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.

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.

Pros of Template Websites

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

Cons of Template Websites

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

Pros of Custom Websites

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

Cons of Custom Websites

  • Higher cost and longer timeline
  • Requires more stakeholder input

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.

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

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