Wix, Squarespace or hiring someone

I build sites for a living, so you might expect me to say always hire someone. I don't think that's true. Wix and Squarespace are good tools and plenty of businesses should use them.

When a builder makes sense

You're just starting out and need something up this week. Your site is mostly hours, contact details and a few photos. You like tinkering and you have the time. Or money is tight and it's better spent elsewhere for now.

In those cases a builder is the right call. Pick a simple template, swap in your own photos and write short honest copy. Don't add sections just because the template has them.

Where it gets harder

The trouble usually isn't the tool. It's time and judgment. Most owners don't want to become designers, and it shows when a site gets built in bits over a few weekends. Fonts drift, pages get long and the homepage turns into a list of everything.

Builders also make it easy to look like everyone else. The templates are popular for good reason, which is why so many sites look the same. You can change them a lot, but it takes skill to change them well.

Then there's the monthly fee, which adds up over the years. Moving off a builder later can also mean starting over.

When hiring someone makes sense

Your site is the first impression for most new customers. You already have a good reputation and the site doesn't match it. You need something specific, like a booking setup or a store that works the way your business works. Or you'd rather spend your time running the business.

A good designer should ask about your customers before they show you anything. They should help with your copy, not just paste it in. They should also tell you plainly what happens after launch, who hosts it, what edits cost and whether you own it.

A middle option

Some people pay a designer to set up a builder site, then take it over. That can work well. You get a clean start and you can still make your own changes. Just make sure the account is in your name from day one.

How I'd decide

Look at your current site on your phone. If it already looks like your business and you can keep it updated, stick with the builder. If it looks like it could be anybody's, or keeping it up is a chore you keep putting off, it's probably time to get help.