01
WordPress wins
Single-location contractor. Site owner wants to edit copy without a developer. Standard SEO needs. Lower total cost.
Comparisons
WordPress vs Next.js for contractor websites.
95% of contractors should use WordPress. 5% have a real reason for Next.js. Here's how to know which one you are.
02
Next.js wins
Multi-location franchise. Performance-critical (high ad spend, every ms matters). Custom integrations. Larger budget.
03
Both lose to
A free Squarespace template. If you're not investing in the surrounding SEO + CRM, the platform doesn't matter — you won't rank.
The contractor reality
For a 1–10-location contractor, WordPress + Rank Math + a contractor-tuned starter theme (Astra, Kadence) is the right answer. Total stack cost: $50/mo. Time to ship: 2–7 days. Editable by your team without engineering.
When Next.js is worth it
Multi-location franchises with 20+ city pages. Brands with $10K+/mo ad spend where 100ms of speed = real money. Contractors building proprietary integrations into the site (rare).
The trap
"Headless modern stack" is a status symbol most contractors don't need. We've seen $30K Next.js builds for plumbers who couldn't edit their own About page. Pick boring tools that work.
The Heist Way
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