Website Builder vs Manual Coding: Which Is Better?

To construct or to not construct with code? That’s the massive query for a lot of aspiring web site creators.

We’ve examined tons of the way to construct a web site to assist our viewers at WPBeginner. Since lots of our readers are simply beginning out, we predict we’re in a great place to share what we’ve realized.

Let’s be clear: coding provides you complete management, however web site builders will help newcomers make nice websites rapidly. There’s no one-size-fits-all reply – it is dependent upon your wants, expertise, and targets.

On this publish, we’ll offer you a easy, sincere comparability of web site builders and coding, from every of their benefits and drawbacks to tips about selecting the best choice.

Web site Builder vs Handbook Coding: A Abstract

	Web site builders	Handbook coding
Execs	1. Straightforward to make use of 2. Fast setup 3. Prepared-made designs	1. Full management 2. Distinctive designs 3. Optimized efficiency
Cons	1. Restricted design decisions 2. Ongoing prices 3. Tied to 1 platform	1. Exhausting to be taught 2. Takes quite a lot of time 3. Difficult so as to add options
Finest for	Learners who want a fast web site	Individuals who get pleasure from coding and wish full management
	Read more	Read more

What Do We Imply by Handbook Coding vs. Web site Builders?

Earlier than we begin, let’s outline what we imply by guide coding and website builders. These are two completely different approaches to creating a web site, and every has its personal benefits and drawbacks.

Handbook coding, also referred to as hand coding, is like constructing a home from scratch. You build your website utilizing particular programming languages that net browsers perceive in order that they’ll show your net content material appropriately.

The most typical languages for this are HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. HTML buildings your content material, CSS types it, and JavaScript provides interactivity.

Then again, with a web site builder, it’s like utilizing elements that builders have ready so that you can assemble your home. These web site builder instruments present a user-friendly interface the place you’ll be able to design a web site your self with out writing code.

Widespread examples embody WordPress, Wix, and the Hostinger Website Builder. These platforms provide templates and drag-and-drop options, making it simpler for newcomers to create professional-looking web sites.

Is WordPress a web site builder?

WordPress is technically an open-source content management system (CMS) that’s free to obtain. Nevertheless, it has developed to incorporate highly effective web site builder capabilities.

For instance, it affords instruments known as web page builders like SeedProd and Thrive Architect that make it even simpler so that you can construct your web site.

The one distinction between WordPress and different normal web site builders is it’s essential to purchase and arrange your personal web hosting. With different choices, the internet hosting is already configured for you, so you can begin the onboarding course of instantly and construct your web site.

As a result of this distinction is so minor, and because the CMS is so standard, we’ll additionally evaluate the variations between a WordPress builder vs. guide coding.

Web site Builder vs Coding: By the Numbers

A lot of folks debate between utilizing a web site builder vs guide coding as a result of these strategies are nonetheless extensively used. To grasp this higher, let’s take a look at some actual numbers.

An organization known as W3Techs retains monitor of how web sites are made. They discovered that 43.4% of all websites use WordPress. Different standard web site builders like Shopify, Wix, and Squarespace are utilized by 4.5%, 2.8%, and a couple of.1% of internet sites.

Once we add these up, which means round 50% of individuals are utilizing web site builders to create their websites.

Curiously, 30.7% of internet sites don’t use any of the website-building instruments that W3Techs checks for. This doesn’t imply all these websites are coded from scratch, however it’s possible that lots of them are. So, although web site builders are standard, there are nonetheless loads of custom-coded web sites on the market.

These numbers present us one thing vital: web site builders have gotten extra frequent, however guide coding remains to be extensively used.

Let’s take a look at the benefits and drawbacks of a web site builder or WordPress builder vs guide coding. This fashion, you’ll be capable to select what’s finest in your wants. You should utilize the fast hyperlinks beneath to navigate via this text:

In any other case, we’ll begin with an in-depth evaluation of web site builders.

Execs of Web site Builders: Straightforward to Use and Accessible

Straightforward to Use

One of many largest benefits of web site builders is how easy they’re to make use of. You don’t should be a pc whiz or know any coding to get began. It’s like constructing with digital Lego blocks. You simply choose the items you need and put them collectively.

This low barrier to entry means anybody can create a web site, whether or not you’re a small business owner, a blogger, or simply somebody who desires to share their passion on-line.

Let’s take a look at an instance. When you use the Hostinger Website Builder, all it’s essential to do to get began is join a plan, undergo the onboarding wizard to arrange your web site, and you then’ll arrive on the website-building interface.

With the drag-and-drop editor, you’ll be able to add and transfer round all the parts in your web site as you preview them in actual time. Each time it’s essential to change them, you’ll be able to simply click on on a component, and also you’ll be capable to customise it based mostly in your preferences.

The identical goes for utilizing a page builder like SeedProd on WordPress. The internet hosting and web site setup takes a bit longer than a web site builder like Hostinger’s, however there’s nonetheless zero coding concerned.

As soon as the web page builder plugin is up and operating, you’ll be able to choose a theme template kit in your web site and begin customizing it on the drag-and-drop interface. The identical precept applies: when you click on on a block, you’ll be able to customise it utilizing the accessible instruments.

Prepared-to-Use Templates

One other wonderful thing about web site builders is their customizable templates. You don’t should be a design professional to make your web site look skilled.

As an illustration, Thrive Architect has over 300 templates to select from throughout completely different business classes, together with every thing from on-line shops and SaaS firms to residence providers. These templates are like pre-decorated rooms, which implies you simply select one you want and transfer in.

After all, you’ll be able to nonetheless add your private contact by changing colors, fonts, and layouts to match your type or model.

This fashion, your web site gained’t look much like different websites utilizing the identical templates.

Speedy Setup

It’s possible you’ll must get a web site up and operating as quick as potential. Web site builders are good for these conditions. You may get a fundamental web site on-line in only a few hours, which is nice for issues like landing page campaigns or when it’s essential to create a fast on-line presence for an occasion.

Enjoyable truth: When the OptinMonster group wanted a touchdown web page for his or her advert marketing campaign, they used SeedProd to construct one in lower than half-hour. Not solely did they launch their marketing campaign rapidly, however they had been additionally capable of enhance their conversions by 340%.

Giant Assortment of Constructed-in Options

Web site builders usually include an entire toolbox of options. Issues like contact types, photograph galleries, and opt-in types are normally only a click on away. This implies you don’t need to hunt for separate instruments or plugins as a result of every thing you want is true there within the builder.

Some builders, like SeedProd, might even have an AI function built-in. This makes it even simpler so that you can generate content material with out hiring a copywriter or a graphic designer.

For platforms like Hostinger Web site Builder, Wix, and Squarespace, it’s possible you’ll even discover some eCommerce performance accessible.

Consequently, you don’t want a separate platform to run your enterprise and construct a web-based retailer.

And when you use WordPress with a web page builder, then you’ll be able to set up WooCommerce to arrange your online store whereas utilizing the web page builder’s templates to design the web site.

Ongoing Help and Updates

Whenever you use a web site builder, you’re not by yourself. Most platforms provide buyer assist and commonly replace their instruments. This implies you don’t have to fret about conserving your web site’s expertise up-to-date or fixing technical points by yourself.

For instance, SeedProd has a big assortment of sources, together with extensive documentation and a library of weblog tutorials that will help you get began. You too can submit a assist ticket to get direct help from the group.

When you use a hosted platform like Wix or Squarespace, that additionally means your web hosting is taken care of for you. In different phrases, you don’t must configure your web site’s internet hosting again finish and might simply concentrate on constructing the entrance finish of your web site.

Cons of Web site Builders: Restricted Customization and Price

Dependency on the Platform

Platform dependency is likely one of the key disadvantages of web site builders. By that, we imply your web site is tied to the web site builder’s system, which might be problematic if the corporate makes important modifications (or worse, shuts down).

Additionally, the options accessible are sometimes restricted to what the platform affords. Some builders like Wix or Squarespace might have an addon library, however the options you will get are restricted to what addons are literally accessible there. It’s possible you’ll even must pay additional for some extensions.

That is why we regularly choose WordPress with a web page builder as a web site builder answer. It affords extra flexibility and customization choices as a result of it’s an open-source platform with an enormous assortment of WordPress plugins and themes.

As a substitute of being locked right into a single supplier, you’ve the liberty to increase your web site’s performance. Plus, when you ever wish to transfer your web site or change your theme fully, WordPress makes it a lot simpler to take action with out ranging from scratch.

Restricted Customization

Web site builders usually include pre-designed templates, which might result in sure similarities in design throughout many websites. This restricted customization might be irritating for customers who need a really distinctive web site.

Nevertheless, it’s vital to contemplate whether or not having a unique design is at all times helpful. As Kate Shokurova from UX Collective factors out:

99% of the web sites are purposeful. Extreme creativity would possibly assist produce a web site that’s aesthetically fascinating however much less productive as a enterprise software. All these progressive, cutting-edge efforts to create immersive emotional experiences can stop folks from attaining their intention: to purchase, to learn, to observe, to search out, and so on. So to complain that at the moment’s web sites look boring can be getting it flawed.

Kate Shokurova from UX Collective

These templates are designed in comparable methods for a cause. They observe finest practices and create a well-recognized expertise for customers, decreasing the time they should navigate and perceive your web site.

This familiarity can truly be a profit, particularly for enterprise web sites the place the purpose is to call users to do specific actions.

Potential for Bloated Code

Once we regarded into why quite a lot of builders choose hand-coding a web site, one of many major causes we found was pace. It is because websites constructed with web site builders can typically find yourself with bloated code, together with pointless parts that may decelerate their overall performance.

After attempting out varied web site builders for years, nevertheless, we’ve found this isn’t at all times the case. Some web site builders embody fast hosting and a built-in content delivery network (CDN) to enhance your web site’s pace.

That is another excuse why we advocate utilizing WordPress with a web page builder. There are quite a lot of pace optimization and caching plugins that you would be able to set up, so that you don’t need to depend upon a web site builder’s internet hosting setup to ensure your web site runs quick.

Plus, some web page builders have been proven to create surprisingly quick websites. In our Elementor vs. Divi vs. SeedProd evaluate, all the demo websites we examined scored 90 or increased on PageSpeed Insights, with SeedProd scoring 93.

Ongoing Prices

Many web site builders function on a subscription mannequin, which implies you’ll have ongoing prices to maintain your web site operating.

The costs range loads, too. Plans for Hostinger Web site Builder begin from $2.99 monthly, billed yearly (which equals $71.76 per 12 months). In the meantime, SeedProd’s plans begin from $39.50 per 12 months. When you use Wix, then you’ll be able to count on to pay round $17 to $159 monthly.

Whereas these excessive prices is usually a downside, it’s vital to contemplate what you’re getting in your cash. Subscriptions usually embody common updates, safety patches, and buyer assist, which might prevent time and complications in the long term.

Most significantly, you don’t want to speculate the money and time wanted to learn to code from scratch.

When to Select a Web site Builder Over Handbook Coding

It’s possible you’ll wish to select a web site builder over guide coding if:

• You’re a newbie with little to no coding data or expertise.
• You want to create a web site rapidly, corresponding to for a time-sensitive undertaking, occasion, or marketing campaign.
• You wish to create a easy weblog or portfolio web site.
• You wish to check out a web site concept earlier than investing in a custom-built answer.
• You’re a small enterprise proprietor or entrepreneur focusing in your core enterprise slightly than net growth.
• You’re a nonprofit or neighborhood group with restricted technical sources.

After all, there are many different extremely particular conditions the place you would possibly choose a web site builder. These are only a few of the commonest.

Ideas for Selecting a Web site Builder

Now, earlier than selecting a web site builder, we advocate performing some deep analysis first. This fashion, you’ll be able to choose the best choice in your wants. Listed below are a number of suggestions:

1. Take into account your finances. Many builders provide free plans to start out, however premium options usually require a subscription. Evaluate prices and options to search out the most effective worth.
2. Consider the function set. Make sure the builder affords the performance you want, corresponding to particular design parts like rotating testimonials or a custom scrollbar.
3. Verify the builder’s longevity. Select established platforms which have been round for some time and assist many web sites. This can scale back the danger of utilizing a platform that will shut down quickly.
4. Take into consideration scalability. Take into account whether or not the builder’s options can develop together with your wants over time. Discover examples of established companies that use these builders to get a greater concept.

Our private advice is to make use of WordPress with a web page builder. This mix affords the most effective of each worlds: the benefit of use of a web site builder with the flexibleness and extensibility of WordPress. It’s ideally suited for newcomers but in addition highly effective sufficient for extra superior customers.

Whereas WordPress requires internet hosting, many suppliers now provide one-click WordPress installs, making setup a breeze. Bluehost, for instance, is formally beneficial by WordPress.org and affords straightforward set up.

Additionally, WordPress has a big devoted neighborhood, so you’ll be able to simply discover sources that will help you use the platform. Listed below are some examples made by our group right here at WPBeginner:

If you wish to discover WordPress earlier than committing, it’s also possible to attempt WordPress Playground. It permits you to use WordPress in your browser, providing you with a really feel for the platform.

Execs of Handbook Coding: Highly effective Management and Customization

Now, let’s transfer on to our evaluation of utilizing guide coding to create a web site.

Full Management

Whenever you’re hand coding, you’ve the facility to dictate each side of your web site’s design, performance, and efficiency. This stage of management is especially interesting to these with coding data who wish to craft each element of their on-line presence.

For instance, you’ll be able to optimize your web site’s loading pace by writing lean, environment friendly code with out the bloat that typically comes with web site builders. This management extends to each aspect in your web page, permitting you to create a very distinctive person expertise.

Full Customization

The power to create unique, custom designs with out limitations is one other important good thing about coding from scratch. Whereas web site builders usually constrain you to their templates and design parts, guide coding lets you deliver any design imaginative and prescient to life.

This stage of customization is particularly beneficial for companies or people seeking to stand out in a crowded on-line area. With guide coding expertise, you’ll be able to create interactive elements, distinctive layouts, and {custom} functionalities that might not be potential with most web site builders.

Optimized Efficiency

When coding a web site by hand, there’s a better potential for optimized, light-weight code. This can lead to sooner loading instances and higher general efficiency, which is essential for person expertise and search engine optimization.

Skilled coders can write clear, environment friendly code that does precisely what it must do with out pointless extras. This stage of high quality management is more durable to attain with web site builders, which frequently embody additional code for options you may not even use.

No Platform Restrictions

The pliability to adapt and modify code with out the restrictions of a predefined interface is one other key benefit of guide coding. As your web site grows and evolves, you’ll be able to simply add new options or change present ones with out being restricted by a web site builder’s capabilities.

This flexibility is especially beneficial for complicated or enterprise websites or these with distinctive necessities that might not be simply supported by normal web site builders.

What’s extra, a hand-coded web site doesn’t depend upon third-party software program updates. This implies you’ve extra management over when and the way your web site modifications, decreasing the danger of surprising points attributable to automated updates.

Studying Alternative

Whereas not ideally suited for newcomers, coding a web site from scratch offers a wonderful studying alternative. It lets you deepen your understanding of net applied sciences, which might be beneficial for future initiatives or profession growth.

You would possibly even wish to develop into a professional web developer at some point.

This fashion, you’ll be able to work as a freelancer and earn money for shoppers who want web sites.

Price-Efficient within the Lengthy Run

Though there may be a better preliminary time funding, hand-coding might be more cost effective in the long term. You gained’t have ongoing subscription charges related to many web site builders, and also you’ll have the abilities to keep up and replace your web site your self.

Cons of Handbook Coding: Time Funding and Studying Curve

Steep Studying Curve

This can be apparent, however the steep studying curve is likely one of the primary cons of coding web sites from scratch.

It’s not nearly mastering HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for front-end growth. To create totally purposeful, dynamic web sites, you’ll additionally must be taught server-side languages like PHP, Python, or Ruby, in addition to database administration techniques like MySQL.

This may be overwhelming, particularly for newcomers. It’s not one thing you’ll be able to choose up in a single day, and it requires constant apply and dedication to develop into actually good at this talent.

Vital Time Funding

Hand-coding a web site requires a considerable time funding, from studying the required expertise to working towards them.

In contrast to utilizing a web site builder, the place you’ll be able to have a fundamental web site up and operating in a matter of minutes, coding from scratch can take weeks and even months (relying on the complexity of the location and your talent stage).

All in all, the advantages of coding from scratch may not be price the additional time it takes, particularly if it’s essential to get your web site on-line rapidly.

Problem in Updating Content material

Whenever you’re coding a web site, updating content might be more difficult, particularly when you’re working with a group that features non-coders. In contrast to web site builders that supply user-friendly interfaces for content material updates, hand-coded websites usually require direct modifications to the code.

This may result in bottlenecks within the content material replace course of, as all modifications must undergo somebody with coding data.

Challenges in Including New Functionalities

Many web site builders provide plugins or apps that may be simply built-in with a number of clicks. When coding from scratch, you’ll must both code these functionalities your self or discover, consider, and combine third-party libraries or APIs.

This course of might be time-consuming and will require further studying, particularly when you’re working with unfamiliar applied sciences or APIs.

Upkeep and Safety Issues

Hand-coded web sites require ongoing upkeep to make sure they continue to be safe and appropriate with the most recent net requirements and browser updates.

This accountability falls fully on you or your growth group, in contrast to with many web site builders that deal with safety updates and maintenance as a part of their service.

On high of that, there’s a better threat of introducing errors or bugs into your web site if you’re hand coding, particularly when you’re a newbie.

When to Select Handbook Coding Over Web site Builders

It’s possible you’ll wish to think about guide coding if:

• You benefit from the technique of coding and wish to improve your expertise.
• You want a extremely custom-made web site with distinctive options.
• Efficiency and cargo instances are crucial in your undertaking.
• You need full management over your web site’s code and performance.
• You wish to keep away from the continuing subscription prices related to some web site builders.
• You’re seeking to construct a profession in net growth.

Take into account that when you’re a complete newbie, constructing a web site manually with code is prone to be a protracted and difficult undertaking.

Ideas for Getting Began with Handbook Coding

When you’re curious about studying the best way to code web sites from scratch, listed below are some tricks to get began:

1. Study HTML and CSS first. These are the constructing blocks of net growth.
2. After that, transfer on to JavaScript. This can can help you add interactivity to your web sites.
3. Then, be taught a back-end language. Widespread choices embody PHP, Python, or Ruby. This can allow you to create dynamic websites.
4. Follow commonly. Coding is a talent that improves with apply, so attempt constructing small initiatives to use what you’ve realized.
5. Use on-line sources. There are various free coding tutorials and programs accessible on-line.
6. Be a part of coding communities. Web sites like Stack Overflow might be nice for getting assist and recommendation.
7. Discover frameworks and libraries. When you’re snug with the fundamentals, look into instruments like React or Vue.js for front-end growth.

Bear in mind, studying to code takes time and endurance. Whereas it’s not ideally suited for newcomers who want a web site rapidly, the abilities you achieve from coding might be extremely beneficial in the long term.

If you wish to be taught the fundamentals, you’ll be able to take a look at our beginner’s guide on how to code a website.

Why a Hybrid Strategy Is Usually the Finest Choice

To be sincere, you don’t have to decide on between a web site builder or a WordPress builder vs. guide coding. There’s a 3rd possibility that offers you the most effective of each. We name this the hybrid method.

On this case, a hybrid method means utilizing a beginner-friendly website-building platform that additionally permits for custom coding when wanted. This methodology combines the user-friendliness of web site builders with the flexibleness of hand coding, providing you with extra management with out the steep studying curve.

That is why WordPress has become so popular. Whereas it’d take a bit longer to arrange than a typical web site builder, and it could not provide the entire customization of hand coding, WordPress strikes a wonderful stability.

First, it lets you construct your web site utilizing intuitive web page builders like SeedProd or Thrive Architect. Plus, many options that might take important time to code manually are available in WordPress via plugins.

On the similar time, when you want {custom} performance, you’ll be able to add your personal code by editing the theme or plugin files immediately.

Or, when you’re not snug diving into core recordsdata, you should utilize a plugin like WPCode to securely and simply add {custom} code snippets.

In contrast to many web site builders that lock you into their internet hosting, WordPress lets you select your personal internet hosting supplier. This implies you’ll be able to monitor your web site sources extra carefully and switch to a different hosting provider solely when it’s essential to.

With web site builders, you usually must improve to a better plan for added options, even when you don’t want all of them.

Admittedly, one of many downsides of WordPress is the dearth of direct assist. That being stated, its huge neighborhood of builders and customers could make up for it.

You will discover options to most issues rapidly, whether or not via official documentation, neighborhood teams like WPBeginner’s Facebook Group, or tutorials by WPBeginner.

For extra choices, you’ll be able to see our information on how to contact WordPress support.

Various: Rent a Skilled Web site Service

Undecided about constructing a web site your self? We’ve obtained you lined with our WPBeginner Pro Services. We deliver over 15 years of WordPress expertise to your undertaking, and we’ve helped greater than 100,000 folks get began with WordPress.

Whereas this selection may cost a little greater than DIY strategies, it’s a stable funding when you want a high-quality, {custom} web site with out the effort of making it your self.

From designing new websites to bettering web site efficiency and offering WordPress maintenance, we are able to deal with all of it.

Simply concentrate on your enterprise whereas we maintain your net presence. We’ll be certain your web site ranks effectively and masses quick. Even after your web site launches, we will help you out with safety updates and emergency assist.

Try our plans and schedule a free session name with our WPBeginner Pro Services at the moment.

We hope this text has helped you be taught the professionals and cons of utilizing web site builders vs. guide coding to create your web site. You might also wish to take a look at professional picks of the best WordPress theme builders and our comparability information on free vs. premium WordPress themes.

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