Wix, Squarespace or a custom-built site
If you have time and need a simple page, Wix or Squarespace is enough. You pay a monthly fee and build it yourself. If your time is short or search and speed matter, hiring out is the better call. You pay once for the build and little each month after.
Side by side
| Wix or Squarespace | Fixed-price custom build | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | None, or a template fee | $1,000 |
| Monthly cost | Plan fee | Care at $19 a month, optional |
| Your time | Dozens of hours | Only the time to send materials |
| Design | Chosen within a template | Made for your industry and brand |
| Speed | Depends on the template and apps | Lighthouse 95 to 100 |
| If you leave | Hard to take the site with you | The files and domain are yours |
Wix and Squarespace prices change often, so no numbers are quoted here. Check their official pricing pages.
Sources: Wix, plans, Squarespace, pricing
When DIY is the right call
- You’re still testing the business idea
- You have spare time and enjoy building
- A single page is all you need
When hiring out is the right call
- The shop keeps you too busy to build
- Showing up in local search matters
- You need both English and Korean
- You want lower monthly costs
Looking at three years
With a builder, the plan fee runs every month for three years. With a fixed-price build, it’s $1,000 once, then $19 a month if you take the care plan, or only the domain if you don’t. It depends on the plan, but the longer you run the site, the more the gap narrows or flips.
Common questions
Can a Wix site be moved later?
Content and photos can come over, but the design has to be rebuilt. In practice that’s a redesign.
With a custom site, can I still make edits?
For regular sites, the care plan covers it. $19 a month includes 5 text or photo swaps. Shopify stores can be edited from the admin.