For nearly two decades, WordPress dominated the web. It was the default platform for bloggers, business owners, publishers, and agencies. With its open-source model, plugin ecosystem, and large developer community, it seemed unstoppable.

But in 2025, things look very different. WordPress is no longer the default choice. Usage has declined. Confidence has dropped. New platforms—more modern, more secure, more maintainable—are rising fast. And longtime supporters are quietly (or not-so-quietly) moving on.

So what happened?

This post outlines three core reasons for WordPress's decline: a block editor that created more problems than it solved, a plugin ecosystem that became too bloated and risky, and a fractured community that’s lost its way. These insights are part of a larger research report we’ve compiled—this piece will give you the highlights.

1. Gutenberg Was Supposed to Modernize WordPress. It Didn’t.

The Gutenberg block editor was introduced to revolutionize WordPress. The promise was clear: give users an intuitive, drag-and-drop experience that rivals modern page builders. Replace the outdated Classic Editor with a unified editing interface. Empower users to design more freely, with less reliance on themes or code.

In reality, Gutenberg introduced a long list of problems:

Rigid design limitations that forced designers to work around core blocks or write custom CSS just to achieve basic layouts.
Inconsistent UX that confused clients, buried key settings, and made simple tasks unnecessarily difficult.
Broken block recoveries that caused layout instability and content loss when switching themes, updating plugins, or copy-pasting from external sources.
No built-in responsive controls (for years), requiring hacks or third-party plugins to adjust layouts on different screen sizes.
Bloating and messy HTML output with too many nested <div>s and inline styles, making sites slower and harder to maintain.

Instead of streamlining the experience, Gutenberg fractured it. Agencies that embraced it had to retrain clients, rebuild workflows, and patch limitations with external block libraries. Many clients who once managed content independently now send routine edits back to their developers. What was supposed to democratize publishing made it more fragile.

And for those who didn’t like Gutenberg? The workaround was to layer on third-party page builders—Elementor, WPBakery, Divi, Beaver Builder—which introduced their own performance problems, incompatibilities, and content lock-in. The ecosystem became even more fragmented than before.

2. Plugins Gave WordPress Its Power. They’ve Now Become Its Weakness.

WordPress's plugin ecosystem has long been its selling point. Need a contact form? Gallery? SEO tool? Event calendar? There’s a plugin for that. Tens of thousands, actually.

But over time, this open-door philosophy led to major issues:

Security vulnerabilities. Nearly every week, a popular plugin is found to have a serious security flaw. Some allow full site takeover. And even patched plugins depend on users keeping them updated—which many don’t.
Abandoned plugins. Many free plugins are side projects. Their creators vanish, leaving outdated code running on thousands of sites.
Code quality issues. Plugins are built by thousands of independent developers with wildly different coding practices. There’s no consistent standard or oversight.
Performance bloat. Many plugins load unnecessary scripts, styles, or database queries on every page, tanking Core Web Vitals and causing slow load times.
Compatibility chaos. One plugin update can break another. Conflicts are common. Debugging takes hours. Sites feel like ticking time bombs.

For agencies and developers, the maintenance burden is real. Hours each month go into patching plugins, testing updates, and fixing what breaks. For site owners, it’s even worse: when something goes wrong, they don’t know why—and they can’t fix it.

The result? WordPress sites require more ongoing maintenance than ever. More monitoring. More backups. More security plugins to compensate for the security plugins. And often, the solution is to keep removing plugins until the site stops breaking.

This is not what modern web development should feel like.

3. The Community That Built WordPress Is Breaking Apart

Open-source software depends on community. For years, WordPress thrived on the goodwill, contributions, and energy of developers, designers, writers, and advocates around the world. That momentum is fading.

Fewer WordCamps. Fewer contributors. Less transparency. More tension.

And then came the WP Engine feud. When WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg publicly attacked WP Engine—a major hosting company in the WordPress space—for "not giving back," and then restricted their access to WordPress.org infrastructure, the gloves came off. The drama spilled into the press, lawsuits were filed, and hundreds of Automattic employees reportedly left or took buyouts.

It exposed what many insiders had already suspected: that leadership in the WordPress ecosystem was no longer aligned with its community. That one person held too much influence over what was supposed to be a decentralized project. That the values of open collaboration had been replaced by corporate politics.

And when leadership fractures, so does confidence.

Today, the WordPress ecosystem feels more fragile than ever. Large agencies and enterprise users are hedging their bets. Developers are moving to frameworks they can trust. The grassroots energy that once propelled the platform forward has dulled.

What website platforms are people migrating to?

They're moving to platforms that are:

Faster by default. Tools like Webflow, Framer, or Astro sites with headless CMSs deliver lightning-fast performance out of the box.
More secure. Hosted solutions with no plugin vulnerabilities. Static builds with no exposed admin areas. Smaller attack surfaces.
Less work to maintain. No plugin updates, no breaking changes, no dependency conflicts.
More design-forward. Editors and builders that actually support creative freedom without needing developer intervention.

Some are moving to closed platforms. Others to Jamstack. Some to no-code tools. The point is: they're moving. And WordPress, once the obvious answer, now has to fight for every project.

Final Thoughts

WordPress isn’t going away overnight. But it's clear the platform is in decline. Not because one feature failed—but because three core pillars are crumbling at the same time:

The editor (Gutenberg) created more confusion than clarity.
The plugin ecosystem became a liability, not a strength.
The community lost trust in leadership and direction.

If WordPress wants to regain momentum, it needs to rebuild these pillars. Or at the very least, acknowledge what’s broken and support the growing segment of users seeking modern alternatives

The Downfall of WordPress FAQs

Why are users abandoning WordPress?

Users are leaving WordPress because the platform has become increasingly difficult to manage. Gutenberg introduced a confusing and rigid editing experience, the plugin ecosystem is bloated and vulnerable to security issues, and the once-thriving open-source community is facing leadership conflicts and declining morale. Combined, these factors make WordPress harder to use, maintain, and trust—driving users to faster, safer, and more modern platforms like Webflow, Framer, and headless CMS solutions.

What is the biggest issue with the Gutenberg editor in WordPress?

Gutenberg promised visual design flexibility but delivered an inconsistent and often frustrating editing experience. Designers find it restrictive, while clients frequently struggle to make basic content edits. Responsive controls are limited, block recovery can break layouts, and the output code is bloated with unnecessary HTML. Instead of making WordPress more accessible, Gutenberg has made content management more fragile and developer-dependent.

How have WordPress plugins contributed to its decline?

While plugins were once WordPress’s greatest strength, they’ve become a liability. Thousands of community-developed plugins vary in quality, with many abandoned or insecure. Frequent security vulnerabilities, performance bloat, and compatibility issues between plugins create instability. Agencies must spend hours every month patching, debugging, and supporting sites—turning WordPress maintenance into a constant burden rather than a benefit.

Is WordPress still the best choice for business websites?

Not always. For simple sites with low customization needs, WordPress may still be sufficient. But for businesses prioritizing performance, design flexibility, and long-term maintainability, platforms like Webflow, headless CMS (e.g., Storyblok + Astro), or Framer are often better suited. These alternatives offer better speed, built-in security, and more modern editing experiences without plugin bloat or backend complexity.

What role did the WordPress community play in the platform’s decline?

The WordPress community was once a model for open-source collaboration. But in recent years, centralized decision-making, particularly around the Gutenberg rollout and the WP Engine conflict, has fractured trust. WordCamps have declined, contributors have left, and prominent companies are distancing themselves. Without a strong, united community, WordPress struggles to evolve in a cohesive and sustainable way.

Can Gutenberg compete with page builders like Elementor or Webflow?

Not effectively. Gutenberg lacks many of the visual controls, intuitive UX, and design precision that tools like Elementor or Webflow provide. Instead, it often forces users to write custom CSS or install third-party block libraries to fill the gaps. This leads to fragmentation and a patchwork user experience that’s difficult to maintain and inconsistent across sites.

What are the risks of staying on WordPress in 2025 and beyond?

Staying on WordPress means accepting a higher maintenance load, frequent security patches, potential plugin conflicts, and performance issues unless the site is carefully curated and constantly updated. Without a technical team, businesses risk falling behind on updates or getting hacked. For many, the ongoing cost of maintaining a WordPress site outweighs the benefits.

Is it hard to migrate away from WordPress?

It depends on the size and complexity of your site, but migration is more accessible than ever. Tools and agencies now specialize in helping users move from WordPress to Webflow, Storyblok, or other platforms. Most migrations involve mapping content, redesigning templates, and setting up new CMS workflows. While there’s an upfront cost, the long-term gains in performance, security, and simplicity often justify the move.

The Downfall of WordPress: What Went Wrong—and What Comes Next