Web studio or freelancer: how to choose who builds your website
You can build a site yourself in a website builder, hire a freelancer or work with a web studio. Each option has its strengths and its risks — below is a neutral comparison and a list of questions worth asking any contractor.
Three ways to get a website
Website builder (Wix, Squarespace, Shopify and similar) — you assemble the site yourself from ready-made blocks and pay the platform a subscription. Freelancer — an independent specialist who builds the site to order, usually on WordPress or another popular system. Web studio — a contractor that takes on the whole cycle, from structure and design to launch and support.
The line between them is blurry: some freelancers offer a full cycle, and some studios work on website builders. So compare the terms, not the label.
Comparison: web studio, freelancer, website builder
| Criterion | Web studio | Freelancer | Website builder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who does the work | The contractor runs the project end to end | One specialist, sometimes with subcontractors | You do |
| Upfront budget | Usually higher, based on a quote | Usually lower, varies widely by specialist | Minimal, then a subscription |
| Timelines | Fixed in the contract | Depend on the specialist’s workload | Depend on your free time |
| Contract and accountability | Usually a written contract | Sometimes a contract, sometimes a verbal agreement | The platform’s terms of service |
| Edits after launch | In the admin panel or under maintenance | Through the specialist, if available | Yourself, in the editor |
| Local integrations (bank links, parcel lockers) | Depends on the studio | Depends on the specialist’s experience | Limited to the available apps |
| If the contractor disappears | Lower risk with a contract and data handover | The main risk of this option | The platform remains, but the site is tied to it |
| Moving to another platform | Depends on the data export terms | Depends on what the site is built with | Usually hard: the design does not transfer |
When a website builder fits
When you need a simple page right now, the budget is close to zero and you have time to learn the editor. Builders work well for testing an idea and for personal projects. The weak spots are template limits, difficulty with Estonian payment and parcel services, and a site that stays tied to the platform.
When a freelancer fits
When the task is clear and limited, and you have found a specialist with relevant work and references. A good freelancer can be flexible and attentive. The key is to agree upfront who owns the domain and hosting and what happens with support a year from now.
When a web studio fits
When the site is a working tool — bookings, orders, payments, several languages — and it matters that it keeps running and being updated for years. A studio usually takes on hosting, updates and support under a contract. In return, the upfront budget is higher and the site may run on the studio’s platform — which makes the data export terms especially important.
Risks worth knowing in advance
- The domain is in the contractor’s name — when you part ways, you have to buy it back or wait for a transfer
- No access to hosting or the admin panel — the site effectively belongs to whoever holds them
- No written contract — nothing to rely on for deadlines or scope
- Support is not agreed — a year later the site stops being updated
- Data cannot be exported — moving turns into building a site from scratch
Questions to ask any contractor
- Whose name will the domain be registered in?
- What access does the client get: admin panel, hosting, email, analytics?
- Will there be a written contract, and what does it fix: scope, deadline, payment terms?
- How many revision rounds are included?
- What does support after launch include, and what does it cost?
- How are copy, products and orders exported when changing contractors?
- Who works on the site if the contractor is ill or busy?
How solanasite works
For completeness, here are this studio’s terms on the same questions. The domain is registered in the client’s name, the contract and quote come before work begins, content can be exported as an archive from the admin panel at any time, and maintenance is a separate monthly line. The site runs on the studio’s engine, which is provided for as long as maintenance runs. Whether that fits is your call — this list of questions makes it easy to compare any contractors.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, a web studio or a freelancer?
Usually a freelancer at the start, but the total cost also depends on support and on what a rebuild or migration would cost later. Compare the terms over several years, not just the first figure.
Can you start with a website builder and move to a studio later?
Yes. Copy, photos and products usually transfer; the builder’s design does not. What matters is that the domain is in your name from the start.
How can a contractor be checked before hiring?
Look at live sites the contractor has built and test them on a phone. Ask the questions from the list above and request the contract before paying anything.
Is a contract needed for a small website?
Yes. Even for a landing page, it is worth putting the scope, deadline, payment and domain ownership in writing.
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