The Google Sites alternative for a site that looks the part
Google Sites is free and quick, but it looks it — generic layouts, weak performance, and no real control or ownership. I rebuilt a Paris film festival off Google Sites into a bespoke Next.js app and more than doubled its mobile speed.
// Clash of the Titans — before and after the rebuild. drag to compare.
BEFOREAFTER| Google Sites | Hesperos | |
|---|---|---|
| Design | Generic, unmistakably a free builder | Bespoke design, built for your brand |
| Speed | Weak, especially on mobile | Mobile speed 37 → 85 in the festival rebuild |
| SEO control | Minimal | Full control — schema, metadata, sitemaps, and a before/after Lighthouse report at handoff |
| Custom features | Almost none | Anything you need — payments, AI, countdowns |
| Ownership | Locked to Google; not really yours | You own the code and the CMS outright |
| Editing | Basic Google Sites editor | Self-edit in a CMS you own |
When Google Sites is the better choice
For an internal page or a throwaway one-pager nobody important will see, Google Sites is free and fine. The moment the site represents your brand to customers, it's holding you back.
If your business is running on Google Sites, you're leaving speed, credibility, and customers on the table. A two-week Next.js revamp fixes all three — and you still own and edit it yourself.
Paying Google Sites every month? Run your numbers through the cost calculator →
Common questions
Can you really migrate off Google Sites?
Yes — that's exactly what I did for the Clash of the Titans festival, rebuilding the whole site in Next.js in two weeks.
How much faster will it be?
In that rebuild, mobile speed went 37 → 85 and layout shift dropped to zero — measured against the old Google Sites build.
Will I be able to update it myself?
Yes. You get a CMS you own, so updating content is as easy as Google Sites was — without looking like Google Sites.
Let’s get your new site live by September 10.
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