[ pricing comparison ]
WordPress is free to install, but running a real business website on it costs a lot more than most people expect. Here is an honest breakdown of what you actually pay each month, with no promotional pricing tricks and no fine print.
Custom-coded website
A hand-coded website designed in Figma and built with modern web technology, hosted on a global CDN. It loads fast, stays secure, and is built exactly for your business.
After the one-time build fee. No hidden extras.
Self-hosted WordPress
WordPress itself is free to download, but running a proper business website on it requires paid hosting, a premium theme, and several essential plugins that all add up quickly.
Shared hosting at the low end, managed hosting at the high end.
Every plugin needs regular updates, and a single bad update can conflict with your theme or another plugin and take your site offline. With a custom-coded site there are no plugins to manage and nothing that can break each other.
[ annual cost over 3 years ]
Many WordPress hosting providers lure you in with a cheap first-year price that doubles or triples on renewal. These numbers reflect what you actually pay over time, not the introductory offer.
Custom-coded site
WordPress site
That is money you would otherwise spend on plugin subscriptions, theme renewals, and security tools instead of investing it back into growing your business. And that does not even account for the hours you would spend managing WordPress yourself.
3-year saving
€1,300
vs WordPress
[ head to head ]
Page load speed
Custom
Static HTML served from a global CDN, typically loading in under one second.
WordPress
Plugin-heavy sites tend to be slow and need extra caching tools to perform well.
Security
Custom
There is no CMS login page and no database to attack, which makes the site nearly impossible to hack.
WordPress
WordPress powers over 40% of the web, making it the most targeted CMS for hackers and bots.
Ongoing maintenance
Custom
Nothing to update and no plugin conflicts. The site just works without any regular maintenance.
WordPress
WordPress core, themes, and all plugins need regular updates. Conflicts between them are a common cause of downtime.
Design quality
Custom
Every page is designed from scratch in Figma, giving you a unique look that matches your brand perfectly.
WordPress
Most WordPress sites rely on templates. It is difficult to stand out when hundreds of other businesses use the same theme.
SEO foundation
Custom
Clean semantic HTML, structured data, and fast loading all contribute to better search engine rankings.
WordPress
You'll need a premium SEO plugin to configure the basics, and plugin bloat can still hurt your performance scores.
Content updates
Custom
Sanity CMS gives you a simple dashboard to update text, images, and blog posts without any technical knowledge.
WordPress
The WordPress editor is familiar to many users and works well for regular content updates.
Mobile experience
Custom
Every page is designed mobile-first from the ground up, so it looks and works great on any screen.
WordPress
Responsive themes exist but page builder sites often struggle with layout and performance on smaller screens.
Monthly running cost
Custom
Around €8 per month, flat. Hosting and a domain name are all you need.
WordPress
Expect to pay €35 to €50 per month once you add up all the required plugins and decent hosting.
Code ownership
Custom
You own the source code completely. Transferring it to a new developer takes minutes.
WordPress
You own the WordPress install and can export your data to migrate elsewhere.
Risk of unexpected downtime
Custom
No plugins to conflict and hosting with 99.9% uptime. Downtime is extremely rare.
WordPress
Plugin updates are the number one cause of WordPress sites going down without warning.
[ ready to switch? ]
A faster, more affordable, and better-looking website starting from €700. You get a site that actually works for your business without the monthly plugin bills and WordPress headaches.