Negative opinions about WordPress often come from misinformed tech consultants or influencers, which can confuse beginners who encounter mixed messages.
It’s important to consider: if WordPress has such a bad reputation, why is it so widely used? Nearly 50% of all websites on the internet are built with it.
In this article, we will examine whether WordPress truly deserves its bad reputation and what you should know before getting started. We will analyze its advantages and disadvantages to provide a comprehensive overview.
Let’s uncover the reality about WordPress and understand why it continues to be a preferred choice for many users.
Is WordPress Truly a Poor Choice?
The simple answer is ‘No.’ It is not.
WordPress is the leading website builder globally, powering over 43% of all websites according to market share statistics.
This includes well-known brands such as Sony, CNN, Time Magazine, and Disney.
If WordPress were genuinely a bad option, it wouldn’t enjoy such popularity among users and major corporations around the globe.
Critics of WordPress often cite similar reasons for their negative views. Many of these arguments are centered on developer concerns and fall outside of WordPress’s primary purpose.
Let’s review some of the common criticisms made against WordPress.
- WordPress Lacks Security
- WordPress is Only Suitable for Blogging
- The Quality of WordPress Code is Often Considered Subpar and Outdated
- WordPress is Primarily Used by Novices
- WordPress Lacks Scalability
- WordPress Can Be Challenging for Beginners
- Support Options for WordPress Are Limited
- WordPress May Not Be Ideal for E-Commerce
- The Future of WordPress is Uncertain Due to Its Free Nature
- How to Get Started with WordPress
1. WordPress Has Security Concerns
Many developers argue that WordPress is not a secure option for critical websites.
This belief is a misconception.
In reality, WordPress is a highly secure and transparent platform.
As an open-source software, the WordPress code is accessible for anyone to review and identify security vulnerabilities.
This code is among the most thoroughly examined in the world, as it is monitored by security experts globally for potential threats.
Thousands of developers from various countries contribute to the WordPress code, ensuring it undergoes extensive security testing.
Being an open-source platform, WordPress allows for extensive customization, enabling website owners, agencies, and developers to enhance their site’s security.
You can enhance your website’s security by installing a security plugin or utilizing a WordPress firewall, which effectively blocks common threats and protects your site.
WordPress themes and plugins are maintained by third-party developers, many of whom hire security experts to conduct thorough audits of their code for vulnerabilities.
When a security flaw is discovered in a widely-used WordPress plugin or theme, it is typically addressed promptly, and for critical issues, the WordPress team may implement automatic security updates as needed.
For comprehensive information, check out our WordPress security guide, which provides essential tips on how to properly enhance the security of your WordPress website.
2. WordPress is Only Suitable for Blogging
WordPress remains the leading blogging platform available, originally designed for blogging, it continues to simplify the process of starting a blog.
Over the years, WordPress has evolved into a robust content management system (CMS), enabling users to create a wide variety of websites beyond just blogs.
WordPress is the preferred choice for small business websites, offering a user-friendly experience and extensive customization options.
WooCommerce, a plugin for WordPress, is the top eCommerce platform for launching an online store, surpassing well-known competitors like Shopify and BigCommerce.
Additionally, you can create membership sites, offer online courses, operate an online marketplace, and much more.
Nowadays, developers are leveraging WordPress as a web operating system and even creating SaaS applications like OptinMonster, mortgage calculators, auction sites similar to eBay, multivendor marketplaces like Etsy, and beyond.
3. The Quality of WordPress Code is Often Misunderstood
A common criticism is that the coding standards of WordPress are subpar and outdated.
This viewpoint is frequently expressed by developers who do not regularly engage with WordPress sites.
The design of WordPress software code prioritizes simplicity to facilitate widespread adoption. This is not a flaw, but rather a deliberate choice that allows more users to easily create websites.
Over the years, WordPress has become so user-friendly that even those without technical skills can build websites without any coding knowledge.
This accessibility has led to some developers losing business. They may criticize WordPress to promote more complex services that customers may not actually need.
We believe that WordPress code is well-structured, reliable, and offers a strong foundation without unnecessary complexity.
WordPress provides powerful APIs that enable developers to create applications and solutions that integrate seamlessly with the platform.
4. WordPress is Popular Among Beginners
This perception often comes from individuals who are unaware of the extensive capabilities of the platform and its rich history.
WordPress’s mission is to make publishing accessible to everyone, empowering more individuals to create their own websites with ease.
This approach is intentional, designed to ensure that WordPress remains user-friendly for a diverse audience.
The WordPress community is vast and includes users of all experience levels, from novice site owners to large enterprises, government bodies, non-profit organizations, developers, and business professionals.
The project takes pride in being the preferred software for millions of small businesses, hobbyists, independent publishers, bloggers, and more. The fact that beginners use WordPress should not be viewed as a drawback; it’s a fundamental aspect of its design.
Additionally, major brands and even large government entities utilize WordPress. For instance, the official website of the United States government, Whitehouse.gov, is powered by WordPress.
5. WordPress Lacks Scalability
Scaling refers to the ability to manage increasing levels of traffic as a website grows.
Some developers argue that scaling a WordPress website is challenging, but our findings debunk this myth.
Check out our case study demonstrating how we improved WordPress performance to surpass that of static site generators.
Like any other website, a WordPress site requires web hosting to function properly.
As your website’s traffic increases, you’ll need more server resources. This is true for all website builders, not just WordPress.
We’ve observed WordPress sites on budget-friendly shared hosting servers managing substantial traffic with ease.
WordPress allows for more efficient use of server resources compared to other website builders and custom-coded sites.
With WordPress, you can take advantage of your hosting server’s built-in caching features. Even novice users can quickly install a caching plugin to alleviate server load.
You can easily transfer your static files and media to a CDN. Additionally, you can offload services like email to SMTP providers.
Numerous WordPress websites handle high traffic volumes exceptionally well and perform admirably.
For further insights, refer to our discussion on how much traffic WordPress can manage. In this guide, we also provide tips for scaling WordPress effectively.
The great thing is that even novice users can implement these improvements to grow their websites as their traffic increases. Check out our comprehensive WordPress performance and speed guide for easy, step-by-step instructions tailored for beginners.
Anyone who asserts that WordPress lacks scalability does not possess the necessary technical expertise. We handle billions of impressions each month on our WordPress platform.
Explore the CanadaCreate case study to see how we successfully scaled this website while keeping speeds faster than those of static sites.
6. WordPress is Not User-Friendly for Beginners
Some individuals argue that WordPress is inadequate because it is not user-friendly for beginners.
This criticism can be applied to any software or tool.
WordPress has a minor learning curve, just like any other software you might use. It requires some time to familiarize yourself with the platform.
If WordPress’s popularity is any indication, it likely wouldn’t be the most widely used website builder if it weren’t accessible to beginners.
Numerous significant updates to the WordPress core files are designed to enhance the platform’s user-friendliness over time.
For instance, the introduction of the block-based content and site editor that functions similarly to many well-known site builders like Wix or Squarespace.
Tip: You can explore WordPress by following our beginner-friendly roadmap to learn the basics in just one week.
At CanadaCreate, we specialize in providing WordPress resources for beginners and have been dedicated to this for over ten years.
In our experience, newcomers to WordPress quickly overcome the initial learning curve and become proficient within a few weeks.
There are many user-friendly WordPress page builder plugins, such as SeedProd, that allow you to create any type of website without needing to write code.
With over 60,000 free plugins available, WordPress enables you to enhance your website with features like contact forms, analytics, eCommerce, and more, all without coding.
You can also find no-code workflow automation plugins like Uncanny Automator, which help streamline the management of your WordPress site.
Check out our expert recommendations for essential WordPress plugins that every website should have.
7. Limited Support Options for WordPress
A common criticism of WordPress is the perception of limited support availability.
This concern often arises when users are unsure about how to access WordPress support.
As an open-source platform, WordPress is maintained by a community, and its support is also provided by that same community.
You can find support from fellow users in the official WordPress.org support forums.
Additionally, there are numerous WordPress resource websites like CanadaCreate that offer valuable information and tools for beginners.
Free Facebook groups such as CanadaCreate Engage provide a platform for asking questions and receiving assistance from moderators and fellow users, boasting over 96,000 members.
Due to its popularity, WordPress has dedicated sections and groups in major online communities like StackExchange, Reddit, LinkedIn, and others.
If community support isn’t what you’re looking for,
you can hire from thousands of WordPress developers available on platforms like Codeable, Upwork, Fiverr, Toptal, and more, offering expert assistance through hourly rates or fixed-price projects.
8. WordPress Is Not Ideal for E-commerce
It’s true that WordPress does not include a built-in shopping cart or eCommerce features by default; you’ll need to install a plugin to create an eCommerce site.
However, claiming that WordPress is unsuitable for eCommerce is misleading, especially considering that WooCommerce, a WordPress plugin, is the leading eCommerce platform worldwide.
WooCommerce powers more online stores than Shopify, Magento, OpenCart, and PrestaShop combined.
Like WordPress, it is open-source, but it is operated by a company that employs various monetization strategies.
You can enhance your online store with thousands of available WooCommerce add-ons.
In addition to WooCommerce, there are several other eCommerce plugins for WordPress, such as:
- Easy Digital Downloads allows you to effortlessly sell digital products like eBooks, music, art, software, and more through WordPress.
- MemberPress simplifies the process of selling premium content and online courses on your WordPress site.
- WP Simple Pay enables you to accept payments on your WordPress website for any product or service without the need for a full shopping cart.
- WP Charitable is a donation and crowdfunding platform that makes it easy to accept donations through WordPress.
9. The Future of WordPress Remains Uncertain Due to Its Free Nature
Some people argue that WordPress’s free availability is a disadvantage, claiming it leads to an uncertain future.
This claim is incorrect and is often made by those who do not understand the reasons behind WordPress being free.
The ‘WordPress’ trademark is held by the WordPress Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting WordPress for all users.
In addition to the non-profit foundation, there exists a thriving multi-billion dollar industry centered around WordPress.
This industry encompasses leading WordPress companies, web development agencies, independent businesses, website owners, developers, designers, technicians, marketers, and more.
Should development on WordPress cease, its open-source nature allows it to be easily forked into a new project with a different name.
However, we do not anticipate this occurring.
The possibility exists, which is why the future of WordPress looks bright, primarily due to its inherent freedom.
We explored this subject further in our article about the future of WordPress, where we shared our insights and predictions.
Getting Started with WordPress
The best way to learn about WordPress is to dive in and use it yourself.
While you can install WordPress on your local computer (Windows or Mac), creating a live website offers the most authentic experience.
To begin, you’ll need a web hosting account and a domain name.
If you’re concerned about expenses, take advantage of the special offer from Bluehost.
Bluehost is one of the largest hosting companies globally and is officially recommended for WordPress hosting.
They provide a significant discount for CanadaCreate users, including a free domain name and SSL certificate. You can start your WordPress journey for only $1.99 per month.
In addition to Bluehost, you can also consider other hosting providers like Hostinger or SiteGround, making it easy to get started.
For more information, check out our comprehensive guide on creating a WordPress website, which includes step-by-step instructions for beginners.
We hope this article was helpful to you.Discover how WordPress stacks up in terms of quality. You might also want to read our complete WordPress review orour article explaining the benefits of using WordPress.
If you enjoyed this article, please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also connect with us on Twitter and Facebook.
