What is custom development in web design?

There are many pros and cons to both WordPress and custom sites. Most businesses, entrepreneurs and start-ups are confused as to which path is best suited to their individual goals and needs. In this article, you will learn the differences and ultimately which option is best for taking your business to the next level!

Table of Contents

WordPress

A content management system (CMS) is a software that allows the user to create, edit, organise and publish their content. WordPress is a type of CMS that facilitates the publication of this content onto the web.

1. WordPress themes

Initially, WordPress was a tool for people to set up their own blogs. But its user-friendly CMS made it a really popular platform for all kinds of web development. WordPress does not require any coding to produce a website! As it grew in popularity, the number of themes available to users increased. The extensive collection of themes allows for many ideas to come to life online. Not just simple blogs but advanced eCommerce sites, news sites, real estate and hotel bookings, to name a few!

In fact, WordPress is so popular, easy to use and professional-looking that major organisations like the New Yorker, Sony Music and Mercedes-Benz even use it. It is estimated that WordPress powers 35% of all websites around the world!

If you are looking to design and build a website, then, by choosing WordPress you are in good company, and if you do not feel confident going it alone, many web designers out there will help you build a beautiful website in a short amount of time and generally for a low cost.

With many themes to choose from, you can choose one that you like the look of and then concentrate on its design and the content you want to include. In order to really develop the website into something more powerful than just a blog you will likely need to include plugins. Other developers usually create those plugins and, again, make them free to install onto your page. Some popular ones include WooCommerce for eCommerce capabilities, Yoast for improved search engine rankings, and Elementor for editing and design tools.

Some landing page template options with our favourite WordPress page builder plugin, Elementor:

2. Custom WordPress Themes

If there isn’t a suitable theme that suits your business, fear not! Many agencies can build you a completely bespoke WordPress theme. This will include any branding your company has, with each section of each page entirely tailored to your own specific needs and goals. Additionally, the exact functionality you need, such as eCommerce, bookings, blogs will be included. This way, you get the benefit of a custom coded site, but with the user friendly CMS that will allow you to easily update your site without the assistance of a developer!

All of our WordPress offers include the pro version of iThemes Security, and we only install plugins with hundreds of thousands of users that are updated frequently, so you don’t need to worry about security. Additionally, we only install the plugins you absolutely need, which work seamlessly together, to avoid unnecessary size to your site and potential conflicts.

Finally, although there are many clean, professional and creative themes available on WordPress, it is not always possible to find a theme that will fulfill all of a user’s needs. You may have a really unique vision for your website that just hasn’t been designed as a WordPress theme yet. This isn’t a problem with our service however, as we offer custom design as a separate service to WordPress development, so you can achieve an entirely unique site that is unrecognisable as WordPress.

 

Custom Development

In contrast to WordPress, the process of building a custom website requires a strong grasp of coding and computer programming languages. Custom web page development refers to building a website from scratch. You are not starting with a theme downloaded from WordPress; you are starting from a blank editor.

1. Security

Despite the myriad of website development software available online, there are advantages to going it alone (or hiring a web developer to do it for you). The primary advantage of a custom built site is security. Without multiple plugins and themes, clean coded sites are less vulnerable than open-source WordPress. However, this is a compromise many are happy to make for the benefits of WordPress. You just have to make sure you stay on top of any updates!

2. SEO

A common misconception is that custom sites are better for SEO. Although there is no technical difference between the two options, you have to consider that Google loves content. With WordPress being the OG of blogging, its hard to compete! Custom sites are infinitely more difficult for the average person to keep up to date with new quality content and blogs.

3. Performance

Since the website has been developed from scratch, the code used in it is more likely to be ‘clean’ which leads to improved performance; CMS systems install a lot of code that can worsen capability and lead to hard-to-find errors. However, there are many performance plugins for WordPress, such as WP Rocket and NitroPack that vastly improve speed. 

4. Bug fixing

Should there be technical problems, your developer will be able to help address any issues; with WordPress finding the source of issues can be a bit trickier. You may need to wait for specific plugin updates and support to solve issues.

Of course, if it were easy to build and update fantastic websites from scratch, everyone would do it. But there are limitations to this process. The first is the cost: if you build a website because of the technical know-how, it is much more expensive. Web developers are likely to charge a lot more for custom development than they are for building WordPress pages.

We typically only recommend custom sites for very advanced design needs or functionality. For example, if your website needs cutting edge CSS and JavaScript effects, like those seen on awwwards. Please note however that these websites are more for show than achieving specific business goals. Additionally, if your website needs multiple types of user accounts (think freelancing platforms) that have advanced interactions with each other, WordPress would not be a stable long-term solution.

Choosing between WordPress and custom development

Like most business decisions, choosing between WordPress and Custom Development to build your website will depend on time and budget constraints. If you are  looking for a well-designed, easy-to-use platform that performs well for SEO, allows you to educate users about your services, sell products (to just name a few!) then WordPress is more than suitable. But if you want a site that includes cutting-edge technology with web app like functionality requirements, then custom development can offer an interesting opportunity. 

So to summarise, we think custom WordPress sites are the golden middle. They will cover more than enough for the majority of any businesses needs. You have the benefits of a bespoke website, along with the ease of adding that rich content Google loves. Although custom WordPress sites may be more expensive than simply using an existing WP theme, it is worth remembering that the return on investment is likely to be higher because the project was built with the business’ specific needs in mind, and can be more customisable, scalable, and long-lasting over time.

Do you have any questions about how to choose the best strategy for your business? Get in touch with our team!

Frequently asked questions

Custom development refers to building a website completely from scratch using programming languages, rather than using pre-existing platforms or templates. This approach involves writing unique code to create every aspect of the website, from its functionality to its design. Custom development offers maximum flexibility and control over the final product but requires significant technical expertise and typically costs more than using content management systems.
WordPress development is generally more cost-effective than custom development. While a custom-built website can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000+, WordPress websites typically range from $2,000 to $15,000, depending on complexity. This cost difference is mainly because WordPress eliminates the need to build everything from scratch, utilizing existing themes and plugins while still allowing for customization.
Custom development typically offers better security since it has fewer potential vulnerabilities compared to WordPress’s open-source nature. However, WordPress can be made highly secure by using reputable security plugins, keeping all components updated, and following security best practices. The key is proper maintenance and implementation rather than the platform itself.
WordPress can handle most business requirements through its extensive plugin ecosystem and customization options. It’s suitable for e-commerce, booking systems, membership sites, and complex content management. However, for highly specialized functionality or unique user interaction systems, custom development might be more appropriate.
WordPress websites require regular updates to the core system, themes, and plugins, but these updates are typically straightforward and can often be automated. Custom-built websites generally require less frequent maintenance but when issues arise, they need a developer’s expertise to fix them. WordPress maintenance is usually more predictable and cost-effective.
WordPress has a slight advantage for SEO due to its built-in content management capabilities and SEO-friendly plugins like Yoast. While custom development can achieve the same SEO results, WordPress makes it easier for non-technical users to optimize content, manage meta descriptions, and maintain regular blog updates – all crucial factors for search engine rankings.
WordPress websites typically take 2-8 weeks to develop, depending on customization needs. Custom development projects usually take 3-6 months or longer, as they require building everything from scratch. The timeline difference is significant because WordPress provides pre-built components that can be customized, while custom development involves creating every feature and function individually.

Frequently asked questions

Custom development refers to building a website completely from scratch using programming languages, rather than using pre-existing platforms or templates. This approach involves writing unique code to create every aspect of the website, from its functionality to its design. Custom development offers maximum flexibility and control over the final product but requires significant technical expertise and typically costs more than using content management systems.
WordPress development is generally more cost-effective than custom development. While a custom-built website can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000+, WordPress websites typically range from $2,000 to $15,000, depending on complexity. This cost difference is mainly because WordPress eliminates the need to build everything from scratch, utilizing existing themes and plugins while still allowing for customization.
Custom development typically offers better security since it has fewer potential vulnerabilities compared to WordPress’s open-source nature. However, WordPress can be made highly secure by using reputable security plugins, keeping all components updated, and following security best practices. The key is proper maintenance and implementation rather than the platform itself.
WordPress can handle most business requirements through its extensive plugin ecosystem and customization options. It’s suitable for e-commerce, booking systems, membership sites, and complex content management. However, for highly specialized functionality or unique user interaction systems, custom development might be more appropriate.
WordPress websites require regular updates to the core system, themes, and plugins, but these updates are typically straightforward and can often be automated. Custom-built websites generally require less frequent maintenance but when issues arise, they need a developer’s expertise to fix them. WordPress maintenance is usually more predictable and cost-effective.
WordPress has a slight advantage for SEO due to its built-in content management capabilities and SEO-friendly plugins like Yoast. While custom development can achieve the same SEO results, WordPress makes it easier for non-technical users to optimize content, manage meta descriptions, and maintain regular blog updates – all crucial factors for search engine rankings.
WordPress websites typically take 2-8 weeks to develop, depending on customization needs. Custom development projects usually take 3-6 months or longer, as they require building everything from scratch. The timeline difference is significant because WordPress provides pre-built components that can be customized, while custom development involves creating every feature and function individually.
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Gor Gasparyan

Optimizing digital experiences for growth-stage & enterprise brands through research-driven design, automation, and AI