According to estimates from popular platforms like HubSpot and Wix, it can take anywhere from 4 weeks to 3 months to build a website using a DIY no-code platform, with the average project usually sitting somewhere in the middle of those figures.
While it is possible to finish building your website within a single day, that’s only possible if you’re willing to work with a pre-designed template with little to no customization.
When you throw AI into the mix, however, things get a lot more interesting. With features like intelligent design suggestions, custom code generation, and workflow automation builders, you may stand to gain in both customization and speed, depending on which aspect you choose to prioritize for your project.
Will standard website creators or the best AI website builders get you online fastest? To answer this question, we’ll take a detailed look at the things affecting website production time and compare them against the typical website building process using the two types of platforms.
Understanding the website development process
Website development is a multi-stage journey that transforms a basic idea into a fully functional, user-friendly, and visually appealing website. You begin with a basic sketch of what you want your finished website to look like, then turn it into a finalized product through multiple rounds of design, development, testing, content creation, and search engine optimization.
1. Planning and research
During the planning and research stage, developers work closely with other stakeholders to understand their vision and the objectives for the website. They conduct thorough market research to identify the audience and analyze competitors to gather insights and inspiration. This data is then used to create a sitemap and wireframe that outline the hierarchy and layout of the site.
2. Design
Once the planning and research phase is complete, the focus shifts to design. In this stage, designers create visual mockups and prototypes that bring the website to life. They select color schemes, typography, and imagery that align with the brand and target audience.
3. Development
With the design in place, the development stage begins. Developers use programming languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to code the website and bring the design to life. If required, they integrate content management systems (CMS) to enable easy content updates and management. Developers also implement various features and functionality, such as contact forms, e-commerce capabilities, and social media integration.
Unless instructed otherwise, the developer may also find you the best web hosting option at this stage.
4. Testing and launch
Before launching the website, it undergoes testing to ensure it meets quality standards. Developers conduct quality assurance testing to identify and fix any bugs or issues. They also test the website across different browsers and devices for compatibility and responsiveness. User testing is performed to gather feedback and make necessary improvements. Once the website passes all tests, it is deployed to a live server for publishing.
5. Maintenance and updates
The website development process doesn't end with the launch. Ongoing maintenance and updates are essential to keep the site running smoothly and securely. Developers regularly create and update website content to keep it fresh and relevant. They also monitor website performance and user engagement to identify areas for improvement.
Factors affecting website production time
At each stage of the website development process, multiple factors determine how long it takes to complete all necessary tasks and move on to the next phase. Let’s take a look at some of the most common factors that influence your production time, so we can better understand what difference a website builder can make:
Project scope and complexity
The scope and complexity of a website project have a significant impact on production time. Larger websites with numerous pages, complex features, and custom functionality will naturally take longer to develop than simpler, smaller sites. The more intricate the design and the more advanced the features, the more time developers will need to bring the website to life.
Client communication and feedback
Effective communication between the client and the development team is crucial for keeping the project on track. Delays in client feedback, unclear requirements, or frequent changes to the project scope can significantly extend the production timeline. Establishing clear communication channels and setting expectations early on can help minimize these delays and keep the project moving forward smoothly.
Team size and expertise
The size and expertise of the development team can greatly influence the speed of website production. A larger team with a diverse skill set can often work more efficiently, dividing tasks and tackling different aspects of the project simultaneously. However, the level of expertise and experience of each team member also plays a role. Highly skilled developers can often work more quickly and effectively than those with less experience.
Technology stack and tools
The choice of technology stack and tools can also impact website production time. Some programming languages, frameworks, and content management systems (CMS) are more efficient and user-friendly than others. Choosing the right tools for the project can streamline the development process and reduce the time needed for coding and testing. Familiarity with the chosen technology stack among the development team is also a factor, as a learning curve can add to the production time.
External dependencies and integrations
If the website requires integration with external services, third-party tools, or APIs, it can impact the production timeline. Waiting for access to these external dependencies or dealing with compatibility issues can cause delays. It's important to identify and plan for these integrations early in the project to minimize their impact on the overall production time.
Standard website builders — how do they work?
The best website builders like Wix, Squarespace, and WordPress have made it possible for individuals and small businesses to create professional websites without needing to know how to code. These platforms provide pre-designed templates and intuitive drag-and-drop editors that allow users to customize the design, add content, and publish their site.
The traditional no-code website building process typically starts with selecting a template that serves as the foundation for the site's design and layout. Users can then use the visual editor to customize colors, fonts, images, and other design elements to match their brand. Pages, text, media, and other content can be added, arranged and formatted without having to touch any code.
Many standard website builders also offer extensions, plugins, or app markets that provide additional features and functionality. These can range from contact forms and social media integrations to ecommerce and booking. While this extends what the website can do, it also means more time configuring settings and ensuring everything works together properly.
Once the design and content are finalized, the website can be published and made live on a custom domain. The whole process using standard no-code builders can take anywhere from a couple of days for a simple site to several weeks or months for more complex ones with many pages and features. Landing pages can often be spun up in just a few hours, while full business websites with 10-20 pages may take 4 weeks to 1 month on average.
AI website builders — how do they work?
AI website builders like Wix AI and Durable dramatically simplify and accelerate the website creation process by automating many of the steps involved. Rather than starting from a blank slate or a pre-designed template, the user simply answers a few questions about their website needs and the algorithm generates a complete website tailored to their specific requirements.
AI algorithms are trained on design principles and best practices from thousands of successful websites. Based on the user's input about their business type, design preferences, and required features, the system is able to automatically generate a professional-grade design. This eliminates the need for the user to agonize over every design choice and layout decision.
In addition to auto-generating the visual design, AI website builders can also create initial content for each page based on information provided about the business. While this starter text will need to be refined and expanded, it provides a helpful framework so the user doesn't have to start with a blank page.
By intelligently automating these key aspects of the website creation process, AI builders are able to produce complete, functional websites in a matter of minutes. The time savings enabled by AI website builders is substantial. Instead of weeks or months, a professional-looking website can be launched in just a few hours or days on average.
Of course, in reality, how much time an AI website builder saves you will depend on your unique needs and circumstances. For example, for businesses where the website is the product - such as a paid members site - a considerable amount of time is likely to be spent refining content and design to bring it up to standard. On the other hand, a simple website used to communicate basic business information can easily be created with AI in just a few minutes - making AI website builders some of the best small business website builders.
Which type of website builder is the fastest?
When it comes to speed, AI website builders have a clear advantage over standard no-code options. By automating key aspects of the design process, such as layout creation, content generation, and even performance updates — AI builders can create complete, functional websites in a matter of minutes.
But it's important to note that the speed with which AI website builders can generate designs is often blown out of proportion. While the AI provides a strong starting point that can then be efficiently refined, it’s hardly a plug-and-play solution. You can get a landing page up and running within minutes with an AI builder, but you’ll have to settle for a generic design without any customization.
So, the exact time savings will depend on the complexity of the site and the extent of customization required. For a simple site that mostly sticks with the AI recommendations, the process could potentially be completed in under an hour. For a more extensively customized site with many pages, it may still take a few days. However, the addition of AI tools still offers a noteworthy advantage to speed and efficiency.
