Two systems, one honest recommendation
TYPO3 shows its strengths when things get complex: several languages, several sites in one instance, granular permissions and approval workflows, structured content for large editorial teams. As a TYPO3 agency we work with the system up to v14 LTS — for corporate websites and portals that grow over years without becoming unmanageable.
WordPress is the right choice where the site is leaner: a manageable page structure, a small editorial team, a quick launch. As a WordPress agency we do not stack plugins on top of each other; we build curated blocks and use few, vetted extensions. That keeps the site maintainable and the running costs low.
Both systems are PHP, and our team in Oldenburg is made up of PHP developers. We work in both at code level, not only in the theme. So the recommendation follows the requirements, not a house preference — and sometimes it is: your current system will do for a while yet.
TYPO3 upgrades from v8–v11 to v14 LTS
There are no free security updates left for TYPO3 v8 to v11. Every week on one of those versions is an avoidable risk — for the site itself and for everything attached to it. An upgrade to v14 LTS, by contrast, is work you can plan.
We begin by taking stock: which extensions are in use, which of them are abandoned, how much custom development sits in the project. Out of that comes an upgrade path with clear stages — including adapting your own extensions to PHP 8.x, replacements for packages that are no longer maintained, and a test environment running alongside the live site. We only switch over once everything has been checked.
Accessibility: WCAG 2.2 and the BFSG
The German Accessibility Improvement Act (Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz, BFSG) has applied since June 2025. It covers websites through which consumers initiate or conclude contracts — bookings, orders, appointments. For many corporate websites, accessibility has stopped being optional and become a precondition.
We build accessibility into the templates rather than layering it on afterwards: semantic HTML, sufficient contrast, full keyboard operation, a sensible focus order. On existing sites we start with an audit against WCAG 2.2 AA and a prioritised plan of action. An overlay tool does not do this — it hides problems instead of solving them.
Back ends that editors actually use
A website starts ageing on the day the editorial team stops enjoying its upkeep. That is why the back end is part of the design brief for us. In TYPO3 that means tidy input forms, only the content elements that are genuinely needed, and permissions that follow your organisation instead of admin access for everyone.
In WordPress it means curated blocks instead of page-builder sprawl. Content stays structured — and therefore reusable, including at the relaunch after next. Handover includes training and documentation that describes the editorial day-to-day, not the system manual.