Wix says you can have a website live by this afternoon. A web designer says you need something custom-built to look professional. Both are trying to sell you something. The truth is more nuanced - and there's a third option most people don't know about.
What is a website builder?
Website builders like Wix, Squarespace, and GoDaddy are subscription platforms that let you create a site yourself using drag-and-drop tools. You pick a template, fill in your text and images, and publish. No coding required.
The appeal is obvious: low monthly cost (typically £10-£25/mo), no upfront fee, and you're in control. The less obvious downside is that you have to do everything yourself. Writing the content, sourcing photos, structuring the pages, maintaining it, updating it. If you're not confident doing that well, the result will look like it.
What is a custom website?
A custom website is built for you by a designer or developer - or an agency employing both. The design is tailored to your business rather than adapted from a template. The code is written specifically for your needs.
The result can be excellent. But it comes with a significant upfront cost (typically £1,500-£8,000 for a small business site) and it still doesn't include ongoing maintenance. Once it's built, you're largely responsible for keeping it updated - and paying by the hour when you need changes.
The real differences
| Website builder | Custom website | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | None | £1,500 – £8,000+ |
| Monthly cost | £10 – £25 | £10 – £30 (hosting, separate) |
| Content writing | You write it | Rarely included |
| Design quality | Template-based | Fully custom |
| Time to launch | Days (if you put the work in) | 6 – 16 weeks typically |
| Ongoing updates | You do it | Charged by the hour |
| You own it | No (platform-dependent) | Yes |
The hidden problem with both
Whether you go with a website builder or a custom build, there's a problem that applies to both: someone has to write the content.
This is what most small business owners underestimate. A website isn't just a design - it's words. Words that explain what you do, why customers should choose you, what areas you cover, how to get in touch. Words that Google reads to understand what your site is about.
With a website builder, you write every word yourself. With a custom build, the designer usually expects you to supply the copy - and writing good web content is harder than it sounds. Most business owners end up with placeholder text that never quite gets updated, or pages that technically exist but don't do much for them.
The most common reason small business websites don’t work: It’s not the design. It’s that the content is thin, generic, or never finished. Good content is what converts a visitor into an enquiry.
A third option: managed website services
A managed service sits between the two. You pay a monthly subscription - similar to a website builder in cost - but you get a professionally designed site with all the content written for you. Hosting, domain, security, and ongoing updates are included. You don't touch any of it.
This is the model GetOnWeb uses. At £34.99/mo with no setup fee, it costs roughly the same as Wix's more expensive plans - but the site is built and maintained by real people, and the content is written based on a short brief you fill in about your business.
Skip the DIY. Get a proper website for £34.99/mo
Fully designed, fully written, fully managed. No setup fee, no contract.
See what’s included →Which is right for you?
Choose a website builder if: You're comfortable writing your own content, you have the time to maintain it, and keeping costs to an absolute minimum is your priority.
Choose a custom website if: Design is critical to your brand, you have a relatively large budget, and you need specific functionality that off-the-shelf tools can't provide.
Choose a managed service if: You want a professional result without a large upfront cost, you don't want to write the content yourself, and you'd rather pay a predictable monthly fee than deal with the admin of maintaining a website.
The bottom line
For most small UK businesses - sole traders, local service providers, tradespeople, therapists, small retailers - a managed service delivers the best outcome per pound spent. You get professional design and written content at a fraction of the cost of a custom build, without the significant time investment that DIY builders require.
The question to ask isn't "website builder or custom?" - it's "what do I actually need, and what's the most sensible way to get it?"