List of best website builders for your Business. A website builder is a platform that offers a drag-and-drop interface that makes it easy to create a website for users with little to no coding experience. These platforms generally offer integrated storage for photos and videos, options for adding a custom domain, hosting capabilities, pre-built themes and more. Third-party integrations are often available as well, allowing you to add elements such as shopping carts and lead capture tools. Advanced plans may even include custom email addresses and SEO analytics tools for next-level marketing campaigns.
Note: There are two different types of website builders—online and offline. An offline website builder is software that you download to create the website on your personal computer. Online website builders are web-based and allow you to create and edit your website directly on the company’s server. This article focuses on online website builders such as Squarespace, Wix and Weebly.
How Does A Web Builder Work?
A website builder converts your drag-and-drop commands into code. Your website can either be hosted by the company or connect to your hosting provider. Most website builders offer a selection of themes or templates that are suitable for different types of websites. For example, a portfolio would use a different template than an e-commerce store. Once you select a template, you’ll be able to customize many of the features. Depending on the website builder, this includes elements like typeface, the layout and the size of the text and images. You may also be able to add contact forms and embed videos.
While coding is often not required for many of the most popular web builders, most platforms do allow users to customize HTML and CSS to suit their needs.
How to Choose the Best Website Builder
There is no magical one-size-fits-all approach to choose the best website builder. You need to find the right balance of cost and features to fulfill your needs.
Determine Your Needs
Ask yourself some questions to help narrow things down:
- Do you just need to display information, or should site visitors be able to interact with the pages?
- Are you planning to sell products or services, or capture contact information of potential customers?
- Will you be managing your site yourself or working with a third-party service provider?
- Are you willing to pay extra for more features?
- How much customization do you want in terms of layout and design?
- Do you need to create any unique functionality like quizzes, forms, or newsletters?
Consider these elements when comparing products and you’ll soon find a service that fits the bill.
Explore Key Features
A website builder makes many of the complicated aspects of running a website simple and intuitive. Here is a list of some of the most common features.
- Drag-and-Drop Interface. Many website builders allow you to drag and drop the components of a web page to design it as if you are assembling a collage. This could include text, photos, video or any other component on your web page. Each website builder offers different flexibility for customization options. Some companies use themes that are harder to adjust, while others allow you to customize almost every aspect of the web page with no coding whatsoever.
- Pictures and Video Storage. Website builders make it easy to upload pictures and videos. With Squarespace, for example, you’ll have access to an image gallery on your account. This way, you’ll be able to edit and remove photos and videos from different pages, but still store them and refer to them in the future. Storage capabilities generally vary by subscription plan.
- Hosting and Domains. When you’re building a website, you need two components other than design: a website host and a domain name (the URL used to navigate to your site). Many website builders offer all three services. If you already own a domain name but want to use a different website builder (for example, you purchased your domain name through GoDaddy but want to use Wix for design), you’ll have to migrate your domain to the new platform.
- Third-Party Integrations. Website builders make it easy to integrate third-party applications like social media feeds or shopping carts. Lead capture forms are another commonly used integration, allowing potential customers/clients to provide their information and dump it directly into your preferred CRM or data repository.
- Mobile Compatibility. Because so many people browse the web, mobile compatibility is an important feature for any website. Many website builders integrate this feature automatically and allow you to view the mobile version of your website as you edit. Some can even automatically adjust the elements on your site so that a single design functions well on multiple devices.
- Business Email. Most website builders come with the ability to create an email address with your domain name as the extension. Some always charge extra for this feature while others offer one or two emails for free and charge for each additional email, so be sure to choose the best plan for your needs.
- SEO Analytics. While many people use Google Analytics to assess traffic, most website builders come with their own form of traffic analysis that is easier to follow for average people. This will give you information about which websites your traffic is coming from and how viewers found you. If you are actively trying to develop your SEO and expand the reach of your website, you may find the need to invest in specific software for analytics. However, for most individuals and small businesses, the insight available through their website builder is sufficient.
Here is a List of best website builders for your Business
Weebly: Best overall
Discover customizable website design and useful eCommerce tools to help grow your business. Invest in Your Future Without Spending a Dime. Create a Professional Website —For Free. 40 Million+ Sites Started. Personalized Domain. Mobile Optimized Sites.
GoDaddy: Best for service providers
GoDaddy Inc. is an American publicly traded Internet domain registrar and web hosting company headquartered in Tempe, Arizona, and incorporated in Delaware. As of December 2022, GoDaddy has around 21 million customers and over 6,900 employees worldwide. The company is known for its advertising on TV and in newspapers
Domains, Websites, Email, Hosting, Security & More. Everything You Need To Succeed Online. Find Your Perfect Domain Name at the Lowest Price & Get Award-Winning 24/7 Support. 21 Million Customers. World’s Largest Registrar. Award-Winning Support.
IONOS: Best for startups
Ionos is a web hosting company. It was founded in Germany in 1988 and is currently owned by United Internet. In addition to web hosting, it also provides domain registration, SSL certificates, email services, website builder packages, and cloud hosting, as well as virtual private servers and dedicated servers.
Squarespace: Best for creatives
Squarespace, Inc. is an American website building and hosting company which is based in New York City, US. It provides software as a service for website building and hosting, and allows users to use pre-built website templates and drag-and-drop elements to create and modify webpages.
HostGator: Best for simplicity
HostGator is a Houston-based provider of shared, reseller, virtual private server, and dedicated web hosting with an additional presence in Austin, Texas.
Wix: Best for code-free customizations
Wix.com Ltd. is an Israeli software company, publicly listed in the US, that provides cloud-based web development services. It allows users to create HTML5 websites and mobile sites through the use of online drag and drop tools.
Whether you’re a designer, or a photographer looking to promote your business, or a content marketer seeking for an easy way to create a personal blog and showcase your portfolio, Wix offers a wide range of features you can use to grow your business.
Pros:
- Scores out most website builders with its ease of use.
- One of the most intuitive drag-and-drop builders.
- Self-explanatory: no need to understand coding or technicalities.
- A wide range of design options and templates, even with the free version.
- Add-ons available such as Wix form builders.
- Top-notch customer support.
- 24/7 infrastructure monitoring.
Cons:
- No domain personalization with free plans. (i.e., accountname.wixsite.com/siteaddress).
- Only one person can edit at a time.
Shopify: Best for dropshipping
Shopify Inc. is a Canadian multinational e-commerce company headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario. Shopify is the name of its proprietary e-commerce platform for online stores and retail point-of-sale systems.
If you’ve been researching online store builders, you might have noticed that the most popular one is Shopify.
Shopify stats show that with 1.7M merchants using Shopify to sell online, it is one of the largest e-commerce platforms.
Pros:
- There is a wide range of Shopify apps in the Shopify App Store, in different categories like email marketing or sales.
- Cover almost every feature and more that is needed for a small business.
- Excellent for dropshipping.
- Provides SSL, so you don’t have to worry about your website’s security.
Cons:
- It might be costly for most small businesses, but if your store is growing and needs more features, Shopify is the best.
- Very few themes.
- If you are looking for heavy customizations, Shopify isn’t the one for you. Open source platforms like WordPress.org would be better However, it requires coding and designing skills.
Zyro: Best for affordability
Zyro is a privately held software company, providing website building, eCommerce, and artificial intelligence solutions to consumers. It’s a drag-and-drop platform that allows users to build a website with no prior coding knowledge. It was established in 2019 and is headquartered in Kaunas, with an office in Vilnius.
WordPress.org: Best for versatility
WordPress.com is a website-creating platform as well as a CMS (content management software.)
It gives you a simpler way to create websites, forums, membership sites, resumes, portfolios, blogs, and more.
Pros:
- Intuitive design capabilities and drag and drop feature.
- A huge number of themes and plugins to help you deploy any kind of website without programming skills.
- Advanced SEO (Search Engine Optimization) tools.
- Integrations with top shipping carriers.
Cons:
- For complex customization, you may need web development skills.
- Possible plugin conflicts and plugin versions sometimes don’t align with the WordPress version.
- A steep learning curve, but you can always keep things as drafts and not publish before it’s complete.
Duda: Best for agencies
Duda is a leading web design platform for web professionals and agencies of all sizes, with powerful team collaboration and client management tools for building and managing websites at scale.
Duda is a web design platform that is well-suited for web professionals, agencies, and businesses of all sizes.
It has robust collaboration and client management features that make it ideal for creating and managing websites on a large scale.
The platform offers the ability to create websites with a range of features optimized for different devices, such as desktops, tablets, and mobile phones, and ensures that they meet Google PageSpeed optimization standards.
Pros:
- Exceptional customer support.
- Duda doesn’t charge an additional commission fee.
- Drag and drop builder.
- Cost-effective: offers a lot for a cheaper price compared to the market, which makes it excellent for small businesses.
Cons:
- Tools like Wix and Webflow offer a more comprehensive set of design controls.
- More native integrations are needed.
- The website builder can be slow at times
HubSpot – Best for growing and scaling businesses
HubSpot is an American developer and marketer of software products for inbound marketing, sales, and customer service. HubSpot was founded by Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah in 2006.
HubSpot provides a free content management system and drag-and-drop website builder for small businesses to create professional and engaging websites.
Connected to their all-in-one CRM platform, businesses can control their website content, marketing, sales, and customer service efforts all in one place.
Marketers can easily edit and create pages without technical expertise with a user-friendly platform, while visitors enjoy a secure and personalized experience.
Pros:
- Drag and drop builder with no coding needed.
- Built-in content delivery network.
- Pre-installed security measures like web app firewalls, malware detection, etc.
- Connected to HubSpot’s CRM to store customer and website visitor information.
- Great for companies looking to grow and scale their business campaigns.
Cons:
- Premium features and paid plans are a bit expensive.
- Inability to add custom code or integrate with other third-party tools.
- Might be overwhelming for newcomers.
Top Industries Using HubSpot: Computer Software, Information Technology and Services, Marketing and Advertising, Financial Services, Education Management.
Pixpa – Best for creatives
Pixpa is a no-code website builder for photographers, artists, and designers.
It helps creators easily build and manage a beautiful, professional website with a built-in online store, blog, and client galleries.
You don’t need to have any coding skills to get started, simply connect your custom domain name, and you’re ready to go.
It allows you to showcase, share & sell your work online and grow your business.
Pros:
- Wide range of modern responsive templates.
- Offers the option for using custom CSS and HTML code for advanced customization.
- Simplified client proofing workflow for photographers.
- Extensive and integrated SEO and marketing features.
- Compatible with over 50+ third-party integrations.
- Pixpa charges zero commissions on sales made through your website.
Cons:
- No free plans. Pixpa is a paid service.
- Custom domain names must be purchased from a third party.
- Creating a multilanguage site might be complicated.
- There may be a slight learning curve when mastering some of the more intricate aspects of the interface.
Top Industries Using Pixpa: Photography, Arts and Crafts, Design, Computer Software, Writing and Editing.
Canva – Best for simple, visually appealing websites
The famous design tool Canva is here to help you create your one-page website now!
You can announce business events or boost your personal branding with Canva Website Builder’s sleek templates and user-friendly editor in minutes.
Canva Website Builder can give you the start you need with its custom, mobile-responsive one-page website templates that can serve various purposes.
If you are technically challenged and have no coding knowledge but want to create a simple one-page website, Canva Website Builder might be an excellent choice for you.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur creating an online menu, a content creator working on event pages, or just a side hustler creating your portfolio, Canva Website Builder has something to offer you.
Pros:
- Designed to be user-friendly and accessible for people with little to no technical experience.
- Offers a wide variety of templates that users can customize to suit their needs.
- Drag and drop builder.
- Includes built-in design tools, such as adding text, images, videos, and other elements to a website.
Cons:
- Fewer features and functionalities than other website builders or custom-coded websites.
- Some features are available when you upgrade to Canva Pro.
- Less design flexibility than coding a website from scratch.
- It may not be suitable for larger, more complex websites.
