default and needs constant patching. A custom build ships only the code it uses and has a far smaller attack surface — which matters most for sites handling customer data.
Integration and custom logic
Booking rules, pricing engines, portals, and dashboards all get harder inside a CMS built for publishing. Once you are fighting the platform, a custom application is cheaper.
A simple decision rule
Content-led marketing site with frequent edits and standard features: WordPress. Product-like functionality, custom workflows, or strict performance and security requirements: custom build.