Freelancer, agency or build it yourself
There are four common routes to a new website or application, and each of them is the best choice in certain situations.
The four routes side by side
The end result can look good in all four cases, but the process of getting there differs.
| Route | Who you speak to | If the builder drops out | Strong at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Larger agency | An account manager or project lead | A colleague takes over, as long as the agency itself survives | Several specialisms at once in one project |
| Small studio or freelancer | The builder | Another developer can take over, if you own the code and the technology is common | Direct contact and custom work without overhead |
| Build it yourself (Wix, Squarespace, WordPress theme) | Nobody, you are the builder | The platform keeps running, and the rest is up to you | A simple site without special requirements |
| AI site builder | A chat window | The platform keeps running, but the site usually cannot be moved to another provider | A quick first version to test an idea |
Who you talk to
At a larger agency you usually speak to an account manager or project lead. They pass your requirements on to the designer and the developer, and bring their questions back to you. In a team of ten, that role is needed to divide the work.
A detail you care about then reaches the builder through a meeting or a ticket, and the answer comes back the same way. Information can get lost at each step in between.
At a small studio or freelancer you talk to the person building it. A question about a technical trade-off is answered by the person making that trade-off, and a misunderstanding often surfaces in the conversation.
When you build it yourself or use an AI site builder, you have no regular point of contact. As long as you stay within what the platform offers, that is not a problem. If you need something the platform does not offer, you have to rely on yourself and the platform's helpdesk.
What if the builder stops
The usual objection to a small supplier is that one person can fall ill or stop working. An agency absorbs that internally. Agencies sometimes close down too, and when they are busy, a small project can get less priority.
What matters is whether someone else can take over the work without starting again. That depends less on the size of whoever builds it for you than on the agreements you make up front.
With a site builder or AI site builder, continuity rests with the platform. Such platforms rarely disappear, but a site usually cannot be moved to another provider, because the structure and the settings only work within that platform. If the platform shuts down or you end your subscription, you start again.
For any builder doing custom work, small or large, these agreements are what make a handover possible.
- The code is your property and is stored somewhere you have access to, for instance in your own account at GitHub or a similar service
- Domain and hosting are in your name and you hold the credentials
- The technology is common, so plenty of developers can carry on with it; a builder's in-house system ties you to that one builder
- There is documentation on how the project is deployed and which external services it uses
How quickly decisions get made
With a small supplier, decisions are made quickly, because you discuss a change with the same person who carries it out. At an agency, the same change passes through planning and sometimes a change request form. That takes longer, but on a large project with many people involved, that process is needed to keep the work coordinated.
When you build it yourself, you can change anything the platform offers straight away. Anything it does not offer is not possible, or only through a workaround you have to work out yourself.
An AI site builder works in a similar way. A first version is ready quickly, and changing it by describing what you want goes smoothly, as long as you stay within the platform. For connections to other systems or functionality the platform does not support, you run into the same limit as with an ordinary site builder. You also have to be able to judge for yourself whether what the system produces is ready to use.
When each route fits
- A larger agency is the logical choice for a project with more work than one builder can handle, or when your organisation works with tenders or formal supplier requirements.
- Building it yourself fits a simple brochure site: a few pages about your business and your contact details, with no integrations or special requirements.
- An AI site builder fits when you want to put a first version online quickly to test an idea, or as a temporary site until the permanent one is ready. For a site that has to last for years and that your business depends on, the platform is too limited.
- A small studio or freelancer fits when you need custom work at a scale one builder can handle: a website with custom functionality or a web application.
How it works at Falka
Falka is itself a small studio. You can raise the points above with any builder, including us.
With us you talk directly to the person who builds it, and the code and the design are yours after delivery. We build on common technology, so another developer can carry on with it.
Frequently asked questions
How risky is a freelancer for software our business depends on?
One person can drop out, and that risk can be managed. If you own the code and there is documentation, another developer can take over the work.
What should I arrange so I'm not locked in to my builder?
Make sure that you own the code, that the domain and hosting are in your name, that the technology is common and that there is documentation. Settle that before the building starts, because it is harder to negotiate afterwards.
Is building it myself with Wix or WordPress a bad idea?
For a simple brochure site without special requirements it's a reasonable choice, and you don't need to hire a builder for it. Such a platform falls short once you need connections to other systems or custom functionality, or have requirements for speed and accessibility.
What can you do that an AI site builder can't?
An AI site builder produces a presentable first version quickly, and for testing an idea that is enough. We build what falls outside that, such as connections to your systems and custom functionality, in a site you own and another developer can take over.