80% of websites cluttered with extensions hinder business growth

With the emergence of content management systems like WordPress , Magento , and Drupal , extensions, plugins, and modules have become popular tools for quickly adding functionality to a website. But behind this apparent simplicity lies a pitfall that many businesses fall into without even realizing it.

Over the past decade, we've supported dozens of clients who were forced to start from scratch or completely change platforms because their digital solution became too reliant on third-party plugins . In this article, we share some real-life cases—anonymized for privacy—that illustrate why the accumulation of plugins can compromise a web project, or even cause it to fail .

An expensive addiction

The common reflex among many developers or entrepreneurs is simple:
“I need this feature → I’m looking for a plugin.”

While this logic may seem effective in the short term, it often leads to a platform:

• difficult to maintain,

• slow to load,

• vulnerable to attacks,

• and above all, difficult to develop .

Concrete cases from the field

1. The Community Project for Immigrants (Industry: Services to Newcomers)

Two young entrepreneurs set out to create a platform dedicated to welcoming immigrants to Canada. The idea was to offer a “mini-Kijiji”-style space, allowing users to post resources, housing offers, jobs, and more, in a self-service manner.

They rejected a personalized approach, thinking they would save costs by using a WordPress base with several plugins: account creation, content submission, notifications, filters, etc.

Result : after less than two years of operation, the platform was closed.
Why? Too many interconnected extensions, a cumbersome user experience, frequent technical conflicts, and a complete lack of flexibility to adapt to real user needs.

2. An HVAC company (industry: air conditioning/heating)

A client came to us with an existing Magento site. They were looking to optimize performance, but refused to restructure the site. However, almost all critical features relied on third-party modules , some of which were obsolete or no longer supported.

Temporary fixes followed one after another, generating costs without any real improvement. After several months, the client became discouraged. Lacking a viable solution, they switched from Magento to a proprietary solution, thus losing control over their platform.

3. An online store in fashion (industry: e-commerce)

A passionate entrepreneur launched her online store using Magento, connected to CJ Commission for automated product sourcing. Unfortunately, the connection relied on a specific module developed by an external service provider… which ceased operations.

The client found herself without support, unable to modify or upgrade her solution. As difficulties mounted, she ended up rebuilding her store from the ground up with a more sustainable, tailored approach geared toward autonomy.

4. A Montreal college (industry: education)

This college had implemented an ambitious web platform, but the architecture relied on more than 30 active extensions, some of which profoundly modified the core CMS. As a result, no company wanted to take on the project because managing the code was so complex.

First, we had to clean up : disable, replace, or delete unnecessary modules, document what was in place, and rebuild a stable foundation. Only after this “cleanup” phase could optimizations and new features be integrated.

Why do plugins become a hindrance?

Here are the main reasons:

1. Increasing technical complexity

Each plugin adds code, dependencies, and risks of conflict with other extensions or with the core CMS.

2. Security issues

Some modules are no longer maintained or poorly coded, creating exploitable vulnerabilities. A single vulnerable extension can expose your entire site.

3. Rigidity to evolution

Adding a plugin is often a one-time solution. But as a company grows, it needs integrated, more flexible solutions that won't hinder future development.

4. Dependence on external service providers

A module developed by a third party becomes a central part of your business? If that developer disappears, stops supporting it, or changes its model, you lose control.

5. Hidden long-term cost

If we compare two projects:

• One tailor-made, maintainable, optimized

• The other stacked with free or semi-functional plugins
  The second often costs more in the long run (maintenance, bugs, redesigns, data loss, complete redesigns).

6. A deviation from the initial vision of the project

Many plugins only address 70% of real-world needs . What initially seems "good enough" often forces companies to compromise: limited functionality, cobbled-together workarounds, or changing their strategy to accommodate the plugin's capabilities.

Over time, these forced adjustments push the project away from its original vision . The company ends up adapting its operations to the technical constraints… rather than the other way around. This stifles innovation and agility, and reduces the solution's relevance to end users.

What approach should we take instead?

At Prositeweb , we advocate the opposite approach: minimizing the use of plugins and building on solid foundations .
We use our own tool, Phoenix , to create custom, lightweight components that are integrated into the core of the site.
This allows:

• Better performance

• Increased security

• Simpler management

• And above all, the ability to evolve according to your strategy.

In conclusion

Plugins are useful, but they should never become the backbone of your web project. A well-designed, well-coded, and custom-built site will always be more cost-effective and sustainable than a DIY solution.

If you are about to launch a web project or if you feel that your site is becoming too complex to manage, it may be time to do an audit .

We will be delighted to support you in a smart and sustainable redesign.