Should You Use A Custom Cursor On Your Website?

To be a designer is to look for ways to be different. After all, nobody wants to live in the shadow of trends and more prominent websites, right? That’s why we all look for a way to add a certain something to our sites, to make them stand out. A custom cursor is undoubtedly a way to achieve that. But… should you?

The curse of custom cursor

Custom cursors are nothing new: in the 90s, they were all the rage, and most personal sites used them. Most of the time… well, all the time, they were obnoxious. It is the main reason you don’t see them often nowadays: if your design is not ironic, adding a custom cursor is considered bad taste. But should it?

Let’s be honest here: 99% of time time, custom cursors are there to make your day worse. The users don’t expect it and hence react aggressively to it. Some love it, though — after all, not everyone likes surprises, but many of us do. In the age of “samey” websites seeing something so quirky is always unexpected. And fun. But here’s the catch: your website should really be about “fun” for it to work.

Is it fun? Is it aimed at the younger crowd? Then go ahead — risk it! Or not — your choice. But bear in mind that many things have changed, mainly for the better. Accessibility is important, and if your fancy cursor is making your users’ life worse, it’s better to leave it be. Also, compatibility is another important factor: only modern and up-to-date browsers might support your cursor, which is worth remembering. 

In the end, it’s your choice. I’ve seen some neat personal websites that incorporate custom cursors in fun ways. Just know your audience.