As the founder of TME Brand Marketing, a boutique marketing company that serves mental health therapists, I’ve had the opportunity to see both sides of the website design world—custom websites and subscription services like Brighter Vision and TherapySites. While I believe that building your own custom website can save you a lot of headaches later, especially when it comes to ownership and control, I also understand that some therapists and practices can benefit from these subscription services.

If you want to be completely hands-off with your website or don’t have significant growth goals requiring expanding or moving your site later, services like Brighter Vision or TherapySites might make sense for you. However, I think it’s important to be fully informed before making a decision.

The Convenience of Subscription Websites

There’s no doubt that subscription services like Brighter Vision are convenient. They provide therapists with an easy, turnkey solution for getting online quickly without needing much technical know-how. For someone starting a private practice and feeling overwhelmed by the idea of setting up a website, these services can seem like a godsend. They offer pre-designed templates, handle basic SEO, and provide tech support—all for a relatively low monthly fee.

These services can be adequate for a therapist who doesn’t want to worry about branding, digital marketing, or customizing their site. They cater to therapists who want something simple and functional without getting bogged down in the details.

The Reality of “Custom” Designs

However, here’s where we hit the first snag. Subscription services often market their websites as “custom-designed,” but the reality is that these sites are built on templates. Sure, you can swap out colors and logos, but that doesn’t make the design truly custom. In my experience, therapists using these services often end up with websites that look nearly identical to countless other therapist sites.

TME Brand Marketing specializes in custom websites, and I’ve seen firsthand what a real custom site involves. It’s about building something from the ground up that reflects your unique practice, not tweaking a template that’s been used a thousand times over. True customization comes with a price, and subscription services just don’t have the margin to offer it at the rates they charge.

Ownership Issues and Long-Term Costs

Another significant concern I have with these services is ownership. With subscription sites, the company often retains ownership of the website and any content it creates for you. This can be a problem if you ever want to leave their platform. You may find that you don’t own your content, logo, or design work or that you’ll have to pay an additional fee to get your website files. This lack of control can frustrate therapists, especially if they want to grow or scale their practice later.

Additionally, while the monthly fees might seem affordable initially, they can add up over time. Paying $69 to $149 a month may seem reasonable when you’re just starting out, but that’s a significant investment over a few years. And if your site doesn’t offer the flexibility or customization you need as your practice grows, that investment may not seem worth it.

The Problem with “SEO” Services

One of these subscription services’ most common selling points is that they include SEO or search engine optimization. But here’s the thing: quality SEO is an ongoing process, not a one-and-done service. While these companies might offer some initial SEO setup, it’s often very basic and doesn’t address the deeper strategies needed to rank well on Google.

At TME, we continuously work closely with our clients to improve their SEO, from content development to link building and technical SEO. For a company like Brighter Vision to offer SEO for such a low fee, something has to give, and it’s usually the quality of the service.

Tech Support: A Mixed Bag

Unlimited tech support sounds great on paper, but it’s important to consider the quality of that support. In my experience, tech support with these services can be slow, and they often struggle to provide solutions for issues that fall outside their standard offerings. For example, I had a client whose Brighter Vision website was extremely outdated, and it took weeks of back-and-forth communication before a fix was implemented—one that didn’t fully solve the issue.

The dependency these subscription services create can be problematic, too. When you don’t have complete control over your website, you must rely on their tech support for even the most superficial changes. This can frustrate therapists who eventually want more autonomy over their site.

Social Media and Blog Content: A Cautionary Tale

Brighter Vision also offers Social Genie, which provides therapists with a library of pre-written social media posts and blog content. On the surface, this might seem like a convenient way to handle marketing, but it’s one of the biggest red flags for me.

Pre-written content for social media or your blog speaks to something other than your unique audience. It’s generic, and because it’s available to all Brighter Vision clients, it can lead to duplicate content issues. Posting the same blog post as another therapist’s site can hurt your SEO and make your content less effective. It’s also a missed opportunity to connect with potential clients personally.

At TME, we believe in creating personalized content that speaks directly to your ideal client. Marketing isn’t about ticking boxes—it’s about building relationships and trust with your audience. Using templated content might save time but won’t help you make meaningful connections with clients.

Final Thoughts: Choose Wisely

Ultimately, subscription services like Brighter Vision or TherapySites can work for therapists who want to be hands-off with their website and don’t need a custom design. If your practice is small and you’re not looking to grow significantly, these services can provide a functional website.

However, building your website is a better long-term investment if you value ownership, flexibility, and a custom design. It may cost more upfront, but it will save you from the frustrations of being locked into a subscription service and give you more control over your online presence.

Ultimately, the choice is yours—but make sure you’re making an informed one.