“Great to work with. Got our website speed really fast and also dedicated to make a great work. We now score 100 on Google pagespeed insights…”
Speed optimizationUpwork client, Feb 2026
Fixed prices · No VAT to add · Remote across the UK
A WordPress alternative with no PHP to patch and no hosting bill
Move your website to Astro on Cloudflare: no database, no plugins and nothing on a server for hackers to break into. Pages load from Cloudflare's global network, hosting is free on Cloudflare's own plan, and you keep your design, content and Google rankings.
- Led by Muhammad Younus
- Building websites since 2019
- Top Rated Plus on Upwork
- Free migration audit
Written by Muhammad Younus, founder of Renozer. Last updated 23 October 2026. Editorial policy.
- Top Rated Plus on Upwork, 100% Job Success
- 430+ projects delivered since 2019
- Fixed prices in writing, no VAT to add
- You own your website and accounts
- Reply within one working day
- Your deposit back if you don’t approve the design
Why it matters
Why WordPress sites are under attack right now
The October 2026 PHP flaws, in plain English.
On 21 October 2026 the PHP project shipped emergency fixes for two critical flaws, CVE-2026-109618 and CVE-2026-109619, nicknamed PHP2Shell. Both score 9.2 out of 10, and both let an attacker run code on a web server without logging in. Cloudflare said it was already seeing attacks before the patches came out.
PHP is the language WordPress runs on, so every self-hosted WordPress site depends on its host installing PHP 8.2.35, 8.3.36, 8.4.27 or 8.5.12. The UK's National Cyber Security Centre told organisations to update systems that use PHP or take them offline until they're patched. Sites still on PHP 8.1 or older don't get official fixes at all, and PHP 8.2 stops receiving security updates on 31 December 2026.
- The flaws
- CVE-2026-109618 and CVE-2026-109619
- Severity
- 9.2 out of 10 (CVSS v4)
- Fixed in
- PHP 8.2.35, 8.3.36, 8.4.27 and 8.5.12
- No official fix
- PHP 8.1 and older
- Who has to patch
- Your web host, or you if you run the server
- Not affected
- Static sites with no PHP, such as Astro on Cloudflare
Sources: BleepingComputer, Kaspersky and php.net supported versions.
It isn't only PHP: plugins are the bigger risk
What Patchstack found across the WordPress ecosystem in 2025.
11,334new vulnerabilitiesfound in WordPress plugins, themes and core in 2025, 42% more than in 2024
91%were in plugins9% were in themes, and WordPress core had only six, all low priority
46%had no fix yetwhen they were made public, so there was nothing to install
5 hrsto mass attacksthe median for the most heavily exploited flaws, from disclosure to exploitation
Source: Patchstack, State of WordPress Security in 2026.
The hidden cost of a cheap WordPress site
Someone has to update PHP, WordPress, the theme and every plugin, check nothing broke, and do it within hours of a warning. If there's no budget for that, the site is quietly exposed. Our Website Care plan covers it from £49 a month, but plenty of small businesses don't want a monthly bill just to stand still.
What about Wix, Squarespace and Shopify?
An honest answer: they're safer than a neglected WordPress site, but you never stop paying.
Hosted builders don't run on a PHP server you look after, so PHP2Shell isn't your problem on Wix, Squarespace or Shopify. Each platform patches its own systems, and that's a real strength. The trade-off is that you rent the website. Plans typically cost around £10 to £35 a month on Wix or Squarespace and £19 to £65 a month on Shopify, the price climbs as you add features, and you can't take the site's code with you if you leave.
- Monthly fees for as long as the website exists
- Every app or add-on is code from another company that you have to trust
- A weak or reused password can still hand someone your account
- Leaving means rebuilding, because the site only runs on that platform
If you sell hundreds of products and need stock, payments and delivery in one place, Shopify is often still the right answer, and we'll say so in your audit. For a service business with ten to forty pages, there's a cheaper and safer option.
How an Astro website on Cloudflare works
Same design and content, with nothing on a server to break into.
Astro is a free, open-source tool that builds every page of your site in advance as plain HTML files. Those files go to Cloudflare Pages, which serves them from data centres around the world. When a visitor opens your site there's no PHP running, no database being queried and no admin login on the live site for anyone to guess.
Cloudflare's own documentation says requests to static assets are free and unlimited on both its free and paid plans, so a typical small business site has no hosting bill. You'll still pay for your domain name, usually around £10 to £20 a year, and for business email.
It isn't a niche choice. Cloudflare bought the team behind Astro in January 2026, and in April it launched EmDash, an open-source CMS built on Astro that it calls a modern successor to WordPress. The framework stays free and open source.
Sources: Cloudflare press release, 16 January 2026 and ITdaily on EmDash.
- No PHP, WordPress core or plugins to update
- No database to break into or corrupt
- Free hosting on Cloudflare's network, with SSL included
- Contact forms that still work, protected by Cloudflare Turnstile
- Pages that load fast on phones because they're already built
Edit your website from your phone with ChatGPT or Claude
The part WordPress, Wix and Squarespace can't offer you.
We connect your Astro website to your own ChatGPT or Claude account. You type what you want in plain English, the AI makes the change, and you get a preview link on your phone before anything goes live. Nothing is published until you say so.
That covers the jobs small businesses usually pay a developer for: a new price, a team photo, an opening-hours change, a seasonal offer or a whole new landing page for an advert. Your site keeps its design rules, so a quick edit can't break the layout, and every change is saved, so any edit can be undone.
- AskType the change into ChatGPT or Claude on your phone.
- CheckOpen the preview link Cloudflare builds in a minute or two.
- PublishApprove it and the change is live, or ask for another tweak.
You'll need your own ChatGPT or Claude account, usually a paid plan. We set up the connection and show you how to use it on a short call.
Build a landing page in two sentences
Build a landing page for homeowners in Stockport with a leaking roof to book a free roof inspection.
Use our brand and reviews, add the quote form and our phone number, and publish it at /roof-repair-stockport/ once I approve the preview.
Fill in the highlighted parts:
- Who it's forThe customer and the town, as specific as you can
- What you want them to doBook, call, get a quote or buy
- Where it livesA short web address, such as /offer/
Add a third sentence for anything special: an offer end date, a photo to use or a question to answer.
Compare
WordPress, website builders and Astro compared
How the three options differ for a typical service business with ten to forty pages.
| WordPress | Wix, Squarespace or Shopify | Astro on Cloudflare | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hosting cost | Around £5 to £30 a month | In a plan of £10 to £65 a month | Free on Cloudflare |
| Security updates | Often, by you or your host | Handled by the platform | Very few, no server code |
| Exposed to PHP2Shell | Yes, until PHP is patched | No | No |
| Plugin or app risk | High, 91% of flaws | Some, through third-party apps | None on the live site |
| Speed | Depends on host and plugins | Good | Very fast, from a global network |
| Who owns the site | You | The platform | You, every file |
| Editing | Dashboard | Drag and drop | Simple editor, or we make changes |
| Best for | Memberships and complex features | Large shops and DIY design | Service businesses that want low running costs |
Prices are typical UK figures from our website cost guide and change over time.
Why it matters
Why it's faster, and why Google notices
Finished pages travel quicker than pages built on demand.
A WordPress page is usually assembled on the server each time someone visits: PHP runs, the database is queried and plugins add their scripts. An Astro page is already finished, so Cloudflare can hand it over straight from a data centre close to the visitor. That cuts the wait before anything appears on screen, which is exactly what Google's Core Web Vitals measure on phones.
This website works the same way. renozer.com is static pages on Cloudflare, and in our own mobile Lighthouse tests on 22 October 2026 the homepage scored 97 for performance and 100 for SEO.
- Pages served from the data centre nearest each visitor
- No server processing before the first byte arrives
- Images and scripts trimmed when the site is built
When Astro isn't the right choice
We'll tell you in the audit if it doesn't suit your business.
If you need thisWe'd usually recommend
Drag-and-drop editing of your own layouts every week
Wix or Squarespace, where you're in full control of the design.
A large catalogue with stock, payments and delivery
Shopify, or WooCommerce on a well-maintained WordPress site.
Member logins, complex bookings or a customer portal
Custom development, scoped and priced on its own.
A service website that changes a few times a month
Astro on Cloudflare, with a simple editor or changes made by us.
How we move your site to Astro and Cloudflare
Most service websites move in three to six weeks. The full sequence is on how it works.
- Week 0Free migration audit
We list every page, form, plugin and ranking keyword on your current site.
- Week 1Redirect map
Each old address is matched to its new one, so your Google rankings carry over.
- Weeks 1 to 4Rebuild in Astro
Your design or a refresh, built as static pages and tested on phones.
- Week 5Move to Cloudflare
Your domain points to Cloudflare Pages, with SSL, forms and spam protection set up.
- Week 6Launch and checks
Redirects, Search Console and tracking checked, then the old hosting can be cancelled.
Muhammad Younus, founder of Renozer
Younus has built WordPress sites since 2017 and moved client websites from WordPress, Wix and Squarespace to Astro, with every old page redirected so rankings carry over.
Why are people moving away from WordPress?
Mostly cost and worry. A WordPress site needs PHP, core, theme and plugin updates for as long as it exists, and in 2025 Patchstack counted 11,334 new vulnerabilities in the WordPress ecosystem, 91% of them in plugins. Many small businesses want a website that stays fast and safe without a monthly maintenance bill.
Is Astro more secure than WordPress?
For a typical service website, yes. The live site is just files on Cloudflare, so there's no PHP, database, plugin or login page for attackers to target. No website is impossible to attack, so we still lock down your domain, Cloudflare and email accounts with strong passwords and two-factor sign-in.
Is Cloudflare hosting really free?
Cloudflare's own documentation says requests to static assets are free and unlimited on both its free and paid plans. Contact forms run on Cloudflare's free tier too, which allows 100,000 requests a day. You'll still pay for your domain name and your email.
Was my WordPress site affected by PHP2Shell?
Any site running an unpatched PHP version that serves web requests was exposed, and WordPress runs on PHP. Ask your host whether you're on PHP 8.2.35, 8.3.36, 8.4.27, 8.5.12 or later. If you're on PHP 8.1 or older there's no official fix, so you'll need a supported version now. We check this for free in the audit.
Will I lose my Google rankings if I move?
Not if the move is planned. We keep your page addresses where we can, set up a permanent redirect for every one that changes and check Search Console after launch. It's the same process we use for every website redesign.
Can ChatGPT or Claude really edit my website?
Yes, once we connect your site to your own account. You describe the change in plain English, the AI edits the site's files and Cloudflare builds a private preview link. You check it on your phone and approve it before it goes live, and every change can be undone.
Can I still edit my website?
Yes. We can set up a simple content editor for text, images and blog posts, or you can send changes to us. You won't get a drag-and-drop page builder, and that's part of why the site stays fast and safe.
Can you move a Wix, Squarespace or Shopify site?
Yes. We rebuild the pages in Astro, move your content and images and redirect the old addresses. Shops with large catalogues usually stay on Shopify, and we'll tell you if that's the better call.
What does moving to Astro cost?
It depends on the number of pages and features, so we quote after a free audit. The quote is fixed, in pounds and agreed before any work starts. Once you're live, there's no hosting bill to pay.
Client reviews
What clients say about their new websites
Copied word for word from my Upwork profile, where only a client with a closed contract can leave a review. Here are 12 of them, picked at random.
★ 271 client reviews on UpworkTop Rated Plus100% Job Success
“Great work from Muhammad. The communication and execution of the project was good Thank you!”
Wordpress Website buildUpwork client, Oct to Nov 2024
Read the full review“Muhammad went above and beyond for the entire project, doing everything in his power to speed up the website. Looks like we have some underlying technical server issues which are out of his control. However, we did see a great improvement across the site on pages which were not impacted by these technical issues. I'd highly recommend Muhammad for anyone looking for speed optimization.”
You will get WordPress Speed Optimization (Pass Core Web Vitals)Upwork client, Sep 2025
“Muhammad is a fantastic web designer. He does great work, is timely, and very communicative. I highly recommend.”
Missoula CPA Website Design & Landing page for PPCUpwork client, Nov 2025
“Muhammad is a true professional and knows his craft, the website was built fast and effectively and matched my expectations. He was also kind to assist with more detailed questions”
Rental website build (mostly backend)Upwork client, Sep 2024 to Jan 2025
“Muhammad was always very patient and detail oriented with us! He communicated very well and worked quickly and independently. I would often send him follow up issues on our website and he always fixed them right away. He did a great job transitioning the website to Elementor and we are really happy with his work!”
WordPress Website Enhancement: Custom CSS, Dynamic Content, and Layout AdjustmentsUpwork client, Nov 2024 to Jan 2025
Read the full review“I worked with Muhammad on a previous project, then hired him on a weekly basis for updates and maintenance on my website. We created a work flow where I would put what I needed done on a google sheet, if I needed to add any instructions I would create a loom video. This made working with Muhammad seemless and fewer one-on-one videos especially because of the time difference.”
Web Design and SEOUpwork client, Nov to Dec 2024
“Working with Muhammad to utilize his web development and SEO expertise was an exceptional experience from start to finish. His professionalism, creativity, and strategic approach significantly elevated our online presence!”
Revision of Website/ Website DesignUpwork client, Apr to May 2026
Read the full review“Muhammad is knowledgeable in WordPress, WooCommerce, and performance optimization. He helped improve the overall speed and stability of the website, especially for guest (B2C) users, and was responsive throughout the project. He is proactive in testing, explaining technical limitations, and suggesting infrastructure improvements when needed.”
WooCommerce Performance Optimization SpecialistUpwork client, Dec 2025 to Jan 2026
“Absolutely FANTASTIC!! He cleaned up a mess that someone else left. My website is now lightning fast and my mobile site loads quickly now. A+++++++++++”
Website Refinement/Mobile SiteUpwork client, Mar to Apr 2026
“Absolutely fantastic. Did a great job - very happy. Picked up where another freelancer dropped the ball. Highly recommend!”
Website Refinement/Mobile SiteUpwork client, Apr 2026
“Muhammad was very easy to work with and was a great help in optimizing our website for speed and SEO. Thanks for all your hard work!”
Elementor Website Completion and SEO MigrationUpwork client, Apr to Jun 2025
Free visibility check
Get a free WordPress alternative audit
We'll check your PHP version, plugins and hosting costs, list every page that needs a redirect and send a fixed quote for moving to Astro on Cloudflare, within two working days.
- Free, no obligation
- No VAT to add
- Reply within one working day
