How to Choose Between WordPress and a Static Site

"Should I use WordPress or go static?"

It depends—but not on vague preferences. Let's build a framework for making this decision based on concrete requirements.

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Quick Decision Matrix

Scenario

Recommendation

Blog/marketing site, dev team

Static site

Blog, non-technical editor

WordPress or headless CMS

E-commerce (serious)

Shopify

E-commerce (simple)

Static + Snipcart/Stripe

Web application

Framework (Next.js, etc.)

Client sites, varied needs

WordPress

Maximum performance

Static site

Complex website

Evaluate carefully

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The Key Questions

1. Who Will Edit Content?

Developers only:

→ Static site (edit Markdown, push to Git)

Non-technical editors:

→ WordPress OR static site with headless CMS (Contentful, Sanity)

Large content team:

→ WordPress or enterprise CMS

Editor Profile

Best Option

Developer

Static (Markdown/Git)

Technical marketer

Either

Non-technical

WordPress or headless CMS

Enterprise team

Enterprise CMS, maybe WordPress

2. How Often Does Content Change?

Rarely (monthly):

→ Static site is fine. Rebuild takes 1-2 minutes.

Daily:

→ Either. Static rebuilds are fast. WordPress is instant.

Real-time (minutes matter):

→ WordPress or headless with ISR/revalidation

User-generated content:

→ Dynamic (WordPress or custom backend)

3. What Dynamic Features Do You Need?

Feature

Static Approach

WordPress

Contact form

Form service

Plugin

Comments

Third-party (Giscus)

Built-in

Search

Algolia, client-side

Built-in

User accounts

Auth service

Built-in

E-commerce

Snipcart, Shopify

WooCommerce

Personalization

Edge functions

Plugin

If you need many dynamic features, WordPress might be simpler.

4. What's Your Performance Goal?

"As fast as possible":

→ Static site wins. No contest.

"Fast enough":

→ WordPress with good hosting and caching is fine

Performance Tier

Typical Approach

95+ Lighthouse

Static site

80-95 Lighthouse

Optimized WordPress

60-80 Lighthouse

Average WordPress

<60 Lighthouse

Unoptimized WordPress

5. What's Your Security Tolerance?

Zero tolerance for breaches:

→ Static site (no server to hack)

Normal business risk:

→ WordPress with proper maintenance

Healthcare/Finance/Government:

→ Static or specialized solution

6. What's Your Maintenance Capacity?

No ongoing maintenance:

→ Static site (deploy and forget)

Willing to maintain:

→ WordPress is fine

Task

WordPress

Static

Core updates

Monthly

None

Plugin updates

Monthly

None

Security patches

As needed

None

Backups

You manage

Git is your backup

Monitoring

Recommended

Optional

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Use Case Scenarios

Personal Blog

Go static if you're technical.

• Write in Markdown

• Deploy to Vercel/Netlify free tier

• Zero cost, maximum performance

• Edit with VS Code or Obsidian

Use WordPress if you want a visual editor.

• Gutenberg blocks

• SEO plugins

• Familiar interface

Marketing Site / Startup

Go static for:

• Portfolio sites

• Landing pages

• Documentation

• Dev tools/SaaS marketing

Use WordPress for:

• Content marketing with non-dev writers

• Rapid iteration by marketing team

• Plugin needs (forms, popups, A/B testing)

Agency / Client Work

WordPress often wins because:

• Clients know it

• Handoff is straightforward

• Plugin ecosystem solves client requests

• Lower client training needed

Static works when:

• You maintain the site

• Client only needs content changes

• Performance is a selling point

• You provide a headless CMS

E-commerce

Simple (< 50 products):

→ Static site + Snipcart or Stripe Checkout

Serious e-commerce:

→ Shopify, not WordPress

WooCommerce makes sense if:

• Already on WordPress

• Need specific integration

• Budget is very limited

Web Application

Not WordPress. Use a framework:

• Next.js

• Remix

• SvelteKit

WordPress is a CMS, not an application framework.

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The "Headless WordPress" Option

You can get the best of both worlds:

1. Use WordPress as a CMS (content management only)

2. Build frontend with Next.js/Astro (fast, modern)

3. Connect via REST API or GraphQL

When This Makes Sense

• Existing WordPress content

• Content team loves WordPress

• Performance is critical

• You have dev resources

When It's Overkill

• New project (start fresh with headless CMS)

• Simple site

• No dev team to maintain

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Cost Comparison

Static Site

Item	Monthly Cost

Hosting (Vercel/Netlify)

$0

Domain

$1 (amortized)

Form service

$0 (free tier)

Total

$1/month

WordPress (Self-Hosted)

Item	Monthly Cost

Hosting

$15-30

Domain

$1 (amortized)

Premium theme

$5 (amortized)

Premium plugins

$5-20

Maintenance time

$?

Total

$25-50/month

WordPress (Managed)

Item	Monthly Cost

WP Engine / Kinsta

$25-50

Premium plugins

$5-20

Total

$30-70/month

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Migration Difficulty

From WordPress to Static

Content Type

Difficulty

Blog posts

Easy (export to Markdown)

Pages

Easy to medium

Custom post types

Medium

Heavy plugin usage

Hard

E-commerce

Very hard

Our tool helps export WordPress content to static site format.

From Static to WordPress

Task	Difficulty

Import content

Easy

Recreate design

Medium

Add dynamic features

Easy (plugins)

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Decision Framework

Rate each factor 1-5 for your project:

Factor

WordPress

Static

Non-dev editing needed

+5

-3

Maximum performance

-2

+5

Zero maintenance

-3

+5

Complex dynamic features

+4

-2

Dev team available

-1

+3

Budget is very limited

-2

+4

Security critical

-2

+5

Content team workflow

+4

+1

Add up your scores. Higher wins.

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Common Misconceptions

"Static sites can't have dynamic features"

False. Static sites can:

• Submit forms (via services)

• Have comments (via third-party)

• Process payments (via Stripe)

• Have search (via Algolia)

• Personalize content (via edge functions)

The "static" part is the initial HTML. Dynamic behavior is added on top.

"WordPress is always slow"

False. Well-optimized WordPress on good hosting can score 85+ on Lighthouse. But it takes work.

"Static sites are free"

Mostly true for hosting. But:

• Domain costs money

• Paid CMS might be needed

• Development time has value

"WordPress is insecure"

Not inherently. WordPress core is secure. Vulnerabilities come from:

• Outdated plugins/themes

• Weak passwords

• Poor hosting

• Admin neglect

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Summary

Choose Static Site When:

• ✅ Developer(s) will edit content

• ✅ Performance is paramount

• ✅ Security is critical

• ✅ Zero/minimal maintenance preferred

• ✅ Budget is tight

• ✅ Site is content-focused

Choose WordPress When:

• ✅ Non-technical editors need friendly interface

• ✅ Many dynamic features needed

• ✅ Plugin ecosystem solves your problems

• ✅ Client expects WordPress

• ✅ Rapid iteration by marketing team

• ✅ You want one platform for everything

Choose Headless When:

• ✅ Need WordPress editing + static performance

• ✅ Have dev resources to maintain both

• ✅ Existing WordPress content to leverage

• ✅ Content team + engineering overlap

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Next Steps

1. Evaluate your requirements using the questions above

2. Score the decision matrix for your specific situation

3. Prototype if unsure—build a small version of each

4. Consider future needs not just current state

Ready to migrate from WordPress? Try our export tool →

Want to see what's possible? Explore modern alternatives →