The verdict in three sentences
A WordPress-to-headless (Next.js) migration makes sense when your site suffers from slowness, plugin debt or recurring security holes, not from tech fashion. Budget 15,000 to 45,000 EUR and 8 to 14 weeks for a clean stack, with a typical +40% speed gain and -30% hosting cost over three years. The real risk is not technical but SEO: without a rigorous 301 redirect plan, you lose hard-won rankings.
How much a headless migration costs in London in 2026
Budget depends mostly on content volume, template count and integrations (CRM, ERP, payment). Here are the 2026 ballpark figures seen on the London market.
| Scope | Budget | Timeline | Templates | Redirects |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brochure 15-30 pages | 15,000 - 22,000 EUR | 8-10 wks | 5-8 | 30-80 |
| Corporate site 50-120 pages | 24,000 - 35,000 EUR | 10-12 wks | 10-15 | 150-400 |
| Site + blog + client portal | 32,000 - 45,000 EUR | 12-14 wks | 15-25 | 400-1,200 |
| Multisite / multilingual | 40,000 - 45,000+ EUR | 14+ wks | 20-30 | 1,000+ |
Add team training (2 to 4 days, 1,400 to 3,200 EUR) and a headless CMS (Sanity, Strapi, Contentful) with a licence from 0 to 3,000 EUR/year depending on editor count.
Monolith vs headless TCO over 3 years
The purchase price is only part of the equation. Over three years, total cost of ownership often flips the comparison.
| Line item (3 yrs) | WordPress monolith | Headless Next.js |
|---|---|---|
| Initial build | 8,000 - 15,000 EUR | 24,000 - 35,000 EUR |
| Hosting (36 months) | 3,600 - 9,000 EUR | 2,500 - 6,000 EUR |
| Maintenance / security | 7,200 - 14,400 EUR | 4,500 - 9,000 EUR |
| Plugins / licences | 1,500 - 4,000 EUR | 0 - 9,000 EUR |
| Incidents / downtime | 3,000 - 8,000 EUR | 800 - 2,500 EUR |
| 3-year total | 23,300 - 50,400 EUR | 31,800 - 61,500 EUR |
Headless costs more upfront but the gap narrows: fewer incidents, cheaper static/CDN hosting, stronger security (no plugin attack surface). The break-even usually lands between 24 and 36 months for a high-traffic site.
Mini case study
Thomas, IT director of a B2B services SME in London (45 staff), runs a 90-page WordPress site that loads in 4.8s and hits 2 security incidents a year. He migrates to a headless stack for 29,000 EUR. Twelve-month result: LCP drops from 4.8s to 1.9s (+60% speed), hosting from 180 to 95 EUR/month (-47%), zero incident. The form conversion lift (+18%) equals roughly 11 new qualified leads/month; at 2,000 EUR margin per signed contract and 8% closing, the stack pays back in about 16 months.
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FAQ
How long does a headless migration take?
Between 8 and 14 weeks depending on volume. A 20-page brochure wraps in 8-10 weeks; a corporate site with a client portal needs 12-14 weeks including integrations.
Will I lose my SEO?
Not if the 301 redirect plan is complete. The real risk is -25% to -40% traffic if URLs are missed; with an exhaustive URL map, rankings stabilise within 4 to 8 weeks.
Can my editors still publish easily?
Yes. A headless CMS like Sanity offers a modern editing interface. Plan 2 to 4 days of training (1,400 to 3,200 EUR) to make the team autonomous.
Is headless worth it for a small site?
Below 30 pages and without heavy traffic, optimised WordPress is often cheaper. Headless wins on high-volume sites, performance-critical sites or high security-risk cases.
Can we migrate in phases?
Yes. A progressive approach (high-traffic pages first, blog later) limits risk and spreads budget, at the cost of a slightly longer overall timeline.
Let's scope your project. Send us the page count, your integrations and your deadline, and we'll price the migration plus the redirect 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.
