When you set out to get a website for your business, you'll quickly hit three very different options — and a lot of noise from each trying to win you. A DIY builder, a traditional web design agency, or the newer done-for-you platform. They're not variations on a theme; they're genuinely different in what they cost, how much of your time they eat, and what you end up with. Here's an honest guide to which one is right for you.
The three ways to get a website
Here's how they stack up at a glance, before we get into which suits whom.
That's the whole landscape on one screen. Now let's be fair to each.
Option 1: The website builder (DIY)
What it is: tools like Wix, Squarespace or GoDaddy that let you build a site yourself from templates. Who it's for: people with time who enjoy the process, or who genuinely can't spend anything beyond a few euro a month. The cost: roughly €6–40 a month, plus a lot of your own hours. The catch: you build it, you maintain it, and — the big one — you do all the marketing to get found, or nobody sees it. A builder gives you a website; it does not give you traffic.
Option 2: The web design agency
What it is: a professional studio that designs and builds a bespoke site for you. Who it's for: established businesses with a real budget and a complex or custom brief. The cost: typically €2,000–8,000 or more upfront, often with a monthly retainer for support and marketing on top. The catch: it's excellent but expensive and slow — weeks of briefs, drafts and revisions — and out of reach for most sole traders and small crews. When you can afford it and need something bespoke, an agency will do you proud.
Option 3: The done-for-you platform
What it is: the newer third option — you answer a few questions and the platform builds you a real website in about a minute, then keeps marketing it. Who it's for: the large middle — small businesses and trades who want a professional result without the DIY grind or the agency price. The cost: from about €99 a month, all in, with the website plus the marketing system (Google profile, reviews, local SEO). The catch: it's not fully bespoke like a €5,000 agency build — but for most businesses it's most of the result for a fraction of the price and time.
Side by side
| Website builder | Done-for-you | Web agency | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | €6–40 / month | From €99 / month | €2,000–8,000+ upfront |
| Who builds it | You | Built for you | They build it |
| Time to live | Days of your time | About a minute | Weeks of back-and-forth |
| Marketing | You do it | Included | Usually a paid extra |
| Best for | Hobbyists with time | Busy owners who want it handled | Big budgets, bespoke needs |
Which is right for you?
Choose a builder if you love tinkering, have the evenings, and will genuinely do the marketing yourself. Choose an agency if you've a budget of a few thousand and a genuinely bespoke brief. Choose done-for-you if you're like most small businesses: you want a site that looks the part and gets found, without it becoming a second job or a five-figure invoice. There's more detail in best website builder for tradesmen and what a website costs in Ireland.
The whole market pretends there are only two options — cheap-and-DIY or expensive-and-bespoke. The done-for-you platform is the box in the middle that most businesses actually want.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a website builder and a web designer?
Is it better to use a website builder or hire someone?
How much does each option cost in Ireland?
What is a done-for-you website platform?
Which option is best for a tradesman or small business?
The honest summary: there's no single best option, only the one that fits your time, budget and how bespoke your needs are. But the market's quiet secret is that the third box — done-for-you — is what most small businesses actually want and rarely get shown. Build one free in about a minute and see.
This article was produced by our AI marketing team — the same one that comes with every Webnua site. Yours starts the minute you do.