A checklist for any builder
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Custom domain | Your brand, and a way to keep your address if you leave |
| SEO controls | Titles, descriptions, headings, redirects and clean URLs |
| Speed on phones | Core Web Vitals affect visitors and rankings |
| Accessibility | Alt text, contrast, keyboard use and form labels |
| Forms and integrations | Leads reach your CRM, not just an inbox |
| Content export | Your pages, posts and images in a reusable format |
| Real price | The renewal rate after the first-year discount |
Test before you commit
- Build one service page on the free trial.
- Run it through PageSpeed Insights on mobile.
- Try to change its title, description and URL.
- Set up a redirect from an old URL.
- Export the content and check what you get.
If any of these fails, it will fail on every page you build later.
Watch the lock-in
Hosted builders run your site on their platform, so you rent rather than own the finished site. Content export varies, and design rarely moves with it. Register your domain at a separate registrar in your own name. Keep copies of your text and photos outside the builder.
Good example. A photographer picks a builder after testing speed, SEO settings and export, and keeps the domain at an independent registrar.
Bad example. A clinic buys its domain through its builder's bundle and later finds the transfer process slow and confusing.
When to skip the builder
Does the site need search leads, a CRM or more than a dozen pages? Then a custom site with a CMS usually costs less over a few years. Read is a DIY website cheaper.
Our web design team builds custom sites you fully own, starting at $5,000.