October 15, 2026A website is never finished
A new website feels like the end of the road. The design is complete, the content is in place, and the launch has been celebrated. But that’s actually just the beginning. Who will ensure that your website remains secure and up to date in the years to come?
That question is the real difference between a custom-built website and a website built on a platform.
Buying or subscribing
With a custom-built website, you buy it. An agency builds it specifically for you, and afterward it’s yours, along with everything that goes with it.
With a platform, you subscribe to a website. You pay a subscription fee, and maintenance is included—just as you don’t have to maintain your phone or email yourself.
Both are good choices, but they require different things from your organization.
Custom-built: entirely yours
A custom-built website can do exactly what you want. The features, design, and integrations with other systems are fully tailored to your organization.
However, this does mean you’re responsible for maintenance. Software is constantly changing. There are security updates, and every few years a major new version of the system your website runs on is released. With a custom solution, a developer must adapt those updates to your specific code each time. That means a new quote, a new schedule, and a new budget every time.
In practice, this often gets pushed to the back burner. There are other priorities, and the website is still working, isn’t it? Until it no longer does, and the update suddenly becomes a major project.
Platform: Maintenance that just runs in the background
At TwelveBricks, all websites run on the same Drupal platform. Each client has their own website, with its own design and content. The underlying technology is the same for everyone.
As a result, we perform maintenance just once, for all websites at the same time. Updates and improvements are included in the subscription. You don’t need to plan a separate project for this, and you won’t receive a separate quote.
You work with standard building blocks. This keeps your website organized and allows maintenance to happen seamlessly. You focus on your content; we take care of the technology.
What this meant for Scapino Ballet
When Scapino Ballet came to us, their website was running on a severely outdated version of Drupal. We migrated the website’s styling and content to our platform.
Since then, the website has simply grown along with them. When our platform upgraded to a new version of Drupal, Scapino’s website automatically followed suit, without requiring a separate project. Recently, together with design agency Hear The Youth, we revamped the styling of the entire website in less than a month.
When a custom solution is the better choice
A platform isn’t right for every organization. A custom solution is a good choice if:
- you need features that can’t be built with standard building blocks
- your website has complex integrations with internal systems
- you want full control over the code
If you opt for a custom solution, don’t just look at the development. Also ask what maintenance and updates will cost in terms of time and money over the coming years.
Custom development and platforms side by side
| TwelveBricks | Maatwerk | |
|---|---|---|
| What you get | A website as a service | A website that’s yours |
| Features | Ready-made building blocks, supplemented with custom development when truly necessary | Everything built to order |
| Maintenance and updates | Included in the subscription | Your responsibility |
| Major updates | Included automatically | Separate project with its own quote |
| A good fit for you if | You want peace of mind and predictability | You have very specific requirements |
What’s the right fit for you?
Ask yourself two questions. Does your organization have requirements that simply won’t fit into standard building blocks? And will there be time and budget for maintenance and updates in the coming years? If the answer to the first question is no, then a platform is likely the most hassle-free choice.
Not sure? We’d be happy to take a look at your current website with you and discuss what a platform could mean for you. Schedule a meeting in our calendar or contact us.
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Wilfred Waltman