Why charities are moving away from WordPress and what to consider next

For many years, WordPress has been the default choice for charity websites. It is familiar, widely supported and often seen as a low-cost option that can get organisations up and running quickly.

But as digital expectations continue to grow, many charities are starting to question whether WordPress is still the right platform for their needs. Accessibility, security and performance now play a much bigger role in how websites are judged, and for some organisations WordPress is beginning to feel restrictive rather than enabling.

This article explores why charities are moving away from WordPress, the challenges they are encountering, and what to consider when choosing a more future-ready alternative.

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Why WordPress became so popular?

WordPress gained popularity because it was easy to get started with, widely supported and flexible thanks to its plugin ecosystem. For smaller organisations or simple brochure sites, it offered a practical and accessible way to publish content online.

For a long time, that was enough. But as charity websites have become more central to fundraising, engagement and service delivery, the limitations of WordPress have become more apparent.

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Common challenges charities face with WordPress

One of the biggest challenges is maintenance. WordPress relies heavily on third-party plugins, which can introduce security risks and compatibility issues. Many charities find themselves dealing with frequent updates, unexpected breakages and an ongoing reliance on developers for relatively small changes. Without dedicated technical support, this can quickly become difficult to manage.

Performance is another common issue. Website speed plays a major role in user experience, accessibility and search rankings, yet many WordPress sites struggle with slow load times, bloated themes and poor mobile performance. These issues can directly affect engagement and donation conversion.

Accessibility is also a growing concern. While WordPress can be made accessible, doing so often requires careful theme selection, additional plugins and ongoing manual testing. Without specialist input, accessibility issues can easily slip through, creating barriers for users and potential compliance risks.

As sites grow, content management can also become more challenging. Teams often find themselves constrained by rigid templates, page builders that limit flexibility, or systems that make it hard to maintain consistency across the site. Over time, this can slow teams down and affect overall quality.

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Why charities are looking for alternatives

Because of these challenges, many charities are now exploring other platforms that are easier to manage, perform more reliably and better support accessibility by default.

There is growing interest in modern CMS platforms that offer more flexibility without added complexity, as well as solutions that scale more naturally as organisations grow. This has led to increased adoption of tools such as Craft CMS, Webflow and headless or hybrid setups.

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What to consider when choosing a new platform

Choosing the right platform starts with understanding how your team works and what your organisation needs.

A good CMS should make content easier to manage, not harder. It should offer clear content structures, flexible editing and an intuitive interface that empowers teams rather than creating dependency on developers.

Accessibility should be built in from the start, not added as an afterthought. The right platform will make it easier to create accessible layouts and structure, and meet WCAG requirements without constant workarounds.

Performance and reliability are also critical. A modern website should be fast, secure and stable, with performance optimised by default rather than relying on layers of plugins and fixes.

It is also important to think long term. Your website should be able to grow with your organisation, support integrations with CRM or donation platforms, and evolve without needing a full rebuild every few years.

While WordPress can appear cost-effective initially, long-term costs often add up through maintenance, security fixes, plugin licensing and ongoing developer support. In many cases, a more robust platform offers better value over time.

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So what should charities consider instead?

There is no single right answer, but many charities are now choosing platforms that offer greater flexibility, reliability and control.

At Subism, we most often work with Craft CMS and Webflow, as they strike a strong balance between usability, performance and scalability.

Craft CMS is particularly well suited to organisations that need structured content, strong performance, high levels of security and full control over how their website works. It is ideal for charities with more complex requirements or plans for long-term growth.

Webflow works well for organisations that want a clean, modern website that is easy to manage without ongoing development overhead. It offers strong performance out of the box and gives teams confidence to manage content themselves.

This approach is something we’ve seen work particularly well in practice, including on our recent project with Centre 33, where a move from WordPress to Webflow supported a more flexible and maintainable site.

For larger or more digitally mature organisations, headless or hybrid setups can offer even greater flexibility, allowing content to be managed centrally and delivered across multiple platforms.

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Final thoughts

WordPress is not a bad platform, but it is no longer the best fit for every charity.

As digital expectations continue to rise, charities need platforms that are secure, accessible, easy to manage and flexible enough to grow alongside their work. Taking the time to reassess your CMS can lead to better performance, stronger engagement and a more sustainable digital presence.

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Thinking about moving away from WordPress?

At Subism, we help charities and purpose-driven organisations choose and build digital platforms that support their goals now and in the future.

If you are considering a move away from WordPress or would like advice on the right CMS for your organisation, get in touch to discuss how we can help.

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