Website builders like Wix, Squarespace, and WordPress.com make it possible to build your own website. But is it actually cheaper? Let's do the math.
The DIY Costs
Direct Financial Costs
- Platform subscription: $12-40/month ($144-480/year)
- Domain name: $12-20/year
- Premium template: $50-200 one-time
- Stock photos: $50-200
- Premium plugins/add-ons: $0-200/year
First year total: $256-1,100
Time Investment
Building a decent website yourself typically takes:
- Learning the platform: 5-10 hours
- Designing and building: 20-40 hours
- Content creation: 10-20 hours
- Testing and fixing issues: 5-10 hours
Total time: 40-80 hours
Calculating Opportunity Cost
What's your time worth? If you bill $50/hour:
40 hours × $50 = $2,000 in opportunity cost
80 hours × $50 = $4,000 in opportunity cost
True first-year cost: $2,256 - $5,100
The Professional Costs
Direct Financial Costs
- Website development: $1,000-3,000 one-time
- Domain: $12-20/year
- Hosting: $10-30/month ($120-360/year)
- Optional maintenance: $50-100/month
First year total: $1,132 - $4,580
Time Investment
- Initial consultation: 1-2 hours
- Feedback and review: 3-5 hours
- Content preparation: 5-10 hours
Total time: 9-17 hours
True Cost
At $50/hour: 9-17 hours × $50 = $450-850
True first-year cost: $1,582 - $5,430
The Comparison
| DIY | Professional | |
|---|---|---|
| Financial cost | $256-1,100 | $1,132-4,580 |
| Time cost | $2,000-4,000 | $450-850 |
| Total (Year 1) | $2,256-5,100 | $1,582-5,430 |
What DIY Doesn't Give You
- Professional design: Templates only go so far
- SEO optimization: Most DIY sites have poor SEO
- Performance: Website builders are often slow
- Custom functionality: Limited to what's available
- Strategic guidance: No one to advise you
- Support when things break: You're on your own
When DIY Makes Sense
- Personal projects or hobbies
- Very tight budgets with no alternative
- Testing an idea before investing more
- You have web design experience
- Simple placeholder while building a business
When Professional Makes Sense
- Your business depends on looking credible
- You need to rank on Google
- Your time is better spent on your business
- You want results, not a learning project
- Custom functionality is needed
- You value having expert support
The Long-Term View
DIY sites often get rebuilt professionally within 1-2 years when business owners realize the limitations. That's double the cost.
Professional sites, built right, can serve you for 3-5+ years with minor updates.
The Bottom Line
DIY isn't necessarily cheaper when you factor in time. And the result is typically lower quality—which can cost you in missed opportunities.
At GMT, we make professional websites accessible. Our sites start from $800 and include everything you need to look credible and compete online.
Not sure which route is right for you? Let's discuss your specific situation.