WordPress officially bans WP Engine. For developers, here’s another option

Given the controversy surrounding WP Engine (Link: https://wordpress.org/news/2024/09/wp-engine-banned/), we want to offer web developers a truly open-source software platform where you won’t have to worry about issues like the WP Engine situation ever happening again.

In short, the WordPress foundation is seeking payment from WP Engine (which powers millions of websites) for using the WordPress trademark. As a result of the legal dispute, WP Engine has been blocked from accessing the WordPress repository.

This situation is causing major headaches for anyone using WP Engine and WordPress, leaving many users scrambling for solutions for their site or their clients' sites. If you're in this position, we want to let you know that CodeStitch might be a solid option for a more reliable, developer-friendly platform.

There’s no one solution or alternative that’s best for everyone to move to. But at least for the smaller sites that most freelancers will be working with in the $3k-$5k ranges we’d like to show you our way of doing things that might be more beneficial to you than say someone working on a $25k site.

We focus on smaller, more streamlined sites, which is what most freelancers deal with on a regular basis. While this issue with WP Engine highlights the problem, it reveals a broader vulnerability within the WordPress ecosystem—anything you build on WordPress can be subject to unexpected changes. Right now, it's WP Engine. What happens when the next provider or plugin breaks? This has caused a shift in how the open-source WordPress ecosystem is perceived, with even WordPress users questioning its reliability.

For larger, high-budget projects with all the bells and whistles, a platform like CodeStitch may not be the best fit. But if you're working on $3k–$5k sites that require simpler solutions, CodeStitch offers an alternative that gives you more control over hosting, the ecosystem, and long-term stability. Personally, managing over 85 monthly paying clients without the headaches of this WordPress issue has been a relief—and I know I won't have to worry about it in the future.

Converting current WordPress clients to CodeStitch might not be an easy sell initially, but it opens up a new workflow for new clients, helping you establish autonomy. Over time, you can gradually move existing clients to this new model. Instead of one-time fees, you can offer subscriptions that include maintenance, edits, and their new site—turning your work into steady, recurring income. Hosting on Netlify for free also cuts down on hosting costs while allowing you to charge more monthly. This is the model we advocate for: more control, less cost, and consistent revenue. Not every client will be a fit, but for those that are, we want to make it clear how much easier life can be with CodeStitch.

We get it—our platform isn’t for everyone. CodeStitch is geared toward developers who code; it's not a drag-and-drop builder. However, we offer open-source website kits that are free to use, featuring templating, a blog with CMS powered by Decap CMS, and the ability to host on Netlify for free. If you know some HTML and CSS, you can easily download our kits and start building. Our intermediate kit is the most commonly used, and the advanced kit even includes an interactive restaurant menu connected to DECAP CMS, allowing your clients to edit it themselves.

Check out our kits on GitHub: https://github.com/CodeStitchOfficial

We also have a Discord channel where freelancers can talk shop, share advice, collaborate, ask questions, and help each other out. If you’re curious about what we offer, come by and ask questions or just learn more about freelancing and improving your workflow.

Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/g8tHwP7ndj

We're active on the server and happy to help you learn to use our tools and processes.

We've been building websites using these kits and our HTML/CSS template library for a while now. Check out our growing template library: https://codestitch.app

If you're familiar with HTML and CSS, our kits and templates are straightforward to work with. We provide extensive documentation and video tutorials to guide you through everything.

Building Websites with CodeStitch

At CodeStitch, we provide the kits for free along with designs and templates you can use for almost any small business. Here’s an example of a site we built using our kits: https://makopoolrestorations.com

Want to see it in action? Watch our tutorials here:https://codestitch.app/tutorials

To start a new site, simply clone the repo, open it in Visual Studio Code, and run npm install, then npm start. Everything is built and ready—just edit the HTML and CSS to customize the site.

Next, browse our template library, copy the HTML/CSS you like, and paste it into your project. With just a little customization, you can create a professional-looking website quickly.

Once you're done, you can connect the repo to Netlify and host it for free. Since it's all static HTML and CSS, you can save hundreds of dollars a month on hosting fees. Here's how to deploy: https://github.com/CodeStitchOfficial/Intermediate-Website-Kit-LESS?tab=readme-ov-file#deployment

If you need functionality like booking, calendars, or classes, you can easily integrate third-party services. You don’t need plugins for this—just add their link or API script to your site. Here's an example: https://striveptwellness.com/schedule/

Why CodeStitch?

We know this system isn’t for everyone, but if you’re a developer looking for a simpler solution with more control, CodeStitch is a great alternative to WordPress. I’m a developer myself and use this platform for my own clients. Our entire agency runs on CodeStitch, and while it's more technical than a drag-and-drop builder, it gives you complete control, with no worries about outdated plugins or site security.

Unlike large corporations, we don’t have shareholders or profit demands. We're privately run by a small team, and we plan to stay that way. We won’t sell out, shut down, or leave our users stranded. If you're looking for an alternative to WordPress and WP Engine, we hope you'll give CodeStitch a try. Our goal is to help developers create better websites with cleaner code, all while saving money on hosting.

Take control of your websites and save on hosting fees with CodeStitch!

Thanks,

Ryan Postell

Founder/CEO CodeStitch