So, you’ve decided that you’re going to start a blog, and you’re looking for a great web design tool that will help you get things rolling quickly. You’ve looked around what these tools have to offer, and it’s clear that there are a lot of options out there. But what should you make of them? Which are the best? Which will save you the most time and money? Which will give you the most control over the look and feel of your site?
You know how you can build a website in just a few minutes? And you know how you can save a ton of money by using a free website builder? And you know how you can make your website look as good as the best ones you find online for free?
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With the help of a good website builder, anyone can create an impressive website in no time.
There are several popular options in the market that will get you to your destination. However, the best website builders have different preferences and limitations, which is why it is important to choose an option.
I’ve been building websites for years. It’s a lot easier now than it used to be. You can take the easy way out or take your website to the next level – no design experience required.
Here are four of the best website builders you can start using today. I’ve included detailed reviews so you can see why each product is so good.
Take control and manage every detail of your website. Or use my first choice to make the website yourself. It’s up to you.
#1 – Wix ranking – best for general use
Wix is a very simple website builder that helps you create what you want. Start with a template and customize it to your liking.
You don’t have to know anything about design to make a really attractive website. And you won’t be stuck with one or the other. Create a blog, an online store, whatever you want.
And if you don’t feel like dragging out various website elements, all you have to do is answer a few questions and Wix’s artificial design intelligence (ADI) will create the website for you.
Wix is really a jack-of-all-trades in the sense that it does everything right, but nothing really special.
Nevertheless, it serves its purpose for the average person who wants to create a website, and is very competitively priced.
Benefits of Wix
This is the best thing about Wix:
- A powerful application marketplace – Wix has a variety of additional features that you can access through your application marketplace. Would you like to be able to make appointments directly on your website? They’ll take care of you. Want a pop-up window with a live chat? Just click on it and install it on your website.
- Meets all needs – Wix meets most of the needs of people who want to create a website. This includes creating an e-commerce store, a blog or even a simple information site.
- Lots of Templates – Wix offers a wide range of templates to choose from to get your site up and running quickly. Their models are well designed and take into account the user experience.
Disadvantages of Wix
These are the weakest aspects of Wix:
- Lack of migration option – One of the major drawbacks of Wix is that you are tied to the website, so you can’t migrate your website code elsewhere. This can be a problem if you want to grow your business quickly.
- Wix’s greatest strength is also his weakness. Although it has many features, it cannot compete with the high-end niche site builders.
Who should use Wix?
- Small Businesses – If you offer services like legal advice or marketing, Wix is a reliable website builder that can meet all your needs. If your goal is to sell products online, you should avoid Wix.
- Freelancers and professionals – Wix is also ideal for professionals who want to showcase their personal brand. This way, you can take advantage of all the potential opportunities to make your portfolio stand out, such as B. Hold meetings and even blog.
Try Wix today for free.
#2 – Weebly review – the best for beginners
Then we have Weebly, a drag and drop website builder that excels in ease of use. Weebly currently supports over 50 million websites and has been around since 2006, which is a huge achievement and a testament to the effectiveness of the platform.
So, what explains Weebly’s continued popularity with users? It all comes down to a simple user experience and a short learning curve. Weebly doesn’t burden you with features or a complex interface.
On the contrary, it doesn’t scare you off and you can start building the website right away.
WeeblyPros
Here’s the best part of Weebly:
- Simple and easy to use – Weebly has a simple interface with a drag-and-drop mechanism that just works. Everything seems natural and intuitive. It’s also helpful if they have opt-in mechanisms with email and pop-up explanations when you start.
- Migration – If you decide to host your own website, Weebly makes it easy to migrate your site from its platform.
- Affordability – Compared to other universal website builders, Weebly has one of the most affordable pricing structures.
- High quality customer service – Weebly has a strong customer service team that is available every day of the week. They usually respond within a day by email, or even faster by chat or phone.
Cons
Here are the weakest aspects of Weebly
- Lack of functionality – The downside of using Weebly is that it is not as powerful as Wix. For example, fewer features. In addition, some features, such as the content management system and analytics tools, are significantly weaker than those of the competition.
- Limited customization options – Since Weebly uses a drag-and-drop based interface and themes, the customization options can be very limited. Wix has this problem too, but it has more tools to solve it.
- Scalability issues – Weebly is just not a good platform if you plan on growing your site significantly: It is a simple website builder for everyday use.
Who should use Weebly?
- People who need simple websites – In general, you should use Weebly if you are not very technical and want to create a simple website quickly. One category of users could be associations or clubs that want to create an information page about their group.
Try Weebly for free today.
#3 – Web.com Review – the best for creatinglanding pages
Web.com is very similar to Weebly – it’s very easy to use, with an intuitive drag-and-drop editor that lets you create any available template to suit your needs. All at a very good price and with excellent support.
But I think WebBuilder.com is best known for one thing: creating landing pages and single-page sites in a minimum of time.
Really, it’s so easy with Web.com – start with one of the 126 templates, then change the colors, change some images, replace the text and add a custom form. There you go, you’ve created a great landing page in 15-20 minutes.
You can create a large number of unique landing pages in one session or create a simple or temporary website with ease. And at a competitive price.
Benefits of Web.com
- Email Accounts – Web.com offers you five email accounts to match your domain. This is an advantage for those creating landing pages with Web.com – not only can you create multiple pages in an instant, but each page can have separate, linked email addresses to perform split tests or collect contest entries in a place where they won’t flood someone else’s inbox.
- Free domain for one year – Web.com offers you a free domain for one year when you purchase any of their website plans.
- Very affordable – Everything I mentioned above is included in the starter plan, which costs $1.95 for the first month and $10 a month after that. However, you can save significantly by purchasing a full year at the time of purchase – just $50 for the 12 months, a savings of over $60.
Contraindications Web.com
- You don’t have to start from scratch, but you are somewhat limited by the templates you can use initially. It’s easy enough to customize them and deviate from the original look, but some elements are permanent or at least inflexible, which can make it difficult to quickly create the page you have in mind.
- Limited e-commerce capabilities – Web.com also offers marketing and e-commerce plans for its website creation service. They are slightly more expensive and are best suited for stand-alone commercial websites, especially for local and small businesses. But advanced sales features are generally lacking.
Who should use Web.com?
- Salespeople and multi-campaign marketers – If you want to create landing pages and use email and domain in no time, choose Web.com and enjoy all the benefits of a starter package.
Get started with Web.com today.
#4 – Shopify Review – The best for e-commerce
If you plan to sell any type of product online – from jewelry to electric scooters – it’s best to use a dedicated e-commerce platform and website builder.
The number one in this category is definitely Shopify. The platform serves more than a million merchants in 175 countries and is the third largest online retailer in the United States, behind Amazon and eBay.
Shopify software is a complete end-to-end platform that allows you to create, manage and promote an online store. You can easily offer your products, accept payments and process orders, all under one roof.
Professional
Here’s the best part about Shopify:
- E-commerce specialization – The main appeal of Shopify is that it is a niche site builder that focuses on creating an e-commerce store. This means that all of their features and processes are designed with this in mind, resulting in a powerful platform that can help maximize sales.
- Security – If you need to process transactions, you need to be able to protect your website and your customers’ data. Shopify stores have strong cyber security measures that self-hosted websites typically lack.
- Integrated sales channels – Shopify has strong integration with other platforms like Facebook and Amazon. So you can optimize sales by managing your catalog on each platform under one roof.
Cons
Here are the weaknesses of Shopify:
- E-commerce focused niche – Because Shopify is focused on e-commerce, it lacks some of the functionality and finesse of other website builders. For example, their content management system is very limited compared to WordPress.
- Transaction Fee + Monthly Fee – A transaction fee is charged for each sale made on Shopify, ranging from 2.4% to 2.6%. Add to that the cost of processing payments and it can reduce your margins.
Who should use Shopify?
- Stationery Stores – If you are a brick and mortar store and want to sell your products online, Shopify gives you a solid foundation in the digital world.
- E-commerce startups – Entrepreneurs launching new brands or doing dropshipping will also benefit from the quick end-to-end customization that Shopify offers.
#5 – WordPress Review – The Best for Content Management
One of the oldest and most trusted website builders is WordPress. This platform has come a long way since its introduction in 2003 and is now the most popular content management system on the internet.
In fact, 37.6% of all websites run on WordPress.
Since WordPress was created in the early days of the internet, the focus was on content, which was the most common form of websites at the time.
This direction continues today, and WordPress has arguably the best content management system among the various website builders.
One important caveat is that WordPress is divided into platforms:
- WordPress.org – This is the open source version of WordPress (the free version), which offers more flexibility but is more complex for non-technical users.
- WordPress.com – This is the paid version. You can get help installing and managing the theme, but it’s generally less customizable.
Professional
Here’s the best thing about WordPress:
- You have full control – Unlike other website builders, WordPress is fully customizable because the website is developed directly from code, unlike drag-and-drop interfaces. This means you have much more flexibility in terms of design and functionality.
- Robust blogs and CMS – WordPress was designed from the beginning with content in mind. It has some of the best tools for publishing and managing content, including team management, advanced scheduling and categorization.
- Lots of plugins – There are over 52,000 plugins available for WordPress. You can measure and improve SEO with plugins like YoastSEO, or even add a new feature like a shopping cart.
Cons
Here are the weakest parts of WordPress:
- You may need help – Since your WordPress site is built using code, you will probably need help installing and updating your WordPress theme. This can be expensive, especially if you want permanent changes.
- Learning curve – If you want to manage and update your website yourself, it may take some time to learn how to do so. Managing and scheduling articles is relatively easy, but updating the look of the site or installing a plugin is much more difficult.
- Security issues – Since your WordPress site is hosted on your own website, you are more vulnerable to cyber security issues. Some WordPress plugins can also be dangerous.
Who should use it
- Blogger – If writing articles is your main goal, WordPress is a good choice. The platform is designed for bloggers, content management optimization and SEO. WordPress allows you to grow and get the most out of your content.
- Content-based projects – If you are creating a content-based project, for example B. a new website, WordPress can help you manage the operational side of content production much easier.
What I was looking for to find the best website builder
Now it’s time to look at some of the features to consider when evaluating a website builder.
Note that although some website builders fall into the same category, they may respond differently to your needs.
For example, you are setting up an online store and for you, a low learning curve may be the most important criterion, while someone else may be thinking about a platform that allows them to adapt easily.
Here are some features to look out for.
Ease of use
What to look for:
- Intuitiveness – Some website builders are easy to use and have simple drag-and-drop interfaces. This is convenient because you don’t have to type the changes you want to make into Google.
- Learning curve – If you’re not tech savvy, you probably don’t want to spend hours learning how to create a website. Some website builders are much easier than others.
- Setup Time – You may also want to get your website up and running immediately, especially if it’s an event you want to promote.
- Ongoing management – Having your website managed by an outside party defeats the purpose of creating it. It should be easy to manage in terms of updates.
If you’re just starting out with online business or are short on time, you’re probably most interested in how easy it is to get started.
Scalability
What to look for:
- Custom code – Web site designers use standardized code that represents the components of the Web site. It allows you to easily create a website with different features. However, in some cases you need custom features and the ability to write your own code.
- Migration – At some point you may want to host your website yourself. However, not all web designers make this step easy. In some cases, it may be necessary to completely redesign your website.
- Integrations – As your site evolves, you’ll likely create new destinations, such as… B. by placing ads or integrating social channels. Some website builders are more compatible with other platforms and easier to integrate.
You should seriously consider scalability if you are an established business looking to expand its online presence. This is especially true if you already sell products on a large scale.
Startups that are in the process of raising funds and want to expand quickly or even change the core features of their product should also be cautious.
Support
What to look for:
- Support Channels – You should consider different ways to contact support, for example. B. Chat, email and phone. Detailed FAQs (frequently asked questions) are also important.
- Responsiveness – If your website isn’t working at 5pm and your support team can only be reached in Europe, you have a problem. Some teams can also react much faster than others.
- Involvement – Unfortunately, some support teams are useless. Maybe they get paid very little and don’t care, or maybe they are overworked. In either case, you need support that can actually solve your problems.
If you plan to operate a website that gets a lot of visitors and it accidentally crashes, the last thing you want is a non-responsive support team. This is especially true if you plan to drive at times when traffic is heavy.
A website builder with a strong support team is also helpful if you’re just starting out online, as even simple interfaces can leave you stranded.
Price
What to look for:
- Cost – Some website builders can be more expensive, with some as high as $299 per month (for landing pages, for example). Others are permanently free and can be upgraded for a small monthly fee.
- Trial Period – Before you start, it’s a good idea to take advantage of the trial offer to play with the tools. You will probably find that some work better for you than others.
- Hosting and Domain – Most website builders offer hosting to get your site online, which is usually included in the price. Some also offer the domain as part of the package. Otherwise you will have to buy them yourself.
If you intend to make money from your website, either by selling products directly or by attracting potential customers, price should not be a deciding factor for you. Invest in the service that best meets your needs.
However, if you only want to create a small information site, you can settle for the cheaper options.
As a rule, website builders with more in-depth functionality are more expensive because they solve more specific tasks.
Characteristics
What to look for:
- E-commerce store – If you plan to sell products online, you need a website builder that will allow you to do so. Think of sub-functions like payment processing and product catalogs.
- SEO – Some website builders have tools to improve your Google search results.
- Marketing tools – You may also need other marketing tools, such as forms, pop-ups and dialog boxes.
- Community – In some cases, you may want to make your site a community where people can interact and network (also known as a forum).
- Analytics Tools – Website developers may also offer analytics tools that track traffic to your website, or at least integrate with other tools.
- Niche features – You may need special features, such as. B. the ability to create a crowdfunding campaign in addition to a standard website.
The features of website builders are the most important when you are choosing a path. This is because they will have the greatest effect on your specific goals.
For example, if you want to create a landing page for a specific product, optimizing it using a generic website builder would be a daunting task. It probably lacks the in-depth analysis tools available to a dedicated landing page builder.
Also consider that there are certain features that you may not need now, but may in the future, for example. B. if you plan to place paid ads on your blogs.
Version
What to look for:
- Themes and Templates – With website builders, you can start with a ready-made website that you can customize in a variety of ways. Certain themes serve different purposes in terms of brand image and utility.
- Mobile friendly – You should make sure your website builder automatically makes your site mobile friendly, usually through responsive design.
- Customization – It is likely that you will want to make some changes to your model. You should take into account the different configuration tools available.
Whatever your goal is, you should always strive to provide a great user experience for your website visitors. It makes sense: if your website is difficult to navigate, people won’t get the most out of it.
Design and branding are also important. For example, some designs are more business-like and others more welcoming. There may be a design template that really suits your brand.
And if you’re selling something, you need to make sure the design is optimized to increase conversion.
Now that you have a good understanding of the types of website builders and what features to look out for, it’s time to take a look at some of the best website builders on the market.
Supplement
It is important to remember that the website builders listed above can serve different functions. Now that you have a good overview, it’s time to explore the details of each platform.
Use my recommendations as a guide to get started:
- Wix – the best for general use
- Weebly – the best option for beginners
- Web.com – The best for creating landing pages
- Shopify is the best for e-commerce
- WordPress – the best for content management
Follow the links to explore each option in more detail. What is the best choice for you depends on your current needs and the direction you want your website to take in the future.
After reading such reviews, you should take a step back and prioritize your specific needs before making a decision.
- SEO – Unlocks a large amount of SEO traffic. To see real results.
- Content marketing – our team creates epic content that gets shared, attracting links and traffic.
- Paid media – effective paid strategies with a clear return on investment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular website builder?
The most popular website builder is WordPress.
How do I choose a website builder?
There are many website builders available, but the most popular ones are WordPress, Squarespace and Wix.
Which website builder has the best templates?
The best website builder for templates is Wix.
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