Web Development / Choosing a Website Builder
WordPress, Squarespace, or Custom Code?
We're fluent in all of it, so we're not trying to steer you toward whichever one we like building most — here's the honest difference between each option, and which kind of business actually fits each.
The Big Choice: Subscription Platform vs. Custom Code
Every option below falls on a spectrum. On one end, subscription platforms like Squarespace and WordPress trade some customization for speed, a lower starting cost, and the ability for you to log in and make changes yourself. On the other, custom code — PHP, HTML, React, and Node.js — trades a higher upfront build cost for a site with no platform ceiling, no recurring license fees, and code you fully own.
Neither side is universally "better" — it's a real tradeoff, and the right answer depends entirely on how your business will actually use the site.
The Options, Compared
WordPress
The most widely used content management system on the web — open-source, themeable, and extendable with thousands of plugins. You (or we) can log in and edit content directly.
Best For
Businesses that update content often, want a large plugin ecosystem, or need flexible e-commerce via WooCommerce.
Cost Pattern
No software license fee — you pay for hosting, plus optional plugin/theme licenses as needed.
Squarespace
A polished, template-driven platform that bundles hosting, design, and editing into one subscription. Easier to pick up, with a lower customization ceiling than WordPress.
Best For
Businesses that want a beautiful result fast with minimal technical involvement, and prefer one predictable bill over managing hosting and plugins separately.
Cost Pattern
Flat monthly or annual subscription that includes hosting — no separate hosting bill, but harder to move off the platform later.
PHP
The server-side language WordPress itself is built on — also used to hand-build fully custom sites and web apps (often on a framework like Laravel) when off-the-shelf plugins can't do what you need.
Best For
Custom business logic a CMS can't handle out of the box — booking systems, client dashboards, and real integrations with your other software.
Cost Pattern
Higher upfront build cost for the custom work, then just hosting — no recurring platform or plugin fees, and you own the code outright.
HTML
Plain HTML and CSS with no database or CMS behind it — the fastest, most secure, and cheapest option to host, but content changes require a developer, not a login.
Best For
Simple, rarely-changing sites — a single-location brochure site, a landing page, or a portfolio where speed and security matter more than self-editing.
Cost Pattern
Lowest ongoing cost of all — cheap hosting, no plugins, no subscription, nothing to update or patch.
React
A JavaScript library for building rich, interactive interfaces — component-based, fast, and app-like. This very site's live template previews and Website Builder tool are built with it.
Best For
Products and tools that need real interactivity — configurators, dashboards, anything that feels more like an app than a page.
Cost Pattern
Part of a custom build, priced like PHP — upfront development time, then just hosting.
Node.js
A JavaScript runtime that powers the server side of a site — the backend logic, APIs, and data behind the scenes. It's what runs this very site's contact forms and chatbot.
Best For
Projects needing custom backend logic — user accounts, real-time features, or integrations beyond what a CMS plugin offers.
Cost Pattern
Backend infrastructure, not a customer-facing choice on its own — priced as part of a custom-coded build.
WordPress vs. Squarespace
The two most common questions we get from businesses that already know they want a CMS instead of custom code — here's how to tell which one fits.
Choose WordPress if you're...
- Planning to sell a large or growing product catalog via WooCommerce
- A non-profit or church that wants full self-managed control over content long-term
- Publishing content often enough that deep SEO plugin control matters
- Likely to need functionality a plugin can add later, even if you don't need it on day one
Choose Squarespace if you're...
- A photographer, boutique, or creative business where visual polish matters most
- Prioritizing one predictable bill over managing hosting and plugins separately
- Comfortable with a smaller product catalog and simpler e-commerce needs
- Wanting the least technical involvement possible day-to-day
Year-Over-Year Cost
The sticker price on day one isn't the whole story — here's how each option tends to add up over time.
WordPress
Hosting cost stays flat on our plans, but plugin and premium theme licenses often renew annually — budget for a modest, variable addon cost each year depending on what functionality you've added.
Squarespace
One predictable subscription line — no surprise plugin bills, but the platform can raise subscription prices over time, and there's no cheaper self-hosted tier to fall back to.
Custom Code
The highest cost is upfront. After launch, you're typically paying only for hosting — no license or subscription fees — making it the cheapest option to run year after year once it's built.
Still Not Sure Which Fits?
Tell us what you actually need the site to do — we'll recommend the option that fits, not the one that's easiest for us to sell.
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