Website builder or custom website: which one to choose
You can have a website today on a website builder, or hire one that is custom-built. Neither one is always the right answer.
What each option is
A website builder is a service where you pick a template and put the website together by dragging blocks around, such as Wix, Squarespace or WordPress with a ready-made theme. A custom website is when a developer builds the website from scratch for your case, with the code and structure designed around what you need.
Website builder
Pros
- Quick to start, with little upfront investment.
- You edit the copy and photos yourself, without depending on anyone.
- Good for testing an idea before investing more.
Cons
- A monthly fee for as long as the website exists, which tends to go up when you need extra features.
- A look similar to many other websites using the same template.
- It usually loads more code than necessary, which makes the page slower on mobile.
- Less control over SEO details and over what loads on each page.
- Leaving the platform later is a hassle: the website usually doesn't come with you, only the content.
Custom website
Pros
- Built for your business: the pages and copy follow what your clients search for.
- Lighter and faster, because it only has what the website uses.
- SEO planned from the start, not patched in afterwards.
- Code and domain in your name, with the freedom to change hosting or developer.
- It can grow with integrations, such as booking, payments or a client area.
Cons
- A bigger upfront investment.
- It takes longer to be ready.
- Structural changes depend on a developer. For what changes often, like articles and news, you can agree on an area you update yourself.
When each one makes more sense
A website builder makes sense when you are validating an idea, when the budget is very tight, or when you like working on the website yourself and the website is just a complement.
A custom website makes sense when the website is one of the main ways clients find you, when you compete with others for space on Google, or when you need something templates don't do well.
Questions to ask before deciding
- Is the domain registered in my name?
- If I want to change platform or developer, does the website come with me?
- How much will I pay per month, and what happens if I stop paying?
- What is the website's PageSpeed score on mobile? (See what that score measures.)
- Who sets the website up in Google Search Console and checks that it is being indexed?
Whatever you choose, these answers say more about the result than the name of the tool.