Wait before you buy Etch Studio
EtchWP Studio — Independent analysis

WordPress

Stay on WordPress with EtchWP

Last reviewed:

EtchWPEtch ConnectorCursor, Antigravity, or Claude CoworkYour host

Get started

How to get started

Baseline

Time: Depends on your existing WordPress setup — often an afternoon to wire the Connector

Accounts before step 1: WordPress host with EtchWP installed, One of Cursor, Antigravity, or Claude Cowork, Your own API keys for the Connector

  1. Run EtchWP on your host

    Install and activate EtchWP on the WordPress host you already pay for. Your lifetime deal applies to the plugin, not Etch Studio.

  2. Connect an agent IDE with the Etch Connector

    The Etch Connector is a free bridge that lets Cursor, Antigravity, or Claude Cowork (or another capable IDE) drive the Etch canvas with your own API keys. Geary confirmed it works in Studio too on the August 25, 2026 stream.

  3. Keep data in core WordPress

    Posts, users, and plugins stay in WordPress until you choose to go headless. You are not forced onto a vendor tenant.

  4. Optionally go headless later

    If the front end should leave PHP, add Astro plus headless WordPress (REST or WPGraphQL) when the team is ready — not on day one.

Ownership

What you keep

You keep: Your WordPress database and EtchWP license

Cost shape: EtchWP lifetime deal applies to the plugin; hosting is your existing WordPress cost.

Named tools

Tools this path uses

Not this one?

When to switch

Brochure

Brochure site you own

The easiest cheap path for a landing page or small marketing site: Bolt, v0, or Lovable, then GitHub, then a free host. Once the files are in your repo, you are not renting the site.

Dynamic

Site with login, forms, or a CMS

For auth, member areas, forms, or editorial workflows that need a real database or CMS — not a plain brochure site.

Prototype

Visual preview first, then the repo

For people who want a visual preview first but refuse to rent the project forever — start in a hosted builder, then move to GitHub and Cursor, Antigravity, or Claude Cowork.

Quick answers

Frequently asked questions

Can I use Cursor, Antigravity, or Claude Cowork with EtchWP?
Yes. The Etch Connector lets Cursor, Antigravity, or Claude Cowork drive the Etch canvas with your own API keys. Data stays in core WordPress; you are not editing on a vendor tenant.
Does my lifetime deal cover Etch Studio?
No. Geary said on stream that lifetime deals are "etch for WordPress." Studio is a separate checkout. This path uses the plugin you already funded.
When should I pick a no-WordPress path instead?
When the site does not need WordPress — no WooCommerce, membership plugins, or team that lives in wp-admin. Geary's pitch is that most brochure sites do not. See the Brochure or Dynamic paths on the workflows hub.

All workflows · If you don't need WordPress, what is Etch Studio actually selling?