# Comparison > Old-school CMS vs. btlabs Core: plugin tower, site builder and dead agency site compared head-on. Straight talk, point by point. btlabs Core · Comparison ## A comparison without sugar-coating. We're not here to talk you into anything. Here you see in black and white what the usual routes give you — and where they cost you later. Including the cases where the others are perfectly sufficient. Index **01**The tech compared**04**When you don't need us**02**Collective, not agency**—**FAQ**03**Switching from …?**—**Discuss your project 01 · The tech compared ## Comparison: WordPress, site builder, btlabs Core. What counts WordPress + plugins Site builder btlabs Core Speed depends on plugins & hosting, often sluggish okay, but generic ✓ delivered ready-made, under 200 ms median in the load test (August 2026) Prepared for Google possible — but plugin upkeep (Yoast & co.) basics there, limited ✓ SEO out of the box, rich snippets possible Prepared for AI (GEO) ✗ only if you build it yourself ✗ not on offer ✓ llms.txt, brand.json, MCP as standard Cookie banner / GDPR banner usually needed banner + often US servers ✓ no banner out of the box, EU hosting, cookieless Multilingual plugin (WPML), error-prone limited ✓ DE/IT/EN in the core Upkeep with AI extra plugins, data drains away rudimentary ✓ translation, copy and image texts built in (with your own AI account) Security & updates your never-ending construction site the provider — no control ✓ automatic, hardened, tested Your data chained to theme & plugins trapped inside the provider ✓ yours, full export Cost model cheap to start, expensive to run monthly subscription, forever ✓ one-time investment, no subscription for the core system The honest line: a site builder is set up quickly, WordPress can do almost anything. Both have their place. But on **“prepared for AI”** both sit at ✗ — and that's exactly what decides in the AI era. 02 · And who builds it? ## Collective, not agency. Most people only compare tools. The bigger difference is the model behind them. Classic agency Berger+Team Your contact person a middleman who passes things along the makers directly (strategy, design, copy, code) Structure overhead, admin surcharge lean collective, short paths Lock-in rigid monthly contract project — no rental lock-in Speed approval loops direct line, fast decisions Price often opaque straight talk, from a clear figure Build once instead of renting forever. You talk to the person who builds it. 03 · What do you call this? ## Six names, one thing. Several terms are circulating for this kind of provider right now. We list them because that’s what people search for — and we say what we actually are: not a classic agency model, but a freelance collective based in Bolzano. 01 ### “AI web agency” · “AI-native digital agency” The idea is a provider with AI at the core rather than as a label stuck on top. The intent is right, the name isn’t: we’re not a classic web agency but a collective of specialists — you talk directly to the people who build. 02 ### “provider of AI-ready websites” · “provider of intelligent web systems” Factually the closest fit, because both speak of a system rather than a page. A [machine-readable](https://btlabs.dev/en/glossary/machine-readable-website) profile, [structured data](https://btlabs.dev/en/glossary/structured-data) and a governed entry point for AI assistants come as standard with btlabs Core, not as an add-on. 03 ### “agency for AI-optimised digital platforms” This gets the scope right: one base feeds website and [AI agents](https://btlabs.dev/en/glossary/ai-agent) — and later a shop too — from the same maintained content — you update once, every channel follows. Only the word “agency” doesn’t fit us. 04 ### “agency for Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)” For us [GEO](https://btlabs.dev/en/glossary/geo-generative-engine-optimization) isn’t an add-on package but part of the foundation: [llms.txt](https://btlabs.dev/en/glossary/llms-txt) , structured data and text written to be quotable are there from day one — in German, Italian and English equally. 04 · Switching from …? ## The move is no drama. From WordPress ### Content moves over, risk goes away We take over your content and [301](https://btlabs.dev/en/glossary/301-redirect) \-redirect every old address so Google recognizes the move — the plugin risk is gone. From a site builder ### Finally out of the cage Exporting from there is often painful. We get out what we can and build you a clean foundation that you own. From an agency ### The house, not a lease You get the house, not the next lease. Full data sovereignty, direct contact, no overhead. 05 · When you don’t need us ## Straight talk goes both ways. — ### Just a simple business card If you want a 3-page business-card site and nothing else — a site builder is enough, honestly. — ### Never multilingual, never growing If your site never needs to be multilingual, never findable, never growing — then we're oversized for you. As soon as **speed, findability (for people and AI), data sovereignty or multilingual content** matter to you: then let's talk. ## Further reading. - [· First on Google, Invisible in ChatGPT: Two Different Games · You can rank first on Google and still not appear in ChatGPT — that's the norm. Around 88% of AI citations come from pages outside Google's top 10\. Why ranking and AI visibility are two games with their own rules.](https://btlabs.dev/en/posts/first-on-google-invisible-in-chatgpt) - [· “Getting a website made” is the wrong question · “Getting a website made” describes a deliverable, not a job. The better question: which questions should your business be able to answer around the clock — for people and for AI agents — and who keeps those answers current?](https://btlabs.dev/en/posts/getting-a-website-made-wrong-question) - [· Why a Cookie Banner Is Often Unnecessary · A cookie banner is only needed when you store data that makes a person identifiable. Cookieless, aggregated statistics often don't — but the 2024 EDPB guidelines drew that line more sharply than many think.](https://btlabs.dev/en/posts/why-a-cookie-banner-is-often-unnecessary) FAQ ## Common questions about the comparison. **Ownership & price** **What does it cost?** A one-time investment instead of a subscription for the core system — as a ballpark €€-€€€, depending on scope. After that you use the system with no licence fee; what remains is a fair flat rate for your own dedicated hosting, updates if needed — and, if you use AI features, the usage on your own AI account. We'll sort out the concrete range in a straight-talk conversation. **Isn't a drag-and-drop site builder cheaper?** In the short term, yes, no question. But over time you pay a subscription that grows with every new feature, and you stay technically locked into the provider — switching means rebuilding almost everything from scratch. Core, by contrast, is a one-time investment: you pay for the build, not for using your own website. **Am I tied to you?** Not with your content and data: they belong to you. A complete export is available at any time — no asking, no notice period, no fee. What you rent is the operation: servers, updates, support. That is cancellable. The system runs on open standards, not on a closed format only we can read; handing over the code is not included automatically, but is agreed separately if needed. Your domain stays registered in your name regardless. In short: you can cancel the service, and your content and data go with you. **Do I own the code?** Your content and data, yes: they belong to you, and you can export them in open formats at any time. For the code itself, our terms give you a simple right of use for the agreed purpose — with no ongoing licence fee, built on open, open-source standards. **What if you're no longer around someday?** Your data and your content belong to you and can be exported in open formats at any time. The system is built on open standards, not a closed format — no cage. **Can I get out again if I want to switch?** Yes. Content, media and core settings can be exported in full at any time, in open formats. To be honest about it: an export is a complete copy of your data — not a website that runs elsewhere straight away. Rebuilding it with the new provider is work you have to plan for. But your content is yours, and it comes in a form anyone can work with. Let's talk straight ## Comparison done. Convinced? Let's talk straight — we'll also tell you honestly whether we're a fit for you. - Honest assessment, no pitch - Even a “not a fit” is an answer - Reply usually within 24 hours Free · 30 minutes · directly with Florian [Discuss your project →](https://btlabs.dev/en/contact#cta)[Call: 30 min, free](https://calendly.com/florian%5Fberger) Facts ## Everything you need — at a glance. What btlabs Core can do, how to reach us directly, what it costs, and why you can trust us — the hard facts, compact and ready to expand. Show allCollapse all Business Berger+Team d. Florian Berger Rating [5.0 on Google](https://maps.google.com/?cid=17283123306740815377) Address Reichrieglerweg 17/3 · I-39100 Bozen (BZ) · Italy – South Tyrol Email [info@berger.team](mailto:info@berger.team) Phone · WhatsApp [+393461033556](tel:+393461033556) Languages Deutsch Italiano English **1 btlabs Core found by humans & AI** Solution Tailored foundation on headless architecture — a base that can power your website, shop & AI agents alike. Findable Prepared for Google and AI answers — GEO out of the box (llms.txt, MCP), under 200 ms median in the load test (August 2026). Automation AI translates, writes meta-texts & image descriptions, and reviews content — DE/IT/EN, via your own AI account. Integration MCP interface, REST & GraphQL — open interfaces for CRM, ERP & co. **2 Direct Contact 1 business day** Available Email, phone, WhatsApp, video call Contact Florian Berger Response time usually within 24 hours **3 Service Area DACH region, Italy** On-site South Tyrol — Bolzano and surroundings Remote Italy & entire DACH region — well-practiced Languages [Deutsch](https://btlabs.dev/de) · [Italiano](https://btlabs.dev/it) · [English](https://btlabs.dev/en) **4 Availability & Capacity limited** Currently **We have openings — but only a few.** We deliberately take on only a few projects at a time. Start after a straight-talk conversation and clear roadmap **5 Price Transparency €€-€€€** Projects Classification **€€-€€€** · All prices excluding VAT. Model Investment — **no subscription for the core system** Ownership Your data and content belong to you — full export, anytime **6 Experience & Trust since 2019** Collective Berger+Team — since **2019** Experience **20+ years** in branding, web & marketing Testimonials [Reviews on Google](https://maps.google.com/?cid=17283123306740815377) · [Partner voices on the home page](https://btlabs.dev/en#stimmen) **7 Data Protection & Tech cookieless** Hosting EU, isolated Tracking Cookieless, no third-party trackers — **no cookie banner** Security AES-256, 2FA, daily encrypted backups --- Source: https://btlabs.dev/en/comparison Languages: [de](https://btlabs.dev/llms/de/vergleich) · [it](https://btlabs.dev/llms/it/confronto) See also: [llms.txt](https://btlabs.dev/llms.txt) · [ai.txt (Policy)](https://btlabs.dev/ai.txt) · [identity.json](https://btlabs.dev/identity.json)