WordPress to Next.js Migration Cost for London SMEs (2026)

The verdict in three sentences

For a London SME whose WordPress stacks 45 plugins and a 4.2-second LCP, migrating to headless Next.js costs EUR 12,000 to 28,000 excl. VAT (roughly GBP 10,000 to 24,000) for 50 to 300 pages. The gain is measurable: load time brought under 1.8 seconds, maintenance halved, attack surface reduced. One success condition is non-negotiable: 100% of URLs 301-redirected and an SEO migration plan written before the first line of code.

Why a 45-plugin WordPress keeps getting more expensive

A business WordPress ages badly. Every plugin adds JavaScript, database queries and a vulnerability risk. Updates regularly break a form or a translation module, and the IT lead ends up postponing security patches for fear of regressions.

These 2026 orders of magnitude explain why maintenance cost is halved: fewer dependencies, fewer risky updates, and a static or server-rendered site that no longer exposes the database directly.

Migration budget by site size

In a headless setup, WordPress can remain the editorial back office (or be replaced by a CMS such as Sanity or Strapi), while Next.js renders the public site. The budget depends on page volume, number of templates and features to rebuild.

The most underestimated item is the inventory: listing features hidden inside plugins (conditional forms, popups, filters, CRM integrations) to decide which to rebuild and which to drop.

Protecting SEO during the migration

A botched migration can lose 30 to 60% of organic traffic within weeks. The SEO plan comes down to a few strict rules: export every indexed URL (Search Console plus a crawl), build an old to new URL mapping table, 301-redirect 100% of them, keep title tags, meta descriptions and structured data, then monitor 404 errors daily for 30 days.

Done well, the migration causes a temporary 5 to 10% dip for 3 to 6 weeks, followed by growth from the performance gain: Google rewards Core Web Vitals, and an LCP under 1.8 seconds often lifts rankings on competitive queries.

Mini case study

Thomas, IT lead of a 120-employee medical equipment distributor in London, runs a 180-page bilingual WordPress. He pays EUR 7,200 per year in maintenance and EUR 1,400 in plugin licences, EUR 8,600 in total.

The Next.js migration is quoted at EUR 22,000. After cutover, maintenance falls to EUR 3,600 per year and licences to EUR 200, EUR 3,800 in total: a saving of EUR 4,800 per year. On top of that, contact form conversion rises from 1.1% to 1.6% on 4,000 monthly visits, or 20 extra enquiries per month. With a 10% close rate and EUR 1,500 of margin per client, that is EUR 3,000 of margin per month. The project pays back in about six months.

FAQ

How much does a WordPress to Next.js migration cost for a London SME?

Between EUR 12,000 and 28,000 excl. VAT in 2026 for 50 to 300 pages. The number of templates and features to rebuild drive the price.

Can we keep WordPress for writing content?

Yes, in headless mode WordPress becomes a simple back office and Next.js renders the site. This avoids retraining the editorial team on a new tool.

Will we lose our rankings?

Not if 100% of URLs are 301-redirected and tags are preserved. A 5 to 10% dip for 3 to 6 weeks is usual before recovery.

What performance gain should we expect?

An LCP going from about 4.2 seconds to under 1.8 seconds on mobile. Page weight usually drops by 50 to 70%.

How long does the project take?

From 8 to 14 weeks depending on scope, including 1 to 2 weeks of inventory and SEO planning before development.

Let's scope your project. Send us your site URL, your plugin list and your deadline, and we will price the migration with an indicative budget, a redirect plan and a schedule. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.