Website builders like Wix, Squarespace, and Shopify have become incredibly popular in the UK, promising an easy way to create a professional-looking site without coding. While they offer convenience, they also come with significant drawbacks that can hurt your business in the long run.
Around 70% of our new clients and enquiries are from business owners who have attempted to build their own website, and it hasn’t gone well. Either they simply can’t get the results they want – which is to be expected as they are not trained website designers. They manage to build the website but it is not working as expected, and has many errors on it.
Or the most common reason people contact us: they were told they could build their own website for a certain price, and after being charged extra for any extras they want to add to their site, they have now paid 3 times the amount they were originally quoted, and have had to come to a professional web designer.
We believe it’s extremely irresponsible for these website builder companies to suggest that people without any web designing experience at all, can “easily” build their own website. We even saw an ad last night that “anyone can build their own website IN MINUTES using the power of their AI website builder” – this is pure nonsense!
If you have ran into issues trying to build your own website, and it hasn’t gone as well as you thought, we will never judge you, and will help where we can. And it will end up costing less than a website builder will cost you. Please contact Nick: 07951 914412 (call or WhatsApp us)
Here are the biggest problems with relying on website builders in the UK:
1. Limited Customisation & Generic Designs
Most website builders use templates, which means your site will look similar to thousands of others. Even with minor tweaks, you’re restricted by the platform’s design limitations. For businesses wanting a unique brand identity, this can be a major disadvantage.
2. Poor SEO Performance
Many website builders have weak SEO tools, making it harder to rank on Google. Issues like slow loading speeds, bloated code, and limited meta tag controls can hurt your visibility. In the UK’s competitive market, poor SEO means losing potential customers to competitors with better-optimised sites.
3. Hidden Costs & Lock-In Pricing
While website builders advertise low upfront costs, many features (like custom domains, eCommerce tools, or removing ads) require expensive upgrades. Additionally, migrating away from these platforms is difficult—you often lose content or functionality, effectively locking you into their ecosystem.
4. Slow Loading Speeds
UK users expect fast websites—Google research shows that 53% of mobile visitors abandon sites that take longer than 3 seconds to load. Many website builders add unnecessary code and rely on shared hosting, leading to slower performance.
5. Lack of Scalability
As your business grows, website builders may struggle to handle increased traffic or advanced functionality. Need a custom booking system, membership portal, or complex database? Most drag-and-drop platforms can’t support these without clunky workarounds.
6. Ownership & Data Control Issues
With website builders, you don’t truly “own” your site—if the platform shuts down or suspends your account (e.g., due to payment issues), you could lose everything. Self-hosted websites (like WordPress) give you full control over your data and hosting.
7. Weak Security & Compliance Risks
UK businesses must comply with GDPR, but some website builders lack robust security features. Shared hosting environments are also more vulnerable to hacking. If customer data is compromised, your business could face legal consequences.
The Better Alternative: Custom-Built Websites
For businesses serious about growth, investing in a professionally built website (using WordPress or a custom-coded solution) offers:
✔ Better SEO & faster speeds
✔ Full design flexibility
✔ True ownership & scalability
✔ Stronger security & compliance
While website builders work for simple projects, they often become restrictive as your business expands. If you want a site that stands out, ranks well, and grows with you, a custom solution is the smarter long-term choice.
Need a fast, secure, and high-converting website? Get in touch for a free consultation on building a site tailored to your audience. 🚀