Why I Still Choose WordPress in 2025 (and When I Don’t)
WordPress has powered the internet for two decades—and despite what some devs or influencers say, it’s still extremely relevant in 2025.
“WordPress now powers over 40% of the web—and I still reach for it more often than not.”
This isn’t a post about nostalgia. It’s about real-world experience building client sites, content-heavy blogs (like umar.press), and small business tools.
Let’s break down why WordPress still works—and when it’s better to use something else.
✅ Why I Still Use WordPress in 2025
1. It’s Insanely Fast to Launch
Whether I’m spinning up a client site or a content project for myself, WordPress gets me from idea to MVP in under a day.
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Install a theme or start with a blank slate
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Use tried-and-tested plugins
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Add content, hit publish
It’s still the fastest way to ship something that just works without building from scratch.
I launched umar.press using the WordPress backend and a custom React frontend within hours—not weeks.
2. The Ecosystem Is Still Unmatched
Even in 2025, no CMS ecosystem comes close.
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Thousands of plugins for SEO, payments, performance
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Massive theme marketplace (and better coding practices now)
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Built-in REST API
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Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) remains a staple for custom data models
Need bookings? Paid memberships? Multilingual support? WordPress has 10+ solutions for each, most actively maintained.
3. Client Needs Haven’t Changed Much
Most clients still need:
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A simple backend to edit content
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A site that looks modern
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Some basic integrations (newsletter, forms, calendar, blog)
WordPress wins here because it gives clients control without code, while I handle performance and customization.
The UI has matured with Gutenberg and block themes—while still allowing classic PHP or headless setups when needed.
4. It’s More Developer-Friendly Than Ever
Modern WordPress devs aren’t stuck in procedural PHP. In 2025, I’m often:
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Using the REST API with React frontends
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Writing custom blocks in JavaScript or JSX
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Handling routing, caching, and builds using tools like Vite or Next.js
There’s no rule that says you have to build “the WordPress way.” It can be part of a modern, flexible stack.
5. SEO Just Works Out of the Box
This is huge for me. Whether it’s a blog post or a landing page:
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SEO plugins like RankMath or Yoast handle meta data
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Clean URLs, sitemaps, schema, and OG tags work immediately
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Image compression and lazy loading are built-in or 1 plugin away
Google loves clean content—and WordPress still delivers.
⚠️ But It’s Not Always the Right Choice
1. When Performance or Scalability Is Key
If I’m building a complex dashboard, multi-user app, or something requiring real-time data, I don’t touch WordPress.
For example, sindhusolutions.com is built using Next.js, because I wanted precise control over performance, animation, routing, and SSR.
For SaaS products, dashboards, or anything API-heavy, WordPress feels like trying to hack a blog engine into a web app framework.
2. When the Client Doesn’t Need a CMS
Some websites just don’t need dynamic content or a login panel.
In that case, I reach for:
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Static site builders like Astro or Eleventy
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Next.js or Nuxt for full control + speed
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Netlify CMS or Sanity when a lightweight CMS is needed
Static-first setups are blazing fast, secure, and easier to maintain when content changes rarely.
3. When Design Needs Are Super Custom (With Zero Bloat)
Some premium brands want pixel-perfect performance, animations, and 100 Lighthouse scores.
While WordPress can be customized deeply, it often requires disabling a lot of default behavior and stripping plugins.
In those cases, it’s easier to go headless or custom.
🧠 Final Thoughts
If you’re asking yourself “Is WordPress still worth learning or using in 2025?” — the answer is a confident yes, if you know when to use it.
Think of WordPress like a Swiss Army knife: not ideal for everything, but unbeatable for most small-to-medium content or business sites.
I still rely on WordPress for 60–70% of the sites I build. And when I don’t, it’s because the use case genuinely calls for something leaner or more tailored.