An honest comparison
Weebly vs. a Custom-Built Website
Weebly was one of the first drag and drop builders, and plenty of local sites still run on it. Here is where it stands today next to a site built from scratch.
Side by Side
Where the two paths actually differ
Not a list of reasons to be scared off Weebly. Just what each path really costs you, in money, time, and flexibility.
Cost
Weebly
Free to start with Weebly ads on your site, then about $10 to $26 a month to remove them and use your own domain. It is one of the cheapest builders.
Custom build
One build price, starting at $997 for a landing page or $1,997 for a full site. Hosting from $59 a month if you want it handled.
Time investment
Weebly
Easy to learn and quick to publish. Getting past the basic look takes longer than it should, because the editor is old.
Custom build
I build it in two to three weeks and hand it over done.
Design flexibility
Weebly
Dated templates and a small set of blocks. Weebly has not had a real update in years since Square bought it, and it shows.
Custom build
A fresh build around your brand. No template, no blocks, nothing borrowed.
SEO and speed
Weebly
Basic SEO settings are there. Speed is average, and the old templates are not built for phones the way newer sites are.
Custom build
Fast on phones, clean headings, schema for Google. Built for local search from the start.
Upkeep
Weebly
Weebly handles the hosting. Editing and fixing the site are on you, and support is slow.
Custom build
Updates, backups and fixes are mine. Text me a change and it gets done.
Ownership
Weebly
You can export a zip of the HTML, which is more than most builders offer. The export is messy and not really usable as a site.
Custom build
You own clean code you can hand to anyone.
When Weebly Is Actually the Right Call
Weebly makes sense if you already use Square and want a simple store or booking page tied to it, or if you need a free page and do not mind the ads. For a business that needs to look current and rank locally, it is behind the other builders and well behind a custom site.
Questions People Ask
Weebly questions, answered plainly
Is Weebly still a good choice?
It still works, but it has fallen behind. Square owns it and focuses on the Square side, so the templates and editor have not changed much. If you are starting fresh today, Squarespace or Wix are better builders, and a custom site is better than any of them for local SEO.
Can I move my Weebly site?
You can export the files, but the export is not something you can host as is. I use it to pull your text and photos and rebuild the site in clean code that you own.
I use Square for payments. Does that matter?
No. A custom site can link to Square for payments or booking, or use a checkout tool that fits better. You keep Square and get a site that looks like it was made this year.
Ready for your site to work as hard as you do?
Tell me about your business and I'll reply with honest recommendations and a clear quote. No pressure either way.
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