When you’re planning a web project, it can be tricky to decide which type of professional is best for the job. Many people find themselves torn between hiring a WordPress Developer or a full full stack developer. Each has its own set of strengths, weaknesses, and areas of expertise. Understanding these differences helps you make an informed choice that aligns with your project needs and goals.
It’s also important to consider the long-term vision for your site or application. Let’s say you’re aiming for rapid deployment and user-friendly content management. Then, a WordPress developer can quickly get your site running with minimal fuss.
However, if your project requires more complex features, custom functionality, or the ability to scale over time, a full stack developer’s broader skill set may be a better match. Ultimately, thinking ahead and clarifying your priorities will help you pick the right professional for the job.
WordPress developers specialize in creating, customizing, and optimizing websites using the WordPress Content Management System (CMS).
According to W3Techs’ May 2025 survey, WordPress powers 43.4 % of all websites. This is a reminder of how dominant its plugin ecosystem has become. In fact, the platform is popular for its ease of use, flexibility, and community support. This makes it a preferred choice for bloggers, small businesses, and larger organizations.
A WordPress developer is skilled in using PHP, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to build visually appealing and functional websites. They are adept at customizing themes, developing plugins, and optimizing website performance for a better user experience and search engine optimization (SEO).
They collaborate with clients, designers, and marketers to implement responsive designs. They also:
Some of the best freelancer platforms to find and hire WordPress developers include Upwork, Fiverr, and Codeable. These recommend experts for freelance and full-time projects based on your business needs and budget.
Here’s a preview of what the freelancers’ list looks like on Upwork:
Here are factors you may benefit from when hiring a WordPress developer:
Full stack developers are versatile professionals who handle both the front-end and back-end development of web applications. If you’re looking to hire a full stack developer, you’ll find that they are proficient in a wide range of technologies. These include HTML, CSS, JavaScript for the front-end, and programming languages like Node.js, Python, or PHP for the back-end.
Full stack developers also manage databases and server configurations. This ensures seamless integration of all components. They can work on both ends of a project. This enables efficient communication and coordination, resulting in more cohesive and effective development processes.
Here are some factors you may benefit from when collaborating with a full stack developer:
Choosing the right developer can make all the difference in a project’s success. When you’re deciding between hiring a WordPress developer and a full stack developer, it’s important to understand the unique strengths each brings to the table.
WordPress experts specialize in building and optimizing websites on the WordPress platform. This makes them ideal for projects that rely on robust content management and customizable themes.
On the other hand, full stack developers offer a broader expertise. They handle everything from front-end user interfaces to back-end server operations.
So, you should consider…
Choosing between WordPress and a full stack build isn’t just about features. It’s about aligning costs with your project’s needs, both at launch and over its lifetime. Below, you’ll find side-by-side figures for upfront investments, ongoing operation, and lesser-seen line items that can affect your bottom line.
Upfront development costs include the following:
Recurring expenses include:
Hosting and CDN
Updates and patches
Feature enhancements
Even with tight budgeting for development and hosting, a few line items can sneak up on you after launch:
Planning for how your site or app will evolve—and how much effort it takes to maintain its health—is just as important as launch-day costs. Below, we compare how WordPress and full stack approaches stack up over the long haul.
WordPress benefits from a large community that issues frequent patches, but its popularity makes unpatched sites a prime target.
Full stack solutions give you complete control over security configurations. Your team must stay disciplined about applying OS, framework, and dependency updates.
WordPress can scale well with quality caching plugins and a CDN. However, heavy real-time or dynamic features may expose architectural limits.
You can design custom stacks around performance from the start. Use microservices, queue workers, or edge functions to maintain low latency under load.
WordPress stores all content and metadata in a single MySQL schema. This can bloat over time as you install more plugins and store richer data.
Full stack builds let you choose the optimal data store (SQL, NoSQL, or hybrid) and evolve your schema as needs change, preventing runaway growth.
WordPress shines for incremental, content-driven updates—new plugins or light theme tweaks usually do the trick.
A full stack codebase adapts more easily to major pivots—real-time collaboration, AI features, or complex integrations—without fighting the CMS constraints. Partnering with an experienced AI Development Company can help you implement these advanced features more efficiently and ensure they align with your long-term business goals.
Finding the perfect developer requires a structured approach, from crafting a clear job post to spotting red flags in interviews. Follow the steps below to establish a consistent and effective hiring process.
Before you start collecting resumes, make sure your job description speaks directly to the skills you need:
A candidate’s past work tells you what they can deliver:
Hands‐on assignments reveal true competency:
Communication and collaboration matter just as much as coding:
Red flags
Be wary of candidates who check the wrong boxes:
Use these eight quick questions to determine whether WordPress or a full stack approach best fits your needs:
As the web landscape evolves, these key trends can influence which development path you choose. Understanding them now will help you build a site or app that remains resilient and competitive over the long term:
Ultimately, your choice between a WordPress developer and a full stack developer should align with your project’s specific goals, timeline, and budget.
If you need a quick launch, seamless content management, and built-in SEO tools, WordPress is the way to go. But when customization, complex functionality, and total architectural control are non-negotiable, a full stack expert will serve you best.
Regardless of the path you take, ongoing collaboration—through regular security audits, performance tuning, and feature updates—will ensure your site remains running smoothly as your business grows.
Want more tips on optimizing your content workflow? Head over to Wordable’s blog page to discover how you can streamline publishing, improve SEO, and make your team more efficient.
