Every few months, someone writes a "best website platform" article that's really just an ad for whatever tool they sell. I'm not going to do that. I build with multiple tools depending on what the client needs, and I've got opinions about all of them. Some of those opinions might surprise you.
There's no single best tech stack for small business websites. There's only the best stack for your specific situation.
WordPress
WordPress powers roughly 40 percent of the web. That number gets thrown around a lot, usually by WordPress advocates trying to argue it's the best choice. The real takeaway from that statistic is that WordPress has been around forever and a lot of sites were built on it. That doesn't automatically make it the right choice for your project in 2026.
When WordPress makes sense:
- You need a blog with robust content management
- You want a large plugin ecosystem for specific functionality
- You need to make frequent content updates and want a familiar interface
- Your budget is tight and you need a developer who is easy to find (WordPress developers are everywhere)
- You need e-commerce and want WooCommerce specifically
The downsides:
- Security is an ongoing concern. WordPress is the most targeted CMS on the internet because of its popularity. Plugins are the weak point. Every plugin is a potential vulnerability that needs regular updates.
- Performance requires work. Out-of-the-box WordPress with a few plugins and a cheap host is slow. Making it fast requires caching plugins, image optimization, a good host, and ongoing attention.
- Maintenance isn't optional. WordPress core, themes, and plugins all need regular updates. Skip updates and you get security vulnerabilities. Apply updates and sometimes things break. Either way, you're spending time on maintenance.
- Plugin dependency is real. Many WordPress sites are held together by ten or fifteen plugins, some maintained by one person in their spare time. When a plugin gets abandoned or introduces a breaking change, you've got a problem.
WordPress is still a legitimate choice. But it's not the default answer anymore. You should choose it for specific reasons, not just because "everyone uses WordPress."
Squarespace and Wix
I'm grouping these together because they serve a similar purpose and their trade-offs are similar.
If you want to build the site yourself, your site is straightforward (a few pages, some images, a contact form), and hiring a developer isn't in the budget, these platforms exist for exactly that reason. They bundle everything: hosting, domain, email, design, CMS. For that use case, they're genuinely good.
Here's what'll frustrate you eventually, though. I had a client who went with Squarespace because everyone told her it was so easy anyone could do it. She delayed launching her business for over a year because she couldn't get it to look right and was too embarrassed to send anyone the link. Customization has a ceiling, and you'll find it faster than you think.
Performance is middling since you've got zero control over the infrastructure. SEO capabilities are basic. And portability is the real killer. If you outgrow Squarespace, you don't migrate. You start over. The content exports, but the design, layout, and functionality stay behind.
For a very simple site where the owner wants full control of updates without hiring anyone, these platforms are fine. I don't say that dismissively. They serve a real need. But know the limitations going in.
Next.js and Modern React Frameworks
I'm biased here. I'll say that upfront. This is what I use for most client projects and it's what I'd pick for my own site every time.
Next.js is a React-based framework that generates fast, modern websites. Netflix, Nike, and Notion use it, but it works just as well for a five-page small business site. You want the fastest possible performance, full SEO control, modern web standards, and something that scales without a rebuild? This is it.
You can't DIY it, though. You need a developer, and specifically one who's comfortable with React and modern JavaScript. That pool is smaller than the WordPress crowd. If you want to make content changes yourself, you'll need a CMS connected to it (more on that below). And if all you need is a single page with a phone number and an address, this is overkill.
The reason I default to Next.js is that it removes so much ongoing hassle. No plugin ecosystem to manage. No security patches to chase. No caching layer to configure just so your pages load in under three seconds. When it's built well, it just works. Month after month. Once it's built well, it stays that way.
Headless CMS Options
If you go with Next.js or a similar framework, you need a way to manage content. That's where a headless CMS comes in. It provides the content management interface (where you edit text and upload images) completely separate from the frontend (what visitors see).
Popular options:
Contentstack. Enterprise-grade, great for larger organizations. This is what I use at scale.
Sanity. This is the one I keep coming back to for smaller projects. The developer experience is excellent, it's wildly customizable, and the free tier is generous enough that most small businesses never outgrow it.
Strapi. Open-source, self-hosted. Good if you want full control and don't mind managing the infrastructure. I'll be real, I think most small businesses should skip this one. The self-hosting overhead isn't worth it unless you've got a specific reason.
Contentful. Established, solid API, good ecosystem. Pricing can get steep as you scale, which is annoying because you won't notice until you're already locked in.
WordPress as headless CMS. Yes, you can use WordPress just for content management and connect it to a modern frontend. You get the familiar editing interface without the frontend performance issues. This is a legitimate option if you or your client already knows WordPress.
For most small business sites, I reach for Sanity or WordPress-as-headless. Sanity because the editing experience is clean and the free tier covers you for a long time. WordPress-as-headless because familiarity counts for something.
Static Site Generators
For sites that rarely change, static site generators like Astro, Hugo, or Eleventy are worth considering. They generate plain HTML files that load incredibly fast and cost almost nothing to host.
If your content changes are infrequent (quarterly or less), you don't need dynamic functionality, and you want hosting costs near zero, static is a great fit. The tradeoff is that every content change requires a rebuild. Updated weekly? The friction adds up. Updated twice a year? Doesn't matter at all.
So What Should You Choose?
Here's what I'd actually tell you if you were sitting across from me.
You're building the site yourself, no developer budget: Squarespace. It's the best of the DIY platforms in terms of design quality and ease of use.
You have a small budget ($2,000 to $5,000), want a developer to build it, and need to make your own updates: WordPress with a quality theme and minimal plugins on good hosting. Or Next.js with Sanity if your developer's comfortable with it.
You have a moderate budget ($5,000 to $15,000) and want the best result: Next.js with a headless CMS. You get modern performance, clean code, full SEO control, and a user-friendly editing interface. This is what I build for most clients. I've got a full breakdown of what custom websites actually cost if you want to see how budget maps to scope.
You need e-commerce: Shopify for dedicated online stores. WooCommerce on WordPress if your site is primarily informational with some products. Next.js with Shopify's API if you want maximum performance and customization. I go back and forth on this one, actually. A year ago I would've said Shopify every time, but I've been impressed with what WooCommerce has done lately.
Your site barely changes: A static site generator hosted on Netlify or Vercel. Cheapest and fastest option.
The Stack Is Not the Whole Story
Here's what matters more than which platform you choose: how well it's built. A well-built WordPress site will outperform a poorly built Next.js site. A thoughtfully designed Squarespace site will serve you better than a sloppy custom build.
The technology is a tool. The skill and care of the person using it matters more. A good developer will build you something fast, maintainable, and effective regardless of the stack. A bad developer will create problems regardless of the stack.
Pick the tool that fits your situation, then find someone who knows how to use it well. That's really about it. I wish I had a more interesting conclusion, but the boring answer is usually the right one.
