Laravel vs WordPress: I Tried Both for a Blog, Here’s What Happened

I developed same type blog website in Laravel (a PHP framework) and WordPress (a CMS), and here’s what I learned about  performance, flexibility, ease of use, and maintenance.  

1. Customization & Flexibility

Laravel Wins for Full Control

• Built can create custom admin dashboard with fine give  permissions things.  
• It can optimized database queries for better performance.  
• No bloat (unlike some WordPress plugins slowing down sites).  

WordPress Can Get Messy

• Plugins often can conflict or add unnecessary code.  
• If we want to modify functionality so it hard to modify core functionality without breaking updates.  
• Dependency on page builders (Elementor, Beaver) for advanced designs.  

If you want verdict in 100% control so laravel is better.

2. Development Speed & Ease of Setup

WordPress Wins for Quick Setup

• WordPress can  Install in some minutes and easy to setup.  
• In wordpress can provide thousands of ready-made themes (Astra, Divi) and plugins (Yoast SEO, WooCommerce).  
• No coding required for basic blogs. 

Laravel Requires More Effort

• Manual setup require (Composer, database config, routing).  
• It had to build authentication, admin panel, and blog logic from scratch.  
• Required knowledge of PHP, Blade templating, and database migrations.  

 If you need a blog fast, WordPress is unbeatable.  

3. Maintenance & Updates

WordPress is very easy to maintain

• One-click to updates for core, themes, and plugins.  
• Large community support for troubleshooting.  

Laravel Requires Manual Maintenance

• We need to update dependencies via Composer.  
• If you want custom features mean custom bug fixes.  

WordPress is easier for non-developers can manage it.

4. Laravel is Faster & Leaner

• No unnecessary plugins so better performance.  
• Handles high traffic more efficiently.  

WordPress can be slow without optimization

• Caching plugins (WP Rocket) help but add complexity.  
• Bloated themes and plugins hurt speed.  

Laravel can wins for performance, but WordPress can be optimized.  

5. Security

Laravel is More Secure by Default

• Built-in CSRF protection, encryption, and ORM to prevent SQL injection.  
• No third-party plugin risks.  

WordPress Needs Extra Security Measures

• Frequent plugin vulnerabilities (e.g., outdated SEO or form plugins).  
• It need to apply security plugins like (Wordfence, Sucuri) and strict updates.  

Laravel is more safer for sensitive projects.