Choosing how to get your garage online can be confusing. Should you build it yourself with a DIY website builder, hire a local web designer, or use a specialist? Here’s a straight comparison to help you decide what suits your garage, MOT centre or mobile mechanic business.
| Powell Hosts | DIY website builder (for example Wix or Squarespace) | Typical web designer or agency | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who builds it | We do, from a 5-minute form. You approve a private preview before it goes live. | You do, starting from a template. | They do, usually after a few meetings and emails. |
| Made for garages | Only garages, MOT centres and mobile mechanics: MOT and service prices, opening hours, tap-to-call and booking requests. | General templates you adapt yourself. | Depends on the designer. |
| Your time | About 5 minutes, plus checking your preview. | Hours to build, then keeping it up to date yourself. | Meetings, and gathering words and photos. |
| Price | £15 or £25 a month, plus a one-off setup fee that includes your first year’s .co.uk or .uk domain. See pricing. | A monthly plan. Check whether your domain and business email are included or extra. | Often an upfront design fee, plus separate hosting and changes. Prices vary widely, so ask for a written quote. |
| Business email | 2 or 5 addresses at your own domain, set up for you. | Usually a paid extra. | Varies. |
| Changes after launch | Send us a message. Plus includes 30 minutes a month; on Starter they’re £15 each. | You make them yourself. | Usually charged per change or on a monthly retainer. |
| Google Business Profile | We help you set it up and link it to your site. See our guide. | You set it up yourself. | Sometimes included, often extra. |
| Minimum term | None. Cancel any time, and your domain stays yours. | Monthly or yearly plans. | Ask about contract length. |
| Who’s behind it | Jeremy Powell: 15 years in the motor trade, including seven as an MOT tester. | A large international company. | Depends on the designer. |
Compared in October 2026. DIY builders and agencies differ, so always check their current plans and prices before you choose.
A real example: we built the website for B.G Auto Works, a mobile mechanic in Lincoln — see the case study.
When each option makes sense
A DIY builder
Good if you enjoy building things on a computer, have the evenings to spare, and are happy to keep it updated yourself.
A web designer or agency
Good if you want something completely bespoke, such as a large site with a parts shop, and have the budget for it.
Powell Hosts
Good if you want a professional, phone-friendly garage website done for you at a fixed monthly price, without learning anything new. You tell us your services, prices and hours; we build it, host it, set up your email and keep it updated.
DIY builders are flexible, but they take your time and aren’t designed around how a UK garage works. We handle everything, from design and hosting to email and your Google Business Profile, so you can get on with running your garage.
See your own garage’s website in a minute. Tell us your garage name, town and services and we’ll build you a free preview straight away. It stays up for 48 hours, and there’s no card needed.
Get your free 48-hour preview