Website builder or web designer: which should a small business choose?
A website builder suits you if you have the time to build and maintain the site yourself and your needs are simple. A web designer suits you if your time is better spent running the business, or if you want someone accountable for the result. The honest comparison is the total cost over a few years, including your own hours, not the headline price.
What is the difference between a website builder and a web designer?
A website builder is a service where you assemble the site yourself from templates and pay a subscription to host it. A web designer or developer builds the site for you, usually for a one-off price, and may look after it afterwards for a monthly fee.
Both can produce a good small business website. The difference is who does the work, who is responsible when something goes wrong, and where your money and time go.
What does each option really cost?
With a builder, you pay a subscription for as long as the site exists, and you pay with your own time for writing, layout, mobile checks and updates. Plans, add-ons and renewal prices change often, so read the current price page and the renewal terms before you commit. I have not quoted builder prices here because they change too often to be reliable.
With a web designer, the cost is mostly upfront. With Refspan, a business website of up to 5 pages is from £695 at a fixed price, paid 50% upfront and 50% at launch. Website Care, which covers hosting, updates, backups, security checks and an hour of small edits, is from £49 a month and is optional.
- Builder: subscription fees, any paid add-ons, and your own hours to build and maintain.
- Web designer: a one-off build price, plus an optional monthly fee for hosting and care.
- Either way: the domain name, business email and any photography or copywriting may be billed separately.
How much time will a builder take?
Time is the cost people underestimate. You need to write the page text, choose and edit photos, check the site on a phone, set up a contact form, and learn the tool well enough to change things later.
If you enjoy that work, or already know the tool, it can be a sensible choice. If every hour you spend on the site is an hour not spent on customers, the saving may be smaller than it looks.
When is a website builder the right choice?
A builder is often enough when the site is small, the budget is tight and you are comfortable doing the work yourself.
- You are testing an idea and may change direction soon.
- You need a simple online presence, such as a few pages and a contact route.
- You have the time to learn the tool and keep the site up to date.
- You do not need custom features or a connection to other systems.
When is a web designer the better choice?
A designer tends to fit better when the site needs to work hard for the business and you want it done properly the first time.
- You would rather hand the work over and approve a finished result.
- You want the site to be quick on phones and set up for local search from the start.
- You need something a template cannot do, such as a booking process or a connection to your own systems.
- You want one person to ask when something breaks.
What should I check about ownership and moving later?
Ask who owns the domain, who owns the content and design, and what happens if you leave. Some builders do not let you export a working copy of your site, so moving later can mean rebuilding it. With a developer, ask for the domain to be registered in your name and for the files to be handed over once you have paid.
With Refspan, the domain stays in your name and the website is yours once it is paid for. If you leave Website Care, you receive the files so the site can be hosted elsewhere. The guide on how to compare website quotes covers more questions to ask any provider.
How do I decide?
Write down what the site must do, how many hours you can give it each month, and how long you expect to use it. Then compare the total over three years for each route, with your time valued honestly.
If you are unsure which suits you, send me what you have and what you need. I will say plainly if a builder would serve you better. You can also ask for a free preview of your homepage within 48 hours, before paying anything.
Further reading
Written by
Founder and developer, Refspan, Leicester, UK