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The question we get asked a lot

Four ways to get a website.Only one of them might be right for you.

Building a website today doesn't mean just one thing anymore. You can set it up yourself on WordPress, hand the project to an agency, pick a builder like Wix or Squarespace, or work with AXIOM TrueNorth. This comparison doesn't claim only one of these four options is right — each suits a different kind of project, and we're clearly not the best answer for everyone.

AXIOM TrueNorth

One point of contact, from the first quote to ongoing maintenance.

Self-hosted WordPress

Full autonomy, in proportion to the time you put into it.

Traditional agency

The broadest structure, for a project that goes beyond a single website.

Wix / Squarespace

The fastest and cheapest way to get started.

Why this page exists. Most comparisons published by a company are a sales pitch in disguise. This one tries not to be: every option has real strengths, named here without spin, including where it goes beyond what AXIOM offers.

If another option looks like a better fit after reading this, that's a good outcome: a good choice elsewhere beats a bad choice here.

What actually changes, criterion by criterion

Ten concrete criteria, no jargon. A cell that's less favourable to AXIOM never means "bad" — only "different": a choice that makes sense elsewhere might simply not fit your own situation.

Starting cost
AXIOM TrueNorthFixed price, set after a conversation about your actual project.
WordPressThe lowest to start: hosting is enough, themes and plugins are often free.
Traditional agencyThe highest of the four: a full custom project usually runs into several thousand euros.
Wix / SquarespaceVery accessible: a monthly subscription and a few hours are enough to get started.
Recurring cost
AXIOM TrueNorthAn optional subscription covers hosting and maintenance; the fixed price is only ever due once.
WordPressHosting is on you, plus your own time for updates — or a provider's time, which you have to find yourself.
Traditional agencyOften a separate maintenance contract, negotiated and renewed on its own.
Wix / SquarespaceA mandatory, ongoing subscription: stop paying and the site disappears.
Who writes and maintains the code
AXIOM TrueNorthOne person, the same one from the first quote to years after launch.
WordPressYou, if you want to, or a different freelancer for each job if you'd rather delegate.
Traditional agencyA team, which can change from one project to the next.
Wix / SquarespaceNo one: the platform handles it, out of sight.
Ownership of the site
AXIOM TrueNorthThe code belongs to you and is handed over; it stays usable independently of AXIOM.
WordPressFull: it's your theme and your files, on the host of your choice.
Traditional agencyDepends on the contract signed: worth checking before signing, never after.
Wix / SquarespaceThe content is yours, the site stays on their platform: nothing to export as-is elsewhere.
Security and updates
AXIOM TrueNorthHandled by the same person who built the site, as part of the subscription.
WordPressOn you: third-party themes and plugins are a well-documented source of vulnerabilities.
Traditional agencyEntirely dependent on the maintenance contract subscribed — or its absence.
Wix / SquarespaceHandled by the platform: out of your control, but also out of your direct responsibility.
GDPR & accessibility compliance
AXIOM TrueNorthBuilt in from the design stage, on every project.
WordPressEntirely dependent on the plugins chosen and how they're configured.
Traditional agencyVaries from agency to agency: ask explicitly, never assume it's included.
Wix / SquarespaceGoverned by the settings the platform offers, sometimes more limited than a custom site.
Day-to-day content autonomy
AXIOM TrueNorthDepends on the option chosen at the quote stage; not a full CMS by default.
WordPressFull: it's the whole point of the tool.
Traditional agencyVaries: some agencies deliver a full CMS, others hand over fixed code.
Wix / SquarespaceFull, through the visual editor included in the subscription.
Time to launch
AXIOM TrueNorthA few weeks, depending on the actual scope of the project.
WordPressFast if you already know the tool, slow otherwise.
Traditional agencyOften several months, especially on multi-channel projects.
Wix / SquarespaceFrom a few hours to a few days.
Who responds when something breaks
AXIOM TrueNorthThe same person who built the site, with a response time announced when you subscribe to the maintenance plan.
WordPressYou, or a freelancer to find in a hurry if you don't handle this yourself.
Traditional agencyThe agency's support team, only if the contract includes one.
Wix / SquarespaceThe platform's shared support, split between millions of sites.
Reversibility (switching provider)
AXIOM TrueNorthContractually guaranteed: the code is handed over within 15 days on request.
WordPressFull: nothing holds you back, it's already your own install.
Traditional agencyVaries by contract: to clarify before signing, just like ownership.
Wix / SquarespaceLimited: switching platforms often means rebuilding the site from scratch elsewhere.

Reading note: the estimator remains the only place that calculates a real AXIOM price for your specific project; the cost indications above stay deliberately general, never a number.

Who each of these four options is really built for

A technical choice isn't a judgement of character. Here, plainly, is the profile each option is genuinely the best answer for.

  • AXIOM TrueNorth

    A professional website, without becoming its administrator

    You don't have the desire or the time to track security updates yourself, but you don't want the weight — or the price — of an agency with several points of contact either. One person to answer to, from the first conversation to years after launch.

  • Self-hosted WordPress

    You like understanding how things work, and you have the time

    Full control, provided you're willing to keep up with theme and plugin updates yourself. It's the most complete autonomy of the four options — in proportion to the time you're willing to give it.

  • Traditional agency

    Your project goes beyond a single website

    A brand identity to build from scratch, several channels to coordinate, an in-house team to collaborate with over time: at that scale, an agency's structure makes real sense, and so does the budget that comes with it.

  • Wix / Squarespace

    You want to test an idea, fast and without risk

    You don't know yet whether your business will justify a custom site, and would rather find out with a modest subscription. If it grows, rebuilding elsewhere becomes a real option again — only a problem if you don't see it coming.

What AXIOM TrueNorth doesn't do

Three real limits, not a polite formality.

  • A store beyond roughly 200 products deserves a conversation and a direct quote, not an automatic calculation: past that point, it's worth talking rather than forcing a number.

  • A content strategy, an ad campaign, or a brand identity built from scratch aren't part of what this site offers: if your project needs those on top of a website, an agency remains the better-equipped structure for it.

  • One person, however organised, is still one person: an occasional unavailability delays a reply in a way a larger team absorbs more easily.

Still not sure?

Describe your project in a couple of lines: we'll tell you honestly whether AXIOM is the right answer, or whether another option in this comparison suits you better.

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