The verdict in three sentences
For an SMB in Manchester running a WordPress site with 40 to 150 pages and around twenty plugins, a migration to headless Next.js costs GBP 10,500 to 30,000 excl. VAT (about EUR 12,000 to 35,000) in 2026. The measured gains are real: typical LCP down from 3.8 s to 1.4 s, a smaller attack surface and about 6 hours a month of plugin maintenance removed. The main risk is SEO: without a 301 redirect plan covering 100% of URLs, a 10 to 30% loss of organic traffic for several months is common.
What the migration costs, item by item
Migration is not just rebuilding the front end. You need to pick a headless CMS (or keep WordPress as the back office), model content, rebuild templates, migrate data and protect rankings. Here are 2026 orders of magnitude.
| Item | 40-page site | 150-page site | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audit and URL inventory | GBP 1,050 | GBP 2,150 | Full crawl, plugins, forms |
| Content modeling and CMS choice | GBP 1,300 | GBP 3,000 | Headless WordPress, Strapi, Sanity or Payload |
| Next.js template development | GBP 4,300 | GBP 12,900 | 8 to 25 templates |
| Automated content migration | GBP 1,300 | GBP 4,300 | Import scripts, media, authors |
| 301 redirect plan and technical SEO | GBP 1,100 | GBP 3,400 | 100% of URLs, sitemap, canonicals |
| Editorial training | GBP 450 | GBP 1,300 | 1 to 3 sessions, writing guide |
| QA and post-launch monitoring | GBP 1,000 | GBP 2,950 | 8 weeks of Search Console tracking |
| Indicative total | GBP 10,500 | GBP 30,000 | 2026 order of magnitude |
Keeping WordPress as a headless back office reduces training costs since the team keeps its interface. Moving to Sanity or Payload costs GBP 1,700 to 3,400 more but permanently removes plugin dependency.
Measured gains versus quantified risks
The next table compares typical effects seen on B2B SMB migrations in 2025 and 2026. Values are indicative medians, not guarantees.
| Indicator | WordPress before | Next.js after | Business effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile LCP | 3.8 s | 1.4 s | Fewer mobile drop-offs |
| INP | 320 ms | 120 ms | More responsive forms |
| Plugins to maintain | 25 | 0 to 3 | No more update conflicts |
| Monthly maintenance time | 6 h | 1 h | About 5 h freed per month |
| Security incidents per year | 1 to 3 | 0 to 1 | Fewer emergency fixes |
| Monthly hosting cost | GBP 25 to 70 | GBP 0 to 35 | Static or edge hosting |
| Organic traffic at 3 months, no SEO plan | Baseline | -10 to -30% | Major risk to neutralize |
| Organic traffic at 3 months, with SEO plan | Baseline | -3% to +15% | Recovery then gain |
The most common hidden cost is editorial training: a team used to Elementor or Gutenberg loses autonomy for 3 to 6 weeks if the interface changes without support. Plan at least one hands-on session and a 10-page guide.
When not to migrate
If your site has fewer than 20 pages, gets under 1,000 visits a month and has no security issues, a WordPress optimization (caching, images, plugin cleanup) at GBP 1,700 to 2,600 is often enough. Migration makes sense once the site generates regular quote requests, plugins exceed 15, or mobile LCP stays above 3 seconds despite optimization.
Mini case study
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Julian, managing director of a 35-person precision engineering subcontractor in Manchester, runs a 90-page WordPress site with 27 plugins. His provider bills 6 hours a month of updates at GBP 65, or GBP 4,680 a year, plus two security incidents at GBP 700 each. He invests GBP 19,000 in a migration to Next.js, keeping WordPress as the back office. Estimated annual saving: 4,680 + 1,400 - 1,050 of residual maintenance = GBP 5,030. With a redirect plan for his 412 URLs, organic traffic rises 9% at 4 months and quote requests go from 14 to 18 a month. Direct payback comes in under 4 years on maintenance alone, and much sooner counting the extra requests.
FAQ
How much does a WordPress to Next.js migration cost for an SMB?
GBP 10,500 to 30,000 in 2026 depending on page count (40 to 150), target CMS and content complexity. An 80 to 100 page site often lands around GBP 17,000 to 20,500.
Will I lose my rankings?
Not if the 301 redirect plan covers 100% of URLs and tag structure is preserved. Without it, organic traffic drops of 10 to 30% are common for 3 to 6 months.
Can my team still edit the site?
Yes, especially if WordPress stays as a headless back office. With a new CMS, plan 1 to 3 training sessions and 3 to 6 weeks of adjustment.
How long does the migration take?
6 to 12 weeks depending on site size. URL inventory and SEO QA account for about 25% of the schedule.
What performance gain can I expect?
Mobile LCP typically drops from 3.8 s to 1.4 s with INP under 200 ms. These values depend on image weight and third-party scripts kept.
Let's scope your project. Send us your WordPress site URL: we inventory your pages and plugins, then price the migration, SEO plan and timeline. 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.
