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20+ Awesome Website Building Platforms to Create Your First Site

Building a website doesn’t have to be a painful experience. With the right Website Builders or Content Management System, you won’t have to look at a single line of code when you’re creating your own website.

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Quick Picks & Summary

Which Site Builder Platform to Use?

  • Great Savings - The new Hostinger Website Builder comes with a similar drag-and-drop web editor like most traditional site builders but costs 75% cheaper rates. On offer now - free 3 months and a domain name if you sign up now.
  • Great for Business - Wix has gone thru a major revamp and largely improved their platform for eCommerce & small businesses. Start with their Unlimited Plan - Cost at $12.50/mo, the plan comes with advanced SEO tools and the capacity to host one-hour video.
  • For Complex Websites - I highly recommend using a CMS platform with a vast plugin library. WordPress, Joomla, or Drupal are three platforms where you can build a custom website with complex functionalities. Think of easy platforms like Wix and Hostinger Website Builder as redecorating an apartment or condominium; using an expert platform like WordPress is akin to building your own house.

Popular Web Building Platforms - Easy Comparison

PlatformPriceRecommended Use Cases
Hostinger Website Builder$2.99/moSimple Website, Online Store
Wix$8.50/moSimple Website, Online Store
Shopify$29.00/moOnline Store, Large eCommerce
WordPress.orgFree *Complex Website, Blog
Weebly$12.00/moSimple Website, Online Store
BigCommerce$29.95/moOnline Store, Large eCommerce
SiteJet$15.00/moWeb Agencies
Duda$14.00/moComplex Website, Blog
WooCommerceFree *Online Store, Large eCommerce
PrestaShopFree *Online Store, Large eCommerce
JoomlaFree *Complex Website, Blog
DrupalFree *Complex Website, Blog
MagentoFree *Online Store, Large eCommerce
Strikingly$8.00/moSimple Website
Tilda$10.00/moSimple Website
Webnode$7.50/moSimple Website, Blog
Gator$9.22/moSimple Website, Blog
About.me$6.58/moSimple Website
Jimdo$9.00/moSimple Website, Blog
Volusion$35.00/moSimple Website, Online Store
Carrd$1.08/moSimple Website
WordPress.com$15.00/moSimple Website, Blog
Yola$4.16/moSimple Website
AppInstitute$59.00/moSimple Mobile App
Swiftic$33.00/moSimple Mobile App
Shoutem$59.00/moSimple Mobile App
AppYourself €49.00/moSimple Mobile App

Other Choices

You might also want to consider opting for a web hosting platform instead. Running your website on a traditional web hosting platform requires some basic coding and server admin skills; however, it is relatively cheaper and comes with more freedom.

See: Best Web Hosting (Overall) / VPS Hosting / Cloud Hosting / Cheap Web Host

1. Hostinger Website Builder (Zyro)

Summary: Affordable site builder platform with free AI tools; an excellent choice for first-timers.

Hostinger Website Builder offers a user-friendly interface, A.I.-powered content tools, and a wide range of customizable templates and eCommerce features. It is similar to popular website builders such as Wix and Weebly - but at a much more affordable price point (more about this shortly)

With Hostinger Website Builder, you can easily create a professional-looking website without any coding knowledge. The drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to add and arrange elements on the page, and the platform offers a variety of design options - including fully customizable website templates, A.I. logo & writing tools, and more.

Hostinger Website Builder Pricing

One of the biggest advantages of Hostinger Website Builder is its very-cheap price tag. Unlike other website builders which charge $8.50 - $12 per month, you can grab Hostinger Website Builder at just $2.99 per month during signup (and $6.99/mo on renewal).

What's more - if you signup now, you are also getting a free domain, the capacity to host 100 websites, and 100 email inboxes! This makes it an excellent choice for small businesses or individuals who want to create a website on a budget.

There is a drawback though: You'll need to commit to a 4-year contract to enjoy the extra low price.

Read our in-depth Hostinger hosting Review

Which HWB Plan to go with?

Hostinger Website Builder packs everything into one single plan. So there is nothing to compare or choose from. A yearly subscription costs $2.99/mo - further discounts are available if you signup for a longer period.

Update: You can now try out Hostinger's AI Website Builder for free before buying.

Bottom Line

Hostinger Website Builder is still new but it’s come on with a bang. It is a great offer especially for small businesses or new website owners to take a chance and experience what a real website builder can do.



Limited Time - Get Hostinger Website Builder at $2.99/mo
Hostinger Website Builder is now selling at $2.99/mo for all yearly subscription plans. You can enjoy the low price even if you just signup for 12 months > Click here to order


2. Wix

Summary: All-round website builder with A.I.-powered editor - beginner friendly and popular among newbies.

Wix is by far one of the site builders that has seen a meteoric rise in uptake over a relatively short period.

Created by Avishai Abrahami, Nadav Abrahami, and Giora Kaplan in 2016, the company laid bold claim to a stunning 100 million users in one year. Over that short timeframe, it has introduced multiple upgrades from an HTML5 editor to its drag-and-drop and artifical intelligence web editor (ADI).

With an impressive catalog of 800+ designs and themes, Wix’s extremely flexible tools let you create websites that are “pixel-perfect” and professional.

Also, read - How to Create a Wix Website

Wix Plans & Pricing

In line with the number of users on its site, Wix has a wide spread of what it calls "Website Plans" available that range in price from $4.50 per month all the way to $24.50 per month. Higher plans come with larger bandwidth capacity, longer video hours, and additional features including a professional logo maker and advanced SEO tool.

What it doesn’t advertise widely is that all plans come with the drag-and-drop and ADI (A.I. web editing tool) - which are more than enough if you are just starting out.

3. Shopify

Summary: Best online store builder. Start selling on multiple channels and accept payment with ease.

Shopify is a leading name in the online shop builder community and that makes it naturally double up as a site builder. The company has over 800,000 active Shopify stores and has made over $100 billion worth of sales at the time of writing.

Shopify Plans & Pricing

For its range of services, Shopify is around standard in pricing. There are three tiers that ring in at $19, $49, and $299 – each which also has added transaction fees per sale. The price differences mainly reflect additional eCommerce features such as sales reporting, staff accounts, shipping / tax cost calculator, and more shopping cart options.

Read our in-depth Shopify Review

Which Shopify plan to go with?

Shopify Basic – You can always set up a store and pick a plan later. Hence it's best to start with the lowest plan.

Note that some eCommerce features at Shopify (ie. point of sales system, abandoned cart recovery, Shopify Payment) are super useful and can be purchased separately. Hence even if you are not looking for an online store builder, you might still want to check out how Shopify can help your business to grow.

Also read – How to create an online store using Shopify

Bottom Line

At $19/mo for the basic plan and $299/mo for the advanced - Shopify might be the most expensive website builder on the list. However, if you want a hassle-free eCommerce website builder with tons of features to help you manage better and sell more - Shopify is an excellent choice.

To see these numbers in context – read our study on website cost.

4. WordPress.org

Summary: Highly customizable CMS with lots of plugins and themes.

WordPress.org is an open-source web application that provides a convenient way to create, publish, and manage content online. WordPress was mainly used as a blogging platform at first but as the software revolt; it is now widely used in building and maintaining websites.

According to a recent study, WordPress.org holds a stunning 64.9% share of the CMS market. Almost one out of every three websites on the planet is created and managed using WordPress platform.

WordPress.org Plans & Pricing

WordPress.org is "open-source" - this means the platform is completely free to use. However there are other costs involved in launching a website via these WordPress.org - web hosting and domain name costs. Generally speaking, a shared hosting (the best option for beginners) costs about $5 - $10 per month; a domain name costs about $15 a year.

Bottom Line

WordPress is free, easy to use, and widely supported by a huge group of volunteers and web developers. With the right amount of investment, the platform offers far greater long-term potential in functionality and utility compare to many other site builders.

We have covered the usage of WordPress.org extensively on this site. To learn more, read:



Hosting Your WordPress sites
Your WordPress website’s security, capabilities, and speed rely on the web host’s infrastructure. While premium (read: expensive) hosting plans is nice to have, a cheap WordPress hosting plan is usually good enough for many websites. For beginners, I recommend A2 Hosting ($2.99/mo).


5. Weebly

Summary: Easiest platform. Great for creating the first website online.

Initially founded in 2002 by college buddies David, Dan and Chris, Weebly began its journey as a site builder officially in 2007.  The company has since powered more than 40 million sites around the world and is currently headquartered in San Francisco with offices at New York, Scottsdale, and Toronto.

With a combined annual traffic of more than 325 million unique visitors, the company is now backed by funding from major players such as Sequoia Capital and Tencent Holdings.

Weebly has an easy-to-use user interface. It is ideal for users who are interested in building a simple online store or sites that deal with static information and products.

Weebly Plans & Pricing

Weebly offers free accounts that are capable of handling basic sites easily. That scales up in varying degrees offering extra features such as video backgrounds and user registrations. At the top end of the scale with full bells and whistles, Weebly can cost up to $25 per month.

Which Weebly Plan to go with?

Weebly Pro is right for business owners who need a simple website that lives on its own domain.

For users who plan to sell products directly from their websites, we recommend Weebly Business Plan (or above) because:

  • Display unlimited products on your web store
  • Support product reviews and coupon code
  • Support shipping fees and automatic tax calculator
  • No additional fees for using a 3rd party provider
  • Integrated shipping labels

Bottom Line

Weebly is a great website builder if you need to create a simple website fast. Their drag-and-drop system is very intuitive and you can easily launch a decent website within minutes.



Get Free Weebly with TMD Hosting
If you are considering Weebly, you might also want to check out the traditional hosting company TMD Hosting. TMD's basic shared hosting plan comes at an affordable price, supports Weebly Basics, and offers other user-friendly features (such as one-click SSL installation, free site migration, and cheap malware monitoring). 


6. BigCommerce

Summary: Comprehensive and easy to use - strongest contender to Shopify so far.

BigCommerce was founded back in 2009 and is currently headed by CEO Brent Bellm.  Since its inception, the company has grown with over 500+ employees, serving over 120+ countries, and have established offices in Sydney, Australia, San Francisco, California, and in Austin, Texas.

BigCommerece is slightly off the usual profile of the standard website builder in the sense that it serves a very specific purpose. The site is designed to help build eCommerce stores and has eventually morphed into a complete all-rounder in terms of virtual commerce, right down to offering product retail packaging!

BigCommerce Plans & Pricing

Given that BigCommerce is all about helping people sell things, it’s not unusual that the pricing structure is pretty far above the standard site builder. It starts at $29.95 and scales up all the way to $299.95 following the volume of your sales transactions. However, on top of that there is also a per-transaction charge and possible another fee you may have to pay if you choose a premium template.

Compare BigCommerce and Shopify in pricing and features

Which BigCommerce plan to go with?

BigCommerce plan is designed based on sales threshold – hence you don't have to sweat about which plan to go with.

To begin with BigCommerce – simply signup on their 15-day free trial.

Bottom line

For years Shopify remains the first-hand competitor to BigCommerce. Generally, we think both of them are good eCommerce builders. Tools from BigCommerce are slightly more exhaustive than Shopify; while Shopify is slightly cheaper than BigCommerce.

7. SiteJet

Summary: Special-built site builder for professional web designers and agencies.

Targeting itself against CMS behemoth WordPress, SiteJet nevertheless has its unique skew – web designers, freelancers and service providers. Starts at $15/mo, the site builder is easy to use and comes with a ton of features.

SiteJet Plans & Pricing

Like web hosts which increase the number of sites you can host based on your plan, Sitejet also offers a tiered publishing system. A single-user site will set you back $15 a month – and remember, this is only for published sites.

You can have many projects in the works on that account. If you’re a web designer and end up publishing a few more websites, then you pay more. Consider it the cost of doing business and that you only pay more if you’re earning more from more clients.

Unfortunately, most of the collaborative features I shared earlier are only available under the Team Plan, which costs $29 per month. This may not seem to linked much, but to a starving young web designer can seem like a lot at times.

Read Timothy's in-depth SiteJet Review.

8. Duda

Summary: All-round website builder with user-friendly features and great website performance.

Unlike many platform-as-a-service website builders, Duda aims to address the needs of a broader audience. At its most basic level, there's codeless rapid website building for anyone. Beyond that, Duda provides a Whitelabel service that's great for website designers and agencies. The most potent part of Duda is that all plans are powered by AWS hosting.

Duda Plans & Pricing

Duda plans start at $14/mo, which allows you to build and host a single website on their platform. It includes useful resources like access to an image database, multilingual website support, and more.

Any plan above the Basic is more toward the commercial market and starts at $22/mo. These plans include Whitelabel features like custom content library connections, client billing, and team support.

Learn more in our Duda review.

Which Duda Plan to Choose?

Duda's Basic plan is more than sufficient for beginners or small businesses who want to build simple websites quickly. The other plans are suitable if you wish to use Duda to build websites on behalf of clients.

Bottom Line

At first glance, Duda doesn't seem that much different from the competition, but the subtle things tell a different story. Starting with stable and fast AWS hosting, Duda provides many advantages that are easy to overlook. Other exciting features are integrated email hosting, app integration support, and even widget builders.

9. WooCommerce

Summary: Unique plugin that turns WordPress into a powerful online store easily.

WooCommerce is unique compared to the other CMSes in that it is essentially a plugin that turns your WordPress website into a powerful online store.

They are often bundled with WordPress as a package by web hosting sites such as Bluehost so that you can have both a powerful web builder and e-commerce platform for your business.

Learn how to build a WooCommerce online store with WordPress

10. PrestaShop

Summary: eCommerce focused CMS for comprehensive digital storefront.

PrestaShop is the solution that most online retailers go for if they are looking to build a comprehensive digital storefront.

The eCommerce focused CMS is a great starter choice for small businesses and entrepreneurs as their robust features and extensive integrations are great for starting out with a simple and evolving it into something more down the line.

11. Joomla

Summary: Advanced CMS platform with powerful tools to build from the ground up.

An award-winning CMS, Joomla is one the most widely used open-source web builder with its powerful online applications, ease-of-use software, and flexible extensibility.

With native support for social, networking, and e-commerce features, Joomla’s highly advanced CMS tools mean you can have an amazing looking site, built from the ground up.

12. Drupal

Summary: Open source script and popular among programmers; not for beginners.

Drupal takes an advanced approach for their CMS by offering a platform that’s tailor-made for programmers and coders.

The open-source script is widely popular among programmers as it allows for full control and customization of your site, which means you can create anything from simple blogs to comprehensive discussion boards.

13. Adobe Commerce (ex-Magento)

Summary: e-Commerce platform with expansive features but a steep learning curve.

Adobe Commerce, previously Magento, boasts an expansive feature set and allows customizability for its sites, which makes them the best choice for merchants who have the resources and want to implement the most advanced technology on their web store.

Its robust platform and powerful capabilities are suited for advanced programmers and developers who know how to fully utilize their functions.

14. Strikingly

Summary: Best for one-page websites; endless free plan.

Strikingly is simple, beautiful, and focused. A report from HubSpot says that 55% of visitors spend less than 15 seconds on a website. In other words, the majority of your website visitors are not reading your website. One-page websites (that you can build with Strikingly) solve this problem. They are short and actionable. They can convince visitors to take action within this short timeframe.

We recommend Strikingly for those who are searching for an affordable way to create a simple company info portal or personal resume website.

Strikingly Website Builder Plans & Pricing

Strikingly entry plan starts at $8/mo when subscribe annually.

15. Tilda

Summary: Beautifully designed themes with 350+ pre-made blocks.

Tilda is a handy drag-and-drop website maker tool that lets you build beautiful websites. Tilda offers a great mix of templates for freelancers, businesses, agencies, online tutors, and many more.

When I first checked out Tilda, I thought it was a lot like Squarespace, especially when I saw some of the cover page designs. But as I dug deeper, I realized that Tilda has many more templates on offer. Plus, it has 350+ design elements, which is far more than what Squarespace offers. Another thing worth noting is that Tilda comes with beautiful landing pages too.

Tilda Site Builder Plans & Pricing

The free version supports up to 50 pages and offers storage of 50MB, and is ad-free. Paid plan starts at $10/mo with an annual subscription.

16. Webnode

Summary: Good for creating a multilingual website and don't mind showing ads.

With 40 million users, Webnode lets you build beautiful business websites as well as online stores. Webnode has some great-looking themes. Its higher premium plans offer unlimited membership registrations, so if you ever need to let people create accounts on your website (ie. a membership business site) you can go with the Profi plan ($24.90/mo).

Webnode might not stack up to other website builders in terms of features and tools, but in terms of supporting multiple languages, Webnode has them in spades. With the ability to create multilingual websites for over 20 languages, Webnode’s platform is catered more toward an international audience.

Learn more in our Webnode review.

Webnode Plans & Pricing

Webnode paid plans start at $4.90/mo and go up to $24.90/mo when paid annually.

17. Gator Website Builder

Summary: Simple website builder developed by hosting company Hostgator.

Hopping into the website building scene this time is HostGator with its new Gator Website Builder. This new tool isn’t being offered as part of its standard hosting packages though and is available as an individual product – pay for the builder and you get free hosting.

Looking at it as a stand-alone thing, it seems to hit all the right check boxes for rapid site development. You can start off with one of their many templates (which look decent) and work your way forward from there. Customizations are easy since the entire thing is drag and drop.

If your requirements aren’t all that complex and you just need a pretty website fast – this is a perfect tool for you. Slapping together a site and customizing it can take you less than 30 minutes. Likely less if you’re already familiar with how website builders work.

The bigger difficulty is moving forward from there since there seem to be very limited options to take your site to the next level. For example, eCommerce isn’t possible unless you pay for an upgrade to your plan. There is also nothing you can do in terms of SEO management, not even set your basic site meta.

There is an app market available (like what all major website builders have) but right now there are a grand total of four apps in the store – all of which are labelled ‘premium’. Initial impressions are that this site builder needs to go a little further before asking for more from its potential users.

Gator Website Builder Plans & Pricing

Gator Website Builder's entry plan starts at $3.84/mo and goes all the way up to $9.22/mo.

18. About.me

Summary: Simple and fast landing page. Perfect choice for digital business cards.

Need a fast and simple landing page for yourself? About.me is the perfect choice for creating a digital business card or a hub page that links to all of your online profile sites (such as Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, Google+, etc).

Setting up an about.me page is simple enough. Just claim your name and URL, put in a background picture along with a description and you’re done!

19. Jimdo

Summary: Simple eCommerce-focused platform. Limited templates.

For a more e-commerce-focused website builder, you can’t go wrong with Jimdo. Similar to Weebly, Jimdo offers easy-to-use tools that can easily let you create a slick online store within minutes.

You can choose to remain on Jimdo’s free platform (which has no time limitation) but upgrading to their Jimdo Pro and JimdoBusiness offers great all-in-one packages.

Jimdo Plans & Pricing

You get about 500MB of storage to make a free website or blog with Jimdo. You also get access to all the templates. Jimdo paid plans start at $9/mo and go all the way up to $39/mo.

20. Volusion

Summary: Leans towards online store management.

Volusion leans more towards the operational side (i.e. inventory management, customer management, etc.) of the web building side of the spectrum. Similar to Shopify, Volusion provides an all-in-one solution for businesses to create an online store.

21. Carrd

Carrd

Summary: Build responsive one-page sites; do not support eCommerce or blog.

Carrd helps users to create beautiful one-page website. At time of writing, there are 18 built-in templates available at Carrd, of which about 6 are part of the premium plan. The free templates too are gorgeous and editing is easy. Some useful elements, though, like the form element (the element you’ll need to create a contact form) are only available in the pro-version.

Carrd Plans & Pricing

Pro plan starts at $19/year. Carrd could be one of the most (if not the most) affordable choice to take your business online.

22. WordPress.com

Summary: Hands down the best platform for blogging and publishing.

WordPress (powers more than 50% of the Internet) has always been a favorite with bloggers for its user-friendly tools and blogger-centric interface that allows for high customizability.

Unlike other site builders, WordPress.com does not come with drag-and-drop page builders with different design modules. Basically, you just get what your theme offers, hence choose carefully.

WordPress.com Plans & Pricing

Paid plans start at $4/mo when paid annually - you'll get 6GB of storage and a free domain for one year. The highest tier - "eCommerce" cost $45/mo and comes with 200 GB storage and advanced design customization.

WordPress.org vs WordPress.com

People always confused between WordPress.org and WordPress.com. WordPress.org is all about the software (where you can find supports, documentations and download links on the software); WordPress.com on the other hand, is where you can host a website or blog online using the WordPress software. Blogs hosted on free WordPress.com account will have long URLs like www.myblog.wordpress.com – just like what you get from Blogspot.com

23. Yola

Summary: Good for basic business websites; does not support eCommerce.

With more than 12 million users worldwide, Yola is a solid free website maker builder tool to take your business online. While Yola has limited templates, they’re good for basic business/professional websites.

The free websites you make with Yola are ad-free. So even when you’re running your website on a Yola sub-domain, your readers won’t be annoyed with ads popping up from every corner of your website.

Yola Plans & Pricing

When billed yearly, Yola’s Bronze plan costs $5.91/mo.

24. AppInstitute (Mobile App Maker)

Summary: DIY app builder platform for iPhone and Android app.

For startups and small businesses, trying to capitalize on the popularity of mobile marketing can be a massive challenge.

AppInstitute provides a simple way for small businesses to create, publish and manage their own iPhone and Android app using a DIY app builder platform, making entering the app market easy for even the least tech-savvy small business owner.

With the easy-to-use interface, you simply pick a template and mix and match app creator features to make your own app quickly, without writing a single line of code using the intuitive, powerful, app maker.

25. Swiftic (Mobile App Builder)

Summary: Mobile app maker with loyalty card features to boost online store.

Formerly known as Como, Swiftic lets you create your very own professional-grade mobile site using their app.

Great for small businesses, the app allows you to create a mobile site that is tacked on with plenty of e-commerce features such as loyalty programs and table reservations for restaurants.

26. Shoutem (Mobile App Maker)

Summary: Create an app faster with the platform. Or, you can hire their team to do it.

Shoutem makes creating a mobile site a fun experience with its polished and easy-to-use app maker.

The basic plan only allows you to create a native HTML5 app, while access to their best features and the ability to create iOS and Android compatible apps are on their Advanced plan.

27. AppYourself (Mobile App Builder)

Summary: User-friendly platform for beginners to app-making.

AppYourself is tailored towards small businesses and entrepreneurs who want a no-frills app that’s easy to use and create.

Their online store features a number of modules and templates that can be used for different industries as well.

How to Choose the Right Website Builder?

Ideally, the best website builder should be one that fits the need of your website. If you want to know what are the things that you should look for in a website builder, we’ll go through that below.

Take a moment and write down what kind of website that you want to make. What features you would like to have and what you intend to do with it. Some ideas would be: a contact form, Google Maps, blog section, gallery mode, or even an online store.

Alternatively, you could do some research on your competitors or other websites for inspirations or ideas on what you would want for your website. Aside from knowing what your website needs are, it’s also a good idea to use these five factors to decide. 

1. Ease of Use

An important factor for choosing the best website builder is whether the interface is user-friendly and easy-to-use. Doubly so if you’re just a newbie with no technical knowledge whatsoever.

The great thing about website builders is that most of them use a drag-and-drop system to build a website and that they usually offer a trial account. That means you can test it out first before choosing which is the best website builder for your small business.

For example (see video above), Hostinger Website Builder employs the "Block" concept for its editor tool. To add elements to your site - simply drag-and-drop and align website blocks to design a web page.

A few things that you should ask yourself when testing a website builder are:

  • How easy is it to add elements to templates, without messing up your current site layout?
  • How easy is it to make changes such as adding new products or updating your contact details?
  • Can you quickly  find the features you need for your website? If you’re a bakery shop, can you embed a Google map showing the location of your store?
  • Do the templates and color schemes fit your brand and business? If you’re a bakery shop, then your website design is likely going to be very different from that of an advertising agency.

The list of website builders that we recommend is definitely top-notch but we can’t say which one is the best for you as much depends on personal preferences. We definitely recommend that you test out each website builder using a trial account to get a feel for their interface and whether it’s easy to use or not.

2. Site Templates and Images

Example: Pre-designed website templates in Hostinger Website Builder.

Web design plays a major role in building a website. If you don’t want your website looking unprofessional or uninviting, you need to use the right templates and put in the right images.

A sharp and stylish website sends the message to users that your business is professional and trustworthy. The website builders that we suggest offers a wide range of free and paid stock photos and templates that you can use for your website.

Of course, it’s always important to check the templates and images first and whether they meet the needs of your website.

If you’re an online consultant agency, you want to use a more professional looking templates and the keep the images to a minimum. On the other, if you’re a photography or a food blog, then builders with more polished and attractive images might be better suited for you.

Also read – Free eCommerce website templates

3. Site Functions & Third-Party App Integration

Weebly Social Media App
Example: Different social media application available at Weebly App Center.

The right website builder should integrate with other systems to create the key functions you need on your website.

For example if social media is going to be a key component of your marketing strategy, then you should go for website builders that focus on integrating social media. Weebly, for example, let’s you integrate Instagram, FaceBook, and Twitter to your website for free, including the ability to add popup buttons as well.

If you rely on emails to draw website traffic, having a website builder that lets you manage your mass-mailers will be useful. Apps such as Constant Contact and MooSend are a great way to scale up your email marketing efforts and acquire new subscribers. They also normally integrate well with popular website builders such as Squarespace.

Likewise, if you are running an online store, you should pick a platform that integrates with third-party payment gateway to make online shopping a seamless experience for your customers.

Some solutions integrate via a simple copy-pasting of the embed code, while others require more advanced coding to use the API key. Use the trial account to check whether the website builder offers necessary integrations that fit your needs.

4. Customer Support

This should go without saying, but if you’re looking to use a website builder, it  should always come with a good customer support team.

This is especially true if you’re just starting out. Having a good support team that you can go to will make a huge difference in the overall experience of building your own website.

The website builders that we suggest all have great support channels that you can contact via email, phone, and even online chat, so you never have to worry about needing help when on the journey to launch your website.

Caution: Avoid Paying for EIG Site Builders

Having completed our review of SiteBuilder.com we noticed that we had the same initial problem with WebSiteBuilder, Sitelio, and Sitey – the About page was missing. Curious enough at this discrepancy, I did some digging and discovered that they all are owned by Endurance International Group (EIG).

EIG only acquires and runs technology (here’s a list of hosting companies owned by EIG) and does not actually create anything of its own.

SiteBuilder.com, WebsiteBuilder.com, Sitey, and Sitelio

In terms of what features are available, SiteBuilder (and other clones) offers what I consider should be the standard of website builders. It includes drag and drop elements, editable sections in templates, eCommerce support and much more. All of that is backed by a template resource pool that numbers in what the site claims is ‘thousands’ – I lost count after 50.

All four website builders have five distinct plans for subscribers that range from free to $11.99 a year. Free plans are functional, but their paid plans all come packaged with a free domain name. For a mere $4.99 a month onwards, you also get free email accounts, priority support and create an online store. I would say that the pricing tiers are reasonable and match real needs.

Why exactly they have chosen to market through so many channels under separate identities is beyond me, but even the pricing structures are almost identical. Of note though are the multiple billing complaints against the site, which does not bode well, given how fractured the business seems to be.

It's okay to try out the free plan offered by these brands but it's another thing when you are building your business on the premium plans. We do not recommend using any of these four site builders to serious webmasters and business owners.

Update: All four site builders we mentioned above are either not functioning or redirect to Web.com when you purchase.

Final Thoughts on Building Websites & Mobile Apps

Finding the perfect platform for your brand can be intimidating, especially if you’re a small business or a solo entrepreneur.

Thankfully, plenty of website builders are easy to learn so you can get started immediately. Once you’re ready to take it to the next level, you can check our free guide that lets you start building awesome things for your brand!

Website Building Platforms FAQs

Which website builder should I choose?

It depends on the purpose of your website and what are you looking for. For making a simple website: Hostinger Website Builder is highly recommended. The innovative tool is newbies-friendly and reasonable price. For online store: Shopify is the all-around eCommerce builder today. It has everything ready for you. You can expand your sales channel to other platforms.

Which online store builder do you recommend to me?

Although in most of the website builder there is an option to create a store, we still think Shopify is the right one. It's easy to manage your products, customer information, integrates with other sales channels, etc. Here's how you can create an online store using Shopify.

How much does it cost to make a website?

It's hard to find the actual cost of making a website. It often goes beyond money. Keep in mind that you need time and effort when making a website. If you are a business owner, should you include your monthly expenses as a part of the cost? But, if you were asking the initial setup cost, the rough figure involves:

1. A domain name ($10 - $15 per year)
2. Website builder ($8 - $20 per month) or web host ($3 - $7 per month).

How much does a website builder cost?

The entry cost for a website builder can range anywhere between $8 per month – $29 per month. The prices are different depending on which website builder you choose and which plan you sign up to. Website builder for eCommerce purposes generally priced higher compared to others.

Why should I use a website builder?

Time and knowledge are the two biggest factors that make website builder a good choice. It allows you to create and host a website easily without any coding skills.

What is the best website builder for SEO?

Most website builders like Hostinger Website BuilderWix and Weebly do offer the convenience to optimize a website for the search engine. However, there are too many factors that will affect your website rankings. Your website will not appear on the 1st page of search results by using any specific website builder.

What are the pitfalls of using a free plan for my business website?

Your website looks unprofessional as the website address will appear on a subdomain such as yourwebsitename.weebly.com. Most of the time, free website builders are supported by advertisements and your visitors may see all sorts of irrelevant advertisements when they visit your website. The worst thing is, there's no guarantee of using free website builders which means your website can be shut down for no reason or your website is vulnerable to hacking due to poor security. These are among the risks of using a free website builder.

Should I buy a domain name through a domain registrar company or a website builder?

Buying (and managing) a domain through website builder makes things easier but cost more in long run. Website builder company usually charge $20 - $30 a year for the domain registration. In comparison, a domain costs $8 - $15 a year with GoDaddy or NameCheap (domain registrars).

Can I build a website without any design and coding skills?

Yes. All the website builders are having easy to use drag & drop features. This feature empowers you to make a website even if you are not professional. The first step is to pick a suitable template for your industry. Then you can start editing and populating it with your content.

Should I hire a website designer to create my website?

It's up to you to decide. You definitely can hire a professional to help you in case you are lost in the half-way. For sure, you need to go through the learning curve of each website builder before getting used to it. Not to worry, most of the website builders offer a comprehensive tutorial. All website builders offer you a code-free way to building your website. You just need to decide on the theme and start inserting your content. Replace with your logo and favicon and your website is ready to launch.

Can I move my website from a website builder to my own host?

No. Unfortunately, you can't do that. If you built a website with a website builder, it also brings together several aspects with it. For example. web design, database, hosting and coding language are the things that involve. It may seem an easy task to just export and import but it's unrealistic. There are lots of proprietary aspects involved. Unless you are using CMS like WordPress, you can move your website to any host you like.

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Article by Jerry Low

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