React vs Next.js for a business website

What's actually different

A plain React app usually sends the browser a mostly empty page plus JavaScript, and the content appears once that JavaScript runs. Next.js can prepare the full HTML on the server or at build time, so the content is there the moment the page arrives. Both use the same React components.

Why it matters for search

Google can render JavaScript, but pages that arrive with their content already in the HTML are indexed more reliably and quickly, and they tend to load faster on slow phones. For public pages you want found in search, such as service pages, product pages and blog posts, Next.js is usually the safer choice.

When plain React is fine

For anything behind a login, such as dashboards, admin panels and customer portals, search ranking doesn't matter, and a React single-page app is simpler to host and often simpler to build. Many products use Next.js for the public site and React for the app.

Editing content

Neither React nor Next.js gives non-technical staff a way to edit pages on its own. Pair Next.js with a headless CMS, such as Sanity, Strapi or WordPress, so your marketing team can publish without a developer. If frequent editing is the main need and you don't need app features, a well-built WordPress site may be the better answer altogether.

Hosting and cost

A React app can be served as static files from almost anywhere at very low cost. Next.js with server rendering needs a Node.js host or a platform built for it, which costs a little more but is still modest for most business sites. Static export is also possible when every page can be built in advance.

Migrating an existing React site

Moving a React single-page app to Next.js is usually incremental: components carry over, routing and data fetching change. Plan URL redirects and metadata carefully so existing rankings aren't lost.