AI Website Builders vs Custom Design: Which Is Right for Your Business?

Wix now has AI that designs your website. Framer builds pages automatically. Hostinger promises a full site in minutes. So why would anyone pay thousands for custom design?

It's a fair question. Here's the honest answer about when AI builders make sense and when they'll cost you more than they save.

How AI Website Builders Work

AI website builders ask questions about your business, then generate a site automatically. They use templates as a foundation but customise layout, colours, and content based on your answers.

Popular options include:

Wix ADI (Artificial Design Intelligence): Asks about your business type, then generates a complete site with pages, content suggestions, and images.

Framer AI: Generates designs from text prompts. Good for landing pages and portfolios.

Hostinger AI: Claims to build a complete site in minutes based on your business description.

10Web: WordPress-focused AI that generates sites and handles hosting.

The promise: professional-looking website, minimal effort, low cost.

What AI Builders Do Well

Speed

You can have a working website in hours instead of weeks. For some situations, that matters.

Low Barrier to Entry

No design skills or technical knowledge required. Answer questions, make selections, publish.

Cost

Most AI builders cost $15-$50 per month, including hosting. That's significantly less than custom design.

Good Enough for Some Uses

Simple portfolio sites
Landing pages for testing ideas
Placeholder sites while you build something better
Side projects that don't need to impress
Personal websites

If you need something basic, fast, and cheap, AI builders can deliver.

Where AI Builders Fall Short

Generic Design

AI builders draw from template libraries. Your site will look similar to thousands of others. For businesses where differentiation matters, this is a problem.

We regularly see competitor businesses with nearly identical AI-generated sites. Neither stands out.

Limited Customisation

You can tweak colours and move things around, but fundamental layout changes are often impossible. You're stuck within the AI's design constraints.

Want a specific interaction? Custom section layout? Unique navigation pattern? Often not possible.

SEO Limitations

AI builders often produce:

Bloated code that slows page loading
Limited control over technical SEO elements
Restricted URL structure options
Generic meta descriptions
Cookie-cutter page structures

If search visibility matters, these limitations hurt.

Scalability Problems

A 5-page brochure site works fine on AI builders. But as your site grows, limitations become painful:

Adding complex features requires workarounds or isn't possible
E-commerce functionality is often basic
Integrations with other tools are limited
Performance degrades with more content

Vendor Lock-In

Your site lives on their platform. If you outgrow them or they change pricing, migrating is often complicated or impossible. You may need to start over.

With custom design, you own everything and can move hosts freely.

Performance Issues

AI builders prioritise ease of use over performance. Sites often have:

Unnecessary code bloat
Unoptimised images
Third-party scripts slowing things down
Mobile experiences that aren't truly optimised

Core Web Vitals scores are frequently poor.

When Custom Design Makes Sense

Your Website Is a Business Asset

If your website generates leads, makes sales, or represents your brand to potential clients, investment in quality pays off.

A $10,000 website that converts 3% of visitors is worth more than a $200 site that converts 1%.

You Need to Stand Out

In competitive markets, generic design is a disadvantage. Custom design lets you look different, communicate your unique value, and create memorable experiences.

SEO and Performance Matter

If you need to rank in search results, custom development typically delivers better:

Page speed scores
Technical SEO implementation
Content structure flexibility
Schema markup implementation

You Need Specific Functionality

Booking systems, custom calculators, complex e-commerce, member areas, integrations with business systems. Custom development handles what templates can't.

Long-Term Thinking

Custom sites are built to grow with your business. Adding features, expanding content, adapting to new needs. The foundation supports future development.

Comparison: AI Builder vs Custom Design

| Factor | AI Builder | Custom Design | | ------------------ | ------------------ | ----------------------- | | Cost | $200-$600/year | $4,000-$20,000 upfront | | Timeline | Hours to days | 6-12 weeks | | Uniqueness | Template-based | Fully custom | | SEO capability | Limited | Full control | | Performance | Often poor | Optimised | | Scalability | Constrained | Flexible | | Ownership | Platform-dependent | You own it | | Support | Self-service | Professional assistance |

The Middle Ground

There's a spectrum between fully AI-generated and fully custom:

Template-based with customisation: Start with a professional theme, customise significantly with design and development skills. Better than AI, cheaper than full custom.

Page builders with custom design: Tools like Elementor or Webflow used by professionals. More flexibility than AI builders, less than fully coded solutions.

Custom design, standard platform: Custom design implemented on WordPress or similar. Professional appearance with manageable ongoing costs.

Our Recommendation for NZ Businesses

Use AI builders if:

You need something immediately and cheap
The website is secondary to your business (not lead generation)
You're testing a business idea before investing
It's a personal project or side venture

Choose custom design if:

Your website generates business (leads, sales, enquiries)
You compete in a market where appearance matters
Search visibility is important
You need functionality beyond basic pages
You're building for the long term

Consider the middle ground if:

You have limited budget but real business needs
You want better than AI but can't justify full custom
You're early-stage but planning to grow

What AI Builders Actually Cost

The monthly fee isn't the full picture:

Time spent fighting limitations
Opportunity cost of poor conversions
Future cost of rebuilding when you outgrow it
SEO disadvantage from technical limitations

A cheap website that doesn't perform isn't actually cheap.

Making the Decision

Ask yourself:

Does my website need to generate business?
Do I compete in a visually competitive market?
Do I need search visibility?
Will I need features beyond basic pages?
Am I building for years, not months?

If yes to most of these, invest in custom. If no to most, AI builders might be fine for now.

Need help deciding? Get in touch and we'll give you an honest assessment of what makes sense for your situation.