Should you use a website builder or get a custom site?

If you want to build and update the site yourself for cheap, a builder like Squarespace or Wix is a fine choice. If you want a fast site built around your business and you'd rather not do the work, a custom site is usually the better fit.

I build custom sites, so I'm biased. I'll try to be fair about where each option wins.

What builders do well

Squarespace and Wix are easy. You pick a template and drag things around. You can be live in a weekend. They handle hosting and security updates for you.

They're also faster than a lot of people think. HTTP Archive tests millions of real websites every year. In its 2024 report, 60% of Squarespace sites passed Google's Core Web Vitals on phones. Wix sites passed 57% of the time. Core Web Vitals are Google's scores for how fast and stable a page feels.

Where builders fall short

The trade-off is control. You can only do what the template allows. If you want a layout or feature it doesn't support, you go without it or pay for a bigger plan.

The monthly bill adds up too. With yearly billing, Squarespace runs $19 to $99 a month. Wix runs $17.77 to $159.77 a month. A $29 plan comes to about $1,740 over five years.

Leaving is hard. You can't take your Squarespace or Wix design to another host, so switching usually means starting over.

WordPress

WordPress runs 40.1% of all websites, according to W3Techs. Thousands of plugins let it do almost anything.

That flexibility is also its biggest problem. Every plugin adds code that can slow the site down and needs updates. In the same HTTP Archive report, only 40% of WordPress sites passed Core Web Vitals on phones. Plugins are also where most WordPress security holes show up. I went into that in our post on security by platform.

WordPress works well if someone keeps it updated. Without that, it tends to get slower and riskier over time.

What a custom site gets you

A custom site is built for your business from scratch. Here's what that looks like with us:

• Speed. Every site has to score 95 or higher on Google Lighthouse's performance test at launch, or we fix it.
• Your layout. We design around your services and your customers. You'll never hear "the template can't do that."
• Less upkeep. There's no pile of plugins to manage. The code still needs an update now and then, which our Care plan handles.
• You own it. The site is yours. If you ever want to move it to another host, you can.

What it costs

Our Launch Site package is $2,500 and takes two weeks. It comes with five pages and a year of hosting. After that, hosting is $300 a year, which works out to $25 a month.

If you don't want to write the words yourself, Launch Pro is $4,500 and we write every page. If you want us to handle updates for you, there's a monthly Care plan. The details are on our packages page.

Upfront, that's more than a builder. You're paying for us to design and build it so you don't have to.

Who it's a good fit for

A custom site pays off most when your website brings in work. Think of a contractor showing off past projects, or a salon taking bookings. People decide fast whether to call, and a quick, clear site helps them say yes.

If you only need a simple page with your hours and phone number, a builder is probably enough. I'll tell you that if you ask.

Not sure which way to go? Get in touch and I'll give you a straight answer for your business.