Website Builders
A guide to choosing the best website builder for digital marketers, covering blogs, sites, and e-commerce.
If you want to start a blog or website, the first thing you’ll need to do, aside from choosing a concept, is to find the right tools.
Blogging and site-building tools include domain registrars, site themes, branding options, and web hosts.
A robust website builder is one of the most essential tools in a blogger’s toolbox.
They make it easy to create beautiful websites without the hassle of learning to code.
Keep reading to discover the best website builders.
Brett Helling is a digital marketing expert with over 10 years of experience building, managing, and scaling websites.
Basics to Understand
Whether you’ve been building sites for years or are dipping a toe in for the first time, there’s plenty to learn.
From standard user experience design to aesthetically pleasing branding, your site needs to have it all.
So, here’s a crash course on how website builders work and how to choose one,
What Is a Website Builder?
A website builder is a comprehensive online tool that makes creating your perfect website and matching branding a breeze.
Website builders offer all the design tools any blogger or site designer needs to make a professional, user-friendly website.
Why Are Website Builders Important?
Website builders are invaluable tools for site designers because they provide all the features necessary to create an on-brand and to-market site.
From navigation to branding options, the best site builders will make building your site painless.
Most importantly, it’ll make it simple for your users to navigate.
In a rush?
Here’s a quick look at the best paid and free website builders.
How to Choose
Website builders come in all shapes and sizes, with some being more robust than others.
Which builder you choose will depend on your brand’s needs.
However, there are a few things you should always look for when you’re choosing your builder.
1. Templates and Themes
Your website’s template and themes will lay the foundation for your user’s journey.
A website template lays out your content in a user-friendly manner, while themes make your content aesthetically pleasing.
Choose a site builder with a vast library of themes and templates to ensure your site matches your brand.
2. SEO Tools
Search engine optimization is key to success for website owners and bloggers.
So, you should choose a builder that offers SEO tools.
For example, tools that help you select keywords, craft meta descriptions, and properly tag page elements will make it easier for users to find you on the web.
3. Customer Support
Although many website builders have intuitive features, you shouldn’t choose one with poor customer support.
Instead, find one that offers 24/7 support via multiple channels and a quick turnaround time for all requests.
This support will ensure your site is always up and running as it should be.
4. Plugins
Plugins add user-friendly functionality to websites.
Website builders like WordPress include an extensive collection of plugins you can use to streamline specific processes on your site.
In addition, certain plugins, such as Jetpack, make it easier for you to create and manage your site’s content.
5. Social Media
Most businesses these days have a social media presence.
Adding social media widgets or icons to your site through your builder is an efficient way to add to your social following.
They also make it simple for users to share your content directly from your website to social platforms.
My Personal Take
Considering there is a seemingly endless selection of site builders, we wanted to make things a bit easier for you.
We combed through the selections of website builders available online to find the best options.
Below, you’ll find our picks for the top three site builders, along with information on why they stand out from the rest.
Of all the paid website builders we reviewed, Wix was the best.
In addition to being a domain registrar and site host, Wix offers a healthy selection of tools, resources, and branding options.
You’ll be able to access Wix’s features with plans starting at $16.
Or, if you want to test Wix out, you can sign up for its free plan.
What Is the Best Free Website Builder?
The best free website builder we found was Elementor.
Elementor is a drag-and-drop site builder that works with WordPress.
It’s an excellent tool if you use or plan to use WordPress.
You’ll get access to beautiful themes, templates, and a user-friendly editor without any additional cost.
Our Top Picks
Wix is a popular website builder that makes it easy for users of all skill levels to create beautiful websites.
It’s perfect for bloggers, businesses, and eCommerce businesses who don’t have the time or inclination to learn a host of design skills.
Our first runner-up to Wix is Squarespace. This renowned website builder is ideal for blogs and eCommerce operations and includes a broad selection of templates to create the perfect website.
Although Wix and Squarespace are the top two contenders for website builders, we know many creators want something a bit more budget-friendly.
So, we chose Weebly as the best budget website builder. It offers solid tools for beginners with four separate plans and a basic free plan that lets you get a feel for the service.
Why We Chose This for Top Pick
Of all the website builders listed here, we strongly feel Wix is the right place to start a blog for several reasons.
Some of its best features include:
- Drag-and-drop editor
- Wix App Market for added functionality
- High-quality templates
- Artificial Design Intelligence
- Wix Marketplace
In addition to these features, Wix allows you to add your own code to enhance your site’s functionality and appearance.
Why Is Wix a Great Solution?
Whether you’re building a niche website or something more universal, Wix offers solutions for all your needs.
It has a host of marketing and SEO tools that will help you draw new users, along with functionality to enhance mobile users’ experiences.
In addition, Wix’s tools help create a site with multiple functions, such as scheduling and eCommerce, with just a few extra clicks.
For users who want to run marketing campaigns or integrate social media, Wix has tools to streamline those processes, too.
Pros of Wix
If you’re looking for Wix’s best features in a nutshell, here’s a quick breakdown:
- Well-Priced: Affordable pricing provides options for all users.
- Suitable for Beginners: Wix doesn’t require knowledge of code and offers hundreds of templates and themes that don’t need any coding knowledge. Wix Marketplace also provides access to professionals.
- Social Media Integration: Email marketing functionality and social media integration allow for robust digital marketing campaigns.
Cons of Wix
As with any other website builder, Wix has its downsides and limitations.
You should weigh them carefully against your needs and budget before making a choice.
Here are a few things to consider:
- Free Plan Limits: Limited branding options with the free plan limit customizations.
- It Can Be Overwhelming: The number of features can be overwhelming for newcomers.
- Website Limitations: You can only create one website as part of your premium plan.
Wix vs. Other Top Recommendations: How They Compare
You’ll find a few primary differences between Wix and our other top builders, Weebly and Squarespace.
We feel Wix offers a better balance between professional quality offerings and beginner-friendly tools than its competitors.
When it comes to design, it falls squarely between Weebly and Squarespace.
You’ll get everything you need to make a flashy site without the time commitment you’d need with Squarespace or the limitations you’ll find with Weebly.
Wix Pricing
Wix offers four pricing plans in addition to a free option that provides all the basics without the hefty cost.
The four paid plans are as follows:
- Combo: $16 per month
- Unlimited: $22 per month
- Pro: $27 per month
- VIP: $45 per month
All four paid plans include a custom domain, no Wix ads, a free SSL certificate, and 24/7 customer support.
There’s no way to remove Wix branding from your site if you choose the free plan.
In addition to its small business and personal plans, Wix has three enterprise-level plans for medium or large businesses that need room to grow.
- Basic: $27 per month
- Unlimited: $32 per month
- VIP: $59 per month
Can You Try Wix for Free?
Wix offers a free plan for all users.
It provides storage, themes, templates, and other tools to create a beautiful site.
However, the free option doesn’t allow users to have a custom domain.
In addition, you’ll have less storage, and Wix ads will show up on all your site pages.
Conclusion: Should You Choose Wix?
Overall, Wix is an excellent option for businesses.
It offers affordable plans and all the features you need to build a professional website, so you won’t have to worry about spending a lot of time designing each page.
Although other website builders are a bit more user-friendly, Wix is easy to learn and offers ideal results.
Why We Chose This for Runner-Up
Squarespace has gained popularity as a website builder due to its extensive features and easy-to-use editor.
Although Squarespace has some limitations compared to our other top picks, its essential elements make it a valuable tool.
When you sign up for Squarespace, you’ll get access to:
- A vast library of templates and stock photos
- Branding tools and options
- Free custom domain with all plans
- eCommerce tools
- 24/7 customer support
- No transaction fees for eCommerce
Why Is Squarespace a Great Solution?
Since Squarespace offers so many branding and search engine optimization options, you’ll be able to establish yourself online quickly.
Specifically, its SEO tools will guide you in creating an SEO-friendly site that suits your market.
In addition, it provides multiple cost-effective plans with discounts if you pay annually.
Also, since Squarespace is a hosted service, you won’t have to pay separate hosting fees.
It’s a bit of a one-stop shop for site designers and business owners looking to get established.
Pros of Squarespace
Squarespace offers a ton of useful features for site designers.
As a website builder, you’ll get:
- Features To Increase Traffic: Detailed analytics, SEO tools, and mobile site optimization provide increased traffic and visibility.
- High-quality Support: Squarespace has award-winning tech support.
- Optional Access To Contractors: Access to independent contractors and Squarespace’s portfolio of third-party extensions for added functionality.
The higher tier plans offer more features, but everything above is included with all paid plans.
Cons of Squarespace
Squarespace is an excellent platform, but there are a few downsides worth considering, including:
- Difficult Customization: Structured editor makes customized layouts difficult.
- No Free Plan: No free plan to test out services.
- Slow Load Times: Low page speed causes decreased load times.
Of these drawbacks, the low page speed could be your biggest problem.
If you have graphic-heavy content, including photos and videos, Squarespace might not be for you.
Squarespace vs. Other Top Recommendations: How They Compare
Squarespace is a top competitor of Wix for a good reason.
Its prices are comparable, it offers plenty of branding options, and its plans are comprehensive.
In addition, its user-friendly interface minimizes the learning curve.
However, Squarespace tends to have lower page speeds than Wix, which can lead to a poor user experience.
It also offers less flexibility, with a highly structured editor that limits where you can place elements on each page.
It also doesn’t offer a free plan.
Squarespace Pricing
Squarespace offers four paid plans.
Users will receive discounts on all paid plans when they pay annually instead of monthly.
- Personal: $16 per month
- Business: $23 per month
- Commerce (Basic): $27 per month
- Commerce (Advanced): $49 per month
All plans come with a custom domain and hosting services included.
The personal and business plans receive a 30% discount for annual purchases, while both commerce plans receive a 25% discount.
Can You Try Squarespace for Free?
Unfortunately, you won’t have access to a free plan with Squarespace.
However, Squarespace offers a free trial for their paid plans.
For two weeks, you can test drive all of Squarespace’s best features to determine if the builder suits your needs.
The best part is that you don’t have to submit credit card information during your trial, so it’s completely risk-free.
Conclusion: Should You Choose Squarespace?
Site owners who want to build perfectly branded sites with few limitations will love Squarespace’s options.
If you don’t need highly-customized layouts or a free plan, Squarespace will be a great option.
However, if you’re building on a budget or want to control every aspect of your site, Wix will be a better choice.
Why We Chose This for Budget Pick
Weebly offers multiple valuable features, including a site builder, eCommerce options, and mobile optimization tools comparable to those of Wix and Squarespace.
Its templates are user-friendly and customizable, and all sites are fully responsive, making it easy for all visitors to have a streamlined experience.
All Weebly’s paid plans include free connection to a custom domain and third-party embed code options.
With plans ranging from $6 to $26, it’s an excellent choice for anyone working on a budget.
Why Is Weebly a Great Solution?
Weebly is a fantastic solution for users who don’t want to get bogged down with options.
If you’re looking for a simple site without all the bells and whistles, Weebly is the perfect choice.
You’ll get all the basics, including eCommerce and marketing tools, without the hassle of learning a more comprehensive platform.
Pros of Weebly
As a budget site builder, Weebly has a surprising amount of benefits.
A few of Weebly’s pros are:
- Extensive Features for a Low Price: Marketing and extensive eCommerce features with free and paid plans.
Low monthly costs also make starting a company website budget-friendly. - Quality Customer Support: Chat and email support to help you troubleshoot as needed.
- Free Website Security: Free SSL security with all plans.
Cons of Weebly
Because it’s a budget website builder, Weebly has some limitations compared to its competitors.
A few of the most significant cons are:
- No Custom Domain: A custom domain is not included, and the free plan is pretty bare-bones.
- Limited Access to Shipping Calculator: There is no shipping calculator for eCommerce unless you purchase a higher tier plan.
- Limited Support: There is no phone support for free or Personal plans.
Instead, you’ll only have access to chat and email support.
If you choose to create your site with Weebly, look over each of its plans carefully before committing.
Depending on what you plan to use your site for, you might need to upgrade your plan or choose one of the other top picks.
Weebly vs. Other Top Recommendations: How They Compare
When it comes to basic website building, Weebly is a great option.
It offers the basic features you need without the cost you’d pay with Wix or Squarespace.
Not to mention, it provides a free plan, which you won’t get with Squarespace.
However, with a lower cost comes fewer options. You won’t get the same level of customization with Weebly as you will with its competitors.
In addition, you’ll get a lower level of tech support, which could lead to site delays if you can’t reach someone quickly.
Weebly Pricing
Weebly’s pricing is as follows:
- Personal: $6 per month
- Professional: $12 per month
- Performance: $26 per month
You’ll receive a discounted rate if you opt to pay for your plan annually instead of monthly.
In addition, Weebly offers a free plan that gives users limited site, eCommerce, and marketing features.
Can You Try Weebly for Free?
Weebly’s best feature is that you can test drive its basic services for free.
Its free plan gives users a taste of what the paid plans offer while still providing access to a professional quality website.
Conclusion: Should You Choose Weebly?
Weebly is a good option for personal sites, blogs, and smaller eCommerce operations.
It doesn’t offer the same capacity for growth as Squarespace and Wix, so if that’s your goal, you should choose one of its competitors.
However, if you need something basic or personal, Weebly is worth checking out.
Alternatives
Dorik is a no-code website builder that allows you to create websites without any coding or design knowledge.
It offers a simple and intuitive drag-and-drop interface that makes it easy to create professional-looking websites quickly.
The Bluehost Website Builder is one of many tools offered by Bluehost, the hosting platform popular with WordPress users. Its popularity stems from its comprehensive toolkit and flexibility.
Free Option
Technically not a website builder, Elementor is a plugin for WordPress that helps make designing WordPress sites seamless.
As a drag-and-drop editor, Elementor is perfect for newbies who aren’t familiar with building websites.
In addition, it provides expert features that help you maintain your site.
About the Alternatives
Why Is Bluehost Website Builder a Great Option?
Bluehost is a platform designed for creators who want everything in one place.
Using Bluehost, you can get your hosting, domain, email, and site builder from one provider.
If you were drawn to WordPress for its ubiquity, Bluehost would be the perfect way to build your WordPress site.
Drawbacks to Bluehost Website Builder
The main drawback to Bluehost’s website builder is that you won’t get eCommerce tools with every plan.
Whereas other site builders offer eCommerce options with all plans, Bluehost’s basic plan is geared toward content creation.
If you want the full suite of eCommerce and marketing features, you’ll need to choose one of the Online Store or Online Store + Marketplace.
Bluehost Website Builder Pricing
Bluehost’s pricing for its four plans is quite competitive.
- Content Creation: $10.99 per month
- Business: $14.99 per month
- Online Store: $24.95 per month
- Online Store + Marketplace: $39.95 per month
Can You Try Bluehost Website Builder for Free?
Bluehost offers a 30-day free trial that automatically renews at the end of your trial period.
Why Is Dorik No-Code Website Builder a Great Option?
Dorik is a great option because it has a close-to-zero learning curve. It offers 70+ fully functioning pre-built templates and 250+ UI blocks for an effortless and swift website-building experience.
You can also customize the templates as much as you like to fit your needs. Plus, Dorik offers a dedicated CMS to build websites with blogs.
Other exciting features of Dorik are white-label dashboards for agencies, client billing, membership features,native SEO, custom collections etc to easily customize and manage website data, and improve website performance.
It allows integration with popular marketing, payment, and analytical tools like Google Analytics, ConvertKit, Mailchimp, Stripe, PayPal, Zapier, Make, etc.
You’ll get unlimited hosting and bandwidth and a free SSL/TLS certificate for security with every website you build using Dorik.
Drawbacks to Dorik No-Code Website Builder
Dorik’s main drawback is that it has limited e-commerce functionalities, which may not be suitable for businesses looking to set up a multi-product e-commerce store.
Dorik No-Code Website Builder Pricing
Dorik offers three budget-friendly premium plans. All the plans are billed annually, as Dorik doesn’t offer any monthly plan.
- Personal: $48 per year (1 site)
- Business: $129 per year (3 sites)
- Agency: $449 per year (25 sites)
Can You Try Dorik No-Code Website Builder for Free?
Yes, Dorik offers a free plan that allows you to create up to 25 static pages. That’s a great flexibility to explore the functionalities of the builder.
Why Is Elementor a Great Option?
Elementor has paid plans that range from $99 to $499 per year.
It also offers a free version for users who don’t want to commit to a high price tag.
When you choose your website builder, you can opt to add a hosting feature to put all your tools in one place.
In addition, you can bring your custom domain with you.
Drawbacks to Elementor
Unfortunately, Elementor has a few drawbacks.
Specifically, it often drags website speeds down, leading to a frustrating user experience for you and the customer.
In addition, the learning curve can be tough for beginners.
However, Elementor offers plenty of tutorials to help you get started.
Other Options
Although Wix, Squarespace, and Weebly hold the top three spots on our list, there were several other website builders we think are worth mentioning.
Each provides a thorough selection of tools to ensure high-quality sites, no matter your skill level.
Check them out below.
Web.com Website Builder
The Web.com website builder offers options for designing a website or online store.
It’s a lesser-known option that provides a well-rounded selection of tools.
Why Is Web.com Website Builder a Great Option?
Web.com is an excellent option because it combines simple drag-and-drop site building with professional templates and pre-designed blocks.
It also provides users with more than two million stock photos and videos.
You’ll be able to host your site, choose a custom domain, and integrate a business email using Web.com.
And, of course, you’ll have access to Web.com’s expert tech support whenever you need it.
Drawbacks to Web.com Website Builder
Web.com’s main drawback is that it has no free option or free trial, so testing the platform before purchase is nearly impossible.
It’s also not as advanced as its competitors, giving you minimal design and customization options.
Web.com Website Builder Pricing
Web.com’s pricing is as follows:
- Website Essentials: $9.99 per month
- Business Essentials: $14.99 per month
- eCommerce Essentials: $25.99 per month
- eCommerce Premium; $39.99 per month
Note: these prices are the cost per month when billed annually.
The price will be slightly higher if you choose to get billed monthly.
Can You Try Web.com Website Builder for Free?
Unfortunately, Web.com doesn’t offer a free trial or free plan.
However, you can get a full refund if you cancel your service within three days of signing up.
GoDaddy Website Builder
If you’ve purchased or are considering purchasing a domain through GoDaddy, you might want to check out the GoDaddy Website Builder.
Why Is GoDaddy Website Builder a Great Option?
The GoDaddy builder is ideal because it provides everything you need in one place.
You can purchase your domain through GoDaddy, then create your site within the same account.
To simplify the process, you’ll have access to heaps of professional templates to help you craft the perfect website.
GoDaddy also offers site, store, and domain management from a single dashboard.
You can access your content via the app or on a browser.
The best part is that the free plan is quite robust, so you’ll be able to create branded content without an added cost.
Drawbacks to GoDaddy Website Builder
GoDaddy’s website builder is pretty comprehensive but still has some drawbacks.
Although it offers a free builder, the designs are somewhat basic and there are limited customization options.
In addition, you can’t password-protect pages, and you won’t have access to SEO tools, which are crucial to success.
GoDaddy Website Builder Pricing
GoDaddy has several paid plans that offer more flexibility when creating your site.
- Basic: $9.99 per month
- Premium: $14.99 per month
- Commerce: $16.99 per month
- Commerce Plus: $29.99 per month
Pay-per-month prices are slightly higher, so your best bet is to pay for a year in advance to save a bit of cash.
Can You Try GoDaddy Website Builder for Free?
GoDaddy has a decent free plan for its website builder.
When you sign up with GoDaddy, you’ll have access to digital marketing tools, PayPal payments, branded content, and 24/7 customer support.
Strikingly
Strikingly is a website builder that boasts its ability to help you build a website in minutes.
It provides the essential tools you need to create a professional, user-friendly website that reflects your brand.
Why Is Strikingly a Great Option?
Although Strikingly isn’t as robust as Wix or other builders, we think it’s perfect for users with no coding or design skills.
The company prides itself on having “the easiest website editor possible,” allowing you to build your business’ website in less than half an hour.
Strikingly offers tools to build an eCommerce store and features that help you grow your customer base.
Whether you want to increase your social media audience or drive traffic to your online store, Strikingly has the tools to help you do it.
Drawbacks to Strikingly
Strikingly’s creators designed it with a no-fuss vision. However, for more experienced designers, you might see some drawbacks.
Specifically, you’ll have limited storage with the free plan, and custom coding options are only available with Pro and VIP plans.
In addition, it lacks the drag-and-drop functionality and SEO tool you get with other builders.
Strikingly Pricing
Strikingly offers three paid plans with a host of services.
- Limited: $8 per month
- Pro: $16 per month
- VIP: $49 per month
Users can pay one, two, three, or five years in advance to get significant cost savings.
So if you plan to stick around for the long-term, consider taking advantage of one of those options.
Can You Try Strikingly for Free?
Strikingly offers a free plan and a free trial. If you just need the basics, the free plan should be enough.
The free trial lasts fourteen days and will let you test the features of Srikingly’s paid plans.
Duda
Duda is another lesser-known website builder that offers surprising results.
It has an array of creative tools and templates to help you craft a high-quality site without the design knowledge you might need to succeed with other builders.
Why Is Duda a Great Option?
Businesses will benefit from using Duda if they’re just starting out with their online operation.
Creating your site won’t take long, and the tools Duda offers simplify things quite a bit.
For example, its drag-and-drop builder provides an intuitive interface that’ll help streamline the creation process.
Duda also makes it easy to target users by using popups, messages, and other tools.
The best part is that Duda offers beautiful templates, which is something that tends to be lacking with the less popular website builders.
Drawbacks to Duda
One thing Duda lacks is features you’d want for a high-quality blog, such as the themes, templates, and plugins you’ll get with WordPress or Wix.
Another issue is that Duda doesn’t offer a free plan, and its paid plans are a bit pricey.
In addition, only top-tier plans get email, chat, and phone support.
The basic plan is limited to email support only.
Duda Pricing
Duda offers three pricing plans:
- Basic: $14 per month
- Team: $22 per month
- Agency: $44 per month
Larger businesses can also access custom plans, but pricing for those is done on a case-by-case basis.
All users receive a 25% discount for purchasing a yearly plan.
Can You Try Duda for Free?
Unfortunately, Duda doesn’t offer a free plan, which is its biggest drawback.
However, you can do a 14-day free trial of their Team plan, which is usually $22 per month.
WordPress Gutenberg
WordPress users who prefer the easiness of drag-and-drop editors will love the Gutenberg editor that’s now standard.
However, it’s pretty different from WordPress’ previous editor, as it requires less design skill.
Why Is WordPress Gutenberg a Great Option?
Gutenberg is an excellent choice because it offers all the benefits of WordPress without the hassle of code or long text boxes.
Now, all you have to do is click an icon, and you’ll have perfectly customized layouts.
What’s best is that you don’t have to make any changes if you’re already using WordPress.
You won’t have to pay more to use it unless you choose to upgrade your WordPress account to a paid plan.
Drawbacks to WordPress Gutenburg
Gutenberg’s main issue is that it’s a bit limited compared to other tools, such as Elementor.
Rearranging the blocks can be tricky, and it can take some time to understand all the different types of blocks and widgets you can add to your site.
WordPress Gutenberg Pricing
Gutenberg is native to WordPress, so it doesn’t require a subscription outside what you’re already paying for your site.
However, it’s only accessible via WordPress, meaning you can’t use it on its own.
WordPress pricing is as follows:
- Personal $4 per month
- Premium $8 per month
- Business $25 per month
- eCommerce $45 per month
These prices reflect a discount for paying annually.
Can You Try WordPress Gutenburg for Free?
Gutenberg is free with your WordPress plan.
WordPress offers a free plan but doesn’t have a free trial. Still, you’ll be able to access all of WordPress’ themes and templates with Gutenberg.
Friday
The Friday website builder delivers a powerful combination of templates and editing tools to help users quickly assemble a visually stunning website.
Everything you need to get up and running is included, from web hosting and analytics to a full suite of e-commerce features.
Key Features of Friday
Friday is a feature-rich website builder that delivers everything needed to create professional websites from the ground up with no coding experience.
Some of Friday’s best features include:
- Excellent selection of templates
- Intuitive drag-and-drop editor
- A broad selection of widgets
- Full e-commerce integration
- Complete SEO tools for site optimization
For web developers with more experience, there are plenty of under-the-hood options to explore and refine your website even more.
Why is Friday a Great Solution?
Friday’s impressive diversity of templates makes it incredibly easy to get started, whether you’re setting up a personal blog or a website for your local business.
It comes with comprehensive editing tools that allow you to fine-tune your pages and website layout to suit your requirements.
Page elements can be introduced using the familiar drag-and-drop system, ranging from text boxes and forms to images and other media assets.
The intuitive interface and selection of widgets make creating aesthetically appealing and highly functional websites incredibly simple.
Users looking to monetize their content will find everything they need to set up a store and run marketing campaigns via their social media channels.
Friday Pricing
Some website builders offer a range of subscription options that can become confusing and require additional fees to unlock certain features.
Friday opts for a simple pricing model that covers everything you’ll need in one package, from web hosting to accessing all editing tools.
This plan also covers customer support, website security, and all e-commerce, SEO, and analytics tools, so there are no hidden costs.
Friday is the easiest website builder to use, and with a seven-day free trial available, you can check out everything it offers before you commit.
Even More Options To Check Out
Still, looking for more options to choose from?
Here are some lesser-known yet highly functional website builders worth considering.
1. IONOS By 1&1
Ionos by 1&1 provides website building and hosting services.
If you’re looking for a place to create your site using professional-grade tools, Ionos is a solid alternative to the competitors listed above.
You’ll get a drag-and-drop editor, low monthly costs, and access to an eCommerce builder to make it easy to hit the ground running.
However, Ionos has a few drawbacks. Its customer support is a bit lacking, which could cause frustration for newcomers.
In addition, it’s only available in a few countries, and it doesn’t offer free website transfers.
2. Zyro
Zyro by Hostinger is another great option worth checking out if you want to build a personal or small business site.
It offers professional-looking templates, fun branding options, and an intuitive drag-and-drop editor to streamline your processes.
The main frustration with Zyro is that there’s no free plan, and it only has two paid plan options.
You also won’t have many customization options.
3. Seedprod WordPress Builder
If you’re a WordPress fan, you should check out Seedprod.
It’s a drag-and-drop editor for WordPress that’s easy to learn and simple to use.
When you choose Seedprod, you’ll gain access to hundreds of themes and templates that’ll inspire all sorts of design ideas.
Seedprod’s main downside is that only the higher plans help facilitate business growth.
The Basic plan’s block and template selection are also pretty limited, and email marketing integrations aren’t included unless you choose the Plus plan or higher.
4. Jimdo
Jimdo is an easy-to-use website builder that includes domain registration and hosting services.
You can use Jimdo to create a personal blog, online store, or other website using its library of themes, branding options, and stock photos.
It has a free plan called Play that lets you explore many of Jimdo’s basic features.
Jimdo’s prices are low, ranging up to $24 per month.
However, the free and Start plans limit how many pages your site can have.
In addition, there’s no customer support option on the free plan.
5. GeneratePress
GeneratePress‘ Premium website builder offers a well-stocked toolkit to build your site.
You’ll have access to a theme builder with dynamic block elements, extensive branding and styling options, and plenty of layout and navigation options to make your site perfectly user-friendly.
In addition, GeneratePress Premium offers enhanced WooCommerce tools.
The main downside to GeneratePress Premium is that you must manually renew each year for $59 unless you choose the lifetime plan, which is $249.
In addition, it doesn’t offer automatic renewal, so you could lose your content temporarily if you miss a reminder email.
6. Divi
Divi is a WordPress page and theme builder available to all WordPress users.
Its sleek, streamlined options offer flexibility similar to Elementor, with a stronger focus on design than structure.
Instead of starting your site from scratch, simply choose from more than 2,000 pre-made options.
Like GeneratePress, Divi offers a yearly and lifetime plan.
The annual plan is $89, while the lifetime option is $249.
Both include a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you’ll have plenty of time to test drive it.
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- Growth potential: If you expect your site to grow significantly or add more complex features over time, it’s important to choose a builder that can scale. Framework-based options like Divi and GeneratePress provide long-term flexibility but may require more time to master.
- Costs and plans: Builders like Wix, Squarespace, and Weebly often come with tiered pricing plans. Make sure to consider the long-term cost, especially as you may need to upgrade for advanced features like e-commerce or expanded storage.
- Support and community: Drag-and-drop builders like Squarespace or Weebly often provide direct customer support, which can be a time-saver. On the other hand, frameworks like GeneratePress or Divi have large, active communities that can be helpful when customizing your site.
- SEO and performance: Drag-and-drop builders are typically faster to set up, but they may not be as SEO-optimized or fast-loading as a custom framework like GeneratePress, which is known for its performance. If SEO is critical for your strategy, frameworks or builders that prioritize speed and SEO settings may be worth the extra effort.
In curating recommendations for website builders, we balanced usability, features, and scalability, ensuring that the tools work for both beginners and experienced marketers. Here’s how we assessed them:
- User-friendliness: Platforms like Wix, Weebly, and Squarespace scored high for ease of use, making them ideal for quick launches and minimal technical overhead.
- Customization and flexibility: Elementor, Divi, and GeneratePress were selected for users looking to create more customized websites or blogs, especially those comfortable with WordPress who want more control over the design.
- Marketing capabilities: SEO, analytics, and conversion tools are critical for digital marketers, so we prioritized platforms that offer strong built-in marketing tools or integrate easily with third-party solutions.
- Design and aesthetics: We considered builders that provide high-quality templates and design options. For instance, Squarespace and Divi are known for sleek, professional templates that are easily customizable.
- E-commerce support: For marketers looking to build online stores, Wix, Weebly, and Divi (with WooCommerce) stand out for their comprehensive e-commerce features and easy setup.
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