Should you use an AI website builder to replace your design agency?

Read this before you pull the plug

Features By Ritoban MukherjeeContributions from Owain Williams published 20 September 2024

While website builders can streamline the web development process and offer cost savings, they often fall short when it comes to the strategic guidance, custom solutions, and technical expertise that an experienced agency provides. But with the entry of the best AI website builders, you wouldn’t be blamed for wondering if there’s still a need for a professional design agency.

Before you think about ditching your design partner for an AI alternative, it’s necessary to perform a thorough assessment of what the agency offers to you. You need to understand their functions, analyze overall performance, and decide if automation can solve those pain points.

Here’s how to do just that.

Should you use AI to replace your design agency?

Generally, the answer is “no”. Web design agencies offer a range of services that differ significantly from the best website builders.

Agencies provide custom designs tailored to each client's unique needs, along with strategic guidance, expertise in complex functionality, personalized support, ongoing maintenance, and the ability to adapt based on market trends. In contrast, AI builders typically offer template-based designs with limited customization, basic functionality for standard sites, and automated processes that lack a personal touch.

When it comes to cost, hiring an agency is a more significant investment, with prices ranging from $3,000 to over $100,000 depending on the project scope. For this price, you can expect custom branding, in-depth search optimization, comprehensive project management, responsive customer service, and post-launch support.

AI website builders are much cheaper, often costing between $10 to $500/year. But they provide more basic templates, limited support, less flexibility, and automated SEO. While some of them feature cutting-edge AI tools that can offer intelligent design or content suggestions, the result is still hardly comparable to custom agency services.

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