A custom website design uses custom code to design and develop your website. Custom website designs often look beautiful and very unique, but they are not without their drawbacks. Because they require a skilled web developer for the most basic updates, custom website designs are often more expensive to build and maintain than template website designs. While some small businesses truly need a custom website design, most are best served by a template website design. Template website designs are more cost-effective to build and maintain while looking just as good as custom website designs.