Custom Website vs Website Builder: What’s the Real Difference?

Drag-and-drop website builders (like generic site builders) and a custom WordPress build can look similar on the surface, but they differ in important ways.

## Ownership
With WordPress, you own your files, database and hosting outright. With most closed builders, your site lives entirely on their platform.

## Flexibility
WordPress has thousands of plugins and near-unlimited customization. Builders are simpler but more limited once you outgrow the basics.

## Migration
Moving a WordPress site to a new host is straightforward. Moving away from a closed builder often means rebuilding from scratch.

## Cost Over Time
Builders bundle hosting into a subscription. WordPress separates hosting and development cost, which can be cheaper long-term for growing sites.

For a site meant to grow with a business over several years, I generally recommend WordPress.