Custom Web Development or Website Template: What to Choose in 2024

Customer web design is the process of creating websites that align with your brand's style. Templates are designs already created that you can incorporate into your site.

Which one should you choose?

That is the biggest challenge in front of the businesses. Where custom-designed designs provide tailored solutions, on the other hand templates offer convenience and efficiency. Knowing the distinct advantages of each will help you make decisions.

It is important as your choices will significantly impact the development of your company's digital strategy. We will make it easy for you by discussing the differences between a custom and a template design based on the budget, time to market, SEO-friendliness, and more.

What is Custom Web Development?

Custom designed websites are unique in their structure and features as they are not created using templates. 

However, small businesses use platforms like Joomla and WordPress as they offer ease to build and manage websites. For large enterprises, custom website development services are the right option as it is unique to their business unlike templates which offer common functionalities and designs.

Development of these websites or web apps, however, starts from square one. Each feature requires extensive customization to fit with the requirements of your business which proves time-consuming and costly compared to templates.

If you want to save cost and need quick development, hiring a custom web development company would be the best option. Any modifications or updates could easily be added later if required. 

What are the Steps for Developing a Custom Website?

Understanding the steps involved in creating a custom-designed website can help you determine whether this is the type of project appropriate for your company's brand. Knowing what's included during each step can also help you decide whether you have the resources to construct a custom website or whether you'll require external help.

Check out the following article for a brief outline of the seven steps of customizing your website development.

1. Discovery and Planning

The discovery and planning phase involves analyzing and gathering information about the client's needs and goals and the public's to determine the website's goal.

The second phase includes market research that helps identify competitive and industry trends, define the project's scope, and develop wireframes and sitemaps to organize the content and show the website's structure.

2. Design

At the design stage, conceptual design begins by generating preliminary design concepts that are aligned with the client's brand and preferences. Important pages are mocked up to demonstrate the layout, color schemes, and visual elements for feedback.

Designing for user experience (UX) ensures that the website provides an effortless and user-friendly experience. User interface (UI) design focuses on creating visual elements, such as imagery and typography, for a visually appealing and unified design. One must keep an eye on UI/UX design trends to create attention-grabbing designs for their website. 

3. Content Creation

Content creation requires establishing strategies for creating and organizing content that is in line with the website's goals and users' needs. This involves writing engaging and SEO-friendly content for the website and producing or sourcing high-quality images or videos, as well as other multimedia elements, to increase its visual appeal and engagement.

4. Development

The development phase involves front-end development, in which design mockups are converted to HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code for the website's front end. Back-end development involves creating the server-side logic, databases, and APIs required for the site's functionality.

In addition, integrating an online CMS with a content management system (CMS) lets you make impactful content updates and administration by the user.

5. Testing

Testing ensures the site functions properly and provides a pleasant user experience. This includes functional tests to ensure that all features function according to plan. Usability testing with real users is conducted to collect feedback, and performance testing is done to improve performance and speed. Additionally, cross-browser tests maintain compatibility, and security tests identify and fix any security vulnerabilities.

6. Launch

The launching process involves the final review and then filling out an inventory to ensure everything is set to go live. After approval, the website is uploaded to the live server, and the DNS setting is set to redirect the domain's address to the new site, making it available to all users.

7. Post Launch

Once the website has been launched and maintained, it is necessary to ensure it runs efficiently and without a hitch. This involves monitoring for issues or bugs that require attention. It also includes establishing an analytics system to track user behavior and performance and enhancing search engines to boost accessibility. Additionally, regular updates to features and content and creating backups and recovery strategies to safeguard against data loss are essential.

The Benefits You Must Know

There are many ways of developing a business website, but custom website development services are the most effective option. While other possibilities offer advantages, custom web development services offer a unique solution tailored to your business's needs. 

The right choice isn't easy, but custom development guarantees that your site is developed specifically to meet your needs and goals. Let's take a review of the advantages of customized website development:

1. Better Branding

Custom approach allows your website to be matched with your unique style and brand voice. It lets you create a unique website that reflects your brand's distinctiveness. Compared to generic websites, a custom-designed website is created to align with your company's branding, providing a unique user experience.

This allows you to incorporate specific design elements, functions, and branding options that distinguish your business. Designing your website to be unique to your company's brand creates a memorable user experience and a greater impact on your customers.

2. Better User Experience

In the final analysis, a website's effectiveness is determined by how it communicates with users to provide a pleasant user experience. By developing a unique website design, you can tailor it specifically for your prospective clients.

Customizing your website's features to reach and engage your targeted users is possible. For example, a custom website design lets you provide a seamless and easy user experience by streamlining the buying process or providing pertinent information in an easy-to-use manner. 

Personalization increases usability and makes it easier for users to browse and engage on your website. By improving the overall user experience, a customized design improves conversion rates and quickly converts customers into paying customers.

3. Boosts Your Ranking

It is essential to have a website optimized for your business for search engine optimization (SEO) to ensure that it can get higher rankings in search engines such as Google. 

A custom-designed website permits the best SEO practices to ensure your company's success, as it is designed with your website's performance in mind. Customized web development can be incorporated with specific SEO techniques that will help in achieving an improved ranking in search engine results.

4. Increased Search Engine Optimization

Custom web development provides substantial advantages to SEO because it allows for a custom optimization of your site's performance, structure and content. Some of the benefits include:

1. Optimized Website Structure: Custom development provides clear, SEO-friendly URLs and rational navigation, which increases search engines' indexing and crawlability.
2. Optimizing Performance: Faster loading times and more efficient code improve website speed, an important aspect of ranking in search engines. Custom website development services permit precise performance adjustments to meet these needs.
3. Mobile Optimized: By utilizing responsive and mobile-friendly design, customized development increases mobile accessibility and is a top priority for search engines, given the growing use of mobile devices.
4. Customized Metadata: Custom web development gives you exact control over metadata tags, schema mark-up, and other SEO elements on the page, allowing for specific optimization.
5. Enhanced Security: Proper implementation of SSL certificates and customized security features guard against weaknesses that could adversely impact SEO.
6. Better User Experience: Customized UX and UI increase the user's experience and engagement, which in turn improves SEO by increasing the time spent on the site and reducing bounce rates.
7. Technical SEO: Custom-designed sitemaps, robots.txt files, and redirects to 301 are all integrated to ensure proper search engine indexing and the preservation of link equity.
8. Analytics Integration: Custom integration with analytics tools allows greater monitoring and optimization of SEO efforts, giving insights into user behavior and website performance.

Custom web development creates a site that can meet your requirements and greatly improves performance on search engine results.

5. Flexibility of Hosting

Finally, going with a custom-designed website will give you more control over the website's hosting, particularly if you want to switch your hosting provider later. This flexibility of selecting a web hosting service give you advantages such as:

• Scalability beyond the limitations of a "shared" hosting environment
• Automated backup of data and files and backup locations that can be customized
• Direct server performance and uptime monitoring
• Configured and optimized setup for your chosen CMS
• Easy to design and set up staging environments
• Integration with other technologies and tools that otherwise would be hindered

6. Scalability

As your brand's image evolves with time, it's essential to establish an internet presence that will adjust to the changing requirements of your business. Custom web development ensures scalability over time. Here's how:

1. Enhanced Capabilities: Custom web development enables you to effortlessly integrate new features and functions, such as showcasing new products and services as your company expands.
2. Traffic Management: A custom-designed website can be designed to handle more traffic, which will ensure a smooth experience regardless of how large your audience grows.
3. Flexible Navigation: With a custom layout, your site's navigation structure can be adapted to meet your customers' ever-changing demands, offering a seamless user experience.
4. Features Integration: Custom development allows you to incorporate new features that update with your business model and keep your site current and efficient.
5. SEO and Design trends: Custom-designed websites can be upgraded to incorporate the most current SEO methods and design trends, helping you maintain your edge over your competitors.
6. Continuous Adaptation: A custom-designed website lets you upgrade with current development trends and technologies. This type of adaptation makes sure your website does not lose performance and relevancy in the current and future market. 

Custom web development fulfills your current requirements and helps prepare your website to grow in the future, making it a crucial investment in the long run. 

Disadvantages of Custom Web Development

While custom web development solutions offer many benefits, they do have some possible disadvantages which you should not overlook:

1. Higher Cost

A custom-designed website usually requires more time, effort, and resources than templates or web builders. The initial price for developing a custom website can be considerably higher.

For example, the development of an individual, customized website could cost between $5,000 and $15,000.

However, the cost of website development with complex features is anywhere between $30,000 and more than $100,000. The costs are based on the complexity and specific requirements of custom-designed projects, which require careful planning and expert development.

2. Longer Development Time

Making a custom website or web app from scratch requires a longer development time than using templates or already-built solutions. Designing, creating, and testing the custom features can prolong the project's time frame and delay the website's launch.

3. Technical Expertise Required

Custom development requires technical knowledge and experience in web development languages, frameworks, and software tools. Companies may require skilled developers or companies to ensure the project succeeds which may increase the total cost.

4. Maintenance and Updates

Custom-designed websites require continuous maintenance and updates to ensure the highest performance security and conformance with the latest web standards. This could involve frequent software updates, security patches, and bug fixes, which could require extra effort and time.

5. Dependency on Developers

Businesses could rely on development agencies or web app developers for regular support and updates, particularly if they need internal technical resources. However, interruptions or delays may arise if the agency or developer becomes unavailable or experiences staff turnover.

6. Risk of Over-Engineering

Since everything can be customized, businesses often over-do or over-engineer the web app or website. Adding more functions or features result in the code complexity and make the website bulky. As a result, maintaining and updating it becomes more expensive and also degrades the performance.

7. Limited Support and Documentation

Compared to the most popular CMS platforms or web builders, custom-designed website solutions may have a limited number of support resources and documents available. Businesses may face challenges in solving technical issues or implementing new features without comprehensive documentation or support from the community.

8. Compatibility and Browser Issues

Custom websites could have compatibility issues with different devices and browsers, which require additional tests and optimization efforts to ensure consistency in speed and quality of user interaction. This can be especially difficult for complex websites with custom functions. 

What is Template-Based Web Development?

Template-based web development uses predesigned site layouts that make it easier to follow the site creation process. Templates provide a pre-designed layout that lets users quickly arrange and modify elements like images, text, and multimedia components. This allows businesses and individuals to build a visually appealing and functional website without needing advanced technical or programming skills.

Benefits of Template-Based Websites 

Let's now look at the advantages and disadvantages of using templates for website design.

1. Rapid Development and Launching 

Using templates for web design lets you create a faster-functioning website. Since templates are pre-built layouts and designs, you do not have to spend time building every element of the website from the start.

You can also easily modify the template as your branding and content needs by simply choosing the one that best suits your needs.

It is now time to focus on personalizing your website with particular information, images, videos, branding, and much more. To do this, you don't require a lot of technological skills or design knowledge because these templates come with intuitive and user-friendly interfaces. They have a drag-and-drop editor that can be used to alter the template and create the necessary adjustments.

2. Lots of Design Options

Choose from a variety of templates available for web design. A myriad of platforms and marketplaces provide an array of template alternatives.

If you require a website template for your eCommerce store, blog, business, or portfolio, there are an abundance of options. The various templates are suited to different niches and industries.

These templates offer various design options regarding website structure and layouts. You can pick from single-page web templates and multi-page templates, grid-based layouts, card layouts, full-screen image layouts, and many other layouts for your website.

In addition to your layout options, you can customize your templates by altering the designs, colors, fonts, buttons, and other design elements. This allows you to create an appealing, modern site that represents your brand.

3. Suitable Functionality

Web templates come with a wide range of built-in features that can save you money and time. From editing capabilities to SEO, web templates make your life easier through different tools.

Many believe that time is as valuable as money, and tools that reduce the effort and burden of managing your site can significantly increase revenue. The flexibility offered by templates is an advantage to developers with all levels of experience. The templates provide a foundation upon which you can construct your online presence.

4. Cost-Effective Solution

Leveraging templates for websites can be an affordable alternative to custom-designed development. Templates usually have a lower cost and include many options and features, which could reduce overall development costs but still offer professional design and a user-friendly experience.

Drawbacks 

If you decide to build your website with templates, it's essential to be aware of some issues you could face, including:

1. Limited Customization

Templates can be limited in terms of customization options. While they can provide already-designed layouts and features, making large modifications or adding options that are beyond the template's capabilities may be difficult or impossible.

Additionally, as templates are offered to a variety of users, there is the risk of having a site similar to other websites that use the same template. This lack of distinctiveness could hinder a business's branding and make it difficult for companies to differentiate themselves from their competitors.

2. Overhead Code

Templates are often pre-written code with certain features and functions that aren't necessary for your particular website. This can lead to unnecessary extra code that could impact your website's performance and load times.

3. Potential for Bloat

Certain templates might include unneeded design elements and features, which can add weight to the site. This could negatively affect website speed, user experience, and search engine optimization (SEO) results.

4. Dependency on Template Providers

Users can become dependent on the template's provider for continual support, updates, and maintenance. In case of issues that require urgent resolution or cyber attacks, managing the conditions on your own would be difficult. This may worsen the issue, hurting your website or web app’s functionality, users’ experience, and business. 

5. Potential for Compatibility Issues

There is a chance that template-based websites or web apps might not work across multiple browsers, devices, or screen sizes. They may also lack compatibility with different plugins required for necessary functionality. 

Furthermore, limited customization and flexibility also restricts the integration of complex business logic and different systems. These are the reasons websites or web apps built using templates are not recommended where high-level customization and reliability is required across multiple environments. 

Key Differences of Custom Web Development Vs Website Templates

Customized web development services is an individual and customized approach to designing a site, and template web design provides a more affordable and efficient choice. The choice between custom and templates is ultimately based on the particular requirements.

Here are a few instances that show how the custom website development services vs. template designs differ.

1. Better Flexibility and Scalability

In terms of versatility, a custom website design is the better choice since the entire design is made from scratch. The most appealing aspect of a custom-designed website is the ability to add features according to market demand.

For instance, the current development of ChatGPT and generated AI text is causing businesses to incorporate these technologies into their websites and apps.

Customizing your website design lets you incorporate AI-based features to improve capabilities. However, templates do not provide the same flexibility.

In terms of scalability, customized website designs can assist you in scaling your site when operations expand. However, your website's template design is also scalable since it's designed to be easily altered or extended.

2. Mobile-Friendly Web Design

First, consider the purpose of having an optimized, mobile-friendly website design.

In simple terms, the mobile user base has grown dramatically over the last decade. Mobile searches account for over 59% of all searches on the internet, so optimizing your site's design to be mobile-friendly is logical.

Which one is the most user-friendly for mobile devices?

When comparing custom-designed designs with website templates, it is essential to consider the benefits of a mobile-friendly design.

Customized web design requires working with a seasoned website designer and developer to create an individual website tailored to your specific needs. This method gives you complete control over your site's design and ensures that every feature aligns with your brand's image and functional requirements. Custom designs are also adaptable, making users experience a completely mobile-friendly experience. This is essential given the fact that mobile traffic is growing.

However, templates are already designed and easily accessible on the internet. While they are more efficient and cost-effective, altering the templates to meet specific requirements or ensure smooth user experiences can be difficult. They may not be designed to work with phones, hindering their performance and usability. This could result in a less user-friendly experience, affecting your site's effectiveness and indexing.

3. Cost-Effective Website

Template-based websites tend to be less expensive than custom-designed websites. Because templates are pre-designed and setting up websites is considerably less expensive. You can buy a website template for only $50-$200. Implementation is more efficient and takes less effort, which makes it an affordable solution for those in need of a functioning website that doesn't require significant customization.

However, it's crucial to be aware of paid templates, as they may be more costly if not selected carefully. In addition, although templates are an affordable solution, they may not have the flexibility and customization options required to satisfy your business's specific requirements. This may limit your site's ability to stand out or meet the needs of a specific client.

The custom web design process involves developing a site manually from scratch, which usually means it is more costly. The price for a custom web design generally is between $5,000 and $10,000, but it could go up to $50,000 for highly complex or specific projects. This results from the necessity for experienced designers and developers and the time needed to create a custom website to meet specific business objectives.

Customized web design provides more flexibility and can be tailored to provide solutions that enhance performance and align with the brand's image. While it's a bigger initial investment, its return is higher over the long run since an individual-designed website will provide a distinctive and efficient web presence.

4. User-Friendly UI

Custom website design and templates can provide users with a great experience. However, there are some variations between these two strategies.

Custom website design entails creating and constructing a website specifically for the user's needs. The design, features, and user interface are developed to appeal to the intended users and the brand. This means that the site will give users a unique and personal experience.

However, customizing templates to provide personal experiences can be time-consuming. 

5. Short Development Time 

Templates are a great option for those with a short deadline as they require little programming, drastically decreasing the time it takes to create the website. However, relying on templates may hinder business performance.

While templates are easy to create, they can restrict your ability to fulfill your business's requirements. Custom-designed websites take more time when they are complex; however, they provide greater flexibility. This means that you can make rapid modifications to meet changing customer demands.

So Which Option is Better for You?

It all depends on what you intend to achieve by establishing a website or web app for your company as per your needs and requirements. We recommend custom web application development services because of the many possibilities they can offer you, including more customization functionality, accessibility, and reactivity.

Custom websites can be expensive; however, they should be considered as an investment with a long-term ROI that will benefit your business over time because they are scalable and can be changed as your business expands.

Template-based websites are typically efficient and quick, but they are also easier to master and are a great way to start expanding your online presence swiftly. However, websites designed with templates aren't suitable for long-term use, particularly if they are the major source of revenue. The designs may not fully align with your intended purpose, and any necessary modifications could result in higher costs.