At some point every contractor asks: should I just build something on Wix or Squarespace, or pay someone to build a real site? Honest answer — it depends on where your business is right now.
Here's the no-BS breakdown.
Where Wix and Squarespace Win
Speed to launch. You can be live in a weekend. Pick a template, drop in your logo and photos, add your number. Done.
Low upfront cost. Plans run $16–$45/month. No designer needed.
They look professional. Modern templates are well-designed. Your site won't look like it was built in 2009.
Hosting and security included. SSL, backups, uptime — handled. One less thing to think about.
If you just need to exist online so you can hand someone a URL, these platforms do the job.
Where They Fall Short
SEO is the dealbreaker. Wix and Squarespace have gotten better, but they still can't do what a custom site does:
- Limited URL control
- Bloated code that drags down page speed
- No easy way to build dozens of service area pages
- Minimal schema markup (especially for AI search)
- Template code you can't touch
They're slow. A typical Wix site scores 40–60 on Google PageSpeed Insights. A custom static site scores 95–100. Speed affects rankings and whether visitors stick around.
They don't scale. You serve 15 cities and offer 8 services? That's 120 location-service pages. Wix wasn't built for that. You'd be copying and editing pages one at a time until you lose your mind.
You don't own it. Your site lives on their platform. If they raise prices, kill a feature, or shut down — you're starting from scratch. With a custom site, you own the code.
Where Custom Sites Win
Search rankings. A site built from the ground up for SEO — proper architecture, keyword-targeted pages, internal linking, schema markup, sub-second load times — will outrank a template in any competitive market.
AI search visibility. Custom sites support structured data, FAQ schemas, and direct-answer blocks that help ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews find and cite your business.
Conversion focus. Every element designed around one goal: getting the visitor to call you or fill out a form. No template limitations, no bloat.
Speed. At PageOneLocal we use static site architecture that loads pages in under a second. That's not marketing fluff — test any of our client sites on PageSpeed Insights.
Where Custom Sites Fall Short
Higher upfront cost. Most custom builds run $3,000–$15,000. (At PageOneLocal, it's $997 one-time plus $50/month hosting — we keep it lean because our tech stack is lean.)
Longer timeline. Two to four weeks vs. a weekend. You won't be live tomorrow.
Updates may require help. Unless a CMS is included, you might need your builder to make changes. We include a content system so you're not stuck waiting on us.
How to Decide
Go DIY if:
- You just opened your business and need something up now
- Budget is under $1,000
- You're in a small market with little competition
- You need a digital business card, not a lead engine
Go custom if:
- You're spending money on ads or SEO and your site needs to convert
- You're in a competitive market where page 1 matters
- You serve multiple cities and need location pages
- You want an asset you own, not a rental
The Honest Middle Ground
Plenty of contractors start on Wix to get online, then move to a custom build once revenue justifies it. Nothing wrong with that. A Wix site that's live today beats a custom site stuck in planning next month.
You'll know it's time to upgrade when you're spending real money on marketing but your website isn't doing its share of the work.