At a glance
| — | Website builder | Custom site |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Low | Moderate to high |
| Monthly cost | Subscription, often per feature | Managed hosting plan |
| Time to launch | Days | Weeks |
| Design flexibility | Within the template | Unlimited |
| Speed & Core Web Vitals | Good to fair | Excellent, if built for it |
| SEO control | Basic to good | Complete |
| Portability | Tied to the platform | Move anywhere |
| Custom features | Via apps and plugins | Built to fit |
When a builder is the right call
We’ll tell you this on a call if it’s true for you.
- You need a simple site this week
- Budget is very tight and you’re happy to DIY
- You’re testing an idea before investing
- Shopify’s ecosystem fits a standard product store
When custom pays off
- Search is a major source of leads
- You need regional or service pages at scale
- You need booking, quoting or portals builders can’t do well
- You’re paying for many plugins or apps every month
- You want a site that’s fully yours to evolve
The middle path
Start on a builder, then move to custom when it limits you — or start with a lean custom site and grow it in phases. Either way, keep your domain, content and analytics in your own name so you can move without losing ground.
Frequently asked questions
All FAQs →Can you take over my Squarespace or Wix site?
Yes — we migrate your content and redirect old URLs so you keep your search rankings.
Is Shopify customisable?
Yes, and sometimes that’s the best choice. For non-standard products or B2B pricing, a custom store can fit better.
Will a custom site be harder to update?
Not if it’s built well. You’ll get a content system to edit pages yourself — or we can handle updates on a managed plan.
