Best website builders in 2025
Our team of experts closely collaborates with experienced researchers to thoroughly evaluate website builders and their feature sets. Rigorous internal testing methods are deployed to provide empirical evidence and offer accurate, independent web builder rankings.
We make sure the methodologies of our in-house tests are transparent and accessible to all readers.
Learn more
A website is necessary for business growth online, and that’s where website builders come in. Typically, one would expect that building a website from scratch requires technical knowledge and coding experience. But if you’re short on time and wish to develop a website with minimal effort, using a web builder is your best bet.
Cybernews’ in-house research team has been testing website builders for 3 consecutive years. Having tried and reviewed many web builders as part of my responsibilities at Cybernews, I am here to break it down for you. With the help of the Cybernews research team, I looked into 32 to compile a list of the 11 best website builders according to pricing, ease of use, results, and overall feel.
My list of the best website builders 2025
- Wix – best website builder in the market overall
- Hostinger Website Builder – best website builder with AI features
- Bluehost – best website builder for WordPress
- SITE123 – best website builder for beginners
- IONOS – best cheap website builder
- Shopify – website builder for eCommerce
- Weebly – best website builder for personal websites
- Squarespace – solid website builder for business
- Web.com – web builder for design flexibility
- GoDaddy – best website builder with a free version
- Zenfolio – good website builder for artist portfolio
Our in-house research team and expert writers work hand in hand to regularly test website builders and provide accurate and fact-checked information. Discover the ins and outs of how we test and evaluate website builders.
Best website builders of 2025 – detailed list
Over the past 6 months, the in-house research team and I have been looking into and researching 32 website builders to curate the Cybernews 11 best website builders list. Ranking them included a thorough hands-on experience of evaluating ease of use, templates and design flexibility, and features and functionality.
Finally, I tried creating different website types – from complex professional eCommerce shops to simple personal blogs – to see if the website builders can build sites for different needs.
Without further ado, let’s delve into the Cybernews’ top 11 website builders.
1. Wix – best website builder overall in 2025
| Drag-and-drop editor: | ✅ Yes |
| Templates: | 800+ |
| Starting price: | From $10.50/month |
| Free trial: | ❌ No, but has a free plan |
| Current deal: | Get Wix with 50% OFF |
Wix is Cybernews’ number one choice for website builders, thanks to its versatility and feature-packed subscription plans. According to the Wix review, it stands out as a top-tier website builder ideal for users of all skill levels.
Why is Wix the best website builder overall?
Wix is the best website builder, thanks to its versatility, features, and overall ease of use. The provider offers SSL encryption and a free domain for 1 year. Wix’s web builder also incorporates AI and drag-and-drop tools for quick and hassle-free website building.
On top of that, Wix has 24/7 customer care for top-notch assistance in cases of trouble and a 14-day money-back guarantee for new Premium or Studio site plans.
Wix overall rating
Wix excels in almost all possible categories, and that’s why it’s my number one pick for simple and quick website building. That said, Wix is on the pricier side and requires a bigger budget. From my experience, spending a bit more is worth it, considering the amount of features you gain in return.
| Feature | My experience | Rating |
| Price-to-value ratio | Although Wix web builder is one of the most versatile and advanced options, it’s pricier, with prices starting at $10.50/month. However, examining its features can reveal incredible value for creating a comprehensive website. | |
| Ease of use | Thanks to its intuitive drag-and-drop feature, Wix’s AI-powered web builder is excellent for building your website. This feature makes it easy to add any element, ensuring a hassle-free experience for all users. | |
| Templates and design flexibility | Wix offers an impressive selection of 800+ customizable templates paired with many design options to suit any vision. From my standpoint, the inclusion of innovative AI tools as design advisors makes website building a less stressful experience. | |
| Features | Wix's features vary depending on subscription plans and tiers. However, even the core plan offers a marketing suite, various payment options, and management systems suitable for most businesses. |
Wix is the best fit for most people and should be picked by anyone seeking an all-around solution. If you’re a beginner, Wix has a free version, making it suitable for those only getting into website building and looking for ways to try it out risk-free. More advanced users may go for a paid version and get all the features for more complex website-building solutions.
2. Hostinger Website Builder – top-tier website builder with integrated AI assistance
| Drag-and-drop editor: | ✅ Yes |
| Templates: | 150+ modern templates |
| Starting price: | From $2.32/month |
| Free trial: | ❌ No, but has a 30-day money-back guarantee |
| Current deal: | Get Hostinger Website Builder, 81% OFF + free months |
Hostinger Web Builder is #2 on the Cybernews best website builders list thanks to its affordability and integrated AI tools for easy navigation. It’s a perfect choice for people on a budget looking to build sleek and modern websites without much effort – the built-in AI services do almost all the work for you.
Why is Hostinger Website Builder the best builder with AI features?
When it comes to AI tools, Hostinger Website Builder tests showed that it outshines all other contenders on the list like Squarespace. Hostinger includes a comprehensive AI writer, image generator, SEO assistant, blog generator, and heatmap services, whereas Squarespace’s AI tools are limited in comparison regarding versatility.
By simply providing generic descriptions, you can utilize Hostinger Website Builder’s tools to create a website from scratch in no time. Not to mention all the other perks that come with it – an excellent uptime guarantee, a free SSL certificate, 24/7 customer support, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Hostinger Website Builder overall rating
I especially appreciate the Hostinger Website Builder’s orientation toward creating a visitor-friendly website. For instance, the AI heatmap tool can predict how users will navigate your site. It’s a pretty neat tool if you are looking to build and design a website for a larger traffic of users.
| Feature | My experience | Rating |
| Price-to-value ratio | For me, price is crucial when choosing a website building. Hence, I believe Hostinger excels as a top-tier web builder since it offers powerful features and reliability at a highly competitive cost, with prices starting from $2.32/month. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced website host, Hostinger’s pricing is perfect for any budget. | |
| Ease of use | Hostinger Website Builder boasts some of the best uses of AI tools I have seen. The integrated services simplify the process of building a website tenfold, making the whole experience much easier for beginners. | |
| Templates and design flexibility | While creating a beautiful website with Hostinger is easy, the website builder has some design limitations. For example, I found the fixed grid doesn’t allow for much customization, and the simple templates are too basic for my liking. That said, you are most likely to find a template that suits your needs from the 150 available. | |
| Features | Having personally explored Hostinger Website Builder, I was impressed by its unique features, including a mobile editor, AI heatmap, and over 20 integrated payment methods. Given its affordable pricing and extensive feature set, Hostinger delivers exceptional value for anyone looking to create a professional, high-performing website. |
Hostinger Website Builder is excellent for beginners with little technical knowledge. Its built-in AI tools make the overall web-building experience a breeze – you can get your website up and running in no time with minimal work, effort, and time spent.
3. Bluehost – best WordPress-optimized web builder
| Drag-and-drop editor: | ✅ Yes |
| Templates: | Over 300 |
| Starting price: | From $1.99/month |
| Free trial: | ❌ No, but has a 30-day money-back guarantee |
| Current deal: | Get up to 83% OFF Bluehost website builder! |
If you’re having trouble with WordPress’ content management system, Bluehost’s WonderSuite WordPress web builder may be the answer to your problems. With various mobile-responsive templates, built-in SEO tools, and integrated eCommerce functionalities through WooCommerce, it caters to beginners and more advanced users.
Why is Bluehost the best WordPress-optimized web builder?
With Bluehost’s WonderSuite WordPress and WooCommerce integration, the web builder is ideal for WordPress-optimized blogs and medium to large-sized eCommerce websites. Its rich library of stock photos, 1-click WordPress installation feature, 24/7 customer support, and integrated SEO tools make it an ideal option for website building without much technical expertise.
Bluehost overall rating
Bluehost’s WonderSuite web builder pricing is affordable, but its value reflects design flexibility. That said, Bluehost is a decent choice for budget-conscious users, especially those looking to host WordPress-optimized sites.
| Feature | My experience | Rating |
| Price-to-value ratio | Bluehost is one of the cheaper options in the market, with prices starting at $1.99/month. That said, looking at the value, I must say that the price is an appropriate reflection of it – you get significantly fewer resources, like limited bandwidth and storage. | |
| Ease of use | The web builder's interface resembles a WordPress plugin more than a standalone website builder and feels more cluttered than standard WordPress. While it includes drag-and-drop functionality, the interface feels dated and less user-friendly than Squarespace. | |
| Templates and design flexibility | Bluehost offers patterns that allow for more customization and adjustments based on your needs. I was able to find pre-made templates for different website types, and they all had modern designs. | |
| Features | All of the plans include most core features. However, Bluehost lacks several aspects, such as unlimited bandwidth. Thus, I believe this could be improved. |
The Bluehost website builder is best suited for beginners or budget-conscious users looking to create WordPress-optimized websites. Its integration with WordPress and affordability make it a good starting point, though advanced users may find the limited design flexibility and outdated interface restrictive for more complex projects.
4. SITE123 – best beginner-oriented web builder
| Drag-and-drop editor: | ✅ Yes |
| Templates: | 80+ simple templates |
| Starting price: | From $12.80/month |
| Free trial: | ❌ No, but has a 14-day money-back guarantee and a free plan |
| Current deal: | SITE123 from $12.80/month |
SITE123 is the best website builder for beginners due to its simplicity and ease of use. Its intuitive interface and accessible design tools make it an excellent choice for those new to website building.
Why is Site123 the best web builder for beginners?
SITE123 analysis showed that it is an excellent website builder for beginners thanks to its simplicity and user-friendliness. It includes core features like eCommerce, SEO, and marketing tools.
It’s also highly affordable, provides ample storage and bandwidth, and a free domain for a year. Even though its interface can feel outdated at times, the SITE123’s back-to-basics approach makes it ideal for beginners.
SITE123 overall rating
To put it simply, SITE123 excels in providing straightforward website-building services, making it the provider’s main strength. It’s easy to understand and navigate and doesn't require much effort or technical knowledge. However, if you’re looking to build a more advanced and complex website, I would advise against it.
| Feature | My experience | Rating |
| Price-to-value ratio | While not the most budget-friendly option, I can argue that SITE123 is versatile in terms of pricing. Since it has multiple paid tiers and a free version, users can find a subscription that fits their budget. | |
| Ease of use | SITE123 is the easiest web builder for beginners to grasp. It is also a considerable drawback since the oversimplicity may appear lackluster to more advanced users seeking control over design and features. | |
| Templates and design flexibility | SITE123 offers a number of clean and professional-looking templates, although the customization options are somewhat limited compared to competitors. | |
| Features | SITE123 covers the basics regarding features and allows for the creation of decent-looking websites. That said, I think the lack of advanced tools and the limited eCommerce package is disappointing. |
SITE123 is best suited for beginners. Since it’s quite basic, the website-building process is effortless and quick. If you are looking to host a smaller website like a personal blog or a portfolio, SITE123 is your go-to for easy, quick, and simple web building.
5. IONOS – best website builder for budget-conscious users
| Drag-and-drop editor: | ✅ Yes |
| Templates: | Only 35 templates |
| Starting price: | From $1.00/month |
| Free trial: | ❌ No, but has a 30-day money-back guarantee |
| Current deal: | Get up to 91% OFF IONOS website builder |
IONOS’ MyWebsite Now website builder is an easy-to-use option that comes at highly affordable prices. With clean and modern templates and user-friendliness, the IONOS assessment showed its greatness as a solid website builder.
Why is IONOS the best affordable website builder?
In short, IONOS has great AI tools and excellent customer support and comes with a free domain for a year and a free SSL certificate.
Given the abundance of features, you’d expect to break the bank on such a website builder, but IONOS is reasonably priced, with introductory prices starting at $1.00/month.
IONOS overall rating
While IONOS is a strong contender for the Cybernews list of best web builders, the service would benefit from more templates and flexible customization options. Nevertheless, IONOS pricing variety makes it a tempting pick.
| Feature | My experience | Rating |
| Price-to-value ratio | IONOS has competitive pricing, significantly increasing resources as you upgrade to higher-tier plans. Although its entry-level offerings may be limited, the value becomes evident as you explore the features available in the more advanced options. | |
| Ease of use | The IONOS web builder was easy to use during my testing with drag-and-drop functionality. However, the interface appears clunky and could be more modern. | |
| Templates and design flexibility | IONOS provides a variety of templates tailored to different industries and users. However, compared to Wix, IONOS' selection of templates is less extensive and visually appealing. | |
| Features | IONOS provides a comprehensive range of features for small businesses and personal websites, including eCommerce packages, SEO tools, mobile optimization, and marketing resources. |
If you’re a budget-conscious user looking for a cheap solution, look no further because IONOS has excellent prices. Despite lacking in design, IONOS has proven to be a solid web builder with fast speeds and affordability.
6. Shopify – website builder with excellent eCommerce tools
| Drag-and-drop editor: | ✅ Yes |
| Templates: | 9 free templates, many more premium options |
| Starting price: | From $29.00/month |
| Free trial: | ✅ Yes, 3 days |
| Current deal: | Try Shopify free for 3 days + 1 month for $1 |
Shopify is the best eCommerce-oriented online shop builder. Its abundance of tools, such as analytics, marketing automation, advanced inventory management, gift cards, Shopify API access for custom apps, and market localizations, make the service the go-to for building an online shop from scratch.
Why is Shopify the best eCommerce website builder?
Shopify is a top-tier web builder that solely focuses on shops. Although not as straightforward as SITE123, Shopify tests revealed its capabilities for building more complex and advanced websites. Among other features included in the subscription packages, Shopify provides free SSL protection and PCI compliance, as well as AI tools.
Shopify overall rating
Shopify is an excellent choice for small startups and larger enterprises. It offers a robust suite of features to kickstart your online business. However, its premium pricing makes it a more costly option than other platforms.
| Feature | My experience | Rating |
| Price-to-value ratio | Shopify’s pricing makes it a premium platform that requires more money than you’d expect. However, considering the extensive eCommerce features provided, Shopify’s value for money is excellent, as even the cheapest plan for $29.00/month offers unlimited storage. | |
| Ease of use | Setting up an online store with Shopify is straightforward, even for those without technical skills. The user-friendly interface guides you through each step and offers numerous features to customize your store and manage inventory. | |
| Templates and design flexibility | Shopify offers a large selection of clean and modern templates designed for eCommerce. Many of them come with customizable options. However, I discovered they are not as flexible as I like, limiting my control abilities. | |
| Features | Shopify's features are its main selling points, making it one of the best eCommerce website builders available. It provides a wide range of advanced features, including unlimited product listings, comprehensive inventory management, and powerful tools for recovering abandoned carts and creating discount codes. |
Shopify is best suited for small startups and larger enterprises looking for multichannel selling opportunities and marketing features. Since Shopify specializes in eCommerce and has a heftier price tag, it may not be your go-to if you’re seeking to build a personal blog or a portfolio.
7. Weebly – best personal blog builder
| Drag-and-drop editor: | ✅ Yes |
| Templates: | 60+ simple templates |
| Starting price: | From $6.00/month |
| Free trial: | ❌ No, but has a free plan and a 30-day money-back guarantee |
| Current deal: | Get up to 33% OFF Weebly |
Weebly is a great website builder for personal blogs due to its user-friendly interface and the fact that there is no need for technical skills. It includes post scheduling, social sharing options, comment management tools, and integrations with Disqus and Facebook for reader interaction.
Why is Weebly best for building personal websites?
Weebly analysis showed that its main selling points are the drag-and-drop editor, customizable tools, and multimedia integration capabilities. Weebly also caters to small businesses by including some eCommerce functionalities, like analytical tools, marketing options, shopping cart functionality, and payment processing options.
Weebly overall rating
In sum, Weebly is an easy-to-use platform that doesn’t require technical knowledge. However, its simplicity may be underwhelming to those seeking extensive customization options.
| Feature | My experience | Rating |
| Price-to-value ratio | Weebly offers cost-effective plans with a wide range of features, making it an excellent value option for individuals and small businesses. | |
| Ease of use | Weebly is one of the most user-friendly web builders. It is easy to understand and navigate, and I especially enjoyed the excellent use of its drag-and-drop functionality. | |
| Templates and design flexibility | Weebly offers a limited selection of templates and more restrictive customization options. However, it does provide HTML/CSS editing for more advanced users. | |
| Features | Weebly provides eCommerce capabilities and blogging tools. For instance, I enjoyed the integrated image editor, which allows for basic graphic adjustments. That said, Weebly does not offer advanced eCommerce features like Shopify. |
Weebly is perfect for building personal blogs and small online stores. Its integrated blogging features and basic eCommerce options make it ideal for sharing ideas or starting a small online business.
8. Squarespace – great business-oriented website builder
| Drag-and-drop editor: | ✅ Yes |
| Templates: | 230+ |
| Starting price: | From $16.00/month |
| Free trial: | ✅ Yes, 14 days |
| Current deal: | Get up to 36% OFF Squarespace |
Squarespace’s professional templates and robust functionality make it ideal for growth-focused businesses. It offers built-in eCommerce features, essential marketing tools like email campaigns and SEO optimization, and advanced analytics to track performance.
Why is Squarespace the best business-oriented website builder?
Squarespace evaluation showed that the web builder excels thanks to its comprehensive eCommerce tools for managing online stores, the Fluid Engine drag-and-drop editor with great control over the layout and positioning of elements, and various marketing features.
Squarespace also has 24/7 customer support through live chat and email and an extensive knowledge base with excellent tutorials and guides.
Squarespace overall rating
Squarespace is a strong choice for businesses looking to establish a professional online presence quickly and effectively. Thanks to built-in marketing features like email campaigns, social media integrations, and advertising tools, it's an effective and easy-to-understand solution.
| Feature | My experience | Rating |
| Price-to-value ratio | Despite not being the most budget-friendly choice on the market, Squarespace provides exceptional value. The price tag seems worth considering the high-quality design elements, comprehensive features, and seamless user experience Squarespace offers. | |
| Ease of use | Squarespace is relatively easy to use, especially for beginners, although it is slightly more complex than other web builders. Particularly when it comes to design customization, there is a bit of a learning curve. | |
| Templates and design flexibility | Squarespace is one of the best providers in this category. It offers several modern, highly professional-looking templates with high customizability. | |
| Features | Squarespace covers all of the essential features for a web builder and advanced tools, such as a custom site search engine, custom CSS support, and mobile optimization. |
Squarespace is the perfect choice if you’re looking to host an online store. It’s scalable and has excellent eCommerce tools for managing your business. Not to mention that Squarespace is easy to use and understand, so you won’t have trouble putting your store together in no time.
9. Web.com – website builder with versatile design options
| Drag-and-drop editor: | ✅ Yes |
| Templates: | 200+ |
| Starting price: | From $1.95/month |
| Free trial: | ✅ Yes, 30 days |
| Current deal: | Get Web.com builder, now 70% OFF |
Web.com earns its spot on the Cybernews list for best website builders thanks to its responsive and clean template designs. For an additional cost, Web.com also provides professional design services for users who wish to have their sites built by experts based on specific requirements.
Why is Web.com best for design flexibility?
Web.com offers various design tools, including a user-friendly drag-and-drop builder, customizable templates, and responsive design for any device. It supports eCommerce and blogging features, as well as basic SEO and social media integration.
There’s also reliable customer support and professional design services for website creation and maintenance.
Web.com overall rating
Previous Web.com evaluation showed that it is a solid option for users seeking an easy-to-use website builder with good eCommerce capabilities and templates at an affordable price. With Web.com, you can establish an online presence and build your website without significant investment.
| Feature | My experience | Rating |
| Price-to-value ratio | When it comes to Web.com’s pricing, things can get confusing. The introductory prices are tempting and highly affordable, but the renewal prices can increase threefold. Also, while Web.com offers the essential toolset for web building, it doesn’t provide the same level of value as other providers in the same pricing range. | |
| Ease of use | Web.com provides a simple and industry-standard drag-and-drop interface. While I appreciate the simplicity, the interface is outdated and clunky. | |
| Templates and design flexibility | Web.com offers a decent selection of templates suitable for various websites. That said, the overall design could be more polished. While template customization is indeed possible and one of Web.com’s strong suites, it is limited in terms of design. | |
| Features | Web.com offers essential features such as a drag-and-drop editor, SEO tools, and email marketing. However, many fundamental features require purchasing a premium plan, typically included as standard on other platforms. |
Web.com is a strong choice for small business owners, eCommerce operators, and individuals seeking an accessible, cost-effective solution for building a visually appealing website. It offers a professional design and a comprehensive range of digital services, making it an ideal platform for users of varying skill levels who want to establish an online presence.
10. GoDaddy – top website builder offering a free plan
| Drag-and-drop editor: | ✅ Yes |
| Templates: | Over 240+ |
| Starting price: | From $9.99/month |
| Free trial: | ✅ Yes, 14 days |
| Current deal: | Get up to 50% OFF GoDaddy website builder |
GoDaddy tests revealed that it is a great website builder with free hosting and subdomains without credit card requirements. Appealing mostly to small business owners and beginner users, GoDaddy is one of the best risk-free choices if you’re just starting out in website building.
Why is GoDaddy the best website builder with a free version?
GoDaddy's website builder features an intuitive drag-and-drop editor and over 100 mobile-responsive templates for various industries. It offers essential eCommerce tools, built-in SEO capabilities, and email and social media marketing integrations.
You can also take advantage of GoDaddy’s free 14-day trial for any plans and try it risk-free.
GoDaddy overall rating
GoDaddy is a solid choice for small business owners and beginners looking to quickly build a professional online presence. While it offers valuable marketing and SEO tools, its limited customization and higher pricing keep it from a higher rating.
| Feature | My experience | Rating |
| Price-to-value ratio | GoDaddy is an affordable website builder on the market. That said, considering the features included, its price-to-value ratio could be more impressive, and you can get more for a similar price with other providers. | |
| Ease of use | GoDaddy website builder offers a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface, making it ideal for beginners looking to create websites easily. However, it has limited customization options, which may not meet the needs of more advanced users seeking greater flexibility and control over their designs. | |
| Templates and design flexibility | The templates are modern and functional, but the customization is somewhat restrictive compared to competitors. Also, compared to Wix, GoDaddy doesn’t have many themes. | |
| Features | GoDaddy offers a range of essential features, including SEO tools, eCommerce capabilities, and various integrations. However, it may fall short compared to more advanced platforms, particularly regarding depth and sophisticated functionalities. |
Overall, GoDaddy is easy to use. It is suited for small to medium-sized websites, users with limited technical skills, and first-time web builder users. I especially recommend the free version – it’s an excellent sandbox for trying website building and understanding its gist.
11. Zenfolio – website builder for artists
| Drag-and-drop editor: | ✅ Yes |
| Templates: | About a dozen of templates available |
| Starting price: | From $7.00/month |
| Free trial: | ✅ Yes, 14 days |
| Current deal: | Get up to 50% OFF Zenfolio |
Zenfolio is a dedicated platform for photographers to showcase their portfolios. It offers essential features like client proofing, image galleries, and eCommerce tools for selling prints. While template options are somewhat limited, a Zenfolio review reports simplified creation of a professional online portfolio or store, making it easier to promote and sell work.
Why is Zenfolio best for art-oriented web building?
Zenfolio is a highly customizable platform tailored for photographers looking to build visually appealing portfolios. It stands out with robust eCommerce features and emphasizes client management and marketing tools. Integrating photo editing software, including an Adobe Lightroom plugin, enhances its functionality. Additionally, Zenfolio offers custom watermarks, unlimited storage, and support for 4K videos, making it an outstanding choice for photography professionals.
Zenfolio overall rating
Zenfolio is a reliable choice for portfolios and small businesses. It offers a user-friendly interface that simplifies the setup process. One of its standout features is the quick and straightforward website creation, enabling users to establish their online presence in just a few minutes.
| Feature | My experience | Rating |
| Price-to-value ratio | Zenfolio is an affordable website builder explicitly tailored for photographers. It provides essential tools for effective portfolio presentation. While it might not suit everyone's needs, it delivers substantial value for its cost, making it a worthwhile option for those in the photography field. | |
| Ease of use | Zenfolio offers visually appealing templates that effectively highlight your work with their attractive design. However, in terms of personalization, they may only partially meet the needs of users seeking extensive customization options, particularly compared to some of their competitors that provide a broader range of tailor-made features. | |
| Templates and design flexibility | The web builder is designed to create photo galleries, making it particularly effective in that area. While users can easily construct websites, the level of customization available may be limited. | |
| Features | The Zenfolio web builder is tailored specifically for artists, offering essential tools and features that cater to this audience's needs. However, it lacks some of the advanced functionalities available with competitor platforms like Bluehost’s DreamSuite and Hostinger Website Builder. |
The platform is transparent and clearly defines its target audience: artists. Having gone through the setup myself, Zenfolio is well suited for art-commerce-oriented websites. Its tools and designs are specifically tailored for individuals looking to showcase their portfolios or run a small business selling their artwork.
Compare website builders
As you can tell, the platforms covered in the Cybernews’ best web builders list have their strengths and weaknesses, making this an overall tight race. To help you make the final decision, see the table below for a breakdown of all the website builders for a concise comparison.
| Rating | Starting price | Performance | 24/7 customer support | Free domain | Free SSL | Ideal for | |
| Wix | From $10.50/month | Metrics a bit low, solid real-life performance | Yes | Yes | Yes | Any kind or size of website | |
| Hostinger Website Builder | From $2.32/month | Excellent performance | Yes | Yes | Yes | Professional blogs, eCommerce websites of all sizes | |
| Bluehost | From $1.99/month | Top-tier performance | Yes | Yes | Yes | eCommerce websites and blogs with higher traffic | |
| SITE123 | From $12.80/month | Excellent performance | Yes | Yes | Yes | Portfolio and personal blog websites | |
| IONOS | From $1/month | Solid performance, slower page loading speeds | Yes | Yes | Yes | Mobile-optimized and service-oriented business websites | |
| Shopify | From $29.00/month | Solid, but could still be improved | Yes | No | Yes | Medium to large-sized eCommerce websites | |
| Weebly | From $6/month | Small hiccups, overall good | Yes | No | Yes | Multilingual and small to medium-sized business websites | |
| Squarespace | From $16.00/month | Fits the industry standard | Yes | Yes | Yes | Event promotion websites and personal blogs | |
| Web.com | From $1.95/month | Satisfactory performance, slightly below average | Yes | Yes | Yes | Nonprofit organization and service-based websites | |
| GoDaddy | From $9.99/month | Fits the industry standard | Yes | Yes | Yes | Small to medium-sized business and eCommerce websites | |
| Zenfolio | From $7.00/month | Below average in terms of speed due to plenty of images | Yes | Yes | Yes | Artist portfolio and small eCommerce websites |
How we ranked website builders
Testing website builders requires a meticulous and thorough methodology to rank them fairly. Many website builders continue to introduce new tools and features. Thus, the market is constantly evolving, and real-time assessment with constant updates is the only way to stay atop all the developments in the web builder industry.
In collaboration with the in-house Cybernews research team, I monitored the website builders' progress for the past 6 months. I also took a hands-on approach to testing each builder to better understand how each operates.
Here are the main criteria I took into consideration when evaluating and subsequently ranking each platform covered in my list for the best website builders in 2025:
- User-friendliness (25%). A user-friendly website builder ensures that the user’s experience is what it’s supposed to be using such platforms – simple, quick, and easy. That’s why evaluating each website builder’s user-friendliness was one of the key factors determining the final ranking outcome. I assessed each website builder’s interface, navigation intricacies, and overall usability.
- Price-to-value ratio (25%). Since the pricing varies exponentially in the website builder market, a good price-to-value ratio is crucial if you do not want to overspend on a platform that doesn’t have the necessary core features or tools. For this reason, I reviewed each website builder’s pricing plans and what feature packages come with each of them. I determined which providers can provide a robust set of tools and functionalities at an affordable price.
- Tools and features (20%). A good website builder doesn’t compromise on essential features and aims to provide the latest innovations to take the users’ experience even further. I looked at what features each website builder offers and how it can simplify your website building. I first checked for essential features like a free SSL certificate, a free domain, SEO, eCommerce, and analytics tools. I also took a step further to test the integrated AI tools to check if they can fasten the process of building a chic and modern-looking website. I also took into consideration scalability opportunities in cases when websites grow and experience higher traffic.
- Templates and design flexibility (20%). Templates serve as foundational elements in web design, offering a variety of benefits that enhance both the design process and the final product. I reviewed each website builder’s templates and design flexibilities, assessed the modernity of themes available, and checked the number of total templates to ensure you can find the one that best suits your needs.
- Overall experience (10%). Finally, I looked into the overall experience with each website builder. This included contacting customer support to see the level of assistance, evaluating available guides and knowledge bases, and following a few tutorials. I also looked into customer reviews and community forums online to get a better feel for common issues and what other users think of certain platforms.
What is a website builder?
A website builder is a tool for creating and managing a website without needing any coding skills or technical knowledge. With a solid website builder, you can design your site with drag-and-drop tools and choose from pre-designed templates without breaking a sweat.
The website builder provides the necessary components, such as layouts, text blocks, and images. You simply arrange and customize them to create a unique website that fits your needs.
Truth be told, it doesn’t matter if you’re creating a personal blog, a portfolio for your work, or an online store. A website builder simplifies the entire process, saves much of your time, comes at an affordable price, and doesn’t require hours of learning how to use specific tools. It’s an excellent choice for small businesses, freelancers, and anyone looking to establish an online presence without the challenges of traditional web development.
How do website builders work
Website builders work by providing an accessible platform that combines templates, customization options, built-in features, and hosting services to facilitate easy website creation. The whole process can be likened to building blocks – you can create anything from separate pieces and make your vision come to life.
Most website builders operate similarly by providing the core functionalities. Website building usually begins with selecting a template – a pre-designed layout tailored for different website types, such as portfolios, blogs, or online stores. You can then customize it to fit your vision and adjust colors, fonts, and layouts. Everything can be conveniently placed using drag-and-drop functionality – a tool that allows arranging elements on an intuitive interface.
Website builders also have built-in features like contact forms, eCommerce options, and social media integrations. These tools enhance the website’s functionality without the need for additional plugins or custom code. Many builders even offer SEO tools to improve your site’s visibility on search engines.
Website builder vs CMS
Understanding the differences between website builders and content management systems (CMSs) is crucial when creating a website. Both are widely used to make websites, although they cater to different user needs and technical skills.
Below is a table depicting the main distinctions between website builders and CMSs.
| Website builder | CMS | |
| Description | A website builder is a user and beginner-friendly platform for creating websites without any coding knowledge. All it takes is a vision, and the website builder does the rest for you with pre-designed templates, drag-and-drop functionality, and integrated AI tools. Website builders also usually include hosting, so it’s essentially an all-in-one solution. | A CMS is software for managing and organizing website content. While it offers great flexibility and control, it usually requires technical knowledge and coding skills to fully utilize its capabilities. A CMS usually doesn’t include hosting or integrated plugins, so that will come at an extra cost. |
| Benefits | The provider handles maintenance, which generally lowers costs. The provider also has integrated marketing, SEO, and other tools, often includes hosting, and offers quick setup with minimal steps. The provider usually doesn’t require technical knowledge and is user-friendly due to the drag-and-drop functionality. | An extensive library of many design templates, more scalability options, and highly customizable themes and plugins. |
| Limitations | Fewer design templates available, less scalable, and limited customization options. | The user is responsible for updates and security, has a longer and more complex setup, has a steeper learning curve, requires coding and technical knowledge, and can be more expensive due to separate hosting and plugins. |
What is the difference between website builder and web hosting?
Website builders and web hosting are essential components for creating and maintaining a website, but they serve distinct purposes. While a website builder is a platform that provides tools to develop and design a website, web hosting is a service that provides the infrastructure to store website files and make them accessible on the internet.
Many website builders include website hosting as part of their service. For instance, reputable website builders such as Wix, Squarespace, and Hostinger bundle hosting with their website creation tools. This allows users to publish their websites without needing separate hosting arrangements. Since purchasing hosting services can be costly, opting for a website builder can save you money.
That said, website-building-exclusive platforms often lack more technical infrastructure to support other platforms. For instance, Wix and Squarespace don’t allow users to host different types of websites, such as those built with a CMS like WordPress or Joomla. Simply put, Wix hosts all sites built on its platform using its proprietary technology, making it impossible to host a WordPress site on Wix’s infrastructure.
Free web builder vs paid
Choosing between free and paid web builders can be confusing. You might wonder why you should pay for a web builder if there are free plans available. To highlight the benefits and limitations of free and paid web builders, I’ve broken it down for you in the table below.
| Free website builders | Paid website builders | |
| Examples | Wix (free plan), Weebly (free plan), GoDaddy (free plan) | Wix (paid plans), Bluehost, IONOS |
| Benefits | Allow for the creation of websites for free without any upfront costs, excellent for testing and learning, and have basic templates available for simple websites. | Priority customer support, unlimited bandwidth and storage, access to advanced SEO, eCommerce, and AI tools, and more customization opportunities. |
| Limitations | Websites may be littered with intrusive ads, limited customer support, bandwidth, storage, and customization, fewer templates available, no custom domain or free SSL certificate, and a lack of advanced eCommerce, SEO, and analytics tools. | Recurring payments can be costly, more complex features that require technical knowledge, aggressive upselling attempts, and may still require extra investment in premium templates and plugins. |
Wrapping up
When selecting a website builder, it’s essential to consider the various options available, each with its strengths and weaknesses. Having gone through 11 web builders, I must declare Wix as the Cybernews’ #1 website builder overall. Wix is a premier website builder thanks to its versatility and ability to accommodate different types of websites.
That said, all providers on my list of 11 best website builders have proven reliable, and each is ideal for distinct types of websites. In the end, it’s all about assessing your needs and seeing which website builder can best meet them and make your vision come to life.
Is coding required for website builders?
No, website builders don’t require coding skills at all. That’s the advantage of website builders because they don’t require the time and effort you usually spend writing code. However, writing code for a website allows for more versatility since website builder platforms can be limiting.
Are website builders suitable for professional websites?
Yes, website builders are suitable for professional websites. Best web-building providers have enough resources and allow for quick and easy setup thanks to drag-and-drop functionalities and pre-made templates. That said, web builders may fall short with more complex websites containing unique features and advanced customization. In such instances, it’s best to go with professional developers for web coding.
What is the average cost to pay someone to build a website?
The price for commissioning someone to build a website significantly varies based on the site's complexity, the type of website being developed, and the developers' expertise. From my experience, having someone build a semi-complex website from scratch can cost at least $1000.
Can I build my own website for free?
Yes, you can build your website for free using various website builders that offer free plans. Website-building platforms like Wix and GoDaddy have free plans for easy and quick website creation.
How much should I pay for a website builder?
It’s best to assess and evaluate the price-to-value ratio to determine how much you should pay for a website builder. Since prices vary significantly, look into each web builder’s features, functionality, and affordability. Wix is the perfect example of a balanced price-to-value ratio. With prices starting at $10.50/month, Wix provides drag-and-drop functionality and AI tools, ease of use, and options for scalability.
Comments
What do you recommend?
If you are interested in building a website for authors specifically, you might find our article on "Best website builder for authors" (https://cybernews.com/best-website-builders/for-authors/) useful. :)
None of the builders here are specifically open-source, as that would also come with a lot of the drawbacks: namely security concerns, and lackluster optimization. If you're looking for excellent apps to use – Wix and Shopify have by far the best app stores, with both quality and quantity nicely accounted for.
Alternatively, you can check out WordPress: I've made a pretty extensive review that covers it. It's a good option, but it requires more skill and overall work to master.
There are a few routes you can take. You can go for something like Webflow, which is basically an advanced design tool, letting you make completely custom websites. Or something like WordPress, which is an extensive CMS, letting you customize it until it can barely tell itself apart.
But if you want something that looks professional, is customizable, and still offers the good ol' super simplicity, I'd do with Wix. You can do honestly whatever you want with that thing: especially if you know your way around PHP and HTML.
If you want to save money and your time, Zyro is an excellent pick. It's great for portfolios, because it looks good effortlessly, and is amazing, as long as you don't require a completely custom site.
I suggest giving Zyro a shot: purely going through the templates. If you like how a Zyro website looks, just follow the provided style, and it should be absolutely perfect. If you find the templates a bit too limiting, go for Wix. Both options are suitable for what you want, so it all boils down to personal aesthetic preference.
Zyro is definitely on the top of the list. It's either that or the Wix ADI, which will simply generate a website for you. I suggest you give both of them a go and purchase whichever feels right for you personally. "Ease of use" is something we understand in our own unique terms, after all.
I heavily suggest giving Squarespace a shot. It has a lot of solid business features, enables 2FA for additional security, and there have been no recent security incidents connected to it.
Not to mention it's one of the most intuitive website builders out there!
Any ideas or advice would be much appreciated!
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are markedmarked