Every business needs a website.
A strong web presence is one of the most important investments you can make.
Reading: How to create a website steps
But not every business has thousands of dollars on hand to build one paying professional web designers.
And that’s where website building software comes in.
If you are a complete beginner, you can use website building platforms to create a professional looking website, without any programming knowledge. But with so many options out there, making the right choice can seem daunting.
That’s why we’ve put together this resource of the best website builders on the market today.
Comparison Chart / Website Builder Ratings
Top Website Builders in 2023 (Best to Worst)
1. Wix
What we liked
- A drag and drop feature that really has no limitations, you can do anything anywhere move to
- Very easy to use
- Great SEO options
- Great app market (250+ apps)
- Huge list of unique ones Features
- Both iOS and Android mobile applications for their editor
See also: How to Create a Portfolio Site on WordPress (In 8 Steps)
What could be better
- The help center is great, but we would have wanted to see a live chat support option as well
- Not great for big websites
By far theirs greatest stand-up feature is their flexibility with their editor. You can easily drag and drop elements on your page wherever you want without any restrictions. Combine that with their comprehensive selection (800+) of themes and you have a builder that really makes building a website a breeze.
Another great standout feature was their app store. With over 250 different apps to choose from, you can be sure you’ll find the feature you’re looking for. Be it a menu, a photo portfolio, or promotional features for your new product, you can be sure you’ll find it there.
But there were also a few things that bothered us.
Due to their high level of customization options, their navigation menus are really crowded, and unless you’re a long-time user it can be difficult to find what you’re looking for. And they’re not best for larger sites (30+ pages). And it would have been nice to see 24/7 live chat, but at least they have an extensive help center with videos and the ticketing system is at least 24/7 and pretty fast.
Wix Features Include :
Plans & Pricing:
You can get started with Wix for free without having to add a payment method. However, the free plan has some limitations. You can’t connect to a domain (instead you have a url yourwebsite.wix.com), they show ads on your website and there are some limitations with the builder. That said, it’s still a great way to test them out.
They also offer a 14-day money-back guarantee on all of their premium plans.
Website -Plans
- Combo: $16/month You get: a custom domain name, no ads, an SSL certificate, 2 GB of storage
- Unlimited: $22/month You get: analytics stats, $300 advertising coupon, 5 GB storage
- Pro: $27/ month You get: Events calendar, logo maker, branded social media images, 50 GB storage
- VIP:$45/month You get: priority support, 100 GB storage
Ecommerce Plans
- Business Basic: $27/month You get: secure Online payments, subscriptions and pricing plans, customer accounts, custom domain, unlimited products, canceled reminders ne shopping carts, 50 GB storage
- Business Unlimited: $32/month nnels, selling on marketplaces, customer reviews, 100 GB storage
- Business VIP: $59/month You get: priority support, unlimited video hosting, unlimited storage
See all plans: www.wix.com
2. Shopify (ecommerce only)
What we liked
- Clean Editor
- Blog Feature
- Advanced ecommerce capabilities
- Thousands of integrations
See also: How to Create a Portfolio Site on WordPress (In 8 Steps)
What could be better
- Expensive
- Not all templates are included
Our test
Shopify is among the best website builders for ecommerce websites . You can set up an attractive online shop in just a few days without any code. Just like other builders, you can choose a modern website template and then customize each page with a drag-and-drop builder. Whenever you need an additional feature, chances are you can find a relevant app or integration among the 5,500+ options on the Shopify App Store.Or you can hire a web developer to build a custom integration for you, since Shopify vendors open APIs.
Managing a Shopify ecommerce site is also easy. The CRM system is intuitive and you have a variety of store management tools at your disposal to streamline routine tasks like product catalog management, inventory management, shipping and more. Also, you have a good content management system to run a blog. Overall, you have all the tools you need to run small to medium-sized ecommerce operations.
Nevertheless, there are some inconveniences we want to point out.
Then you can Only use the proprietary payment processor if you operate from the US, UK, several European countries, Australia, Singapore or Hong Kong. Small businesses from other countries must use a third-party processor and pay additional fees.
Shopify features include:
Pricing and plans:
Shopify is definitely one of the more expensive website builders we reviewed. But only because they’re among the best ecommerce builders out there in 2022.
- Basic Shopify: $29/mo
- Shopify: $79/month
- Advanced Shopify: $299/month
See all plans : www.Shopify .com
3. GoDaddy Website Builder
What we liked
- Great free plan*
- Easy to use
- Inexpensive
- Support and tutorials included
See also: How to Create a Portfolio Site on WordPress (In 8 Steps)
What could be better
- Might also be easy for larger businesses
- Not the best ecommerce platform
Our Test
With 300+ themes, native tools for Image editing (Over), By selling integrations with popular online marketplaces (Amazon, eBay, etc.) and a native shopping cart solution, this website builder will appeal to many small business owners.
Once you’ve found a nice looking design , You can customize it in the drag-and-drop editor. Add ad banners, embed contact forms, design attractive call-to-actions and play with all the customization features. Next, set up integrations with your social accounts (Facebook, Instagram, Google My Business). We love that you can control all of your marketing and activities from a single interface. The native analytics tools are very comprehensive.
The ecommerce platform is there, but it’s better suited for hobbyists than full-time ecommerce site owners. Since you can’t add third-party extensions to this builder, you may soon outgrow it.
GoDaddy features include:
Pricing and Plans:
GoDaddy has a free plan with many services. This includes email and social media marketing, PayPal payments, SSL security and 24/7 support.
- Base: $6.99 /month
- Standard: $10.49/month
- Premium: $13.99/month
- Ecommerce: $14.99/month
*Prices and features are representative of the US version of the product. Variations may exist in different regions and languages.
See all plans: www.GoDaddy.com
4. Hostinger Website Builder
What we liked
- Very affordable
- AI tools
- Great security
- Drag and drop builder with grid function
- 24/7 support
See also: How to Create a Portfolio Site on WordPress (In 8 Steps)
What could be better
- Not as many themes as larger builders
- Themes cannot be swapped out without starting over
Our Test
Although Hostinger has been around for a while as a hosting company, they are still a newcomer among website builders. But don’t let its “newbie” status fool you. This website builder already has many of the same features as more established providers.
The pre-built website templates are very modern and attractive. The code base is clean and optimized for speed and performance standards that both users and search engines require. Go straight to the grid editor or use a drag-and-drop website builder for quick page prototyping. Once you’ve covered the design basics, you can set up one-click integrations with popular digital marketing tools like Google Analytics, Tag Manager, HotJar, Facebook Messenger, or Facebook Pixel. Finally, select some AI tools – an AI author, a blog post title generator, a logo maker, and a slogan generator. During our testing, they all created unique and attractive copies.
But there are a few downsides with Hostingers’ website builder. There are no pre-built plugins/extensions beyond the marketing/analytics integrations above. Also, you can’t swap themes in the middle of the design process.If you add a new theme, all your theme progress will be lost. This is frustrating when you forgot to save your files.
Hostinger features include:
Prices and Plans:
Hostinger is shockingly affordable . They’ve taken a relatively new approach to pricing compared to the rest of the industry. Instead of having multiple tiers of plans, they only have one that gives you access to all the features. Their prices still vary, but instead of limiting features, their prices are based on how long you sign up with them. The longer the term, the cheaper the monthly costs. Prices range from $2.99 per month for 48 months to $11.99 per month. Note, however, that all plans have a slightly higher renewal rate.
- 1 month: $11.99/month
- 12 Months : $2.99/month ($8.99 renewal)
- 24 months: $2.99/month ($7.99 renewal )
- 48 months : $2.99/month ($6.99 renewal)
Additionally, Hostinger offers free hosting, a domain name for 1 year, unlimited storage and an SSL certificate with all plans.
View all plans: www.Hostinger.com
5. Squarespace
What we liked
- Easy
- Podcasting integrations
- More effective Blog platform
- SSL security
- eCommerce at all levels
See also: How to Create a Portfolio Site on WordPress (In 8 Steps)
What could be better
- No drag-and-drop editor
- Expensive
Our test
Squarspace focused focus on quality over quantity. The choice of website themes is modest – around 110 templates. But every design is high-quality, stylish, responsive and SEO-optimized. You have a good range of tools to brand your website – tweak page layouts, adjust grids, change website theme colors and more. All design tools are very easy to use!
To create an attractive website page, you can use ready-made design elements or third-party integrations with other services, e.g. Social media websites, payment processing software or a shipping service provider if you engage in e-commerce activities. You can choose from 20 pre-built integrations with popular business tools and 30+ connected services. In both cases you get an additional function for your website with just a few clicks.
But convenience has its price. In Squarespace’s case, it’s pretty high. After a 14-day free trial, you need to pay at least $12/month for your website. The pricing plan includes a hosting plan, domain name, access to the builder, and all design tools and related services. However, you may be billed separately for using third-party extensions. For example, since Squarespace doesn’t have a native payment processing tool, you would have to pay additional PayPal or Stripe fees.
Squarespace features include:
Pricing and Plans:
Squarespace is one of the more expensive providers on this list.
- Personal: $14/month
- Business: $23 /month
- eCommerce: $27/month
- Advanced Commerce: $49/month
The basic personal subscription starts at $14 per month and includes website metrics, extended support, templates, SEO features, unlimited storage and bandwidth, and SSL security.
On the other side of the Medal Advanced Commerce Subscription costs $49 per month with an annual subscription. It grants you unlimited contributors, the ability to sell subscriptions, includes premium integrations, and lets you customize your site with Javascript and CSS
See all plans: www.Squarespace.com
6. Map (one page only)
What we liked
- Extremely affordable
- Free option
- Easy to use
- Functional templates
See also: How to Create a Portfolio Site on WordPress (In 8 Steps)
What could be better
- Small selection of templates
- No E-Commerce
- Can only build one-page websites
Our Rating
Are you looking for a no-frills tool that to have your own website or hosting an online portfolio? Check out Card. This one page website builder is minimalist but delivers professional looking websites for free.
Choose from 100 one page designs or drag and drop a custom page layout. Browse and try out around 100 design elements. Add some personality with custom color choices, fonts, and images. Then click Publish. It’s that simple.
If you want additional features, you can pay $19/year and connect a custom domain, Google Analytics account, lead generation forms, and email marketing software.
Carrd is a basic website builder, so don’t expect much from it. The SEO functionality is very simple.Also, you can’t embed many third-party apps or widgets (apart from the basics like PayPal, Stripe, Typeform). Understandably, there is no e-commerce functionality.
Carrd features include:
Pricing and Plans:
When it comes to pricing, Carrd new the word affordable.
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It actually has a pretty good free plan that you can do a lot with. There are paid options, see below:
- Pro Lite: $9/year
- Pro Standard: $19/year
- Pro Plus: $49/year
As you can see, Carrd can either be free or up to $49/ year. You can also try the paid plans for free for seven days.
Yes, that’s right. Per year, not monthly.
See all plans: www.Carrd.co
7. Webflow
What we liked
- Unlimited Free Plan
- Excellent theme customization
- Tutorials included
- Good selection of templates
See also: How to Create a Portfolio Site on WordPress (In 8 Steps)
What could be better
- Expensive
- Tough to use at first
Our review
Those interested in learning the basics of web and UX/UI design will love webflow. A SaaS website builder with hardly any limitations on customization, it’s the tool for people who don’t mind learning on the go.
You would get a lot with a separate website section called Webflow University Find tutorials, guides, and documentation on mastering various aspects of web design. Once you have a good understanding of these, there are no limits to the possibilities you can create with Webflow – portfolio website, blog, business portal or a robust online store.
One clear benefit is that Webflow is equipped with a generous free plan. You can spend as much time as you like developing and perfecting a new website in the sandbox environment and only pay for usage when you publish it.
As for the cons , Webflow also has somewhat confusing interfaces, icons, and terminology that even professional designers and programmers find confusing. Again, this makes the learning curve a bit steep.
Webflow features include:
Prices and plans:
Webflow has pricing plans for both regular websites and Ecommerce Sites. There is a free version that does not require a credit card. It gives you full access to design elements and CMS control, along with 100+ hours of tutorials.
- Basic: $12/month
- CMS: $16/month
- Business: $36/month
Premium plans range from 12 $ per month and $36 per month, with an Enterprise plan that is priced individually.
Ecommerce plans start at $29 per month. This plan is paid annually in one lump sum.
See also: How to Make Money on YouTube: 7 Effective Strategies
View all plans: www.Webflow.com
8. Gator Builder
What we liked
- Easy to use
- Very affordable
- Separate from hosting services
- Good e-commerce features
- Blog feature
See also: How to Create a Portfolio Site on WordPress (In 8 Steps)
What could be better
- Wonky drag-and-drop editor
- No free plan
Our test
A standalone product from HostGator — a popular website hosting company — this builder has some really good ecommerce and blogging features.
First, swipe through some nice website templates. The choice is really wide, with many industry-specific designs. Then customize it to your liking. You can set a custom website background, style each element with a selected color preset, set different fonts and sizes for all text elements, and more. The customization options allow you to turn a generic website design into a unique one.
Advanced blogging features are another boon. The editor has a familiar look of classic WordPress. So it’s pretty intuitive to use. You can add various in-text styling options, embed videos, add custom post summary and optimize your post for SEO. Once the post is published, you can pin it to the top of your blog or mark it as Featured.
Finally, professional users will love the extras: native email marketing suite (with a custom CRM and AI-powered email design kit), free logo maker, advanced analytics, and an appointment booking system.
The Gator website builder’s downsides are limited extensions. Since there is no app store or plugin repository, you cannot add custom functionality to your website. So if you miss some features, you’ll have to wait until they’re available natively.
Gator Builder features include:
Pricing and Plans:
HostGator’s website builder is a very affordable service, even the ecommerce option costs less than $10 per month.
- Starter Plan: $3.46/month
- Premium Plan: $5.39/month
- Ecommerce Plan: $8.30/month
As you can see in the image above, website builder plans start at $3.46 per month for a starter subscription. The eCommerce plan, which is the most expensive option, costs just $8.30 per month as of this writing. Note, however, that renewal prices are much higher than initial subscription prices.
See all plans: www.HostGator.com
9. Adobe Builder (Portfolio only)
What we liked
- Free with Creative Suite
- Works with other Adobe platforms
- No coding required
- Can add text boxes
See also: How to Create a Portfolio Site on WordPress (In 8 Steps)
What could be better
- No third-party integrations
- Videos require an embed code
- No drag-and-drop editor
Our rating
As the name suggests, this builder is great for creating portfolio websites without any coding knowledge. Using one of the pre-built templates and a drag-and-drop editor, you can create a great-looking personal website to expand your online presence. If you get stuck, head over to the community section where you can browse others’ website samples or get feedback/criticisms on your current design.
Since this product is primarily geared toward creatives, have a native Integration with a variety of other Adobe Creative Cloud products, e.g. B. One-click project integration from Behance, synchronization with Adobe Lightroom, access to Adobe Fonts and other Creative Cloud services. But you can’t extend your website with third-party apps.
What we also missed is native video embedding. To add a video to your page, you need to write custom code. Since most templates are made for portfolios, websites with more text don’t look as nice.
Adobe Portfolio features include:
Pricing and Plans:
Adobe Portfolio is free with an Adobe Creative Suite subscription or the Creative Cloud Photography subscription.
- Creative Cloud (Photography): $9.99/month
- Creative Cloud (all apps): $54.99/month
See all plans: www.Adobe.com
10. Webnode
What we liked
- Drag and drop interface
- Affordable plans
- eCommerce options
- Organized selection of templates
See also: How to Create a Portfolio Site on WordPress (In 8 Steps)
What could be better
- None Ecommerce on lower tariff plans
- Some features are not properly optimized
Our test
Webnode offers a nice starter set of features to design with and publishing a website. The layman will love how simple everything looks and feels. You can edit the look and feel of the website, either by highlighting individual elements or making site-wide settings for fonts, colors, shapes, etc. in the Settings menu. Experiment with different themes, page layouts, and styling options before settling on the final look. However, the free plan does not come with automatic online backups and site restore. So save changes regularly!
Another cool feature is multi-language support. Webnode can localize all website elements in 20+ languages. But you need to manually translate and upload any content you added (e.g. product description, landing page copy or blog post).
While Webnode ticks most boxes for website design, its website functionality is lacking. You only get a limited set of ecommerce features. There are no native newsletter or email marketing tools, online booking features, marketing or analytics tools. Worse – you can’t code these individually.
WebNode features include:
Prices and plans:
Besides the free option, Webnode offers four premium ones options, all very affordable.
- Limited: $3.90/month
- Mini: $7.50/month
- Standard: $12.90/month
- Pro: $22.90/month
The Limited plan starts at $3.90 per month and is the only Webnode Plan that does not include a free domain. However, you can use a domain purchased elsewhere.
See all plans: www.Webnode.com
11. Weebly
What we liked
- Highly secure
- Free option
- Great app selection
- Easy to use drag and drop editor
See also: How to Create a Portfolio Site on WordPress (In 8 Steps)
What could be better
- Limited number of templates
- Upsells cost money
Our Rating
Those dealing with the most recent “Weebly’s robust security features will help us deal with the rise in website hacking and malware. We liked that every website gets a TLS certificate (an upgraded version of SSL) for free. In addition, Weebly operates an advanced DDoS mitigation service to protecting all hosted websites so no hacker can bring you down.
Security aside, we found Weebly easy to use and packed with some essential website tools like a native image editor, custom fonts, a On-site search and built-in analytics If you feel something is missing, you can add custom HTML/CSS or JavaScript code snippets to your website. Or browse the App Marketplace for a good selection of integrations.
Finally, you can sell products on your Weebly website using a native Square integration. (Square bought Weebly in 2018).
Despite Weebly’s great overall vibe, several issues caused us to place it lower on the list. Their customer support is rated poorly by current users. It takes hours to reach someone and agents are not fully qualified to help with troubleshooting. Live chat and phone support are only available to US customers. Users on a Basic plan who live elsewhere will have to wait for their request to be resolved via email.
Weebly features include:
Pricing and Plans:
Weebly has a free plan and three premium plans. It’s an affordable website builder, with even the top plans dropping under $30 per month.
- Personal: $6/month
- Professional: $12/month
- Performance: $26/month
Any level (even the free option) comes with SSL security for your entire site.
See all plans: www.Weebly.com
See also: How to Create a Blog on Blogger: a Step-by-Step Guide
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