The 5 Most Common Ways Businesses Build Websites

There are really five main paths today:

1. Wix (DIY drag-and-drop builder)

2. Squarespace (design-focused builder)

3. Webflow (advanced designer platform)

4. AI builders like 10Web

5. Done-for-you website services

Each option has advantages depending on your goals, time, and budget.

Wix Website Builder

4

Wix is one of the most widely used website builders for beginners.

Pros

• Easy drag-and-drop editor
• Large template library
• Built-in hosting
• Quick setup for simple sites

Cons

• SEO limitations compared to WordPress-based platforms
• Design can become messy over time
• Harder to scale as the business grows
• Performance can slow with larger sites

Best for:
Very small businesses or hobby sites that want something simple and fast.

Squarespace

4

Squarespace focuses heavily on design and aesthetics.

Pros

• Beautiful templates
• Good blogging tools
• Easy editing
• Good for creatives

Cons

• Less flexible customization
• SEO tools are limited
• Harder to integrate advanced tools

Best for:
Artists, photographers, restaurants, and small portfolio websites.

Webflow

4

Webflow is a powerful platform aimed more at designers and developers.

Pros

• Highly customizable
• Advanced animations and layouts
• Strong design control
• Professional-level sites

Cons

• Steep learning curve
• More technical to manage
• Not beginner friendly

Best for:
Designers, agencies, and advanced users.

AI Website Builders (10Web and similar platforms)

4

AI website builders are the newest generation of tools. Platforms like 10Web use artificial intelligence to generate a website structure, layout, and content based on a short prompt.

Pros

• Extremely fast website creation
• Automatic design generation
• AI content suggestions
• WordPress-powered flexibility

Cons

• AI output still requires refinement
• Beginners may struggle with optimization
• Design quality depends on setup and prompts

Best for:
Businesses that want a fast starting point but still need customization.

Done-For-You Website Services

4

Done-for-you services combine the best of both worlds.

Instead of building the website yourself, a team handles:

• design
• setup
• hosting
• updates
• security
• optimization

The newer model many agencies use is Website-as-a-Service, where businesses pay a monthly fee instead of thousands up front.

Pros

• No technical work required
• Professional design and SEO
• Continuous support and updates
• Faster launch with expert oversight

Cons

• Monthly cost
• Requires choosing a reliable provider

Best for:
Businesses that want results without managing the website themselves.

The Real Difference: DIY vs Managed

The biggest difference between these platforms isn’t the software.

It’s who does the work.

DIY builders require the business owner to handle:

• design
• content
• optimization
• updates
• troubleshooting

Managed website services shift those responsibilities to professionals.

For many business owners, the real cost of DIY websites is time.

Which Option Is Best For Your Business?

Here’s a simple way to think about it.

Choose Wix or Squarespace if:

• you enjoy building things yourself
• the website is not a major business driver

Choose Webflow if:

• you are a designer or developer
• you want full creative control

Choose an AI builder if:

• you want a fast website starting point

Choose a done-for-you service if:

• your website needs to generate leads
• you prefer professionals handling the work

A New Approach: AI-Powered, Human-Refined Websites

Many modern agencies now combine AI speed with professional design expertise.

This approach allows businesses to:

• generate a website draft quickly
• review it before launch
• refine it with expert help
• launch faster with ongoing support

Instead of waiting weeks for a website to be built from scratch, businesses can often see a draft in days.

Want to See What Your Website Could Look Like?

One of the easiest ways to decide is to see a draft first.

At Semper Fi Design, we generate a free homepage draft for your business using our AI-powered design process.

You can review the layout, request changes, and decide if you want to launch it.

No pressure. Just a chance to see what your business could look like online.

Final Thoughts

Website builders have made launching a website easier than ever. But the best option still depends on what you value most:

• control
• speed
• cost
• professional results

For many businesses, the winning combination today is AI-assisted design with professional oversight.

It delivers the speed of automation with the quality of expert design.