Custom-Coded vs WordPress & Wix
WordPress, Wix and other website platforms have made it easier than ever to get a business online. For many businesses, they're perfectly good solutions.
At aprompt, however, we take a different approach.
We develop and maintain our own website code and CMS (Content Management System), giving us greater control over how our websites are built, maintained and developed.
And custom-coded doesn't necessarily mean an expensive, completely bespoke website. We use our own technology for both our affordable PAYG template websites and our fully custom-designed websites.
So, what's the difference and why does it matter?
What are Custom-Coded Websites?
Custom-coded websites uses technology developed and maintained by the website developer rather than relying entirely on an off-the-shelf website platform.
We've been developing websites since 1998 and, over that time, have created and refined our own website technology and CMS. This provides a tried-and-tested foundation for our websites while allowing us to maintain control over the underlying code.
Clients can then choose between two approaches:
Custom-Coded Template Websites
Our PAYG template websites provide an affordable option for businesses that don't need a completely bespoke design.
You can choose from our library of professionally created designs and we'll customise your chosen website design with your branding, colours, logo and even add your content for you too if you like. Behind the design is our own website technology and CMS, with facilities for managing all your website content quickly and easily.
Custom-Designed & Custom-Coded Websites
For businesses wanting something more individual, we can design and develop a website specifically around the business and its requirements.
This gives us much greater freedom over the appearance, structure and functionality of the finished website.
Discover our Custom Website Design service
So, with aprompt, custom-coded describes the technology behind the website; template or custom describes the design approach you choose.
What About WordPress and Wix?
WordPress, Wix and similar platforms aren't inherently bad ways to build websites.
WordPress provides some flexibility through its themes and plugins, while website builders such as Wix make it relatively straightforward to create and manage a website without understanding the technology behind it or speaking with the website designers and developers. For many users, that's exactly what's required.
The difference is that websites built using these platforms can sometimes become dependent on a number of 3rd party themes, plugins and extensions. Each additional component is another piece of software that will need regularly updating and maintaining.
Our approach is different: we build multiple functions into our own systems and maintain it ourselves, so you don't have to.
Fewer Moving Parts
A website built using an off-the-shelf platform might include the core platform, a theme, a page builder and several plugins, potentially created by different developers. Everything can work perfectly well together, but changes to one component can occasionally affect another.
A plugin may be updated, another may not yet support the update, or something that was important when the website was created may eventually stop being maintained and then it becomes a problem.
By developing our own website technology, we reduce our reliance on unrelated 3rd-party components.
We know what's in our websites, why it's there and how it works.
Built Around What You Actually Need
Large website platforms need to cater for thousands of different uses, so themes and page builders can include far more functionality than an individual business will ever need.
Custom website development lets us approach things differently: We build what the website needs rather than loading it with everything it might 'possibly' need.
This gives us greater control over the code, functionality and future development of the website.
And when a client asks, "Can my website do this?", we're not restricted by whether a suitable 3rd-party plugin exists. We can look at what the business actually needs and how best to develop it.
Performance and SEO
A fast, responsive website provides a better experience for your visitors, particularly on mobile devices and slower connections (and unfortunately there's still loads of areas in the UK that don't have fast broadband). Website performance is also an important part of the overall experience that search engines want websites to provide.
Having control over our own code means we can work directly on the technology responsible for delivering a page rather than always having to work around a 3rd-party theme, plugin or page builder.
That doesn't mean every custom-coded website will automatically be faster or rank higher than every WordPress or Wix website. Well-built websites using those platforms with consistent and regular code updates can perform extremely well too.
The advantage for us is simply greater control over how the website is built and optimised. And at the same time this means you have an easy to control website that performs well in search engines
What About Security and Updates?
Using WordPress, Wix or another platform doesn't automatically make a website insecure. Whatever technology is used, websites need to be properly configured, maintained and kept up to date.
The difference with some platform-based websites is that the core system, theme and plugins may come from several different developers, each with their own updates and development schedules.
Our approach is to reduce unnecessary 3rd-party dependencies and maintain the software we develop ourselves.
Web technology is constantly changing, so our own code evolves too. We can test changes and make the necessary updates directly rather than depending entirely on multiple 3rd-party developers.
For our PAYG template websites, code updates if they're required, are included for free for the life of the website.
Easy for You to Manage
Custom-coded shouldn't mean complicated to use.
One of the reasons we've developed our own CMS is so we can provide clients with the facilities they actually need without expecting them to understand web development. Depending on the website and package, clients can manage areas such as:
- Website pages and content
- Quicklinks and Call To Actions
- Blog articles
- Images and galleries
- Products or services
- Meta information
- Team members and
- other regularly changing information
The complicated technology stays behind the scenes.
The part you use should be straightforward.
Template or Completely Custom?
Choosing a custom-coded website from aprompt doesn't mean you automatically need a completely bespoke design.
If you're a smaller business, start-up or simply don't require a unique design, our PAYG template websites combine a professionally created design with our own website technology and CMS.
Find Out About TEMPLATE WEBSITES
If your project needs something more individual, we can create a custom website design specifically for your business, together with the custom development required to bring it to life.
FIND OUT ABOUT CUSTOM WEBSITES
Whichever route you choose, the philosophy is the same:
We'd rather build and maintain the technology ourselves than make your business fit around somebody else's website platform.
Is It Time to Replace Your Current Website?
If your existing website uses WordPress, Wix or another platform, that certainly doesn't mean you made the wrong choice.
A better question is: Does your current website still do what your business needs it to do?
If it's becoming difficult to maintain, feels slow, relies on numerous plugins, no longer represents your business properly or has simply reached the end of its useful life, it may be worth considering the alternatives.
At aprompt, we've been designing and developing websites since 1998. Whether you want the affordability of one of our custom-coded PAYG template websites or a completely custom-designed and custom-coded website, we'll help you choose the approach that suits your business.
You don't need to understand the technology. That's our job. Just tell us about your business and what you'd like your website to achieve.
Talk to us about your new website
Frequently Asked Questions
What's a custom-coded website?
Custom-coded websites use code developed and maintained by the website developer rather than relying entirely on a pre-made off-the-shelf website platform built by numerous developers around the world. At aprompt, we've developed our own website technology and CMS, which we use as the foundation for the websites we build.
Is a custom-coded website better than WordPress?
Neither approach is automatically better for every business. WordPress offers enormous flexibility through its themes and plugins. Custom coding gives the developer greater control over the underlying code, functionality and third-party dependencies.
Does custom-coded mean I need a completely bespoke website?
No. Our PAYG pre-designed websites use professionally designed templates but are powered by the website technology and CMS we've developed ourselves. Alternatively, we can design and develop a completely custom website specifically for your business.
What's the difference between an aprompt template website and a custom website?
With a template website, you choose from our professionally created designs, which we customise for your business. A custom website is individually designed around your requirements. Both approaches benefit from aprompt's own website technology and CMS.
Can I update an aprompt website myself?
Yes. Our CMS is designed so clients can manage their website content without needing coding knowledge. The facilities available depend on your website and package but all functions are easy to use.
Can you replace my existing WordPress or Wix website?
Yes. If your existing website no longer meets your needs, we can replace it with a new aprompt website. If your current site already performs well in search engines, we'll also consider its existing pages, content and URLs when planning the new website to help protect the SEO value you've already built up.