If you’ve been researching website options, you’ve probably seen a long list of choices including Squarespace, Wix, Shopify, Webflow… and of course, WordPress.
So why do I use WordPress for every site I build? Because it gives small businesses and nonprofits a few things that other platforms can’t quite match when it comes to ownership, flexibility, longevity, and importantly, price.
Here are 7 reasons I build with WordPress and think it’s still the best option for 2025.
1. It's Free.
Yep, you’re not misreading, WordPress is free. As open-source software, there are no ongoing subscription or licensing fees for self-hosting it for your website.
On top of that, other providers may charge extra fees for payment processing, transactions, or digital memberships among other integrations. Because of WordPress’s incredible popularity and thriving plugin ecosystem, there will often be a free or cheaper alternative for any feature you need.
Typically, the only required ongoing costs for your WP website will be hosting. Beyond that, third-party plugins can provide a wealth of options and features when you’re ready to expand.
2. Own Your Website, Completely
When your site runs on self-hosted WordPress, you truly own it. Unlike with subscription-based site builders, you’re not renting digital space — your files, content, and design belong entirely to you.
With closed platforms, you’re often tied to their ecosystem and pricing. If the subscription price goes up, which they often do, your options are limited: pay the higher rate, or rebuild your site elsewhere and risk losing data, content, or SEO progress. I’ve helped move sites off those systems before, and it’s rarely simple.
WordPress however allows you can change hosting, redesign your site, or even switch developers without starting over or sacrificing the work you’ve already done. That independence can be a huge deal, especially for small businesses that want that long-term stability.
3. Unlimited Integrations & Options
Closed site builders can seem convenient, until something you rely on suddenly changes. Sometimes it’s a price increase or a feature quietly removed; other times it’s an integration that stops working because of a policy change or technical limitation.
When that happens, you’re stuck waiting for their team to fix it, or worse having to rebuild your setup somewhere else. For small businesses that have already invested time and money into automations, email lists, sales funnels, or other marketing tools, that kind of disruption can be costly and frustrating.
Because WordPress is open-source, there’s a global community of over 1 million developers constantly building plugins and tools for it. That means there’s almost always another way to achieve what you need, whatever your budget — leaving you with a resilient website that’s a lot less limited by its ecosystem.
4. Built to Grow With You
Your website today might just need a few pages and a contact form. A year from now, you might want a blog, booking system, online store, or member area.
WordPress handles that growth naturally. I’m currently integrating a payment processing system for a large organisation on their very well-established website, and it’s been a great example of the ease and flexibility to expand rather than rebuilding from scratch. That’s why it powers over 40% of all websites worldwide: it’s flexible enough for beginners and businesses trying to scale.
5. Flexible, Customisable, Beautiful
Subscription template builders can be great for getting online quickly, but they often limit what’s possible once you’re ready to grow. Design options can be restrictive, and it’s easy to end up with a site that looks just like dozens of others in your industry.
With WordPress, I start from a clean foundation and design each element around your brand — layout, typography, performance, and accessibility included. It’s built with responsiveness at its core, so your site automatically adjusts across modern devices. (Some older or unusual browsers, like smart TVs, still have their own quirks!)
Even if you prefer to start with a pre-built theme, there’s no shortage of choice: WordPress offers tens of thousands of themes (according to WordPress.com’s 2025 market data), compared with as few as 180 templates on some other platforms.
Starting with a flexible, distinctive design from day one means your site can evolve with your business without expensive redesigns later when your brand is already established.
6. SEO-Friendly by Design
One of WordPress’s biggest strengths is how easily it can be optimised for search engines.
It’s already coded to be lean and fast, and has a wealth of options for optimising your site, which both people and search engines love. You only have a few seconds to grab a visitor’s attention, so speed matters.
On top of that, WordPress supports powerful SEO plugins that give you full control of:
- Image alt text (for accessibility and discoverability)
- Meta descriptions and title tags
- Structured data and featured snippets
These are the building blocks of visibility. They help your pages and blog posts get indexed and found by people actively searching for what you offer.
And unlike paid ads which stop producing results the moment you stop paying, good SEO keeps working long after you publish. It’s one of the most sustainable investments you can make in your business.
7. Easy to Manage — Even If You’re Not “Techy”
Once your site is live, you can edit pages, upload images, and publish posts without touching code. I make sure clients have a clean, simple dashboard with only the tools they actually need.
It’s important to us that you feel empowered to update your own website, but also that you have a friendly human to talk to if you need a little more assistance. All of our website builds come with clear and visual step-by-step instructions on updating the content on your site, so that there’s no gatekeeping, no confusion, and no waiting on someone else for every update.
In a Nutshell
A good designer should make things simpler, and help you understand everything that’s involved with running your dream website.
If you’d like a website that’s built, hosted, and cared for in one place, get in touch today.
