Website builders like Wix and Squarespace have made it possible for anyone to make a website. So why pay someone? I build custom websites for a living, so I’ll be upfront about that, but there are times when doing it yourself is the right call.
When a website builder makes sense
- You’re just starting out, and money is tight.
- You enjoy doing it, and have the time to learn.
- You only need the basics: who you are, what you do, how to contact you.
- You’re testing an idea, and don’t know yet if it’ll last.
If that’s you, a builder is a good place to start. Pick a simple template, keep it short, and use your own photos.
What to watch out for
It takes more time than you think
The builder is easy. The hard part is everything else: writing the words, choosing the photos, making it look good on phones and setting it up for Google. Many owners start in a weekend and are still tweaking months later.
It can look like everyone else
Templates are shared by thousands of businesses. Customers may not spot the template, but they notice when a website feels generic.
The costs keep coming
You pay a monthly plan for as long as the website is live, and extras like booking tools, online shops or removing the builder’s branding often cost more on top.
Moving away is hard
You can’t usually take a builder website with you. If you outgrow it, or the prices go up, you often have to start again from scratch.
Speed and Google
Builder websites can be slower, because they load features you don’t use. Speed matters for Google and for customers on a phone signal down the Prom.
What a custom website gives you
- Designed around your business, not squeezed into a template.
- Fast on every phone, because it only loads what it needs.
- Set up for Google from day one.
- Yours to keep. You own the website and the domain.
- Systems built in, like booking calendars, online shops or ticketing, made to work the way you do.
- Someone to call when something needs changing.
The trade-off is cost. A custom website costs more upfront than a builder plan.
Side by side
| Website builder | Custom website | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Low | From £1,500 |
| Monthly cost | A plan, plus extras | Optional care, £49 a month |
| Your time | A lot | A little |
| Look | A template | Designed for you |
| Ownership | Stays on the platform | Yours |
| Moving later | Usually start again | Take it anywhere |
| Help | Support articles | A person you know |
A middle ground
If a custom website feels out of reach in one go, you can spread it out. My websites are £300 to start, then £125 a month for 12 months. After that, the website is yours, and the only ongoing cost is care if you want it.
Not sure which is right for you? Ask me. If a builder would genuinely suit you better, I’ll tell you.
