Templated websites seem like a smart move: quick to launch, easy on the budget, and packed with features. But the cost of templated websites often shows up in unexpected ways. For businesses that care about how they show up online, those shortcuts can lead to setbacks.
Templates can be a good starting point, but only if your needs are simple and unlikely to grow. For most businesses, that’s not the case. What feels like a shortcut now can easily become a roadblock later.
At Brownbag Design, we’ve seen it happen over and over. What starts as a “good enough for now” site ends up holding your brand back. Here’s why the cost of templated websites is often higher than expected, especially when design matters.
1. You’ll Outgrow the Template Fast
Templates are built to serve a wide range of users. That might work at first, but it rarely supports a growing business. As your needs evolve, you’ll want more flexibility—more pages, smarter navigation, and better functionality.
The more you try to stretch a template beyond what it was built for, the more time and money you spend on fixes. Eventually, you’re stuck deciding whether to settle or rebuild completely.
2. Your Brand Gets Lost in the Crowd
Your website is often your first impression. A generic template doesn’t tell your story. It just fills space. If your site looks like everyone else’s, it’s harder to stand out or build trust with your audience.
A custom site lets your brand take the lead. It’s designed around your visuals, voice, and goals. That’s what helps people remember you.
3. Design Flexibility Is Limited
Want to move a section or change the layout? Want your messaging to flow in a certain way? With templates, even small changes can be frustrating. You’re stuck working around someone else’s system.
The more you try to customize, the more problems show up. You end up dealing with rigid design, extra plugins, and sometimes expensive development work just to make it all function.
4. You’ll End Up Paying Twice
Templated sites often seem affordable at first. But when you hit the limits, you start paying for fixes, plugins, custom code, or workarounds. That’s on top of the time lost troubleshooting things that shouldn’t be breaking in the first place.
By the time you’re done, you’ve probably spent more than you would have on a custom site built right from the start.
5. You Miss the Bigger Opportunity
Yes, a template can get you online quickly. But it won’t position your brand as a leader. It’s not built for strategy, scalability, or performance. It’s built to be fast and generic.
That’s the real cost of templated websites. You’re not just losing money, you’re losing momentum and missing the chance to create a real connection with your audience. A custom site is an investment in how you show up—and how you grow.
Avoiding the True Cost of Templated Websites
Templates aren’t built around your business. They’re built around assumptions. And while they can serve as a quick fix, they often can’t keep up when your business needs more than just a digital placeholder.
A custom website isn’t about bells and whistles. It’s about building something with purpose that actually works for your business. One that reflects who you are, where you’re going, and why it matters.
At Brownbag Design, we build websites that are designed to scale with you. They’re thoughtful, flexible, and built with your brand at the center. No shortcuts. No copy-paste themes. Just smart, intentional design that does its job.
Not sure if a custom site is right for you? Let’s talk.
