If you’re contemplating a website redesign or the launch of a new website, you are probably weighing the pros and cons of a template-based versus a custom website.
In case you haven’t yet reached a decision whether a redesign is necessary, this article analysing the most significant reasons for a website redesign will guide you on this procedure, especially in ways that will help you define any problematic areas.
Maybe you have attended long-hour meetings trying to figure out ways to enhance your online presence, or cannot pinpoint the value that a template or custom website will add to your business.
We have gathered the advantages and disadvantages in three main areas that affect your business goals, in order to help you with your decision:
Brand image and uniqueness
Clearly, a website that is fresh, up-to-date with the latest trends, that is easy to navigate and states your goals, your services and your vision, is an asset every modern business should claim. It is the point of reference for all your customers, partners, employees and future collaborators, a place where they all meet and can have access to on a 24/7 basis, each and every day of the year.
The voice, color palette, information architecture and overall user experience should be unique, as is your business.
Surely, if you have programmed a new business or product launch and are short of time and budget, a template-based website will do the job and will not cost you much, but, in the long run, there will be many disadvantages affecting the image of your brand. Templates might be used by other businesses, with the same colors and layout, making you hard to stand out.
| Template | Custom | ||
| Advantages | Disadvantages | Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Will give you a website in short time and at a lower budget | The template is probably being used by other businesses | Αbsolutely unique and on-brand website, highlighting your values, voice, work Exceptional user experience that reflects your services and what you stand for |
It costs more and takes more time to develop and be launched |
However, if you still need to launch a website for various purposes on a short time and budget, there are solutions we can help you with. A one-page website or landing pages and strategy dedicated to the product and/or service you need to get online will guarantee the results you need to showcase.
Ability to grow over time
Every business sets a goal for growth in the years to come. It organizes its resources, its services, its budget and strategies in a way that gets it closer to its goals of ROIs and revenues.
When a business grows, it needs more space online to communicate its progress. This means more pages, submenus, more online campaigns, more online assets being interlinked or a bigger need to connect offline with online actions, customer service, etc.
A template-based site will have little to no capability to accommodate such changes, which means that every time stakeholders will be called to make a business decision, they will be having an extra headache of how to incorporate this decision into the company’s digital assets.
| Template | Custom | ||
| Advantages | Disadvantages | Advantages | Disadvantages |
| --- | Templates are not flexible for large updates, making business growth communication slowly reach a dead end The solutions that will be offered to quickly fix the problem might not be able to follow the original brand identity given on the website, making the company seem sloppy |
Custom websites offer a huge array of updates and extras and are always ready to serve your business needs All upgrades follow the branding rules of your company, creating a recognizable identity |
The cost depends on the need (integrations, expansions, customed tools). More complex development efforts demand more budget. |
Performance, functionality, responsiveness
This is an area of great significance for every website. With templates, you will get an overall beautiful website, but its functionality and quality will be questioned. Sooner than later, it will not be able to support its own layout, because templates are not being updated often, with their components ending in outdated formats and presentation.
Also, it is rare that a template will provide 100% responsiveness in any device and be able to function smoothly on every browser, especially when browsers often demand updates themselves.
In other words, technology moves pretty fast and templates are more likely to move slowly, leaving template-bases websites behind.
| Template | Custom | ||
| Advantages | Disadvantages | Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Functional on the surface | Most templates are not SEO friendly Difficult to update and keep a specific layout Probably not responsive to all devices Not all browsers are supported Customization is very limited Business ideas for customer growth cannot be implemented There is no dedicated team to support you |
Built on SEO strategy from scratch Any updates are supported by designers, developers and strategists Designed and tested to work on any device and browser Easy-to-apply updates on technology, components, browsers Room for business ideas implementation that bring customers Built on the latest technology A dedicated team of developers and technicians is always there for you |
The process takes longer and it affects the budget, since many professionals apply their knowledge |
We understand that making a decision about a website is not easy and that you have to take into consideration many factors that affect various departments in your business.
You can always check out a detailed description of our Web Design and Development services and contact us to discuss your Digital Transformation plans.
