The main benefits of a Next.js website are speed, good visibility on Google and fewer security risks than a site full of plugins. Next.js is a framework, a toolkit for developers, based on React. Many well-known websites and web apps are built with it.
As a business owner, you don't need to know how it works technically. But it's useful to understand what it gives you, and when it's a poorer fit. You'll read that below, without jargon.
What exactly is Next.js?
React is a widely used technology for building interactive websites and web applications. Next.js sits on top of it and handles lots of things a website needs: how pages are built, how images are resized, how addresses (URLs) work and how the site gets to the visitor quickly.
The big difference with a classic system like WordPress: with Next.js the website is built as code, not clicked together with a theme and plugins. The content usually comes from a separate management system, a headless CMS. That way you edit text and photos yourself, while the technology stays clean and fast. Read more in choosing a CMS.
Benefit 1: a Next.js website is fast
Next.js can prepare pages in advance. When a visitor arrives, the server doesn't need to work anything out: the page is already ready and is sent straight away. Pages that change often can be refreshed in the background.
Next.js also automatically shrinks images to the size the screen needs. So a phone doesn't get a photo of several megabytes. That saves loading time, especially on mobile internet.
Speed isn't just pleasant. Google measures it with the Core Web Vitals. The thresholds for a good score are: the largest content visible within 2.5 seconds (LCP), a response to a click within 200 milliseconds (INP) and little shifting of elements (CLS under 0.1). With Next.js you usually reach those values more easily. More tips in making your website faster.
Benefit 2: good for SEO and visibility
Some modern websites only build the page in the visitor's browser. Search engines then sometimes see an empty page. Next.js sends the content as complete HTML. So Google sees all the text, headings and links straight away.
Other SEO matters are easy to handle too:
- A separate title and description for each page in Google.
- Clean, readable URLs without strange codes.
- A sitemap that updates automatically.
- Structured data, extra information for search engines about your business, articles or FAQs.
- Multiple languages with the right references between the versions.
Benefit 3: more secure and less maintenance
With a classic site running ten or twenty plugins, you have to keep updating everything. Every plugin is someone else's code, and an old version is often an open door for hackers. A Next.js website has no public admin panel in the same place as the site. The public side mainly consists of static pages. So there's less to attack.
Maintenance is still needed: Next.js and the parts it uses get updates too. But it's easier to keep track of, because there's no pile of separate extensions from different makers. Read more about securing your website.
Benefit 4: grows with you from website to web application
Because Next.js runs on React, you can use the same foundation for more than a website. Think of a login area for customers, a booking module or an ordering platform. You don't need to switch to another system as your business grows. Read the difference between the two in website or web application.
An example: you start with a website showing your services, prices and a contact form. After a year you want customers to book appointments online, or view their own details. With a Next.js foundation you add that in the same environment, in the same style. Your visitors notice no seam between the website and the new part.
That also saves costs in the long run. You don't pay for a second system, second hosting or a second design. And you don't need to send data back and forth between two packages that don't understand each other well.
Next.js vs WordPress: when to choose which?
Next.js isn't always the best choice. An honest overview:
- Choose Next.js if speed, visibility and a custom design matter, if you want to add features later or if you need multiple languages.
- Choose Next.js if you don't fancy keeping dozens of plugins up to date.
- Choose an off-the-shelf package if your budget is very small, you want to do everything yourself without a developer, and your site hardly ever changes.
- Choose an off-the-shelf package if you specifically need a plugin that only exists for that platform.
Note one downside: for changes to the front end, such as a new type of block, you need a developer. Text, photos and new pages using existing blocks you can edit yourself in the CMS.
What to look for when having a Next.js website built
- Ask how you'll manage the content yourself. Which CMS comes with it, and will you get a walkthrough?
- Ask where the site runs and who handles hosting and updates.
- Ask whether the Core Web Vitals are measured at handover.
- Ask whether the code is yours and what happens if you ever want to switch.
- Ask about fixed blocks, so your site still looks sharp after a year.
Having a Next.js website built by Violexa
We build custom websites and web applications, often with Next.js and a headless CMS. A custom website starts from €1,799 excl. VAT (€2,177 incl. VAT) per project. That includes design, development, a design that works on every screen, SEO basics and Google Analytics, the CMS connection and training. Larger projects get a fixed price in writing up front. Read more at websites and apps.
Curious whether Next.js suits your business? Book the free quickscan: 30 minutes, online or on site. Afterwards you get short written advice with a price indication, with no obligation.
Frequently asked questions
Is Next.js good for SEO?
Yes. Next.js sends pages to the browser as complete HTML, so Google sees all the text straight away. A Next.js website is also usually fast, which helps with the Core Web Vitals. Good copy and a good structure are still needed.
Can I update a Next.js website myself?
Yes, if a CMS is connected to it. There you edit text, photos and pages without code. For new types of blocks or features you need a developer.
Is Next.js better than WordPress?
It depends on what you need. Next.js is usually faster, more secure and more flexible. WordPress is easier if you want to do everything yourself with ready-made plugins on a small budget.
How much does a Next.js website cost?
That depends on the number of pages and features. At Violexa, a custom website starts from €1,799 excl. VAT (€2,177 incl. VAT). Larger projects get a fixed price up front.
