Guide
Website builder or web designer: which one fits your business?
Updated 2026-11-06 by the White Pine Web Design team
Short answer: Use a builder like Wix or Squarespace if your budget is tight, your needs are simple and you don't mind doing the work. Hire a web designer if your time is better spent on your business, or if the site needs to bring in calls and you want someone accountable for it.
Use a builder like Wix or Squarespace if your budget is tight, your needs are simple and you don't mind doing the work. Hire a web designer if your time is better spent on your business, or if the site needs to bring in calls and you want someone accountable for it. Both are sound choices, and plenty of businesses start with one and move to the other.
What do most small businesses do?
Both routes are common. In Clutch's 2025 small business survey, 41% of recently launched sites used do-it-yourself builders, and outside partners handled development for 45%. Clutch earns money from agency leads, so keep that in mind, and it's a national survey rather than a Michigan one.
Moving later is common too. In a small 2022 GoDaddy survey of 204 owners who hired a web pro, 30% had tried building the site on their own first.
How do the two compare?
| Question | Website builder | Web designer |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Little or none | Usually $750 to $4,000 for small sites, as of November 2026 |
| Yearly cost | About $215 to $480 for common plans | Hosting or a care plan, which varies widely |
| Your time | You do the building and writing | A few hours of answers and review |
| Edits | Any time, by you | Usually you send a request, unless they set you up to edit |
| When it breaks or looks wrong | You and the help center | You call the person who built it |
| Moving away later | Limited, often means a rebuild | Depends on the contract and how it's built |
Builder prices come from each company's own page as of November 2026. Wix lists $17.77 to $39.77 a month for its common plans on yearly billing and says prices vary by location. Squarespace lists $19 to $29 a month for its first two plans on the lower-priced billing option. Durable lists paid plans at $22 and $41 a month. Designer prices come from Michigan firms such as one in Traverse City and one in the Grand Rapids area.
When is a builder the better choice?
We'd tell you to use a builder if any of these sound like you:
- You're just starting, and the budget is under a few hundred dollars.
- You need a simple online brochure with your hours, photos and number.
- You want to change things yourself every week, such as menus, events or products.
- You enjoy this kind of work, or a family member does and will stick with it.
- Most of your work comes from referrals, so the site just has to prove you're real.
That last one matters. If you want to edit your own site often, a builder may fit you better than hiring us. Our sites aren't the drag-and-drop kind. You send us the change, and we make it.
When is a web designer the better choice?
- A new customer is worth a lot to you, so a weak site could cost real money.
- You've started a builder site three times and never finished it.
- You don't want to write the words, choose the layout or learn the settings.
- You need something a template won't do well, like a price calculator or a client portal.
- You want someone to call when something looks wrong.
What does the time cost you?
A builder's price leaves out your time, and that's the honest way to compare. We don't have a reliable number for how long a builder site takes, because it depends on you. So use your own numbers.
Guess how many evenings it would take, including writing, photos and fixes. Multiply those hours by what an hour of your work brings in. If the total beats the cost of hiring it out, hire it out. If you'd be giving up TV rather than paying jobs, the builder may be the better deal.
Here's the money side. Over 5 years, a $29 a month plan costs $1,740. Our 5-page site at $2,500 plus $120 a year for hosting costs $3,100. So the builder costs less even over 5 years, as long as your time is free.
Can you switch later?
Yes, but plan on some rebuilding if you leave a builder. Wix says its sites can't run on another host, because they rely on its own technology. Squarespace's export covers only some content, and it leaves out things like store pages and style settings.
That isn't a reason to avoid builders. It just means you should keep your own copies of your words and photos. Keep your domain in your own name, too, so the address can follow you to whatever comes next.
Is there a middle option?
Yes. You can pay a pro to set up and run a builder site for you. One Grand Rapids firm has worked only on Wix since 2010 and sells monthly management from $299. That can suit someone who likes the platform and wants the help.
Some owners also start with one page from a designer and add on later. Our one-page site is $750, and extra pages are $295 each.
What's a good next step?
If a builder fits, go try one. If you'd rather hand it off, see our prices or ask for a fixed price in writing. For something a builder won't do well, look at custom development. If you sell products, see online stores.
Common questions
Is Wix good enough for a small business?
It can be. If your needs are simple, your budget is tight and you don't mind doing the work, a builder like Wix can be the right choice.
Is a web designer worth it over a website builder?
It's usually worth it when a new customer is worth a lot to you, or when your time is better spent on paying work. If those aren't true, a builder may be the better deal.
Can I move my Wix or Squarespace site later?
Plan on some rebuilding. Wix says its sites can't run on another host, and Squarespace's export covers only some content, so keep your own copies of your words and photos.
Can I edit a site you build myself?
Our sites aren't the drag-and-drop kind. You send us the change and we make it, so if you want to edit your site often, a builder may suit you better.