When "just CiviCRM" isn't just CiviCRM

A client asked me last week on a coaching call:

We have this WordPress site that only exists to run CiviCRM. So do we even need WordPress? What about CiviCRM Standalone?

It’s a great question. If your WP (or Drupal) site exists only to access CiviCRM, then yes — CiviCRM Standalone could be a better fit.

Leaner. Fewer updates. Fewer moving parts.

But: You might be losing more than you think:

No donation landing pages. No CMS plugins. No page builder. No easy user-switching tool when you want to see what your team members (or your constituents) see.

There are ways around all of that, but they'll need your attention if they matter to you.

Here’s the thing:

Standalone is great if you’re truly only using CiviCRM.

But if you need your site to serve the public — or even your staff — in richer ways, your CMS might be doing more than you realize.

Before you rip it out, it's wise to ask:

What exactly is your CMS handling right now that you’d have to rebuild — or do without?

Because sometimes, "invisible" features are still doing real work.

All the best,
A.