7 Best Website Builders Of 2023
Building a website used to require programming knowledge. Not anymore. Thanks to website builders such as Wix, Squarespace and GoDaddy, it's easier than ever to create a website — and sometimes it may seem like everyone and their dog are getting into it.
Whether you're a small business owner looking to start an online store or a blogger looking to publish content online, you'll find our top picks for every scenario below.
To compile this list, we evaluated each website builder based on user-friendliness, price, features and more.
Our Top Picks For The Best Website Builders Of 2023
- Wix R11; Best for Beginners
- GoDaddy R11; Best for Simple Websites
- Squarespace R11; Best for Modern Templates
- Webflow R11; Best for Customized Sites
- Shopify R11; Best for Online Stores
- Weebly R11; Best Free Website Builder
- WordPress.com R11; Best for Bloggers
Best Website Builders Reviews
If you're building a website for the first time and have no coding experience, Wix's user-friendly platform provides over 800 templates you can use straight out of the box with minimal customization.
If you don't want to spend time tweaking templates, Wix offers an AI tool (Wix ADI) that you can use to build your website in just a few minutes after answering some questions. You can also create your website from scratch using the Wix Editor, where the intuitive drag-and-drop builder lets you move things around your site, and every design element is customizable.
Features
- The Ascend by Wix platform offers marketing and business tools for email marketing, video creation, invoice generation, SEO and more.
- Wix also has an app market with 250+ apps you can install to add additional functionality to your website. For instance, if you run an events management business, you can sell tickets on your site by installing the free Wix Events & Tickets app.
Pricing
Wix offers a free plan. However, the free plan comes with ads, and you won't be able to register a custom domain. In addition, Wix offers two pricing plans: business and ecommerce (allowing you to accept online payments) or website plans. The most popular of the latter is the Unlimited, which is geared to entrepreneurs and freelancers and is $12.50 per month.
The most popular ecommerce plan is the Business Unlimited, from $25 per month. Wix also offers a free 14-day trial for all premium plans, so you can opt out if you aren't satisfied.
Despite its ease of use, Wix does have some downsides. Unlike other website builders that offer unlimited storage, Wix has storage limits for all its plans. If you have a media-heavy site, you may want to consider other website builders.
Its ecommerce plans are also fairly pricey compared to other builders on this list, so if you want to start an online store and you're on a budget, you may wish to look elsewhere.
GoDaddy is a household name when it comes to web hosting and domain name services. Besides these services, GoDaddy also has a pretty decent website builder.
Formally known as "Websites + Hosting," the GoDaddy website builder is incredibly user-friendly. Like Wix, GoDaddy's website builder comes with an AI tool you can use to create a website in a few minutes by answering a couple of questions. Alternatively, you can create a website using its intuitive drag-and-drop builder if you want a customized solution.
Features
- Websites + Hosting comes with a variety of marketing tools for SEO, social media management and email marketing.
- The website builder also has a built-in appointment scheduler that clients can use to book appointments, making it an excellent choice for business websites.
Pricing
GoDaddy offers a free starter plan with 24/7 support, built-in marketing and GoDaddy Payments. With GoDaddy Payments, you can manage your online orders and payments from a single dashboard.
If you want to connect a custom domain or are looking for more business-oriented features, you'll need to upgrade to one of its paid plans, which are $9.99 to $14.99 per month for the Basic and Premium plans, respectively.
The Commerce ($16.99 per month) and Commerce Plus plans ($29.99 per month) feature an online store, marketplace and social selling, inventory and product sync and real-time shipping rates.
GoDaddy offers a simple website builder that comes with limited customization features. If you aren't tech-savvy and want to build a simple website, such as a one-page site, GoDaddy might be a great option. But if you want a website builder that offers many customization options, it's worth considering other possibilities.
Squarespace has come a long way since its inception in 2004. While it started as a blog hosting service, it later rolled out a website builder, which is now the second most popular website builder behind Wix.
With Squarespace, you can build a small business website, blog, online store, restaurant website and more. Its drag-and-drop editor isn't as simple to use as those of Wix or GoDaddy, but the site offers numerous resources on how to make a website using its editor.
What sets Squarespace apart from other website builders is its templates. They're mobile-friendly and gorgeous, making Squarespace a top choice for creatives who want aesthetically pleasing websites across various devices. But while Squarespace may sound like a website builder that's all style and no substance, it's also packed with powerful features.
Features
- Squarespace has a built-in video studio app for creating short social media videos, and it's also one of the few website builders that offer podcast support.
- It also has marketing and business tools for email marketing, SEO, memberships, scheduling appointments and more.
Pricing
Unlike some of the other website builders on this list, Squarespace doesn't offer a free version, though all plans come with a 14-day free trial — no credit card required. The most affordable plan (Personal) costs $16 per month, and all plans come with a free custom domain for one year and unlimited storage. Ecommerce plans range from $23 to $49 per month, with no product limit.
If you want to start an online store, we recommend the basic Commerce plan, which costs $27 per month and comes with zero transaction fees. It also unlocks powerful features — such as ecommerce analytics, customer accounts and product reviews — that aren't included with the $23 Business plan.
Overall, Squarespace is an excellent choice for folks who want to create visually appealing sites. It's also a good option for an online store, though its ecommerce plans are slightly pricier than other options on this list.
Many of the best website builders are popular because of their easily customizable templates. Templates are great for quick site design and get the job done in most cases. But if you want more control over your website design, Webflow might be a good choice.
Unlike many website builders on this list, Webflow doesn't have a conventional drag-and-drop editor. Instead, it has a visual canvas (called the Designer) that you can use to write code visually, making it an excellent choice for customized sites.
Features
- Webflow features custom interactions and animations and an editor that you can use to test responsiveness across various devices.
- It has a content management system that lets you create a site with multiple users and assign different roles and permissions to each.
Pricing
Webflow's pricing can be a bit confusing to understand since it offers two types of plans: Site plans and Workspace plans.
A Site plan allows you to host your site on Webflow directly. You can get started with the free Starter plan, which offers limited features. If you want to unlock more features and connect a custom domain, you'll need to purchase a paid Site plan.
Workspaces allow teams to collaborate on projects or host multiple sites. If you're just building one site, Webflow's free Workspace plan will be sufficient for your needs, as it gives site access to only one user. However, if you're part of a team, you may want to look into the Workspace plans that start at $16 per month.
If you want to build a customized website without a cookie-cutter design, Webflow is an excellent choice because of its unlimited customization options. But there's a caveat. Webflow has a fairly steep learning curve, and you'll need basic HTML and CSS knowledge to get the most out of it. Fortunately, Webflow has a vast collection of tutorials on how to build a website using its editor, so you can get up to speed with the basics quickly.
It's also worth noting that Webflow's ecommerce plans are costlier than other options on this list, and they come with limited features. Webflow's cheapest ecommerce plan starts at $74 per month and comes with a 2% transaction fee.
Furthermore, all its ecommerce plans have a cap on product uploads, and they don't come with features such as the ability to sell subscriptions, point-of-sale integration or gift cards.
Many website builders on this list are jacks-of-all-trades. Shopify is not: It's a website builder primarily focused on ecommerce.
Whether you want to sell digital or physical products, Shopify lets you set up an online store without much hassle. If you want an all-in-one ecommerce solution that won't require you to integrate payment gateways or manually set shipping rates, Shopify could be an excellent option for you.
Features
- Shopify is unrivaled when it comes to ecommerce features. Some useful ecommerce features include gift cards, point-of-sale integration, currency conversion, multi-language support and abandoned cart recovery emails.
- Besides these features, Shopify has an app store with over 2,200 apps. If Shopify doesn't offer a built-in feature you need, you'll probably find it on the Shopify App Store.
Pricing
Shopify offers three plans: Basic, Shopify and Advanced. They all come with a three-day free trial, and no credit card is required.
The Basic plan costs $14.44 per month (billed annually) and offers all the essentials for an online store, while the Shopify plan costs $39.44 per month (billed annually) but offers extras like ecommerce automation and additional inventory locations. If you sell products in large volumes, you may want to opt for the Advanced plan — which costs $147.78 per month (billed annually) — because it comes with the lowest transaction cost.
Shopify excels at one thing — ecommerce. If you want to build an online store, it's undoubtedly the best website builder for your needs. However, Shopify isn't a drag-and-drop builder and offers limited customization options compared to other website builders. So if these drawbacks are deal breakers, you may prefer Wix or Squarespace for your online store.
Weebly is a drag-and-drop website builder that's similar to Wix and Squarespace. And like its competitors, Weebly is a no-frills, easy-to-use website builder.
Weebly doesn't come with many customization options like Webflow or powerful ecommerce features like Shopify — but if you want to build a simple business website, portfolio or online store, you'll be hard-pressed to find an option more affordable than Weebly.
Features
- Weebly comes with a variety of marketing and business tools for SEO, email marketing and website analytics.
- Weebly has a wide selection of ecommerce features, even in its free plan. This includes unlimited products, coupons, inventory management and more.
Pricing
If you want to connect a custom domain, you'll need to get a paid plan. Weebly offers three: Personal, Professional and Performance. The Personal plan costs $10 per month (billed annually) and covers most of the basics you'll need for a business website or online store (though it does have ads).
For an ad-free website with unlimited storage, analytics and password protection, you'll need to upgrade to the Professional plan, which costs $12 per month (billed annually), or the Performance plan, which costs $26 per month (billed annually).
When we compared the plans, we found it hard to justify the $14 price difference between the Professional and Performance plan since they share most features. So, unless you need to accept payments via PayPal or send abandoned cart emails, we'd recommend the Professional plan.
Weebly is undoubtedly one of the cheapest website builders you'll come across. It's also one of the easiest to get up and running fast because of its user-friendly drag-and-drop interface.
If you want to create a simple business or ecommerce website and you're on a tight budget, the Weebly website builder is a worthwhile choice. If you want more design flexibility and customization options, you may prefer other website builders like Wix or Squarespace.
People often confuse WordPress.com and WordPress.org. While the two platforms are provided by the same company (Automattic), there's a key difference between them. WordPress.org is a self-hosted platform, meaning you'll need to purchase a domain name and web hosting to set up a site. On the other hand, WordPress.com comes with web hosting, and you can connect a domain name directly from it, making it easier to set up a site.
The WordPress website builder isn't as intuitive as other website builders, so it isn't suitable for those who need to build sites quickly. On the other hand, if you want to set up a blog and don't mind a minimalist design, it could be a great option for you.
Features
- With WordPress, you'll get thousands of premium themes you can install to create a professional-looking site.
- You'll also gain access to thousands of plugins that can add functionality to your site. Whether you want to create a membership site, generate leads for your business or start an online store, you'll probably find a plugin to do just about anything you need.
Pricing
While WordPress.com comes with a free plan, it offers limited features, it isn't ad-free, and you won't be able to connect to a custom domain. If you want to remove ads and add a custom domain, you'll need to upgrade to one of the platform's paid plans.
WordPress.com offers four paid plans ranging from $4 to $45 (billed yearly). Unfortunately, the two lower-tier plans won't unlock access to the platform's large collection of plugins and themes. If you want to access them, you'll need to upgrade to the Business or eCommerce plan, which cost $25 and $45, respectively.
WordPress isn't the best website creator for absolute beginners. It doesn't have an intuitive website editor like Wix, Weebly or GoDaddy, and you'll need technical know-how to perform some tasks. It also isn't suitable for ecommerce because, at $45 per month, it's pretty costly compared to other website builders like Weebly, Wix or Squarespace.
However, it may be a worthwhile option if you want to build a blog and have some technical experience.
Other Companies We Considered
So far, we've explored seven of our top picks for the best website builder of 2022. Besides the builders already listed, here are some other notable mentions:
Zyro
If you've created a website using Wix, you'll feel at home using Zyro. Its drag-and-drop editor has a Wix-like feel, and it even has an AI tool you can use to set up a website in just a few minutes, like Wix. Check it out if you're looking for a low-cost alternative to Wix.
Editor X
While Wix is one of the best website builders on the market, it sometimes gets a bad rap for being too simple and limited. Unfortunately, it hasn't managed to shake off this reputation. That's why to target more tech-savvy users, Wix launched Editor X in 2020. Like Webflow, Wix is more tailored toward designers and web development agencies. Editor X isn't quite as advanced as Webflow yet, but it's one to watch.
Carrd
Carrd isn't ideal for many things. It only excels at one thing — creating one-page websites. This makes it an excellent builder for creating portfolio websites and landing pages. Plus, its Pro plan only costs $19 annually.
Square Online
While Square is known for its payment services, it also offers a website builder called Square Online. Square Online primarily focuses on ecommerce like Shopify. Square doesn't have as many customization options or apps, but we think it's worth checking out because it has one of the best free plans for online stores. If you run a restaurant, you should also check out the platform's Square for Restaurants service, which offers several tailor-made restaurant tools.
IONOS
Like GoDaddy, IONOS (formerly known as 1&1) is a popular hosting provider that also offers a website builder. The IONOS website builder is particularly tailored to small businesses, and it has a plan starting at just $1 per month, making it an appealing website builder for website design on a budget.
Best Website Builders Guide
Now that you're familiar with various website builders, you're probably itching to try one out. Before you pick one and start building your home page, read on to learn more about how to choose the best website builder for your needs.
How does a website builder work?
Web developers and designers usually build websites by writing code. In contrast, website builders allow users to build websites without writing any code, typically using a drag-and-drop editor.
The website creation process is pretty simple. When you drag and drop elements such as text or images into a website builder's editor, the builder will convert them into HTML, CSS or JavaScript files that your browser can understand. That means you won't have to write a single line of code.
Besides their intuitive drag-and-drop editors, many website builders also offer web hosting services, making them an excellent way to build websites fast without worrying about technical aspects.
How to choose the best website builder
There are numerous website builders available, each offering something unique, so here are some key factors to consider:
Ease of use: Ideally, you'll want to pick a website builder that you're comfortable using. Choose one with an intuitive drag-and-drop editor if you have no experience building websites.
Storage and bandwidth: While most website builders provide unlimited storage and bandwidth, some place a cap on both, like Wix. Pick a builder that offers unlimited storage and bandwidth if you want to build a media-heavy site or anticipate receiving thousands of visitors.
Customization options: Some website builders offer many customization options, while others have limited options. Pick a builder that provides several customization options if you want to achieve a particular look.
Domains and hosting: Besides the tool you'll use to create your site, you'll also require two other things: a web host and a domain name. A web host is a service that allows you to publish your website online, while a domain name is the web address people use to reach your site. Generally, most website builders offer both of these services with their paid plans. However, some builders, like GoDaddy, don't include them with paid plans. Double-check what the builder you're considering offers to avoid surprises down the line. Ideally, you'll want to pick an option that provides hosting and website builder tools.
Pricing: Many website builders offer free plans with limited features, so you'll need to purchase a paid plan to unlock features like custom domain names and unlimited storage.
Mobile-friendliness: Nowadays, many people browse the web on mobile devices, meaning you could lose out on lots of traffic if your site doesn't look good on mobile. Choose a website builder that allows easy testing of how your website looks across various devices or one that offers mobile-responsive templates.
What are your website's goals?
Different websites serve different purposes. While online stores aim to sell products, portfolio websites aim to showcase projects and attract clients. Therefore, you'll need to establish the main purpose of your site before choosing the best website builder for your needs.
By determining your website's primary goal, you'll be able to focus on the features you need, and you won't get distracted by the bells and whistles you may encounter on some website builders.
For instance, if you run a medium-sized business and want to start an online store, then Shopify and Square Online could be great options. If you're a blogger who wants to publish content quickly while on the go, WordPress offers powerful blogging capabilities.
If you have technical experience and build websites for clients with a team of other designers, then you'll want to look into robust website builders like Webflow and Editor X. If you're a creative who wants an aesthetically pleasing website to display projects, Squarespace could be an excellent option for you because of its elegant templates.
And if you want to build a simple website fast with minimal hassle, then Wix, Weebly and GoDaddy could all be worthwhile options.
Website Builders FAQ
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How We Chose the Best Website Builders
Many website builders have positive reviews about how awesome they are on their websites. But we didn't take their word for it. We conducted rigorous research on 15 different website builders to select only the very best
We paid close attention to key features offered by the various builders, such as storage, bandwidth, third-party integrations, templates and marketing tools. We also compared the pricing of various plans against the features they offered to determine whether they were good value. Furthermore, we checked out more than a dozen online reviews for each of the tools listed to see where there was general agreement.
Summary of the Best Website Builders of 2023
- Wix R11; Best for Beginners
- GoDaddy R11; Best for Simple Websites
- Squarespace R11; Best for Modern Templates
- Webflow R11; Best for Customized Sites
- Shopify R11; Best for Online Stores
- Weebly R11; Best Free Website Builder
- WordPress.com R11; Best for Bloggers
If you're still unsure which one to pick, try out one of the easy-to-use free website builders, like Weebly or GoDaddy. It's risk-free, and at least you'll make progress toward creating your site.
Happy creating!
