Pros and cons of a website based on a template

In 2024, creating websites based on ready-made templates remains a popular solution for many companies and individuals. On the one hand, it allows you to launch a web resource quickly and inexpensively, but on the other hand, it imposes some restrictions on its functionality and uniqueness. In this article, we will analyze in detail all the pros and cons of using templates to create a website that are relevant in the current realities.

You will learn

• What modern website templates are and how they work
• What are the main advantages of ready-made template solutions
• What are the limitations and potential problems you may face
• What types of websites and tasks are best suited for templates
• When it makes sense to develop a website from scratch
• What alternatives to templates are worth considering in 2024

Let's start by defining what a website template is and how it works.

What is a website template

A website template is a ready-made solution for creating a web resource with a predefined structure, design, and basic functions. In essence, it is a website template of a certain type that can be used as a basis and customized for your tasks.

Most templates consist of:

• HTML markup - defines the structure and content of the pages
• CSS styles - define the appearance and design of elements
• JavaScript code - responsible for interactivity and dynamics on the website
• Additional files (pictures, icons, fonts, etc.)

Some templates also include settings for popular CMS (WordPress, Joomla) to simplify content management for the user.

After choosing a suitable template, you can replace the demo content with your own, customize colors, fonts, and add your logo. The result is a ready-made website with a standard design and functionality.

Here are examples of the most popular categories of templates in 2024:

• Corporate websites and landing pages
• Online stores and product catalogs
• Business card sites and portfolios
• Blogs and media
• Websites of events and conferences
• Forums and social networks
• Specific templates (restaurants, medical clinics, hotels, etc.)

Prices for templates range from free to $100+ for premium and niche solutions. On average, a high-quality paid template will cost around $50-80. This is much cheaper than developing a unique design from scratch. But are template websites really suitable for businesses?

Advantages of using templates for website development

• Saving time and money. Creating a website based on a template is usually 2-5 times cheaper than developing a unique design from scratch.
• Easy to customize. Most modern templates are designed for users without programming skills. Visual editors (Elementor, Divi, Wix ADI) allow you to easily change text, images, colors, and design styles. And built-in settings allow you to enable and disable individual sections and functions.
• Adaptability to different screens. In 2024, more than 60% of web traffic will come from smartphones, which means that a website must work and look good on any screen. Fortunately, 95% of modern templates are already responsive out of the box. There is no need to pay for a separate mobile version.
• Basic functionality and integrations. A good template contains the basic functions for its niche: a shopping cart and product catalog for a store, request and call forms for services, sliders and galleries for a portfolio, etc. Social media widgets, customer chat, and subscription pop-ups are also often built in. That is, the minimum functionality is already ready.
• Regular updates. Developers of paid templates are constantly releasing updates to improve the design, add new features, and monitor security. With a high probability, a website based on a paid template will be relevant and secure for at least several years.

Disadvantages and limitations of websites based on templates

• Limited customization options. In most templates, you can easily change the color scheme, fonts, and background images. But it's more difficult to change the page structure, indents, and behavior of elements globally. For serious visual improvements, you will have to involve a specialist and interfere with the code.
• The difficulty of implementing non-standard functionality. If your website requires any specific functions, widgets, or integrations, off-the-shelf solutions may not be suitable. For example, a multi-currency shopping cart, synchronization with 1C, a delivery calculator - all of these will most likely have to be finalized by a programmer.
• Dependence on the template developer. This is especially true for free and shareware templates. If the author stops supporting them, problems with security and compatibility with new versions of CMS or browsers may pop up. It is wiser to use popular, actively updated templates from reliable studios.
• The risk of design duplication. It is clear that most of them look like twins. And if uniqueness of design is important to you (for example, for a personal brand), a template may not be the best choice.
• Excessive "heaviness" of templates. To please the maximum number of users, authors often cram templates with dozens of styles, scripts, and functions. But not all of them are really necessary for a particular site. As a result, extra code slows down loading, reduces conversion, and negatively affects SEO.
• Potential SEO problems. Slow loading speed, duplication of content between sites on the same template, non-semantic markup - all this can hinder the promotion of a website in search. However, much depends on the quality of a particular template and additional SEO optimization by the site owner.

For which sites and tasks are templates suitable

If you need a simple business card website with 5-10 pages, a landing page for a specific promotion, a corporate blog, or a service catalog, a template will be the best choice. Most small companies and freelancers can get by with off-the-shelf solutions without overpaying for unique development.

For example, the full-fledged development of an online store on WooCommerce from scratch can cost from $3000 to $10000, depending on the complexity. A ready-made template with similar functionality will cost $50-150. If your budget is strictly limited, a template is a real way to save money.

An online store based on a template can be launched in a few weeks if the content is ready. But the full development of design and functionality can take 2-3 months. When time is critical, ready-made solutions can help out.

If you sell 10-100 products, you don't need complex filters, connections with 1C and loyalty systems - a template can cover all the basic tasks. With Shopify, you can quickly launch a fully functional store based on a ready-made theme.

When it is better to develop a website from scratch

Unique and non-standard projects. Let's say you launch a subscription service for goods or services, a marketplace, an online school, or courses. The project has a lot of integrations with CRM, analytics, and payment systems, personal accounts, and complex price calculators. You will almost certainly need individual development, as templates will not cover all the necessary functionality.

High requirements to the visuals and brand. If you want to stand out with a unique design, make a WOW effect on visitors, emphasize your corporate identity, you should develop a unique design. This way, you will definitely not look like your competitors and will be able to realize any creative ideas.

Plans for the development of functionality in the future. Let's say you are planning to gradually complicate and develop your website, add new features to it. In this case, it is wise to think about a flexible architecture from the very beginning and build in expansion possibilities. In the long run, a template can cause difficulties and limitations.

High speed and SEO requirements. All the largest online projects with multimillion-dollar traffic run on individual code optimized for high loads. If you are planning to develop a truly large-scale resource, you cannot do without your own front-end and back-end development.

Specific corporate requirements. Sometimes large companies and government agencies have internal requirements for website architecture, security, integrations with SAP, 1C, and other internal systems. You have to create customized solutions for them, as standard templates will not work.

But even if you are inclined to individual development, it is worth remembering that in 2024 there are a lot of tools for creating websites without deep knowledge of code. Let's take a look at the main ones.