Ask a web developer what your website should be built with and you may get a long list of names. The good news: you do not need to understand any of them to make a sound decision. You only need to ask the right questions.
The questions that matter
How fast will it be on a phone? Ask to see real examples and run them through Google's PageSpeed Insights or our free website check. Speed is not a matter of opinion; it can be measured.
How is it kept secure? Who applies updates, how often, and what happens if something goes wrong? A website that needs dozens of plugins needs more looking after. See website security for small businesses.
Can I change things myself, and do I want to? Some setups let you edit everything; others let you edit content while the design stays protected. Neither is right for everyone. More in editing your own website.
Will it grow with the business? If you later want online booking, payments or several languages, can they be added properly, or will they be bolted on?
Who owns it, and can I move it? Make sure the website, the domain and the content are yours, and that you could take them elsewhere.
What does it cost to run each year? Hosting, plugins, theme licences and maintenance all add up. Ask for the full yearly figure, not only the build price.
The main options, briefly
- Website builders (Wix, Squarespace): quick and cheap to start, you can edit everything, but limited and often slow.
- WordPress with a theme: flexible and widespread, but speed and security depend on careful upkeep.
- Built from scratch: fast and tailored, with features built around your business, but it needs a developer to create.
We compare them in more depth in WordPress, Webflow or a custom website.
What we use, and why
We build with widely used, well-supported tools: Next.js and React for the website itself, Tailwind for the design, and reliable hosting with automatic security certificates and backups. We chose them because they produce fast, secure websites that are easy to extend, and because they are used by a large community, so they will be supported for years to come. More detail in our post on modern websites versus traditional development.
What matters more than the names, though, is the result: a website that loads fast, stays secure, and helps people get in touch. If you would like a second opinion on yours, get in touch.