CLASH OF
TECH.
An honest head-to-head between a legacy giant and a modern contender.
Respecting the
Giant.
WordPress powers 43% of the internet. It democratized publishing and remains the gold standard for simplicity and community-driven extensibility.
For over two decades, it has been the backbone of the digital world, providing a low barrier to entry for millions of creators and businesses.
"We all really appreciate WP for its simplicity and ease of use. There was a moment when it was one of the most innovative and front-looking technology."
The Engine Room.
"If we compare PHP and Node.js, we can see that Node.js is much faster and more efficient than PHP."
WPPHP + MySQL
NXNode.js + React
Study Setup
For the purpose of this case study, I built a Next.js site which is a complete copy of my WordPress site. It uses the same design, content, and structure. It is a Headless WordPress architecture.
The WordPress Site
Custom theme using ACF and custom post types. Based on an HTML theme from ThemeForest (equivalent to half the sites worldwide). Fairly optimized using WP Litespeed for caching and Image optimization. It is using Cloudflare for CDN. This is an above average optimized WP site.
The Next.js Site
To keep it as close as possible to the original, I kept Bootstrap CSS for the Next.js site. Hosted on Vercel, it is by all means an average site by Next.js standards.
THE SCORES.
Mobile Comparison
Desktop Comparison
Want to see how this impacts your specific metrics? Read about our Performance Audits.
WordPress
Plugin-first. Quick visual edits. Massive community for pre-built solutions.
Next.js
Code-first. Component-driven. Built for version control and CI/CD pipelines.
Workflow & Evolution.
Choosing a stack isn't just about speed; it's about how your team works. WordPress provides an all-in-one ecosystem for non-technical users, while Next.js offers an engineering-first playground for building proprietary value.
"The best tool is the one that solves your business problem without creating a bottleneck."
THE LIFESTYLE.
The Camper Van
Great for a family trip. It has beds, kitchen, bathroom, everything included. Comfortable and reliable—but its weight means it won't win a race.
The Sports Car
Built for pure velocity. Lightweight, aerodynamic, and high-performance. Every gram is optimized for speed, but requires specialized handling.
"If you are going on a family trip, choose the van. But if you are competing to win, you're driving the wrong vehicle."
THE VERDICT.
As always, there is no one size fits all solution. It depends on your needs and expectations.
Next.js is consistently faster, even when comparing a standard setup to a highly optimized WordPress site. Speed isn't just a number—it's the foundation of modern user experiences.
When to choose what
Stick with WP:
- • Simple content publishing
- • No internal dev resources
- • Ecosystem of 50k+ plugins
Switch to Next.js:
- • Conversion-critical commerce
- • High-performance branding
- • Complex interactivity & scale
Ready to switch lanes?
Stop managing infrastructure blockages and start building high-performance digital experiences. Let's discuss how Next.js Development or a custom Headless WordPress engine can accelerate your business online.