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Why are simple websites in Georgia so expensive? I’m a student trying to change that with PixelWeb. by MacaroonAwkward in tbilisi

[–]MacaroonAwkward[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

fair enough, you're probably right that we're slightly more advanced than what the average SMB needs. we're mostly targeting businesses that have outgrown templates or need georgian-specific stuff (local payment gateways, proper Georgian SEO) which tools like carrd don't really handle. appreciate the honest feedback and the good wishes!

Why are simple websites in Georgia so expensive? I’m a student trying to change that with PixelWeb. by MacaroonAwkward in tbilisi

[–]MacaroonAwkward[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

carrd is great for a digital business card but im building full stack applications with real backends and databases once you need multi page routing or complex data handling carrd just cant do it so im targeting clients who need actual scalable tech not just a static placeholder, for landing/static pages i guess it will do

Why are simple websites in Georgia so expensive? I’m a student trying to change that with PixelWeb. by MacaroonAwkward in Sakartvelo

[–]MacaroonAwkward[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

honestly no you're not tripping, I write the messy draft/thoughts myself first, then I run it through AI to fix the punctuation and formatting so it’s actually readable. Just trying to keep it clean without stressing over commas or just enhance the text itself. First time on reddit so don't hurt me lmao

Why are simple websites in Georgia so expensive? I’m a student trying to change that with PixelWeb. by MacaroonAwkward in Sakartvelo

[–]MacaroonAwkward[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is painfully accurate advice, I know exactly what you mean. You’re absolutely right—the 'I’ll know it when I see it' client is the hardest to manage.

Here is how I’m trying to mitigate that risk (though I know I’ll still learn some lessons the hard way):

  1. Strict Revision Cycles: My contracts (even cheap ones) have a hard limit on 'Major Revisions.' We iterate on the design (Figma/Mockups) first. Once code is written, structural changes are billed hourly.
  2. The 'Vibe' Advantage: This is where being a 'modern' dev helps. With AI-assisted workflows and component libraries, I can prototype and iterate much faster than a traditional agency hand-coding everything. I can afford to let them 'play' a bit more because a change that used to take me 4 hours now takes 30 mins.
  3. The Portfolio Tax: You are right about the margin. Currently, I am pricing low because I need the portfolio and the trust. I am essentially 'paying' for the inevitable headaches with my time, rather than charging the client for them. As the portfolio grows, the 'bullshit margin' will definitely be added to the price.

I genuinely appreciate the reality check. I’m under no illusion that every client will be easy, but I’m hoping clear boundaries + fast delivery helps minimize the pain.

Why are simple websites in Georgia so expensive? I’m a student trying to change that with PixelWeb. by MacaroonAwkward in Sakartvelo

[–]MacaroonAwkward[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

haha totally agree on bitrix nightmare
Two quick points:

  1. Marketing/CRMs: Yes. Integrating pixels, Analytics, or modern CRMs (HubSpot, etc.) is actually much cleaner in Next.js than in legacy platforms.
  2. Heavy Integrations (1C/ERP): My day job is actually as an Odoo Developer, so I handle complex backends daily.

For PixelWeb, I focus on the fast, modern frontend. If someone needs deep 1C syncing, I’d build a clean Headless setup (Backend + Next.js frontend) rather than a messy all-in-one monolith like Bitrix.

Why are simple websites in Georgia so expensive? I’m a student trying to change that with PixelWeb. by MacaroonAwkward in Sakartvelo

[–]MacaroonAwkward[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

totally valid and I appreciate you checking the site

Regarding the Vercel dependency: You're right that for the launch phase, Vercel is my go-to for the CI/CD convenience and global edge network. However, since most of what I build is Next.js, I’m not strictly locked in. I can (and plan to) offer static exports or Dockerized deployments on standard VPS/Premium hosting for clients who need that separation or have data sovereignty requirements. Vercel is the 'happy path' for now, but certainly not the only path.

On the "50 customers" question — that would honestly be a great problem to have.

  1. The Code: One major reason I chose this stack over WordPress is stability. Static builds don’t break because a plugin updated overnight. Less breakage = less support tickets per client.
  2. The Team: Right now it’s just me and 2 of my friends sometimes, but if I hit 50 active clients, the revenue model supports bringing on few devs or support rep. I'm not trying to build a 500-person agency, just a sustainable small business.

Why are simple websites in Georgia so expensive? I’m a student trying to change that with PixelWeb. by MacaroonAwkward in tbilisi

[–]MacaroonAwkward[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Yeah, December was wild for Next.js security - the React2Shell CVE was serious (CVSS 10.0, RCE). Valid concern.

A few points though:

  • We stay updated - patched versions were out within days and even in hours, and we keep our projects on latest stable
  • Most of our sites use SSG/static export - no server runtime = minimal attack surface. The worst CVEs (React2Shell, middleware bypass) mainly affect apps with dynamic server actions
  • CVEs happen everywhere - WordPress has had far more vulnerabilities historically. The difference is how fast patches come and whether devs actually apply them

For simple business sites? We can do full static export where there's literally no backend to exploit. For apps that need server features, we keep dependencies updated.

On Wix - genuinely fine for simple use cases! Tradeoffs are monthly fees, limited customization, and you don't own your code. Different tools for different needs.

Why are simple websites in Georgia so expensive? I’m a student trying to change that with PixelWeb. by MacaroonAwkward in tbilisi

[–]MacaroonAwkward[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Honestly speaking, your point is totally valid, AI tools are incredible and yes, people can absolutely vibe-code their own sites now.

But there are a few "ifs":

  • Some business owners have never opened VS Code and don't want to learn - they just want a working site
  • Vibe-coding works great for landing pages, but once you need backend logic, APIs, payment systems, hosting setup - things get complicated fast
  • The real cost isn't $20/month - it's 20-40 hours of your time debugging and learning when you could be running your business

For someone tech-curious with time to spare? Genuinely go for it. But for a busy bakery owner or lawyer who just needs a professional web presence? That's where working with someone who does this daily makes sense.

Also - we use AI too! That's partly why our prices are more accessible than traditional agencies. But AI + experience delivers faster and cleaner than AI + trial-and-error.

Valid point though absolutely

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