Custom WordPress that actually performs
Bespoke themes, WooCommerce stores, Gutenberg blocks, and headless setups with Next.js - no page builder bloat, no 50-plugin stacks, no compromises on speed.
Most WordPress sites score 40-60 on Lighthouse because they're built on themes that prioritise aesthetics over engineering. I build WordPress differently: clean PHP, purpose-built Gutenberg blocks, and a deployment workflow that catches regressions before they reach production. If you're ready for headless, I can wire WordPress as a CMS to a Next.js frontend - best of both worlds.
50+
WordPress sites shipped since 2019
95+
Lighthouse score on every custom theme
0
Page builders used - ever
<2s
LCP target on WooCommerce product pages
Trusted by founders & teams in
Smit Parekh
Full-Stack Developer
Gujarat, India · available worldwide
I'm the only person who touches your code. You talk directly to the senior developer writing every line - no account managers, no juniors, no handoffs. React, Next.js, Node.js, TypeScript and PostgreSQL, end to end.
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect
- 4+ years shipping production web apps
- 20+ live systems across FinTech, SaaS & AI
Everything included in every engagement
No upsells. No surprise change orders. One scope, one price.
Bespoke theme development
No Elementor, Divi, or Avada. A hand-coded child theme or standalone theme with a clean PHP architecture, BEM CSS, and design tokens - maintainable by any developer who comes after me.
WooCommerce store build
Product catalogue, variable products, payment gateway integration (Stripe, PayPal), shipping rules, tax configuration, and a checkout flow optimised for conversion. Fully manageable by your team via the WooCommerce admin.
Custom Gutenberg blocks
React-based Gutenberg blocks registered with block.json, full editor preview, and typed attributes. Your content team gets a drag-and-drop interface; the output is clean, semantic HTML - not div soup.
SEO-optimised from the ground up
Rank Math or Yoast configured correctly, schema markup, XML sitemap, canonical tags, and OG images. No duplicate meta, no thin pages, no plugin conflicts eating your rankings.
Performance-tuned to 95+ Lighthouse
Critical CSS inlined, images served via next-gen formats, lazy loading everywhere, a CDN layer via Cloudflare, and object caching on Redis. WordPress can be fast - it just takes intention.
Headless WordPress option
WordPress as a content back-end, Next.js as the front-end. WPGraphQL or the REST API, ISR for instant page loads, and a full preview mode so editors see exactly what will publish. Keep the familiar CMS, gain the performance.
Results that build trust
The numbers behind the work - measured on real production data, not demos.
50+
WordPress sites shipped since 2019
95+
Lighthouse score on every custom theme
0
Page builders used - ever
<2s
LCP target on WooCommerce product pages
The tools I actually use in production
Modern, battle-tested, and chosen for fit - not hype.
WordPress
- PHP 8.2
- WooCommerce
- ACF
- Gutenberg
Headless
- Next.js
- WPGraphQL
- REST API
- ISR
Performance
- Redis
- Cloudflare
- WebP/AVIF
- Critical CSS
Deploy
- WP Engine
- Kinsta
- Cloudflare
- Vercel
How we'll work together
Predictable, written-down, no surprises.
- 01
Discovery & architecture
I review your current site (if any), content structure, and goals. You get a written recommendation: custom theme, WooCommerce build, or headless - with a rationale for each.
- 02
Theme & component build
Core templates, header/footer, Gutenberg blocks, and post types built in sequence. Deployed to a staging environment - your team can review and edit content in real time.
- 03
Content migration & SEO
Existing content migrated, URL structure preserved with 301s where needed, SEO plugin configured, and schema validated. Organic traffic protected from day one.
- 04
Performance audit & launch
Lighthouse audit, caching configured, CDN wired up, and a final security review. Launched on your hosting with a DNS cutover checklist so there's zero downtime.
AWS Certified
Solutions Architect
I'm Smit Parekh - a full-stack developer who writes every single line of your code
With 4+ years of experience shipping production systems for FinTech, SaaS, and AI startups, I work as a senior individual contributor - no juniors on your project, no account managers between you and the work. Every commit, every architecture decision, every deployment lands on my machine first.
I specialise in the TypeScript ecosystem - React & Next.js on the frontend, Node.js / NestJS on the backend, PostgreSQL for data, and AWS for infrastructure. I've built headless e-commerce stores, multi-tenant SaaS platforms, real-time dashboards, AI-powered tools, and performance-first marketing sites. The common thread: clean code, zero tech-debt handover docs, and measurable business results.
10+ production apps shipped
FinTech, SaaS, AI startups & e-commerce
95+ Lighthouse scores, guaranteed
Performance baked in from day one
AWS Certified Solutions Architect
Infrastructure decisions you can trust
Direct, async-first communication
You talk to who writes every line of code
My daily stack
Pricing that matches the work
Starting prices. Final quote in writing after a 30-minute scoping call.
Custom Theme
Blogs, portfolios, and brochure sites
$2,000starting
- Fully custom PHP theme, no page builder
- Up to 8 templates
- SEO plugin config + schema
- Delivered in 1-2 weeks
WooCommerce Store
Businesses selling products online
$4,000starting
- Custom theme + WooCommerce setup
- Stripe & PayPal integration
- Product import, shipping & tax config
- Delivered in 2-4 weeks
Headless WP + Next.js
High-traffic sites needing maximum performance
$7,000starting
- Next.js frontend + WordPress CMS
- WPGraphQL or REST API layer
- ISR, preview mode, Vercel deploy
- Delivered in 3-5 weeks
Me vs. an agency vs. hiring in-house
Three ways to get this built. Here's the honest comparison.
Best value Solo Dev (me) $80-$120 /hr or fixed | Agency $150-$300 /hr blended | In-house hire $80-$120K /yr + benefits | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start date | 1-2 weeks from quote | 4-8 weeks onboarding | 8-16 weeks to hire |
| Who writes the code | Senior dev - every single line | Junior assigned to your account | Whoever you manage to hire |
| Communication | Direct - you talk to who codes | Via account manager first | Direct, but management overhead |
| Flexibility | Scale up or down any time | Locked to contract length | Fixed headcount, hard to change |
| Code ownership | 100% yours, full handover docs | Depends on contract terms | Yours, but bus factor risk |
| Risk | Weekly demos, fixed scope | Scope creep & handoff gaps | Wrong hire = months lost |
Questions I get asked first
Why custom theme over Elementor or Divi?+
Page builders generate 10-20× more HTML than hand-coded themes, block the render thread with large JS bundles, and create content that's nearly impossible to migrate away from. A custom theme gives you clean output, full design control, and a Lighthouse score that doesn't embarrass you.
Can you migrate my existing site to a custom theme?+
Yes. I export your current content, rebuild the theme from scratch, and migrate posts, pages, products, and media. URL structure is preserved with 301 redirects where anything changes. Organic traffic is protected throughout.
What hosting do you recommend?+
WP Engine and Kinsta for managed WordPress with Redis and a built-in CDN. Cloudflare on top of either for extra edge caching and DDoS protection. For headless, the Next.js frontend deploys to Vercel.
Is headless WordPress worth it?+
For sites with more than 10K monthly visitors or a content team that needs the WP admin interface, yes. You keep the familiar editing experience and gain Next.js performance. For smaller sites, a well-optimised custom theme is more cost-effective.
Do you provide ongoing maintenance?+
Yes - monthly retainers cover WordPress core/plugin updates, security patches, uptime monitoring, and a monthly Lighthouse audit to catch performance regressions early. Most clients sign on for at least 3 months post-launch.
Let's scope your project
Tell me what you're building. I'll reply with a written estimate within 24 hours - no sales call required.
Related services
Often paired with wordpress development.
Web Development
From the database schema to the deployed Next.js frontend, I ship modern web apps designed to rank, convert, and scale. One engineer, full ownership.
E-commerce Development
Headless Shopify or custom commerce on Next.js - sub-second product pages, SEO-tuned catalog, and a checkout designed around the data, not the template.
SEO Services
On-page, technical, and content SEO - combined into one engagement, run by a developer who can actually fix the rendering bugs your audit will surface.
Performance Optimization
Core Web Vitals fixed, bundle sizes cut, LCP under 2.5 seconds. I audit, prioritize, and implement - or give you the plan to do it yourself.