Wix or Squarespace vs a custom website: which is right for your business?

Website builders like Wix and Squarespace make it possible to create a website yourself, while a custom website is designed and built for your business by a developer. Both are legitimate choices. The right one depends on your budget, your time and what you need the website to do.

Website builders: the advantages

• Lower upfront cost. You pay a monthly or yearly subscription instead of a one-off build fee.
• Ready-made templates. You can have something online quickly.
• Do-it-yourself editing. Drag-and-drop editors make simple changes easy.
• Hosting included. The platform looks after the technical side.

Website builders: the trade-offs

• Ongoing fees. Subscriptions continue for as long as the site is online, and extra features often cost more.
• Your time. Designing, writing and maintaining the site becomes your job.
• Limited flexibility. You’re restricted to what the platform and its templates allow.
• Performance varies. Template-heavy sites can be slower, especially on phones.
• Moving is hard. Your design usually can’t be taken to another platform, so switching means rebuilding.

Custom websites: the advantages

• Designed around your business. Layout and content are shaped by your customers and goals, not a template.
• Fast and lightweight. Only what your site needs is included, which helps it load quickly.
• Flexible. Booking systems, integrations and custom features can be built in as you grow.
• Done for you. You spend your time running your business, not building a website.

Custom websites: the trade-offs

• Higher upfront cost. You’re paying for design and development time.
• Changes may need a developer, unless your site includes a content management system you can edit yourself.

Which should you choose?

A website builder can make sense if your budget is very tight, your needs are simple and you enjoy doing it yourself. A custom website is usually the better choice when your website is a key way customers find and contact you, when you need specific functionality, or when you’d rather it was done properly for you.

What about SEO?

Sites built on either approach can appear in Google. What matters more is useful content, a clear structure, fast loading and accurate business details. Our SEO basics guide explains the foundations.

Custom websites from Zeedio start from $1,800. See what each package includes, or read our guide to how much a website costs in Australia.