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Welcome to the 21st century. It’s a digital age in which consumers won’t even look at a business without a website, product searches have shifted to the online platforms, and buyers are making their decisions based on online reviews, availability, and website content. Yes, living in the digital era means one important thing for a business owner: you better have an online presence if you want anyone to notice you.
Don’t sweat it if you don’t have a website yet. Another beautiful thing about living in the digital era is the ease with which you can build and populate a website in no time. Selecting the right website builder for your business could take time and a lot of research, though, which is why we’ve made it easy on you. Below is a list of the best website builders in the industry and just what makes them great.
A Closer Look at the Top 10 Website Builders
- Best forSMBs, restaurants, musicians, photographers
- PriceFrom $4.50per month
- Free versionYes
Wix easily sits as one of the top 3 website builders on the market. It’s got hundreds of templates to choose from, delightfully simple drag-and-drop editor functionality, and packs a lot of features even into its free accounts. Without an ounce of design knowhow, you can create, edit, and upload your own website in a relatively short amount of time too.
There’s even an Ecommerce solution for businesses that want to sell their products directly online. Of course, Wix isn’t for everyone. It’s a bit barebones if you’re looking for something totally customized to fit your business. And the number of options just may set your head a-spin. But if you’re looking for an incredibly intuitive, coding-free, and good looking website builder, Wix is a top choice that comes with plenty of user satisfaction and reviews to back up its reputation.
Read Wix Full ReviewPros- Comprehensive free version
- Easy to use for anyone
- Best-in-class reputation
Cons- Templates are rigid, not much flexibility
- Confusing pricing structure
- Best forExtremely fast and easy website building
- PriceFrom $10per month
- Free versionNo30-day free trial
GoDaddy’s website builder (named GoCentral) is all about speed. The successful domain registrar stripped away all the complex functionality, confusing terminology, and unnecessary frills to create a simple and smart website builder that anyone could use to create professional websites in minutes.
But what really makes GoDaddy so much fun to use is its artificial design intelligence tool. This feature works just like other AI tools in that it learns about you from your behaviors and other data input and returns maximum efficiency results. What this means in plain English is that the tool will learn about your business and suggest design edits to help make your website put its best foot forward.
Read GoDaddy Full ReviewPros- Artificial design intelligence for smart design tweaks
- From scratch to site in minutes
- Competitive pricing plans
Cons- Limited customization and features
- Blog feature needs more functionality
- Best forBeginners and SMBs looking for a quick site
- PriceFrom $4per month
- Free versionNo14-day money-back guarantee
SiteBuilder is another option if you’re looking for a simple website builder tool. You won’t find a lot of the extras that come with some other website builders, but if all you want is to launch a basic website design, then SiteBuilder performs beautifully. Featuring the classic drag-and-drop editor, SiteBuilder lets you play around with templates to create a more personalized look to your site.
What’s more, SiteBuilder has hundreds of templates that span a huge range of industries. So, you can easily find an attractive theme that fits your niche and style. SiteBuilder also has a few additional features to make your website better, like creating contact forms and mailing lists to uploading live social feeds and videos. SiteBuilder also throws in a free domain name for the first year of service, a nice benefit.
Read SiteBuilder Full ReviewPros- Customizable layouts
- Ecommerce store solution
- Free domain name for first year
Cons- Barebones features set
- No SSL certificate
- Best forAll-inclusive marketing & advertising perks
- PriceFrom $99
- Free versionNo
Hibu is actually a digital marketing firm, but like many brands on this list, it also has a website builder. The reason we like this one is because it comes with a lot of features that other side-project website builders don’t. Hibu has a full set of social media marketing, SEO, and display tools to enhance your business appearance and reach. But what’s really impressive about this service is that you’ll get a completely custom-built website tailored to your brand and niche. You don’t have to do a thing since Hibu does it all for you with smart technology to maximize your design to its fullest.
And since Hibu is a digital marketing firm at heart, it’ll toss in a complete marketing program designed to fit your company and audience perfectly. While the initial price tag might seem steep compared to other companies, Hibu delivers an unparalleled service that you just won’t find with your typical, basic website builder.
Read Hibu Full ReviewPros- Smart tech-based sites for max performance
- Sleek and modern features and design options
- Tailored marketing plan for your business
Cons- Not a good ecommerce site builder
- More costly up front than competitors
- Best forMaking a prof. website with lots of features
- PriceFrom $5per month
- Free versionYes
No list of website builders would be complete without WordPress. The unrivaled king of content hosting tools, WordPress powers a staggering 34% of the internet’s content. Whether you want to open an online store, build your fan base, or design a portfolio, WordPress has the tools and features to make that dream a reality.
WordPress has a free plan, so you can launch your own website without paying a dime. But if you really want the full functionality, you’ll have to pay for an upgrade. Pricing is reasonable, and all plans come with storage space, dozens of colorful templates to choose from, and some design customization. The premium plans also include important features like social media, site monetization, and Google Analytics tools.
Read WordPress Full ReviewPros- Excellent customization tools
- Tons of extra functionality and tools
- Almost unlimited 3rd-party app integrations
Cons- Requires technical knowledge at some points
- Plugins get tricky
- Best forProfessional websites with top quality design
- PriceFrom $12per month
- Free versionNo14-day free trial
Squarespace does an excellent job of delivering a top-quality website builder experience. For one thing, the templates are crisp, clean, and professionally designed. It’s also nice the way Squarespace conveniently organizes templates by industry and genre, so you can quickly pick one based on your requirements.
Squarespace also includes a lot of features and extras into the pricing plans, even the lowest tier. Things like SSL security, unlimited storage and bandwidth, and on-site SEO features come even with the Personal Plan. And again, you see the unique professionalism and high ranking quality of this service within the strong features set being offered. Bottom line, if you’ll settle for nothing but the best for your business, Squarespace is your best option.
Read SquareSpace Full ReviewPros- Professional quality and design
- Great mobile app
- Blogging app with commenting, multi-author, and more
Cons- No third-party app integrations
- Shallow menu hierarchy
- Best forThose seeking a cheap, DIY website builder
- PriceFrom $1.95per month, $22.95 after
- Free versionNo
Web.com lets you choose between a DIY website builder or a professionally-built site. If you’re a do it yourself kind of business owner, you’ll appreciate the easy to use platform. Drag-and-drop editor, image library with thousands of choices, and customizable content blocks all add up to a fast and painless design process.
Alternatively, Web.com offers the option to have its pro team design and create your website for you. The benefit of this option is that you get a sharp website without doing any of the work. Web.com websites are mobile-friendly, loaded with SEO-friendly features, and come with marketing tools to help grow your business. Even when building your own site, Web.com allows you to incorporate tools and apps, including PPC management, local business listing services, and ecommerce options.
Read Web.com Full ReviewPros- DIY or pro build design options
- 24/7 phone support
- Launch your site in 15 minutes
Cons- Very limited template selection
- Difficult to make complex edits
- Best forProfessional site design with lots of extras
- PriceFrom $9.80per month billed annually
- Free versionYesand 14-day free trial
Site123 is cleverly-named to tell businesses exactly what they can get: a website builder that will help you build your own customized site as easy as 1, 2, 3. In fact, this system is wonderfully simple to use. Despite its user-friendliness, Site123 comes with a robust set of features that can give your website an obvious edge over the competition. Tools like website design, booking scheduler, logo designer, responsive web templates, and SEO tools really create a comprehensive package for a reasonable price.
Site123 is very good for bloggers because it offers comprehensive blogging tools like a full-featured comment system, auto-confirm comments tool, and easy blog post scheduling. Site123 plans are also heavily loaded with domain features, including a free domain name, domain management, privacy protection, redirects, and free SSL certificate. So, the company does a good job of covering a lot of your bases in a single service.
Read SITE123 Full ReviewPros- Flexible pricing plans and subscriptions
- SEO, design, logo, and more tools built-in
- Responsive designs
Cons- Pricey upgrades
- Limited control over functionality
- Best forWell-designed sites with a great vibe & tools
- PriceFrom $9per month billed annually
- Free versionYes
Jimdo is a real rags to riches story, starting out in an old rundown farmhouse in the boondocks of Germany. Today, over 20 million websites have been designed using this innovative platform. If you’re looking for a user-friendly and feature-rich website builder, Jimdo is a good place to turn. The templates are designed well and mobile-responsive, there are tools to integrate and sync with social media channels, and every plan comes with a free SSL security certificate.
But best of all, Jimdo requires absolutely zero coding experience. While it does have an expert model for coders, Jimdo prides itself on being extremely lightweight and easy to use for anyone. Create forms, pages, and portfolios quickly and enjoy perks like domain names and email accounts, SEO tools built-in, and an upbeat, friendly customer support staff to turn to for help.
Read Jimdo Full ReviewPros- Free plan and inexpensive upgrades
- Top of the line customer support
- No coding required for fast and impressive website design
Cons- Needs a restore option
- No credit card gateway for online stores
- Best forAffordable sites that are easy to edit
- PriceFrom $6.95per month
- Free versionNo
Network Solutions offers businesses all manner of tools and software for managing and running a successful business. Now, you can even build your own site using this popular tool. Network Solutions has both a DIY option and a professional builder plan. Either way, you'll get a free domain name, high-quality design layouts, and personalized email.
The DIY builder comes with an easy point-and-click editor, so you can customize the templates to your taste, several integrations, and access to a massive image and icon library that you can use to make your website look the way you want it. Network Solutions also offers several advanced tools like social sharing buttons, SEO code, XML sitemaps, and MonsterMarketplace submission eligibility.
Read Network Solutions Full ReviewPros- Impressive stock image library
- Free domain name and personalized email
- Easy point-and-click editor
Cons- Confusing interface
- Site and tool could use a makeover
The Advantages of Using a Website Builder
The minimum average cost of a website built by a designer is $2,000, but every time you change your mind, your bill can get larger. You also have to wait until your designer is available to make the changes you requested. And in the end, there's a risk that you'll end up agreeing to a website that you're not actually happy with, just because you don't feel that you can afford to ask them to try something else.
Using a website builder is much less expensive. The best website builders offer plenty of choices. You can switch out the fonts, color schemes, and templates as many times as you'd like, without paying anything extra. Making changes to your website using a website builder is also much faster. With a website builder, you are in control of everything, from the placement of the call-to-action button to the font on your homepage.
What to Consider When Choosing a Website Builder Platform
The best website builder is the one that best fits your needs. Ask yourself some of these questions about your new website:
- What type of site will it be?
- What key features do you need?
- Are you running an online store? If so, how big will it be? Some website builders have Ecommerce plans that limit the number of items you can sell per month.
- What is the vibe of your business?
Ease of Use
The most important feature of a website builder is its usability. Try out the user interface on the 5 best website builders listed above by using their trial site builder. This will give you an idea of which one you find the most intuitive and easiest to use. If you do have some knowledge of coding, check that the website builders give you access to the CSS code, too.
Ecommerce
Hopefully, your business will expand. In this case, you need to ask yourself if you need a website builder that can process more online bookings, reservations, sales, or sales inquiries. Similarly, if you decide to transfer your site to a different hosting option in the future, can you easily download the full site?
Templates
You should also check which templates are available. Take the time to check that they aren't all just slight variations of the same template. You'll need templates for your business' specific category, so a builder with hundreds of blog templates, but none for restaurants won't be much help if you're promoting your corner cafe.
Features
All the best website builders offer a number of extra features to make building your website easier and better. Here are some features to look out for:
- Setup wizards which guide you through the building process
- Drag-and-drop, intuitive interface to design your site
- SEO tools such as editing meta tags
- Marketing tools including email marketing
- Built-in analytics to track visitors' demographics, location, interests, and more
- Ecommerce tools such as multiple payment processor options, inventory tracking tools, product descriptions, etc.
- Integrated social media buttons to connect your social media networks with your new site
- Mobile-responsive sites that update at the same time as your main site
- Mobile-editing tools which permit you to continue tweaking your new website from your mobile phone
Site Speed and Tech Support
Your website loading speed is also important. You don't want to lose visitors just because your site takes a long time to load. Twenty-four-hour technical support is vital if you're creating a website yourself and need help when you get stuck, even if that's the middle of the night. Finally, although pricing shouldn't be the main yardstick you use to measure a good website builder, you don't want to pay too much for a mediocre website builder, so compare prices as well.
Is a Free Builder Worth It?
If you just want to build a basic site without an online store, then free website builders are excellent ways to get started. Usually, the free website builder plans come with much less storage, slower load time, and fewer SEO and marketing tools, if any. Critically, websites built on free plans don’t have their own unique URLs, but rather they have the website builder’s name in the URL, for example: yourname.wixsite.com.
Paid plans provide much better technical support and give you an ad-free website that doesn’t have any branding from the website builder. So, if you know that you need Ecommerce facilities, lots of storage space (for high-resolution images, videos, etc.), extra customer support, and/or a lot of webpages, free site builders are unlikely to work for you.
On the other hand, to just test the waters and begin establishing an online presence, a free website builder could give you just what you need to get started. This way, you'll have a professional-looking website that unites your social media networks and gives you a platform to present your business without a lot of bells and whistles. You can then upgrade to a paid plan when you need it. This could be when you outgrow your existing storage limit, need more Ecommerce options, or want particular features such as analytics or email marketing that are only available for paid users.
