Templates can be useful when the business needs a simple online presence quickly and the offer fits a common structure. They reduce initial design decisions and can be a sensible first step for very small scopes.
Custom development becomes more valuable when the website must explain a differentiated offer, support unusual content, integrate with tools, load quickly under stricter requirements or evolve into a product workflow.
The decision should not be emotional. Choose a template when speed and low complexity matter most. Choose custom when conversion clarity, maintainability, integrations, performance and long-term ownership matter more.
A good discovery process should identify which parts can use proven patterns and which parts deserve custom thinking. The goal is not custom for its own sake; it is the right amount of custom work for the business outcome.