You want a website for your business. You have two main options: build it yourself using a platform like Wix, Squarespace, or WordPress, or pay someone to build it for you. Both have their merits. Both have their drawbacks. And the right choice depends entirely on your situation.

This is not a sales pitch for professional web design. This is an honest comparison so you can make an informed decision. We will look at cost, time, quality, SEO, and the hidden factors that most people do not consider until it is too late.

The DIY option: what you are actually signing up for

DIY website builders have come a long way. Wix, Squarespace, and similar platforms offer drag and drop editors, hundreds of templates, and the promise that anyone can build a website without touching a line of code.

And that is broadly true. Anyone can build a website with these tools. The question is whether that website will actually do its job.

The good bits

  • Low upfront cost. Most platforms start at £12 to £15 per month. You can get something live without spending hundreds upfront.
  • Full control. You can make changes whenever you want without waiting for a developer.
  • Templates. You start with a professional looking template rather than a blank page, which gives you a head start on design.
  • All in one. Hosting, domain management, and the builder are all in one place.

The not so good bits

  • Time investment. Building a decent site takes 20 to 40 hours of your time, realistically. That is time you are not spending on your actual business. If you charge £30 an hour for your work, that is £600 to £1,200 of your time before the site is even live.
  • Template limitations. Templates look great in the demo. Then you replace the professional stock photos with your own content and the magic disappears. Making a template truly your own requires more design skill than most people realise.
  • Ongoing costs. That £15 per month adds up. Over three years, you have spent £540. Over five years, £900. And you still do not own the website — if you stop paying, it disappears.
  • SEO limitations. DIY builders have improved their SEO capabilities, but they still lag behind custom built sites. Page speed is typically slower, you have less control over technical SEO elements, and the bloated code these platforms generate can hold you back in search rankings.
  • It looks like a template. Customers can often tell when a site is built on Wix or Squarespace. The layouts, the animations, the stock photo style — there is a sameness to them. For some businesses that does not matter. For others, looking generic undermines credibility.

The professional option: what you actually get

Hiring a professional to build your website means paying someone with design and development skills to create something specifically for your business. This could be a freelance web designer, a small agency, or a service like PageShift.

The good bits

  • It looks professional. Because it is. A good designer will create something that reflects your brand, not a template that 10,000 other businesses are also using.
  • Better SEO from day one. Professional sites are built with clean code, fast loading times, and proper technical SEO. This gives you a genuine advantage in search rankings, especially for local searches.
  • You save time. Instead of spending weeks learning a platform, you provide your content and let someone else handle the rest. Most of us would rather be doing our actual job.
  • You own it. With many professional builds, you get the finished site files. You own them outright. You can host them wherever you want and you are not locked into a subscription.
  • Mobile done properly. A professional will make sure your site works perfectly on phones and tablets, not just "sort of works" like many DIY sites.

The not so good bits

  • Higher upfront cost. A professional website typically costs between £300 and £2,000 for a small business site. That is more than the first month of Wix, but as we have seen, the long term economics often favour the professional route.
  • Less immediate control. If you want to change something, you might need to contact your designer rather than doing it yourself. Some providers give you a content management system so you can make basic updates, but complex changes usually require a professional.
  • Finding the right person. There are brilliant web designers and there are terrible ones. Finding someone reliable who understands small businesses is not always straightforward.

The real cost comparison

Let us do the maths that the DIY platforms hope you do not do.

DIY builder over 3 years

  • Monthly subscription: £15 to £30 per month
  • Total over 3 years: £540 to £1,080
  • Your time building the site (20 to 40 hours): £600 to £1,200 at £30 per hour
  • Your time maintaining and updating: £300 to £600 over 3 years
  • Realistic total: £1,440 to £2,880

Professional website over 3 years

  • One off build cost: £300 to £2,000
  • Hosting (if separate): £50 to £120 per year, so £150 to £360 over 3 years
  • Your time (providing content, reviewing drafts): £150 to £300
  • Realistic total: £600 to £2,660

When you factor in the value of your time, the professional route is often comparable or even cheaper than DIY. And you end up with a better website.

Key takeaway DIY looks cheaper on paper because the monthly fee is low. But when you factor in your time, ongoing subscription costs, and the opportunity cost of a website that does not perform as well, the total cost often matches or exceeds what a professional would charge.

When DIY makes sense

We are not going to pretend that professional web design is the right answer for everyone. DIY genuinely works well in certain situations:

  • You enjoy building websites. Some people find it genuinely fun. If you are one of them, go for it. Just be honest about the quality of the result.
  • You have more time than money. If you are just starting out and every pound matters, a Squarespace site is better than no site at all.
  • You need something temporary. If you just need a quick landing page while you sort out something more permanent, a DIY builder is fine.
  • Your business changes constantly. If you are adding new products or services every week and need to update your site frequently, having direct control can be useful.

When professional makes sense

For most established small businesses, the professional route delivers better value. It especially makes sense when:

  • First impressions matter. If potential customers judge you by your website before they pick up the phone — and research shows 75% of them do — you need it to look the part.
  • You are competing locally. If other businesses in your area have professional websites, a DIY site puts you at a disadvantage in both appearance and search rankings.
  • Your time is valuable. If you earn £25 or more per hour, the 20 to 40 hours spent building a DIY site could have been spent earning money or running your business.
  • SEO matters to you. If you want your website to show up when people search for your services in your area, a professionally built site has a significant advantage. Read our guide on why SEO matters for small businesses for more detail.
  • You tried DIY and it did not work. No judgement. It happens to most people. The skills required to build a good website are different from the skills required to run a good business.

The WordPress middle ground

WordPress deserves its own mention because it sits between DIY and professional. You can install WordPress yourself, buy a theme, and build your own site. Or you can hire a developer to build a custom WordPress site for you.

The self managed WordPress route gives you more flexibility than Wix or Squarespace, but it comes with more responsibility. You need to manage hosting separately, keep WordPress and its plugins updated, and deal with security. A WordPress site that is not kept updated becomes a security risk — hacked WordPress sites are incredibly common.

If you go the WordPress route, consider having a professional set it up and then train you to make basic updates yourself. That gives you the best of both worlds.

What to look for if you go professional

Not all web designers are equal. Here is what to look for:

  • A portfolio of real small business sites. Not flashy portfolio sites — actual businesses like yours.
  • Clear pricing. If they will not tell you what it costs until you have sat through a 45 minute "discovery call," walk away. Good providers are upfront about pricing.
  • Mobile first approach. Over 60% of your visitors will be on phones. Your designer should prioritise mobile from the start, not add it as an afterthought.
  • SEO knowledge. A website that nobody can find is a waste of money. Make sure your designer understands basic SEO or works with someone who does.
  • Ownership. Ask who owns the finished website files. You should. If a designer keeps your site on their server and charges you monthly to access it, you are renting rather than owning.

The honest conclusion

If you are technically confident, enjoy design work, and have more time than money, a DIY builder can produce a serviceable website. Just go in with realistic expectations about the time commitment and the limitations of the platform.

If you want a website that looks genuinely professional, ranks well on Google, and represents your business properly, a professional build is almost always the better investment. Especially when you factor in the true cost of your time.

And if you are still wondering whether you even need a website at all, start with our guide: does my business really need a website?

Frequently asked questions

Is Wix or Squarespace good enough for a small business?

It depends on your expectations and technical confidence. Wix and Squarespace can produce decent looking websites if you invest the time to learn the platform and choose a good template. However, they come with ongoing monthly costs, limited SEO control, and the finished result often looks noticeably template based. For businesses where first impressions matter, a professional build tends to produce better results.

How much does a DIY website builder cost compared to a professional?

DIY builders typically cost £12 to £35 per month, which adds up to £144 to £420 per year. Over three years that is £432 to £1,260 in subscription fees alone. A professional website might cost £300 to £2,000 as a one off payment. When you factor in the ongoing costs of DIY platforms, the professional route often works out cheaper in the long run.

Can I switch from a DIY builder to a professional website later?

Yes, but you will essentially be starting from scratch. You cannot export a Wix or Squarespace site and hand it to a developer. Your content can be copied across, but the design and structure will need to be rebuilt. The good news is that you will already know what works and what does not from your DIY experience, which makes the professional build smoother.

Do DIY website builders include hosting?

Yes. Wix, Squarespace, and similar platforms include hosting in their monthly subscription. This is convenient but means you are tied to their platform. If you stop paying, your site disappears. With a professionally built website, you typically choose your own hosting provider and retain full ownership of your site files.

Will a DIY website rank on Google as well as a professional one?

Generally no. DIY builders have improved their SEO features, but they still have limitations. Page speed tends to be slower due to bloated code, you have less control over technical SEO elements, and the template based structure can limit how well search engines understand your content. A professionally built site that is coded cleanly and optimised from the start will typically rank better for competitive local search terms.