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Custom plugins and themes on live Miami-area sites

PHP development: custom plugins and modernization without starting over

PHP still powers WordPress and a large share of the web applications running today. We write custom plugins, connect your site to other systems and modernize legacy code in phases, so you don’t have to rebuild what still works.

Tell us about your current siteSee the work

What we usually find in PHP sites that land on our desk

None of these forces a rebuild. All of them can be fixed one piece at a time:

  • The server runs a PHP version that no longer gets security patches, and nobody dares to upgrade it.

  • Important features are pasted into the theme’s functions.php and vanish if you ever switch themes.

  • Plugins their authors abandoned years ago are still active because “something breaks if we remove them.”

  • Form submissions land in an inbox and someone re-enters them into the CRM by hand.

  • Every WordPress update is a leap of faith because there’s no staging copy.

Two Florida companies running custom PHP code

We built them as Crece Virtual, our former brand, and that credit is still in each site’s footer.

  1. Screenshot of the Tabi Connect website on desktop
    Screenshot of the Tabi Connect website on mobile

    Miami, FLLogistics SaaS

    Tabi Connect

    A freight rate management platform for transportation brokers. The site pitches the product, books demos and sends customers to the platform.

    What we did

    A WordPress site with a custom theme and three plugins built for the brand: an FAQ bot with predefined answers, an ROI calculator and a flipbook-style case study viewer.

    Technology

    • WordPress
    • PHP
    • Custom plugins
    • Elementor Pro

    Footer credit: “Design & Dev by Crece Virtual”.

    Visit the siteRead the full case study
  2. Screenshot of the GLT Logistics website on desktop
    Screenshot of the GLT Logistics website on mobile

    Miami Springs, FL3PL logistics

    GLT Logistics

    An inland transportation 3PL covering the US, Mexico and Canada: full truckload, LTL, temperature-controlled freight and more.

    What we did

    A corporate WordPress site on a custom theme: solutions organized by freight type, paths for new customers and agents, a blog, Google reviews and HubSpot forms.

    Technology

    • WordPress
    • PHP
    • Custom theme
    • HubSpot

    Footer credit: “Web development with ♥︎ by Crece Virtual”.

    Visit the siteRead the full case study

What we do in PHP

Hands-on work on systems that already exist, more often than greenfield builds.

  • Custom WordPress plugins

    Calculators, search tools, FAQ bots, integrations: each feature in its own versioned plugin, independent of the theme.

  • API integrations

    Your WordPress site connected to your CRM, email platform or other systems. Our own platform, Odinoa, publishes to WordPress through the REST API with an application password, never the main admin login.

  • PHP version upgrades

    We check theme and plugin compatibility, fix what breaks on a staging copy, and only then switch the version on the live server.

  • Custom and child themes

    Design and template changes that survive updates, instead of edits to the original theme files.

  • Plugin cleanup

    An inventory of what’s installed, replacements for anything abandoned and removal of what you don’t need, one at a time and tested.

Stay on PHP, or make the jump?

Modernizing doesn’t always mean switching technologies. Here’s what we look at.

Staying on PHP makes sense if…

  • Your WordPress site works and what you need is new features or integrations.
  • Your team already knows how to run it and you don’t want to change how they work.
  • You’re on shared PHP hosting and there’s no technical reason to leave.
  • The real problem is deferred maintenance, not a hard limit of the technology.

Another path fits better if…

  • You’re building a new application with user accounts, roles and multi-step workflows: a framework like Laravel pays off there.
  • Your business logic has outgrown plugins and they keep stepping on each other.
  • The legacy system has no tests or docs, and every change breaks something new.
When Laravel makes more sense

Three ways forward for a PHP site that’s hit its limits

From smallest change to biggest. We usually recommend starting on the left.

  • Custom plugin

    When
    A working site is missing one specific feature.
    What you keep
    Everything: the site, the content and how you edit it.
    Risk
    Low, as long as the plugin is independent of the theme.
    Upkeep afterward
    Update the plugin alongside WordPress.

  • Upgrade and refactor

    When
    The site does its job, but its code or PHP version is a liability.
    What you keep
    The content, the URLs and nearly all of the structure.
    Risk
    Moderate: needs a staging copy and page-by-page checks.
    Upkeep afterward
    Keep pace with PHP, WordPress and plugin release cycles.

  • Move to Laravel

    When
    The system has grown into an application with its own business rules.
    What you keep
    The data and the rules; the code gets rewritten module by module.
    Risk
    High, reduced by migrating in pieces with tests.
    Upkeep afterward
    One major Laravel release a year, plus automated tests.

As of October 2026, each PHP version gets two years of active support and two more of security-only fixes. PHP 8.1 and older no longer receive patches.

How we modernize a PHP site without taking it down

  1. 1

    Inventory

    PHP and WordPress versions, theme, active and abandoned plugins, integrations and cron jobs.

  2. 2

    Staging copy

    An environment identical to production where every change is tested before it touches the site your customers see.

  3. 3

    Changes in phases

    Security first, then whatever hurts most. Each phase ships on its own, so we always know what caused what.

  4. 4

    Verification and rollback

    Forms, payments, URLs and speed checked after every release, with a backup ready to roll back.

What our clients say

Real reviews our clients left on Google.

  • Viviana Hidalgo Alvarado

    October 2026

    I really enjoyed my experience with User Media. They are very professional, attentive, and always look for the best way to help. I love that they listen to ideas, give good advice, and propose solutions I hadn't even considered. It's clear they know what they're doing and enjoy their work. I highly recommend them!

  • Dayanna david tapias

    October 2026

    I loved working with User Media. They're incredibly creative, have amazing ideas, and pay close attention to detail. I especially appreciated their dedication and how easy they are to work with. Highly recommended!

  • Daniel Gómez

    October 2026

    I loved working with User Media. They're incredibly creative, have amazing ideas, and pay close attention to detail. I especially appreciated their dedication and how easy they are to work with. Highly recommended!

  • Andrés Felipe Pájaro Martinez

    October 2026

    A very good experience with User Media. They've helped us with various digital projects and have always demonstrated knowledge, commitment, and a great willingness to find solutions. I especially want to highlight their expertise in web development and automation. I highly recommend them.

  • Sergio Andres Pájaro Martinez

    October 2026

    Our experience with User Media has been excellent. They've supported us in content creation projects for social media, news, web development, and process automation. Something I particularly appreciate is that they don't just execute our requests; they get involved, propose ideas, and constantly seek new ways to leverage technology. Their experience, commitment, and passion are evident in every project. Without a doubt, they're a great technology partner that I highly recommend.

  • Johnattan Rodriguez

    December 2025

    We've worked with Crece Virtual on several web design projects for our Barranquilla operation. Their team demonstrated a solid command of both WordPress and React, adapting to the specific needs of each project based on our technical and functional requirements. What we value most is the quality of the codebase they deliver. Each project has a clean and well-organized structure, which has greatly facilitated updates and the addition of new features when needed. The technical documentation they provide is clear and useful for our internal team. Communication throughout the entire process was smooth and professional.

  • Evelintoya1011 Montoya

    December 2025

    Working with Crece Virtual transformed how we acquire clients. From the outset, they understood our business and guided us through everything: digital strategy, website architecture, and domain selection. The WordPress site, with a custom theme and widgets created in Elementor, turned out exactly as we needed: fast, clear, and designed to make requesting quotes effortless. Thanks to technical SEO, link building, and Google Ads campaigns in Medellín, our quote requests increased several times over, stabilizing at nearly 500% higher than at the beginning. The automation that sends leads from WhatsApp to Google Sheets, complete with all the data and UTM parameters, allows us to better measure sales and repeat purchases. Furthermore, their hosting, domain, and Google Workspace services have been reliable, and whenever we need support, they're always there with quick and clear answers.

  • Diana C

    November 2025

    We have been working with Crece Virtual for several months now, and it has been a great experience. They built our website in Next.js, and it turned out super fast and professional. The best part is that they didn't leave us on our own after delivery: every month they make updates and improvements, and when we need something urgently, they always respond very quickly. Their support has been impeccable. In addition to the website, they manage our Google Ads campaigns and SEO. Honestly, everything has worked very well. The campaigns bring in good leads and have us well positioned on Google and Bing. They are very professional but also very approachable, always explaining everything clearly. I recommend them without hesitation.

  • Rafael Castaño

    November 2025

    We hired Crece Virtual to redesign our corporate website and improve our SEO. The result completely exceeded our expectations. The design is elegant, professional, and conveys the seriousness we needed as an environmental project. Navigation is intuitive, and our clients can easily find the information they're looking for. Regarding SEO and ads, we now appear in the top Google results for the searches that matter to us. The team was incredibly professional, met every deadline, and was always available to answer questions. It's clear they know what they're doing.

  • IVAN BLANCO

    November 2025

    We're currently working with the Crece Virtual team on both web design and Google Ads campaigns. The site looks very professional, and the SEM campaigns are consistently generating high-quality leads. What I value most is their transparency: they explain everything clearly, send detailed reports, and are always optimizing to improve results. They're experts at what they do.

  • Juan Jose Cano Giraldo

    November 2025

    They designed a corporate website for us, optimized for local search. The SEO is flawless; we appear in the top results. Website traffic increased by 350%. Excellent service, support, and monthly follow-up.

  • Litografia Azabache

    April 2024

    We want to express our complete satisfaction with the work done by Crece Virtual. They developed a digital business model for us that included creating our website and managing our Google Ads campaigns. Their customer-centric approach and attention to detail impressed us from the start. The website is exceptionally well-designed, and the Google Ads campaigns generated a significant increase in traffic and conversions. We would recommend Crece Virtual without hesitation.

  • Tomás Vélez

    February 2024

    Crece Virtual has become our greatest ally. They are incredibly creative in their web design and have given us a unique online presence. They are experts in Google Ads and significantly increase your business's visibility. Furthermore, their specialization in software development allows them to offer customized solutions. With Crece Virtual, you're on the right track if you're looking to expand your online presence to more leads and different markets.

  • Adriana Hernandez

    February 2024

    Recommended, they designed the school's website, provided technology training (software) to the entire staff, and were extremely responsive and fast.

PHP development FAQ

Is PHP still a good choice in 2026?

For what it does well, yes: WordPress, WooCommerce stores, content-managed sites and Laravel applications. Current releases, PHP 8.2 and up, are fast and support much stricter typing. The problem is rarely PHP itself; it’s usually old code nobody has maintained.

PHP or Laravel?

Laravel is PHP, with a structure that already handles users, permissions, queues, email and database migrations. For a feature inside WordPress, a plain PHP plugin is simpler. For a new application with its own business rules, Laravel saves time and keeps the code organized.

Can you modernize a legacy PHP site?

Yes, in phases and after reviewing it. We set up a staging copy, upgrade PHP, replace abandoned pieces and move custom features into plugins. If the code can’t be saved, we’ll tell you, with the audit to back it up.

Why a custom plugin instead of adding code to the theme?

Because the theme is the look and the plugin is the function. If the code lives in the theme, a redesign or a theme update can wipe out a calculator or an integration. In a plugin, the feature survives and has its own version history.

What if my site runs on an old PHP version?

It keeps working, but without security patches, and plugins gradually stop supporting it. As of October 2026, PHP 8.1 and older no longer get patches, and PHP 8.2 stops getting them on December 31, 2026. The safe move is to plan the upgrade on a staging copy before then.

Related services

What’s your PHP site missing?

Tell us what it has today, what it should do and what you’re afraid to touch. We’ll tell you whether a plugin, an upgrade or a different path makes sense.

Tell us about your site

It helps to share the URL, the server’s PHP version (if you know it) and your most important plugins.

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