WordPress vs. Next.js for Medical Practice Websites: Cost, Security, and Speed (Owner’s Guide)

Building or rebuilding a GP practice or private clinic website now almost always comes down to two routes: a WordPress build (often with a medical theme and many plugins) or a Next.js build (a modern, React-based framework, usually delivered as a subscription “site-as-a-service”).

This guide is written for non-technical practice owners, partners, and managers who want a numbers-first, risk-aware comparison over a 3-year horizon.

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Total Cost of Ownership (3-Year View)

Why total cost of ownership (TCO) matters for GP practices

For UK healthcare providers, web budgets are not just “marketing spend”: your website underpins NHS contract compliance, digital access, online consultations, and patient communications. You need to factor in:

• Upfront build cost
• Hosting and licenses
• Plugin/theme renewals
• Security and maintenance time
• Performance and SEO impact on registrations, online bookings, and patient calls

Below is a typical, realistic 3-year TCO comparison for a small–medium UK GP practice or private clinic.

Assumptions:

• 15–30 content pages (services, clinicians, new patients, policies, news)
• Online forms, basic integrations (NHS App links, online triage, eConsult/AccuRx/AskMyGP or similar)
• WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility baseline
• Prices ex VAT and rounded to keep it readable

3-Year TCO: Typical WordPress vs. Next.js (ClinicWeb-style subscription)

Example 3-Year TCO Scenarios

Scenario A – WordPress “sensible but not over-engineered”

• Upfront build: £3,500
• Hosting + SSL + backups: £25/month → £900 over 3 years
• Premium tools (theme, forms, cache, SEO): ~£250/year → £750 over 3 years
• Security plugin (paid tier) + scans: £150/year → £450 over 3 years
• Developer hours for updates/fixes/content tweaks: 10 hours/year at £80/hour → £2,400 over 3 years

3-year total ≈ £8,000–£8,500 Scenario B – Next.js subscription via ClinicWeb-style provider

• Setup: £0–£300 (often waived on 12–36 month term)
• Subscription: £250/month all-in (hosting, security, support, minor changes, performance monitoring)

3 years: 36 × £250 = £9,000
With small setup: ≈ £9,000–£9,300

On headline numbers, WordPress can appear cheaper if:

• You accept more manual work in-house
• You skip paid security/performance plugins
• You accept slower page speeds and less frequent content changes

But that hides two big, often ignored costs:

• Internal staff time
• Lost value from slow, hard-to-update websites

Factoring in practice staff time

For a typical practice:

• Reception/PM time on WordPress (approvals, plugin updates, chasing developers, fixing layout issues): 1–3 hours/month
• At an internal cost of, say, £20–£35/hour, that’s £240–£1,260/year in hidden cost

Next.js subscription setups usually:

• Outsource technical maintenance completely
• Let reception/PMs focus on content, not configuration

Realistically, once you include staff time and the typical “small jobs” developers bill for, the 3-year TCO is often similar or lower with a Next.js subscription, but with better performance and less operational risk.

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Security Surface Area: Plugins vs. Compiled Build

Why security is different for medical sites

NHS England, ICBs, and private regulators expect:

• Up-to-date software
• Proper handling of patient-identifiable information (never via insecure web forms)
• Evidence of data protection by design and by default (UK GDPR, DPA 2018)

Your website will typically link to online triage, repeat prescriptions, and patient access tools. Even if patient data is handled off-site, a compromised practice website can:

• Deface your site (reputational damage)
• Inject malicious forms
• Trick patients into entering details into fake portals

WordPress security: large surface area

WordPress powers a significant share of the web, which makes it a prime target. Security risks commonly arise from:

• Out-of-date plugins and themes
• Poorly coded or abandoned plugins
• Weak admin passwords and shared accounts
• Cheap, oversold hosting

Each plugin is:

• Another piece of code that can go out of date
• Another potential vulnerability that can be scanned and exploited

In a typical medical WordPress site you might see:

• Page builder
• Forms plugin
• Events or news plugin
• Caching plugin
• Security/firewall plugin
• SEO plugin
• Accessibility helper plugin
• Cookie banner plugin

That’s 7+ different codebases with their own update cycles and security issues.

Next.js security: smaller, more controlled surface

A Next.js site for a GP practice is usually:

• Built, tested, and compiled into static files
• Deployed to a secure edge platform or CDN
• Served over HTTPS with automatic SSL and DDoS protection

Key security advantages: Fewer moving parts

• No public WordPress admin URL
• No plugin marketplace running on your live site
• No public PHP layer or SQL database exposed for page views

Compiled build

• Once built, the site is a set of static assets (HTML, CSS, JS) served from secure infrastructure

• Hackers have vastly fewer attack vectors compared with a dynamic PHP+MySQL site with many plugins Managed environment

• Security patches are applied at the platform/framework level by specialists

• Your practice does not manage individual plugin updates

For a medical practice, reducing attack surface is arguably more valuable than anything else a website decision can achieve.

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Speed, Core Web Vitals, SEO and Conversions

Why speed matters in healthcare

A slow site directly affects:

• Patients abandoning online triage or contact forms
• Phone pressure on reception (“I couldn’t find X on your website…”)
• Search rankings for key terms like “GP practice [town]” or “[clinic] dermatologist”

Google’s Core Web Vitals measure things like:

• Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) – how quickly the main content appears
• Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) – whether the layout jumps around
• Interaction to Next Paint (INP) – how responsive the site feels

Fast, stable sites:

• Rank better over time when content is comparable
• Convert better (online registrations, private bookings, flu clinic sign-ups)

Typical performance: WordPress vs. Next.js

Data from multiple real-world rebuilds shows a pattern:

• WordPress on typical shared or “care plan” hosting:

  • Mobile performance scores in the 40–60 range are common
  • Page load 3–6 seconds on standard 4G
  • Heavily impacted by page builders, large themes, multiple plugins, and render-blocking scripts

• Next.js with static generation and edge caching:

  • Mobile scores often in the 80–95+ range
  • Sub‑1.5 second meaningful load times are typical
  • Less JavaScript, optimised images, modern bundling

A well-built WordPress site can be optimised, but in practice:

• Medical sites tend to add more plugins over time (online forms, banners, pop-ups, accessibility tools)
• Performance usually degrades as the site ages

Next.js sites, by design, start from a lean, performance-first baseline.

Static + edge‑cached pages explained (non-technical)

A static + edge‑cached Next.js site works like this:

• When your site is deployed, the system pre-builds your pages into plain HTML
• Those pages are copied to data centres (“edge locations”) around the world, including UK/Europe
• When a patient in Manchester visits your site, they are served the page from the closest edge location, not from a single busy server

Benefits:

• Extremely fast first page load (no database query, no PHP execution)
• Very stable performance under load (flu clinic campaign, news alerts, vaccination drive)
• Fewer components that can slow down or crash

Incremental updates for news and alerts

Medical websites need dynamic content:

• Coronavirus or flu clinic updates
• On-the-day closures or bank holiday hours
• New services, clinics, or clinicians
• Temporary prescription or appointment messages

With Next.js Incremental Static Regeneration (ISR) or similar techniques:

• Your main pages stay static and cached
• When you publish or edit a news item or alert in the CMS:
  • That specific page is rebuilt in the background
  • Edge caches update automatically
  • The rest of the site remains blazing fast

From your staff’s perspective:

• You edit content in a simple editorial interface
• Press publish
• See it go live almost instantly, without worrying about “rebuilding the whole site”

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Editorial Simplicity for Busy Reception and Practice Managers

Realistic editorial needs in UK practices

Most practices need non-technical staff to:

• Update opening hours, bank holidays, and urgent messages
• Change partner and clinician profiles
• Update clinics and services (e.g., new minor surgery, travel clinic, IAPT services)
• Add or update practice policies and patient information leaflets (PIFs)
• Post news items or practice alerts

The key requirement: “If the PM or reception lead can’t update it in 5 minutes, it’s too complex.”

WordPress editorial experience

Strengths

• Familiar to many agencies; lots of tutorials

• Gutenberg block editor gives drag‑and‑drop layout control

• Many medical themes come with pre-built page templates Weaknesses for practices

• Editors are often presented with too many options (layouts, “blocks”, shortcodes, plugin panels)

• Critical items (like home page alerts) may sit in obscure places (widgets, theme settings, builder modules)

• Major updates (changing navigation, templates, banner layout) often need developer help

• Risk of an editor accidentally breaking layout or accessibility by using complex page-builder options

Next.js + simple CMS editorial experience

Most medical Next.js builds pair the code with a structured content CMS (for example, a custom admin, headless CMS, or a simplified WordPress back-end used only as a content store).

You typically get:

Structured content forms

• “News item” with fields: title, date, summary, body, tags

• “Clinician profile” with fields: name, role, photo, bio, special interests

• “Alert banner” with fields: message, severity, start/end date Editorial simplicity

• Clear, limited fields mapped 1‑to‑1 to the design

• You can’t easily “break” the layout, colour contrast, or heading structure

• Everything is set up to remain WCAG 2.1 AA compliant by design

For busy NHS practices, this structured approach:

• Speeds up content changes
• Reduces training time
• Reduces the risk of inaccessible or inconsistent pages

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Accessibility, WCAG, and UK Regulations

What you are expected to comply with

For NHS GP practices and providers delivering public services, the key frameworks are:

• Equality Act 2010 – duty not to discriminate, including digital access
• Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018 – requiring WCAG 2.1 AA
• NHS England brand and service guidelines, plus local ICB digital access expectations

In practice, that means:

• Proper colour contrast

• Keyboard navigation

• Screen reader-friendly structure

• Clear heading hierarchy

• No content that relies solely on colour or complex visuals WordPress vs. Next.js for accessibility

• WordPress can be WCAG-compliant, but:

  • Many themes and page builders are not accessible-by-default
  • Editors can inadvertently create inaccessible layouts, headings, or components
  • Each plugin may introduce new accessibility issues

• Next.js puts more control in the hands of your developer/vendor:

  • Components are built once with WCAG compliance in mind
  • Editors fill in content, not structural layout
  • Accessibility testing can be run on a controlled design system

For practices under increasing scrutiny about digital inclusion, a Next.js design system approach gives a clearer, auditable path to compliance over time.

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Case-Style Examples (Typical Outcomes)

Example 1: GP practice moving from older WordPress to Next.js

• Situation:
  • 20+ pages, online consultation links, and multiple PDFs
  • Slow mobile performance (5+ seconds load on 4G)
  • Frequent calls: “I can’t find X on your website”
  • Problems:
    • Outdated theme, 18+ active plugins
    • PM hesitant to update anything for fear of breaking the site
  • After a Next.js rebuild with structured content:
    • Mobile page speed improved from “poor” to “good”
    • Homepage simplified with clear tiles for online services
    • PM can add alerts and news in under 2 minutes
    • Reduction in “website help” calls reported by reception

Example 2: Private clinic optimising for bookings

• Situation:
  • WordPress site using multiple page builders
  • Heavy scripts and animations, mediocre mobile scores
  • After Next.js rebuild:
    • Significant uplift in Core Web Vitals
    • Improved organic rankings for local private services
    • Measurable increase in online enquiries and reduced bounce rate

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ClinicWeb.uk’s Pricing and Support Model

(Described generically so the concepts apply even if you compare to other providers.)

How subscription Next.js changes the cost pattern

Instead of a big upfront build plus sporadic invoices, a ClinicWeb.uk-style model offers: Subscription pricing

• Fixed monthly fee covering:
  • Initial design/build (spread across minimum term)
  • Hosting and SSL
  • Ongoing maintenance and security
  • Performance monitoring and updates
  • Support and a defined number of content changes

Benefits for GP practices and clinics

• No large capital outlay in year 1
• Easier approval through PCNs or ICB digital budgets as an operational expense
• Predictable recurring cost, easier for partners and finance to plan

Support tailored to non-technical teams

A specialist healthcare web provider typically offers: Healthcare-aware support

• Understanding of NHS online services, EPS, NHS App, ICB requirements
• Advice on how to present online triage links, emergency messaging, and signposting safely

Done-with-you changes

• PM or reception sends new content or request

• Provider implements changes in a way that preserves accessibility and design integrity Proactive upgrades

• As Core Web Vitals or accessibility rules evolve, the platform gets upgraded once

• All client sites benefit, without each practice commissioning separate work

Over a 3-year horizon, this avoids:

• Surprise bills for theme rebuilds
• Emergency fixes for plugin conflicts
• Ad‑hoc “mini projects” for each new feature you need

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Where is the Break-Even Point?

Broadly:

• A DIY or semi-managed WordPress site looks cheaper if:

  • You are happy with slower performance and occasional downtime
  • Staff have time and confidence to manage updates, plugins, and minor incidents
  • You do not need frequent content or structural changes

• A Next.js subscription tends to break even or win over 3 years when:

  • You value staff time and reduced hassle
  • You want consistently fast, secure, and accessible pages
  • You anticipate ongoing changes in services, clinicians, or ICB/NHS requirements

If you map cash cost + internal time cost, many practices find:

• Year 1: WordPress slightly cheaper on paper
• By Year 3: Next.js subscription equal or slightly cheaper
  with better performance, security, and patient experience

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Key Takeaways for Practice Owners and Managers

• Security: WordPress has a large attack surface due to plugins and constant updates; Next.js static builds served from the edge dramatically reduce risk.
• Speed & SEO: Next.js sites typically achieve better Core Web Vitals and mobile scores, supporting higher visibility and better patient conversion.
• Accessibility: Both can meet WCAG, but Next.js + a controlled design system makes ongoing compliance easier and more predictable.
• Editorial simplicity: WordPress is powerful but can overwhelm non-technical staff; a structured Next.js CMS gives fewer knobs, fewer mistakes, and faster routine updates.
• Cost: Over 3 years, once you factor in plugins, hosting, developer time, and staff time, a subscription Next.js model is often cost-comparable or better, with far fewer headaches.
• Regulation fit: For NHS/UK healthcare, security, accessibility, and reliability are not “nice to have”; they are increasingly required expectations.

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Next Steps

If you are deciding between WordPress and a Next.js subscription model like ClinicWeb.uk, a practical approach is:

1. Audit your current site

• Measure mobile page speed and Core Web Vitals
• List every plugin/theme and check when they were last updated
• Review accessibility (alt text, heading structure, keyboard navigation)

1. Quantify your real costs

• Total spent on web development and plugins in the last 3 years
• Hours per month your team spends on website tasks, multiplied by internal cost

3. Define your next 3 years of needs

• Planned new services, clinics, or locations
• Likely volume of news, alerts, and patient communications
• Any ICB/NHS digital targets or accessibility requirements you must hit

1. Get two like-for-like proposals

• A realistic WordPress proposal (including maintenance/care plan)
• A Next.js subscription proposal (e.g., ClinicWeb.uk) with clear inclusions

Ask each provider to:

• State expected Core Web Vitals and hosting model
• Explain how accessibility is handled and audited
• Show how a receptionist or PM would add a news item or urgent homepage alert
• Break down 3-year total cost, not just year 1

By comparing 3-year total cost, performance, security stance, and editorial simplicity, you will have a clear, owner-level basis for choosing the platform that best supports your patients, your team, and your regulatory obligations.