What is the difference between Custom Design and Template

Custom Design

PROS

Custom websites are unique. Uniqueness is an indispensable attribute to some businesses, so this is an added advantage. Another advantage is that custom websites are highly adaptable both in terms of design and functionality.

They are SEO-friendly. You can build it lean and search engine friendly.

As your business grows, your website will require to grow and adapt as well. In CMS design, if your web developer implements the right technology for that growth, the process will be smooth and flawless and will not require large investments in the future.

In this era of mobile devices, all custom made, responsive website can and should be designed to be mobile-friendly to rank higher in Google searches.

CONS

Custom-designed sites are more expensive. The expenses you will have to incur with a custom website are much higher than purchasing an affordable template that you usually just pay for once.

Custom sites take longer to construct, considering the amount of work that building from scratch requires.

Templates

PROS

Templates are more budget-friendly. There are plenty of free templates and premium templates at quite affordable prices.

Another advantage is that sites using templates have a much shorter development time. If you are working with a short time-frame and want something fast, then using templates can save you weeks. All the coding is already done you just have to adjust the graphic design, add your content and your site is good to go.

CONS

Pre-designed templates are less flexible. They are customizable but only to a certain extent. Plus, templates are designed on particular frameworks and structured systems that only adapt to certain technologies.

Templates usually come with less support. Some templates do come with 24/7 support but are not common and you have to rely on quite limited support.

Most templates are not automatically SEO-friendly. They may come with some built-in SEO solutions, but they require extensive customization to be truly SEO-friendly.

Another disadvantage is that other companies may be using the same template as yours, so your site is not as unique and does not stand out amongst others. It is also not guaranteed to be responsive on all devices.

The main difference between the two is obviously that with a custom site you will have to build from scratch, while with templates if you go with a theme, you get an almost pre-made site.

Both options have their pros and cons. Clients and businesses that have more advanced needs, a robust, highly customized site would be the better option, provided they are willing to invest both the time and the resources into designing it. On the contrary, clients who need a fast, simple and reliable solution for a starter website should opt for a template website.

Now that you are aware of all the pros and cons of both options, the choice is up to you. Consider your needs and resources and choose the best solution!