The verdict in three sentences
WordPress remains the cheapest option for a 20 to 40 page corporate site that publishes rarely and has one or two contributors. A headless CMS (Sanity or Strapi paired with Next.js) costs 30 to 50% more to build, but sharply reduces the attack surface, forced updates and maintenance costs from year three onwards. For a Singapore group with several subsidiaries, a two-level editorial approval process and strict IT security requirements, headless pays off over 5 years.
Build cost and 5-year total cost
The entry price does not tell the whole story. On a corporate site, the budget is decided over time: maintenance, security patches, new features and hosting. Here are 2026 ballpark figures for a 25 to 40 page bilingual site with a newsroom and careers section.
| Item (2026 ballpark) | Custom WordPress | Headless Sanity + Next.js | Headless Strapi + Next.js |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build (design + development) | EUR 12,000 to 30,000 | EUR 18,000 to 45,000 | EUR 20,000 to 45,000 |
| CMS licence | EUR 0 (premium plugins EUR 300 to 1,200/yr) | USD 0 to 15 per user/month | EUR 0 (self-hosted) |
| Annual hosting | EUR 300 to 1,500 | EUR 0 to 600 (Vercel, CDN) | EUR 600 to 2,400 (Strapi server) |
| Annual maintenance | EUR 1,800 to 4,800 | EUR 1,200 to 3,000 | EUR 1,800 to 3,600 |
| Security updates | Monthly, plugins included | Quarterly | Quarterly |
| 5-year total cost (mid-range) | EUR 38,000 to 45,000 | EUR 40,000 to 48,000 | EUR 45,000 to 52,000 |
The initial gap of EUR 6,000 to 15,000 narrows to a few thousand euros over 5 years. It often reverses when the WordPress site piles up more than 25 plugins, because each extension adds compatibility testing at every major update.
Security, performance and editorial workflow
Most exploited WordPress vulnerabilities come from third-party plugins and themes, not the CMS core. With headless, the public site is served as static or server-rendered pages, with no exposed database and no admin interface on the same domain.
| Criterion | WordPress | Headless CMS |
|---|---|---|
| Attack surface | Public /wp-admin, plugins | Separate back office (SaaS or protected subdomain) |
| Typical mobile Lighthouse score | 55 to 80 | 90 to 100 |
| Load time (LCP) | 2.5 to 4 s | 0.8 to 1.8 s |
| Approval workflow | Plugin (PublishPress, EUR 99 to 399/yr) | Native or configurable (draft, review, publish) |
| Fine-grained roles | Limited without plugins | Per content type and per subsidiary |
| Multisite (group + subsidiaries) | WordPress Multisite, hard to maintain | One studio, several front-end sites |
| Editor learning curve | Low | Low to medium (half a day of training) |
For a head of communications, the deciding factor is often the approval chain: an editor drafts, a manager reviews, leadership or legal signs off before publication. Sanity handles this natively with version history, which prevents accidental publication of a financial announcement or ESG report.
When WordPress is still the right call
WordPress keeps the edge if your in-house team already masters it, if the site publishes fewer than two pieces a month and if you have no ERP or CRM integration requirement. Keep plugins to about ten, contract monthly updates and add a web application firewall.
Mini case study
Claire, head of communications at a 600-employee food group in Singapore with three subsidiaries, must replace a 2017 WordPress site running 34 plugins. The current agency charges EUR 4,200 a year for maintenance, and two security incidents cost EUR 3,500 to clean up in 2025.
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Rebuilt WordPress option: EUR 26,000 build + EUR 4,000 a year, i.e. EUR 46,000 over 5 years, with incident risk estimated at EUR 1,500 a year, i.e. EUR 53,500. Headless Sanity + Next.js option: EUR 38,000 + EUR 2,400 a year (maintenance, 6-user licence, hosting), i.e. EUR 50,000 over 5 years, with low residual risk. The gap is EUR 3,500 in favour of headless, with a site twice as fast and an approval workflow for all three subsidiaries without extra plugins.
FAQ
Is a headless CMS harder for editors to use?
No, the Sanity or Strapi interface feels like a structured word processor. Half a day of training is usually enough, and live preview shows the page before publication.
How much does a Sanity licence cost for a communications team?
The free plan covers up to 20 users with limited quotas, and the Growth plan costs about USD 15 per user per month. For 6 contributors, budget around USD 1,080 a year.
Can an existing WordPress site be migrated to headless?
Yes, content (pages, posts, media) is migrated by script in 3 to 8 days depending on volume. 301 redirects are essential to preserve existing search rankings.
Is headless better for SEO?
It improves Core Web Vitals, with LCP often under 1.8 s against 2.5 to 4 s on a heavy WordPress site. SEO then depends on content, markup and internal linking, as with any CMS.
What timeline should I plan for a headless corporate site?
Allow 12 to 16 weeks for a 30-page bilingual site, scoping and acceptance testing included. An equivalent WordPress site takes 10 to 14 weeks.
Let's scope your project. Send us your sitemap, number of contributors and security constraints: we will price both options over 5 years, with an indicative budget and a realistic schedule. 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.
