The right choice depends on how many offices you run, how you split medical and cosmetic care, and how much of the site you want to own. If you already know you want a custom build, see our dermatology website design page and pricing.
The short answer
A template or site builder can suit a single office with simple needs and someone on staff who likes editing pages. An all-in-one vendor platform may suit a practice that wants a website bundled with other tools and is fine renting it. A custom build by an agency suits practices that need clear medical and cosmetic paths, a booking path per office, and a site they own. Read the terms of any option before you sign.
At a glance
| Question | Template or site builder | All-in-one vendor platform | Custom build by an agency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who owns the design and code | often limited, check the terms | often tied to the vendor, check the terms | with WTM, you own everything we build |
| Separate medical and cosmetic paths | possible, may need workarounds | may follow a fixed layout | designed around your practice |
| Booking path per office | many themes assume one location | depends on the platform | each office page can have its own path |
| Link to your front desk system | depends on plugins or embeds | often tied to the vendor's own tools | with WTM, connected to the system your front desk already uses |
| Pages by condition, service and provider | limited by the theme | may follow fixed patterns | planned page by page |
| How you pay | often a recurring plan | often a monthly fee | with WTM, one flat quote in writing, no required retainer |
| What you see before you commit | a demo theme | often a sales demo | with WTM, a free homepage concept |
Option 1: A template or site builder
You pick a theme, add your text and photos, and publish. Setup can be quick, and you can often make edits yourself.
The limits tend to show as you grow. Many themes assume one location and one booking button. Splitting medical and cosmetic paths, or giving each office its own booking route, may take workarounds. Ownership and export options vary by builder, so read the terms. Our post on custom websites vs templates goes deeper.
Option 2: An all-in-one vendor platform
Some vendors bundle a website with other practice tools, often for a monthly fee. That can be simple to buy, with one bill and one contact.
Check what happens if you leave. The site and its content may be tied to the vendor. Design choices may be limited to what the platform allows, and pages for each condition, service or office may follow a fixed pattern. Ask how booking connects to your front desk system. Our post on monthly subscriptions vs one-time builds covers the cost side.
Option 3: A custom build by an agency
An agency designs the site around how your practice works: two clear entry points for medical and cosmetic care, condition and service pages, provider profiles, and an office page with its own booking path for each location.
Terms vary by agency, so here is how WTM works. You see a free homepage concept first. We agree the scope and one flat quote in writing before design and build. There is no required retainer, and you own everything we build. Most sites launch in 2 to 4 weeks after the design direction is approved. Ongoing SEO is not automatically included; it depends on the scope we agree.
We build for healthcare practices. Our proof so far is from dental and one medical aesthetics group, not from dermatology. That includes a 94-page rebuild for Back to 30, a four-clinic medical aesthetics group, with 44 treatment pages and four location pages. It shows how we organize many services across many locations. It is not a dermatology result.
How to decide
Start with how your practice is set up, not with how a site looks. Then match the option to that setup.
- One office, mostly medical visits, few changes planned: a template may be enough
- You want one vendor for several tools and are fine renting the site: a platform may fit
- Several offices, both medical and cosmetic care, or plans to grow: a custom build is often worth a quote
- Whatever you pick, check state board and FTC rules for health and cosmetic advertising
Questions to ask any provider
Get the answers in writing before you sign. Be wary of anyone who guarantees rankings or results.
- Who owns the design, the content and the code if we part ways?
- Can each office have its own page and booking path?
- How does booking connect to the system our front desk uses?
- Can medical and cosmetic services have separate paths and pages?
- What is in the price, and is there a required contract or retainer?
- Is ongoing SEO included, or is it separate?
- What do we get to see before we commit?
Questions about this topic
Is a template good enough for a dermatology practice?
It can be for a single office with simple needs. It gets harder when you need separate medical and cosmetic paths or a booking path for each office.
What should I check before signing with a platform?
Ask who owns the site and content, what happens if you leave, and how booking connects to your front desk system. Get the answers in writing.
Does a custom build cost more?
It often costs more up front than a template. With WTM it is a custom quote, agreed as one flat price in writing after you see a free homepage concept, with no required retainer. See pricing.
Has WTM built dermatology websites?
We build for healthcare practices. Our proof so far is from dental and one medical aesthetics group, not from dermatology.
Is SEO included in a custom build?
Not automatically with WTM. It depends on the scope we agree, and no one can honestly guarantee rankings or AI recommendations.