The verdict in three sentences
For an aerospace subcontractor whose 380-page WordPress site keeps piling up vulnerabilities and slowdowns, migrating to Next.js with a headless CMS costs between 14,000 and 30,000 EUR excl. VAT in 2026, plus 2,000 to 4,000 EUR for the redirect plan and SEO recovery. The project takes 8 to 14 weeks and cuts maintenance to 120-250 EUR per month. The main risk is not technical: it is losing organic traffic if 301 redirects and content are badly carried over.
Full migration or WordPress refresh: the numbers
Before signing, an IT director should compare both options over 3 years, not just on the initial quote. Figures below are 2026 ballpark ranges for a 380-page site with an industrial capabilities catalogue, certification pages (AS9100, ISO 14001) and a careers area.
| Criterion | WordPress refresh | Next.js + headless CMS migration |
|---|---|---|
| Initial investment | 4,000 - 8,000 EUR | 14,000 - 30,000 EUR |
| Redirects and SEO recovery | 500 - 1,000 EUR | 2,000 - 4,000 EUR |
| Timeline | 3 - 5 weeks | 8 - 14 weeks |
| Monthly maintenance | 300 - 600 EUR | 120 - 250 EUR |
| Plugins to monitor | 25 - 40 | 0 on the public site |
| Mobile load time (LCP) | 2.5 - 4 s | 0.8 - 1.6 s |
| 3-year total cost | 15,000 - 30,000 EUR | 20,000 - 43,000 EUR |
The 3-year gap narrows considerably. A refresh still makes sense if the site will be replaced within 2 years or if the marketing team relies heavily on page builders. As soon as security becomes a customer compliance topic (aerospace primes, supplier cybersecurity questionnaires, Cyber Essentials), the migration is justified.
Risks to control and what they cost
A 380-page migration rarely fails because of code. It fails because of forgotten URLs, badly transferred content or a schedule that collides with a trade show. Here are the classic risks and how to budget for them.
| Risk | Likelihood without method | Preventive measure | Indicative cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Organic traffic drop | 30 - 50% temporary loss | Map all 380 URLs, 301 each one | Included in 2,000 - 4,000 EUR |
| Lost PDFs and datasheets | High | Media inventory, scripted migration | 800 - 1,500 EUR |
| Broken quote forms | Medium | End-to-end tests, alerts | 500 - 1,000 EUR |
| Schedule slip | High | Content freeze 2 weeks before | 0 EUR (organisation) |
| Vendor lock-in | Medium | Versioned code delivered, standard CMS | 0 EUR (contract) |
| Marketing team pushback | Medium | Two half-day CMS training sessions | 600 - 1,200 EUR |
Scripted content migration (REST or XML export, HTML clean-up, re-import into the headless CMS) avoids manual re-keying. Across 380 pages it saves 60 to 90 hours of work.
Recommended architecture for an industrial site
We recommend Next.js with incremental static regeneration, hosted on a European CDN, with a headless CMS (Sanity, Strapi or Payload) for the communications team. Capability, machine and certification pages are generated from structured models: adding a new machine takes 10 minutes, with no developer. The public site no longer exposes a database or plugins, which removes most attack vectors seen on WordPress.
For a subcontractor answering cybersecurity questionnaires from primes, this weighs in supplier qualification. Security headers (CSP, HSTS) and a Lighthouse score above 90 become measurable evidence to present.
Mini case study
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Thomas, IT director of a 220-employee aerospace subcontractor near London, spends an average of 14 hours a month on WordPress updates, backups and incidents, valued at 65 EUR per hour, or 910 EUR per month including managed services. Two security incidents in 18 months each cost around 3,000 EUR to fix.
The migration costs 22,000 EUR plus 3,000 EUR of SEO recovery. Maintenance drops to 190 EUR per month. Annual saving: (910 - 190) x 12 = 8,640 EUR, plus 2,000 EUR of avoided incidents on average, so 10,640 EUR per year. The project pays back in 2.3 years on direct costs alone, before counting extra quote requests from a site twice as fast.
FAQ
Will we lose our Google rankings?
A 5 to 15% dip for 4 to 8 weeks is common, then traffic returns, often above the previous level thanks to speed. Without a complete 301 plan, the loss can reach 30 to 50% for the long term.
Can the marketing team edit the site on its own?
Yes, the headless CMS offers a visual editor. Two half-day training sessions are usually enough for a team of 2 to 4 people.
Can we migrate in stages?
Yes, for example the 40 most visited pages first, then the rest. Phasing extends the project by 3 to 4 weeks but reduces risk.
Is Next.js suited to a 380-page site?
Easily: incremental static regeneration handles tens of thousands of pages. Rebuild time after an edit stays under 1 minute.
When is a simple WordPress refresh enough?
If the site will be rebuilt within 2 years, you run fewer than 15 plugins and have no supplier cybersecurity compliance requirement. Budget 4,000 to 8,000 EUR in that case.
Let's scope your project. Send us your site URL and schedule constraints: we will inventory your pages and price a migration between 14,000 and 30,000 EUR, redirects included, over 8 to 14 weeks. 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.
