The verdict in three sentences
Migrating WordPress to a Next.js headless stack costs between 8,000 and 18,000 GBP for a standard London brochure site in 2026, over a 5 to 9 week timeline. The main win is an LCP dropping from 4s to under 1.5s, which improves both SEO and conversion rate. The maths only works if your current WordPress is genuinely the bottleneck; otherwise, a targeted optimisation is enough.
What a headless migration covers
A headless migration is not just "changing the theme". You separate the content back-office (often WordPress kept in headless mode, or a CMS like Sanity) from the rendering layer (Next.js), then rebuild templates, components and internal linking. The heaviest task is not the code but faithfully carrying over content, URLs and structured data.
| Migration item | 2026 range (GBP) | Indicative timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Technical audit + scoping | 1,400 - 2,800 | 1 week |
| Next.js setup + design system | 2,200 - 5,000 | 1-2 weeks |
| Content + template rebuild | 2,200 - 5,500 | 2-3 weeks |
| 301 redirects + technical SEO | 900 - 2,200 | 1 week |
| QA, performance, go-live | 1,100 - 2,200 | 1 week |
| Total brochure project | 8,000 - 18,000 | 5-9 weeks |
Keep optimised WordPress or move to headless
The real budget question is the tipping point. Optimising an existing WordPress (cache, WebP images, hosting, plugin cleanup) is cheaper but plateaus quickly. Headless requires a higher upfront investment but delivers stable performance over time and lower maintenance.
| Criterion | Optimised WordPress | Next.js headless rebuild |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | 1,700 - 4,500 GBP | 8,000 - 18,000 GBP |
| Achievable LCP | 2 - 3 s | < 1.5 s |
| Annual maintenance | 1,400 - 2,800 GBP | 700 - 1,700 GBP |
| Security risk (plugins) | High | Low |
| Design flexibility | Medium | High |
| Expected conversion impact | +3 to 8 % | +8 to 20 % |
On hosting, budget around 20 GBP/month on Vercel Pro or an equivalent managed offer, versus shared WordPress hosting at 8-15 GBP/month but slower.
Mini case study
Lea, marketing lead at a London consultancy, runs a WordPress with a 4.1s LCP and a form conversion rate of 1.8 % on 9,000 visits/month. After a Next.js migration at 13,000 GBP, LCP falls to 1.3s and conversion rises to 2.7 %. That means 81 leads/month instead of 54, i.e. 27 extra leads. At an average value of 350 GBP per qualified lead, the investment pays back in under 2 months.
FAQ
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How long does a WordPress to Next.js migration take?
Expect 5 to 9 weeks for a standard brochure site in 2026. The timeline depends mostly on the volume of content to migrate and the number of distinct templates, not the technology itself.
Will I lose my SEO during the migration?
No, provided the 301 redirect plan is complete and tested before go-live. A before/after comparison crawl and 4 weeks of monitoring safeguard your rankings.
Can I keep WordPress as the back-office?
Yes, that is "headless" mode: your editors keep the WordPress interface they know, only the front-end moves to Next.js. This reduces change management effort.
Is the performance gain really measurable?
Yes: LCP, INP and CLS are measured in Google Search Console and PageSpeed. Getting LCP under 1.5s usually translates into an 8 to 20 % conversion lift.
Does hosting cost more after migration?
Not necessarily: around 20 GBP/month on Vercel Pro, often offset by lower maintenance and no paid plugins to renew.
Let's scope your project. Share your page count, current LCP and conversion goals so we can define the scope and an indicative budget. 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.
