Pick Squarespace or Wix if you’re testing an idea, your budget is very small, or you want to change layouts yourself every week. Pick WordPress if you want a huge plugin library and you’re ready to keep up with updates and security. Pick a custom-coded site if you want it fast, built around your services and enquiries, and owned outright with no platform subscription keeping it alive. Most owner-run businesses that rely on their site for leads end up happiest with the last option.
This is one of the first questions I get on calls. An owner has seen the Squarespace ads, a friend runs a WordPress site, and someone quoted them for a custom build. All three can work. They suit different businesses, and I’d rather you pick the right one than the one I sell.
When Squarespace or Wix is the right call
If you’re testing a new idea and haven’t had a paying customer yet, a builder makes sense. Same if your budget is close to nothing, or if you genuinely enjoy moving sections around and want to change your layout every week. You pay a monthly subscription, pick a template and you’re live in a weekend. That’s a fair trade for a lot of people.
The limits show up later. The site only exists while the subscription does, so leaving means rebuilding. Templates load a lot of code you don’t use, which can slow pages on a phone. And you’re the designer, writer and SEO person, which is fine until the business gets busy.
WordPress: flexible, but it needs looking after
WordPress runs a big share of the web for good reason. There’s a plugin for nearly everything, lots of people know it, and you can host it almost anywhere. The trade-off is upkeep. Core, theme and plugin updates come out constantly, and an out-of-date plugin is one of the most common ways small business sites get hacked. Stack enough plugins and the site gets slow. If you or someone you pay keeps on top of it, WordPress is a solid choice. If nobody does, it tends to rot quietly.
What a custom-coded site gives you
I hand-code every site. There’s no page builder underneath, so the page only loads what it needs, and that shows up as speed on a phone. The pages are built around how your customers actually decide: one page per service, your area, your proof, and a clear call or quote button on each. And there’s no platform subscription holding the site hostage. The code is yours, and the domain and hosting should be in your name, as I explain in who owns your website.
The honest downside: it costs more up front than a builder, and changing a layout means asking your developer rather than dragging a block. Text and photo changes are quick, but if you want to redesign your homepage every Monday, a builder will suit you better.
Side by side
| Factor | Squarespace or Wix | WordPress | Custom-coded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Low start, a monthly subscription for as long as the site lives | Varies widely with theme, plugins and who builds it | Higher up front ($1,500 to $4,900 with me), then hosting and optional care |
| Who edits | You, with drag and drop | You or your developer, through the dashboard | Your developer, or you for simple text and photos if set up for it |
| Speed | Fine to slow, depends on the template | Fast to slow, depends on plugins and hosting | Fast, because it only loads what it needs |
| Ownership | Tied to the platform | You own the files, the plugins are third-party | You own the code and can move it |
| Upkeep | Handled by the platform | Regular updates and security checks | Light, with no plugins to patch |
| Best for | Testing an idea, tiny budgets, weekly layout changes | Owners who want plugins and will keep up with updates | Businesses that rely on the site for calls and quotes |
Already on a builder?
Plenty of my clients started on Squarespace or Wix, and that was the right move at the time. I don’t build on Squarespace, but I do move sites off it. When I rebuild a site in custom code I map every old page to its new address and set up redirects, so the pages Google already ranks don’t vanish and the links people saved still work. My website redesign page covers how that move works. I also compared builders against a local designer in more detail in Kelowna web design vs DIY website builders.
What it costs with me
A landing page starts at $1,500. A business website of up to ten pages is $3,900 to $4,900. Online stores start at $6,500. Care after launch is optional at $79 to $249 a month and covers updates, backups and small changes. All prices are CAD plus applicable GST/HST, and the full scopes are on the packages page.
How I’d decide
Ask yourself three things. Do you want to design the site yourself, or run the business? Does the site need to bring in calls and quotes, or is it a digital business card? And who will keep it updated a year from now? If the answers point to a builder, use a builder, and I’ll say so. If they point to a site that works for you, I build custom websites for businesses across Canada. Book a free thirty minute call and I’ll give you a straight opinion either way.
Common questions
Is Squarespace or Wix good enough for a small business?
For testing an idea, a very small budget, or an owner who wants to change layouts often, yes. If the site needs to win calls and quotes from Google, a custom-coded site usually performs better and you aren’t tied to the platform.
Is WordPress better than a custom-coded website?
WordPress is more flexible for adding features through plugins. It also needs regular updates and security checks. A custom-coded site is faster and lighter to maintain, but layout changes go through your developer.
Can I edit a custom-coded website myself?
Simple text and photo changes can be set up for you to make. Bigger layout changes go through your developer, which is what my care plans cover.
Will I lose my Google rankings if I move off Squarespace or Wix?
Not if the move is done properly. I map each old page to its new address and set up redirects so rankings and saved links carry over to the new site.
How much does a custom website cost with Elliot Digital?
Websites are $1,500 to $4,900 CAD and online stores start at $6,500, plus applicable GST/HST. Care after launch is optional at $79 to $249 a month.
Official guidance
For the platform rules and technical guidance behind this topic:
Working from Lake Country. On location in Kelowna, West Kelowna, Vernon, and Penticton.