a freelancer
Where it falls short.
- $3,000–$8,000+ all-in for a five-page site
- 4–6 weeks to live, sometimes longer
- Deposit required before you see anything
- Hourly rate for every edit after launch
- Hosting and domain are your problem
Compare
aibuiltmysite vs a freelancer
Freelance developers can be brilliant — and brilliantly expensive. We do the same work in a third of the time, with no deposit and no scope-creep tennis.
The context
Most Australian small businesses comparing website options are weighing three things: time, money, and how much they want to be involved in building the site. a freelancer is one answer to that question. We are another. The comparison below is not a marketing exercise — it is a genuine breakdown of where each option makes sense, with real numbers.
We built this page because we lose clients to a freelancer sometimes, and that is fine. We would rather tell you honestly when we are the wrong choice than oversell and disappoint. If you are still reading, you probably want the full picture.
aibuiltmysite
Where we beat it.
- $528–$744 in year one, all in
- 72-hour first draft, signed off in week one
- Zero deposit — pay only if you love it
- All editorial updates included in the monthly fee
- Hosting, SSL, domain, support — one bill, AUD
Honest verdict
When a freelancer wins. When we win.
We are not right for every situation. Neither are they. Here is the honest breakdown.
a freelancer is the better pick when...
- You have a trusted freelancer with a track record on your kind of project
- You need something genuinely custom — a bespoke booking system, a complex integration, a non-standard layout
- You have a long-term relationship with someone who understands your business deeply
- Your brief is complex enough that a fixed-scope offer would underprice the work
We are the better pick when...
- You don’t know a freelancer you trust, and vetting one takes weeks
- You need a live site in days, not weeks
- You want a fixed price with no deposit risk
- You need ongoing editing and maintenance included, not billed hourly
- You need hosting, domain, SSL, and support under one AUD bill
Real numbers
The comparison that actually matters.
These are the figures that determine whether the choice makes sense for a small business in Australia.
| Metric | a freelancer | aibuiltmysite |
|---|---|---|
| Typical project cost (AUD) | $3,000–$8,000+ all in | $528–$744 year one |
| Deposit required | 50% upfront, before you see anything | Nothing until you approve the draft |
| Time to live site | 4–8 weeks typical | 72 hours to draft, week one to live |
| Post-launch edits | Hourly rate, typically $90–$150/hr | Included in monthly fee |
| Hosting and domain | Your cost, your setup | Included, AUD |
| Ongoing support | On request, billed separately | Mon–Fri AEST, included |
Side by side
The full table.
aibuiltmysiteDIY (Wix etc.)Freelance dev
First draft built before you pay
Yes — every project
No
No — deposit required
Time to live site
72 hours
Weeks of your time
4-6 weeks
Total cost in year 1
$528 — $744
$300+ subscription + your weekend
$3,000 — $8,000+
Ongoing edits included
Yes
DIY
Hourly rate
Conversion-tested copy
Written for you
Your job
Often extra
AU-based, Stripe-secure
Yes
Varies
Varies
Cancel anytime
Yes
Yes
No
Bottom line
A great freelancer is worth their rate. If you don’t already know one, we’re a faster, fixed-price alternative.
For most Australian small businesses — a plumber in Newcastle, a cafe in Marrickville, a salon in Parramatta — the decision comes down to whether you want to spend your own time on the website or have it done for you. If you want it done, we are faster and cheaper than a freelancer or agency. If you want to do it yourself and you have the time, a freelancer is a reasonable choice.
What we offer that no other option does: you see the full, live site before you pay a cent. No deposit. No card on file. If the draft is not right after two rounds of revisions, we expire the link and part ways. That is the offer. See the draft and decide.
Other comparisons