Building a website yourself is easier now than ever. With many third-party builders on the market, many entrepreneurs think this is all they need to build a great website for their company -- but is that really the case?

What is a website builder?

A website builder is a tool that helps you build and launch a website without much coding experience. Oftentimes, those builders have a drag and drop interface, making it fairly easy to build out components. You can even pick a template to start with, which you can further customize to your liking. Some examples of website builders include Wix, Weebly, Squarespace, Webflow, and more.

Where is the catch?

Everything that sounds too good to be true … probably is, and website builders are no different. Using website builders has become the go-to method for new entrepreneurs, or people looking to build an ok website in a week. Here are the benefits of using a website builder:

Pros:

1. Ease of Use: website builders often have a drag-and-drop interface, making it easy for anyone to put together a couple of pages without any coding experience.

2. Cost-Effective: most website builders offer flexible plans that cover hosting and maintenance, and that most small companies can easily afford.

3. Templates and Themes: if you don’t have much of a design eye, most website builders come with out-of-the-box templates and themes, which can be quickly customized to match your brand and colors.

4. Maintenance and Updates: website builders are responsible for keeping up with technical upgrades and security, thus taking this responsibility off your shoulders.

So far so good, right? However, many young entrepreneurs focus too much on the positives and forget to evaluate the full picture. Sadly, website builders come with some easy-to-miss limitations that could hurt your company long-term.

Cons:

1. Limited Customization: even though you can pick a template, change its colors, images and maybe move some elements around - at the end of the day, customization options will be limited. If you want a fully unique and tailored website, website builders will be of little help. If you are looking to implement any sort of APIs or advanced features, you won’t be able to get there with a generic builder either.

2. Scalability Challenges: as your company and brand grow, your website might require more advanced features - whether it’s a unique API integration, or custom code snippets - website builders can hinder your ability to meet the evolving needs of your business.

3. Dependency on the Provider: by using a website builder, you are dependent on the provider's platform and infrastructure. If the website builder goes out of business or changes its features - you will be impacted with little to no control over the outcome.

4. You do not own your Website: the most shocking fact is that when you use a website builder, you most likely don’t own any part of it. You don’t own the designs, the data or even the content. If you decide to leave, there might not even be an option to export any part of it. Shocking, right? Well, turns out cheap comes with a price.

So, what should I do?

The best alternative to using a website builder is of course to build an application from scratch, the way we do at Hyperspace Ventures. By doing so, you will have:

1. Unlimited Flexibility and Customization: imagine being able to build out the animations of your dreams or integrate a customized API that speaks to several mobile apps. Anything you have in mind, we can build.

2. Scalability: we build with the future in mind. When building a new product, it’s important to understand your future goals, and pick technologies that will benefit you long-term.

3. Full Ownership: unlike other web development companies or website builders, working with Hyperspace Ventures will always put you first as an owner. You will own every line of code and your account from day one.

Remember, when you hire a web development company like Hyperspace, you are investing in a partnership that will last for years. Reach out to us before trying that website builder.