WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, Shopify, Weebly, Webflow, Duda, GoDaddy, Hostinger, Jimdo, Google Sites — they all look like the easy option. Here's why they usually aren't, and why I build small-business websites differently.
Security: WordPress is the biggest target on the web
WordPress powers over 40% of all websites — which makes it far and away the most attacked platform. Most hacks don't come through WordPress itself, but through its plugins. A site with 10 plugins has 10 extra attack surfaces to patch. Miss an update and you're vulnerable.
Maintenance: constant updates, constant risk
WordPress core, themes, and every plugin needs regular updates. Skip them and you accumulate risk. Apply them and you risk breaking your own site — plugin conflicts can take a site offline with no warning. Drag-and-drop builders auto-update, which can silently break your layout.
Cost: the hidden fees add up fast
A "free" WordPress site requires paid plugins, a premium theme, regular developer help when things break, and a hosting upgrade when it gets slow. Shopify charges monthly fees plus transaction fees plus app subscriptions — for a small shop, that's easily $100+/month before you've made a sale.
Performance: WordPress is slow by default
A default WordPress install loads dozens of scripts, stylesheets, and database queries per page. Page speed is a direct Google ranking factor — a slow site hurts your SEO. Getting WordPress fast requires expert configuration most non-developers can't do themselves.
Lock-in: your content is trapped
With WordPress and other website builders, your design and content are locked inside their platform. If you want to leave — or if they raise prices, change features, or shut down — you start from scratch. Custom code runs on standard hosting and belongs to you forever.
Overkill: you don't need all this
WordPress was built as a blogging platform and has grown enormously complex. Shopify was built for large e-commerce operations. A small business website with 3 pages, a menu, and a contact form doesn't need 40 plugins and a database with 200 tables.