Stop investing in WordPress today

WordPress is no longer be the best fit for small businesses in 2025. While it powers over 40% of websites, its mounting list of challenges continues to grow - security vulnerabilities, high maintenance, hidden costs, and performance issues - are making it harder for businesses to scale and succeed with WordPress. Platforms like Framer offer a secure platform, no-code, and cost-effective alternatives.

Key Issues with WordPress:

• Security Vulnerabilities: Outdated plugins cause 52% of attacks.

• Performance Problems: Slow load times hurt SEO and user experience.

• High Maintenance Costs: Frequent updates, hosting, and developer fees add up.

• Hidden Expenses: Plugins, themes, and SSL certificates increase costs.

Why Consider Alternatives Like Framer?

• User-Friendly Design: Framer offers a visual, drag-and-drop interface, making it accessible even if you're not tech-savvy.

• Built-In Features: Say goodbye to juggling multiple plugins. Framer comes equipped with essential tools like responsive design, animations, and a robust CMS, all seamlessly integrated.

• Enhanced Security: With Framer, security is baked in, reducing the risk of vulnerabilities that plague many WordPress sites.

• Cost-Effective Plans: Framer offers a range of plans tailored to different needs, ensuring you get the best value without hidden costs.

Quick Comparison Table:

If you're tired of WordPress's limitations, now might be the time to explore better options for your business.

Common WordPress Problems for Small Businesses

Small businesses often encounter several challenges when using WordPress, particularly in areas that directly affect their growth and profitability.

Theme and Design Challenges

WordPress's theme customization can be restrictive. Without upgrading to a Premium plan (starting at $8 per month), businesses can't access custom themes or make even basic CSS changes. This lack of flexibility often leads to inconsistent designs. These issues become even more noticeable in eCommerce setups, where initial cost estimates frequently underestimate ongoing expenses.

Hidden Costs of eCommerce Setup

Setting up and maintaining a WordPress site can come with unexpected costs. Here's a breakdown of typical annual expenses:

These base costs can quickly climb when you factor in developer fees ($10–$100+ per hour) and custom development costs, which range from $1,000 to $20,000. Such expenses can strain resources, leaving less for critical business operations.

SEO and Revenue Limitations

WordPress performance issues can also impact revenue. Sites built on WordPress often load up to three times slower than newer platforms. This affects user experience and search rankings, which is a big deal when 68% of online experiences begin with a search engine. Top organic search results capture nearly 39.8% of all clicks, and effective SEO can yield an ROI between 550% and 1,220%.

Additionally, WordPress requires frequent plugin updates and server management, which can be time-consuming. Newer platforms not only offer faster load times but also simplify content updates with real-time, context-aware editing. This eliminates the disconnect between the admin dashboard and the live website, making updates far more efficient.

Real Costs and Growth Barriers

Monthly Security and Upkeep Costs

Keeping a website secure and running smoothly isn't cheap. For small businesses, the risks of neglecting security are huge - data breaches can cost over $25,000 on average. One local business learned this the hard way when an outdated plugin allowed a malware attack. The fallout? Three days of downtime, stolen data, a Google blacklist, $15,000 in recovery costs, and a 30% drop in quarterly sales.

Here's a snapshot of typical monthly maintenance costs:

These recurring costs can pile up fast, even before factoring in issues like slow performance or downtime. Together, these challenges can make it harder for businesses to grow and scale.

Speed and Growth Limitations

Performance issues add another layer of difficulty. WordPress often struggles with speed and handling larger, more complex websites. As businesses grow, these problems tend to get worse.

For enterprise-level operations, the costs are on a whole different scale:

• Enterprise hosting: $500–$2,000+ per month

• Enterprise plugins: $1,000+ each annually

• Enterprise e-commerce plugins: $10,000+ annually

• Premium security services: $5,000+ annually

Adding to the challenge, over half of WordPress sites that are breached haven't been updated. Poorly coded themes can also limit a site's ability to handle high traffic. For medium-sized businesses, annual website maintenance typically ranges from $12,000 to $30,000. Larger enterprises often spend $30,000 to $50,000 or more. These rising costs, paired with performance struggles, make scaling a business a tough uphill battle.

WordPress Replacement Options

WordPress can sometimes slow down growth for businesses due to rising costs and increasing complexity. That’s where platforms like Framer step in as a modern alternative and why we champion Framer an ideal website platform for many small businesses. Let’s break down how this platform addresses WordPress's challenges and offers a smoother experience.

Framer: A Design-First Approach

If you’re a small business owner looking for a hassle-free, high-performing website, it’s time to meet Framer. Unlike traditional platforms like WordPress that require endless plugins, manual updates, and technical know-how, Framer is built for speed, simplicity, and stunning design—all without touching a single line of code. It’s an all-in-one visual website builder that lets you create and launch a fully responsive, beautifully designed website in minutes. With Framer, small businesses can finally ditch the complexity and focus on what really matters—growing their brand online. Here’s what Framer offers:

• No-Code, Visual Editing – Drag, drop, and customize with ease. No developers needed.

• Built-in Hosting & Security – No need to manage updates or security patches—Framer takes care of it all.

• Lightning-Fast Performance – Websites load instantly, optimized right out of the box.

• SEO & Mobile Optimization – Designed with SEO best practices and responsive layouts built in.

• Affordable & Transparent Pricing – No hidden fees, no surprise plugin costs—just a simple, cost-effective plan.

With Framer, small businesses can finally have a modern, scalable, and worry-free website that looks as good as the big brands—without the headaches.

Striking Alchemy’s Platform of Choice

At Striking Alchemy, we’ve always believed in using the best tools to help our clients thrive online. That’s why, in 2025, we officially adopted Framer as our go-to website platform—and we didn’t just talk the talk, we walked the walk. This February, we replatformed our own website to Framer, making it the foundation of our digital presence.

Why? Because we couldn’t in good conscience recommend any other website platform to our clients. Yes, WordPress powers a staggering number of websites, and yes, building WordPress websites might have meant more potential work for our studio. But we’ve never been a WordPress shop, and frankly, we’ve always found it bloated, maintenance-heavy, and full of hidden costs. With Framer, we finally have a platform that matches our values—fast, flexible, beautifully designed, and built for the modern web.

For small businesses, WordPress demands constant upkeep, security patches, and plugin juggling. Framer, on the other hand, offers a seamless, no-code experience with built-in hosting, security, and performance. Our job has always been to set our clients up for success, and with Framer, we can do that better than ever.

How Striking Alchemy Designs on Framer

When we design on Framer, we’re not just building websites—we’re crafting powerful brand experiences that truly reflect our clients’ vision and help them stand out. With Framer’s intuitive, no-code platform, we can bring bold, high-impact designs to life without being constrained by rigid templates or bloated plugins. This means better storytelling, smoother user experiences, and websites that actually convert. Plus, with built-in hosting, security, and SEO optimization, our clients save thousands on maintenance and third-party tools over time. The result? A future-proof, cost-effective website that not only looks incredible but also works harder for their business.

Conclusion: Making the Switch from WordPress

Despite all the websites that WordPress powers, its reliance on plugins often leads to security risks and performance issues. This lack of structure can result in unexpected maintenance headaches and hidden expenses. These challenges make it worth reconsidering whether WordPress is the right fit for your business.

Take a moment to weigh your business needs against these common hurdles. Platforms like Framer present an alternative with clear advantages:

Given the operational costs and performance limitations, specialized platforms offer a more tailored approach. The comparison highlights why targeted solutions often outperform WordPress’s one-size-fits-all model. For small businesses in Pittsburgh and beyond, Striking Alchemy provides a focused, growth-driven alternative that reduces technical burdens while delivering key features for a modern online presence.