Wix or Squarespace vs a Professionally Built Website
A DIY builder like Wix or Squarespace is a reasonable choice if you have the time to plan, write and maintain the site yourself and mainly need an online presence. A professionally built website makes more sense when the site has to bring in enquiries, explain several services clearly and keep working without taking up your evenings. The platform matters less than the planning behind it.
Written by Niall Hackett, founder of New Business Websites · Last updated
New Business Websites builds websites for clients, so this guide is written from that side of the decision. Wix and Squarespace are trademarks of their respective owners; this page is not affiliated with either.
What Is the Real Difference?
Both routes can give you a good-looking site on your own domain. The difference is mostly who does the thinking and the work, and who you call when something needs changing.
| What matters | DIY builder (Wix, Squarespace) | Professionally built |
|---|---|---|
| Who does the work | You — design, wording, setup and updates | Planned and built for you; you approve the content |
| Upfront cost | Usually low; mostly your own time | A fixed quoted price (ours start from €499 + VAT) |
| Ongoing cost | Builder subscription, plus any paid apps, domain and email | Monthly care plan for hosting, support and updates |
| Page structure and wording | Up to you; templates guide layout, not content | Planned around your services and how customers search |
| Local search basics | Possible, if you know what to set up | Planned into the page structure from the start |
| When something breaks | You contact the platform's support or fix it yourself | You contact the person who built it |
Which Option Suits Your Business?
A DIY builder is often enough when…
- You are testing an idea before committing money to it.
- You enjoy design and writing, and have regular time to keep the site current.
- You need little more than a contact page and a few photos for now.
- Most of your work comes from referrals, and the site is mainly there to look legitimate.
A professional build is usually worth it when…
- The website is expected to bring in calls, WhatsApp messages or quote requests.
- You have several services or areas and need a clear page for each.
- Your current DIY site looks dated, is slow on phones or isn't bringing in enquiries.
- You would rather spend your time running the business than building pages.
How Do You Compare the Costs Fairly?
Count your own time
The hours spent choosing a template, writing copy, sizing photos and fixing layouts on mobile are a real cost, especially if they come out of evenings or billable time.
Add up the full year
Compare a year of the builder plan you'd actually need, plus any paid apps, domain and business email, against a professional setup fee plus twelve months of a care plan. Check each provider's current prices rather than relying on figures quoted elsewhere.
Ask what the site needs to achieve
If one extra job or client a month would cover the difference, the cheaper option may not be the better value. The website cost guide goes through what drives price, and our fixed packages and care plans are on the pricing page (all + VAT). What each monthly care plan covers is explained separately.
Already on Wix or Squarespace?
You don't have to start from nothing. If the site works for you, keep it and focus on the basics in the quiet-website checklist. If it has become slow, dated or hard to manage, a website redesign can carry over the content that works. Starting a business and choosing for the first time? The new business website guide covers what a first site needs.
DIY Builder vs Professional Website Questions
Is Wix or Squarespace bad for SEO?
No. Both can produce a site that Google indexes and ranks. The difference is rarely the platform itself — it is whether someone has planned clear service pages, written useful content, set up local search basics and kept the site fast. A DIY site can do that if the owner puts in the time; many don't.
Is a DIY website builder cheaper?
The upfront cost is usually lower, because you are doing the work yourself. Remember to count the monthly or annual plan, any paid apps or add-ons, your domain and email, and the hours you spend building and updating it. Check the builder's current pricing page, as plans and prices change.
Can you take over or rebuild my existing Wix or Squarespace site?
Yes, I can rebuild it. Your text, images and the useful parts of the structure can usually be carried across, and your domain can normally be pointed at the new site. Exactly what can be exported depends on the platform, so I check that before quoting.
Who owns the website if you build it?
Your domain should be registered in your name or business name wherever possible. Website ownership, access and transfer arrangements are set out in writing in your quotation, as described in the terms of service, so you know where you stand before any work starts.
Can I still edit the website myself?
The Website Care + SEO Growth plan includes up to 20 minutes of minor text or image updates each month, so you don't need to learn a new system. On the other care plans, content changes are quoted separately. If editing pages yourself matters to you, mention it at the planning stage so it can be discussed in the quotation.
I've no budget yet. Should I just use a builder for now?
That can be a perfectly sensible start. Keep it simple: one clear page per main service, your phone number and WhatsApp easy to find, a working contact form and a linked Google Business Profile. When it stops keeping up with the business, a professional rebuild is an option.
Full details on ownership and care plans are in the terms of service.
Not Sure Which Way to Go?
Tell me a bit about your business and I'll give you a straight answer — including if a DIY builder is the better fit for you right now.