Bespoke websites vs. templates: what's right for your engineering business?
7 October 2025
When it comes to building a new website, there are two main choices and a kind of in-between option: bespoke websites, templates, and customised templates. So what are they, and what's right for your engineering business? In the engineering sector, it can be quite hard to stand out, so it's important to make sure that you make the right decision for your business.
Making the right choice matters more than you might think: experimental research shows that visual design has a significant impact on users' perceptions of websites. It takes just 50 milliseconds for users to form an opinion about your website. That's less time than it takes to blink.
What is a template?
A template might come with your content management system, or it might be one that someone has downloaded from an open-source library. What does that mean? It means that multiple websites use the same layout, the same types of content areas, the same widgets, and so on. You can add your branding and your own content, but the underlying structure is identical to other websites using that template.
A bespoke website, on the other hand, is designed specifically for you and you alone.
Bespoke websites
As I mentioned, it's quite hard to stand out in the engineering world. The main advantage of a bespoke website is that it's unique to you. No other website will be the same, not just in terms of content, but also in layout. It is exactly right for you, and more importantly, it's right for your customers.
Almost every engineering company I've ever worked with does something different and stands out in terms of what they do or their product. However, they struggle with distinctiveness. Your website is one way to stand out, especially if you opt for a bespoke approach.
How bespoke websites work
You work with a graphic designer, or a team of experienced graphic designers, who are familiar with user experience, to help develop your website strategy and achieve your goals. They design something tailored for your content that looks just right. Then a web developer will make that happen. If they're a good website agency, they will ensure that you can edit the right types of content and that the system is user-friendly.
The downsides
That sounds amazing, right? What are the downsides? Well, the downside number one is that it's not cheap. This is the most expensive type of website. It's still worth it if you're a large enough business and you know it will help boost your revenue. I'd say if you're on the larger side of SME or bigger, this is the type of website you should use.
When to use bespoke
If you're a large enough business, 99% of the time, you would opt for a bespoke website that's tailored to your needs.
Customised templates
The next step down would be a customised template. We take one of those ready-designed templates but make changes so it's a bit more distinctive and fits you a bit better. It's possible that additional navigation will be added, or specific widgets will be built for you. It's possible that you need gated content, which is valuable content that customers are willing to exchange data for, and that functionality needs to be added.
The pros
As long as there aren't too many changes (otherwise you might as well have a bespoke website, which would actually work out more cost-effective), the website will fit you better. The advantages are that it's significantly cheaper than a bespoke website, provided there aren't too many changes required. It's also much quicker to put together than a bespoke website.
The cons
It may resemble other websites. It might not stand out as much as would be ideal, but it's a good middle ground for smaller businesses.
When to use customised templates
This is particularly useful if you need a microsite. For example, your main website might be bespoke, but you need to quickly put together something for an event you're running or a specific service you're offering.
Templates
Then we come to the template, the simplest of all. You literally take an existing template, add your branding and content, and you're ready to go.
The pros
This is the cheapest option. It isn't very expensive compared to the alternatives. It is also very, very quick to do. Turnaround is very fast compared to bespoke or even customised templates. So if you're in a real hurry, it's a great option.
The cons
If other people in your industry are using the same template, you don't stand out as much as you might otherwise. This could impact how potential customers perceive you. It may not be perfect in terms of the navigation you require or the placement of all the content you would like to have.
When to use templates
There are two main reasons you would use a template over the other options.
First, you're a small company or a start-up, and you need something with a limited budget. It may even be a temporary holdover until you can get that bespoke website, or even a customised template later on.
Second, you need something really fast. Again, this may apply to microsites. Alternatively, it might be that you're moving from a GoDaddy-type setup where the template that came with the platform can't be transferred to your new hosting provider. You might even need a bespoke website eventually. Still, in the meantime, you need something as soon as possible to establish your presence on your domain, so you don't just have a 404 error page, which is an absolute disaster for your credibility.
Conclusion
Bespoke websites are the gold standard, but they may not be the right fit for everyone or every situation. Customised templates are a happy medium. You get something quicker and cheaper, but it should still fit your needs as closely as possible. And templates, if you're on a tight budget or you need a really fast turnaround, using an existing template is absolutely fine as a starting point.
If you need a new website or require advice on the best approach for your engineering business, please get in touch with me at erik@labrakita.co.uk.