Web Designer vs Developer vs Website Builder: What’s the Difference?
Web Designer vs Developer vs Website Builder: What’s the Difference?
A web developer, a web designer and a website builder walk into a bar. The bartender asks the developer what they’re having. “A whiskey with ice,” says the developer. The designer orders a glass of white wine. The bartender turns to the website builder, but there’s no response. It’s software, after all. Cringe.
A website builder is software that allows users to create websites without necessarily writing code. Modern builders offer templates, visual editing and increasingly capable AI-assisted features. However, an effective website still needs thoughtful choices about layout, usability, performance and content. That’s where professional experience can make a difference.
Web Developer
A web developer focuses on the technical aspects of a website, including its functionality, structure and supporting systems. Their work may involve HTML, CSS and JavaScript, back-end programming, databases, integrations and server configuration. Developers also troubleshoot problems and implement features beyond standard website functionality.
Web Designer
A web designer focuses on how a website looks and how visitors interact with it. This includes user interface (UI) design, such as layouts, colours, typography and navigation, and user experience (UX) design, which considers usability, accessibility and the visitor journey. Professional graphic design can also complement a website’s visual identity.
Consider a website’s navigation menu. UI design determines its appearance, including colours, spacing, typography and interactive elements. UX design focuses on whether visitors can easily find what they’re looking for, whether the menu works on mobile devices and whether navigation feels intuitive. Both contribute to a successful website.
As you may have noticed, in these two functions, the web developer and web designer would need to work very closely together to achieve a result. It is common for these two functions to be performed by the same person.
You may also find our article on why professional web design has become increasingly important useful.
Web Builder
This is an application that you use to build your website. They come in a variety of alternatives and brands and are commonly built with non-technical users in mind. They make it easy for anyone to own their website. It’s normally ready instantly for you to start building a website.
Some popular web builders are:
Popular website builders include Wix, Squarespace, SITE123 and Weebly. Some offer free plans or trial options, although availability and restrictions vary. These tools can suit smaller projects, but businesses should compare customisation, hosting, support and ongoing costs. Our article on DIY versus professional website design explores the choice in more detail.
Conclusion
So now hopefully you know a bit more about these three aspects. It comes down to two options because very often you will have a designer/developer teamed up or the same person when choosing this option vs going for a web builder yourself. So, I have broken down the pros and cons of these two options below for your website.
| Web builder | Web Developer and Designer |
|---|---|
| Pros | Pros |
| Easy to use | Up-to-date best practices employed |
| Designed for non-technical users | Cleaner design, less noise in the code, improved performance |
| Can be set up quickly | A higher degree of flexibility |
| Cons | Cons |
| Limited functionality, paid add-ons can be really expensive | The initial cost can be high |
| SEO website optimization can be expensive to achieve and often not standard | There are often costs associated with standard and non-standard changes or development after initial development. |
| Limited standard customization | Lead time for changes required |
| Much more time required by you to build and support the website ongoingly | If hosted by the developer/designer, then it would be managed and maintained by them. |
It is not a simple decision to make. Then again after going through the above, maybe now is a simple decision for you. My intention is for you to be happy that you made the right choice given your unique needs. Go and check out different web builders and play around with them. When you become really invested in a website, changing to another option can sometimes be costly and time-consuming.
If building your own website isn’t for you, get in touch with Web Force for guidance and a quotation. We offer affordable professional website design services with design, development, hosting and support options depending on your chosen package. Contact us to discuss your requirements.
Good luck! Once your website is live, our guide to getting the most out of your website offers practical next steps.
