{"id":405,"slug":"page-builder-migration-by-use-case","title":"Reference: alternative-stack recommendations by use case and budget (Candid 6-tier framework)","kind":"reference","scope":"business","status":"current","audiences":["kevin","claude-code","smb-owner","candid-team"],"topics":["tech-stack","agency-methodology","page-builders"],"reference_body":"**By use case + budget — Candid Creative's recommended default stack.**\n\n**Use case A — Brochure / service / contractor site, $3-8k, single editor:**\n- **Recommend:** WordPress + Gutenberg + Kadence theme + Kadence Blocks (or Blocksy + Stackable; GeneratePress + GenerateBlocks).\n- Why: native, free, fast, accessible, no recurring license risk.\n\n**Use case B — Marketing site for established SMB, $5-15k, frequent edits:**\n- **Recommend:** WordPress + Gutenberg + custom block theme + ACF Blocks for bespoke modules.\n- Why: structured content, designer-controlled patterns, future-proof.\n\n**Use case C — Content-heavy, SEO-critical, AI-citation-sensitive, $8-20k:**\n- **Recommend:** Headless WordPress (WPGraphQL) + Astro on Cloudflare Pages.\n- Why: server-rendered HTML, zero-JS by default ([[astro-cloudflare-pages-zero-cost-vs-nextjs]]), AI-friendly, near-zero hosting cost.\n\n**Use case D — Web app, authenticated flows, dashboard, $15k+:**\n- **Recommend:** Next.js + headless CMS (WordPress, Sanity, or Payload) + Vercel/Cloudflare.\n- Why: SSR, app router, server actions, dynamic rendering.\n\n**Use case E — Tiny brochure, $0-1.5k, no developer access:**\n- **Recommend honestly:** Squarespace, or WordPress + Gutenberg + Twenty Twenty-Five default theme.\n- Why: if alternative is no site at all, even Elementor Free is defensible. For new builds, default Gutenberg is now usable without a page builder.\n\n**Use case F — Existing portfolio of legacy Elementor/Divi the agency inherits:**\n- **Don't rebuild reflexively.** Audit each: if traffic is significant and the site performs, optimize in place (Flexbox Containers, asset cleanup, image optimization). Plan migration only on the next redesign cycle or when builder breakage forces it.\n\n**This framework drives [[rule-stop-quoting-page-builders-as-default-for-new-builds]] and [[candid-page-builder-roadmap-stages-1-4]].**","rationale_body":null,"metadata":null,"links":{"outgoing":[{"slug":"astro-cloudflare-pages-zero-cost-vs-nextjs","title":"Astro on Cloudflare Pages: ~$0/month vs Next.js SSR ~$20-200/month (Bobes 2026 benchmark)","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"depends-on"}],"incoming":[{"slug":"candid-page-builder-roadmap-stages-1-4","title":"Candid Creative page-builder transition roadmap: 4 stages over 12 months","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"depends-on"},{"slug":"rule-stop-quoting-page-builders-as-default-for-new-builds","title":"RULE: Stop quoting Elementor / Divi / WPBakery as the default for new Candid client builds. Block themes lead the pricing menu.","kind":"rule","scope":"business","link_type":"depends-on"},{"slug":"rule-prefer-headless-astro-for-content-heavy-seo-critical-clients","title":"RULE: For content-heavy SEO/AI-critical clients (~$10k+ budget), default proposal is headless WordPress + Astro on Cloudflare Pages","kind":"rule","scope":"business","link_type":"depends-on"},{"slug":"research-brief-case-against-page-builders","title":"Research brief: The Case Against Page Builders (piece 10 of 15)","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"relates-to"},{"slug":"when-not-to-migrate-counter-cases","title":"When NOT to migrate a client off WordPress — the honest counter-cases Candid Creative will refuse","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"relates-to"},{"slug":"content-extraction-decision-tree","title":"Content extraction decision tree — WP REST API default, WXR XML fallback, direct DB only for hidden postmeta","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"relates-to"}]},"created_at":"2026-05-22T20:21:39.900Z","updated_at":"2026-05-22T20:21:39.900Z"}