Hotels, restaurants, online stores, realtors, photographers, food bloggers, musicians, and other people with passion need websites to sell and show their talents to the world. And while businesses, as a rule, can afford to hire a professional web developer to create a website of any complexity, many entrepreneurs and bloggers are tight on budget.
Does it mean they should forget about a website until they accumulate enough money to hire a developer? Of course, no.
Today, you can choose from a large number of website building tools that will let you create almost any site without coding or designer skills (unless you think of building a new Facebook).
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Top 25+ Best Website Building Tools For Your New Business
What is a website building tool?
Why should you consider using website building software?
How to choose a website builder?
List of best website building tools and platforms
What is a website building tool?
Website building tools are designed to be very intuitive and user-friendly, allowing both beginners and professional designers to set up a website in no time. With such tools, it is possible to build a blog or site simply by dragging elements and dropping them at the desired location.
And as we already mentioned, no coding knowledge or experience is required. The entire website building process might be as easy as moving file icons on your computer.
Why should you consider using website building software?
For most people, especially those who are just starting out with their own business, website builders are a good option. They are affordable or even free. You can add a website link to your email signature so that everybody knows about it.
Website builders allow launching a “good enough” page in a few days, though there are those, like GoDaddy, that provide comprehensive website solutions, including hosting services. Most of them provide 24/7 support. Furthermore, you can avoid the stressful hiring process and wondering if you have made the right choice.
So, let's talk about the best website building tools to use in 2023. But before we jump right into comparing the website building platforms, it’s crucial to determine a set of criteria you should examine.
How to choose a website builder?
So, what to look for when choosing the right tools for website building from scratch?
- Customization (Is it possible to add custom text, images, change colors, or fonts? Can you change templates without losing content or even exporting content from one website to another?)
- Third-party integrations (Are there any integrations like Amazon, YouTube, etc. that can be used to enhance your website’s design or implement some essential features?)
- Customer service (Does the vendor offer 24/7 support or provide a wealth of helpful tutorials and resources?)
- Pricing (Is it affordable? Does it have a free plan? Should you pay monthly, bi-monthly, or annually?)
List of best website building tools and platforms
Wix
Advantages:
- Intuitive site-building interface;
- hundreds of unique and professional-looking templates;
- all the templates are fully editable and can be adapted to your needs through a simple drag-and-drop method;
- suitable for both eCommerce and blogging;
- a free limited version;
- dozens of free and paid applications you can use to improve your website;
- excellent customer service and a vast help database;
Disadvantages:
- If you choose a free or the cheapest plan, Wix will display its branded ads on your website;
- no option to switch themes once you have picked one;
- the process of moving your site from Wix to another platform is complicated;
- Wix’s premium plans are fairly expensive compared to competitors.
Pricing: from $4.50 to $24 per month
Free version: Yes
WordPress
Advantages:
- WordPress is free;
- tons of free themes;
- tons of free extensions;
- suitable for both eCommerce and blogging;
- it is highly customizable;
- you can change your theme whenever you want;
- unlike many other website builders, WordPress gives you complete control of your website.
Disadvantages:
- No built-in drag-and-drop website builder.;
- it has to be updated manually;
- many plugins can be out of date and don't work with the newest WordPress;
- you still need to learn some basic coding to be able to work with WordPress.
Pricing: free
With all of these mentioned, if you choose WordPress you should also be careful with your hosting service. Although good hosting can make your website building even easier, a bad one can potentially ruin your page. Because this website builder is so popular, there are a lot of WordPress hosting types that function on it and much of the speed and security of your page depends on them.
SendPulse
Advantages:
- intuitive drag and drop interface
- industry specific premade website templates
- multichannel marketing automation capabilities (email, chatbots, SMS)
- Sales CRM
Disadvanages:
- basic functionality compared to well established platforms
- 1 website on a free plan
- 10 000 views per month with a free plan
Pricing: from $6 per month
Free version: Yes. 1 free website with up to 50 pages.
Weebly
Advantages:
- Ease of use;
- a wide range of attractive themes;
- large app store;
- suitable for both eCommerce and blogging;
- you can change your theme whenever you want;
- has a free plan;
- Weebly provides tons of helpful resources such as Weebly support center, blog, inspiration center, developer docs, and Weebly community.
Disadvantages:
- Weebly charges 3% transaction fees for every purchase made in your online store. The fees don't apply to users with business plans;
- the platform is a bit more limited in terms of design and customizability compared to competitors;
- old-fashioned free images.
Pricing: from $10 to $29 per month
Free version: Yes
3dcart
Advantages:
- unique Dropshipping plan for just $9.99/month;
- no transaction fees;
- 60+ free mobile-ready themes ;
- 24x7x365 technical support via phone, chat, and email;
- over 100 payment integrations to choose from;
- built-in marketing features, including newsletter, autoresponders, and loyalty points.
Disadvantages:
- no visual editor for templates requires editing html and css;
- no option for multi-currency;
- plans have a limit on staff users, you can buy additional ones if needed;
- there is a learning curve due to a large number of features included.
Pricing: from $9.99 to $229 per month
Free version: For developers only. There is a 15-day free trial
GoDaddy
Advantages:
- all-in-one: domain, hosting, and website builder;
- eCommerce-friendliness;
- mobile-optimized designs;
- website building with GoDaddy is easy because of a well-structured editor;
- 300+ themes and templates;
- it’s free to get started.
Disadvantages:
- It’s impossible to switch between the themes without losing your content;
- limited layout customization and photo editing.
Pricing: from $6 per month
Free version: Yes
Web.Com
Advantages:
- simple and straightforward editor;
- over 1200 templates;
- free email services and SEO tools;
Disadvantages:
- lack of third-party integrations;
- limited eCommerce options;
- no free version;
- If you decide to cancel the plan, you will need to pay a domain refund.
Pricing: from $4 per month
Free version: No
Jimdo
Advantages:
- simple and straightforward editor;
- ideal for those whose goal is to share their passions online;
- you can edit the HTML and CSS of your website;
- it allows switching between templates quickly and easily, without losing content.
Disadvantages:
- Customer support is limited to email and is not available 24/7;
- no support included with a free plan;
- Jimdo will display ads on websites created using a free plan;
- it’s impossible to import or export content or products;
- poor eCommerce functionality;
- no application store.
Pricing: from $10 per month
Free version: Yes
Duda
Advantages:
- It's one of the easiest tools for website building for beginners;
- the ability to work on a website design together with your team;
- about 100 beautiful templates designed to look good on any device;
- Duda also offers blank templates that you can design to your taste.
Disadvantages:
- the $10-plan allows you to have only ten products in your store;
- it's not the best choice for blogging, as it doesn’t include a newsletter tool;
- lack of an application store;
- Duda has one of the highest starter prices on the market.
Pricing: from $19 to $99 per month
Free version: No. There is a 14-day free trial
Voog
Advantages:
- Voog is available in ten languages;
- there are powerful tools for developers to expand the features of Voog;
- 24/7 customer service.
Disadvantages:
- Poor selection of templates and themes;
- Just like Weebly, Voog charges 3% transaction fees for every purchase made in your online store. The fees don't apply to users with the highest plans.
Pricing: from $8 to $39 per month
Free version: No. There is a 30-day free trial
Constant Contact
Advantages:
- The tool uses AI (artificial intelligence) that allows creating a beautiful custom website based on your Facebook Business Page in minutes;
- excellent 24/7 support by phone, email, or live chat;
- a generous free plan;
- great selection of royalty-free images;
Disadvantages:
- No third-party extensions.
Pricing: from $10 per month
Free version: Yes
Site123
Advantages:
- Site123 is available in more than twenty languages;
- the website builder is extremely user-friendly;
- a wide range of integrations;
- 24/7 customer service;
Disadvantages:
- no access to the code;
- no option to import/export site content;
- too basic eCommerce options.
Pricing: from $7.80 per month
Free version: Yes
HostGator
Advantages:
- 200+ professional website design templates;
- you can edit the templates;
- 24/7/365 support;
- ease of use.
Disadvantages:
- no free plan and no free trial;
- limited app store;
- limited eCommerce functionality.
Pricing: from $3.84 to $9.22 per month
Free version: No
Webs
Advantages:
- Convenient website editor;
- nice customer service options.
Disadvantages:
- Outdated themes;
- no option to modify HTML/CSS code;
- long loading times.
Pricing: from $5.99 per month
Free version: Yes
WebSite X5
Advantages:
- Convenient website editor;
- a WebSite X5 license never expires;
- it is possible to customize every aspect of the design and layouts;
- free support for all plans.
Disadvantages:
- Free and cheaper versions have very limited options;
- very basic templates in a free version;
Pricing: from $79.99 as a one-time payment
Free version: Yes
Сoffeecup
Advantages:
- Perfect for absolute beginners;
- lots of templates to choose from;
- it is possible to create your own templates.
Disadvantages:
- Templates are not high quality by today’s web standards;
- Many features require additional payments.
Pricing: $99 as a one-time payment
Free version: No
Format (is focused on online photography portfolios)
Advantages:
- Modern, mobile-friendly templates;
- it is possible to customize without coding;
- free apps to update your website.
Disadvantages:
- Confusing user interface;
- the basic plan lacks features;
Pricing: from $6 to $25 per month
Free version: No. There is a 14-day free trial
uKit
Advantages:
- Eye-pleasing and mobile responsive designs;
- it is possible to turn a Facebook page to a website;
- reliable email support;
- easy to use and convenient;
- supports over 45 languages;
Disadvantages:
- Most themes look quite similar;
- it isn’t the best option if you need a large full-featured website or web store;
- There is no free plan.
Pricing: from $5 to $15 per month
Free version: No. There is a 14-day free trial
Launch.Joomla
Advantages:
- Joomla is free;
- it offers many free templates and over 8,000 extensions;
- there are free video training classes and tons of helpful resources available on the Internet;
- over 70 translation packs for multilingual content;
Disadvantages:
- Joomla is quite complex for complete beginners;
- paid plugins are expensive for non-developers;
- some of Joomla plugins can have compatibility issues;
Pricing: free
Shopify
Advantages:
- Shopify is a perfect choice if you want to create a web store (also popular with drop shippers), as it’s completely built for eCommerce;
- ability to integrate Shopify with WordPress or add a blog to Shopify using other apps;
- lots of apps and integrations;
- headless commerce capabilities
- reliable support.
Disadvantages:
- Limited templates;
- paid apps can bring up the cost drastically;
- the high cost of hosting your website;
- if you want to customize your store, keep in mind that Shopify uses its own programming language, which can make it hard to find a programmer.
Pricing: from $29 to $299 per month
Free version: No. But we know one trick. Many people keep it a secret because they earn a commission for sign-ups. But since we are awesome, here is a cool method on how you can use Shopify for free until you get fifty sales. Sign up to the Shopify developers platform and take as much time as you need: no trials, no fees. The only downside is if you want to connect paid apps, you need to upgrade to a paid plan. Still, it is a nice option to try out the platform for free. Check out an in-depth Shopify review here.
Bigcommerce
Advantages:
- No transaction fees;
- it is possible to download the theme files and edit them offline;
- plenty of self-help how-to advice and excellent customer service;
- features are easy to use without any design experience.
Disadvantages:
- Poor selection of free templates to use for your store;
- no option to create a multilingual store without a developer;
- annual sales threshold (you have to choose a more expensive plan if you surpass the yearly sales threshold);
- expensive templates (from $145 to $235);
- It might be overwhelming for non-developers, so you’ll need to use bigcommerce development services.
Pricing: from $29.95 to $249.95 per month
Free version: No. There is a 15-day free trial
Strikingly
Advantages:
- 24/7 support even for a free plan;
- it is perfect for one-page websites;
- option to reformat templates.
Disadvantages:
- A limited selection of payment gateways;
- a limited amount of products per site;
- you can create only one-page websites with a free version;
- extremely limited customization options;
Pricing: from $12 per month
Free version: Yes
Imcreator
Advantages:
- even a free version is ads-free;
- simple yet sleek templates;
- it is easy to customize;
- you can host your website in many different languages.
Disadvantages:
- a free version is only available for students, artists, and non-profit organizations;
- lack of drag-and-drop functionality;
- it might be a little confusing for complete beginners.
Pricing: from $8 per month
Free version: Yes
Webnode
Advantages:
- It is possible to build a website in multiple languages;
- great for SEO;
- a great selection of templates;
- modern and responsive designs;
- option to reformat templates;
- no ads on free Webnode sites.
Disadvantages:
- No app store;
- limited blogging functions;
- lack of eCommerce functionality;
Pricing: from $3.95 to $19.95 per month
Free version: Yes
Mozello
Advantages:
- A free plan includes eCommerce functionality;
- it is possible to build a multilingual website for free;
- good selection of free themes;
- nice customer support service.
Disadvantages:
- Limited design customization
- poor selection of third-party integrations;
- lack of a drag-and-drop feature.
Pricing: from $7 per month
Free version: Yes
Mobirise
Advantages:
- extremely easy-to-use interface;
- mobile-friendliness;
- free for both personal and commercial use;
- available on Windows and Mac;
- a wide range of templates and extensions.
Disadvantages:
- no hosting options;
- it’s impossible to change the format of template blocks;
- according to user reviews, Mobirise support replies only once in a while.
Pricing: free. You only pay for premium designs or extensions
Free version: Yes
Conclusion
When it comes to creating a new website, these days we have so many options to choose from. There are dozens of companies that provide website building tools for a reasonable price, and you don’t even need to hire a developer. Also, there is a wide range of free online website building tools on the market. In this article, we provide a brief review of the most popular builders so that you can get an idea of what they have to offer, what they are good at, and what makes them weak.
If you still find it difficult to choose from the 25 best website creation sites, this shorter list might be of help to you.
- Choose Squarespace if you want to use fresh, modern, beautiful themes or multiple templates at a time.
- Consider Weebly if you don't feel tech-savvy and are looking for something easy to use.
- Shopify is known as the best eCommerce website builder.
- Strikingly is perfect for one-page websites.
- Use Voog if you need a multilingual website.
- Want to showcase your portfolio? Take a look at Format.
- Website building with WordPress is possible if you are already familiar with website design. However, it is a perfect choice if you want complete control over your site.
