Web Development · · 6 min read · By the Query Logix team
One of the first questions we hear is whether a business should use WordPress or have a custom website built in PHP. We build both, so we have no reason to push one. Here is how they really compare.
The short answer
Choose WordPress when your website is mainly pages, a blog and an enquiry form, and you want to edit the content yourself. Choose a custom PHP or Laravel build when the website has to run part of your business: bookings, quotes, customer accounts, staff panels or connections to other systems.
Side-by-side comparison
These are the points that make the real difference for a small or growing business:
- Starting cost: WordPress is usually lower, because themes and plugins already exist. Custom builds cost more because every feature is written for you.
- Time to launch: a WordPress business site can go live in days. A custom system takes weeks, depending on features.
- Editing content: WordPress has a familiar editor out of the box. A custom site needs an admin panel built for it, which we include when it is needed.
- Special features: WordPress relies on plugins, which can clash or slow the site. A custom build does exactly what your process needs and nothing else.
- Speed: a lean custom site is often faster. WordPress can be fast too, but only if themes and plugins are kept under control.
- Security and updates: WordPress needs regular core and plugin updates. A custom site has a smaller attack surface but should still be maintained.
- Growth: if you expect to add complex features later, starting custom avoids rebuilding a plugin-heavy site.
Examples from our own projects
For a UK accountancy firm, Wains Accountancy, WordPress was the right tool: the job was fixing the services pages and several sections, which we completed in 2 days.
For a UK courier business, Parcel2Day, WordPress would not have been enough. The business needed instant quotes, bookings, tracking, customer accounts and staff panels, so we built a custom platform in Laravel and PHP over 2 months.
A simple rule to decide
Write down what a visitor must be able to do on your site. If the list is "read, look at photos and contact us", WordPress is likely the best value. If the list includes "log in", "get a price", "book" or "track", ask for a custom quote.
Not sure? Tell us what you need and we will recommend the option that suits your goals and budget, with a written quote before any work starts.