Wix, Squarespace, or Professional Web Designer?

I run a business that builds websites, so you might expect me to bash DIY builders. I'm not going to. Wix and Squarespace are genuinely good tools that work well for certain situations. The question is whether your situation is one of them.

The DIY Platforms

Wix

The most flexible of the DIY builders. Drag-and-drop interface lets you put things exactly where you want. Huge template library. Decent e-commerce options. Good for people who want creative control and have time to learn the platform.

Downsides: That flexibility can lead to messy designs if you're not careful. Templates can look similar to thousands of other Wix sites. Performance (loading speed) isn't as good as custom sites. And once you're in Wix, you can't easily move elsewhere—you're locked in.

Squarespace

More opinionated than Wix—templates are beautiful but less customisable. This is actually a strength for many people: the constraints prevent you from making ugly choices. Great for portfolios, restaurants, creative businesses.

Downsides: Less flexibility if you need something specific. E-commerce is more limited than Shopify. UK-specific features (like certain payment integrations) can be lacking. Same lock-in problem as Wix.

WordPress.com (not self-hosted)

Confusingly, there are two WordPresses. WordPress.com is a hosted service like Wix. It's cheaper but more limited. Good for blogs, basic sites. Gets complicated if you want more functionality.

When DIY Makes Sense

I'd genuinely recommend DIY platforms if:

• You have more time than money. Building a Wix site takes 10-40 hours depending on complexity. If your time isn't worth much per hour, the maths works out.
• Your needs are simple. Basic brochure site with a few pages, contact form, maybe a gallery. Nothing complicated.
• You enjoy this stuff. Some people find website building genuinely interesting. If that's you, go for it.
• It's a side project or hobby. Not your main business, stakes are low, experimentation is fine.
• You need something today. A professional site takes weeks. A Wix site can be live tonight.

When DIY Doesn't Make Sense

• Your website IS your business. If customers judge you primarily by your website, a template site might not cut it.
• You need to rank on Google. DIY platforms have SEO limitations. A professional can build a faster, better-optimised site that ranks higher.
• You need custom functionality. Booking systems, member areas, integrations with other software—these get complicated fast.
• You value your time highly. 30 hours learning Wix is 30 hours not spent on your actual business. Sometimes paying someone is the better investment.
• You want to stand out. Template sites look like template sites. If your competitors all have custom sites, you'll look amateur by comparison.

The Hidden Costs of DIY

People compare Wix's £15/month to a designer's £2,000 quote and think DIY is obviously cheaper. But factor in:

• Your time – 30 hours at even £20/hour is £600
• Opportunity cost – What else could you do with those hours?
• Premium features – Wix's useful features cost extra
• Stock photos – £100-300 for decent images
• Future changes – Every update takes your time
• Learning curve mistakes – First sites are rarely good

A £2,000 professional site might actually be cheaper than a year of wrestling with DIY.

What About WordPress (Self-Hosted)?

WordPress.org (the self-hosted version) is different from Wix and Squarespace. It's free software you install on your own hosting. It's incredibly powerful and runs about 40% of the internet.

But it's not really DIY-friendly. You need to understand hosting, security updates, plugin compatibility, backups. Get it wrong and your site gets hacked or breaks. Most "WordPress sites" are actually built by professionals—it's just the underlying technology.

I wouldn't recommend self-hosted WordPress for true DIY unless you're technically confident.

What a Professional Actually Provides

Beyond the obvious (someone else does the work), a good web designer provides:

• Strategy – What should your site actually accomplish? What do visitors need?
• Design expertise – Understanding of visual hierarchy, user experience, brand consistency
• Technical knowledge – Fast loading, proper SEO structure, accessibility, security
• Content guidance – What to write, how to present it
• Ongoing support – Someone to call when things break
• Scalability – A foundation you can build on as you grow

You're not just paying for someone to click buttons. You're paying for expertise that takes years to develop.

The Middle Ground

Some people start with Wix, realise it's not working, then hire a professional. That's fine—many designers will happily rebuild your site properly. You'll have learned what you actually need, which makes the professional project smoother.

Others have a designer build the initial site, then handle simple updates themselves. This combines professional quality with DIY flexibility for ongoing content.

Our Honest Recommendation

If your website matters to your business, invest in professional help. The difference in quality, performance, and results is real.

If you're testing a business idea, building something for fun, or genuinely can't afford professional help yet—DIY platforms are perfectly reasonable. Just go in with realistic expectations.