Isn’t this the same as a template? What is the difference between template and custom-built website?
We often get similar questions from clients who want to know the difference between a template and a custom-built website. There are two ways to go into web development. The client can choose to go with a template and customize from there or engage a web design agency to custom-built one from scratch. In this article, we are going to address the differences as well as listing the pros and cons of each choice.
Templates
Templates are ready-made websites that are sold widely in the market platform such as Themeforest, Templatemonster, and Elegant Themes. Templates provide a wide arrange of functionalities to your website that you can purchase for a very minimal price. However, with added functionalities comes the extra complexity, which often results in slower loading website or lower SEO score. These functionalities may not be suitable for your business brand or business.
There are merits to templates, however. If you are a small business looking to set up your first website and doesn’t have the budget for a fully customized site, a template is a good choice. There are a lot of designs to choose from and they are relatively easy to set up. If you are totally zero in the website you can employ a web developer to set up for you too and allow for a little customization.
For putting a template-based website you will be looking at $50 for a theme plus another $100 for hosting. If you require developer assistance they can go from around $200 – $500, depending on the customization requirement. All in all, you will be looking at around $400 – $650 to put a website up. If have a graphic customization request, you can expect another $200 for a professionally designed logo and minimal color theme customization.
Custom Built Website
As the name implies, a custom build website involves getting a competent web design agency to develop your website from scratch. There will be more client involvement in the development process, as there will be a creative process added here compared to Templates. The client will be asked to provide brand and color guidelines so web designer can work towards the client’s vision.
As the name implies, a custom build website involves getting a competent web design agency to develop your website from scratch. There will be more client involvement in the development process, as there will be a creative process added here compared to Templates. The client will be asked to provide brand and color guidelines so web designer can work towards the client’s vision.
Like any other websites in the digital internet today, SEO is a key factor in between success and failure. Because each page is custom built from scratch, the developer is able to custom built the website around Google algorithm requirements. This gives a custom-built website an extra leg in the competitive race towards the top of the search result.
Due to the customization involved from the creative to the development process, a custom website typically takes a longer time to build and develop compared to themes. It can range from between two months to about six months, depending on the complexity of the site and the client’s requirements.
A customized website starts from $5,000 and can go upward to $25,000 or more, depending on the complexity of customization your company or brand requires. Add that to secure and fast hosting of around $20,000 a year, you’ll be looking at $40,000 a year in operating cost. If you are a million-dollar online based website, then clearly spending such amount for a website is a minimal investment to the business.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are merits to both ways of doing your website. Ultimately it boils down to your budget and how important is an online presence to your business.
