Should you build your small business site on Wix (or Squarespace), or have a custom one built? Both are valid — the right answer depends on your goals, budget and how much the website matters to your revenue. Here's an honest comparison.
Where website builders shine
- Low up-front cost and a predictable monthly fee.
- You can do it yourself with no developer.
- Quick to get something basic online.
For a brand-new business testing an idea, or a simple "we exist, here's how to reach us" page, a builder can be perfectly sensible.
Where they hold you back
- Speed. Builder sites carry a lot of extra code and often load slowly — and speed affects both conversions and Google ranking.
- SEO ceiling. You can rank on a builder, but you have less control over the technical details that help you compete.
- It can look templated. Customers can tell, and it quietly costs you trust.
- Flexibility. The day you need something the builder can't do — a specific booking flow, an integration, a custom feature — you're stuck.
- Ongoing cost & lock-in. The subscription never stops, and moving away later is painful.
What a custom build gives you
A custom site is designed around your customers and goals, built to be fast, mobile-perfect and properly optimised for search. You own the code and can take it anywhere. It costs more up front than a DIY builder, but for a business that relies on its website to bring in work, it usually pays for itself.
A simple way to choose
- Choose a builder if the site is a low-priority formality, your budget is tiny, and you're happy to maintain it yourself.
- Choose custom if the website is a real sales channel, you want to look credible and rank on Google, or you need anything beyond the basics.
The honest middle ground
You don't have to spend £15,000 to go custom. A solo senior or small studio can build a fast, bespoke, conversion-focused site for a fixed price from around £1,000 — the quality of an agency without the agency bill. If that's the sweet spot you're after, we're a free conversation away.