Production-first
AI generates most of the layout, code and sometimes even the copy. The provider may reuse prompts, components or templates across multiple projects.
Nowadays, almost anyone can build a website with the help of AI.
You describe what you want, the AI generates the code, you make a few changes and within hours you can have something that looks surprisingly complete.
This has also created a new wave of what people call vibe coders — people building websites mainly through AI prompts, sometimes without a traditional web development background.
Some use vibe coding to create their own websites. Others have started offering website services to clients.
And this is where things become interesting.
You can now come across website offers priced as low as around RM50 to RM150, while more established freelancers may charge RM800, RM2,000 or considerably more depending on the project scope.
From a client's point of view, the question is understandable:
If AI can build a website for RM100, why should anyone still pay RM800 or more?
But price is only the first question.
The more important one is:
The Real Question
Is a vibe-coded website actually reliable once it becomes responsible for a real business?
What Is Vibe Coding?
Vibe coding is a style of software development where someone uses AI to generate and modify code mainly through natural-language prompts.
Instead of manually writing every line of HTML, CSS or JavaScript, the person describes what the website should do or how it should look.
The AI produces the implementation, and the user continues prompting until the output looks or behaves correctly.
This can dramatically accelerate website development.
And that is not automatically a bad thing.
Why Vibe Coding Has Become So Popular
AI has reduced one of the biggest barriers to website development: knowing how to write code.
A person can now ask AI to create:
- Responsive landing pages
- Navigation menus
- Contact forms
- Interactive components
- CSS animations
- Mobile layouts
- Simple dashboards
- WordPress code
- JavaScript functionality
What previously required hours of manual development may now be produced in minutes.
This lowers development time, which naturally lowers the minimum price someone can charge.
Why Are Some AI-Built Websites So Cheap?
Website pricing has traditionally included many hours of manual design, coding, testing and revision.
AI can compress a large portion of that production time.
Responsibility-first
The scope may include planning, UX, SEO, testing, analytics, performance, security, deployment, revisions and accountability after launch.
This does not mean every RM100 website is bad.
It also does not mean every expensive website is good.
Price alone does not determine quality.
Is a RM100 Vibe-Coded Website Automatically Bad?
No.
For certain use cases, a very cheap AI-built website may be completely reasonable.
- A temporary campaign page
- A student project
- A simple personal portfolio
- An internal prototype
- A proof of concept
- A very early-stage business
If the website has low business risk and limited functionality, a simple AI-assisted build may be enough.
The problem begins when an experimental workflow is sold as if it provides the same reliability as a properly reviewed production website.
Where Vibe-Coded Websites Can Go Wrong
AI is very good at generating code that looks convincing.
But convincing code is not automatically production-ready code.
Messy Code
AI may generate duplicated CSS, unnecessary JavaScript or inconsistent structures that become difficult to maintain later.
Mobile Bugs
A website may look perfect on one screen size but break on smaller phones, tablets or different browsers.
Weak SEO Structure
The website may contain poor heading hierarchy, missing metadata, weak internal linking or unclear semantic structure.
Security Problems
Generated code may contain weak validation, unsafe forms, exposed credentials or poor implementation choices.
Poor Accessibility
A visually attractive page can still have weak contrast, missing labels, poor keyboard navigation or incorrect semantics.
No Maintainability
The person who generated the website may struggle to modify or debug it once requirements become more complex.
The Biggest Question: Who Maintains the Website?
This is where cheap development can become expensive.
A website may cost RM100 today.
Six months later, the client asks:
Can you add this feature, fix this error or change how this section works?
If the original builder does not understand the architecture, they may depend entirely on AI again.
Sometimes that works.
Sometimes fixing one thing breaks three other things.
Long-Term Cost
Cheap development becomes expensive when nobody understands what was built.
Is Vibe Coding Disrupting the Freelancer Website Market?
Yes — but not necessarily in the way people think.
AI has compressed the perceived value of basic website production.
A few years ago, simply knowing how to build a website carried more scarcity value.
Today, AI can generate much of that basic output.
This means freelancers can no longer rely only on:
“I know how to make a website.”
The value has to move higher.
- Website strategy
- User experience
- SEO architecture
- Conversion planning
- Analytics
- Security
- Performance optimisation
- Accessibility
- Content structure
- Maintenance
- Business understanding
AI does not remove the need for expertise.
It changes where expertise becomes valuable.
Why Would Someone Still Pay RM800, RM2,000 or More?
A professional website fee is not simply payment for someone typing HTML.
Much of the value comes from the decisions surrounding the code.
| Area | What the Client Is Paying For |
|---|---|
| Strategy | Understanding the business goal, customer journey and website structure. |
| SEO | Search-friendly architecture, service pages, headings, URLs and content planning. |
| UX | Clear navigation, mobile experience and conversion flow. |
| Security | Safer implementation, access control and risk reduction. |
| Performance | Faster loading, optimisation and reduced technical bloat. |
| Analytics | Tracking enquiries, user behaviour and important conversions. |
| Accountability | Someone who understands the project and can support it after launch. |
A professional website fee is often payment for reducing the number of things that can go wrong.
When Vibe Coding Is Actually a Great Idea
Vibe coding should not be dismissed.
Used properly, it can be extremely useful.
Rapid Prototyping
Quickly test layouts, concepts and interactions before committing to full development.
MVP Development
Build an early working version before making a larger technical investment.
Internal Tools
Create simple tools or dashboards that solve internal workflow problems quickly.
Developer Acceleration
Experienced developers can remove repetitive work and spend more time on architecture and decisions.
Landing Page Experiments
Produce multiple campaign variations quickly for testing and iteration.
Personal Projects
Learn, experiment and turn ideas into working prototypes much faster.
The Problem Is Not Vibe Coding
This is the most important distinction.
Vibe coding itself is not the problem.
A skilled developer can use AI heavily and still produce an excellent website.
Someone who understands HTML, CSS, JavaScript, WordPress, SEO, security, accessibility, performance and deployment can use AI to work significantly faster.
The real risk appears when:
Core Problem
AI is doing the work, but nobody is qualified to review what the AI produced.
How Should a Client Evaluate a Vibe-Coded Website?
Instead of asking only whether AI was used, ask whether the website was properly reviewed.
- Does it work correctly on mobile and tablet?
- Is the HTML structure semantic and accessible?
- Is the website technically SEO-friendly?
- Are forms and user inputs secure?
- Are analytics and conversion tracking configured?
- Is the website easy to update later?
- Does the person who built it understand how it works?
- Is there a backup and maintenance plan?
- Who is responsible when something breaks?
So, Is Vibe Coding Good or Bad for Websites?
Vibe coding is neither automatically good nor automatically bad.
It is a tool.
A skilled person using AI can produce better work faster.
An inexperienced person using AI can also produce something that looks professional while hiding technical problems underneath.
That means the real question should not be:
Was this website built with AI?
The better question is:
Final Test
Does the person responsible for this website understand what they built?
If the answer is yes, AI can be an enormous advantage.
If the answer is no, the website may be cheap today but expensive tomorrow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is vibe coding good for websites? +
Vibe coding can be good for websites when AI-generated code is properly reviewed, tested and maintained by someone who understands web development.
Is a vibe-coded website reliable? +
It can be reliable, but reliability depends on code quality, testing, security, mobile compatibility, performance and maintenance.
Why are some AI-built websites so cheap? +
AI reduces the amount of manual production work required for layout, code and sometimes content. Providers may also reuse components or templates.
Should a business use a RM100 website? +
It depends on the purpose. A very low-cost website may be suitable for prototypes or simple projects, but businesses that depend on SEO, enquiries, security or long-term maintenance may need a more robust approach.
Will AI replace freelance web developers? +
AI may reduce the value of basic manual production, but businesses still require strategy, architecture, SEO, UX, security, analytics, testing and technical accountability.
Need a Website That Uses AI Without Cutting Corners?
AI can make website development faster, but the final website still needs proper structure, SEO, responsive testing, performance, security and a clear business purpose. If you are planning a website, let's discuss the right approach.
Discuss My WebsiteWebsite pricing varies by scope, provider, platform, complexity and level of service. Pricing examples in this article are illustrative observations rather than a universal market rate.