Custom website vs. website builder: how to actually decide

The real question

"Custom or builder?" is the wrong framing. The right one is: what does this site actually have to do? The answer usually decides it for you.

Choose a builder when

• —You need something simple online fast.
• —Conversion and speed aren't make-or-break.
• —You'll maintain it yourself and won't add complex features.

Choose a custom build when

• —The site is a real channel for customers, not a placeholder.
• —Speed, SEO, and conversion materially affect revenue.
• —You need booking, payments, integrations, a login, or AI.
• —You want to own it, not rent a platform that limits you.

The hidden cost of "cheap"

Builders feel cheaper until you count the conversion you leave on the table, the speed penalty, and the rebuild when you outgrow them. For a brochure, that's fine. For a growth channel, it rarely is.

A two-minute way to decide

Describe your project to StudAI Works. If a builder genuinely serves you better, we'll say so — we'd rather tell you the truth than sell you a build you don't need.