Building a Website in 2026

Three common ways to get online—builders, WordPress, or custom code—each trade ease and upfront cost against flexibility, integrations, and long-term spend.

Website builders (Squarespace, Wix, GoDaddy, etc.)

• Easiest option for non-technical users
• Drag-and-drop interface or templates
• Change mainly text, images, colors
• Low upfront effort
• Recurring cost (~$20–$50/month)
• Over time becomes expensive (e.g., ~$4,000 over 10 years)
• Onboarding/forms can be limited or require extra paid plugins/services
• Some integrations (e.g., scheduling tools) may not work well or be unsupported
• Template-based design limits flexibility
• Often recognizable “template look”
• Can feel restrictive across mobile, tablet, and desktop layouts

WordPress

• Hosting is separate from WordPress itself
• Uses plugins, themes, and sometimes page builders
• More setup and configuration than website builders
• Requires additional plugins for many features
• Plugin/theme ecosystem adds complexity and cost
• Can become expensive (~$100/month in some setups)
• Over time may total a large sum (e.g., ~$12,000 over 10 years)
• Can require developer support for optimization
• Can be used as a CMS for content updates
• Suitable for updating text, prices, services, etc.
• Can still feel clunky and slow
• Performance often weaker due to plugin load
• Common for blogs and content-heavy sites

Custom JavaScript websites (e.g., Next.js / Node.js)

• Requires programming knowledge
• AI can generate ~90% of code, but a human developer is still needed for guidance and fixes
• Historically expensive (full dev teams); now significantly cheaper with AI assistance
• Pricing examples:
  • ~$100 per page (larger pages)
  • ~$100–$200 for very simple sites
  • ~$500 for a 5-page site
  • ~$1,000 for a 10-page site
• Hosting can be very cheap (e.g., ~$0.32/month even with traffic in some setups)
• Very scalable and low ongoing cost
• Portable across hosting providers (e.g., AWS, Cloudflare)
• Highest performance option
• Uses optimization techniques (tree shaking, image optimization, etc.)
• Fastest load speeds compared to other options
• Maximum design flexibility; custom layouts (not template-restricted)
• Supports advanced animations (e.g., GSAP / GreenSock Animation Platform)
• Supports 3D graphics (e.g., Three.js)
• Integrates more reliably with external tools and services
• Can use a CMS alongside (including WordPress or others) for content editing
• Content updates can be automated or handled via developer workflows (CI/CD)
• Best long-term option if upfront investment is acceptable
• Minimal ongoing platform fees unless changes are needed