What a quality website looks like in 2026
Ten years ago, just having "some website" was enough. Today, a website either sells for your company or slows it down. The gap between a quality site and an average one is massive in 2026 — and Google knows it. Here are five things to evaluate quality by.
- Speed (Core Web Vitals): The site must load in 1-2 seconds, including on mobile over 4G. Google Core Web Vitals are a direct ranking signal.
- Mobile experience: Over 60% of traffic is mobile. The site has to look and work well on small screens, not just be "responsive".
- SEO ready: Server-side rendering, structured data, sitemap, hreflang, correct canonicals. A site Google understands.
- Content self-management (CMS): You and your team must be able to edit text, swap an image and add a new section without a developer.
- Security and longevity: No security holes. No plugins that work today and break tomorrow. No surprise monthly service bills.
Why boxed solutions (Wix, Webnode) aren't enough for a serious business
Wix, Webnode, Squarespace and other boxed players are great for one purpose — building a first website fast and cheap. For a small sole trader or hobby project, that's fine. But once you want to build a brand and grow, you hit four key limitations.
- Template look: The same templates are used by thousands of other sites. The brand disappears, the site looks generic.
- Vendor lock: You don't own the code. Stop paying the monthly license and your site disappears.
- Poor performance: Hosted on shared servers with heavy editors. Pages are often 3x slower than custom.
- Limited SEO: Control over metadata, schema.org, sitemap is very limited. If you care about rankings, this is a brake.
What's wrong with WordPress in 2026
WordPress used to be a sensible choice — open source, broad ecosystem, your own code. Today it has problems that have been masked by its huge community for the past 10 years, but they still exist and in 2026 they're more visible than ever.
- Constant plugin maintenance: A typical WP site has 15-30 plugins. Every month one needs an update. Updates can break the site.
- Security holes: WordPress is the most common web target globally (about 90% of all CMS hacks).
- Slow site without optimisation: WP without serious optimisation has typically 3-5x slower LCP than modern Next.js. Google notices.
- Ecosystem dependency: Plugins stop being maintained, an author moves on, a plugin breaks. You handle the alternative.
- Expensive maintenance: WP hosting + regular updates + security audits add up to a significant long-term cost, often hidden.
What changed — modern web development
A quiet revolution has happened in web development over the past few years. Three things improved enough that custom websites are no longer the expensive, long projects they used to be.
Modern frameworks (React + Next.js)
React + Next.js is the standard for large global websites — from Nike and Notion to GitHub and Vercel. For us developers, it means we build from tested, ready components instead of writing every detail from scratch.
Headless CMS (Payload, Sanity)
Instead of building a custom CMS, we use a ready headless one — Payload (self-hosted, TypeScript-first) or Sanity (cloud, structured content). The client gets a great editing interface without us writing a backend.
Cloud hosting (Vercel)
Vercel is a hosting platform that automatically distributes the site over a global CDN. Pages load fast from anywhere, with no server administration.
The result for you as a client: a custom website is no longer just for big companies. I can build it fast, with full content self-management, for an annual price comparable to WordPress hosting + maintenance — but with 10x the performance.
Comparison — Wix vs WordPress vs custom website
The table summarises the differences in key areas that matter to a business that doesn't treat the website as a one-off cost but as a long-term tool.
| Wix / Webnode | WordPress | Custom (Next.js) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Monthly vendor lock | Hosting + update bills | Annual package (all-inclusive) |
| Page speed | |||
| SEO potential | |||
| Security | |||
| Design | Template | Template / custom | 100% custom |
| Code ownership | ✓ Git | ||
| Client-side maintenance | ✗ admin required | ~ occasional plugin issues | ✓ we handle it |
| Best for | Hobby, MVP test | Blogs, standard sites | Brand-focused growth |
What every custom site includes
Regardless of which package you pick (see below), every site comes with these standards:
- Custom design tailored to your brand — no templates.
- Fully responsive (mobile-first), on every device.
- SEO ready — server-side rendering, sitemap, structured data, correct meta tags.
- Top-tier speed — global CDN via Vercel.
- HTTPS, GDPR-ready, GDPR cookie banner.
- Code ownership — your site lives on Git, you can take it and hand it to anyone, anytime.
Our tech stack — what runs under the hood
Here's a peek inside. As a client, it's important you understand what you're buying — and that it's not a black box.
- Next.js + React: Modern framework powering Nike, Notion, GitHub, Vercel. Server-side rendering = speed and SEO.
- Tailwind CSS: Design system that keeps the look consistent across the whole site.
- Payload or Sanity (headless CMS): Your content editor for texts, images and pages without a developer.
- Vercel hosting: Global CDN, automatic HTTPS, instant deployment. Fast site anywhere in the world.
- TypeScript: Type system for JavaScript = fewer bugs, higher stability.
Who custom is for and who it isn't
A custom website is not the answer to everything. Here's the honest take.
Good fit
- Businesses where brand and visual differentiation matter.
- Growing companies where the site needs to scale (e-commerce, integrations, AI).
- Clients who care about SEO and conversion.
- Companies that want one solution and peace of mind — no monthly servicing.
Less good fit
- Pure hobby project for 3 months.
- MVP test where Wix is enough until the first client arrives.
- A pop-up event ending in a month.
3 website packages to choose from
Instead of "price to be negotiated", I have three clearly defined packages based on what your site actually needs. All three run in an annual mode that includes hosting, support, minor edits and all technical updates.
Basic site
A simple presentation site for a small business or sole trader where content stays stable. Ideal when you need a business card where a client finds you, learns what you do, and calls.
- Custom brand-aligned design
- Up to 5 pages (home, services, about, contact, etc.)
- Contact form
- Fully responsive, fast, SEO ready
- No CMS (content edits handled by me as part of support)
- In the annual package: hosting, support, minor edits, all updates
CMS site
A presentation site with a fully functional CMS (Payload or Sanity) so you can edit texts, add posts, swap images yourself. Right for companies that publish content regularly.
- Everything in Basic
- Headless CMS (Payload or Sanity) based on content type
- Self-managed text, images and pages without a developer
- Blog or news as part of the site
- Up to ~15 pages + dynamic content
Advanced CMS site
A larger company site with custom features — multi-step forms, CRM integrations, dynamic catalog, complex content structure, multilingual. For companies where the website is the main marketing tool.
- Everything in CMS site
- Custom features (advanced forms, integrations, calculators, dashboard)
- Complex CMS structure with roles and workflow
- Multilingual support
- More than 15 pages + dynamic content sections
- API integration with CRM or external systems
I'll happily prepare the exact price for your project for free after a short enquiry — see the form below.
Why an annual package — peace of mind, predictability
The key difference from the classic 'site delivered and goodbye' is that I don't hand over and disappear. Instead, I keep looking after the site — as part of an annual package with one predictable price that includes everything the site actually needs to keep working.
- Hosting included: Speed, uptime and global CDN handled by me. You don't deal with Vercel, domain or SSL.
- Technical support: Minor text edits, image swaps, typo fixes. When you need 5 minutes of work, you ping me and I do it.
- Security and framework updates: Next.js, libraries, dependencies — kept current so you don't carry security holes.
- Monitoring + backups: When something breaks, I know before you. Content backups automatic.
- Predictable annual cost: No surprise bills during the year. One clear price for the annual mode.
- Exit any time: The site is yours. On Git. You can take it and hand it to anyone. No vendor lock, no notice periods.
How the collaboration works — from brief to launch
- 1. Intro call (free, within 24 h of enquiry): We cover goal, scope, content type and tech needs. I send a tailored price proposal.
- 2. Figma design: Wireframes + final visual design. You approve. I don't write code until you're happy.
- 3. Development with live preview: I write code in Next.js, and you always have a live preview URL showing the work-in-progress.
- 4. Content filling: I help with text, photos and content structure. If you have an agency, I work with them.
- 5. Launch and training: Go-live, CMS training (on CMS variants), documentation. Domain handover + DNS setup.
- 6. Annual support: After launch, the annual package runs with minor edits, updates, hosting and support.
I'll prepare a quote — free, within 24 hours
I'll send the specific price for your website tailored after a short enquiry. I don't need a perfect brief — just write me what you do, how large the site needs to be, and what the goal is.
Within 24 hours I'll get back with a free consultation and a price proposal. No obligation, no pressure. If you decide not to go ahead, at least you have clarity on what you'd get and at what price.