“Custom” is one of the most overused words in web design. Some companies call a template with your logo on it custom. So when you’re comparing quotes, it helps to know what the words actually mean and which one your business needs.
Most small business sites are built on templates
In Clutch’s 2025 survey of small businesses with websites, 41% use DIY builders like Wix or Squarespace, and 34% use WordPress or Shopify. Only 12% are custom-built. That’s not a bad thing on its own. But it does explain why so many local business sites look alike.
What a template website is
A template is a pre-built design. The layout, the sections, and the order of everything on the page were decided before anyone knew your business existed. You or a designer swap in your logo, colors, photos, and text.
What’s good about templates
- They’re faster and cheaper up front.
- Many are well designed and work on phones.
- You can often edit them yourself.
What you give up
- The layout decides what customers see first. The template might lead with a big photo and a slogan, even if your customers really need to see your service area and phone number.
- Your content gets squeezed to fit. If you need a storm damage page, an insurance FAQ, or a tasting menu, it has to fit into boxes designed for something else.
- You look like everyone else. If your competitors use the same builder, there’s a good chance they use the same handful of popular templates.
What a custom website is
A custom site starts with questions, not a layout:
- Who are your customers, and how do they find you?
- What do they worry about before they call?
- What do they compare when they’re choosing between you and the company down the road?
- What do you want more of?
The design is built around those answers. Two businesses in the same industry can end up with very different sites, because their customers and strengths are different.
What that looks like in practice
I built three concept sites for fictional businesses to show what this means:
- A roofing company. Homeowners are nervous about cost and insurance. So the site has a storm damage guide, an honest price range estimator, and before-and-after photos. (See the roofing concept)
- A family dental practice. Many patients put off the dentist. So the site has two-tap booking, a plain-English insurance check, and a calm page about the first visit. (See the dental concept)
- A winery. Visitors are planning an afternoon, not just buying wine. So the site has a tap-to-explore vineyard map and a tasting flight builder. (See the winery concept)
Same designer, three completely different sites. That’s what custom should mean.
When a template makes sense
- You’re brand new, and you need something up quickly.
- Your budget is very tight right now.
- You enjoy building and updating things yourself.
- Your business is simple, and customers don’t need much convincing.
There’s no shame in starting with a template. Plenty of good businesses did.
When custom is worth it
- You’re established, and your reputation is your biggest asset.
- Customers compare you to two or three competitors before they call.
- You’ve outgrown your site. It doesn’t explain what you do today.
- Your customers have specific worries, like cost, insurance, or safety, that a generic layout doesn’t address.
- You want to look like you, not like everyone else using the same builder.
Custom doesn’t have to mean hard to update
One fear I hear a lot is that a custom site means calling a developer every time you want to change a photo. It shouldn’t. A well-built custom site gives you simple, labeled fields for your text and photos, so you can update them without breaking the design.
Questions to ask a designer
- Is this design built from a template or from scratch?
- If it’s a template, which one, and can I see other sites that use it?
- Who decides the layout, and what’s it based on?
- Can I update text and photos myself?
Why I only build custom
I don’t use templates, ever. Even my Small Website starts from your business, not a pre-built theme. It’s smaller in scope, not smaller in thought.
Curious what a custom site could look like for your business? Book a 20-minute call.
