How to Build a Website Without WordPress

WordPress powers a huge share of the web, but for a simple professional site it is often the wrong tool: plugin sprawl, security updates, theme bloat, and a hosting bill that never stops. If all you need is a clean four-page site, there is a lighter path.

The case against WordPress for a simple site

A basic brochure site does not need a database, a login system, or thirty plugins. WordPress gives you all of that whether you want it or not, and each piece is something that can break, slow down, or need patching. For many consultants and small operators, that complexity is pure overhead.

The lighter alternative: a static website

A static website is just clean HTML, CSS, and a little JavaScript. There is no database to maintain and nothing to update on a schedule. It loads almost instantly, is far harder to hack, and can be hosted for free. For a Home / About / Services / Contact site, this is the right level of technology.

How it works without code skills

You start from a ready-made static starter structure and change the words and styling to match your brand. AI-assisted editors handle any small code changes when you describe them in plain English, so you are customising rather than programming.

Where it lives

You store the files on GitHub (free) and publish them through Cloudflare Pages (free for static sites). Together they give you automatic publishing every time you make a change, plus version history so you can undo mistakes. See our walkthrough on hosting a website for free on Cloudflare Pages.

What you give up — and what you gain

You give up the WordPress dashboard and the giant plugin ecosystem. In exchange you get speed, security, zero monthly fees, and a site you fully control. For a simple professional presence, that is almost always the better trade.

The fastest way to do it properly

The No-Developer Website Playbook gives you the static starter pack, the exact publishing steps, and a launch checklist — so you can build a WordPress-free site in a weekend without piecing the process together from scattered tutorials.