“Should I buy a template or invest in custom design?”
This is probably the question I get asked most often. And I get why it’s confusing! There’s a $1,500+ price difference between the two, but they both result in… a website. So what are you actually paying for with custom design? And when is a template the smarter choice?
Ultimately, the custom website vs template debate isn’t a “good vs. bad” or “cheap vs. professional” decision. Both templates and custom design can result in beautiful, functional websites that book clients. The question isn’t which one is better – it’s which one is right for where your business is right now.
Let me help you figure that out.
First, Let’s Clear Up Some Myths
Myth #1: “Templates look cheap and everyone can tell.” Nope! A well-designed template that’s been customized with your branding, copy, and images looks professional and unique. Most people can’t tell the difference between a customized template and a custom site.
Myth #2: “Custom design is always better.” Not necessarily. If you’re just starting out and don’t have clarity on your brand yet, spending $3,000+ on custom design might mean you’ll want to redo it in 6 months when your business evolves. Sometimes a template is the smarter investment.
Myth #3: “Templates are only for beginners.” I know six-figure businesses running on customized templates. Templates aren’t a “starter” option you graduate from. They’re a strategic choice for businesses that want a professional site without the custom price tag or timeline.
Myth #4: “Custom design means total creative freedom.” Even with custom design, there are best practices, user experience principles, and conversion strategies that need to guide decisions. Good designers won’t just execute whatever you envision willy nilly. They’ll tell you what will actually work for your business (and that’s what you want!!! I promise).
Okay, myths busted. Now let’s talk about what actually matters when deciding between a custom website vs template.
When a Template Is the Right Choice
You’re just starting out and need to get online FAST. If you’re launching your business and need a website up in the next 2-4 weeks, a template is your friend. Custom design typically takes 4-6 weeks, and that’s after you’ve already spent time on discovery, strategy, and getting all your content together.
There are website in a day or website in a week packages some designers offer, but they will come with a steeper price for the quick turnaround time.
With a template, you can be live in a week if you hustle. That means you can start taking clients, testing your messaging, and actually making money while other people are still waiting for their custom site to be done.
Your business model or offerings are still evolving. If you’re still figuring out exactly what you offer, who you serve, or how you want to position yourself, don’t drop $2,000+ on custom design yet. Get a solid template foundation, test what resonates with your audience, and then invest in custom design once you have clarity.
I’ve seen too many people get beautiful custom websites and then realize 3 months later that they’re pivoting their business model. That’s a really expensive pivot!
You have a clear brand and good copy already. If you’ve already dialed in your branding (fonts, colors, vibe) and you have your website copy written or at least outlined, you can make a template feel totally custom. You’re basically just plugging in your content and tweaking the design elements to match your brand.
Templates work best when you know what you’re saying and how you want to say it. If you’re still figuring that out, custom design includes strategy to help you get there.
Budget is tight but you refuse to look unprofessional. Let’s be real: if $1,000-$1,500 is a stretch for your business right now, custom design at $2,000+ probably isn’t realistic. And that’s totally fine! A well-chosen, properly customized template will serve you way better than a janky DIY site or no site at all.
You can always upgrade to custom design later when you’re booking out and have the cash flow. Think of the template as your professional foundation that starts earning you money now.
You’re comfortable with tech (or willing to learn). Templates require some DIY setup – you’ll need to customize pages, swap out placeholder content, adjust layouts for mobile, etc. If you’re the kind of person who can follow a tutorial and troubleshoot when things go sideways, templates can be great!
That said, most template creators (including me!) provide setup guides and support. You’re not totally on your own, but there is definitely a learning curve, and it can be steep.
When Custom Design Is the Right Choice
You need strategy, not just a pretty website. Custom design isn’t just about aesthetics – it includes strategy sessions where we figure out your messaging, your customer journey, what pages you actually need, and how to structure everything for conversions.
If you’re not 100% clear on how to position your business, what makes you different, or how to communicate your value, custom design gives you a strategist and a designer.
Your brand is complex or very specific. If you have detailed brand guidelines, specific design requirements, or a particular vision that doesn’t fit existing templates, custom is the way to go! Some businesses just have unique needs that can’t be squeezed into a template structure.
Think: luxury brands with very specific aesthetics, businesses with complex service offerings, or anyone who needs custom functionality that templates don’t offer.
You want a completely unique layout and flow. Templates have set page structures – you can customize colors, fonts, images, and content, but the underlying layout is predetermined. If you want a totally custom homepage flow or unique page layouts that don’t exist in templates, you need custom design.
You don’t have time or interest in DIY. Custom design is fully done-for-you. You provide content and feedback, I handle everything else. If the thought of learning Showit’s editor makes you want to cry, or if you’d rather spend that time serving clients and making money, custom design is definitely worth the investment.
You’re established and this is a rebrand or major upgrade. If you’re already booking out, have consistent revenue, and you’re ready to level up your brand presence, custom design is a smart investment. You’re not just getting a website! You’re getting positioned as the premium option in your industry.
This is especially true if you’re raising your prices or targeting a higher-end market. Your website needs to reflect that elevated positioning.
You need specific functionality or integrations. Some businesses need things like:
- Custom booking systems
- Member portals
- Advanced e-commerce features
- Specific third-party integrations
While some of this can be added to templates, custom design ensures everything is built with your specific needs in mind from the ground up.
You want ongoing design partnership. Custom design often includes post-launch support, design retainer options, or at least a relationship with someone who knows your site inside and out. If you want a designer you can call when you need updates or have questions, custom gives you that!
Understanding Showit Template vs Custom Design
If you’re specifically considering Showit (which is a great platform for creative entrepreneurs), the Showit template vs custom design decision has some unique considerations.
Showit templates offer:
- Professional designs built specifically for the Showit platform
- Mobile-responsive layouts that you can customize further
- Drag-and-drop editing once you purchase
- Lower upfront cost ($150-$500 typically)
- Faster setup time
Showit custom design includes:
- Strategy sessions to dial in your messaging and positioning
- Completely unique layouts tailored to your brand
- Custom functionality and integrations
- Done-for-you setup and launch (you don’t have to know what DNS means! Yay!)
- Higher investment ($2,000-$5,000+)
Both options give you access to Showit’s powerful design capabilities. The question is whether you want a pre-designed foundation to customize or a completely bespoke site built from scratch.
The Questions to Ask Yourself
Still not sure? Run through these questions to help you decide on a custom website vs template:
Timeline:
- Do I need to be live in the next 2-4 weeks? → Template
- Can I wait 6-8 weeks for a custom site? → Either works
- Am I launching something specific and need to be live by a deadline? → Template (safer timeline)
Budget:
- Is $1,000-$1,500 my max right now? → Template
- Can I invest $2,000-$5,000 in my website? → Custom is an option
- Do I have the budget but want to test my business model first? → Template
Clarity:
- Do I know exactly what I offer and who I serve? → Either works
- Am I still figuring out my business model? → Template
- Do I need help with positioning and messaging? → Custom
Skills:
- Am I comfortable learning new tech? → Template works
- Do I want to be hands-off and delegate completely? → Custom
- Do I enjoy tinkering with my site? → Template might be fun for you
Design needs:
- Do I need standard pages (home, about, services, contact, portfolio)? → Template works great
- Do I need unique layouts or custom functionality? → Custom
- Does my brand fit within existing template styles? → Check out templates first
What About Starting With a Template and Upgrading Later?
This is actually a really smart strategy for a lot of businesses, especially if you’re considering Showit website design. Here’s how it works:
Phase 1: Launch with a template (gets you online fast and professionally)
Phase 2: Run your business, dial in your messaging, make money
Phase 3: Invest in custom design once you have clarity and cash flow
The template isn’t wasted money. It served its purpose of getting you launched and looking professional while you figured things out! And honestly, having a “before” site makes the custom design process easier because you know what worked and what didn’t.
I’ve had clients do exactly this. They started with a template, ran their business for 6-12 months, and then came back for custom design when they were ready to level up. It’s a completely valid path.
The Hybrid Option: Showit Template Customization
There’s also a middle ground: Showit template customization. This means buying a template but hiring a designer to customize it for you. You get the speed and affordability of a template with some of the personalization of custom design.
Showit template customization is perfect for people who:
- Want a template but don’t want to DIY the setup
- Need some custom tweaks that go beyond basic customization
- Want design eyes on their site but can’t swing full custom pricing yet
- Like a template’s structure but need it adapted to their specific brand
This usually costs more than buying the template alone but less than full custom design. Think of it as “custom lite” – you’re getting professional design help without the full custom price tag.
Many designers (including me!) offer Showit template customization services where we’ll take a template, customize it with your branding and content, make structural adjustments to fit your needs, and handle all the technical setup. It’s a great middle-ground option when you’re trying to decide between custom website vs template.
The Bottom Line
The custom website vs template decision isn’t usually about which is universally better, but about which serves your current business needs.
Templates aren’t “budget custom design” and custom isn’t “expensive templates.” They’re different solutions for different needs:
Choose a template if: You need speed, you have budget constraints, you’re comfortable with tech, or your business is still evolving.
Choose custom design if: You need strategy help, you want hands-off delegation, you have complex brand needs, or you’re established and ready to invest in positioning.
Choose template customization if: You want the affordability and speed of a template with professional design help.
And honestly? You can always change your mind later! Your website isn’t a tattoo. If you start with a template and realize you need custom, you can upgrade. If you get custom design and later want to manage things yourself, you can.
The “right” choice is whatever gets you a professional website you’re proud of, that actually books clients, without making you miserable in the process.
Whether you’re comparing Showit template vs custom design specifically or looking at the broader custom website vs template decision for your business, focus on what will actually help you move forward right now, not what sounds most impressive or what everyone else is doing.
Still not sure what’s right for you? Fill out my inquiry form and I’ll give you my honest recommendation based on your specific situation.
1/27/2026
