The verdict in three sentences
WordPress stays unbeatable on cost and editorial simplicity, but it carries a security and performance debt that is expensive to maintain. Headless (content driven by Sanity/Strapi, decoupled front end) and Jamstack (static pre-generation) deliver clearly superior security and Core Web Vitals, at a higher upfront cost. For a B2B site where SEO performance and security weigh heavily, the decoupled architecture pays off; for a simple low-traffic site, WordPress remains rational.
The three stacks, priced for 2026
2026 orders of magnitude for a 20-40 page Amsterdam B2B site with a blog (estimate, ex-VAT).
| Criterion | WordPress | Headless (Sanity/Strapi) | Jamstack |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | 6,000-15,000 EUR | 12,000-30,000 EUR | 10,000-28,000 EUR |
| Annual maintenance | 1,800-4,000 EUR | 1,200-3,000 EUR | 800-2,400 EUR |
| Core Web Vitals (target score) | 60-85 | 85-95 | 90-99 |
| Attack surface | High (plugins) | Low | Very low (static) |
| Front-end flexibility | Medium | Strong | Strong |
| Editorial comfort | Excellent | Good | Good (with CMS) |
WordPress concentrates most web vulnerabilities through third-party plugins: that is what inflates its annual maintenance (security updates, web application firewall).
Security, performance and editorial cost
Beyond the purchase price, three items make the difference over three years for a B2B site.
| 3-year item | WordPress | Headless | Jamstack |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security incidents (estimated cost) | 3,000-8,000 EUR | 500-2,000 EUR | 0-1,000 EUR |
| Hosting | 900-2,400 EUR | 1,500-4,000 EUR | 300-1,200 EUR |
| Perf-driven SEO gains | Baseline | +10-25% traffic | +15-30% traffic |
| Cumulative maintenance | 5,400-12,000 EUR | 3,600-9,000 EUR | 2,400-7,200 EUR |
Jamstack (pre-generated pages served from a CDN) minimises both attack surface and hosting cost while maximising Core Web Vitals — a triple advantage for an acquisition-driven B2B site.
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Mini case study
Sarah, digital lead of a B2B industrial SME in Amsterdam, runs a 60-page WordPress that suffers two security incidents/year (~EUR 3,500) and caps at a performance score of 68. She considers a Jamstack rebuild at EUR 22,000. Over three years, her WordPress costs 6,000 (site already paid) + 10,500 (incidents) + 9,000 (maintenance) = EUR 19,500 of charges flow. The Jamstack costs 22,000 + ~4,800 (three-year maintenance/hosting), but its performance score reaches 95 and drives +22% organic traffic, roughly 30 extra leads/month at EUR 700 value. The extra cost is absorbed in five months of additional leads, and the near-zero attack surface removes incident risk. Verdict: Jamstack.
FAQ
Is WordPress obsolete in 2026? No for small sites: it keeps the best cost/editorial-comfort ratio. It becomes a handicap when SEO performance and security are critical, because of its plugin attack surface.
What is the difference between headless and Jamstack? Headless decouples the CMS (Sanity/Strapi) from the front end, served in real time; Jamstack pre-generates static pages served from a CDN. Jamstack pushes Core Web Vitals to 90-99 and cuts hosting to EUR 300-1,200 over three years.
Is headless hard for content editors? No: Sanity or Strapi offer a comfortable editing interface. The learning curve is a few hours, comparable to a modern WordPress.
How much security do you gain? A lot: a static Jamstack site has a near-zero attack surface, bringing the estimated incident cost from EUR 3,000-8,000 (WordPress) down to EUR 0-1,000 over three years.
What is the minimum headless budget in 2026? Expect EUR 12,000-30,000 upfront for a 20-40 page B2B site, with annual maintenance of EUR 1,200-3,000, often lower than WordPress.
Let's scope your project. Give us your page volume, traffic and SEO/security stakes, and we will recommend WordPress, headless or Jamstack with a three-year TCO and an SEO migration plan. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
