Template vs. Custom Website: Which One’s Right for Your Business?

What Is a Template Website?

A template site uses a pre-designed layout (from platforms like Webflow, WordPress, or Squarespace). It’s fast, affordable, and easy to launch  -  great for early-stage startups.

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What Is a Custom Website?

Custom sites are designed and built from scratch  -  tailored to your brand, goals, and user journeys. They take longer and cost more, but offer more flexibility and polish.

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Pros of Template Websites

• Lower upfront cost
• Faster turnaround (1–3 weeks)
• Built-in responsiveness
• Ideal for MVPs, portfolios, landing pages

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Cons of Template Websites

• Design constraints
• Can feel generic
• Harder to scale or customize

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Pros of Custom Websites

• 100% tailored to your brand
• Built for your business logic (e.g. SaaS onboarding flows)
• Future-proof and scalable

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Cons of Custom Websites

• Higher cost and longer timeline
• Requires more stakeholder input

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What We Recommend

• Use templates if you’re early-stage, validating an idea, or have limited content.
• Go custom if you’ve found product-market fit, want to stand out, or need complex UX.

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At Wingmate, our LeadMate and TeamMate packages support both  -  depending on your stage.