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Rathly

WordPress development services

We build custom WordPress websites for local businesses and extend the ones they already have. Our agency writes its own theme and plugin code instead of stacking add-ons, and publishes free tools on WordPress.org.

  • ✓New WordPress builds and redesigns
  • ✓Custom theme design and plugins
  • ✓Speed, security and SEO built in
  • ✓Code and logins stay yours
PriceFrom $4,500 per project
Your agency isn't delivering? Talk to us.STEP 1 OF 2
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WordPress today

When WordPress development makes sense

WordPress runs 40.1% of all websites, according to W3Techs in October 2026. If your site already runs on it, improving it is often cheaper than replacing it. W3Techs also puts it on 58.6% of sites whose CMS it can identify, far ahead of other platforms.

Is WordPress still a good choice?Yes, for many sites. It is free, easy to edit and backed by wide community support. It needs care, though, because add-ons and updates pile up.What WordPress is good for
  1. 01

    Fix before you rebuild

    Many slow WordPress sites suffer from heavy themes and too many add-ons. Removing them and writing the few features you need in clean code often fixes speed without a new site.

  2. 02

    Custom code over add-on piles

    Each add-on brings code, updates and risk. We replace overlapping add-ons with small custom features that do one job.

  3. 03

    When we suggest moving off WordPress

    Sometimes the site needs a full website design overhaul anyway. Then a custom site on modern platforms like Astro with a simple CMS can load faster and need less upkeep. We tell you which path costs less over time.

What we do

WordPress development work we take on

From a full WordPress build to one custom feature, each project gets a fixed price.

New WordPress sites

A complete WordPress website with a custom theme, your pages and your forms, live in about a month.

Custom plugins

Small, focused features written for your site instead of a heavy plugin bundle.

Custom themes

A custom theme design built around your brand, with blocks your team can edit.

Forms and CRM

Forms sent to Smarfle or your CRM, with the page and lead source on each entry.

Cleanup and security

Unused add-ons and accounts removed, logins tightened and updates brought current.

Speed and SEO fixes

Lighter code, image optimization and caching for Core Web Vitals, plus redirects, schema and on-page optimization.

Custom work

Custom WordPress design and development

Most WordPress sites start from a multipurpose theme. It looks fine in the demo but carries none of your brand, and it loads code for dozens of unused features. Our approach starts from your pages instead.

Design or development?Design work plans how pages look and read. Development writes the theme and plugin code that makes them work.Web design vs development
  1. 01

    Theme design around your brand

    We design and build the theme around your brand, services, photos and proof. Each section becomes a block your team can edit without breaking the layout.

  2. 02

    The block editor instead of page builders

    The block editor ships with WordPress itself. Page builder add-ons often load their own scripts and styles on every page, and that weight slows the site.

  3. 03

    Features as small, custom plugins

    Online booking widgets, calculators and custom post types fit in a small plugin written for your site. One plugin per job keeps updates simple.

  4. 04

    WooCommerce for online sales

    WooCommerce adds products, carts and online checkout to WordPress. Store pages need the same speed, brand and design care as the rest of the site.

Proof

We don't only use WordPress plugins. We publish them.

Our agency maintains three free extensions on WordPress.org. They include 410 Response Manager for SEO cleanup of removed pages and Change Author Base for cleaner author URLs.

See our WordPress.org profile ↗
Our plugins

Three free plugins we built and maintain

WordPress.org examines every plugin before approval. Install counts below are as WordPress.org showed them on 11 October 2026.

410 Response Manager

Returns a 410 Gone status for pages you removed on purpose, so crawlers learn they won't come back. 70+ active installations.

Change Author Base

Swaps /author/ in author URLs for a base you pick, such as /team/ or /attorneys/. 10+ active installations.

Rathly Profile Avatars

Lets each user upload a profile photo from the Media Library instead of Gravatar. Fewer than 10 active installations.

SEO and speed

Technical SEO and speed on WordPress

For WordPress SEO, Core Web Vitals matter, since Google's ranking systems take them into account. On WordPress, most speed problems sit in the theme, the add-ons and the images.

  1. 01

    Speed optimization targets

    Google's web.dev guide sets the good mark at 2.5 seconds for the main content to load and 200 milliseconds for a tap to respond.

  2. 02

    Sitemaps and URLs

    WordPress has built XML sitemaps into core since version 5.5. Clean, readable URLs and one page per service help a search engine map the site.

  3. 03

    Status codes

    Removed pages should return a 404 or 410, and moved pages need a permanent redirect. Our 410 Response Manager plugin handles the 410 part.

  4. 04

    Content growth

    Steady growth comes from new service pages, FAQs and posts that drive calls. Your team publishes them without calling a developer.

Maintenance

WordPress maintenance, security and support

A WordPress site needs care and support after launch. Core, themes and add-ons all release updates, and each one can close a security hole or break a feature.

  1. 01

    Updates with a safety net

    Since WordPress 5.5, admins can turn on automatic updates plugin by plugin and theme by theme. WordPress.org advises backups first, so you can roll back if an update fails.

  2. 02

    Current PHP and HTTPS

    WordPress.org recommends PHP 8.3 or greater and HTTPS support on the host. Older PHP versions still run WordPress but have reached end of life.

  3. 03

    User roles and access

    WordPress gives each user a role, from Subscriber up to Administrator. Good security starts with the lowest role that fits each job and admin access for a few people.

  4. 04

    Support when something breaks

    Our team closes about 95% of client requests within one business day of receiving them. The code stays fully yours, so if you switch agency later, any developer can support the site.

Process

Our WordPress build, step by step

A fixed scope and price first. Then development happens on a staging copy before anything touches the live site.

  1. 01Step 1

    Review

    We review the theme design, add-ons, speed and errors on your site.You get a list of fixes and a price
  2. 02Step 2

    Staging copy

    We copy the site to a private staging area to work safely.You get a staging link
  3. 03Step 3

    Build and fix

    We build the features and fixes on staging and test them.You get changes to approve
  4. 04Step 4

    Release

    We move approved changes to the live site and back it up first.You get a release note
  5. 05Step 5

    Check

    We measure speed and errors again to confirm the optimization worked.You get a before and after report
  6. 06Today

    Kick off WordPress work

    Send the WordPress site and the support or development features you need.Talk to us →
Pricing

Costs for WordPress work

A fixed price for each job, agreed before work starts.

WordPress project

From $4,500per project

Best for new WordPress sites, redesigns and larger development projects.

  • ✓Site review and fixed quote
  • ✓Custom theme or plugin code
  • ✓Work on a staging copy
  • ✓Speed checked before launch
  • ✓Code and logins handed over
Get a quote →
What changes the price
  1. 01Pages, templates and features
  2. 02Custom plugin or theme design
  3. 03Add-ons to replace or remove
  4. 04WooCommerce or booking tools
Get a fixed quote →
Want a new site instead? Custom websites start at $5,000.
Hiring

Vetting a WordPress development agency

Plenty of agencies list WordPress development. These questions focus on who writes clean code and who stacks add-ons.

  1. 01

    Do they work on a staging copy?

    A careful agency never tests design or code changes on the live site. Ask where the staging copy lives and how approved changes reach production.

  2. 02

    Who owns the code?

    Custom theme and plugin code should belong to you. Ask the agency to hand over the code and every login it creates.

  3. 03

    Have they shipped public code?

    Each plugin in the WordPress.org directory passes a review before listing, so it shows real technical skills. Ask any WordPress agency for its profile.

  4. 04

    How do they report results?

    Ask what they deliver after the work and how they take your feedback. Our releases come with a before and after report on speed and errors.

  5. 05

    How fast is their support?

    Ask how fast they reply and who handles a broken form on a busy day. Slow support costs leads while the site sits broken.

Reviews

Reviews from design and development clients

★★★★★
“They completely transformed my website. The new design looks amazing and loads fast. Their team took the time to understand my business and built something that truly works. Definitely recommend for cooperation.”
NVNadiia V.
Orlando · Google review · Nov 2025
★★★★★
“Ihor is a highly skilled individual when it comes to website development. He built a new website for us. Delievered on time. And was very responsive. I recommend him for your project.”
DDrparkernyc
Orlando · Google review · Nov 2025
★★★★★
“Highly professional and efficient marketing agency. Their team knows what they’re doing when it comes to website speed optimization.”
NKNataliia K.
Orlando · Google review · Mar 2025
Offices

Meet us in Orlando or New York

Visit by appointment, or work with the same team by phone and video from anywhere in the US.

FL

Orlando office

Since Feb 2025
Rathly · 111 N Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32801
Downtown Orlando, a short walk from Lake Eola Park. Visits by appointment.Hours Mon to Fri, 10 AM to 5 PM. Closed on US federal holidays.(321) 732-8258Serving Orlando, Winter Park, Kissimmee, Lake Nona, Sanford and Central FloridaSEO in Orlando · Web design in Orlando · PPC in Orlando
Orlando office page →
NY

New York office

Since Sep 2026
Rathly · 1177 6th Ave, New York, NY 10036
Midtown Manhattan, two blocks from Times Square. Visits by appointment.Hours Mon to Fri, 10 AM to 5 PM. Closed on US federal holidays.(347) 918-2146Serving Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island and the tri-state areaSEO in New York · Web design in New York · PPC in New York
New York office page →
Map of the Rathly Orlando office at 111 N Orange Ave
Google Business Profile · FLRathly · Orlando111 N Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32801★ 5.0 · 10 reviews · Open in Google Maps ↗
Map data © Google
Real answers

WordPress, answered by developers

Basics

Is WordPress still available and supported?

Yes. WordPress is free, open source and still updated, and W3Techs counts it on 40.1% of all websites. A business site on WordPress is not outdated by itself. Slow themes and plugin overload are the usual problems.Read the full answer →
Cost

What should WordPress development cost?

WordPress projects start at $4,500, from a full site build to custom plugins. The price depends on the pages, features and integrations you need. You get a fixed quote after we review your site.
Speed

Why is my WordPress site so slow?

Usually a heavy theme design, too many add-ons, large images or no caching. Each add-on puts code on every page. We measure what slows the site, remove what it doesn't need and write the rest as light custom code.
Learning

Can I learn WordPress in 3 days?

You can learn to edit pages, posts and menus in a few days. Custom themes and plugin code take PHP, JavaScript and security knowledge that grows over months of real work.Read the full answer →
Upkeep

What does WordPress maintenance include?

Core, theme and plugin updates, a backup before each update and a current PHP version. Add regular checks for broken forms and links. Skipping that support leaves known security holes open.
Ownership

Will I own the code you write for my WordPress site?

Yes. Custom theme and plugin code we build for you belongs to you, and it stays on your hosting. We hand over the code and every login we create, so another developer or agency can pick up the work later.Read the full answer →

Price your WordPress development work

  • ✓ A site review before any price
  • ✓ Changes tested on a staging copy
  • ✓ Code and logins you own
  • ✓ A reply the same or next day
Get a quoteSTEP 1 OF 2
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