Compare · WordPress

WordPress yourself, or a managed website?

Flexibility and freedom, beside done-for-you upkeep.

WordPress powers a huge share of the web, and running it yourself means you're responsible for its hosting, updates and security. Here's how that compares with a website that's built and managed for you.

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All comparisonsFrom $249 · $49/month · No contract

The catch

With WordPress, it's on you to handle…

Keeping WordPress core, the theme and every plugin updated
Testing that each update doesn't break something else
Choosing hosting, caching and backups, and keeping them working
Dealing with it yourself, or paying someone, when something goes wrong

The SDP difference

With SDP, it's handled for you:

A fast static site with no plugins or database on the public site to attack
Hosting, SSL, backups, monitoring and security updates handled every month
Content changes made for you, usually within a couple of business days
No dashboard of pending updates, ever

Side by side

WordPress vs a managed small business website

The same questions, answered for both. Every SDP answer is part of every site we build.

Sims Digital Partners compared with self-managed WordPress
Question	Sims Digital Partners	Self-managed WordPress
Who builds it	Sims Digital PartnersDesigned and built for you, start to finish, with no hand-offs	Self-managed WordPressYou, a freelancer, or a theme you set up
Design	Sims Digital PartnersDesigned and written around your business	Self-managed WordPressA theme, a page builder or a custom build
The build	Sims Digital PartnersA static site on Cloudflare's network: fast on phones, very little to attack	Self-managed WordPressA database, a theme and plugins that all need updating
Search setup	Sims Digital PartnersDone at launch: titles, structured data, sitemap, Google Business Profile check, Search Console	Self-managed WordPressAn SEO plugin you configure yourself
Leads	Sims Digital PartnersEvery quote request by email and in your client portal, with visits and change requests	Self-managed WordPressA form plugin and email settings you maintain
Hosting & upkeep	Sims Digital PartnersHosting, SSL, backups and security updates handled for you	Self-managed WordPressYou choose hosting and keep core, theme and plugins updated
Changes after launch	Sims Digital PartnersSmall content changes included; send them and they're done	Self-managed WordPressYou make them in the dashboard, or pay someone to
Your domain	Sims Digital PartnersRegistered in your name and always yours	Self-managed WordPressYours, with whichever registrar you choose
Moving the site later	Sims Digital PartnersNo contract. If you move on, the site is handed over cleanly	Self-managed WordPressPortable, if someone knows how to move it
Who you talk to	Sims Digital PartnersThe team that built your site, directly. Replies within one business day	Self-managed WordPressYour host, plugin developers and community forums
Cost	Sims Digital PartnersA fixed price in writing, from $249; then $49/month	Self-managed WordPressHosting, premium plugins or themes, plus upkeep time

Other products change their features and pricing often, so we describe them, not quote them.

01 / 05

Cost over time

WordPress itself is free. The running costs are hosting, any premium themes or plugins, and the ongoing time to keep it all updated and working together. If you pay someone for that upkeep, it becomes a line item; if you don't, it tends to get skipped.

SDP is a one-time build from $249, then $49/month for hosting and management, with the exact price in writing up front and no contract. Upkeep is the part that's included, not the part that's left over.

How much does a website cost?

02 / 05

Who does the work

Self-managed WordPress gives you full control, and full responsibility. Someone has to pick and update plugins, test that updates don't break the site, keep backups, and deal with it when something goes wrong.

With SDP, we build the site, host it and keep it maintained. You send content changes and they're made, usually within a couple of business days, and there's no dashboard of pending updates waiting for you.

03 / 05

Ownership and lock-in

WordPress is open source, your content lives in a standard format, and you can move the whole site between hosts. Your domain stays with whichever registrar you choose.

SDP gives you the same footing where it matters: your domain is registered in your name, there's no contract, and if you ever move on, the site is handed over cleanly so you can run it yourself or take it elsewhere.

Web hosting vs DNS, and why you need both

04 / 05

Security and updates

WordPress core is actively maintained and patched. The usual weak spot is everything around it: plugins and themes that fall behind on updates, or that stop being maintained at all. A site that isn't updated regularly is the most common way small WordPress sites get into trouble.

SDP builds fast static sites, which have no plugins or database on the public site to attack, and the monthly plan covers hosting, SSL, backups, monitoring and security updates. If you're staying on WordPress, our guide on checking whether your site actually gets its security updates is a good place to start.

Is your WordPress site getting its security updates?

05 / 05

Speed and SEO

A carefully built WordPress site can be fast and rank well, and there are good SEO plugins. Speed tends to slip as plugins, page builders and scripts pile up, and keeping it quick takes deliberate work and good hosting.

SDP sites are static pages, so they load quickly on phones without extra caching layers. Every site launches with titles, descriptions, structured data, a sitemap, a Google Business Profile check and Search Console submission done.

Why isn't my new website on Google yet?

The deciding factors

Where SDP pulls ahead of self-managed WordPress

WordPress gives you a toolbox and a to-do list. SDP takes the to-do list off your hands:

Security that doesn't depend on updatesA static site has no plugins or database on the public site, so there's very little for an attacker to go after, and we still handle monitoring and updates every month.
Speed without tuningStatic pages load quickly on phones without caching plugins or extra hosting tiers.
Leads you don't missEach quote request arrives as an email and in your client portal, next to your visit numbers and change requests.
No lock-inYour domain is registered in your name, there's no contract, and if you ever move on, the site is handed over cleanly.

You keep the freedom that matters, your domain and the right to leave, without the upkeep.

Get a free quote How our business websites work

Keep reading

Guides that go deeper

Short, practical articles on the questions that come up most when choosing a website.

All articles

Sep 7, 2026 · 6 min read

Questions

WordPress questions, answered

Straight answers to what people ask when they're weighing it up.

For build and monthly details, see small business website pricing, or ask us directly.

Is WordPress secure?

WordPress core is actively maintained. Most problems on small business sites come from plugins and themes that aren't kept up to date. A WordPress site can be secure if someone is responsible for updating it regularly and keeping backups.

Can you take over or replace my WordPress site?

We can rebuild it as a fast static site that we host and manage, carrying over your content and what works. That removes the plugin updates entirely. Your domain stays in your name throughout.

Will I still be able to edit my site without WordPress?

Yes. Small content changes are included in the monthly plan: send them and they're made. If you'd rather edit your own text and images, we can set you up for that too.

What if I need a blog?

We can build one into your site. Send us posts to publish, or we can set you up to add them yourself, without a plugin dashboard to maintain.

No contracts · Your domain, your site

Rather have it done for you?

Tell us about your business. You'll get a clear scope and a fixed price, from $249, before anything starts, then $49/month with no contract.

Get a free quote info@simsdigitalpartners.com