One of WordPress’ main selling points is that it’s a low-cost solution for building websites. Since it’s open-source software, you can put together a basic WordPress website for very little money. That said, a lot of the biggest websites use WordPress and most of them likely use custom solutions to power their core features.
A “custom” WordPress website is a solution tailor-made for your needs. This type of site typically involves a lot of changes to the default code, as well as customizations to make WordPress do exactly what you need it to. In this scenario, you’ll need to work with developers to make it possible.
In this article, we’ll explain the concept of a custom WordPress website and go over who can benefit from one. Then, we’ll discuss the potential costs involved in developing a custom WordPress site. Let’s get to it!
What is a custom WordPress website?
WordPress is an open-source Content Management System (CMS). That means you can use the software in whatever way you want, including making sweeping changes to its core code and features.
Many WordPress users rely on the CMS as is, because it’s an all-in-one solution that’s easily customizable. In fact, one of the main goals of the CMS’s developers is to democratize website building.
Meaning, it’s designed to be highly beginner-friendly, and accessible for users of every skill level. You can add new features using WordPress plugins or change the design with pre-built themes. You won’t need to spend time tweaking the WordPress code or adding new functionality manually.
That said, if you want a website with specific functionality that WordPress doesn’t offer by default, and you don’t want to install third-party plugins to get it, you’ll need a custom project. Similarly, if you can’t find a WordPress theme that matches your vision, you’ll need a custom theme for your site.
If you aren’t a WordPress developer, you can hire one to build custom features and completely original themes. Alternatively, you can hire a WordPress agency. The second option may be preferable since you’ll get to work with an entire development team instead of just one person. Agencies also tend to be more reliable than freelancers.
Who can benefit from a custom WordPress website?
Before we discuss the potential costs associated with commissioning a custom WordPress website, let’s talk about who might want to consider this option:
- Creative entrepreneurs. If you’re a creative freelancer without technical skills, and you need a website to sell your services, you might be able to do it yourself with WordPress. That said, non-custom, free WordPress themes are typically used by thousands of people. So, your site might end up blending in with the rest. A custom website can help you stand out from the competition.
- Ecommerce businesses. The majority of online stores built with WordPress use WooCommerce (it currently has more than 5 million active installations). However, the default ecommerce plugin can be a bit limited. To get a highly custom online store, you’ll need to install a lot of third-party extensions. This can also get expensive since you’ll likely have to purchase multiple extensions. If you don’t want to go that route, a custom solution is your best option.
- Enterprise sites. Due to the fact that WordPress is free and open-source, some might think it’s not fit for enterprise websites. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, some of the biggest businesses (like NASA and Nalgene) are built with WordPress. Still, since enterprises typically need highly advanced functionality, a custom website is a good option.
- Non-technical users. As we mentioned, WordPress is meant to be highly user-friendly, and it’s true that building a simple WordPress website is highly straightforward. Still, if you want to build a site with unique design features and advanced functionality, the learning curve gets a lot steeper. So, it might not be worth it to do it yourself. For instance, if you’re a marketer and you need a complex custom website to promote an event, building one yourself probably isn’t ideal.
Overall, opting for a custom website can save you a lot of time. What’s more, it can help ensure that your site runs smoothly and supports a positive user experience (UX) – because experts will be building it. That said, you’ll need to have the budget to commission your custom WordPress project.
The costs of a custom WordPress site (3 factors)
Now, let’s talk about the costs of a custom WordPress site. Keep in mind that for this section, we’re not going to explore specific figures too much, since projects can vary so much in scope.
If you want hard numbers, your best option is to get quotes from different WordPress agencies and compare them. We’re simply going to explore the factors you need to consider. This way, you’ll have all the information you need before requesting a quote for custom WordPress work.
Before we launch into it, remember that you also need to factor in the costs associated with web hosting and domain registration. We’ve excluded those factors from this list because they are required for all WordPress sites (not just custom ones).
1. Custom functionality and design features
A need for custom functionality is the factor that likely leads many users to consider a bespoke WordPress website. For instance, if you run an online store, you might want to create a completely original, streamlined checkout process. Alternatively, you may want your website to feature unique and interactive design features to grab users’ attention.
The more complex that functionality is, the more time and development work it will take. To give you an idea regarding prices, it’s not uncommon for custom projects to cost thousands or even dozens of thousands of dollars.
Here are some common features you might find in custom WordPress websites:
- Plugins and themes developed solely for the website
- Custom ecommerce functionality, such as for checkout or product pages
- Unique WordPress setups, like using the CMS as part of a headless solution
- Significant changes to the WordPress core code
With any of these modifications, it’s easy to see how costs can scale up quickly. On average, US-based developers charge $70 per hour. That means a project that “only” takes 10-20 hours can cost between $700-1,400.
Overall, custom development work tends to be expensive. You can reduce costs depending on who you hire, but if you’re going to rely on custom code, it makes sense to opt for experienced developers and agencies. This way, you’re more likely to get your money’s worth.
2. Performance optimization
Website performance refers to how fast and effectively web pages work. Performance optimization is essential for every site, including those built with WordPress. Without it, your pages could end up suffering from poor loading times. For instance, if your site is bogged down with lots of media files and plugins, it might slow down significantly.
The same is true for any custom website. In fact, performance optimization becomes even more important with one-of-a-kind sites, because their custom components might require complex code.
If you’re working with a highly competent WordPress development team, chances are they’ll take the time to write code that’s as clean and as efficient as possible. This may lead to more billable hours up front, but can end up saving you a lot of headaches later. That’s because using efficient code will help ensure that your site runs as smoothly as possible.
In addition to tidy code, you can also expect explicit optimization services as part of the fees for a custom website. To accommodate sophisticated design features or elaborate functionality, your site’s development team may need to implement performance solutions like a Content Delivery Network (CDN) or a custom caching tool.
3. Ongoing maintenance and support
Every WordPress website requires some level of maintenance. That involves dealing with the CMS and the components you use it with (such as plugins and themes), and ensuring that everything is working as intended.
If you’re using custom solutions, you might need to rely on their original developers to provide support. Good developers will typically offer some level of documentation. But in a lot of cases, you’ll incur additional costs for ongoing support.
An example of this would be a custom plugin that comes with no troubleshooting instructions. If you’re using a commercial plugin, it’s usually simple to find documentation for it. If it’s a popular plugin, you’ll even find guides on how to troubleshoot most errors you can run into:
With a custom plugin, you’re on your own. That means you either need to understand the code or pay for ongoing support (similar to a maintenance plan). Ideally, this is something you’ll factor into the budget and your decision to pay for a custom WordPress website.
Should you use an agency for a custom WordPress website?
Your options for a custom WordPress website are to either use an agency or freelance developers. The latter option will generally be cheaper since you’re only paying for one person’s work. However, that approach might not work depending on the scope of the project.
A single developer can be a reasonable option for a simple custom plugin or minor changes to WordPress. More complex projects can benefit from a team of developers working hand in hand, which is what Freshy offers:
Having access to a full team means projects can take less time overall, which can bring down costs. Moreover, Freshy’s project managers provide you with direct support for development and design work.
Since costs will vary depending on what you need for your custom WordPress website, you’ll need to reach out for a quote. We can provide estimates at no cost, and guide you through deciding what functionality your site needs.
Conclusion
You can use WordPress to build almost any type of website you want. However, if you need complex, custom features, you may have to tinker more with WordPress. If you’re not a professional web designer, this means you’ll have to work with a developer or an agency. This way, they can implement the features or designs you want without relying on commercial plugins or themes.
If you think your business might benefit from a custom WordPress solution, note that costs will vary a lot depending on the following factors:
- Custom functionality and design features
- Performance optimization
- Ongoing maintenance and support
If you’re interested in working with an agency to help you determine what kind of WordPress solution you need, consider using Freshy’s services. We can discuss your project requirements and provide you with a free quote!
Image credit: Pixabay.
