A Next.js website costs about the same as WordPress to build when it is a focused marketing site: the build effort is comparable once the design and content are ready. The cost difference shows up after launch. On Next.js you pay in developer time whenever content changes, unless you add a CMS. On WordPress you pay in plugin licences, updates and speed work. Which one is cheaper depends on how often your team changes the site.
I do not publish fixed prices, because a number without a scope is a guess. This post explains what drives the cost, so you can compare quotes properly. If you are still deciding between the two stacks for reasons other than budget, read Next.js or WordPress for a marketing site first. This one is only about money.
What do Next.js and WordPress sites cost in India?
These are typical market ranges Indian freelancers and small agencies publish. My own quote comes from a written scope, and the Project Scope Generator gives you one to compare quotes against.
| Type of site | INR | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Basic WordPress site on a theme or builder | ₹15,000–₹50,000 | Akoode, Redpulse Software |
| Custom WordPress site, custom design, 10 to 20 pages | ₹80,000–₹1,50,000 | Hostinger India, Zethic |
| Custom Next.js marketing site, freelancer or small shop | ₹1,50,000–₹4,00,000 | Vedpragya |
Agencies charge more. Vedpragya puts a 15-page Next.js site from an agency at ₹6–12 lakh.
Published Next.js ranges start where custom WordPress ranges end. For a focused marketing site, build effort is comparable in both stacks, so if a Next.js quote is much higher, ask what it includes.
What decides the cost of a Next.js website?
Five things, and only the first is the build itself.
| Cost driver | Next.js | WordPress |
|---|---|---|
| Build effort | Comparable for a focused marketing site | Comparable for a focused marketing site |
| Who edits content | A developer, unless you add a CMS | Your team, in the WordPress editor |
| CMS | Optional, and each option adds build work | Built in |
| Hosting | Vercel or Cloudflare, low and predictable | Managed WordPress hosting, plus caching |
| Ongoing upkeep | Dependency upgrades, done by a developer | Core, theme and plugin updates, security and speed work |
Build effort for a focused marketing site is comparable in either stack. Calendar time is set by content and feedback rounds far more than by code, as I explain in how long it takes to build a website.
Is a Next.js site more expensive to build?
Not for a focused site. Where Next.js costs more up front is the component library. On WordPress, a page builder gives you sections to drag in. On Next.js, someone builds each section as code first: the hero, the feature grid, the testimonial strip, the form.
That up-front cost pays back later. Once the library exists, a new landing page is assembled from tested sections rather than started from a blank canvas. A campaign or event page can live on the same codebase as the rest of the site, so there is no separate microsite to build, host or maintain, and it is server rendered and on-brand from day one because it reuses what already exists.
The same idea works on WordPress. On the Aura Clips rebuild in Bricks Builder, I built service templates so each service page shares one layout instead of being designed from scratch. The difference is who pays for the sections: on WordPress the builder vendor has done much of that work, while on Next.js you pay for it once in the build.
So the first Next.js page costs the most. Each one after that costs less.
Who edits the content, and what does that cost?
This is the line item most budgets miss. On a plain Next.js site, changing a headline means a developer edits code and deploys. That is fine if the site changes a few times a quarter. It is expensive if marketing wants to ship a landing page every week.
Your options, from cheapest to most expensive to build:
- A developer makes the changes. No CMS to build. You pay per change.
- Content in Markdown files. Posts and pages live as Markdown files in the repo, and the site turns them into pages at build time. Cheap to build, but editors need to be comfortable working with files rather than an admin screen.
- A headless CMS or headless WordPress. Editors get a proper admin. The cost is integration: previews, forms, redirects, SEO metadata and sitemaps all have to be wired up on the Next.js side. That makes the build noticeably longer, and you maintain two systems afterwards. I cover it in headless WordPress with Next.js.
On WordPress, editing is included. That is why a content-led site with an active marketing team is often cheaper on WordPress over two or three years, even if the build costs the same.
How much does hosting cost on Vercel or Cloudflare?
Less than most people expect. These are the published figures as I write this. Both companies change their plans, so check the current pages.
| Host | What it costs | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Vercel | Hobby is free, Pro is listed at $20 a month per deploying seat, with $20 of usage credit included (Vercel pricing) | Hobby is for personal, non-commercial use, so a business site needs Pro |
| Cloudflare Workers | Free plan available, Workers Paid has a $5 monthly minimum plus usage above the included amount (Cloudflare Workers pricing) | Requests to static assets are free, which suits statically exported sites |
Vercel Hobby is not for business sites
Vercel's free Hobby plan is for personal, non-commercial use. A company marketing site needs the Pro plan, so budget for it from launch.
The hosting choice affects your developer's time more than your bill. Vercel runs every Next.js feature with no setup. On Cloudflare, Next.js runs through the OpenNext adapter, and server-rendered features need testing, which is billable time. My post on deploying Next.js on Vercel or Cloudflare has the details.
WordPress hosting varies too much to put a number on. A cheap shared host can work for a small site, but it often brings caching and form problems that cost developer hours later. Aggressive host-level caching, for example, can serve stale pages or interfere with form submissions without any visible error, so test every form after a host or PHP change.
Related guide: WordPress Multisite: when to use it and when not to
What does maintenance cost on each?
On WordPress, the recurring costs are licences and updates:
- Builder and plugin licences. Many premium plugins renew every year. Elementor Pro is billed annually (Elementor pricing). Bricks Builder sells yearly licences from $79 for one site (Bricks pricing).
- Updates and security. Core, theme and plugin updates need running and testing. My post on what a WordPress maintenance retainer covers lists the work.
- Speed work. Every plugin above a lean list is a future performance ticket.
On Next.js, there are usually no licences. The cost is developer time:
- Dependency upgrades. Next.js and its packages need upgrading now and then, and someone has to test the site afterwards.
- Content changes, if there is no CMS.
- New pages and features, which get cheaper as the component library grows.
The trade is simple. WordPress swaps developer time for licences and updates. Next.js swaps licences for developer time.
Related guide: How much does a Next.js website cost in the US?
Which is cheaper for your site?
| Your situation | Usually cheaper |
|---|---|
| Site changes a few times a quarter, design matters | Next.js |
| Marketing publishes pages or posts every week | WordPress |
| Weekly publishing and a fully custom frontend | Headless, but it costs the most |
| Event or campaign pages on top of an existing Next.js site | Next.js, on the same codebase |
| You already have a developer in-house | Next.js |
If you want a second opinion on the stack before you ask for quotes, the free Tech Stack Advisor recommends one layer by layer, with the trade-offs.
How do you get a quote you can trust?
Write down the pages, the features, the integrations and, most importantly, who will edit the site after launch. Send the same scope to everyone you ask, so the quotes are comparable. A developer who quotes before asking who edits the site is pricing the wrong thing.
I build Next.js sites as part of my Next.js and React websites service, and I build WordPress websites on Bricks, Elementor and Oxygen too, so I have no reason to push you one way. Book a call or send me two lines about the site and how often it changes, and I will tell you which stack I would build it on and what would drive the cost.
