Compare your options
$1,500 Website vs. Wix & Squarespace
Website builders look cheap and easy at first. Here's what they really cost over time, and when a professionally built site you own makes more sense.
The short answer
Website builders are a fine choice if you enjoy designing and writing your own site and don't mind a monthly bill. If you'd rather have a professional do it, own the result, and stop paying every month, a $1,500 custom site usually costs less within about five years.
| 1500DollarSite.com | DIY website builders | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | $1,500 one time | Low or free to start |
| Ongoing cost | No required monthly fees. Domain only, about $10–$20 per year | Monthly or annual plan, commonly about $15–$50+ per month for business features |
| Who does the work | We design, write, and build it | You do, unless you hire help |
| Copywriting | Included | You write it |
| Ownership | You own the code, content, and accounts | Your site lives on their platform and can't be moved as-is |
| If you stop paying | Nothing happens. It's yours. | Your site goes offline |
| Speed and SEO foundations | Lightweight static site with local SEO setup | Good, but heavier pages, and SEO setup is up to you |
Competitor details are general and based on publicly listed pricing models at the time of writing. Always check current pricing before you decide.
When a website builder makes sense
Builders like Wix and Squarespace are genuinely good products. If you enjoy design, like tinkering, have time to write all of your own content, and are comfortable paying a subscription indefinitely, a builder can work well.
When it doesn’t
Most small business owners we talk to don’t want to become web designers. They’ve started a builder site, gotten stuck halfway, or ended up with something that looks a little homemade. Meanwhile, the monthly charge keeps renewing.
With a $1,500 site from us:
- A professional does the work. We plan, write, design, and build the site.
- You own it. The code is in a repository you control, and hosting is in your name.
- The cost stops. After launch, there’s no required monthly fee.
The math over time
| $1,500 website | Builder at ~$25/month | |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $1,500 + domain | ~$300 + your time |
| Year 3 | $1,500 + domain | ~$900 + your time |
| Year 5 | $1,500 + domain | ~$1,500 + your time |
| Year 7 | $1,500 + domain | ~$2,100 + your time |
Builder plans and prices vary and change often, so check current pricing. But the pattern holds: subscription costs keep adding up, while a website you own doesn’t.
Common questions
At first, yes. But at roughly $25 per month, a builder costs about $300 per year. After about five years, you’ll have paid more than $1,500 and still won’t own your site. And that doesn’t count the hours you spend building it.
Builder sites can’t be exported as working code, so we rebuild your site from scratch, usually with improved design and content. We’ll help you move your domain so nothing is lost.
Not with drag-and-drop. Simple text edits are straightforward, and we’ll show you how, but most clients send occasional changes to us as one-off updates instead.
More comparisons
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Book a free, no-pressure consultation. We'll talk about your business, what your site needs, and whether the $1,500 package is the right fit.