When to Use WordPress vs a Custom Web App

But before we jump in: a quick disclaimer. This blog won’t touch on situations where it makes sense to use a combination of custom software and WordPress. That’s a blog for another day (aka, keep your eyes peeled for that blog down the road.)

Now that that’s out of the way, Let’s get started!

Factors to Consider when Choosing

Every project is its own can of worms, so you’re going to have to decide on a case-by-case basis what makes the most sense for your team. But don’t fret; we have a tip to make the process easier! Considering certain factors upfront that are related to your project can simplify your decision-making process. What are those? Good question.

Complexity 

Think about what your app needs to be able to do: is it straightforward, or a bit more tricky? The more complex an app’s features, the more likely you’ll need some custom development to be able to handle it. 

Flexibility

Flexibility and complexity are like siblings: related, but not the same. Instead of functionality, though, we’re talking about the aesthetics of a website. WordPress offers a lot of customization options thanks to its wide variety of plugins and themes. But you will eventually hit a point where WordPress just can’t handle any more customization. If you think you may hit that wall, custom development may be right for you. 

Expertise

The great thing about WordPress is that its backend is very user-friendly; you don’t need a computer engineering degree to figure out the basics. But as your website grows in complexity, you’re going to need more expertise: both from the team creating the app as well as the team that will utilize it after development.  

Most developers only specialize in one or the other; they either build WordPress sites or build custom software. So it’s important to see both what your internal team’s expertise is, and what your development shop’s expertise is. Slingshot does offer both though, wink wink, nudge nudge.

Security

Just how much top-secret data will your website need to host? Are we talking basically none or CIA levels of security? WordPress offers some features when it comes to data security, but a custom app can have more. While not everyone needs massive security measures in place, it’s important to think about if you need them. 

Resources

Probably one of if not the biggest factors when it comes to making your decision: how much budget do you have set aside, and how quickly do you need something built? As you can imagine, custom equals more; It’s simply going to take longer and cost more to create something from scratch. If you need something quick and low-cost, WordPress is more likely your best bet

When to Use WordPress

Now that you’ve nailed down the what of your project, it’s time to decide which: WordPress or Custom Development? Let’s first tackle situations where WordPress is your best bet. 

Your Website Manager isn’t Technical 

We can’t all be development wizards; some of us were made to be sales leaders or accountants. If the person whose going to be managing and maintaining your product moving forward isn’t a coder, WordPress is a good option. Thanks to its user-friendly interface, just about any professional can jump in to create and manage website content. 

You Need a Quick and Low-Cost Option

We said it above: creating something out of thin air is going to take a lot of resources. With WordPress, the foundation and frames are already in place: you just gotta start building. Not to mention that WordPress has no licensing fees and a lot of great free plugins and themes, so long-term costs are minimal.

Your Priority is Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

We all dream of our website being on the first page of Google, right? To do that, your website is going to need to be built with SEO in mind. And while that’s possible with a custom solution, it’s much easier with WordPress. Not only are their plugins specifically designed to help with SEO but WordPress code is optimized for search engine crawling and indexing. 

You’re Looking for a Solution with Community Support

It’s always better when you’ve got more friends at the party! WordPress has one of the largest communities of developers and users, meaning you’re getting a lot of support and resources from people using the system. While you can get this with specific languages used in a custom solution, WordPress has hundreds of thousands of tags on GitHub and Stack Overflow. 

You Have a Lot of Integration Needs

Plugins, plugins, plugins. WordPress has its Plugin Directory, which has over 55,000 options for you to choose from, most of which are free. There’s everything you could possibly think of from builders, email marketing, analytic tools, social media integrations, e-commerce platforms, the list goes on! 

When to Build a Custom Web App

WordPress sounds great, right? But as we said in the first section, there are lots of factors to consider before nailing down which option is right for you. Let’s take a look at situations where it makes sense to build a custom product. 

You Need a Lot of Control and Customization

While it’s a blessing that WordPress has rails already built for you, it can also be a curse. Want to go outside the lines? Too bad! But with a custom solution, you have full control over it all: design, functionality, development, oh my! Custom software development lets you build something as unique as your business, your problem, and your users. 

You have an Integration Need that Doesn’t exist

But what about all those sweet, sweet WordPress Plugins? Even with the thousands of options on the WordPress directory, there may be a chance the one you need still needs to be built. If that’s the case, you’re going to need to DIY the integration. Which is 100% possible with a custom solution. 

You’re Concerned About Scalability 

Let’s face it: what you need right now might not be what you need in 5 or more years. What will you do if your solution just can’t grow anymore? When you have complete control over the codebase, you can fine-tune and optimize performance as your website scales. You can make architectural changes, optimize database queries, and implement caching strategies to ensure that your app can handle both increased traffic and data processing.

You Need Extra Security 

As we already said, some apps need to be more secure than others. Wouldn’t you rather your banking app be more secure than your calculator app? Custom software allows you to add as many enhanced security features as you need, ensuring that your users and their data are safer than ever. 

You Want to be an Industry Leader

Whoa, big ask! But it’s going to be a lot harder to stand out of the crowd with an off-the-shelf solution. When you build a custom web app that’s tailored specifically to your needs, you can differentiate from your competitors. A little extra competitive advantage, you could say. 

Conclusion

So there you have it, folks! When it comes to choosing between WordPress or a Custom Web App, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. It all depends on your project’s specific needs and requirements. The complexity, flexibility, expertise, security, and resources you have available all play a role in determining which option is best for you.

If you need a quick and low-cost solution, your website manager isn’t technical, or you’re prioritizing search engine optimization, WordPress may be the way to go. On the other hand, if you need a lot of control and customization, have an integration need that doesn’t exist, or have concerns about scalability, building a custom web app might be your best bet.

But no matter which option you choose, make sure to do your research and work with a team that has the expertise and skills to bring your vision to life. At Slingshot, we offer both WordPress and custom development services, so we’ve got you covered either way. Thanks for joining us on this journey of discovery, and we can’t wait to see what amazing projects you create!

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