Pricing & buying
Web designer vs. website builder: which is right for you?
A DIY website builder is cheaper upfront and puts you in control of the timeline; a web designer gets you a custom result without your own time invested. Neither is universally right. It depends on your time, your budget shape, and how much the site needs to stand out.
Below: what each option really costs over three years (including your hours), when DIY is genuinely the better call, and what to do if you've already started and got stuck.
The real comparison
| DIY builder | Web designer | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Low ($0–$50/mo to start) | Higher, but often one-time |
| Ongoing cost | Monthly subscription, indefinitely | Usually none, or optional add-ons |
| Your time investment | Hours to days, and it's on you | Minimal: a short form, then a review |
| Design result | Template-based, looks like others | Custom, built around your business |
| Editing later | You do it yourself in the builder | Depends on the platform you're handed |
What it really costs over three years
Builder plans look cheap per month, but the meter never stops. Here's the entry-level website plan on two popular builders, as listed on their own pricing pages on 19 October 2026, next to the options that don't bill monthly. Builder prices change often and vary by country, so check the current page before you decide.
- Builder plans usually include a free domain for the first year only; after that the domain renews separately.
- The three-year figures count the plan only. Paid apps, email, booking tools or a store upgrade add to it.
- The cost that doesn't show up anywhere is your time: learning the builder, writing every page, and fixing the phone layout.
| Option | What you pay | Over 3 years |
|---|---|---|
| Squarespace Basic, billed yearly | CA$21/mo (CA$252/yr) | About CA$756 |
| Squarespace Basic, month to month | CA$30/mo | About CA$1,080 |
| Wix Light, billed yearly (USD) | US$17.77/mo | About US$640 |
| Traditional agency | $2,500+, often plus maintenance | $2,500+ |
| Launch72 | $499 once, plus your domain (~$15/yr) | About $544 |
Sources: squarespace.com/pricing (CAD) and wix.com/plans (shown in USD to our checker; Wix bills in local currency), both checked 19 October 2026.
Wix vs Squarespace vs GoDaddy vs hiring a developer
Wix, Squarespace and GoDaddy's builder all work the same way at heart: you rent a place on their platform, pick a template, and build the pages yourself. They differ in templates, editors and add-ons, but the trade-off is the same. You save money upfront and pay with your time, and the site only exists for as long as you keep paying that platform.
Hiring a developer flips it. You pay once (or once plus optional extras), someone else does the design and the fiddly parts, and with the right developer you own the finished code and can host it anywhere.
- Moving off a builder usually means rebuilding. Wix's own help centre says its sites can't be exported to another host.
- Owning the code means moving is a file transfer, not a rebuild.
When a DIY builder makes sense
DIY is genuinely the right call for some people. If the budget can't stretch past a few dollars a month, or you enjoy the process and have the time, a builder gets something online. It's also a reasonable place to start if you're not sure the business will stick: low commitment, low cost.
- You enjoy building and tweaking it yourself.
- It's a simple personal or side project with no deadline.
- You want to manage everything inside one platform, and its features cover what you need.
When a web designer makes more sense
If your time is worth more than the hours a builder would take, if you want the site to look distinct rather than like a template thousands of other businesses use, or if you want it live this week instead of whenever you get around to it: a designer, especially one working fast and flat-fee, usually wins on total cost once your time is counted.
One of our clients, Indovation Financial Solutions, spent weeks trying to build their website with AI tools before handing it over. In the owner's words, he "constantly ran into walls figuring out how to prompt it correctly and tie everything together." The finished site went live as a 40-page build.
The real question isn't "which is cheaper", it's "what's my time worth, and how fast do I need this live?"
Already started and got stuck?
That's more common than you'd think, and the work you've done isn't wasted. Your text, photos, logo and page ideas are exactly what a designer needs. We rebuild stalled builder and AI-tool sites as custom sites from what you've already made: see how on our finish my website page.
FAQ
Related questions
Is building your own website worth it?
It can be, if you enjoy it, have the time, and a builder's features cover what you need. It stops being worth it when the hours add up, the phone layout won't behave, or the site sits unfinished for months. Count your time before you count the monthly fee.
How much does a DIY website really cost?
The plan is the visible part: on 19 October 2026, Squarespace's entry plan was CA$21 a month billed yearly, about CA$756 over three years, before apps, email or a domain renewal. The invisible part is your time to build, write and maintain it.
Do I own a website built on Wix?
You own your content, but the site itself runs on Wix's platform and Wix says it can't be exported to another host. If you leave, you rebuild. With a custom build you own the code outright and can host it anywhere.
How long does a DIY website take?
It depends entirely on your free time. Most of the effort isn't the builder, it's writing the pages, finding photos and getting it right on a phone. That's why so many DIY sites stall at 80%.
Are there any monthly fees?
None from us. Hosting is free for life. Your only recurring cost is your domain (~$15/yr). Optional services like SEO or social management are monthly only if you choose them.
Is a custom website really enough?
For most local businesses, yes, and on purpose. A focused custom site that loads instantly and guides visitors to one action converts better than a sprawling site nobody finishes reading. It covers who you are, what you do, proof, and how to reach you. If you outgrow it, we can grow it.
Is a website builder cheaper in the long run?
Often not. The monthly fee never stops, and it usually rises as you add what you actually need. A one-time build with free lifetime hosting has no meter running.
Can I move my site off a builder later?
Usually not cleanly: the site is built inside that platform. When you own the code, moving is a file transfer.
Do I need any technical skill to run the site afterwards?
No. Editing your hours, prices or photos is meant to take seconds, and there's nothing to maintain or update on a schedule.
Which is better for search?
Neither wins automatically. What wins is structure, speed and real content. A custom build just gives you direct control over all three instead of whatever the platform allows.
Ready when you are
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