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Custom website or website builder?
Wix, Squarespace and WordPress templates, compared honestly
A website builder is cheaper to start and good enough for a simple brochure site you maintain yourself. A custom-built website costs more up front, but you own it outright, it loads faster, and someone else keeps it running. Which is right depends on your budget and how much of your own time you want to spend.
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What is a website builder?
A website builder such as Wix, Squarespace or a WordPress template is a subscription tool that lets you assemble a site yourself from ready-made blocks. You pay monthly, you do the building, and the site lives on the provider's platform. Stop paying and the site goes offline.
What is a custom-built website?
A custom-built website is designed and coded for one business. There is no template underneath it and no monthly platform fee. You pay once for the build, you own the result, and the developer hosts, updates and supports it. Strivon builds every site this way.
How do they compare?
| What you are comparing | Website builder | Custom build (Strivon) |
|---|---|---|
| Up-front cost | Nothing, or close to it | €450 - €1500, once |
| Monthly cost | €15 - €50 per month, forever | Optional maintenance only |
| Who owns the site | The platform hosts it; stop paying and it goes offline | You do, files and all |
| Speed | Carries the platform's own scripts whether you use them or not | Only the code your site actually needs |
| Custom domain | Usually a paid add-on | Included |
| Who fixes it when it breaks | You, from a help centre | We do, by phone or email |
| Moving away later | The site cannot come with you; it is rebuilt | You take the files to any host |
When is a website builder the right choice?
When the budget is genuinely zero, when you need something online this week, or when the site is one page that will not change. A builder is also fine if you enjoy the work and have the evenings for it. In those cases we would tell you to use one - a custom build you cannot afford is not a better website.
When is a custom build worth paying for?
When the website is how customers find and judge you, when you would rather spend your evenings on the business than on a page editor, or when you have already tried a builder and stopped keeping it up to date. Over three years the monthly fees usually cost more than the one-time build.
Build it yourself or hire it out?
Frequently asked questions
Is a custom website worth it for a small business?
It is worth it when the website brings in customers and when you do not want to maintain it yourself. Strivon plans start at €450 one-time, including domain, hosting, SSL and unlimited support. A builder subscription at €25 a month passes that within eighteen months and you still do the work.
Can I move my Wix or Squarespace site to Strivon?
The design cannot be exported, so the site is rebuilt rather than moved - but your text, images and domain all carry over, and we handle the switch so the old site stays live until the new one is ready. Strivon can also take over an existing custom site and host it.
Do I own a website Strivon builds for me?
Yes, completely. You own the files and the domain name. Strivon hosts and maintains the site, but nothing is held hostage: if you ever want to move it elsewhere, you take it with you. That is the main practical difference from a builder subscription.
Is a custom-built website faster than a website builder?
Usually, yes. A builder loads its own editor scripts and template code on every page whether your site uses them or not. A custom build ships only the code the page needs, which shows up in loading time on mobile - the connection most small business customers arrive on.
Not sure which one fits your business?
Tell us what the website has to do and what you want to spend. If a builder is the better answer for you, we will say so.
Free and no obligation. We reply within one working day.