It’s never been easier for anyone to set up their website. A slick drag-and-drop interface, custom themes, and plugins empower everyone from writers to store owners to artists, to entrepreneurs to set up a website without web development expertise. These website builders allow people to create websites without having to write a single line of code.
But what is the best website builder for your needs? In this article, we’ll teach you how to pick a website builder and dive into the top website builders
What to consider when choosing a website builder?
There have never been more ways to build a website or set up a web presence without any coding skills. With so many options to choose from, we’ve compiled a short list of factors to consider when choosing the right website builder for your needs:
Use case
With so many website builders on the market, it can be helpful to narrow down your list by selecting platforms that cater to your desired use case.
- One-pagers (e.g., landing pages, link trees, and e-cards)
- Blogging platforms
- Online portfolios
- Online stores and e-commerce solutions
- All-in-one hosting/website builder solutions
- Enterprise website builders
- Agency-friendly website builder builders
Ease of use
A major selling point of website builders is the ability for those with little-to-no coding or design experience to quickly set up a website. Features such as a drag-and-drop editor, customizable templates, widgets, and plugins can make web design easier for the masses. On the flip side, ease-of-use may also apply to the development/design side. Features that make it easy to build websites for non-coders can make a tool harder for a developer or designer to customize.
Cost
While you can often set up a website for free, it usually comes with a catch such as platform branding, lower priority customer service, lower bandwidth and storage, or limited customization options. Consequently you want to see if the price makes sense for the features you need rather than opting for the cheapest or most expensive options. Try the Free Website Cost Calculator tool to estimate costs for Website Design, development, and functionality.
Features and extensions
Website builders are often packed full of features, but with so many out there it can be helpful to seek specific features that match your desired use case. A website builder better for blogging might support advanced subscription list-building and comment moderation features. While a website builder designed for online stores will have e-commerce capabilities such as inventory management and shopping cart recovery. Understanding your use case can help you understand which features matter most when selecting a website builder.
The best general-purpose website builder platforms
WordPress – Elementor
Elementor is a drag-and-drop page builder for WordPress that lets you create polished web pages with a powerful visual editor.
Feature list
- WordPress theme builder
- 300+ designer-made templates
- 90+ widgets for forms, buttons, headlines, and other elements
- Popup builder
- WooCommerce builder
- Powerful visual editor (complete with mobile view)
Advantages
- User-friendly drag-and-drop editor
- Makes designing for PC, mobile, and tablets easy
- The fastest way to create visually stunning websites with WordPress
- Real-time editing and previews
- Highly customizable
Disadvantages
- Custom CSS and code can be tricky
- Performance and site-speed issues
- Minimal customer support
Pricing
Elementor offers six tiers of pricing:
You should use Elementor if…
You want to build a polished website within the WordPress ecosystem or need flexible pricing options as a design/development agency building multiple websites for clients a year. WordPress’s greatest strength is its huge community of themes, plugins, and add-ons. You can build just about any type of website you can think of. This perk is a double-edged sword however because the quality and security of your site is dependent on your ability to scrutinize third party extensions and add-ons.
Wix
Wix is known for its incredibly easy-to-use drag-and-drop tool that lets you manipulate every element of a page. If you have the design skills to handle the layout yourself, you can do a lot without writing a single line of code.
Feature list
- 500+ designer-made templates
- An innovative drag-and-drop website builder that lets you position any element anywhere on a page.
- Wix App Market
- Built-in SEO
- Velo by Wix, an open development platform for creating advanced web apps and APIs
- Wix ADI, an AI-powered website builder that will design your site based on questions
- Scroll effects such as parallax, zoom-in, or fade-in scrolling
- Mobile optimized and responsive design
Advantages
- Easy to use UI
- Well-designed templates
- Animations for texts and other elements
- The flexible drag-and-drop editor allows you to manipulate page elements with pixel precision
- The decent-sized app market for extending the functionality of your website
Disadvantages
- Slower page speeds
- Templates aren’t interchangeable—you have to manually move content over to a new template
- Wix websites aren’t transferable
- Google Analytics and other third-party analytics are only available with a paid plan
- Premium plans are only available for one site at a time—not for power users who want to make multiple websites.
Pricing
Wix offers two types of payment plans: website plans and business and e-commerce plans.
Website Plans
Business & E-commerce Plans
You should use Wix if…
Wix is perfect for personal websites, creatives, and small businesses looking to get a polished website up and running quickly without any coding experience. The platform has possibly the best drag-and-drop interface on the market allowing you to move elements anywhere on a page with pixel precision. On the flip side, there are better options out there if you require better performance, a cost-effective way to create multiple websites, advanced SEO, robust enterprise features for e-commerce, or a better blogging interface.
Weebly
Weebly is a simple drag-and-drop website builder that emphasizes ease of use. It’s a good budget option for small businesses, personal websites, online stores, and portfolios.
Feature List
- Drag-and-drop website builder
- Responsive templates
- Custom domains
- Hosting
- Site search
- Custom fonts
- App Center
Advantages
- Easy-to-use—elements snap into place within the template layout
- App Center has lots of add-ons including third-party apps
- Easy team collaboration
- Easy to add membership areas to your site
- Offers robust ecommerce features for a competitive price
- Unlimited depth of navigation—you can add as many levels to your navigation hierarchy as you like
Disadvantages
- Limited customizability—the drag-and-drop editor trades design flexibility for simplicity
- Limited back-up and restore capabilities—you can back up your whole site into a zip file but can only restore your site through Weebly support. This doesn’t include non-standard pages like blog posts and product pages.
- Dated blogging interface—fixed formats, limited text editors, and content options
- Not for international websites—lack of multi-language support
- The first paid tier still has branded advertisements
Pricing
Weebly has four pricing tiers: You should use Weebly if…
You should use Weebly if…
You just want a polished, professional-looking website that works across desktop and mobile. Weebly is easy to set up and use with your website being hosted on their servers. It’s also got decent ecommerce capabilities and the unlimited depth of navigation lends itself to making larger sites. That said, customizability is limited and there are better website builders out there if your website relies on blogging and content.
The Best Website Builders for E-Commerce
Shopify
Shopify is the website builder of choice for e-commerce websites. It gives you everything you need to set up an online store, including a product catalog, payment gateway integrations, and web hosting right out of the box.
Feature list
- Web-based website builder
- Full blogging platform
- 70+ professional themes (including those from world-renowned designers like Happy Cog and Pixel Union).
- Shopping cart with 100 payment gateways (including Bitcoin)
- Product features, including inventory management and an unlimited product catalog
- Store management perks such as customer profiles, dropshipping integrations, customer accounts, and email templates
- Built-in marketing and SEO
Advantages
- Built-in e-commerce features (e.g., Shopify AR, Shopify, Payments, Shopify Fulfillment)
- Intuitive drag-and-drop interface
- Expansive Shopify app store
- Easy web hosting
- 24/7 customer support
Disadvantages
- Proprietary software makes it less customizable compared to other website builders
- Vendor lock-in. Store migrations can be challenging
- Bare-bones content management system (there are better options if you require rich content like video)
- Monthly subscriptions to multiple add-ons and plug-ins add up
Pricing
Shopify offers four tiers of pricing: You should use Shopify if…
You should use Shopify if…
You’re a small to medium-sized business with a decent product catalog that doesn’t rely too heavily on content to market your products. Enterprises might prefer something with more robust CRM integrations like Magento. And if your store sells small boutique items or relies heavily on blogging. Other builders like WordPress might serve you better. But if you just need an online storefront, Shopify is hard to beat.
BigCommerce
Founded in Sydney, Australia in 2009, BigCommerce is the website builder of choice for online stores big and small. Its robust APIs and stand-out security make it an attractively priced option for enterprises as well. If you plan on starting your online retail store, BigCommerce has the advanced features and APIs you need to succeed.
Feature list
- Page builder and visual editor
- Responsive customizable e-commerce site templates
- One-page checkout with customizable checkout experiences
- Digital wallets and payment gateways
- Product management features including ratings and reviews
- B2B and B2C marketing features
- API integrations and headless commerce capabilities
- Robust analytics
- High security standards: ISO/IEC 27001:2013 & PCI DSS 3.2, Level 1 certified
- No transaction fees
Advantages
- Scalability—BigCommerce provides enough features, extensions, and plans to scale your store as you grow
- No imposed limit on product variants
- Zero BigCommerce transaction fees on even the most basic plan
- A website builder designed from the ground up for online stores
- Access to powerful e-commerce features right out of the box
- Sizeable App Market for extending the functionality of your site
- Strong cyber security standards
- Robust SEO features
Disadvantages
- No free version for one-person shops or small stores
- Annual sales thresholds—your BigCommerce plan will automatically upgrade to the next level if a sales threshold is exceeded
- Limited content capabilities for blogging, landing pages, and informational pages (e.g., About Us)
- Coding is required to set up a multi-lingual store
Pricing
BigCommerce offers 4 pricing tiers:
You should use BigCommerce if…
You’re a medium to large-sized business that needs a secure online store builder that can scale with your needs. The App Market provides access to 3rd party integrations such as Quickbooks. BigCommerce is one of the best store builders on the market. Keep in mind that if you rely heavily on content marketing, another platform may better suit your needs. The entry-level pricing may also be a bit steep for smaller businesses or personal stores.
The best website builders for creatives
Squarespace
Squarespace positions itself as an all-in-one website builder that includes a blogging platform and hosting service. Priced competitively for personal blogs and small businesses, Squarespace is known for its high-quality image-focused themes which provide a lot of customizability and features out-of-the-box.
Feature list
- Drag-and-drop website builder
- 100+ customizable designer templates (with matching mobile web designs)
- Customizable starter layouts and content areas
- Built-in custom CSS editor complete with image and font-file storage
- Powerful blogging, podcasting, and image/video portfolio features
- Robust integrated commenting system (supports threading, comment management, and spam filtering)
- On-the-go web editing with the Squarespace App
- Support for multiple contributors and access levels
Advantages
- 100+ polished full-featured themes that look great out-of-the-box
- Robust support for blogging and comment management
- One of the few web builders that supports podcasting out-of-the-box
- Nearly instant customer support over live chat
- Edit your site from your mobile device via the Squarespace app
- Generous page limits (up to 1000, 400 recommended for performance)
Disadvantages
- Limited support for creating multilingual websites
- Slower page speeds
- Medium learning curve (not as easy to use as other builders on this list)
- Shallow navigation depth—most templates support only one level below the main menu navigation, which can hinder more complex websites.
Pricing
Squarespace offers 4 pricing tiers:
You should use Squarespace if…
You’re building a website that will rely heavily on images and visual aesthetics. Squarespace started as a minimalist platform for artists, creatives, bloggers, and small businesses. Its polished templates may not be the fastest websites on the web, but they are often the best looking.
Webflow
Webflow is a no-code website builder built for web designers. The interface is a cross between a CMS and a photo editor, providing you with a visual canvas with robust design options that will look familiar to anyone who has used Photoshop.
Feature list
- 100+ responsive web templates
- 2000+ web font families
- CSS grid-powered layouts
- CSS filters for graphical effects like blur or color shift.
- Flexbox delivers an intuitive way to build responsive layouts with CSS3
- Exportable W3C compliant code
- SEO and marketing
Advantages
- If you’re a web designer used to working with CSS and graphic design tools, Webflow is for you.
- A blank canvas for building a responsive website that looks exactly like you designed it
- Great features for collaborative projects and client work (you can bill clients through Webflow for websites you design).
- Guaranteed uptime of 99.99% in their SLA (service level agreement)
Disadvantages
- Difficult learning curve—so many advanced design features come with a learning curve for non-designers
- Depth of navigation
Pricing
Webflow pricing is divided into two different types of plans: account plans and site plans
Account Plans
If you plan on building multiple websites, such as for your web design agency, account plans are for you.
Site Plans
If you just want to buy the features needed for a single site, you can purchase them individually with a site plan.
You should use Webflow if…
You’re a designer looking for a way to convert high-resolution designs into functioning websites without knowing how to code. Webflow is the perfect tool for web designers who are typically well versed in HTML and CSS but don’t know how to code in JavaScript. One thing that sets it apart from other site builders is the ability to bill clients through the CMS and white label. This tool is not for beginners, but if you’re a graphic designer, it gives you everything you need to make a polished responsive website without writing a single line of code
The best web-host-sponsored website builders
GoDaddy
GoDaddy is best known for its domain names and web hosting services, but did you also know that it has a website builder? The builder is limited in scope, but great for beginners who want to use the GoDaddy domain and web hosting services and quickly set up a slick, responsive website with a blog.
Feature list
- 20+ customizable theme filters for changing layouts, fonts, and colors
- Designer-made templates
- Content Creation with GoDaddy Studio which provides templates, fonts, and graphics for social media and email content.
- Single image library for multiple sites
- SEO/Marketing tools
- Web hosting
- Responsive design
Advantages
- One-stop-shop for website, domain, and hosting services
- Modern, beginner-friendly, user interface
- Built-in email marketing tool and social media content creator
- Website editor works on mobile devices
Disadvantages
- No app or plugin store
- Small community
- Limited customizability of themes and templates
- Very basic SEO functionality and services
Pricing
GoDaddy offers 5 tiers of pricing:
You should use GoDaddy if…
You want a one-stop shop for all your web hosting, site building, and marketing needs. GoDaddy was already a major player in the domain and web hosting space. It can save time to deal with the same customer support staff for all your technical needs.
HostGator
HostGator is best known for its website hosting and domain name services, but it also has an intelligent AI-powered website builder and decent features for online stores and email campaigns.
Feature list
- AI-powered Gator Builder that will design your site based on your answers
- eCommerce, email marketing, and appointment booking features
- Logo maker
- Responsive design
- Domain hosting and SSL certificate
- Unsplash image library integration
Advantages
- AI builder makes it easy to set up a website
- 100+ mobile-friendly templates
- Intuitive user interface for managing your website
- Large royalty-free stock photography library
- Ability to sell digital downloads
Disadvantages
- No free tier to try out the platform
- Limited blogging functionality (can’t schedule posts)
- Basic image editor
- Small app store
- While features are decent, there are better options out there for Ecommerce
Pricing
HostGator offers a wide variety of pricing plans. We’ll focus on the plans offered to those using the website builder.
You should use HostGator if…
You want a one-stop shop for your hosting and web design needs. Hostgator is already excellent hosting service and its web builder has everything you need to get started with your web presence. While not the best web builder on the market, it’s perfect for beginners and small business owners who just want to get a website up and running.
Zyro
Zyro is a simple no-code website builder for those who need to set up a business website fast—90% of its users publish websites in under 1 hour.
Feature list
- Drag-and-drop editor with grid
- Desktop and mobile editing views
- Professional designer-made templates
- Zyro AI Writer for text generation
- Business name generator
- Logo maker
Advantages
- Zyro’s simplicity makes it very easy to use
- AI-powered copy generator
- Excellent branding tools (e.g., logo maker, business name generator)
- Very competitive pricing
- Powerful sales tools for this price-point
- Great uptime and security
Disadvantages
- Limited customizability—only a handful of page elements (e.g., maps, video, photos)
- Limited blogging functionality (e.g., can’t schedule blog posts)
- No free tier
- Lack of an app marketplace
Pricing
Zyro lacks a free plan and instead offers four pricing tiers:
You should use Zyro if…
You’re looking for the fastest way to set up a polished business website. Zyro’s simplicity is a selling point for those who don’t want to be overwhelmed with features and customization options. But those who require more comprehensive blogging or content management features will have to look elsewhere. That said, Zyro is one of the most affordable options on this list—the Basic plan is only $8.90 per month (this includes SSL, custom domain, and hosting).
1&1 SONOS
1&1 IONOS is a hosting provider that offers a simple website builder that gives you all the essentials you need to set up an online presence. Rather than a drag-and-drop editor, 1&1 IONOS opts for the “input content into template sections” approach to website building.
Feature list
- MyWebsite Creator—a template-based website builder
- Lots of widgets for adding page elements
- Responsive business-based starter templates (restaurants, real estate, travel, photography, business, and wedding)
- Excellent out-of-the-box blogging capabilities (including categories, social bookmarking, and RSS feed)
- Image repository of 17,000+ free stock photos
Advantages
- Great out-of-the-box blogging and business tools
- Templates for a wide range of industries
- Decent SEO tools, including easy-Google Analytics integration
Disadvantages
- Limited customizability—templates are difficult to modify outside of adding content
- Dated user interface
- No free tier
- Lack of an app marketplace
Pricing
As a hosting provider, 1&1 IONOS offers several pricing options. There are 3 main pricing tiers for the website builder itself:
You should use 1&1 IONOS if…
You’re looking for a good hosting provider with an easy-to-use website builder that supports more robust blogging and multi-language support. These two features are often overlooked by website builders that opt for simplicity, so it’s refreshing to see a lean CMS that still supports decent blogging capabilities and multi-language websites.
Zoho Sites
Zoho is better known as a cloud suite of software-as-a-service (SaaS) apps for various aspects of your business such as customer relationship management (CRM). Zoho Sites is their service offering for designing websites.
Feature list
- Drag-and-drop website builder
- Responsive modern web templates
- Sections, shapers, dynamic backgrounds, custom CSS, and other style perks
- Blogging features including WordPress and Blogger migration
- Integrations with Zoho apps
- Access to stock image libraries from Unsplash, Pixabay, and Google
Advantages
- Easy integration with Zoho business apps
- Everything you need to quickly set up a professional website
- Robust blogging and e-commerce features
- Excellent web analytics
- Extensive app marketplace with Zoho Marketplace
Disadvantages
- Customization beyond the template is limited for those who want bespoke websites
- Shallow menu depth—only allows up to two sublevels
- Lacks support for multi-language sites—at best you can add a Google Translate widget
Pricing
Zoho sites simplify its pricing into two tiers:
You should use Zoho Sites if…
You want a one-stop shop for all your business needs. Easy integration with Zoho SaaS apps is a major selling point for enterprises, especially those already using their services. The Zoho Marketplace also boasts 1,000+ apps for you to extend the functionality of your website.
One.com
One.com bills itself as an “all-in-one” website creation solution. It packages a drag-and-drop editor, domain name, SSL, web hosting, and WordPress installation into competitively priced subscriptions that simplify the process of setting up a website.
Feature list
- Drag-and-drop editor for desktop and mobile
- Responsive professional-looking templates
- The domain name and email accounts included
- Basic blogging, e-commerce, and SEO features
- Contact forms
- Backup and restore
Advantages
- Deep depth of navigation—there’s no imposed limit on the number of subheadings you can add to a menu
- Competitive pricing—one of the cheapest ways to set up a professional-looking website in minutes.
- Easy-to-use user interface
Disadvantages
- There’s a page limit (the basic plan can only publish five pages), and premium plans don’t stack up to other website builders on the market.
- Customizability is limited—you’re confined to the constraints of the templates
Pricing
One.com offers 5 pricing plans:
You should use One.com if…
You just need a simple website (less than 5 pages) and want one of the best deals online for hosting, a domain name, an SSL certificate, and an email address. One.com’s basic plan is hard to beat at this price point. The page limit will however force you into the premium tier, at which point you may want to consider a more comprehensive site builder.
The best basic website builders
Google Website Builder
Google Website Builder (GWB) is a single-page website builder designed for small businesses. Free with your Google My Business account, GWB lets you take your existing Google business listing and turn it into a website.
Feature list
- One responsive business landing page
- Small selection of starter themes
- Support for images
- Google Posts
- Customer reviews
- Integration with Google My Business
Advantages
- Simplest, fastest way to set up a website
- Tight integration with Google products
- Automatically pulls information from your Google business listing
Disadvantages
- Limited customization options
- No app store or plugins
- Limited site features
Pricing
Google Website Builder is completely free.
You should use Google Website Builder if…
You are a small business owner who already needs to list their business on Google for SEO purposes anyway, and you just want a simple landing page to park your domain while you build the real website. GWB only provides the bare minimum of features. But there are lots of brick-and-mortar retail stores and small restaurants that already have Google listings but no website. For businesses like these, GWB is the fastest way to put something up that presents your brand and boosts your local SEO.
Web.com
Web.com is a simple, easy-to-use, the website builder that lets you create websites on a budget. Elements can be dragged anywhere on the page, and a handy grid with measurement bars is provided to help with layout alignment.
Feature list
- Drag-and-drop web builder with a grid
- Templates and stock image library
- Web hosting
- Basic images, forms, and social media buttons
Advantages
- The drag-and-drop editor is easy to use
- Plenty of templates and stock images to choose from
- As a hosting provider, Web.com delivers excellent uptime and reliability
Disadvantages
- Limited customization options
- No app store and limited number of plugins
- Limited site features
- No free plan or trial
Pricing
Web.com lacks a free plan or trial and offers three hosting plans:
A simple landing page, about page, or static website is all you need. Web.com’s simplicity makes it one of the fastest ways to set up a decent-looking website with a custom domain on a budget.
Jimdo
Jimdo bills itself as an all-in-one business solution for websites, online stores, logos, SEO, analytics, domains, and hosting. If you’re looking for a one-stop-shop for setting up your business’s online presence, Jimdo is for you.
Feature list
- Drag-and-drop editor (limited to template sections)
- Responsive design templates
- Domains and hosting
- Legal text generator for creating terms and conditions, return policies, etc.
- Logo creator
- Booking tool integrations
- E-commerce features
Advantages
- Competitive pricing
- Decent multi-language support for international websites
- User interface is straightforward if you don’t need much customization
- All-in-one solution for a domain, hosting, and a business website
- Great bonus tools for small businesses and solopreneurs (e.g., legal text generator and logo maker)
Disadvantages
- The clunky and rigid user interface for those who want bespoke websites
- Blogging capabilities are basic
- Lacks plugins for more powerful SEO features
- Design customizability is limited (no widgets, app store, or ability to add custom HTML style)
- No app marketplace for third-party integrations
- Lacks common e-commerce features found in competitors (e.g., no tax calculation, abandoned cart saver, or support for multiple staff accounts)
Pricing
Jimdo has different pricing plans available for websites and online stores.
Website Pricing Plans
Online Store Plans
You should use Jimdo if…
You’re a freelancer or small business and you’re looking for a competitively priced way to set up a website from scratch with minimal technical skills. Jimdo understands its target market and gives businesses everything they need to bootstrap an online presence. If you want more advanced e-commerce, blogging, or design capabilities however there are more specialized website builders out there.
Site123
Site123 is an easy-to-use website builder targeted at small businesses and personal users. The platform includes free hosting even for its free version albeit with a Site123 subdomain. Its drag-and-drop editor is intuitive and known for making web design as “easy as 1-2-3.”
Feature list
- Intuitive drag-and-drop editor
- Responsive and professional web templates
- Stock image and icon library
- Custom form builder
- Multi-language support
- Schedule booking and restaurant reservations
Advantages
- Clean and easy-to-use user interface
- Decent blogging and e-commerce features
- Supports multiple languages
- Responsive support team
Disadvantages
- Customization is limited and template designs look a little dated
- Swapping templates is prohibited once your site is live
- Can’t access source code
- No user access areas
Pricing
You should use Site123 if…
You’re a beginner looking for an easy-to-use website builder for your business or personal use. Site123 is one of the most user-friendly site builders on this list, and while there are more comprehensive platforms for things like e-commerce and blogging out there, Site123 is more than suitable for most web design needs.
Best website builders for agencies
Duda
Duda is a website builder designed for agencies, SaaS platforms, and professional web designers. If your business model deals with building websites for other companies, Duda is the professional web builder for you.
Feature list
- Drag-and-drop editor with a clean and consistent UI
- Separate builder views for desktops, smartphones, and tablets
- 100+ professionally designed templates
- Robust client-management tools
- Streamlined web design workflow automation
- SEO and marketing
- Ecommerce tools available for all plans
Advantages
- White label Duda for your agency branding
- Large range of in-house apps and widgets to extend site functionality
- Easy-to-use—the drag-and-drop interface is intuitive with a context-sensitive right-click menu for every element.
- Robust third-party app and API integrations
- Amazing client management suite for agencies and freelancers who will be making multiple websites
Disadvantages
- Limited customizability outside the design constraints provided by the templates
- Bare-bones SEO
- No app store for third-party apps and widgets
- Lack of a newsletter tool for marketing or blogging
Pricing
Duda offers four basic plans:
You should use Duda if…
You’re a freelance web designer or agency who will be white labeling their services or building websites for clients. The thing that sets Duda apart from the competition is its robust client management system and workflow automation tools. Duda has a solid website builder and templates, but the rigidness of those design templates might turn off designers who want more creative freedom or businesses who rely heavily on blogging and content marketing.
The best website builders for marketers
Simvoly
Simvoly is a website builder geared towards anyone interested in building their own sales funnel. This modern drag-and-drop website builder is packed full of features for online business owners such as the ability to sell site memberships and digital downloads.
Feature list
- Drag-and-drop editor (uses content blocks, rows and columns)
- 200+ page templates
- 200+ content block templates
- 30+ widget elements
- 900+ fonts
- Header and pop-up builders
- Performant lightweight HTML5/CSS3 pages
- Global styling for site-wide changes to colors, fonts, and sizes of your content
- Advanced design features such as shape dividers, animations, and delays
Advantages
- A website builder designed from the bottom-up for sales funnels
- High performance, uptime, and security
- Intuitive drag-and-drop interface
- Robust page analytics and A/B testing
- Comprehensive e-commerce functionality (e.g., ability to sell digital downloads)
- Quick and responsive support staff
Disadvantages
- No integrated online image editor—you can’t even crop, rotate, or flip an image within the platform
- Lacks a marketplace for extended functionality via 3rd party apps
- No free tier
- Lacks shipping service integrations
- Adding a custom domain
Pricing
Simvoly offers four main pricing tiers for businesses
You should use Simvoly if…
You want to build a sales funnel, especially for a service or information product. Simvoly understands its target market well: online marketers. Businesses dealing with e-commerce, digital products, and services will find everything they need to set up a competitive search optimized sales funnel. Page analytics capabilities are impressive, and you can even A/B test your pages. As the relatively “new kid on the block,” some surprising features (like the ability to add a custom domain online without contacting staff) are missing. That said, the owners are constantly adding new features, and all the essentials are there for you to build a sales funnel.
Constant Contact
Constant Contact is a popular email marketing platform that also happens to have an artificial design intelligence (ADI) assisted website builder. This is perfect for anyone who wants robust email marketing capabilities and just needs a simple website to provide an online presence for collecting email subscribers.
Feature list
- ADI-assisted website builder
- Unsplash stock image library integration
- Easy-to-read web analytics
- Basic blogging features
- Basic e-commerce features with PayPal integration
- App marketplace for official third-party integrations
Advantages
- Affordable website builder
- Easy-to-use interface
- No page limit
- Robust email marketing features
Disadvantages
- Limited customizability
- No sub-navigation menus
- The unstable back end is glitch prone
- Lack of stand-out web-builder features
- Template designs are acceptably professional but basic
Pricing
Constant Contact used to have a website-only plan and a free tier, but these pricing plans have been removed. Constant Contact has simplified its pricing option into two plans:
You should use Constant Contact if…
You were already interested in using Constant Contact for its robust email-marketing tools. The website builder is perfectly acceptable for most users, and the ADI-assisted web builder makes getting set up online a snap. That said, there aren’t any features that make this web builder stand apart from the hundreds of other offerings out there on its own.
Best single-page website builders
Card
Card is a no-code one-page website builder designed to help people quickly set up online business cards, resumes, portfolios, and profiles. The unique sectioned layout gives you a dynamic single-page app that simulates the feel of a multi-page website allowing you to link to more information.
Feature list
- 75+ single-page templates for different use-cases (e.g., portfolio, sectioned, landing, and forms)
- Drag-and-drop editor
- Intuitive user interface for setting up basic landing pages
- Sectioned design lets you simulate a simple multi-page user experience
Advantages
- Easy-to-use user interface for building simple websites
- Themes are polished and responsive
- Perfect for digital business cards, landing pages, and other single-page websites
- Affordable pricing
Disadvantages
- One page may not be enough for some users
- Lacks e-commerce and blogging capabilities
- Limited SEO features
- Lack of an app marketplace for extended functionality
Pricing
Card offers a free tier and 3 premium pricing options:
You should use Card if…
You’re looking for one of the best website builders out there for designing single-page websites. There are many website use-cases where a single page is all you need to meet your goals. Rather than investing time and money setting up a more full-featured complex web builder to build your landing page or online business card, Card makes setting up a simple web presence a snap.
Strikingly
Strikingly is a no-code single-page website builder for creating minimalist single-page scrolling websites. Great for small businesses or personal projects, Strikingly has an intuitive drag-and-drop editor that makes setting up one-pagers like business profiles, product launch pages, and personal portfolios a snap.
Feature List
- Drag-and-drop editor
- 60+ responsive single-page templates
- Sectioned menu jump links
- Built-in e-commerce tools
- Ability to sell digital downloads
- Sign-up forms, newsletters, and live chat support
- Simple blog
Advantages
- Easy-to-use user interface for building simple websites
- Templates are polished and responsive
- Perfect for company profiles, one-page stores, and other single-page apps
- Includes features not usually available for one-page website builders (e.g., e-commerce, blog)
Disadvantages
- Sometimes one page is not enough
- Limited SEO features
- Lack of an app marketplace for extended functionality
- Blog and e-commerce features are understandably limited given the target market for this platform
Pricing
Strikingly offers a free tier and 3 pricing options:
You should use Strikingly if…
You need a single-page website with just enough features to meet your online goals. Strikingly boasts some impressive features if you scope your analysis to other single-page website builders like Card. While not as polished, it does allow you to add basic e-commerce functionality and blog posts
Milkshake
Available on the App Store and Google Play, Milkshake is a mobile website builder you can use on your phone to whip up a polished website in minutes. The app interface is well-designed and perfect for creatives, influencers, and solopreneurs looking to set up a polished web presence from the convenience of a mobile device.
Feature List
- Unique mobile-friendly website builder
- Uses swipeable cards to add “pages” to an s vertical website
- Attractive mobile themes with customizable fonts and colors
- Easily upload photos from your phone
- Ability to embed YouTube videos
Advantages
- Great for social media influencers who just need a website to link to their bio
- Innovative user-friendly interface that shines on mobile devices
- 100% free and available on Android and iOS app stores
Disadvantages
- Customization is limited
- No custom domains
- Lacks plugins, shopping integrations, or other tools found in web builders
Pricing
Milkshake is 100% free and available in the App Store and Google Play.
You should use Milkshake if…
You just want something personal to link to in your bio from social media apps. The milkshake was made for Instagram influencers who just needed a web presence that described their services and personal brand. It lacks many of the features of a typical website builder by design—users often report how much they love this minimalist approach which makes web design a joy.
Cargo
Cargo bills itself as “a website builder designed by artists for artists.” And it shows—Cargo’s templates range from the professional minimalist safe designs you’d find on Squarespace to the downright eclectic.
Feature list
- 60+ customizable responsive templates with creative layouts and designs
- Drag-and-drop editor
- Web hosting and SSL included
- Custom HTML and CSS
Advantages
- Templates boast unique designs and creative layouts
- You can customize everything in your templates
- A robust catalog of premium fonts courtesy of Type Network
- All templates are free (even for the free plan)
Disadvantages
- Basic e-commerce and blogging features
- Limited browser compatibility (e.g., doesn’t work on Firefox)
- The user interface is not the most user friendly
- No plugins, extensions, or integrations
Pricing
Cargo simplifies pricing with two plans:
You should use Cargo if…
You want your website to look unique. Cargo’s starter templates look eclectic right out of the box. And with custom CSS, HTML, and JavaScript, you have full control over how your website looks. Cargo is perfect for artists who are looking for a unique place to host their portfolios online.
The Best Website Builder for Your Needs Depends On Your Vision
This list is only the tip of the iceberg. We tried to compile a list of website builders that covers the wide spectrum of options that are currently available on the market. That said, it’s important to remember that the best website builder out there is the one that helps you achieve your vision.
If you were to create the ideal website for yourself, what would it look like? Are you a brick-and-mortar retailer trying to create a website for the first time? Or are you a creative person trying to showcase your portfolio?
Depending on your needs, the most expensive, feature-rich option isn’t always the best. If all you need is something to link to your social media account for your career as an influencer, a simple link tree will suffice. More comprehensive website builders might still need the occasional support of a professional web designer or web developer to bring out their full potential. And if you need something more complex with features that go beyond the capability of a website builder, it’s also possible that you may want to hire a web developer or designer to bring your vision to life.
