The verdict in three sentences
For a precision engineering SME whose WordPress site with 38 plugins loads in 6.2 seconds on mobile, a migration to Next.js and a headless CMS costs 14,000 to 28,000 GBP in London for 120 pages and 300 product pages. The budget must include the 301 redirect plan and SEO handover, or you lose within weeks rankings built over ten years. The measurable target is an LCP under 2 seconds, with hosting at 40 to 120 GBP per month and far less security maintenance.
What the migration costs in 2026
Price depends on content volume, the quality of existing product data and the number of features to rebuild (configurator, quote request, distributor portal). London agencies charge 650 to 850 GBP per day.
| Work package | Content | 2026 budget (excl. VAT) | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audit and scoping | Inventory of 38 plugins, URL crawl, SEO rankings | 1,800 to 3,500 GBP | 1 week |
| Headless CMS modelling | Content types, technical product fields | 2,200 to 4,000 GBP | 1 week |
| Next.js development | Templates, product search, material and tolerance filters | 6,000 to 12,000 GBP | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Content migration | 120 pages + 300 products by script, QA | 2,000 to 4,000 GBP | 1 to 2 weeks |
| 301 redirects and SEO | Mapping table, sitemap, tags, Search Console tracking | 1,200 to 2,500 GBP | In parallel |
| Testing and go-live | QA, performance, DNS switch | 800 to 2,000 GBP | 1 week |
| Total | Full project | 14,000 to 28,000 GBP | 7 to 10 weeks |
A well-written migration script moves 300 product pages in a few hours. The real time goes into cleaning data: duplicates, orphaned datasheet PDFs, fields entered differently over the years.
Before and after: performance and running costs
Migration makes sense when WordPress's hidden costs exceed those of a modern stack. Here is a typical comparison for an industrial site of this size.
| Metric | Current WordPress (38 plugins) | Next.js + headless CMS | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile LCP | 6.2 s | 1.4 to 1.9 s | About -70 % |
| Mobile PageSpeed score | 28 to 40 | 90 to 98 | +55 points |
| Security updates | 2 to 4 h / month | 0.5 h / month | -3 h / month |
| Hosting | 25 to 60 GBP / month + premium plugins 800 GBP / year | 40 to 120 GBP / month | Licences removed |
| Plugin-related incidents | 3 to 6 per year | 0 to 1 per year | Fewer outages |
| Mobile bounce rate | 65 to 75 % | 40 to 50 % | 2026 order of magnitude |
Next.js static rendering and a UK or EU CDN remove the exposed database, the main attack target on WordPress. For a supplier to aerospace or medical customers, this helps with Cyber Essentials and supplier security questionnaires.
Watch-outs
Freeze content 2 weeks before the switch. Keep a read-only copy of WordPress for 3 months. Monitor 404 errors and rankings for your top 50 keywords daily for 30 days after launch. Train at least two people on the new CMS.
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Oliver, IT director at a 60-person precision engineering SME in London, currently pays 800 GBP a year in plugin licences, 45 GBP per month for hosting and about 3 hours of monthly maintenance at 90 GBP, or 4,580 GBP a year. He migrates for 21,000 GBP with hosting at 80 GBP per month and 0.5 hours of monthly maintenance, or 1,500 GBP a year. Recurring savings reach 3,080 GBP a year. More importantly, the site generates 14 quote requests per month instead of 9 thanks to a lower bounce rate. With an average order of 5,500 GBP and a 20 % close rate, that uplift alone is worth about 5,500 GBP of extra monthly revenue.
FAQ
How much does a WordPress to Next.js migration cost for a manufacturing SME?
Budget 14,000 to 28,000 GBP for 120 pages and 300 product pages, including 301 redirects and SEO handover. A product configurator or distributor portal adds 4,000 to 10,000 GBP.
Will we lose our rankings?
No, as long as every old URL is 301-redirected to its new page and meta tags are carried over. A temporary dip of 5 to 10 % for 2 to 4 weeks is possible, then rankings recover thanks to speed.
Can our team edit the site on its own?
Yes, the headless CMS offers a simple editing interface for pages and product sheets. Two to 3 hours of training is enough for someone used to WordPress.
How long does the project take?
Seven to 10 weeks depending on product data quality. Cleaning datasheets is the most variable item.
What hosting budget should we plan?
About 40 to 120 GBP per month for Next.js hosting with a CDN and a professional headless CMS plan. WordPress plugin licences disappear.
Let's scope your project. Send us your site URL and number of product pages: we will price a Next.js migration between 14,000 and 28,000 GBP with a 7 to 10 week 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.
