The WordPress Default Assumption
Small website? Use WordPress. That's the standard advice. Simple blog? WordPress. Company website? WordPress. Portfolio site? WordPress.
This advice is wrong. Django makes more sense for many small websites. Even simple ones. Let me explain why.
The WordPress Plugin Trap
WordPress starts simple. Install WordPress. Choose a theme. Add content. Easy.
Then reality hits. You need a contact form. Install a plugin. Want SEO optimization? Another plugin. Need caching? Plugin. Security? Plugin. Backups? Plugin.
Suddenly you have 20+ plugins. Each plugin is a potential security hole. Each requires updates. Each can conflict with others. Your simple WordPress site became a maintenance nightmare.
Django doesn't have this problem. You code exactly what you need. No plugin conflicts. No security vulnerabilities from abandoned plugins. Just your code.
Performance Out of the Box
WordPress with plugins is slow. Each plugin adds database queries. Each adds processing overhead. Page builders add massive JavaScript files. Themes load unnecessary features.
Django sites start fast and stay fast. You control everything that loads. No bloated page builders. No unnecessary JavaScript. Clean, optimized code from the beginning.
We've migrated WordPress sites to Django. Page load times dropped from 4 seconds to under 1 second. That's not optimization. That's just Django without WordPress bloat.
Security Without the Hassle
WordPress requires constant maintenance. Core updates. Plugin updates. Theme updates. Miss updates and you get hacked. Update wrong and plugins break.
WordPress is the most attacked CMS because it's the most popular. Automated bots scan for vulnerable WordPress installations constantly.
Django gets fewer attacks because attackers can't scan for vulnerabilities generically. Each Django site is different. No standard admin URL. No predictable structure. Security through obscurity actually works here.
Plus Django's security features are built in. CSRF protection. SQL injection prevention. XSS protection. All automatic. All tested. All maintained by Django core developers.
The Hosting Cost Reality
Good WordPress hosting costs $30-100 monthly. Cheap hosting makes WordPress slower and less secure. You need managed WordPress hosting for good performance.
Django runs well on $10-20 monthly hosting. A basic VPS handles Django efficiently. Or use platforms like Heroku, Railway, or DigitalOcean App Platform. Total cost stays low.
Over five years, you save $1,200-4,800 on hosting alone. That pays for Django development costs.
Future-Proofing Your Website
WordPress limits you. Need a custom feature? Fight against WordPress or pay for custom plugin development. Want to add an API? WordPress wasn't designed for that. Need a mobile app? WordPress APIs are an afterthought.
Django grows with your needs. Start with a simple website. Add a blog. Add user accounts. Add a booking system. Add an API for mobile apps. Django handles all of this cleanly.
You're not migrating platforms when requirements change. You're extending the same Django application.
Content Management Without WordPress
"But clients need to edit content!" That's the standard WordPress defense.
Django's admin panel handles content management beautifully. It's not WordPress's editor, but it's better in many ways. More structured. More flexible. More powerful.
Clients learn Django admin in 10 minutes. It's actually simpler than WordPress for structured content. No complicated page builders. No confusing theme options. Just clear forms for content.
Version Control and Deployment
WordPress and version control don't mix well. Themes contain PHP, CSS, and JavaScript mixed together. Plugins modify databases. Content and code blur together.
Django separates concerns cleanly. Code goes in Git. Content goes in databases. Deployments are predictable. Rollbacks work properly. Development, staging, and production environments stay in sync.
When WordPress Actually Wins
WordPress makes sense when:
- You literally have zero development budget
- You need hundreds of ready-made themes
- Content editors need visual page builders
- You're building a site in hours, not days
- Non-technical users must manage everything
These scenarios exist. But they're fewer than people think. Most small websites don't actually need WordPress.
The Development Time Argument
"Django takes longer to build!" Not really. For a simple website:
- Django project setup: 30 minutes
- Create models: 1 hour
- Build templates: 3-4 hours
- Add admin customization: 1 hour
- Deploy: 1 hour
Total: One development day for a professional website. That's competitive with properly customizing WordPress.
The difference is Django stays clean. WordPress accumulates complexity over time. Django's initial investment pays off long-term.
Real Project Examples
We've built small Django sites:
- Company websites (5-10 pages)
- Restaurant websites with menus
- Portfolio sites for professionals
- Small e-commerce stores
- Landing pages with forms
All run faster than WordPress equivalents. All require less maintenance. All scale better when needs change. Clients are happier long-term.
The Learning Curve
"I know WordPress already!" Fair point. But learning Django for small projects isn't hard. The official Django tutorial teaches you enough in a weekend. After that, you're building real sites.
The time invested learning Django pays dividends. You're not just learning a CMS. You're learning web development properly. This knowledge transfers to larger projects.
Maintenance Over Time
WordPress requires weekly maintenance. Check for updates. Test updates. Fix broken plugins. Monitor security. Optimize database. Clean spam.
Django sites need monthly check-ins. Update Django when releases come out (3-4 times yearly). Update dependencies occasionally. That's it.
Over five years, you save hundreds of hours in maintenance time. For businesses, this matters enormously.
Our Recommendation
Stop defaulting to WordPress for small websites. Ask if WordPress actually fits your needs. Often it doesn't.
Use Django for:
- Any website that might grow
- Sites needing custom features
- Projects wanting long-term maintainability
- Businesses willing to invest slightly more upfront
Use WordPress for:
- Absolute minimum budget projects
- Sites needing extensive visual editing
- Projects requiring 1000+ available plugins
The Bottom Line
Django isn't just for big applications. It works excellently for small websites too. Better performance. Better security. Better long-term value.
WordPress became the default through marketing and availability. Not through technical superiority. Challenge the default. Choose Django for your next small website. You'll build something better.