The template vs custom debate usually gets framed as cost. Templates are cheap, custom is expensive. This is true at the point of build. Over 2–3 years, the picture is more complicated.
What Templates Actually Cost
A premium template: R1,500–R3,000. Setup time for someone who knows what they are doing: 4–8 hours. But then: customisation limitations that require workarounds, performance issues from unused features you cannot remove, design constraints that mean your site looks like 10,000 other sites built on the same template.
What Custom Actually Costs
More upfront. Builds from R8,000 for a basic custom brochure site to R25,000+ for something with complex functionality. But: better performance, no licensing, no unnecessary code, designed around your actual brand rather than adapted from someone else's.
When to Use a Template
When you need something online in a week. When you are validating a business idea and do not want to invest R15,000 yet. When the site has a short lifespan, a campaign landing page, an event site.
When to Go Custom
When this is your primary marketing channel. When performance directly affects your revenue. When you need the site to last 3–5 years and grow with the business.