Freelance Developer vs. Website Builder: What’s the Real Cost?
We’ve all seen the ads: “Build a beautiful website in minutes with Wix!” or “No code needed! Squarespace has you covered!”
But here’s the thing: just because you can build your site yourself doesn’t always mean you should. And spoiler alert – DIY isn’t always the cheapest option in the long run.
Let’s talk about the real cost.
💰 The hidden price of drag-and-drop
Wix, Squarespace, and other DIY platforms look affordable up front. But what they don’t highlight is the ongoing cost. These are subscription-based platforms, so you keep paying every month – even when your site is just sitting there doing nothing.
And then there’s your time:
- Learning the system
- Fighting with layout tools
- Buying add-ons for things you thought were included
- Rebuilding pages just to move one thing
Eventually, a lot of people end up hiring someone anyway – just to fix what they spent weeks trying to DIY (and yep, I help with that all the time).
👩💻 With a developer, you’re paying for experience - and freedom
I don’t just plug content into a theme and walk away. I help you choose a smart starting point (yes, templates are involved!) – but from there, we customize everything. You’re not limited by platform constraints or weird design blockers. Your site can grow with your business, and look how you want it to look.
So no, I’m not a “custom designer” designing everything from scratch – but I do take templates to the next level, and I build them with performance, user experience, and future-proofing in mind.
Still on Squarespace or Wix and not ready to jump ship? No worries – I work inside those platforms all the time and can help you get more out of what you’ve already got. From layout tweaks to performance improvements, I can usually squeeze a little more life out of your current setup while we plan next steps (or just make it suck less in the meantime).
🚫 Moving platforms later? Hope you like starting over
Here’s the part most builders don’t advertise: if you ever want to leave, you’ll almost definitely have to rebuild your site from scratch. You can’t just “export” your site from Squarespace and drop it into WordPress. It doesn’t work like that – and that’s intentional.
When you work with me, your site is built in an open, flexible platform (WordPress) that gives you control – not lock-in.
✅ TL;DR: You’re not “just paying for a website”
You’re investing in flexibility, support, and someone who’s thinking about your long-term needs – not just how fast a page can get online.
I offer both hourly and ongoing maintenance options, so whether you want full-service help or just someone on-call for those “oh no” moments, I’ve got you. Check out plans and pricing here — or reach out and let’s figure out what’s right for your site.
