Wix vs. Hiring a Pro: The Real Cost for Kiwi Businesses

We hear it all the time. “I’ll just whip something up on Wix this weekend.”

Six months later, the site still isn’t live. Or it IS live, but it looks… slightly wonky on mobile. And it takes 4-6 seconds to load. And nobody can find it on Google.

Let me show you the real cost of DIY website builders in 2025.

The “Free” Trap

DIY platforms pitch themselves as cheap. Wix’s marketing makes it look affordable. But here’s what you’ll actually pay for a business website that can be found on Google:

Wix’s True 2-Year Cost (2025 Pricing):

Business Package: $31 NZD/month (when paying annually) = $744

Domain: $57 (2 years, paid upfront)

Professional Email: $6/month = $144 (over 2 years)

Total 2-year cost: $945 when paying annually upfront—more if paid monthly.

So much for “free.”

But that’s just the dollar cost. Let’s talk about the real cost.

The Hidden Cost Nobody Talks About: Your Time

Here’s the uncomfortable truth about DIY websites:

Most business owners estimate it will take a weekend—maybe 10-15 hours—to build their site.

The reality? Building a DIY website typically takes 60-80 hours when you account for the complete process:

Learning the platform
Choosing and customizing a template
Writing and organizing content
Figuring out basic SEO
Testing functionality across devices
Troubleshooting problems (and there WILL be problems)
Making ongoing updates and tweaks

That’s not even counting ongoing maintenance, security updates, and improvements your site will need over time.

Let’s Do the Maths

If you charge $80/hour for your services (plumber, electrician, consultant, salon owner), and you spend 60 hours fighting with a drag-and-drop builder:

That “cheap” website just cost you $4,800 in lost billable time.

Even at a conservative 40-hour estimate, that’s $3,200 in opportunity cost—time you could have spent serving clients, developing new products, or actually growing your business.

The Real Comparison (2025 Numbers)

Wix DIY Approach:

Hard costs: $945 over 2 years
Your time: 60-80 hours
Opportunity cost: $4,800-$6,400 (at $80/hour)
Total actual cost: $5,745-$7,345
Result: A website you built yourself (with limitations)

Professional Build (YourHQ):

Hard costs: $995 + GST setup + $149/month + GST × 24 months = $4,571 + GST
Your time: 2-3 hours (for a voice interview and feedback)
Opportunity cost: $160-$240
Total actual cost: $4,731-$4,811 + GST
Result: A website built by professionals

You save $1,000-$2,500+ and get a better website. And you get your time back.

Similar UK analysis shows professional builds costing £564 vs Wix’s £946.90 over 2 years—saving nearly £400 PLUS 20-40 hours of time.

The “Template” Look: You’re Not Special

Here’s something most DIY builders don’t realize until it’s too late:

Templates are great, until you realize 400 other businesses in New Zealand are using the exact same one.

It doesn’t look like you. It looks like everyone else.

The Customization Trap

Wix offers a range of templates, but these templates are not easily customizable. Users are limited to the layout and design of the templates, which can be a problem if you’re looking for a unique and personalized website.

With Wix, you cannot fully customize the HTML and CSS codes, which restricts your ability to modify your website to suit your needs.

Translation: You’re stuck with what Wix gives you. If the template doesn’t do exactly what you need? Too bad.

The Professional Signal

84% of consumers say a business is more credible if it has a website. But not just ANY website—a PROFESSIONAL website.

When potential clients land on your site and it looks identical to a hundred other Wix templates, you lose that credibility edge.

They think: “Did they build this themselves? Are they actually a professional business?”

Compare that to a custom-designed site that reflects your actual brand, your values, your aesthetic. Small businesses with modern, professional websites report 15-50% revenue increases.

The Speed Penalty: Google Hates Slow Websites

Here’s where DIY builders really hurt you: Performance.

In 2025, independent testing of 14 major website builders found that most DIY platforms are embarrassingly slow:

Lighthouse Performance Scores (2025):

Versoly: 80 (best DIY builder)
Webflow: 77
Wix: 72
Weebly: 39
Squarespace: 31
Strikingly: 32

For comparison, professionally coded sites (like Astro/Next.js) score 95-100.

What This Means in Real Terms:

Wix sites:

Load in 5.24 seconds (Largest Contentful Paint)
Take 6.69 seconds to become interactive
Process 759 KB of data

Squarespace sites:

Load in 8.79 seconds
Take 6.97 seconds to become interactive
Process 994 KB of data

Professional Astro/Next.js sites:

Load in under 2 seconds
Become interactive almost instantly
Process 200-400 KB of data

Why This Matters

Google hates slow websites. Page speed is a ranking factor.

If your site takes 6-8 seconds to load, you’re getting penalized in search rankings. Your competitors with faster sites will rank higher.

And users hate slow websites too. 40% of users abandon sites that take longer than 3 seconds to load.

So your slow DIY site isn’t just hurting your SEO—it’s literally costing you customers who give up waiting for your site to load.

The SEO Handicap: Fighting With One Hand Tied Behind Your Back

Let’s talk about SEO—because this is where DIY builders really fall short.

Wix SEO Limitations (2025):

Limited flexibility for website customization: While Wix offers many customization options, its closed platform can limit your flexibility to customize your website entirely. This restricts your ability to optimize your website for search engines.

Can’t fully customize technical SEO: You obviously can’t customize or even analyze the server, and don’t have control over your own logs. There are so many options to improve the speed and availability of custom websites that Wix barely scratches the surface.

Slower loading speeds hurt rankings: Wix is built on previous-generation technologies. Slower loading speed contributes to weaker SEO performance.

Limited control over site architecture: You can edit permalinks, but you can’t develop an advanced site architecture the way you can with a modern CMS.

What Professional SEO Experts Say

From Elite Strategies’ 2025 SEO assessment:

“If you are a technical SEO you will be let down… It just isn’t as fun; with a modern CMS or custom CMS there are so many options to improve the speed and availability of your website and Wix barely scratches the surface.”

From Redshark Digital:

“While Wix offers some SEO features, its closed platform and limitations in technical SEO, customization, and website speed can be a disadvantage for those looking to optimize their website for search engines entirely.”

Translation: Wix is fine for basic SEO. But if you actually want to RANK on Google and drive traffic? You’re handicapped from day one.

The Scalability Problem: What Happens When You Grow?

Here’s something most small businesses don’t think about when they choose Wix:

What happens in 2-3 years when you want to add features?

Want to integrate a custom booking system? Difficult or impossible.
Want to add advanced e-commerce features? Limited options.
Want to connect to your CRM or other business tools? May not be supported.
Want to migrate to a better platform? Good luck exporting your data.

As your business grows, you’ll face challenges with scalability that affect future growth and adaptability.

You’ll eventually need to rebuild from scratch on a proper platform. So that $945 you spent on Wix? Wasted. You’re starting over.

The Real ROI: What a Professional Website Actually Returns

Let’s talk about what matters: Return on investment.

Small businesses with professional websites report 15-50% revenue increases.

Over 70% of small businesses report increased revenue after launching a professional website.

Real-World ROI Examples (2025 Data):

Local service business: $3,000 investment generating $2,000 monthly in new leads

Small retailer: $8,000 e-commerce site producing $5,000 monthly in online sales

Professional services: $5,000 website resulting in 3 new clients worth $15,000 annually

The YourHQ Math:

Investment: $995 + GST setup + $149/month + GST = $2,783 + GST in Year 1

If your website generates just 2 extra clients per month at $200 average:

Monthly additional revenue: $400
Annual additional revenue: $4,800
ROI: 172% in Year 1

And that’s conservative. Most of our salon, tradie, and consultant clients see 5-10 extra bookings per month from their website.

The Middle Ground: Infrastructure + Warmth

You usually have two choices when getting a website built:

Option 1: DIY (Wix, Squarespace, etc.)

Pros: Cheap upfront cost
Cons: Stressful, time-consuming (60-80 hours), slow site speed, SEO limitations, looks like everyone else, doesn’t scale

Option 2: Traditional Agency

Pros: Professional result
Cons: Costs $8,000-$30,000+, takes 6-12 weeks, expensive ongoing maintenance

We built YourHQ to be option 3.

The YourHQ Approach:

Modern Tech Stack (Astro):

We use professional code—the same frameworks Silicon Valley uses
Sites load in under 2 seconds (vs 6-8 seconds for Wix/Squarespace)
Built for SEO from the ground up
Clean, efficient code (no bloat)

Service Model:

$995 + GST setup fee (gets you a professional site in 5-7 days)
$149-$249/month + GST “caretaker” fee (hosting, security, updates, annual refresh)

What You Get:

We build it (using your voice interview—no endless meetings)
We host it (high-speed Vercel hosting, not cheap shared hosting)
We fix it when it breaks (real humans, based in Whangārei)
We refresh it annually (so you never look outdated)
You own it (your domain, your content, your data)

Why This Works:

Faster than DIY: 5-7 days vs 60-80 hours of your time

Cheaper than agencies: $995 + GST vs $8,000-$30,000

Better performance: 2-second load times vs 6-8 seconds

Professional result: Custom design, not a template used by 400 other businesses

Scalable: Built on modern frameworks that can grow with you

The Bottom Line: Stop Wrestling With Technology

You’re a plumber. Or an electrician. Or a salon owner. Or a consultant.

You’re not a web developer. And you shouldn’t have to be.

Your time is worth $80-$150/hour (probably more). Spending 60-80 hours building a slow, limited, template-based website that doesn’t rank on Google isn’t a “cost saving.”

It’s a $5,000-$7,000 mistake.

Invest that time in what you’re actually good at. Let professionals build your digital infrastructure.

You have a business to run.

Book Your Voice Interview—Let’s Build Your Site

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it really take to build a DIY website?

Building a DIY website typically takes 60-80 hours when you account for learning the platform, customizing templates, creating content, troubleshooting, and ongoing updates. Most business owners estimate 10-15 hours initially, but the reality includes significant time spent on platform learning curves and fixing issues that professionals would avoid.

Is Wix actually cheaper than hiring a professional?

No. Wix costs $945 over 2 years in direct costs, plus 60-80 hours of your time. At $80/hour, that’s $4,800-$6,400 in opportunity cost—totaling $5,745-$7,345. A professional build at YourHQ costs $995 + GST + $149/month + GST (24 months) = $4,571 + GST, saving you $1,000-$2,500+ and giving you a faster, more professional site.

How much slower are DIY website builders compared to professional sites?

2025 testing shows Wix sites score 72/100 on Lighthouse performance and load in 5.24 seconds, while Squarespace scores 31/100 and loads in 8.79 seconds. Professional Astro/Next.js sites score 95-100 and load in under 2 seconds. Since 40% of users abandon sites taking over 3 seconds to load, DIY builders lose nearly half of potential visitors due to speed alone.

Can I actually rank on Google with a Wix website?

Wix has improved SEO capabilities, but it still has significant limitations: restricted customization, no server control, slower loading speeds, limited technical SEO options, and inability to develop advanced site architecture. While you CAN rank with Wix, you’re fighting with one hand tied behind your back compared to professionally coded sites with full SEO control.

What ROI should I expect from a professional website?

Small businesses with professional websites report 15-50% revenue increases, with 70%+ reporting increased revenue after launch. Real examples from 2025: local service businesses generating $2,000 monthly in new leads from a $3,000 investment, and professional services getting 3 new clients worth $15,000 annually from a $5,000 website. Even conservatively, 2 extra clients per month at $200 each = 172% ROI in Year 1.

References

Aileron Digital Works — November 2025: Wix costs £946.90 over 2 years (£31.10/month + £56.50 domain + £144 email) vs professional build £564; save nearly £400 + 20-40 hours time; similar costs apply to NZ market
Creare Web Solutions — December 2025: DIY websites take 60-80 hours including learning platform, customizing templates, content creation, SEO setup, testing, troubleshooting; opportunity cost $4,000-$6,000 at $100-150/hour; most underestimate true time investment
DebugBear Website Builder Performance Review — October 2025: Tested 14 website builders; Wix scores 72/100 Lighthouse (5.24s load, 6.69s interactive); Squarespace 31/100 (8.79s load); professional Astro/Next.js sites score 95-100 with sub-2-second loads
Network Solutions / TL Design Studios — September 2025: 84% say business more credible with website; 15-50% revenue increases with modern websites; 70%+ report increased revenue after professional site launch; local businesses generate $2K monthly leads from $3K investment
Elite Strategies / Redshark Digital — 2025 SEO analysis: Wix limitations include restricted customization, no server/log control, slower loading (previous-gen tech), limited site architecture development; fine for basic SEO but handicapped for competitive rankings
Steve Sims / iPoint — 2025 comparison: Wix lacks advanced SEO capabilities, design control, hosting control; scaling limitations as business grows; restricted SEO options limit search visibility; custom builds provide flexibility, control, superior SEO foundation
Wix Blog — October 2025 and January 2025: Templates don’t handle on-page SEO automatically; limited customization within template frameworks; improvements made to SEO capabilities but still closed platform with inherent restrictions
Verpex / WordPress Benchmark — Page builder performance testing: WordPress 1.4s load; Divi 1.8s; Elementor 1.3s; Beaver Builder 992ms; all significantly faster than DIY drag-and-drop builders like Wix/Squarespace