You’ve got two paths: roll your own site, or get a team that builds it free first and only charges if you love it. Here’s how it shakes out — no sugar‑coating.
Speed
- DIY: Nights and weekends for 2–8 weeks if you’re picky. Faster if you settle.
- Free Agency Build: Preview in 48 hours, edits in days. Back to business.
Cost
- DIY: $0–$300 in tools/themes, plus your time (the most expensive line item).
- Free Agency Build: $0 upfront, then a one‑time fee on approval + hosting.
Quality & Conversion
- DIY: You can land something decent. But conversion copy, performance, accessibility, and tracking tend to slip.
- Free Agency Build: Designed to sell from the start — headlines, CTAs, forms, schema, and analytics wired up.
Control
- DIY: Full control, but you own every problem too.
- Free Agency Build: You approve before paying; after that, keep hosting only, or add a Care Plan for updates.
Hidden Gotchas
- DIY: Bloated page builders, slow hosting, and “I’ll fix it later” debt.
- Agencies: Watch for lock‑in contracts, vague billables, and upsell theatre. Ours is month‑to‑month hosting, clear inclusions, no hostage files.
So… Which One?
If you love tinkering and have the time, DIY can work. If you want a site that sells and you value your evenings, a free‑first build wins on speed, focus, and accountability. See it live, then decide. That’s how it should be.
