AMODX vs WordPress: Architecture Comparison for Technical Agencies
Last updated: January 2026
Quick Answer
WordPress is best for: Content marketers, bloggers, non-technical users who need a mature plugin ecosystem and don't mind monthly hosting costs.
AMODX is best for: Technical agencies managing 5-20 client sites, developers who want zero idle costs, teams tired of WordPress plugin maintenance and security patching.
Architecture Comparison
| Factor | WordPress | AMODX |
|---|---|---|
| Runtime | PHP on Apache/Nginx. Always-on server. Costs money 24/7 whether you have traffic or not. | AWS Lambda + DynamoDB. Scales to zero. $0.00 when idle. Wakes up on request. |
| Database | MySQL. Connected directly to PHP runtime. One bad plugin can SQL inject your entire database. | DynamoDB behind API Gateway. Air-gapped from public internet. Attackers hit static files on CDN, cannot reach database. |
| Security Model | Admin panel exposed at /wp-admin. Plugins have database access. One vulnerability compromises everything. | Admin panel behind Cognito auth. No PHP runtime to exploit. Static site on CDN is read-only. |
| Extensibility | 30,000+ plugins. Many abandoned. Updates break sites. Each plugin adds database queries. | Zero plugins. Features are Lambda functions. Isolated. No conflicts. No cascade failures. |
| Cost (10 sites) | $10/month per site (shared hosting) to $200/month or more (managed WP plus plugins). Total: $500-4000/year. | $0-5/month total AWS costs for all 10 sites when idle. Scales up only when traffic hits. |
The WordPress Maintenance Tax
WordPress sites require constant maintenance:
Plugin updates every week. Each update risks breaking layouts or functionality. Fridays become debugging days.
Security patches every month. One unpatched plugin exposes the entire database. Clients call at 2am when their site gets hacked.
Database optimization every quarter. MySQL tables bloat with revisions, transients, and plugin garbage. Sites slow down over time.
AMODX eliminates this tax. No plugins to update. No database to optimize. No PHP vulnerabilities to patch. Deploy once. Forget about it.
What You Lose by Switching
WooCommerce and complex e-commerce. AMODX supports simple product sales (digital goods, gated content) but not inventory management or shipping integrations.
Drag-and-drop page builders. No Elementor or Divi. AMODX uses a block-based editor (similar to Notion). You gain control. You lose visual convenience.
Plugin marketplace. No one-click installs for every feature. Custom logic requires writing Lambda functions. You charge clients for engineering instead of searching for free plugins.
Migration Path
AMODX includes WordPress XML import. Export your WordPress site. Import to AMODX. Content and structure transfer. Custom functionality requires rebuilding as Lambda functions.
Not a weekend project. Budget 4-8 hours per site for migration and testing. Complex sites with custom plugins may need custom development.
Who Should Switch
You manage 5+ client websites and spend weekends updating plugins.
You charge clients $2000+ per site and want to stop nickel-and-diming them with hosting fees.
You are comfortable with terminal commands and basic AWS concepts.
You want infrastructure you own, not rent.
Who Should Stay on WordPress
You need WooCommerce or inventory management.
You are not technical and have no interest in learning AWS basics.
You build 1-2 sites per year and plugin maintenance is not a pain point.
You charge clients less than $1000 per project and cannot justify engineering time.
Pricing Comparison
WordPress (10 sites, 1 year): $500-4000 in hosting and maintenance. Plus your labor updating plugins every week.
AMODX (10 sites, 1 year): $10-100 in AWS costs when idle. $500-1000 if sites get heavy traffic. No plugin maintenance labor.
The math changes your business model. You stop charging $200/month for hosting and maintenance. You charge $3000-5000 upfront for Private AI Infrastructure setup. Then $500/month for availability guarantees.
Real Talk: Why WordPress Still Wins for Most People
WordPress has 43% market share for a reason. It works. It has 20 years of plugins, themes, and tutorials. Non-technical people can manage it.
AMODX is not better than WordPress for everyone. It is better for technical agencies who are tired of the maintenance tax and want infrastructure margins instead of labor margins.
If you are happy with WordPress, stay on WordPress. If you are drowning in plugin hell and charging clients for your Fridays, AMODX is the exit.
Explore AMODX: https://amodx.net
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