Website templates vs a custom website: what you actually get

When you’re getting a new website, one of the first decisions is whether to start from a template or have it designed from scratch. Both can work. The right choice depends on what you need the website to do for your business.

What a template is

A template (or theme) is a ready-made design that you fill in with your own words and photos. Website builders and many cheap website packages are based on them. They’re designed to suit as many businesses as possible, which is both their strength and their weakness.

The case for a template

• It’s quick. The layout is already done, so you can have something online fast.
• It’s cheap to start. Many templates are free or low cost.
• It’s fine for simple needs. A hobby, a club or a short-term project may not need anything more.

Where templates fall short for a business

• You look like everyone else. Popular templates are used by thousands of sites, often in your own industry.
• They’re built for everyone, so they’re heavy. Templates carry features you’ll never use, which slows pages down, and speed matters to both visitors and Google.
• The layout drives your content, not the other way round. You end up fitting your business to the design, instead of designing around what your customers need to see.
• They’re not built to bring in enquiries. Where the phone number, buttons and proof sit makes a big difference to how many visitors call. A template guesses; a custom design plans it.

What “custom” means with us

Custom doesn’t mean starting from a blank page in code every time. We build on proven platforms, usually WordPress, so your site is secure and easy for you to update. What’s custom is the design and structure: every layout is planned around your customers, your services and the action you want them to take.

It also means the site only contains what it needs, which keeps it fast. Our own new website scores 98 to 100 for performance in Google’s Lighthouse tests on mobile, and 100 for accessibility.

Is custom more expensive?

Not as much as most people expect. Our standard custom website is $1,000, and $3,000 for a premium site with more pages or an online store. Compared with the cost of looking generic, or of a slow site that doesn’t bring in work, it’s usually the better investment.

When a template is the right call

If you need something online this week, have almost no budget, or the website isn’t a source of customers for you, a template is a reasonable start. If your website needs to win work, especially from Google, a custom design built around your customers will do far more for you.