As of late 2025/early 2026, the landscape for WordPress static site generation has shifted dramatically. Elementor has officially sunset its Strattic hosting service (effective Jan 1, 2025), and WP2Static is effectively unmaintained.
The “Best” solution now depends entirely on whether you want to keep your current theme (Plugin Method) or build a new frontend (Headless Method).
Quick Verdict: Top 3 Recommendations
| Category | Winner | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| Best Plugin (Keep Theme) | Simply Static (Pro) | The only actively maintained, reliable plugin left. Supports forms, search, and GitHub integration. |
| Best Headless (Performance) | Astro | Beats Next.js on speed. “Islands Architecture” strips 90% of unused JS. Best for content sites. |
| Best Managed Service | Headless Hostman | The spiritual successor to Strattic. Expensive ($125/mo), but “done for you” if you have the budget. |
1. The “Plugin” Route (Easiest)
Use this if: You love your current theme (Divi, Elementor, GeneratePress) and just want the speed/security of static without coding a new site.
Winner: Simply Static
This is effectively the only viable plugin option remaining for serious users in 2026.
- Status: Highly active (v3.4+ released late 2025).
- Key Features:
- Pro Version: Adds support for Contact Form 7, Gravity Forms, and native Search (using Fuse.js, so you don’t need Algolia).
- Builds: Can deploy directly to Cloudflare Pages, Amazon S3, or GitHub.
- Cost: Free version is good; Pro is ~$99/year.
- Workflow: You install it on a local environment (LocalWP) or a locked-down staging server, click “Generate,” and it pushes HTML to your public URL.
Runner Up: Staatic
- Status: Active.
- Pros: Good interface, built-in deployment to Staatic’s own cloud or external providers.
- Cons: Smaller community than Simply Static.
⚠️ AVOID: WP2Static (Unmaintained/Broken) and Strattic (Service shutdown by Elementor).
2. The “Headless” Route (Best Performance)
Use this if: You are a developer (or hiring one) and want perfect Core Web Vitals (100/100). You treat WordPress purely as a data source (API).
Winner: Astro
Astro has overtaken Next.js as the preferred choice for static content sites (blogs, portfolios, brochures).
- Why it wins:
- Zero JS by Default: Unlike React/Next.js, Astro ships no JavaScript to the browser unless a component is interactive.
- Benchmark: Uses 72% less HTML and 60% less JavaScript than a standard WP site.
- Migration: Easier to learn for PHP devs than React because its templating syntax is similar to HTML.
- Best for: Blogs, News Sites, Portfolios.
Runner Up: Faust.js (on Next.js)
- Why choose it: If you need “app-like” features (logged-in users, complex state management).
- Ecosystem: Built by WP Engine. It solves the hardest parts of headless WP (previews, authentication) out of the box.
- Best for: Membership sites, Web Apps using WP as a backend.
3. The “Managed” Route (Hassle-Free)
Use this if: You have budget and want the benefits of static (security/speed) without managing builds or APIs yourself.
Winner: Headless Hostman
With Strattic gone, this is the new premium player.
- What it is: A hosting platform that gives you a “Dynamic” WordPress admin for editing, but automatically publishes a “Static” site to the world.
- Cost: Starts at $125/mo. (Expensive, but cheaper than being hacked or hiring a DevOps engineer).
- Features: Handles forms, search, and comments automatically.
Budget Alternative: HardyPress
- Cost: Starts around €29/mo for professional use.
- Status: Still active.
- Pros: Cheaper than Hostman.
- Cons: “Weird” pricing limits based on storage/bandwidth that can be confusing; simpler feature set.
Summary: Which should you choose?
- If you are a Solo Entrepreneur / DIY:
- Path: Simply Static Pro + Cloudflare Pages (Free hosting).
- Cost: ~$99/year (Plugin) + $0 (Hosting).
- Result: Unbeatable value.
- If you are building a High-Performance Media Brand:
- Path: Headless WordPress + Astro.
- Cost: Developer time (High) + Vercel/Netlify Hosting ($20/mo).
- Result: Best possible performance and SEO.
- If you are an Agency managing clients:
- Path: Headless Hostman or HardyPress.
- Cost: High monthly fee passed to client.
- Result: Zero maintenance, no “plugin update” anxiety.