Static websites are typically composed of HTML, CSS and occasionally Javascript files that can be hosted for free on Github and Netlify. That means your only website costs would be the initial build of the static website and your desired domain name. The advantages of a static website are free website hosting and no website maintenance requirements. The disadvantages, however, are having to work with code when you want to make edits and needing to make your desired edits at every repetitive component of the site. For small websites that don’t require a ton of updates or complex functionality, a static website is a great option.
On the other hand, WordPress websites use PHP (a server-side programming language) and MySQL (a database management system) to deliver dynamic webpages made of your typical front-end HTML, CSS, and Javascript. At its core, WordPress is a content management system. Therefore, if you want a website that can benefit from a database or a website to host and organize lots of contents, such as blog posts or e-commerce products, then WordPress is the way to go. When choosing to get a WordPress website built, consider working with the professional WordPress developers at WebXd.