Custom Web Design vs. Website Templates: Which Is Right for You?

Designing a website was once a complex task, reserved only for professionals. But today, there are many tools out there that make web design a breeze, even if you are a total beginner with zero coding or design skills. Website builders like Squarespace, Wix, and Weebly offer treasure troves of pre-made website templates that you can customize with user-friendly, drag-and-drop visual builders. Just pick a template you like, drag and drop different design elements into place using the visual builder, and customize your site to your heart’s content.

These template-based, drag-and-drop website builders are fast, affordable, and super user-friendly, making them a great option for small businesses, startups, and individuals. But despite how easy and convenient website builders are, most big-time companies and successful websites still hire professional designers to create custom websites from scratch.

The Debate of Custom Web Design vs. Website Templates

Here, we will debate the merits of both web design approaches and settle the ‘Custom Web Design vs. Website Templates debate’. Let us break down the pros and cons of each approach to help you figure out which one is more suitable for your website-related needs in 2024. But first, let us define the key terms, explore the features, and discuss the benefits and drawbacks of both web design methods

What is Custom Web Design?

Custom website design is the process of designing a website from scratch to meet the unique design needs and requirements of a business or organization. It involves creating websites that are tailored to the specific business, branding, and user experience objectives of the client. Rather than using pre-made templates, custom web designers create the website’s visual identity, including the logo, color scheme, typography, and overall aesthetic, all from scratch.

Custom web design allows complete control over the website’s appearance, navigation, layout, information architecture, and overall user experience. This level of customization is not possible with pre-made templates. With this web design approach, you can create a website that seamlessly integrates with your branding and delivers an intuitive, app-like user experience designed to meet the specific needs of your user base.

Such a custom website can prove to be a shrewd, long-term investment into your brand’s individuality. However, the custom web design process is complex, time-consuming, and nearly impossible to pull off without the help of professionals who specialize in custom web design & development.

Pros of Custom Web Design

• You get to build a website from the ground up and customize it as much as you want to meet your business needs. Your site will have a unique look and feel setting it apart from the competition
• Design and develop your website with the best SEO practices (that apply to your industry/niche) in mind to elevate your search ranking potential from the start of the project
• Seamlessly integrate your brand identity into the website’s design, ensuring visual style and messaging resonate with your audience.
• Custom design allows for superior flexibility and scalability, adapting your website as your business thrives.
• Custom websites can be tailored with specific security features to protect your data. Compared to off-the-shelf options, they offer way better security.
• You get to work with a supportive design team that makes sure your website runs smoothly after launch.

Cons of Custom Web Design

• Developing a custom website involves collaboration between designers, developers, quality assurance specialists, and potentially digital marketing professionals. This can be a complex process that requires effective coordination.
• Custom web design typically requires a larger upfront investment compared to pre-made templates.

What is a Website Template?

A website template is a pre-designed foundation for your website that provides a structured layout and essential features. It allows you to quickly get your website up and running without the need for extensive coding knowledge. Website templates have evolved significantly since their humble beginnings as static HTML files in the late 1990s.

In the early 2000s, online marketplaces like ThemeForest and TemplateMonster made it easier for users to find and purchase pre-designed web design templates. This democratized access to professional-looking website designs. Then, in the early 2010s, website builders like Wix and Squarespace further simplified the process by offering drag-and-drop interfaces for editing pre-existing templates and creating new, custom websites with minimal effort.

Today, several platforms like Wix, Squarespace, and Webflow offer a wide variety of website templates, both free and paid. These templates have become increasingly sophisticated, with advanced features such as e-commerce functionality, social media integration, and responsive design that adapt seamlessly to different screen sizes and devices.

Using a website template is a cost-effective and time-saving option for businesses and individuals who want to establish an online presence quickly. By leveraging pre-designed layouts and features, users can focus on customizing the content and branding to suit their specific needs, without getting bogged down in the technical aspects of website development.

Pros of Website Templates

• Website templates offer a tempting shortcut: a fast and affordable way to launch your website.
• They come pre-built with industry-specific themes and integrate with various apps, streamlining the setup process.
• They can be integrated with APIs and third-party apps.
• You get to choose from a variety of industry and business-specific themes which come with all the necessary features.

Cons of Website Templates

• Template designs often lack the flexibility for extensive customization; this may potentially limit your ability to achieve a unique or professional look for your website.
• Some industry or business-specific templates may not be mobile-responsive or function as professionally as a custom-designed website.
• Adding functionalities through third-party integrations can also slow down your site’s performance.
• Finding support and updates is challenging for many non-common templates.

Custom Web Design vs. Website Templates: Why Companies Still Go Custom

From the pros and cons of each approach, you can see that custom web design offers several key advantages over website templates. The most notable advantage? Load speed.

• Custom websites are built using only the necessary HTML, CSS, and JavaScript required to deliver the desired functionality. This results in smaller overall file sizes and faster initial load times.
• Template-based websites often come with a significant amount of pre-written code, including features and functionality that you may not even be using. This results in larger overall file sizes and slower initial load times.

With custom design, you also get to optimize all images, fonts, and other media for peak performance. Techniques like lazy loading and image compression further reduce file sizes and boost speed. With templates, you do not get to optimize these crucial elements. Template websites typically underperform in converting visitors into leads or sales.

Conclusion

Template-based websites do not rank higher than custom websites on search results pages because of their slower load speed. That means they attract less traffic in general. Plus, these sites often lack the custom design elements and targeted messaging needed to drive engagement and conversions. These are the reasons why companies still choose to invest in custom web design, despite the higher upfront costs. The long-term benefits of a fast, mobile, and conversion-optimized website usually outweigh the higher upfront costs.