Website Builders
A website builder is a tool or platform that enables individuals and businesses to create websites without writing code manually. These tools offer a range of features that simplify designing and launching a website. Here’s how they work, the types available, and some top brands:
How Website Builders Work
- Templates and Themes: Most website builders provide a variety of pre-designed templates and themes that users can choose from. These customizable templates allow users to alter designs to fit their needs.
- Drag-and-Drop Interface: Many website builders offer a drag-and-drop interface, making it easy to add elements like text, images, and videos to a webpage without any coding knowledge.
- Integrated Hosting: Website builders often include hosting services, meaning users don’t need to manage separate hosting plans.
- Responsive Design: Modern website builders ensure that websites are responsive, meaning they automatically adjust to look good on different devices like smartphones, tablets, and desktops.
- SEO Tools: Built-in SEO tools help optimize websites for search engines, making it easier for potential visitors to find the site.
- E-commerce Features: Some website builders offer e-commerce capabilities, allowing users to set up online stores complete with payment processing, inventory management, and more.
Types of Website Builders
- Online Website Builders: These are web-based platforms that allow users to build a site directly in their browser. Examples include Wix and Squarespace.
- Offline Website Builders: These require downloading software to your computer. You build your site offline and then upload it to a web host. An example is Adobe Dreamweaver.
- E-commerce Builders: Specialized in creating online stores, these platforms include Shopify and BigCommerce.
- Content Management Systems (CMS): These are more advanced and flexible, offering greater control over website design and functionality. WordPress is a popular example.
Top Website Builder Brands
- Wix: Known for its easy-to-use interface and extensive template library, Wix is highly popular for small businesses and personal websites.
- Squarespace: Offers stylish, designer templates and is particularly favored by creatives such as artists and photographers.
- Shopify: A leading e-commerce platform that provides robust tools for online store management.
- Weebly: Offers simplicity and ease of use, suitable for small businesses and personal sites.
- GoDaddy: Known for its comprehensive suite of web services, including domain registration and website building.
- WordPress.com: While it is a CMS, the hosted version (WordPress.com) functions similarly to a website builder with a variety of themes and plugins1.
These brands provide various tools and features to support different website-building needs, from simple blogs to complex e-commerce sites.
Jump To Detail
Bluehost
Original price was: $9.90.$1.99Current price is: $1.99.
Core Features:
- Reliable Uptime: Bluehost aims for 99.9% uptime, ensuring your website is accessible to visitors most of the time.
- Speedy Performance: They utilize advanced technologies like SSD storage and optimized server configurations to deliver fast loading times.
- Robust Security: Features like free SSL certificates and malware protection help safeguard your website from threats.
- Scalable Resources: As your website grows, you can easily upgrade your plan to accommodate increased traffic and storage needs.
- Responsive Customer Support: Bluehost provides 24/7 customer support through various channels, including live chat and phone.
Additional Features:
- Free Domain Name: Many plans include a free domain name for the first year.
- Easy Website Builder: User-friendly tools like WordPress and Weebly make creating and managing your website simple.
- Automatic WordPress Installations: One-click installation for WordPress, the most popular content management system.
- Daily Backups: Regular backups of your website data to protect against data loss.
- Marketing Tools: Access to SEO and email marketing tools to help you promote your website.
- Free CDN: A Content Delivery Network (CDN) can improve website load times by distributing content across multiple servers.
Domain
Original price was: $5.90.$1.99Current price is: $1.99.
Domain.com began by helping people register domain names, but now they offer everything you need to create a professional website. Their user-friendly builder and reliable hosting make it simple for anyone to get online, regardless of experience.
Key Benefits:
- Flexible Hosting Options: Domain.com provides various hosting plans, from basic setups for beginners to powerful solutions for established businesses.
- Effortless Website Creation: Building a website is a breeze! You can install WordPress with a single click or use their drag-and-drop website builder. The AI assistant acts like a friendly guide, creating a website structure based on your specific needs.
- Packed-with-Value Plans: Domain.com’s hosting plans often include a free domain name, and SSL certificate, making it a cost-effective choice.
- Competitive Pricing and Peace of Mind: Whether you choose a basic or premium plan, Domain.com offers some of the best value in the industry. Their packages include website-building tools for an even better deal. Annual plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try them out risk-free.
Elementor
Original price was: $5.99.$2.99Current price is: $2.99.
Pricing And Support
Although the price gives the impression that it is slightly higher than other similar competitors’ hosting plans at first glance, even before the discount, the original price of $11.99 per month is still one of the most cost-effective hosting plans on the market. Its price includes free domain name + hosting server + website builder, and its own CDN global accelerator, which is simply too cost-effective! Pre-sales and after-sales questions can be directly consulted online on their official website, and the customer service is very friendly.
GoDaddy
Original price was: $9.90.$5.99Current price is: $5.99.
Originally a domain name registrar, GoDaddy has evolved into a full-service web hosting and site-building platform. Its user-friendly website builder, coupled with reliable hosting, makes it easy for anyone to create a professional online presence.
Key Features:
- Versatile Hosting: GoDaddy offers a range of hosting options to suit various needs, from basic web hosting to specialized solutions.
- Simplified Website Building: With one-click WordPress installation and an AI-powered site builder, creating a website is a breeze. The AI assistant guides you through the process, generating a website framework tailored to your specific requirements.
- Value-Packed Plans: GoDaddy’s hosting plans often include a free domain name, email accounts, and an SSL certificate, making it a cost-effective choice.
Pricing and Guarantee:
While GoDaddy’s pricing may seem higher initially, its comprehensive packages and included features can provide significant value. A 30-day money-back guarantee is offered for annual plans, ensuring peace of mind.
Hostinger
Original price was: $5.90.$1.99Current price is: $1.99.
Hostinger offers robust hosting plans and a user-friendly website builder, powered by AI to streamline site creation. You can generate a fully-fledged website and customize it to your preferences with minimal effort.
Features
AI-Powered Website Builder:- Automatically generates a website based on your inputs or selects from a vast template library (over 150 options).
- Populates pages with relevant images and content.
- Offers a drag-and-drop editor for easy customization and additional content.
- Ensures a seamless user experience with a smart grid layout.
- Provides ample storage space (starting at 100GB) and a substantial number of websites (ranging from 100 to 300).
- Includes valuable perks such as free domain registration, site migration, SSL certificates, and email accounts.
Pricing
Hostinger’s plans tend to be highly discounted initially if you sign up for an extended term but then renew at a much higher rate. The standard, ongoing monthly rates are on the higher end of the scale, though Hostinger does offer a 30-day money-back guarantee.
One
Original price was: $2.99.$2.69Current price is: $2.69.
One.com is a top company offering complete website hosting solutions, particularly for websites built with WordPress. Whether you’re just starting out or a seasoned pro, One.com is a great fit. Since WordPress runs a massive chunk of the internet (over 43%), One.com’s seamless integrations make it a popular choice.
Features Galore for WordPress Fans
One.com has a variety of hosting plans designed specifically for WordPress users. They offer everything from budget-friendly shared hosting to fully managed plans, VPS options, and high-powered cloud solutions – there’s something for everyone’s needs and budget.
Plenty of Space to Grow
All One.com plans include unlimited data transfer and generous storage space on their basic shared plans, on top of unlimited email accounts. This means you can grow your website without having to worry about hitting limits. They also have a user-friendly and powerful control panel that makes managing your website a breeze.
Pricing that Won’t Break the Bank
One.com offers some of the most competitive prices in the market, and their plans come packed with features. Their shared hosting plans, in particular, are a great value for your money.
Here to Help Whenever You Need It
One.com provides comprehensive support through their blog, 24/7 email access, and live chat.
Shopify
Original price was: $99.00.$29.00Current price is: $29.00.
Shopify is an excellent platform for online sellers who want to implement a dropshipping model. Its extensive app ecosystem, specifically designed for Shopify, makes it a popular choice for businesses that source products from third-party suppliers and fulfill orders directly to customers.
Key Features:
- Simplified Website Creation: Shopify offers a vast library of pre-designed templates to help you quickly set up your online store.
- Enhanced Functionality: A wide array of apps and integrations allow you to customize your store and add features like payment processing, shipping, marketing, and customer support.
- Multi-Channel Selling: In addition to your own online store, Shopify enables you to sell your products on multiple platforms, including popular marketplaces like Amazon and eBay, social media channels like TikTok and Facebook, and Google Search.
- In-Person Sales: Shopify’s point-of-sale (POS) system empowers you to accept payments and manage inventory in physical retail locations.
Pricing Considerations:
Shopify’s pricing plans are generally higher than those of traditional website builders. Shopify offers a comprehensive e-commerce platform, including web hosting and advanced selling features. If you’re only looking for a basic website builder, Shopify might not be the most cost-effective option. However, for businesses that require a robust e-commerce solution with dropshipping capabilities, Shopify is a strong contender.
SITE123
Original price was: $12.90.$7.80Current price is: $7.80.
SITE123 is a versatile website creation tool that offers both free and premium website building plans. The premium plan provides complimentary servers, domain names, e-commerce capabilities, pre-designed templates, and a user-friendly, code-less website builder. It is ideal for beginner website creators, with most features installable with a single click.
One limitation of SITE123 is its restricted server resources, with only 3GB of storage and 3GB of bandwidth. Additionally, website backups must be performed manually, and CDN acceleration necessitates purchasing services from external providers.
Prices and Support
The website building service offers two plans: a free version and a premium plan priced at $7.8 per month. 24/7 customer support is exclusively available to users of the paid plan.
Squarespace
Original price was: $99.00.$16.00Current price is: $16.00.
Squarespace offers stunning templates and a wide range of features, including advanced SEO, powerful e-commerce tools, unlimited bandwidth, and responsive design. While it’s a premium website builder, its flexible pricing plans make it accessible to individuals and businesses alike. Squarespace’s innovative Fluid Engine simplifies website building with its user-friendly drag-and-drop interface and extensive customization options.
Key Features:
- Sleek Design: Known for its aesthetically pleasing templates that are easy to customize.
- Drag-and-Drop Interface: A simple way to build your website without coding knowledge.
- E-commerce Functionality: Sell products online with features like product variations, digital downloads, and shipping options.
- Blogging Platform: Create and manage your blog with advanced features like scheduling, SEO optimization, and comment moderation.
- SEO Tools: Built-in tools to help your website rank higher in search engine results.
- Mobile Optimization: Ensure your website looks great on all devices.
- 24/7 Customer Support: Available to assist you with any questions or issues.
- Domain Name and Hosting: Included in most plans, making it easy to set up your website.
Strikingly
Original price was: $15.90.$8.00Current price is: $8.00.
Weebly is a fantastic option for budding online store owners who want to keep costs low. Even with the free plan, you get a powerful set of e-commerce tools, such as unlimited product listings, a shopping cart, and inventory tracking. These features are often premium add-ons on other platforms.
Key Features:
- Free Plan:
- Unlimited products
- Shopping cart
- Quick checkout
- Inventory management
- In-store pickup
- Paid Plans:
- Advanced shipping tools (labels, calculator)
- PayPal integration
- Additional payment options
Affordable Pricing:
Weebly’s pricing plans are flexible and budget-friendly, with no extra fees for monthly payments. Even the most expensive plan offers great value for the features it includes.
Whether you’re a newbie or an experienced e-commerce pro, Weebly is a cost-effective way to build and scale your online store.
Web.com
Original price was: $9.90.$2.79Current price is: $2.79.
Web.com shines in the website builder crowd thanks to its extensive AI features. While others offer basic AI builders, Web.com goes further with writing assistance, logo creation, and even domain name suggestions.
Freebies with a Catch
Web.com’s plans include initial “gifts” like a free domain and SSL certificate. However, these are often temporary perks (like a 3-month email trial) or expire quickly (like the 1-month SSL). Be mindful of these limited offers.
Beyond the Initial Flash
Despite the temporary perks, Web.com does offer valuable core features. These include AI tools, industry-specific design templates, and appointment scheduling for service-based businesses. A unique bonus is a free hour of design consultation with every paid plan!
Separate Design Service Available
Want someone else to build your site? Web.com offers a complete design service where their team creates your website based on your vision.
Pricing: A Double-Take Moment
Web.com’s introductory prices are attractive, often including a free domain to lure customers in. However, these extras expire, and renewal prices jump significantly. The basic plan, for example, starts at a low $1.95 but shoots up to $19.99 after the first month. Keep an eye on these pricing changes and additional fees like renewed SSL certificates.
Weebly
Original price was: $15.90.$10.00Current price is: $10.00.
Weebly is an excellent choice for those looking to start an online store without breaking the bank. Even the free plan offers a robust set of e-commerce features, including product listings, a shopping cart, and inventory management. These are features that other platforms often charge extra for.
Key Features:
- Free Plan:
- Unlimited products
- Shopping cart
- Quick shop option
- Inventory management
- In-store pickup
- Paid Plans:
- Advanced shipping features (labels, calculator)
- PayPal integration
- Additional payment options
Affordable Pricing:
Weebly offers flexible pricing plans without significant price hikes for monthly payments. Even the most expensive plan is reasonably priced, making it a great value for the features it offers.
Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned e-commerce entrepreneur, Weebly provides a cost-effective solution to build and grow your online store.