Why pay more?
A clear comparison of your options, so you can choose the right solution for your business, your budget and your goals.
There’s no single right answer for every business. Here’s an honest look at each.
Wix, Squarespace, GoDaddy, Canva and similar
£0 – £25/month
platform subscription (illustrative)
Great for hobby projects or very simple sites, if you have the time.
Professional, local and personal
From £195
one-off, depending on package
A professional website without the agency price tag.
Traditional web designers and agencies
£500 – £1,200+
typical starting price (illustrative)
Great for larger or complex projects, but can be more than many small businesses need.
| DIY website builders Wix, Squarespace, GoDaddy, Canva, etc. | Pure Digital Assistants Built for you, locally and personally | Other designers & agencies Traditional web designers and agencies | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website built for you | No: You do it yourself | Yes: Yes | Yes: Yes |
| Free prototype before you pay | Partly: Templates only | Yes: Yes, no obligation | Partly: Varies |
| Professional, bespoke design | Partly: Limited | Yes: Yes | Yes: Yes |
| Mobile-friendly design | No: You set it up | Yes: Yes | Yes: Yes |
| Google basics (SEO) | No: You do it | Yes: Yes | Yes: Yes |
| Option to update it yourself (CMS) | Yes: Yes, you do all of it | Yes: Business & CMS | Partly: Varies |
| Online booking | Partly: Extra setup | Yes: Booking package | Yes: Yes |
| Online shop | Partly: Extra setup / higher plan | Yes: E-Commerce package | Yes: Yes |
| Business email setup | No: You arrange it | Yes: With Hosting & Care | Partly: Usually available |
| Ongoing technical support | No: Platform help only | Yes: With Hosting & Care | Partly: Usually available |
| Transparent published pricing | Yes: Monthly plans | Yes: Yes | Partly: Varies |
| Your time spent building it | No: Lots | Yes: Minimal | Yes: Minimal |
| Typical starting cost | £0 – £25/month platform subscription | From £195 one-off, depending on package | £500 – £1,200+ illustrative typical starting price |
Competitor prices and features are illustrative examples only. Actual prices and features vary between providers and plans. We don’t claim to be the cheapest, we aim to offer professional quality at a sensible price.
The upfront price is only part of the story. Here’s an illustrative look at typical costs over three years, including hosting and maintenance.
Pure Digital Assistants figures are our one-off package price plus Hosting & Care at £100 per year for three years. Booking, payment and platform provider charges are not included. DIY and agency figures are illustrative examples only and actual costs vary. DIY figures do not include the value of your own time spent building and maintaining the website.
DIY builders look cheap, but you’re the one choosing templates, writing content, sizing photos, setting up mobile layouts, connecting domains and email, and working out how to appear on Google. Then you have to keep it all up to date.
For most small business owners, that time is better spent with customers. With Pure Digital Assistants, we do the work, you review it, and you get two rounds of feedback to make sure it’s right.
We’re a small, focused team with over 20 years of software development, technology and consultancy experience. We use modern tools and efficient processes, and we don’t carry the overheads of a large agency. That means we can deliver professional quality at prices that make sense for small businesses.
We don’t claim to be the cheapest. We aim to give you the best balance of quality, features and value.
Tell us about your business and we’ll create a free initial prototype of your website. No upfront payment, no obligation, no pressure.