Website

AI website builder or custom website?

An honest comparison so you know which fits your situation.

By Loek Delahaye · Senior software architectUpdated: 22 June 2026

In short

Builders (Wix, Squarespace, Framer) work well for simple sites at €15–€40/month
Custom is smarter for conversion optimisation, specific functionality or brand positioning
Delahaye Solutions: Starter €1,250 or Business €2,950, live in 5–7 working days

Builder or custom: the answer depends on one question

An AI website builder works fine if you want an information page with standard functionality and you are willing to handle the ongoing maintenance yourself. The moment conversion, brand differentiation or specific integrations matter, a builder falls short. Wix, Squarespace and Framer save you the build, but they do not make the decision about what goes on that site.

When to choose what

Builder or custom: the four criteria

Four situations that determine which direction suits you.

Simple information page

For a local business, freelancer or hobby project with 2–5 pages, Wix (free to €17/month) or Squarespace (€14–€23/month) is sufficient. You get something live quickly and the barrier is low.

Portfolio or blog

Framer and Squarespace are strong for visual portfolios. Framer has AI design assistance and Squarespace has built-in blog tooling. Both limit you on custom CSS and your own code.

Conversion-focused business site

Do you need A/B testing, a specific landing page structure or CRM integrations? Then custom development is more efficient. Builders require workarounds that become hard to maintain later.

Strong brand positioning

Builders deliver templated designs. If you want a site that clearly stands apart from your competitors, custom development is the more direct route. Starter €1,250 or Business €2,950 at Delahaye Solutions.

Cost and timeline

Honest comparison

AI website builders have low upfront costs but ongoing monthly fees: Wix €17–€32/month, Squarespace €14–€23/month, Webflow €14–€35/month, Framer €10–€30/month. After five years the gap with a one-off custom build is smaller than it looks. Custom development at Delahaye Solutions: Starter €1,250 or Business €2,950 one-off, hosting via an optional Care plan (€39–€89/month). Timeline: 5–7 working days. Builders: 1–3 days to go live, but continuous self-maintenance required.

Frequently asked questions

Questions about AI builders vs custom websites

What does an AI website builder cost per month?

Wix costs €17–€32/month (paid plans), Squarespace €14–€23/month, Webflow €14–€35/month and Framer €10–€30/month. You also pay for a custom domain name (€10–€15/year). Free plans generally show the builder’s own branding.

What does a custom website cost at Delahaye Solutions?

Starter is €1,250 one-off (5–7 working days), Business is €2,950 one-off. Hosting and maintenance via an optional Care plan (€39–€89/month). Fixed prices, no open-ended billing.

Can a Wix or Squarespace site rank well in Google?

Basic SEO (titles, descriptions, sitemap) is available in every builder. For technical SEO (Core Web Vitals, structured data, canonical tags) you have more control with custom development. Builders limit how deep you can go with schema.org JSON-LD and server-side rendering.

Can I migrate my Wix site to a custom website later?

Not directly: the content (text, images) comes with you, but the technical structure is rebuilt from scratch. That is not a disaster, but plan for it. A migration from Wix to Next.js takes us 3–5 working days.

Is Framer the same as a custom website?

Framer is a no-code builder with strong visual capabilities and AI design assistance. It is not custom development: you are on the Framer platform, have limited server-side logic and depend on Framer for hosting and updates. An excellent choice for portfolio sites; less so for a conversion-focused business site.

Which AI website builder is best in 2026?

For portfolio and blog: Framer (strong design, AI assistance) or Squarespace (simple, built-in blog). For e-commerce: Shopify. For budget and simplicity: Wix. For teams with technical skills: Webflow. None of them replace custom development when conversion or brand differentiation matters.

Want an honest recommendation for what fits your situation?

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