Building a website used to require the expertise of professional designers and developers, but today that’s no longer the case! Thanks to user-friendly website builders and intuitive drag-and-drop interfaces, creating a website is now accessible to anyone. You can design, build, and launch a website from scratch without any design experience or coding knowledge. With countless customizable templates, building your online presence is easier and faster than ever.
1. WordPress
WordPress is the longest standing and most widely used website building platform. It’s also entirely and open access, which makes it the most affordable option on this list. WordPress users must open their own hosting account, though this is a relatively simple process. This platform is incredibly versatile and can be used to build any type of website. WordPress gives users thousands of pre-set themes and access to nearly 60,000 plugins.
2. Wix
Wix is another widely used website builder which affords users an elevated level of creative control. The platform is known for being easy to use and suitable for first-time website creators. It has an integrated AI feature which can be used to auto-create pages. Like WordPress, Wix is suitable for building any type of website. Users have access to more than 500 templates, but cannot switch themes once the website is live.
3. Squarespace
Squarespace is a slightly more advanced website builder, which may be harder to use than Wix or WordPress. Though this platform is better suited to intermediate and experienced website creators, it does offer greater creative scope and control. There are fewer pre-set designs and templates to choose from, though the options users do have are superior to those of other site-building platforms.
4. Weebly
Many consider Weebly to be the best site-building platform for small businesses, as it includes a range of ecommerce features that are ideal for online selling. It also makes great professional portfolios for those who want to advertise their work. Weebly is very beginner-friendly and allows users to create visually impactful pages, with zero coding knowledge. As they are a hosted platform, Weebly will take care of all the backend support for your site.
5. GoDaddy
GoDaddy’s website building service is a smart choice for people who want a quick and easy option. Their platform is incredibly user-friendly and offers the fastest end-to-end service on the market. Its simplicity also means that GoDaddy offers users limited creative scope, and as such, is not suitable for building complex or extremely unique websites. The platform is easy to use on all devices, whereas other options are only suitable for laptop or desktop.
6. Zyro
Zyro is one of the more basic options on this list, though that does come hand-in-hand with certain advantages. Though Zyro’s features are limited in comparison to most other website builders, the features it does offer are excellent. They offer a limited range of templates with a few customization options, though the templates themselves are high quality in terms of UX design. Zyro websites are easy to build and simple to update.
7. Shopify
Shopify is specifically designed for ecommerce websites. The platform is currently used by half a million businesses worldwide. As a dedicated ecommerce site builder, Shopify includes selling features you will not find on other platforms, like inventory management and advanced marketing tools.
It’s relatively easy to use and has a wide range of templates to choose from. Users can also link their website to an in-store location, to track and manage all business sales in one place.
Tips for Choosing the Right Platform
Choosing the right platform for your website is not always straightforward. As you can see from this list, several of the most popular platforms are multi-purpose in terms of the types of sites they can build. Plus, most platforms come with a similar set of standard features.
Budget is important – This is especially true if you’re a small business or just getting started. Any sales you experience could easily be cancelled out by an expensive monthly subscription and other add-on costs.
Consider the long term – Be mindful of how you may want to develop your website as your business grows and changes, and what you may want to add as new design features emerge. Some website building platforms can easily be integrated with other tools, while others cannot. Similarly, some platforms are slower to fix bugs and add updates. These are things you need to consider if your endeavour is likely to be long term.
Keep your purpose in mind – Try not to be lured in by impressive features if the basic function of the website builder doesn’t match your requirements. Do you really need thousands of templates or plugins? Choosing a platform that is fit for purpose should always be your top priority.
Take advantage of trials – Do not jump straight into a paid version of a platform if a try version is available. Utilizing the trial period will give you the chance to find out just how suitable the builder is for your specific business and level of tech-y-ness. It may also allow you to compare two similar platforms if you’re not sure which one is the right fit.