It wasn't always perfect as the platform had its ups and downs - but it got the job done. After the popularity of the open-source CMS exploded in the 2010s, many developers began to cash in on the success by uploading free templates and plugins (often with a premium feature thrown in the mix).
But like all things that have achieved mainstream success, WordPress users often ask the question, "Is the platform overrated?"
We'll try to explore answer to this question below.
WordPress is Free - You Can't Beat Free
The best part about WordPress is that it's free. This can be a lifesaver for businesses and entrepreneurs who just don't have the budget to hire a professional and need to get things off the ground. To this end, WordPress gets the job done - and then some.
There are thousands upon thousands of free templates and plugins that you can use to power your business. They all have their caveats, of course - some of the more advanced features come with a steep price tag. Add all the premium features across all of the templates and plugins, and you're potentially looking at several thousands of dollars of investment per month.
If your business grows to a point where it feels that it's time to buy advanced features, we recommend hiring a professional.
WordPress is Transparent - You Know Exactly What You're Getting
WordPress has been made possible due to the open-source code that thousands of developers contribute to on a daily basis. Today, the powerful CMS tool has a mind of its own and can quickly course correct when bugs are detected.
Many users take this level of developer support for granted, not knowing that developer interest could fade the moment a better alternative comes around. Such is the life of free source code - they often have a limited shelf life because the community ends up finding a new play toy to tinker around with.
Fortunately, this doesn't seem to be the case with WordPress - which is evolving on a daily basis. You could say it's come alive at this point.
WordPress is Simple - And That's Always a Plus
In the most formative era of the internet, developing a fully fleshed website required a gargantuan effort from professional coders and artists alike. You had to spend months designing your assets (such as logos, artwork, blogs, etc.) before you could throw something that looked remotely appealing to the human eye.
Fast forward into 2010 and onwards, the golden era of website design and WordPress, with powerful freebies throw in the mix, and you have the most powerful drag and drop website builder on the planet.
WordPress inspired Squarespace, Weebly, Wix - you name it.
These platforms could be described as "WordPress on steroids" - because they took the idea of 'ease of use' and made website design look even more simple.
This isn't to say that website design is all rainbows and unicorns. There are caveats here and there that you can't navigate around without the services of an expert - a bitter pill that DIY-ers will have no choice but to swallow.
If you want to insert payment plans on your website, for example, you'll notice that most plugins won't let you do this without charging you a fee for it. You could do the code yourself - but at this point, you might as well just call yourself a professional website developer.
Search Engine Optimization is a Breeze - Grow From the Get Go
WordPress and SEO go hand in hand. SEO is properly integrated into WordPress's design philosophy itself. This is why every time you start writing a blog post or create a web page on WordPress, you'll be given the option to enter meta tags and meta details.
If you want to make it even easier, you could download a plugin like Yoast SEO and that will take care of all your SEO needs.
WordPress is Secure - Don't Let the Naysayers Tell You Otherwise
Yes it has 2FA, if you enable it.
And yes, every time someone tries to log in to your webmaster account, you'll be notified via email - if you enable the feature. You'll know their IP address, the device used to log in to your account, and location so you could pursue the matter legally if it comes to that.
You'll have to enable HTTPS yourself by going into the backend, and that should give you all the encryption you'll ever need.
If someone manages to break into your WordPress account, it's probably because you didn't use a strong password or didn't have 2FA.
Wrapping Up
This brings us back to the titular question, is WordPress overrated?
We don't think so. WordPress has earned its reputation over several years and has maintained it so far. As long as the code remains free source and developers have free reign over it, the CMS platform will remain useful for everyone to use.
Experts website developers at White Peak Digital are also inclined to agree.
