WordPress or custom software? Which suits your business?
We compare the options you'll come across when commissioning a website, who each one suits and the maintenance it needs later.
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When you ask for website quotes, you’ll usually be offered one of two options: WordPress or custom software. Which one suits you depends on who will update the site and how often, whether your business needs a feature built just for it, and who will look after maintenance. For sites that mainly introduce a business, there is also a third route: a simple setup that uses no plugins.
What is WordPress?
WordPress is free, open-source software for building websites and managing their content. According to W3Techs data from November 2026, 39.5% of all websites run on WordPress.
Being that widespread has its advantages. Designers and developers who know WordPress are easy to find, and ready-made themes and plugins mean a site can be set up quickly. With the admin panel, you can change text, photos and prices yourself.
The part to watch is plugins. Features such as a contact form, a gallery or multiple languages are usually added with separate plugins, and each one needs regular updates. Patchstack’s 2026 report found 11,334 new security vulnerabilities in WordPress and its plugins and themes in 2025. Plugins accounted for 91% of them and themes for 9%. Only 6 were reported in WordPress itself, all of them low priority. If updates fall behind, the site can become open to attack, and pages can slow down as the number of plugins grows.
What is custom software?
With custom software, your site is programmed for you without relying on an existing system. It can make sense if your business needs something specific, such as bookings, a dealer login or orders linked to your stock.
It takes longer to build and usually costs more. You also depend on the person or company that built it: if someone else takes the site over later, it can take them a while to get to know the code. For a promotional site of a few pages, it is often more than you need.
A third route: a simple setup without plugins
Many business websites have only a few pages. They explain what you do, list your services and contact details, and rarely change. Sites like these can also be built with a lightweight setup that uses no plugins or database, known as a static site. Because the pages are prepared in advance and placed on the server, they load quickly. With no plugins to update and no admin panel running on the site, there is also less to maintain.
This route has its limits too. Content changes are usually made by whoever built the site, and it isn’t suitable for an online shop with hundreds of products or a news site updated every day.
Three questions to ask before you decide
Who will update the site, and how often?
If you plan to make changes yourself every week, a system with an admin panel, such as WordPress, will make that easier. If a few changes a year are enough, a simple setup needs less maintenance.
Do you need a feature built for your business?
If you need something that ready-made plugins can’t provide, custom software is worth considering. If the site’s job is to explain your business and help customers reach you, you usually won’t need it.
Who will handle maintenance?
WordPress sites need regular updates to their plugins, theme and WordPress itself. When you get a quote, ask who is responsible for this and whether it costs extra. With custom software, ask the same question about bug fixes and server upkeep.
Which do we use?
We build websites on a simple, fast foundation. You don’t have to worry about plugin updates, and if you need to change something on your site, just let us know. If your current site has become slow or doesn’t work well on mobile, take a look at our Transform package. We can talk through which route suits your business in a free first consultation.