React & Next.js Development — Pick the Right Job
React and Next.js development services split into three jobs that get treated as one. Picking the wrong one is the most expensive mistake in this part of the stack.
Plain React is for applications. Next.js is for anything that also has to rank and load fast on first visit. Headless WordPress with Next.js is for when all of that is true and a non-technical team publishes daily.
I am Hammad Khan, a remote front-end developer in React and TypeScript. This hub covers what each option is good at, how to tell which your project is, USD ranges, and when I would tell you to use WordPress instead.
The differences do not show up in a demo. They show up six months later in Search Console, a build pipeline nobody can run, or a content team filing tickets to change a headline.
Technical call
Architecture doc
Vertical slices
Launch & watch
The Service Cluster
Three child services share one library and very different outcomes. Detail pages: React development, Next.js development, and headless WordPress.
- React apps & dashboards
- Next.js marketing / product sites
- Headless WordPress + Next.js
- React islands inside existing CMS
- TypeScript, TanStack Query, auth flows
- App Router, SEO, SSG/ISR/SSR per route
- Preview, revalidation, redirect map
- No full rebuild required
React, Next.js, headless — or WordPress?
Tell me what you are building, what exists today, and who maintains it after launch. Straight recommendation with rough numbers — including the cheaper stack when that is honest.
Who This Is For
Product teams needing a real front end, marketing sites that are a performance liability, content plus interactivity in one place, React codebases that are slowing down, and teams that want React without losing their CMS.
- API exists — need authenticated UI that works
- Paid traffic lost before first paint
- Content + configurator / catalog / booking
- Existing React codebase — every change is risky
- Want React without retraining WordPress editors
- Not a fit: five-page brochure (use WordPress)
- Not a fit: backend / DevOps / native mobile core
- See React vs Next.js for marketing sites on the blog
React vs Next.js vs Headless
Does Google need to read this page? Who changes content, and how often? Is the performance requirement commercial or aesthetic? Under ~25 mostly static pages, headless is hard to justify.
| Your situation | Use this |
|---|---|
| Authenticated app / dashboard, no SEO need | React |
| Public site must rank & load fast; small CMS/code | Next.js |
| Must rank + non-technical editors publish often | Headless WordPress |
| Interactive widget inside existing WordPress | React island |
| Content site, no unusual front-end needs | Classic WordPress |
Deep dives: React development, Next.js development, headless WordPress. Comparisons: React vs Next.js, Next.js vs WordPress.
Soft Pricing Overview (USD)
USD estimates, not quotes. Firm numbers follow the scope document. Project work is fixed-fee.
| Engagement | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Technical audit or architecture plan | $900–$2,000 |
| React feature on existing codebase | From $2,500 |
| React dashboard / internal tool (MVP) | $6,000–$20,000+ |
| Next.js marketing site | $3,000–$15,000+ |
| Headless WordPress + Next.js | $5,000–$20,000+ |
| Ongoing development retainer | From $500/month |
Next.js host often $0–$20/mo; headless adds managed WP ~$30–$100/mo. If an estimate looks high for your problem, a WordPress build plus a speed pass may be the better spend — I will say so on the first call.
How a Project Runs
Architecture written down before code. Vertical slices against real data. Performance and SEO pass before cutover. Migration problems appear after launch — so we watch.
- Free technical call — WordPress said if honest
- One-page architecture agreement
- Scope + fixed quote; changes quoted separately
- Foundation: TS, CI, preview deploys, monitoring
- Routes delivered one at a time from week one
- Typed data layer from your schema
- Bundle, metadata, sitemap, crawl comparison
- Low-traffic launch + 2–4 weeks monitoring
Frequently Asked Questions
React vs Next.js, SEO, moving from WordPress, editor workflows, timelines, existing codebases, hosting, and ownership.
What is the actual difference between React and Next.js?
Next.js is a framework on React — same components and hooks, plus SSR/SSG, routing, image pipeline, and a production build. The consequential difference: Next.js can send finished HTML; plain React sends an empty shell. For anything public-facing, that decides SEO and first-load speed.
Is Next.js good for SEO?
It can be excellent and it is not automatic. Server rendering solves the hardest part, but metadata, canonicals, sitemaps, structured data, and redirects still have to be built deliberately. Detail is in the SEO-friendly Next.js sites guide.
Should I move my WordPress site to Next.js?
Only if the front end is genuinely the constraint. Unoptimized images and a misconfigured cache are a few hundred dollars to fix — not a reason to migrate. Real interactivity, multi-channel content, or performance a PHP theme cannot reach — then headless usually beats a full CMS switch.
Can non-technical people edit a Next.js site?
Yes, with a CMS. Without one, copy lives in Git. With headless WordPress or a hosted CMS, editors publish in a normal admin with preview and on-publish revalidation. Budget the CMS layer from the start if the team must publish independently.
How long does a Next.js project take?
Focused marketing site: typically 5–8 weeks. With content migration: 8–12. Apps depend on screen count and API clarity. Content variety matters more than volume.
Do you work with an existing codebase?
Yes. Audit of architecture, deps, rendering, types, and pipeline first — written assessment before any work. Stabilizing half-finished projects is often cheaper than the rewrite people assume they need.
Book a Free 15-Minute Technical Call
What you are building, what exists today, who maintains it after launch. Straight recommendation on React, Next.js, headless WordPress, or plain WordPress — with rough numbers, including when the cheaper stack is honest.
Book a free 15-minute technical call
No pitch. The recommendation is yours either way.