UnBuilt / Website builder vs custom
Website builder or custom website?
An honest answer from people who build custom sites: sometimes a website builder is the right call. Here is how to tell.
| Website builder (Wix, Shopify, Google Sites) | Custom website | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Low or free to start | From ₹10,000 (negotiable), once |
| Running cost | A monthly plan, every month, for as long as the site exists | Domain renewal; hosting is often free on your own account |
| Your time | You design, write and maintain it yourself | Built for you; you only send content |
| Speed on a phone | Often slower: builders load code for features you never use | Only the code your site needs |
| Google ranking | Fine for basics; limited control over technical SEO | Full control: structure, speed, schema, local SEO |
| Ownership | You rent the site; leaving usually means starting again | You own the code and can host it anywhere |
| Custom features | Limited to the builder’s apps and plugins | Bookings, billing, AI chatbots, anything you need |
Choose a website builder if
- You need a simple page this week and have time to build it yourself.
- You are testing an idea and may not keep the business.
- You are happy paying a monthly fee for as long as the site exists.
Choose a custom website if
- New customers find you on Google and you want to rank above competitors.
- You need bookings, an online store with UPI, billing or other features that fit how you actually work.
- You want to own the site outright, and not depend on one company’s pricing.
What a custom site really costs over 3 years
A builder plan of ₹1,000 to ₹2,000 a month comes to ₹36,000 to ₹72,000 over three years, and you still own nothing at the end. A custom starter site from UnBuilt costs from ₹10,000 (negotiable) once, plus a domain at about ₹1,000 a year. The longer you keep a site, the more a custom one saves.