Custom Website vs Template: Which Is Right for Your Business?

Templates (WordPress themes, Webflow templates, Wix, Squarespace): Pros: - Much lower initial cost - Faster time to launch - Good for standard business needs - Easy to update content yourself - Proven designs that work Cons: - Limited customization - May include features you don't need - Can look generic - Performance may suffer from bloat - May not scale with complex needs

Custom development (built from scratch): Pros: - Exactly what you need, nothing you don't - Unique design that reflects your brand - Optimized performance - Scales with your business - Full control and flexibility Cons: - Higher upfront investment - Longer development timeline - Requires developer for changes (usually) - More planning required upfront - Ongoing maintenance considerations

Templates are a great choice when: - You have a limited budget - You need to launch quickly - Your needs are standard (basic business site, portfolio) - You want to manage content yourself easily - You're validating a business idea Many successful businesses start with templates and upgrade later. There's no shame in this—focus your resources where they matter most. A well-configured template beats a poorly executed custom site any day.

Custom development is worth it when: - You need specific functionality templates can't provide - Your brand requires a unique visual identity - Performance is critical to your business - You're building a web application, not just a website - You plan to scale significantly - Templates would require so much customization you might as well build custom Custom also makes sense when your website is a core part of your business value proposition, not just marketing.

There's a middle option: custom front-end with a headless CMS: - Custom design and performance - Easy content editing - Flexible and scalable - Better than templates, less expensive than fully custom This approach works well for content-heavy sites that need unique designs but also need non-technical content editing. Examples: Next.js + Sanity, Gatsby + Contentful.

Ask yourself: 1. What's my budget? (be realistic) 2. How quickly do I need to launch? 3. How unique are my requirements? 4. Who will update the content? 5. How important is the website to my revenue? If you're unsure, start with the template path. You can always rebuild custom later when you have more clarity on needs and budget. Many businesses evolve: template → customized template → custom build as they grow.