12 Best Website Builders in 2024 (Reviewed and Compared)

Last Updated on February 16, 2024 by Leave a Comment

Editorial Note: We may earn a commission when you visit links on our website.
First Pick

WordPress

Pricing: $2.99 per month
Standout Features: Open Source Software, Advanced Customization Options, Powerful Ecommerce Capabilities

Visit WordPressRead Overview
Second Pick

Wix

Pricing: $14 per month
Standout Features: Visual Page Builder, Deep SEO Management, AI Website Generation

Visit WixRead Overview
Third Pick

Hostinger

Pricing: $2.99 per month
Standout Features: Customizable Templates, Built-In SEO Tools, AI-Powered Design Assistance

Visit HostingerRead Overview
Blog / Marketing / 12 Best Website Builders in 2024 (Reviewed and Compared)

Website builders are increasing in popularity every year as more users and companies look for streamlined solutions for building websites. Designers created them to facilitate the easy setup and launch of a new website for anyone. You won’t need advanced technical skills or coding knowledge to use built-in templates and drag-and-drop page interfaces. However, even the best website builders will have unique strengths and limitations to consider before choosing one for your website.

In this post, we’ll give a detailed review of each of the best website builders. We’ll compare key features, price, ease of use, flexibility, and more so you can make the best choice.

What are Website Builders?

A website builder is an online tool that allows users to build websites. They are usually offered by hosting companies or other hosted Software as a Service (SaaS) platforms that provide an all-in-one suite of tools for building a site from the ground up. You can use them to build anything from a simple blog to a large online store equipped with tools for email marketing, social sharing, SEO, and more.

Also, website builders will give you more control and ownership of your website than some blogging platforms like Blogger or Medium. But they will provide less flexibility and control than a dedicated CMS like WordPress. As such, they are best for those who want enough control over their site to get the design and functionality they want without spending much time on other technical aspects of a website.

The Pros and Cons of Website Builders

What makes website builders great is that they are easy to set up and use. You don’t have to worry about correctly assembling all the pieces or your website. It’s already done for you. You can get a custom domain name, hosting, SEO, security, pre-made template designs, a drag-and-drop visual interface, and a content management system for your pages and posts all in one place.

The drawback of using website builders is that they can be limiting. This is the tradeoff for ease of use. Website builders are easier to use because the platform does most of the heavy lifting for you. Because of this, the platform binds you to its limitations for aspects such as hosting, SEO, functionality, and design features. Additionally, site builders often require users to upgrade to higher-priced plans to access certain functionalities. So, finding a platform that can scale to your needs as your website grows without breaking the bank is essential.

Despite any drawbacks, in most cases, the stress-free benefits of website builders far outweigh the limitations. And getting the right website builder can make all the difference.

The Best Website Builders

Subscribe To Our Youtube Channel

The best website builders provide the complete package for creating your website. But each website builder on our list comes with its strengths and weaknesses. Let’s look at some of the top picks across the web and see how they match against each other.

1. WordPress

🥇 Best Website Builder Overall

WordPress.org Website Builder

WordPress powers over 1/3 of all websites and has evolved into a powerful content management system (CMS) capable of building just about any website. The software is open-source and available to download for free. It is also self-hosted, and you can install it on any hosting provider.

Although the creators of WordPress offer an all-in-one hosted service platform at WordPress.com, it is much more limiting than using the .org version. Check out this post explaining their differences.

WordPress is More Flexible than Other Website Builders

WordPress is not bound by the same limitations as other hosted website builders. The customization options are virtually limitless. Countless WordPress plugins, themes, and integrations (both paid and free) allow you to build any site you want with advanced design and functionality.

The WordPress block editor also makes it easy to build websites using a visual drag-and-drop builder.

WordPress Block Editor User Interface

You can also use a visual page builder like Divi to create custom layouts and stunning designs without any coding knowledge using thousands of pre-made templates.

There are also tons of WordPress plugins for extending the functionality and capabilities of your WordPress website. For example, you can use WooCommerce to add exhaustive ecommerce features to any WordPress site for free. There are high-quality plugins for SEO optimization, ecommerce, memberships, speed optimization, and more.

A common drawback of using WordPress versus other website builders on this list is that it requires a steeper learning curve and more technical knowledge to get everything set up. You’ll be carrying more responsibilities when managing and maintaining your site. However, once the work is done, you have complete control over every aspect of your site.

Although WordPress is free software, the actual cost of getting a complete website up and running, will depend on other factors, like hosting and any premium themes or plugins you may need.

What We Like About WordPress

  • Open-Source Customization: WordPress offers unmatched customization and flexibility, allowing users to modify the source code and install custom themes and plugins, unlike Wix and Hostinger.
  • Extensive Plugin Ecosystem: It has a larger array of plugins for adding functionalities, from e-commerce solutions like WooCommerce to SEO tools, social media integration, and more. This far exceeds the variety available on Wix and Hostinger.
  • Flexible Hosting Options: Unlike Wix and Hostinger, WordPress allows users to choose their hosting provider, offering more control over hosting needs and performance.
  • Community and Developer Support: WordPress benefits from a larger, active global community providing extensive support, which is more extensive than that of Wix or Hostinger.

What Could Be Improved

  • Better Onboarding: A learning curve is required for beginners to fully utilize WordPress. It could benefit from a better onboarding process, which hosts such as SiteGround help with.
  • Ecosystem Confusion: The WordPress ecosystem is vast, and that’s a plus! But, it can also lead to issues with different plugins not playing well together.
  • Increased Responsibility: WordPress gives you control, but it also means you need to be responsible for keeping WordPress up to date. Luckily, this can be automated with automatic updates.
  • Requires Multiple Services: Separate hosting and domain management are required, adding complexity.

🥇 Why We Picked It

WordPress tops our list due to its exceptional features, comprehensive support ecosystem, and competitive pricing. It offers the best of both worlds: user-friendliness for beginners and advanced capabilities for seasoned developers.

Who Is WordPress Best For?

WordPress is ideal for anyone seeking full control over their website, from bloggers and small business owners to large-scale e-commerce platforms. Its adaptability suits tech-savvy users and those new to web design.

Community Reviews And Ratings

The community’s opinion of WordPress echoes its versatility and power. Reviews on G2, Capterra, and SiteJabber highlight its flexibility and user satisfaction.



Pricing

WordPress is free to use, but hosting is required. SiteGround hosting starts at $2.99 per month.

Start a WordPress Website

2. Wix

🥈Most User-Friendly Website Builder

Wix Website Builder

Wix is a well-known website builder that allows users to create professional-looking websites. With over 200 million users in 190 countries, Wix has become one of the best website builders. One of the main features of Wix is its visual page builder, which allows users to add and arrange elements on their website easily.

While Wix has essential elements such as text, images, videos, and buttons in its arsenal, it also boasts unique modules like in-page menus, member profile cards (helpful if you’re building an online community), forum posts, and more. Wix also provides a wide range of responsive templates that can be customized with CSS and HTML. However, Wix has some limitations when customizing the code of templates that can limit some users.

SEO and Ecommerce Are a Breeze With Wix

Library of Wix's elements

Wix’s SEO management is more in-depth than its competitors by customizing meta tags, URL structure, site speed, and using structured data. Building an ecommerce store surrounding tickets, products, appointments, and more with Wix is easy. Standard features like product management,  inventory, order tracking, and shipments are all available.

Wix AI generated homepage and website

In addition to building your website from scratch, Wix’s website builder can utilize AI technology to create your website. During the setup process, Wix asks users about their industry and preferred color scheme. Using this information, Wix’s builder generates working page templates with relevant copy, providing users a starting point for their website.

What We Like About Wix

  • AI-Powered builder: Wix’s AI technology assists in the setup process, generating website templates and designs based on user preferences.
  • Wide Range of Templates: Wix offers an extensive selection of over 500 designer-made templates, catering to various industries and personal styles.
  • Drag-and-Drop Interface: Its user-friendly drag-and-drop functionality makes website building accessible to users of all skill levels.
  • Advanced Design Features: Wix provides advanced design features like video backgrounds, animation, and scroll effects to create dynamic websites.
  • App Market: Access to a wide array of apps and services through the Wix App Market enhances website functionality.
  • SEO and Ecommerce Tools:  Wix excels in SEO management with features like meta tags customization, structured data, and site speed optimization. It also supports comprehensive ecommerce functionalities for product management, inventory tracking, and more.

What Could Be Improved

  • Limited Template Switching: Once a template is chosen, it’s not easy to switch to a different one without redoing the site.
  • Loading Speed: Some users report slower loading times, which can impact user experience and SEO.
  • Customization Limits: While user-friendly, it offers less customization compared to platforms like WordPress.

🥈Why We Picked It?

Wix is chosen as our second pick due to its unparalleled ease of use, making website building accessible to everyone, its powerful design capabilities, and a wide array of templates. It’s an excellent option for those who want to create a professional-looking website without delving into the complexities of coding.

Who Is Wix Best For?

Wix is ideal for small business owners, artists, and individuals who want to create a professional web presence without needing technical skills. Its user-friendly platform is perfect for those who value creative freedom and ease of use.

Community Reviews and Ratings

The community agrees that Wix has a user-friendly interface and various design options. However, some users note concerns about limitations on template customization.


Pricing

Wix offers a basic free version with paid plans starting at $14 per month.

Get Wix

3. Hostinger

🥉Best AI-Powered Website Builder

Hostzinger Website Builder

Hostinger is a powerful hosting provider with everything you need to create a website. Their website builder offers a wide range of customizable templates for creating websites. The templates cover a range of categories such as business, portfolio, ecommerce, and more. Each template can be customized with different colors, fonts, images, and other elements to create a unique website. Furthermore, the builder includes advanced design tools such as a color palette generator, a background image remover, and a shape divider tool.

The website builder provided via the Hostinger platform differs from Zyro, Hostinger’s standalone website builder platform. The website builders are essentially the same, offering slightly different features and serving diverse audiences.

Hostinger Provides a Multitude of Tools

Regarding SEO, Hostinger’s website builder includes built-in SEO optimization tools that allow users to customize meta tags, descriptions, and other SEO elements. The platform also provides users access to Google Analytics and other SEO analytics tools to help them track their website’s performance.

Hostinger AI writing tools

Hostinger’s website builder includes AI tools to help users create a website quickly and easily. For example, the AI Writer tool can generate content for a website based on user input. In addition, the AI Heatmap tool can provide insights into how users interact with a website. Moreover, you can also create a logo in seconds with their AI logo maker.

What We Like About Hostinger

  • Customizable Templates: Hostinger boasts a diverse array of templates, each adaptable to unique color schemes, fonts, and elements.
  • Intuitive Builder: The platform offers a straightforward drag-and-drop builder, simplifying website creation.
  • Advanced Design Tools: Users have access to tools like a global color palette generator and a background image remover for enhanced design flexibility.
  • AI-Powered Web Design: Users can generate an entire site in minutes and use AI tools, including a content generator and heatmap tool, to speed up the process of web design.
  • SEO and Analytics: Built-in SEO tools and Google Analytics integration aid in optimizing and tracking website performance.

What Could Be Improved

  • Limited Features Compared to Zyro: While comprehensive, Hostinger’s feature set doesn’t quite match up to its sister platform, Zyro.
  • Lack of Third-Party Integrations: The absence of an app store or extension gallery limits external integrations.
  • Blogging Limitations: Each blog post requires you to build individual layouts for each, which can be time-consuming.

🥉Why We Picked It?

Hostinger is selected for its blend of simplicity and advanced features. It’s particularly suited for those looking to create professional websites efficiently, supported by AI tools and versatile design options, without delving into complex technicalities.

Who Is Hostinger Best For?

Hosting is ideal for small business owners, consultants, and service providers seeking a straightforward yet robust platform for creating professional websites.

Community Reviews and Ratings

Hostinger is often praised for its ease of use and diverse template options. While users appreciate the AI-powered design tools, some note the limitations in features and third-party integrations.



Pricing

Hostinger offers affordable plans starting at $2.99 per month, providing a cost-effective solution for website building.

Get Hostinger

4. Weebly (by Square)

Weebly Website Builder

Weebly is one of the best website builders known for its easy-to-use interface and robust ecommerce platform powered by Square, making it a popular choice for small businesses, entrepreneurs, and individuals.

The platform includes several themes and pre-made layouts to jumpstart the design of various types of websites. Online stores, portfolios, personal brands, event sites, and blogs can all be built with the Weebly website builder. You can customize the design of your page using an intuitive drag-and-drop interface with all content elements like forms, testimonials, PDFs, and even Instagram feeds.

The Weebly page builder

Weebly for ecommerce

Weebly’s ecommerce features make it a uniquely powerful builder for online stores. Because Weebly is tightly integrated with Square, the POS service provides much power to online shops built on the platform. With Square POS tightly knit into the Weebly ecosystem, your website integrates quickly with several payment gateways, including PayPal, Stripe, and Square.

Weebly allows users to organize and add products to their store with images, descriptions, prices, and shipping options. You can generate a menu PDF with Weebly if you’re a food-based business.

Weebly abandoned cart sequence

Weebly’s abandoned cart sequence is a feature of their ecommerce platform that allows store owners to automatically send emails to customers who have added items to their cart but still need to complete the checkout process. They have built-in email marketing tools, including pop-ups. It has built-in SEO functions that help store owners optimize their stores for search engines. This includes adding meta tags, descriptions, and keywords to products and pages.

What We Like About Weebly

  • Ecommerce Integration:  Weebly is seamlessly integrated with Square POS, providing a powerful ecommerce solution with various payment gateway options, including PayPal, Stripe, and Square.
  • Design Flexibility:  The platform offers a wide range of themes and layouts suitable for various website types, allowing for creative and functional website design.
  • Customization Capabilities:  The intuitive drag-and-drop interface enables easy customization of website design, including the use of forms, testimonials, PDFs, and Instagram feeds.
  • Marketing and SEO Tools:  Weebly includes abandoned cart sequences, email marketing tools, pop-ups, and built-in SEO functions, which help optimize online stores for search engines and improve customer engagement.

What Could Be Improved

  • Third-Party Integrations: Weebly has a limited number of third-party integrations, which could be expanded to enhance functionality.
  • Limited Builder Design Options:  The platform offers a limited number of modules and design options, which could be increased to offer more creative flexibility.
  • Product Variation Flexibility:  Creating complex product variations is a challenge on Weebly, which could be improved for a better ecommerce experience.

Who Is Weebly Best For?

Weebly is particularly suitable for small business owners and individuals seeking a comprehensive yet user-friendly website builder, especially for establishing online stores.

Community Reviews and Ratings

The community appreciates Weebly for its user-friendly nature and quick ecommerce setup. However, their lack of customer support is a common complaint.


Pricing

Weebly offers a free version for basic use, with paid plans starting at $10 per month for additional features.

Get Weebly

5. Shopify

Shopify

Shopify is an ecommerce platform and website builder that allows users to create and manage online stores. Their builder will enable you to add various modules to the header, body, and footer of set pages on your site. Depending on the template used, your website page could have multiple sections with which you can find a selection of modules to build your pages. While the builder is simple, it lacks complexity compared to other builders on our list.

Shopify’s template store boasts several hundred free and premium template offerings. Templates are built using a combination of CSS, HTML, and Liquid, which can be customized should you know how to use these coding languages.

Shopify page builder

As an ecommerce platform, Shopify stands head and shoulders above the rest with native functionality for simple and complex ecommerce needs. Shipping, fulfillment, marketing, and analytics are built into the website builder, allowing the smallest of companies and the biggest of brands to flourish.

What We Like About Shopify

  • Ecommerce Focus: Shopify excels in providing native functionality for both straightforward and intricate ecommerce requirements, making it a standout choice in the ecommerce field.
  • Diverse Template Selection: The platform boasts hundreds of both free and premium themes, offering extensive options to suit various business styles and needs.
  • Seamless Payment Processing: Shopify features its own payment processing solution, Shopify Payments, and supports a range of other payment gateways, facilitating smooth transaction processes.
  • Efficient Order and Inventory Management: The platform is equipped with effective tools for order management and inventory tracking, essential for the smooth operation of online stores.
  • In-depth Analytics and Reporting: Shopify provides detailed analytics and reporting capabilities, enabling businesses to track sales and customer behavior, which is crucial for making informed decisions.
  • Expansive App Store: The Shopify app store offers a plethora of add-ons and plugins created by third-party developers to expand store functionality and support business growth.

What Could Be Improved

  • Cost Consideration: Compared to other ecommerce platforms, Shopify can be more expensive, which might be a significant factor for businesses with tight budgets.
  • Limited Native Design Blocks: The platform has a limited selection of native design blocks, which might restrict some creative design possibilities.
  • Control Over Technical Aspects: Users have minimal control over the core code, hosting, and domain name, which could be a drawback for those needing advanced customization.
  • App Management Challenges: Managing app dependencies and compatibility can be complex and requires careful attention to avoid potential issues.

Who Is Shopify Best For?

Shopify is well-suited for businesses that establish a strong and feature-rich online store, catering to various business sizes and types.

Community Reviews and Ratings

Users highly acclaim Shopify for its user-friendly approach to setting up and managing online stores. However, their plans’ higher cost than other builders is a common concern among users.


Pricing

Shopify’s pricing begins at $37 per month, offering a diverse array of features to accommodate the needs of different businesses.

Get Shopify

6. Duda

Duda Website Builder

Duda is a professional website builder designed for businesses and agencies aiming to create and manage multiple websites for their clients. Since Duda targets agencies and designers, it provides a range of pricing plans to meet your needs.

Unlike many builders featured, Duda allows users to create custom templates from scratch or import templates from other sources. This gives users a high degree of flexibility in designing their website and ensures it stands out.

Duda Page Builder

Duda’s builder has a library of pre-designed widgets you can edit as you see fit. This can help you quickly build and edit websites for you and your clients. The builder also allows you to set global colors and fonts and style content elements like images and buttons.

Duda offers more robust SEO tools than most builders. Redirects, SSL, Google Analytics integration, and more are accessible and editable within the builder. You can enable local business schema and integration with the WooRank app to add more SEO features to your site.

You can build various ecommerce stores with Duda, including memberships, physical products, etc. Products, shipping, and payments are easy to manage, and if you sell memberships, you have a separate interface to manage the nuances of building a membership site.

Collect content from client

A unique feature of Duda is its ability to allow users to collect content from their clients. Directly from their builder, you can gather, organize, and insert content clients have sent you into your websites built by Duda.

What We Like About Duda

  • Sleek Design and Customization: Duda shines with its pixel-perfect mobile-friendly designs and global styling, ensuring your site looks sharp and consistent.
  • AI-Powered Efficiency: The platform’s AI Assistant revolutionizes content creation and SEO, making website optimization a breeze.
  • Seamless Client Collaboration: Duda simplifies the process of integrating client content, coupled with robust ecommerce features for an all-in-one business solution.
  • Professional-Grade Tools: Offering advanced SEO capabilities and custom widget creation, Duda is a dream for web design pros and digital marketers.

What Could Be Improved

  • Limited App Store: The Duda App Store offers fewer options compared to larger platforms.
  • Pricing Structure: Pricing is based on a per-site, per-month model, which can become expensive when building multiple websites.
  • Template Flexibility: Once you build a website, you cannot switch templates, limiting design flexibility.

Who Is Duda Best For?

Duda is ideal for web design and marketing agencies, as well as freelancers who require a comprehensive tool for building complex websites and managing various aspects of client projects.

Community Reviews and Ratings

Users have praised Duda for its design-oriented approach and real-time visual building capabilities. It holds a G2 leadership position, receiving “Best Usability” awards. It is also among the few builder platforms that offer solid customer service. However, potential areas for improvement include its limited app store and per-site pricing.


Pricing

Duda plans start at $19 per month (billed annually).

Get Duda

7. Squarespace

Squarespace Website Builder

Squarespace is a website builder that allows users to create professional-looking websites without coding or technical expertise. The platform earns recognition for its clean and modern designs, making it popular among creatives, artists, and small businesses. Squarespace’s templates are highly customizable and easy to use. Additionally, the platform is renowned for its responsive design, ensuring that websites look great on any device.

Its drag-and-drop interface allows you to place your elements with pixel-perfect precision. Design blocks included with Squarespace include your typical type, images, and galleries, but also exciting modules like scrolling text, CSS3 shapes, and three different types of charts.

Squarespace builder

You can also dip your toe into online selling with Squarespace. You can sell on social media, pull your products from Esty, and more. Additionally, Squarespace provides various analytics tools to track website performance and audience behavior. You can easily handle your online booking calendar with Squarespace’s Acuity Scheduler or run simple email marketing campaigns with its native email marketing solution.

Squarespace and ecommerce

Squarespace is renowned for its sleek and modern designs. However, regarding ecommerce, Squarespace allows you to sell almost any product online beautifully. Whether you want to offer digital downloads or memberships or create a video-on-demand website, Squarespace gives you the tools to do this in a highly aesthetic way.

What We Like About Squarespace

  • User-Friendly Design: Squarespace’s drag-and-drop interface offers pixel-perfect precision, featuring design blocks like images, galleries, scrolling text, CSS3 shapes, and charts.
  • Ecommerce Capabilities: Provides tools for online selling, including social media sales, product pulls from Etsy, and a variety of product and service types for online stores.
  • Comprehensive Marketing Tools: Includes native tools for email marketing, social media integrations, and analytics, alongside third-party service integrations like Google Analytics and Mailchimp.
  • Customization and Security: Offers advanced design options, an expansive template library, and the ability to password-protect pages and create member areas.
  • Domain Name Management: Squarespace facilitates custom domain name registration and management, streamlining the process of setting up a professional web presence.

What Could Be Improved

  • Limited Third-Party Integrations: The lack of an app or plugin repository restricts the extent of third-party integrations.
  • Learning Curve for Beginners: While the builder is user-friendly, it may present a learning curve that could deter beginners.
  • Blogging Functionality: Enhance the blogging feature to meet the needs of content-focused websites.
  • Cost of Ecommerce Features: Some ecommerce functionalities and support options can be expensive.

Who Is Squarespace Best For?

Squarespace is perfect for photographers, designers, creatives, and small businesses looking to establish a visually appealing, functional online presence without delving into complex technicalities.

Community Reviews and Ratings

People celebrate Squarespace for its sleek designs and intuitive user experience. However, they note room for improvement in its limitations in third-party integrations and the learning curve.


Pricing

Squarespace offers various pricing options starting at $16 per month.

Get Squarespace

8. GoDaddy Builder

GoDaddy Website Builder

GoDaddy has been a significant player in the domain and web hosting industry for a long time. Their website builder is one of their most refreshing features, allowing users to start a new site quickly and easily. Their builder offers a user-friendly interface and a range of features to help users design and customize their websites. It comes with a drag-and-drop editor and various widgets for adding content. The platform offers pre-made templates for simple one-page sites and more complex multi-page sites with ecommerce functionality.

GoDaddy Website Builder with AI

GoDaddy’s InSight is an AI-powered tool that guides you as you build your website. Directly within the page builder, the device prompts you with ideas and steps to consider as you develop your site. InSight doesn’t just tell you what pages would be an excellent addition to your site. It also helps with marketing, suggesting integrations (like videos, email marketing, ecommerce, etc.) that can better your website as you are building it. This is good for those without knowledge of web design and who would like some hand-holding through the creative process.

What We Like About Godaddy Builder

  • Intuitive Design Tools: GoDaddy Builder comes with modern, professional templates that are sleek, responsive, and mobile-friendly, making website design straightforward.
  • AI-Powered Guidance: The platform features GoDaddy InSight, an AI tool that provides real-time advice and suggestions during the website building process, assisting in design and marketing decisions.
  • Comprehensive Integration: Offers built-in tools for SEO, social media, and email marketing and seamlessly integrates with other GoDaddy services like domain registration and email hosting.
  • Ecommerce Support: Users can easily build full-featured online stores, integrating various business functionalities such as appointments, ecommerce, and email marketing.

What Could Be Improved

  • Customization Lacking: The number of templates, design features, fonts, and color options limits creative freedom.
  • Resource Limitations: The platform provides limited storage for media files and basic website analytics, and its SEO tools are somewhat basic compared to other platforms.

Who Is Godaddy Builder Best For?

Godaddy Builder is perfect for beginners and small businesses that want to start a website swiftly and prefer having their domain, hosting, and website builder managed in one place.

Community Reviews and Ratings

Users favor GoDaddy Builder for its ease of use and integration of various services, though some note that it provides limited features and customization options compared to more advanced website builders.


Pricing

GoDaddy Builder offers paid plans starting at $14.99 per month.

Get GoDaddy Builder

9. Webflow

Webflow Website Builder

Webflow’s reputation as a multi-faceted website builder makes it a popular choice among designers and developers.

The platform offers ecommerce functionality, responsive templates, web hosting, and collaborative features. With Webflow, users can create fully responsive websites. The builder includes the ability to add custom CSS and HTML. This makes the builder attractive to those who are familiar with coding.

Though Webflow is a drag-and-drop website builder, it is more geared toward advanced users with a good understanding of website design and development. Nevertheless, it also offers a good selection of free and paid templates to help users get started.

Though other builders may have more ecommerce features, Webflow offers solid tools for building an online store. For example, you can use Stripe and PayPal as payment processors. You can create a custom shopping cart and checkout page and customize the emails and invoices sent to customers.

webflow website builder tutorial

As a website builder, Webflow provides much more flexibility than other website builders. But because of this, you may need more technical knowledge to create more complex designs. However, Webflow does simplify the building process for beginners with a 2-minute walk-through when you start building your first site.

What We Like About Webflow

  • Design Freedom with Advanced Tools: Webflow’s powerful drag-and-drop builder supports custom HTML and CSS, offering a flexible design tool for creating unique websites.
  • Tailor-Made Templates for Every Need:  Every template in Webflow is not only mobile-responsive but also allows for the integration of custom themes, ensuring your website stands out.
  • Streamlined Ecommerce and Content Management: Featuring robust tools for building online stores and comprehensive CMS functionality, Webflow is ideal for crafting custom and effective ecommerce experiences.
  • Seamless Third-Party Integrations:  Webflow integrates seamlessly with various platforms like Mailchimp, Google Shopping, Facebook, and Instagram and features WebP support and After Effects Lottie integration.
  • High-Performance Hosting for Speedy Websites: The hosting infrastructure is better than most, ensuring your website loads quickly and runs smoothly and enhancing the user experience.

What Could Be Improved

  • Platform Restrictions: Webflow has several limitations concerning user seats, storage, and ecommerce, which can affect scalability.
  • Complexity for Beginners: The drag-and-drop editor can be intimidating for beginners, and having coding knowledge significantly enhances the user experience.
  • Ecommerce Payment Limitations: The ecommerce function restricts you to two payment processors (Stripe and Paypal) and may pose challenges for large-scale online stores.

Who Is Webflow Best For?

Webflow is ideal for web designers and developers who require a powerful, flexible design tool that allows for intricate customizations and a high level of creative freedom.

Community Reviews and Ratings

People acclaim Webflow for its flexibility and powerful design capabilities, though some express concern about its complexity and customer support, especially for beginners.


Pricing

Webflow offers paid plans starting at $18 monthly .

Get Webflow

10. IONOS Website Builder

IONOS Website Builder

IONOS offers a web hosting and website builder service with various features for building and managing a website. With pre-made templates, a drag-and-drop editor, and content management features, creating a website using IONOS is easy. The built-in blogging platform and social media integration features are also helpful. While you can customize the mobile-friendly templates, other website builders offer a broader selection.

However, where IONOS shines is in its SEO capabilities. The website builder provides clean, well-structured code that follows SEO best practices, including semantic HTML and customizable meta tags and descriptions for each page and post. IONOS also includes a site map generator and an SEO analyzer tool.

For ecommerce, the website builder relies on WordPress’ WooCommerce and the Ecwid platform, which may not be ideal for those seeking a native ecommerce experience.

IONOS Website builder's multilingual support

A standout feature of the IONOS website builder is its multilingual support for creating websites in multiple languages. Visitors to your website can choose their preferred language from a dropdown menu, and the website content will translate accordingly. You can use automatic translation through Google or upload your translations through the builder. The IONOS website builder also provides an SEO-friendly architecture for multilingual websites, which allows search engines to understand the different language versions of a website and index them separately.

What We Like About IONOS Website Builder

  • AI-Driven Website Creation: The IONOS website builder features an AI Website Generator that rapidly creates customizable websites with appropriate images and text. Additionally, it offers AI-assisted tools for both design and text creation, including an AI Image Generator and an AI SEO Text Generator.
  • User-Friendly Design Tools and Backups: IONOS offers an easy-to-use drag-and-drop builder filled with unique elements suitable for users of all skill levels. You also get an extensive library of free images and icons and built-in backup and restore features.
  • SEO and Multilingual Capabilities: The platform excels in SEO, with well-structured code following best practices, and stands out for its multilingual support, allowing the creation of websites in multiple languages.
  • Customization and Branding: Provides extensive customization options with CSS and JavaScript editing and customizable headers and footers for consistent branding.
  • Integrated Analytics: Integration with Google Analytics for advanced tracking and reporting, along with image editing tools for optimal visual presentation.

What Could Be Improved

  • Template Variety: The selection of website templates limits design choices compared to other builders.
  • Ecommerce and Integration Limitations: Lacks native ecommerce support and offers limited third-party app integrations, which could hinder extensive online store development.

Who Is IONOS Website Builder Best For?

IONOS Website Builder is ideal for small businesses and beginners looking for an easy-to-use website builder with AI tools and a wide variety of solid features in one platform, including domain, hosting, SEO, and email. A similar alternative would be Godaddy.

Community Reviews and Ratings

IONOS consistently provides excellent customer support compared to most platforms. And users like how easy the builder is to use and the overall value for the price.

Pricing

IONOS offers paid plans starting at $9 monthly.

Get IONOS

11. Web.com

Web.com Website Builder

Web.com is a user-friendly and affordable website builder platform for those who want to create a website quickly and easily. The drag-and-drop interface allows users to customize templates rapidly, making it simple to match your website to your branding and style. The drag-and-drop website builder makes it easy to create a mobile-friendly website. With pre-designed building blocks, access to 2 million stock photos, and custom code blocks, you have everything needed to build your perfect website.

Web.com’s responsive templates ensure that websites look great on any device. Web.com provides 24/7 customer support through phone, email, and chat, and users can also opt to have a personal website designer who can help them create a custom website.

Web.com ecommerce website builder

Web.com also offers ecommerce features, which allow users to set up an online store with a shopping cart and checkout. This feature is handy for small businesses that want to start selling online without investing in a separate e-commerce platform.

What We Like About Web.com

  • User-Friendly Design Interface: Web.com provides an intuitive website editing experience, boasting simple design options that allow for quick and efficient website creation.
  • AI-Powered Website Builder and Tools: Alongside a straightforward website builder for beginners, Web.com offers an innovative AI Builder that can generate a website for you in minutes. It also has a built-in AI writer, an AI LogoBuilder, and an AI Domain Name Generator.
  • Domain and Email Solutions: The platform includes a free domain for the first year and professional email addresses, enhancing your business’s online presence.
  • Comprehensive Web Space Options: Users have access to significant web space, with plans offering up to 50 GB and 200 pages, catering to various website sizes and complexities.
  • Ecommerce readiness: The platform supports online store builders, including popular payment methods and social selling features, making it suitable for businesses looking to venture into ecommerce.

What Could Be Improved

  • Limited Free Trial: Unlike some competitors, Web.com doesn’t offer a free option or trial period, which could be a barrier for those wanting to test the service before committing.
  • Template Selection: The range of website templates might limit design choices compared to other platforms.
  • Third-Party Integrations: The platform has limited options for third-party apps and integrations, which might affect users looking for extensive customization.

Who Is Web.com Best For?

Web.com is ideal for beginners and small businesses looking for an easy-to-use platform that offers basic and advanced website-building tools and ecommerce capabilities.

Community Reviews and Ratings

Users appreciate Web.com’s ease of use and its comprehensive range of web space options. However, the limited template variety and lack of a free trial are areas for potential improvement.


Pricing

Web.com offers various pricing plans, starting at $14.99 per month.

Get Web.com

12. Google Sites

Google Sites

Google Sites is a free website builder provided by Google that allows users to create basic websites and collaborate with others in real-time. The platform is designed to be user-friendly and straightforward, featuring a drag-and-drop interface that does not require any coding experience. You can use several elements on your sites: textboxes, images, image carousels, table of contents, social links, and spaces.

A unique feature of Google Sites is its tight integration with Google’s suite of products. With Google Sites, you can quickly embed your Google Calendar, pull videos from YouTube, and connect your site to your Google Analytics accounts.

Google Sites is a good option if you’re looking to build the most basic of websites. Creating a complex website with advanced customizations (like ecommerce) is not available with this tool. Google Sites is an excellent choice for building the most basic sites, but better, free options are available, like Wix.

Google Sites website builder and collaboration tools

An exciting feature of Google Sites is its collaboration functionality. You and others can efficiently work on your website as quickly as editing documents in Google Workspace. Because Google Sites is a Google product, it maintains the same robust version control you’re accustomed to with Slides, Sheets, and Docs.

What We Like About Google Sites

  • Effortless Website Creation: Google Sites offers a user-friendly platform with a drag-and-drop interface, allowing even beginners to create websites with ease.
  • Seamless Google Integration: The platform integrates perfectly with other Google services, enabling easy embedding of documents, calendars, and more.
  • Customizable Templates: While the selection is limited, Google Sites offers responsive and straightforward-to-use templates that you can customize.
  • Real-Time Collaboration: Offers the ability to collaborate in real-time with others, a feature that is particularly useful for team projects or shared website management.

What Could Be Improved

  • Limited Design and Functionalities: Google Sites has limited design tools and functionalities compared to more robust website builders.
  • No Ecommerce or Advanced SEO Tools: The platform does not support ecommerce functionality or advanced SEO tools, which can be limiting for businesses looking to grow online.

Who Is Google Sites Best For?

Google Sites is ideal for users who require a straightforward, no-frills platform for creating and sharing information online, particularly those already using other Google services.

Community Reviews and Ratings

Google Sites earns a reputation for its simplicity and its easy integration with Google’s services. However, users have noted its limited design capabilities and need for advanced features.

Pricing

Google Sites is available for free, with paid plans starting at $7.80 per month.

Get Google Sites

What are the Best Website Builders?

All website builders on our list are easy to use, offer plenty of customization options, and provide affordable pricing. That said, each one has its own strengths and weaknesses.

Comparing the Best Website Builder Features

Each website builder on our list provides all the tools you need to build a website quickly. However, deciding which one is right for your situation requires careful consideration of what features each offers.

Features🥇 WordPress🥈 Wix🥉 Hostinger
Customizable templates✔️✔️✔️
Drag-and-drop page builder✔️✔️✔️
Ecommerce-ready✔️✔️✔️
SEO options✔️✔️✔️
Plugins/Apps✔️✔️✔️
Free Plan / Trial✔️✔️
Price for All Features$2.99/month$14/month$2.99/month
Get WordPressTry WixTry Hostinger

Price Comparison for the Best Website Builders

Another important thing to consider is pricing. Each of the website builders on our list offers mostly affordable pricing. The one you choose ultimately depends on your budget. Here’s a list of each builder and the pricing associated with each.

BuildersBest ForStarting PriceFree OptionUser Reviews (avg)
🥇WordPressBest Overall for VersatilityFree
(hosting required)
✔️⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
(4.5/5)
Visit
🥈WixMost powerful all-in-one solution$15/m✔️⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
(4.5/5)
Visit
🥉Hostinger Website BuilderBest Affordable Builder for Marketers$2.99/m⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
(4.5/5)
Visit
4WeeblyBest for Small Businesses$10/m✔️⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
(4.5/5)
Visit
5ShopifyBest eCommerce Solution$37/m✔️⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
(4.5/5)
Visit
6DudaBest for Agencies$19/m⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
(4.5/5)
Visit
7SquarespaceBest for Bloggers who want monetization$23/m⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
(4.5/5)
Visit
8Godaddy Website BuilderBest for beginners who value Customer Support$11.99/m
(paid yearly)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
(4.5/5)
Visit
9WebflowBest no-code builder for designers and developers$18/m✔️⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
(4.5/5)
Visit
10IONOSBest for Startups that value SEO and Multilingual support$9/m⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
(4.5/5)
Visit
11Web.comMost User-friendly option with $14.99/m⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
(4.5/5)
Visit
12Google SitesBest Free Option for Basic Sites or Projects✔️⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
(4.5/5)
Visit

For the most flexibility with your website, WordPress is an ideal choice for a website builder. Although starting it requires more work than other builders, you won’t have to worry about limitations. With its easy-to-use block editor, themes, plugins, and countless integrations, WordPress is the best website builder for those who want complete control over their website. We also recommend using a powerful page builder like Divi, which takes visual, no-code design to a new level.

For those looking for a hosted website builder solution that is easier to use and manage, you may consider Wix or Hostinger to help you build your website. Both have impressive AI tools to help create and customize your site. Wix is surprisingly flexible to handle any website you may need, and Hostinger has remarkable features at a much lower starting cost than most builders.

At the end of the day, the best website builder is the one that matches your needs. Who would you consider to be the best website builder? Did we miss anyone from the list? Let us know in the comments section below!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Before we wrap up, let’s answer some of your most common questions about website builders. Did we miss one? Leave a question below, and we will respond!

What is the best website builder?
WordPress is the best website builder because of its ease of use, flexibility, and versatility. It offers various customization options, plugins, and themes, making it suitable for multiple types of websites. Additionally, it has a vast user community, ensuring reliable support and resources.
What is the best free website builder?
WordPress is a great free website builder because it offers an easy-to-use platform with considerable flexibility and customization options. It also has a massive library of plugins and themes, many of which are free. A large community supports the WordPress ecosystem. Many free resources are available online, and there is an active support system on Wordpress.org.
Is using a website builder worth it?
Yes, using a website builder can be worth it, especially for beginners or small businesses looking for a DIY solution. Website builders offer an easy-to-use interface and pre-made templates, reducing the need for technical knowledge and web design experience. They are also cost-effective and can help create a professional-looking website quickly without hiring a web designer.
What are the cons of using a website builder?
The primary downsides of using a website builder are limited design customization, the potential for a generic or unoriginal website, and limitations in functionality and scalability. Website builders are easy to use, but they come with some limitations. Website builders may also have hidden costs, such as fees for premium features or added functionality. It also takes time to build your website, which can be saved by hiring someone to make your website.
How much does it cost to build a website?
The cost of building a website can vary widely depending on the platform and the needs of your website. A simple website can cost as little as $10 a month, while a custom-built website with advanced features costs thousands. For example, Weebly has a free plan, but its paid plan starts at $10 monthly. Similarly, Shopify’s paid plan, which offers more advanced eCommerce functionality, starts at $37 per month and goes as high as $399 per month.
How do I build a website from scratch?
To build a website from scratch, follow these general steps: choose a domain name and web hosting, select a website platform, design and customize the website, create and publish content, and optimize search engines. You will also need to test and launch the website and maintain and update it regularly.
What is the best website builder for small businesses?
Weebly is a good website builder for small businesses due to its ease of use, affordability, and range of built-in features. It offers drag-and-drop website building, responsive themes, and built-in eCommerce functionality. Weebly also provides SEO tools, analytics, and marketing integrations, making it a comprehensive option for small businesses.
What is the best eCommerce website builder?
Shopify is a great eCommerce website builder. It offers an all-in-one eCommerce platform that's easy to use and has a range of excellent features. It has a simple setup process, responsive templates, and built-in payment processing. Shopify also provides advanced features such as inventory management, shipping integration, and marketing tools. It has a large app store and a helpful support team.
What is the best website builder for blogging?
WordPress is the best website builder for blogging due to its user-friendly interface, customizable themes, and vast plugin library, allowing bloggers to easily add functionality and features to their sites. It also offers robust SEO capabilities, making it easy for bloggers to optimize their content for search engines.
What is the best website builder for SEO?
WordPress is an excellent website builder for SEO. The structure of WordPress websites are inherently crawlable by search engines. There are also great free SEO plugins available for WordPress that provide website owners with advanced SEO features. A good WordPress theme and caching plugin can also make your website fast and mobile-friendly, which are essential ranking factors.
Top Picks

Explore Our Top Picks

Here are our favorites! 👇

medal iconWordPressoutgoing link medal iconWixoutgoing link medal iconHostingeroutgoing link
Top Picks

Get WordPress Today!

With so many great options available, it can be hard to pick one. Find out why WordPress is our favorite. 👇

Explore WordPress
Premade Layouts

Check Out These Related Posts

10 Best AI tools for Research in 2024 (Compared)

10 Best AI tools for Research in 2024 (Compared)

Posted on April 24, 2024 in Business

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to transform scientific, marketing, and other types of research, making citation and information gathering a whole lot easier. With powerful AI tools at their disposal, researchers from all walks of life are using AI to scan large datasets, enhance...

View Full Post
11 Best AI Landing Page Builders for 2024 (Compared)

11 Best AI Landing Page Builders for 2024 (Compared)

Updated on April 23, 2024 in Business

When designing landing pages, you might think you need to hire a developer or freelancer. However, thanks to artificial intelligence (AI), creating an effective, beautiful layout without coding is now possible. In fact, the best AI landing page builders will complete the page with text and images...

View Full Post

Leave A Reply

Comments are reviewed and must adhere to our comments policy.

Join To Download Today