Most people who try to build their first small business website on Wix<\/a> or Squarespace<\/a> expect it to take a few hours. In reality, it often turns into several weekends of trial and error, and the final result still looks slightly unfinished. This article covers why DIY website builders don’t work for small businesses: the costs that don\u2019t appear on the pricing page, the design limits that kick in the moment you try to make it look like yours, and what to actually do if you\u2019ve had enough. After helping more than 2,000 UK businesses set up online, Duport<\/a> consistantly sees the same frustrations – usually after someone has already spent several evenings trying to finish their site.<\/p>\n The biggest reason DIY website builders don’t work are hidden costs. Templates that are harder to customise than they look, and an email setup that catches almost everyone out. These issues don\u2019t appear in the marketing, they appear after you\u2019ve signed up. After you’ve spent a weekend building, and realised your \u201cfree\u201d site needs three paid upgrades before it does what you actually need. DIY builders rely on a freemium model. The free version gets you started, but most useful features only appear once you upgrade. It\u2019s not unusual to run into this. The platforms are designed so the free version is only a starting point. Most small business owners only discover this a few hours in, when the upsell notices start appearing.<\/p>\n A DIY website that looks and functions professionally costs between \u00a3220 and \u00a3400 per year once you add everything you actually need, not the \u00a30\u2013\u00a316\/month the headline price suggests. Squarespace Core<\/a> (the tier where most useful features unlock) runs around \u00a324\/month (\u00a3288\/year), with domain and email still on top. The comparison articles that rank at the top of Google almost never include these numbers. They quote the entry-level plan, which doesn\u2019t cover what a real business actually needs.<\/p>\n The main reason DIY sites look like DIY sites is that the templates are shared by hundreds of thousands of other businesses. On top of this, the free tier limits how far you can change them. Squarespace templates look clean and modern until you try to change the layout, move a section, or add something that isn\u2019t in the original design. Wix<\/a> gives you drag-and-drop freedom, but that freedom tends to lead to uneven spacing, inconsistent fonts, and mobile layouts that weren\u2019t properly checked. Creating a truly professional site requires a level of design judgment and time for iteration that most business owners simply don’t have<\/p>\n For most small business owners with a specific current problem, the choice between Wix and Squarespace doesn\u2019t fix the underlying issue. Both have the same hidden costs and the same limits once you push past the basics.<\/p>\n Wix gives you more freedom to move elements around, but it can take longer to learn. Squarespace is easier at the start because the templates look polished, however changing the layout can be restrictive. Both handle email through third-party integrations that need separate setup. Both require a paid plan upgrade before your contact forms, booking features, and analytics work properly.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve already spent several evenings or weekends on a DIY site and it still isn\u2019t doing what you need, switching platforms won\u2019t solve it.<\/p>\n Not routinely. Whether you build it yourself or have it done for you, your website needs to meet UK legal requirements: a privacy policy, cookie notice, terms and conditions, and the right business information in your footer. Most DIY builders don’t flag when something is missing.<\/p>\n Already have a website? Run it through our free compliance checker to see what’s there and what isn’t.<\/p>\n Check your website now<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n The simplest alternative to building your own website is a done-for-you build. You provide the content, someone else handles everything technical, and you get a live professional site without learning DNS.<\/p>\n Duport\u2019s website build service costs<\/a> \u00a3360, requires around 30 minutes of your time, and delivers a live professional site within 72 hours. That price includes your domain, business email, and hosting. Not as extras, but as part of what\u2019s included, we’ll even dicount the price to \u00a3144 if you mention this article. If you\u2019re also registering a limited company, the full bundle (formation + website + email + seven compliance tools) is \u00a3244 upfront and \u00a3194\/year to renew.<\/p>\n This means you don\u2019t have to deal with DNS settings, email configuration, or troubleshooting forms when something stops working. That\u2019s handled. You focus on your business.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re still weighing up whether to hire someone or try again yourself, we\u2019ve covered that decision in full in \u2192 Should I Hire Someone to Build My Website?<\/a> \u2014 including how to calculate the real cost of your own time. If you\u2019ve already spent more time on your website than it deserves, Duport\u2019s done-for-you website build<\/a> is \u00a3360 \u2014 one cost, no ongoing technical headaches, live in 72 hours. You provide the text and your logo. We handle the rest. Mention this article and we’ll dicount the price to \u00a3144.<\/p>\nWhat are the biggest problems with DIY website builders?<\/h2>\n
How much does a DIY website actually cost per year in the UK?<\/h2>\n
\nThe Wix Core plan<\/a> starts at around \u00a316\/month (\u00a3192\/year), but it doesn\u2019t include a business email address. Adding Google Workspace<\/a> for a professional @yourbusiness.co.uk email costs around \u00a34.60\/month (\u00a355\/year). A .co.uk domain is typically \u00a310\u201315\/year on top. You\u2019re now at around \u00a3226\/year minimum, before any premium apps, booking tools, or form features that sit behind a paywall.<\/p>\nWhy does a DIY site still look unprofessional?<\/h2>\n
Wix or Squarespace: does it matter which one you use?<\/h2>\n
Are self build websites legally compliant in UK?<\/h2>\n
What\u2019s the alternative to building my own website?<\/h2>\n
\nFor a full breakdown of what to do if you’ve given up on you’re DIY website \u2014 see \u2192 I\u2019ve Given Up on Wix, Here\u2019s What to Do Next<\/a><\/p>\nReady to stop fighting with it?<\/h2>\n