Why We Ditched WordPress and Built 100+ Websites with Next.js

Source: Dev.to

Introduction

We’re a small web agency based in Prague. For years, we built client websites on WordPress – just like everyone else.

• Speed: The average WordPress site loads in 4–8 seconds. Every second above 3 s costs you ~7 % in conversions.
• We spent more time maintaining WordPress sites than building them. Something had to change.

Performance Out of the Box

Next.js gives you automatic code splitting, image optimization, and static generation by default. No configuration, no plugins.

Here’s a real comparison from one of our client projects – same design, same content:

That’s not a cherry‑picked example. We see these numbers consistently across projects.

SEO That Actually Works

With Next.js, you get:

• Server‑side rendering (SSR) or static site generation (SSG) – Google receives fully rendered HTML, not a JavaScript blob.
• Easy metadata management with next/head or the new Metadata API.

Our clients consistently see improved Google rankings within 2–3 months of switching from WordPress to Next.js. Not because of magic – because the technical foundation is simply better.

Developer Experience

This matters more than people think. When your dev team enjoys working with a tool, they ship faster and write better code.

// A simple page component in Next.js
// Clean, readable, no PHP spaghetti
export default function ServicesPage() {
  return (
    <section>
      {/* ... */}
    </section>
  );
}

Our Services

(content omitted for brevity)

Security (or Lack of Worry)

A Next.js site deployed on Vercel or a CDN has virtually zero attack surface. There’s no database to hack, no admin panel to brute‑force, no plugins with backdoors.

• In 2+ years of running Next.js sites in production, we’ve had exactly zero security incidents.
• With WordPress, we used to deal with hacked sites monthly.

The Tradeoffs (Being Honest)

Next.js isn’t perfect for every use case. Here’s where WordPress still wins:

• Non‑technical content editors: WordPress’s admin panel is familiar to everyone. For Next.js, you need a headless CMS (we use Sanity or Strapi).

Our Stack in 2026

• Framework: Next.js 15 (App Router)
• Total hosting cost for a typical business website: ~$0–20 /month (vs. $10–50 /month for WordPress hosting + premium plugins)
• PageSpeed score: 95+ (mobile)

Should You Switch?

We’re Weblyx, a web development agency from Prague specializing in Next.js websites. If you have questions about migrating from WordPress or starting a new project, drop a comment below or reach out at .

What’s your experience with Next.js vs. WordPress? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments. 👇