Website Builder vs. Web Designer: Which is Best for Your Business?

Long ago, building a website required decent coding knowledge that can only be done by web designers. But now, even the non-tech-savvies can create websites — thanks to website builder platforms.  

Because both options involve time, effort, and money, it’s crucial to choose a suitable method for your business. So, which route should your business take? Let this comprehensive guide help you choose. 

What’s the difference? 

Website Builder  

Website builders make building websites a breeze. It comes with ready-to-use templates and a drag-and-drop feature, so you won’t need any coding language at all. That’s why it has gained popularity over the years.  

Since you get pre-built templates, you don’t get much freedom in terms of design and functionality, but you can still put up a fully functional website in a matter of minutes at a low cost.

RECOMMENDED: How to Build a Website with the Crazy Domains Website Builder 

Web Designer

Web designers have the skills and expertise to build websites of all shapes and sizes. From a simple business site to a complex ecommerce shop — you name it.  

All you need to do is provide them with a full creative brief on how you want your website to look. Web designers will then assess how long the project will take and when you can expect the final output. 

RECOMMENDED: 4 Key Elements to Writing a Website Creative Brief 

Website Builder vs. Web Designer: 4 Factors to Consider 

Here are four compelling factors to consider:

Budget 

If you’re a startup with a tight budget, we recommend using a website builder.  

There are tons of free website builders with free domains that cover all the website building basics. But, if you want a more professional website, you can always upgrade to get access to other features – such as your own professional domain name, email addresses, SEO, and more.  

While hiring a web designer typically costs more, you’re paying for their level of skill and expertise. If you’ve got the budget to spare, a web designer is a great investment to make.

Design & Features 

Website builders have a wide range of professional-looking templates that fit every kind of business. Whether you’re an accountant, business owner, or freelancer, there’s a guaranteed template that works.  

But in some cases, you might not find the template of your taste.  

That’s where web designers come in. Whatever you want your website to look like — in terms of design and functionality — they’ll work their magic on it. 

If you only want to have a business website that lists your services or sells your products online — then a website builder is a more efficient route. Most website builders are well-equipped to handle resources for any kind of small business.  

But if you require heavy demands like an ecommerce site, web designers are ideal for the job.

Coding Knowledge

If you know CSS and PHP well enough, you won’t break a sweat using a website builder. 

The templates offered in most website builders are fully customisable. Apply your programming and design knowledge in tweaking a template to your liking.  

Even if you don’t have any programming knowledge but are still interested to build a website on your own, you can. Website builders don’t have a steep learning curve, so knowing how to use one isn’t complicated. 

But if you want to focus your time and energy on other business aspects, web designers are always around. Let them do the coding for you while you sit back and work on something else.  

Timeframe

Want to have a website in a snap? Go for a website builder.  

Templates are already pre-designed — making things easier for you. Choose a template, edit the content, tweak the colours and fonts, and adjust the settings. You’ll be ready to launch in no time.   

But if you‘re not in a rush and want the perfect website, choose a web designer.  

Web designers will go through brainstorming sessions, market research, wireframing, testing, and revising when creating a website. While it sounds like a huge workload, at least you’re not the one doing it.  

So which method works for you? 

Website builders are best for beginners who are still on their way to growing their businesses. While web design works best for medium-to-large enterprises that can afford to shell out more.   

At the end of the day, it all boils down to your business needs, technical know-how, and budget. What’s important is it’s the right fit for your business.