Template vs Bespoke Websites: Choosing the Righ… | Los Webos

Template vs bespoke website: which engine will actually grow your business?

Choosing between a template vs bespoke website is a bit like choosing between a reliable second-hand car and a custom-built performance vehicle.

Both can get you from A to B.

But only one will still feel right when your business is trying to hit 70mph on the motorway instead of pottering around town.

In this guide, we’ll walk through:

What template and bespoke websites really mean (in plain English)
The hidden costs and risks of each
How your choice changes as your business grows
A simple decision framework you can use today

And we’ll do it using a “business engine” analogy, so you can see where each option makes sense – and where it starts to hold you back.

First things first: what do we mean by template vs bespoke?

Template website (the reliable used car)

A template website is built from a pre-designed layout. Think of it like buying a used Ford Fiesta:

The shape is already decided
The dashboard looks the same as thousands of others
You can choose the colour, maybe a few extras
It’s quick and relatively cheap to get on the road

In website terms, that usually means:

A pre-made theme (often WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, Shopify etc.)
You swap in your logo, colours, text and images
Limited control over layout and functionality
Often built using drag-and-drop builders

Perfect for getting moving. Not perfect for racing.

Bespoke website (the custom-tuned engine)

A bespoke website is planned, designed and built specifically for your business. More like commissioning a car that’s tuned to how you actually drive:

The engine is matched to the journeys you do
The controls are laid out how you like them
It’s designed with a clear performance goal in mind

In website terms, that means:

Strategy first: who you serve, what you sell, how you sell it
Custom design aligned with your brand and audience
Tailored functionality (booking, quoting, integrations, dashboards, etc.)
Built to be fast, scalable and search-friendly

Slower and more expensive to get on the road – but built for serious mileage.

The random but useful angle: what’s your “website driving test”?

Here’s a way to think about it you probably haven’t heard before.

Instead of asking “Should I get a template or bespoke website?”, ask:

“What would my website need to do to pass a driving test for my business?”

Imagine an examiner sitting in the passenger seat of your website as it drives your business for a day:

Can it safely handle traffic? (speed, stability, security)
Does it follow the right routes? (clear customer journeys)
Does it respond properly to signs? (search intent, calls to action)
Can it park neatly where it matters? (on mobile, in Google search, on social links)

For a lot of micro businesses, a template site can pass that test.

For growing SMEs, especially those selling services or operating across locations, a template often starts failing on the manoeuvres that really matter.

Let’s break that down.

When a template website is a smart choice

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with templates when they’re used at the right time.

A template website is usually the best fit if:

1. You’re just starting out

If you’re:

Testing a new business idea
Launching a side hustle
Not yet sure who your ideal customers are

…then it makes sense to keep costs low and get something live quickly.

A decent template can:

Give you a professional-looking online presence
Let you test your messaging and offers
Help you appear in basic local searches

Think of it as L-plates for your business. You’re still learning the roads.

2. Your website is more brochure than sales engine

If your website’s main job is to:

Show contact details
Display opening times
Provide basic service information

…and you win most of your work through referrals or word of mouth, a template may be perfectly adequate for now.

3. You have very simple technical needs

If you don’t need:

Online booking or complex forms
Integrations with CRMs or practice management tools
Multi-location logic or role-based content

…then you’re unlikely to hit the technical limits of a template straight away.

Key point: Templates are great for getting started. They’re not always great for getting serious.

The hidden costs of template websites (that don’t show on the price tag)

Templates often look cheap on paper. But like a bargain car that drinks fuel and fails every MOT, the real costs show up later.

Here are the main ones we see with SMEs:

1. Time tax: wrestling with the tool

Most template platforms are sold as “easy”. In reality:

You spend hours figuring out how to edit sections
You fight with layouts that won’t quite do what you want
You Google “how to change this bit” more times than you’d like to admit

For a business owner, that’s often your most expensive resource – your time – spent doing something that isn’t your job.

2. Performance drag: slow, bloated pages

Many templates are built to please everyone:

Dozens of layout options you’ll never use
Sliders, animations and effects you didn’t ask for
Plug-ins layered on top of plug-ins

All of this adds weight. A heavier site:

Loads more slowly (especially on mobile)
Frustrates visitors
Hurts your chances in Google search

3. Brand sameness: looking like everyone else

If you’ve ever had déjà vu browsing local businesses online, this is why.

Templates are used by thousands of companies. Even with your colours and logo, the overall feel is often:

Familiar rather than memorable
Generic rather than distinctive

When you’re trying to charge sensible, profitable prices, looking like the cheapest option on the page doesn’t help.

4. Growth ceiling: it won’t grow when you do

The biggest issue for ambitious SMEs is this:

Template sites usually don’t break overnight – they slowly become the thing holding you back.

You start to notice problems when you:

Add more services, locations or team members
Want to introduce online booking or more complex forms
Need better analytics and tracking for campaigns

Suddenly every change feels like a workaround.

When a bespoke website becomes a growth tool, not just a cost

A bespoke website is rarely the cheapest option upfront.

But for growing SMEs, it can be the difference between a website that sits there looking nice and one that actively helps you:

Win better clients
Charge more confidently
Reduce admin and manual tasks

Here are the situations where bespoke really starts to earn its keep.

1. You’re no longer the “cheap option”

If you’re positioning yourself as:

A premium tradesperson
A specialist consultant or clinic
A boutique agency, practice or firm

…your website needs to support your pricing.

A bespoke site lets you:

Tell your story properly
Show social proof in the right places
Guide people through your services with clarity

It’s the difference between turning up to a client meeting in a clean, well-maintained car… or one with three different coloured doors.

2. Your website is (or should be) a 24/7 salesperson

If your business relies on:

Enquiries from Google
Online booking or lead generation
Campaigns from email or social media

…then your website isn’t just a brochure. It’s a sales and operations tool.

A bespoke build can:

Map customer journeys step-by-step
Remove friction from enquiry or booking flows
Connect to the tools you already use (CRMs, email, practice systems)

3. You operate across multiple locations or teams

Multi-location and multi-team businesses almost always outgrow templates.

You might need:

Location-specific landing pages that still feel on-brand
Different contact options for different teams or regions
Role-based access so staff can update certain sections only

Trying to bolt this onto a basic template is like trying to turn your Fiesta into a minibus.

4. You’re planning for the next 3–5 years, not the next 3–5 months

A bespoke site should be built to grow with you:

Flexible content structures
Room for new service lines
Performance and SEO foundations laid properly

So instead of hitting a wall in 18 months and starting again, you’re building on solid ground.

Template vs bespoke website: a simple decision framework

Here’s a quick way to decide what makes sense for you right now.

Answer these honestly. If most of your answers fall into one column, that’s your best bet.

Stage 1: Clarity

Are you crystal clear on your ideal client and offer?
- No / not really → Template is fine for now
- Yes, very → Bespoke will help you express this properly

Stage 2: Role of your website

Is your website mainly there so people can check you exist?
- Yes → Template likely enough
- No, it needs to drive leads/sales → Lean towards bespoke

Stage 3: Complexity

Do you need anything beyond simple pages and a contact form?
- No → Template can work
- Yes (booking, multi-location, integrations) → Bespoke strongly recommended

Stage 4: Growth plans

Are you aiming to grow significantly in the next 2–3 years?
- Not really / not sure → Template may be a good stepping stone
- Yes, definitely → Bespoke becomes an investment, not a cost

Stage 5: Budget vs cost of inaction

Could losing one or two ideal clients a month because of a weak website cost more than a bespoke build over a year?
- No → Template is sensible
- Yes → You’re in bespoke territory

How to “level up” from template to bespoke without losing momentum

Many SMEs worry that moving from a template to a bespoke website will:

Take ages
Disrupt their marketing
Mean starting everything from scratch

Done properly, it doesn’t have to.

Here’s how we usually approach it at Los Webos.

1. Audit your current site like a mechanic

Before touching anything, we look under the bonnet:

Which pages actually get traffic?
Where do enquiries currently come from?
What are people searching for before they find you?

This tells us what’s working (keep it) and what’s dead weight (ditch it).

2. Map your ideal customer journey

We then sketch out the route you want people to take:

Where they first hear about you
What they need to see to trust you
What action you want them to take

This becomes the blueprint for your bespoke site.

3. Build in phases, not one big bang

You don’t have to go from template to enterprise-level in one jump.

A typical phased approach:

Phase 1: Core pages, clear messaging, strong contact/booking
Phase 2: Additional service/sector pages, case studies, resources
Phase 3: Automation, integrations, advanced analytics

You stay live and visible throughout – you’re just upgrading the engine and interior as you go.

4. Protect your SEO and existing traffic

A good bespoke project will:

Preserve your best-performing URLs or redirect them properly
Improve technical SEO (speed, structure, mobile)
Make it easier to publish content in future

So you’re not just keeping your current visibility – you’re setting yourself up to grow it.

So… template vs bespoke website: what’s right for you?

If your business is:

New, untested or very simple
Not relying heavily on your website for leads
Working with a tight initial budget

…a template website is a perfectly sensible way to get going.