Web Development
Migrating a Website From Wix, Tilda, or Squarespace to Your Own Site
When it's worth moving from a website builder (Wix, Tilda, Squarespace) to custom development, and how to migrate without losing SEO.
In this article
Website builders like Wix, Tilda, or Squarespace are a great option for a fast start. But as a business grows, companies often run into the limits of these platforms and move to custom development. Let's break down when that's justified and how to migrate correctly.
Why businesses outgrow website builders
- Design and functionality limits — non-standard solutions outside the platform's templates are hard to implement
- A constant monthly subscription — over the long run, your own hosting often turns out cheaper
- Limited integrations — not every CRM, ERP, or payment system can be connected directly
- Performance and SEO limitations — builders don't always give full control over technical optimization
- Platform dependency — limited ability to move data and code elsewhere in the future
What to know before migrating
Before starting a migration, it's important to audit the current site: which pages get the most traffic, which URLs are indexed in Google, and which content should be moved without changes.
Migration stages
- Audit the current site — traffic, indexing, key pages
- Plan the new structure — accounting for existing URLs where possible
- Build the new site — on the chosen technology (CMS or custom development)
- Migrate the content — text, images, metadata
- Set up 301 redirects from old addresses to new ones
- Test — correctness of all pages, forms, and load speed
- Launch and monitor — tracking rankings and traffic in the first weeks after the switch
How much a migration costs
Migration cost depends on the number of pages and structural complexity: a typical range is $1,000–$5,000 for a medium-sized site, and higher for large projects with a lot of content and integrations.
FAQ
When is it worth moving from Wix or Tilda to your own website?
This usually becomes relevant when the builder limits the design or functionality the business needs, the monthly subscription becomes less cost-effective than your own hosting over time, or you need integrations with a CRM, ERP, or payment systems that the platform doesn't support directly.
Can you lose SEO traffic during a migration?
Yes, and this is the biggest risk of migration. If correct 301 redirects aren't set up from old URLs to new ones, search engines can lose part of the indexed pages, and the site can lose accumulated organic traffic. That's why this stage should be planned especially carefully, even before the content is moved.
How much does migrating a site from a builder cost?
A typical range is $1,000–$5,000 for a medium-sized site, including the audit, building the new site, migrating content, and setting up redirects. The cost rises for large sites with many pages, products, or complex integrations that need to be recreated on the new platform.
How long does the migration process take?
The duration depends on the amount of content and the complexity of the site's structure, but a typical migration project takes from a few weeks to 1–2 months. This includes auditing the current site, development, content migration, testing, and gradually monitoring rankings and traffic after launch.
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