Website Builders: Great for Getting Started, But Not for Growing

Not too long ago, I was having a conversation with a friend about software development. Because my friend is a small business owner, during the conversation the topic of using a DIY website builder came up.

'I was thinking of just using one of those free website makers. Makes things easier and cheaper to do it that way,' he said.

As a software engineer, this naturally made me wince. Not because it’s a bad idea to do it, but because so many people are unfamiliar with the drawbacks to taking this approach, and they don’t find out until it’s too late.

If you've ever looked into creating a website for your business, you've probably come across website builder. I don’t have to name them because you probably know them immediately, or you could easily find out by doing a simple keyword search. These platforms promise beautiful websites, drag-and-drop editing, and the ability to get online in just a few hours.

And to be fair, they deliver on many of those promises.

Website builders have helped countless small businesses establish an online presence without needing to hire a developer or learn how to code. For certain situations, they can be an excellent solution. While website builders offer several benefits, they also come with limitations that many business owners don't discover until they've already invested significant time and money into the platform.

Being the father of three kids, with the two oldest being girls, I have seen The Little Mermaid many times than I care to admit. As the plot goes, Ariel makes a deal with Ursula to be granted the ability to become human for three days, in exchange for Ariel’s voice. Ariel must get the Prince to fall in love with her, or she becomes Ursula’s prisoner forever.

Ariel immediately finds this deal highly satisfying, but once she realizes time is no longer in her favor, Ariel understands how dangerous the deal is. In the case of using a “free” website builder, there is no magical or powerful, trident-wielding sea god to save a small business.

The Benefits of Website Builders

One of the biggest advantages of website builders is speed. Most platforms allow you to choose a template, add your content, and publish your website in a matter of hours. With the help of AI, the job is even easier. Some platforms even allow custom JavaScript in their premium packages. For a new business that simply needs a website online as quickly as possible, that's incredibly appealing.

On the other hand, hiring a professional web developer or agency can cost anywhere from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands depending on the project's complexity. In my long history in the software development realm, I have seen some projects cost millions of dollars. Meanwhile, website builders typically charge a monthly subscription fee, and that feels much more manageable for startups and small businesses.

Most people using website builders are not very savvy to coding, and that is the target demographic of DIY website makers: non-technical users who don’t know HTML, CSS, JavaScript, hosting, servers, or databases. If they can use PowerPoint or Canva, they can usually learn a website builder.

Website builders manage hosting, security updates, backups, and software maintenance behind the scenes. This allows business owners to focus on running their business rather than managing technical infrastructure.

Built-In Features

Many platforms include features:

• Contact forms
• E-commerce functionality
• Blogging tools
• Appointment scheduling
• Analytics
• SEO settings

Having these tools available out of the box can simplify website management. With all these advantages, the waters become less murky as to why a small business would use a free website maker. Why on earth would they even consider paying for someone else to do it?

Where Website Builders Start to Fall Short

The problem isn't getting a website online. The problem is what happens when your business grows. You see, website builders are designed around templates. While you can customize colors, fonts, and layouts to some degree, you're ultimately working within the platform's rules. As your business develops unique needs, you may find yourself saying:

• 'I wish the website could do this.'
• 'I need a custom workflow.'
• 'I want this page to behave differently.'

Unfortunately, the answer is often that the platform doesn't support it.

With a website builder, you're essentially renting space on someone else's platform. If the company changes pricing, removes features, modifies policies, or discontinues a service you rely on, your options may be limited; your website exists within their ecosystem, not yours.

In recent days, inflation has been hitting different industries, and you may be surprised to find that software development has not been immune to this. With rising costs for keeping servers online due to energy prices going up, DIY website platforms have had to increase their prices too.

Similarly, features are deprecated or significantly altered for a variety of reasons, which ultimately can break a site. Trust me when I say that professional software developers also experience this, but we generally know how to adapt. Less tech-savvy individuals do not, yet they have committed to the DIY website platform of their choosing.

Website speed affects user experience, search engine rankings, and conversions. Website builders often include additional code and functionality that may not be necessary for your specific website. (At the end of the day, your small business isn’t the only one the platform is hosting.) This can lead to slower loading times compared to a professionally developed site that is optimized specifically for your business. Even a one-second delay in load time can impact visitor engagement. I think we can all agree that in our fast-paced, need-it-right-now society, every second is precious to a small business’ online presence.

Most website builders advertise SEO tools, and many do offer basic optimization features. However, advanced SEO strategies often require greater control over site architecture, performance optimization, structured data, custom integrations, and technical configurations. Custom-built websites generally provide much more flexibility for businesses that depend heavily on organic search traffic.

Today's business needs a simple website, but tomorrow it might need customer portals, membership systems, custom databases, or advanced booking workflows, just to name a few. These requirements can quickly expose the limitations of a website builder. Many businesses eventually reach a point where they realize the platform can no longer support their goals.

I remember as a new Christian, the “seeker-friendly” church that I was attending was great. There were lots of friends, the corporate worship experience was great, and the sermons were thought-provoking. However, as I grew more mature in my faith, I started to not grow as much from the sermons because they were targeted towards newer Christians or people seeking Jesus.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with seeker-friendly churches, but eventually a growing Christian realizes they need more spiritual meat than spiritual milk. That is what happened to me: I began to attend a church that was heavier in theological topics, and I continued to grow.

Such is the same with a website on a DIY website builder. Your business may never grow; thus, a DIY website maker will do just nicely. Even still, no business owner is satisfied with a business that never grows. Once it reaches that point of growing too large for the platform, the business has to face the reality that they need to migrate.

However, the ease of getting started on a platform also can make leaving more difficult. Moving a website from a builder platform to a custom solution often involves rebuilding large portions of the site from scratch. Content can usually be transferred, but designs, layouts, and functionality frequently cannot. Many business owners end up paying twice: once for the website builder and again for a complete rebuild later.

Why Businesses Should Think Long-Term

Website builders are often marketed as a permanent solution, but they're frequently a temporary one. For hobby projects, personal websites, event pages, and side job businesses, they can be perfectly adequate. But businesses that expect to grow should think beyond the next six months.

A website isn't just an online brochure anymore. It's often your primary marketing tool, lead generation system, customer service channel, and sales platform. As your business evolves, your website should evolve with it.

A professionally developed website gives you complete ownership, greater flexibility, stronger performance, unlimited customization, and the ability to scale without being constrained by the limitations of a platform.

Website builders are great for getting online quickly. They're affordable, easy to use, and require little technical knowledge. But as in other life conveniences, this comes with trade-offs. The more successful your business becomes, the more likely you'll encounter limitations related to customization, performance, scalability, and ownership.

If your goal is simply to have a website, a website builder may be enough. If your goal is to grow your business, generate leads, improve search rankings, and create a platform that can evolve alongside your company, investing in a professionally developed website is usually the smarter long-term decision.