WordPress runs over 40% of websites on the internet. We used it for years and still use it for certain projects. But for most business websites we build static, with Astro. Here is why, with arguments you can verify.
What “static site” means
A static site is a set of HTML, CSS and image files generated once, at publish time, and served as they are. No database, no PHP running on every visit, no admin panel exposed to the internet. When we change something, we regenerate the files and publish them.
WordPress, by contrast, builds every page on demand, from the database, through PHP and dozens of plugins. Caching helps, but the complexity stays.
Speed
A static site normally loads in under a second on mobile, with a Lighthouse score of 95–100 without special optimisation. A WordPress with a commercial theme and 15 plugins struggles to reach 60–70 on mobile, even with caching and a CDN.
Speed matters for two reasons: Google uses it for ranking, and phone visitors leave after 3 seconds of waiting.
Security
WordPress is the number one target for automated attacks, because it is the most widespread and because plugins are written by thousands of different authors. A site not updated for a few months has a high chance of being compromised: redirects to dubious sites, spam, phishing pages.
A static site has nothing to attack: no login, no database, no code running on the server. The only dynamic component is the contact form, a file of a few hundred lines that we control completely.
Five-year costs
| WordPress | Static (Astro) | |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | €60–160/year (needs resources) | €20–60/year |
| Theme and plugin licences | €200–500/year | 0 |
| Security updates | monthly, 1–2 hours | none |
| Incident repairs | likely, at least once | practically none |
| Content changes | you, from the admin | through us, in the plan |
Over five years, a well-maintained WordPress costs more than a static site on a subscription, even if the initial price looks lower.
Content editing
Here WordPress clearly wins: open the admin, change the text, done. On a static site, changes go through us. In our plan they are included and usually take one business day.
The honest question is: how often do you change content? For most service companies the answer is “a few times a year”. For a blog with three articles a week or a news site, the answer is different.
When we recommend WordPress
- You publish content often and want to edit it yourself, without waiting for anyone.
- You have a standard online store: WooCommerce is mature and has integrations for everything in Romania.
- Your team already knows WordPress and wants to stay there.
In these cases we build WordPress properly: custom theme, minimum plugins, updates in a maintenance plan.
When we recommend static
- Business website with 5–20 pages that change rarely.
- Speed and SEO matter more than daily editing.
- You never want to think about updates and security.
Conclusion
It is not a religious debate. It is a choice based on how often you edit content and how much maintenance bothers you. For a classic business website, static wins on speed, security and total cost. For frequent publishing or a store, WordPress remains a good choice, if built and maintained properly.
Examples from our portfolio: Mediklass is static, ePaints is WooCommerce. Both were the right choice for that client.