Squarespace and Wix charge a monthly or yearly subscription, and the site itself costs you your own time: choosing a template, writing every page, finding photographs and keeping it up to date. A custom website costs more up front because a designer does that work, and builds a site around your business rather than around a template.
So the honest comparison is not subscription against fee. It is your time and a template against a professional's time and a site made for you.
What the builders charge
Both builders publish their plans and explain their own costs. Squarespace has a guide to how much it costs to build a website, and Wix lists its plans on its pricing page and explains how much a Wix website costs. Prices vary by plan, by country and by whether you pay monthly or yearly, so check the current US prices on their own pages rather than trusting a number quoted elsewhere.
What the subscription buys is the platform: hosting, the editor, templates and support. It does not buy design, writing or photography.
What a custom website costs
A custom website is priced by the work, not by the month. Our own prices are published: a Basic Site (home, about and contact) starts from $3,000 and takes one to two weeks; a Signature Site, designed from scratch for your business, starts from $12,500 and takes two to three weeks; and a Full Commission, a Signature Site with an AI assistant behind it, starts from $25,000. Each ends in a fixed-price proposal; see our pricing.
What you get for the difference
| Squarespace or Wix, built yourself | Custom website | |
|---|---|---|
| Who designs it | You, from a template | A designer, for your business |
| Who writes it | You | Written or edited with you |
| Photography | Yours, or stock | Planned, sourced or shot properly |
| Look | Shared with other sites on the same template | Yours alone |
| Your time | Many evenings, then ongoing | A few meetings and reviews |
| Ongoing cost | The subscription | Hosting, domain and any support you choose |
When a builder is the right choice
- You are starting out and need a simple, tidy presence quickly.
- You enjoy design and writing, and have the time.
- The website is not how clients choose you; they come by referral and just check you exist.
A good template, used with care, beats a poor custom site every time.
When custom pays for itself
- Your clients judge you by taste. Interior designers, architects, restoration firms and boutique practices are hired partly on how they present themselves.
- One new client is worth more than the site. If a single commission pays for the build, the maths is simple.
- You need the site to do work: answer enquiries, book consultations, rank for the questions clients actually search.
- Your time is expensive. Evenings spent fiddling with a template have a cost too.
For what the best sites in one field have in common, see Interior designer website examples: what the best ones do.
Questions to ask any designer
- Is the price fixed, and what exactly is included?
- Who writes the words, and who provides the photography?
- Will I own the domain, the content and the design?
- What are the ongoing costs after launch, in writing?
- How will the site be found on Google and by AI assistants?
Where Bay House fits
We build websites for people whose clients judge them by how they present themselves: interior designers, authors, podcasters, restoration firms, law firms and candidates. Every site is designed for the business, with real photography handled properly and pages written to answer clients' questions. Basic Site from $3,000, Signature Site from $12,500 and Full Commission from $25,000, each with a fixed-price proposal. For how a site gets found once it is live, read How do you get your business found on Google and in AI search?
Common questions
Is a custom website worth it over Squarespace or Wix?
If your website wins you clients worth thousands, usually yes, because design, writing and photography drive that. If you need a simple online presence on a small budget, a builder may be enough.
Can a web designer build my site on Squarespace or Wix?
Yes, many do. You get professional design on a familiar platform, but you stay within the builder's templates and limits and keep paying its subscription.
What ongoing costs does a custom website have?
Hosting, the domain name and any updates or support you want. Ask for these in writing before you start, alongside the build price.
