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I tested AI website builders for 3 months: my top 7 choices


AI website builders promise a lot: launch your site in minutes – no coding, no design struggles, no pulling your hair out because that one button refuses to line up. But let’s be honest, not all of them live up to that promise. Some are brilliant time-savers – others left me wondering how AI-powered they really are.

To find out which tools truly deliver, I spent 3 full months testing the most talked-about AI website builders out there. I clicked, dragged, typed, deleted, redesigned, and even broke a few templates (on purpose, of course) – all to see how they handle real-world needs.

In this guide, you’ll get a clear comparison of my best 7 AI web builder picks and honest recommendations on which builder fits which purpose best. Whether you’re starting a small business, setting up an online store, building a portfolio, or just want a personal site that doesn’t look like it was made in 2004, there’s an option here for you.

Let’s dive in and find the one that actually makes your website dreams a reality.

Best AI website builders for 2025

Akvile Tamasiuniene Ieva Jociūtė author Ugne Rinkeviciute editor sarunas karbauskas
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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.

33
Website builders tested
279
Websites built
558
Hours of extensive testing

What is an AI website builder?

AI web builder uses AI to help you build a website without coding, endless dragging, or hours spent tweaking design settings. You answer a few questions – like what your site is about, what style you want, maybe even what colors you like – and the AI does the hard work. In minutes, you get a complete, ready-to-publish website.

With traditional builders like WordPress or Wix (classic mode), you get a blank canvas or template, and it’s up to you to fill it. You manually choose the layout, fonts, colors, and page structure. It sounds fun at first, but quickly turns into decision overload. You can spend hours tweaking tiny things and still feel like your site isn’t there yet. I’ve done this myself – trust me, it gets exhausting.

AI builders skip that pain. They ask what you need, generate the whole structure for you, and even fill it with sample text and images based on your answers. You can then fine-tune it, but the hardest part – the starting point – is handled. It feels less like building and more like customizing something that’s already 80% done.

In short: traditional builders give you the tools; AI builders give you the result (and you tweak it from there).

Is it perfect? I’d say – not always. Some AI-generated designs can feel a bit generic, and if you want total creative control, you might bump into limits. But if you value speed, simplicity, and not Googling “how to fix header alignment in WordPress,” AI builders feel like a breath of fresh air.

My top 7 best AI web builders: comparison and detailed review

So, which AI website builders are actually worth your time – and which ones fit your needs best? Here’s a quick comparison to help you choose the right tool, whether you’re building a portfolio, an online store, or a business site.


Wix weekly dealsHostingerIONOSSquarespace logoshopify-weekly-deals-logoBluehostsite123
ProviderWix ADIHostinger web builderIONOS web builderSquarespaceShopifyBluehost web builderSITE123
Rating
4.8
4.6
4.5
4.4
4.4
4.3
4.2
Exclusive dealGet Wix with 50% OFFGet Hostinger Website Builder, 78% OFF + free monthsGet up to 91% OFF IONOS website builderGet up to 36% OFF SquarespaceTry Shopify free for 3 days + 3 months for $1Get up to 83% OFF Bluehost website builder!SITE123 from $12.80/month
Free plan✅ Yes❌ No✅ Yes✅ Yes❌ No❌ No✅ Yes
PricingFrom $10.50/monthFrom $2.69/monthFrom $1.00/monthFrom $16.00/monthFrom $29.00/monthFrom $1.99/monthFrom $12.80/month
AI featureWix AI for site generation, AI text, image, and video generators, AI-powered SEO suggestionsAI page generator, Kodee AI assistant, AI heatmap tool, AI text and image generators, AI blog post generator, AI SEO assistantAI SEO text generator, AI image generator, AI color palette tool, AI section generator, basic AI content suggestionsBlueprint AI site generator, AI website copy generator, AI section backgrounds, AI-powered SEO tools, brand identity AI tool, AI domain name generatorAI content generator for product descriptions and FAQs, AI insights for sales/inventory, AI store setup tool, AI-powered SEO and marketing toolsAI website builder, AI design suggestions, automated content generation, AI SEO recommendations, AI-powered drag-and-drop editorAI content generator for pages, menus, FAQs, blogs, AI product description generator, quick AI-powered setup wizard
Full reviewWix web builder reviewHostinger web builder reviewIONOS web builder reviewSquarespace web builder reviewShopify web builder reviewBluehost web builder reviewSITE123 web builder review

Below, I’ll walk you through my hands-on experience with each of these AI website builders – what they do well, where they fall short, and who they’re best suited for. If you’re also curious about Cybernews' top recommended website builders, check out this guide to the best website builders.

1. Wix AI – best website builder overall

Wix banner with product theme
Rating:
4.8
Free plan:✅ Yes
Pricing:$10.50/month
Money-back guarantee:✅ 14 days
Best deal:Get Hostinger Website Builder, 78% OFF + free months

Wix AI is an ADI-powered website builder designed for simplicity and speed. It helps users build websites by asking a few guiding questions and generating tailored templates based on the answers. Personally, I rank Wix as my #1 AI web builder due to its user-friendly approach and time-saving design features.

💡 Why I picked Wix as the best AI website builder overall?

I chose Wix AI as my top AI website builder because its AI tools are really easy to use and helpful for beginners. Instead of offering random templates, Wix ADI asks smart questions to understand your needs. And if you’re stuck, it even helps you shape your prompts. After your website is generated, you can keep refining it with AI assistance – from creating texts, images, and videos to building entire sections or even redesigning the theme.

⭐ My experience with Wix ADI – 4.9/5

I spent about a month testing Wix AI, focusing on speed, usability, and how well the AI understood different prompts. My first try was a personal tech blog – a single-line prompt "personal tech blog" and the result was too basic. But the second try, building a website for the imaginary local bakery, was far more impressive. I used prompt "a local bakery called Artisan Delights". Wix AI led me through helpful questions (and even showed examples on how to answer), which made the final site layout feel tailored and business-ready. For example, Wix suggested to add why the bakery is unique and even suggested that I can use "organic products" or "customizable orders" in this scenario.

The process itself was super beginner-friendly: answer a few guided prompts, wait under a minute, and you get a full site draft. No dragging, no coding – perfect for someone who just wants to get online fast.

On the other hand, when I regenerated the bakery site a few times, the templates still felt quite similar. A little more variety would make it feel fresher. Still, for beginners or small business owners looking for ease and speed, Wix AI is the go-to option based on my tests.

I also tested Wix AI’s text, section, and image generators, and with detailed prompts, the results were impressive. Texts and images were clean, polished, and ready to use without much tweaking. It made website-building really easy.

Wix Photo Studio
Wix text generator
Wix section generator

2. Hostinger – best AI web builder for personal blogs

hostinger website builder banner
Rating:
4.6
Free plan:❌ No
Pricing:$2.69/month
Money-back guarantee:✅ 30 days
Best deal:Get Hostinger Website Builder, 78% OFF + free months

If I had to pick just one AI website builder for a personal blog, Hostinger would be my top choice. It’s simple, affordable, and surprisingly smart for the price. It includes handy AI tools like image and text generators, as well as an AI heatmap, which is a really nice addition for bloggers.

💡 Why I picked Hostinger as the best AI website builder for personal blogs

Hostinger stood out to me because it just made the whole process feel easy. I loved how the AI Page Generator gave me ready-made pages in seconds that actually made sense for the blog ideas I had in mind. Plus, the Kodee AI Assistant was helpful – popping in with useful tips exactly when I needed them, not when I didn’t. Additionally, when I had my website ready, the AI Heatmap was handy for checking how to lay out the content better.

⭐ My experience with Hostinger Website Builder – 4.7/5

Like with Wix, I tried Hostinger’s AI Website Builder when testing my ideas for two completely different sites – a personal tech blog and a cozy little bakery page. For the blog, I kept the prompt simple: Personal tech blog where I post everything from techy-related world news to my product testing and reviews. To my surprise, the AI generated a modern, polished design in under a minute. It even pre-built several blog pages so I could instantly see how the site would look filled with posts.

For the bakery, I gave a short prompt about an organic-only local shop, and again, the result was quite nice. Not only did the design fit the cozy vibe, but it also filled the site with nice-looking images, videos, and ready-made text. What I didn’t expect was that it immediately asked me if I wanted to add a shop feature – no looking around to set that up later.

However, you have to keep in mind that customization feels limited if you want to build something fancy or complex. The grid is fairly free, but it can be tricky to align sections perfectly. Plus, some AI features come at an extra cost after the free credits run out. Still, for simple sites, the tool feels almost ready to publish from the start – I just needed to personalize the details.

As a perfectionist, I thought this project would eat up a whole week, but the first working version was good to go in 2 hours. I also found the AI Heatmap Tool unexpectedly useful – seeing exactly where visitors would probably click made me rethink a few design choices.

Hostinger AI image generator
Hostinger text generator
Hostinger AI blog post generator

3. IONOS – top budget-friendly AI web builder

ionos banner new
Rating:
4.5
Free plan:❌ No
Pricing:$1.00/month
Money-back guarantee:✅ 30 days
Best deal:Get up to 91% OFF IONOS website builder

IONOS is a reliable website builder designed mostly for those who want to keep things simple. It comes with a handful of helpful AI tools – like the AI SEO Text Generator – that make setting up basic SEO and content much faster. I’d personally place IONOS as my #3 pick for AI website builders, mainly because it does the job well for simple needs but feels limited compared to more advanced platforms like Wix or Hostinger.

💡 Why I picked IONOS as the best AI website builder for budget-conscious users

In my experience, IONOS stands out for those who simply want an affordable, easy way to get a site online without diving into too much customization. For just $1.00/month you get SEO text generator, image generator, and other basic AI tools. What I appreciated was how the AI SEO Text Generator saved me a lot of time – it suggested relevant keywords and descriptions right away, sparing me the usual hours spent researching SEO phrases manually.

⭐ My experience with IONOS website builder – 4.5/5

When testing IONOS, I tried creating websites using prompts similar to those I used with Wix and Hostinger. The AI helper asked me a few questions to understand my style preferences, then let me pick from some style variations before showing several generated templates. The whole process was quick and smooth. While the templates were really simple and minimalistic, I was actually impressed that they still looked pretty well put together and ready to use.

Here’s what stood out to me with IONOS: the AI SEO Text Generator actually worked surprisingly well for quick SEO boosts. What I didn’t expect was how much time this feature saved me – about 4 hours on keyword brainstorming alone.

But the rest of the AI tools felt a bit too simple. The Image Generator and Color Palette tools are fun to try but didn’t feel essential to my build process. And while the new AI Section Generator sounds great in theory, the content it generated felt generic compared to what I could create manually or using more advanced AI platforms.

For a quick, no-stress site setup IONOS was smooth and easy. But if you want deep customization or trendy designs, it probably won’t blow you away. That’s why I’d recommend it for small shops, personal portfolios, or local services that just want a solid online presence – nothing fancy, but reliable.

IONOS AI SEO text generator
IONOS text generator
IONOS AI builder

4. Squarespace – great AI web builder for visually stunning portfolios

Squarespace banner with user interface
Rating:
4.4
Free plan:✅ Yes
Pricing:$16.00/month
Money-back guarantee:✅ 14 days
Best deal:Get up to 36% OFF Squarespace

Squarespace is a go-to website builder famous for its sleek, professionally designed templates and easy drag-and-drop interface. Recently, it added AI-powered features that generate personalized layouts, images, and copy. This makes website creation way simpler, especially for users without much design experience. Personally, I’d place Squarespace as my top pick for portfolios and creative projects.

💡 Why I picked Squarespace as the best AI website builder for portfolios

For me, Squarespace nails the balance between smart automation and beautiful design. It’s important when you want a portfolio that looks polished without hours of tweaking. Its Blueprint AI asks just a few smart questions about your style and business, then whips up a tailored website in minutes. What really stands out is the ongoing Design Intelligence tool, offering one-click suggestions to refine your site’s look effortlessly.

⭐ My experience with Squarespace website builder – 4.5/5

Like with Wix and Hostinger, I tested Squarespace’s AI Blueprint by creating two different sites – a personal tech blog and a cozy bakery shop. Right from the start, Squarespace’s Blueprint AI asked me several clear questions about what kind of website I needed. I just needed to choose from its suggested settings like font style, color palette, and which sections I wanted to include. In less than a minute, the AI generated full websites – complete with images, written text, and fully built sections ready to go.

What stood out to me was how beginner-friendly the process felt. The tool basically made the first version of the site for me – I just had to personalize the texts and swap some images to make it feel like my own. Editing was pretty easy, but you should know that customization is a bit limited. Similar to Hostinger, you can’t just drop elements wherever you want – everything sticks to a grid, so you need to plan your layout a little.

However, after some edits, I started wondering if it might’ve been smarter to pick one of Squarespace’s pre-made templates instead – they actually look so stunning and polished that the AI-generated one felt a bit “safe” by comparison. Still, for a quick start or a simple portfolio (especially for photographers or videographers), this AI builder is really nice.

Squarespace text generator
Blueprint AI

5. Shopify – reliable AI web builder for your online store

Shopifybanner with website layout
Rating:
4.4
Free plan:❌ No
Pricing:$29.00/month
Money-back guarantee:❌ No
Best deal:Try Shopify free for 3 days + 3 months for $1

Shopify is my top pick for the best AI website builder for eCommerce stores – no surprise here. This platform stands out due to its deep eCommerce focus and a growing suite of AI features that make store creation and management faster and smarter.

💡 Why I Picked Shopify as the Best AI Website Builder for eCommerce?

From my experience in testing website builders, Shopify feels the most tailored to running an actual eCommerce business. What stood out to me was its combination of AI-driven tools like Shopify Magic, which practically writes your product descriptions and FAQ content for you, and Smart Sidekick, which gives sales and inventory insights you’d normally need a whole data team for.

⭐ My Experience With Shopify Website Builder – 4.4/5

When I built my test store manually, it took nearly 14 hours to sort out the setup, descriptions, SEO bits, and layout polishing. With Shopify’s AI features turned on, that shrank to just 4 hours. This time-saving alone makes Shopify the best for anyone wanting to run a real store without drowning in customizing.

Shopify Magic impressed me the most – I used detailed prompts for product descriptions ("organic cotton T-shirt for eco-conscious travelers," "minimalist leather backpack for urban commuters") and the results were spot on: SEO-friendly, natural-sounding, and ready to publish with just tiny tweaks. It even handled FAQ suggestions based on my store type.

What I didn’t expect was how helpful Smart Sidekick would be. I usually ignore these "insights" tools, but this one caught my attention – it pointed out which products were trending and where my inventory could run low based on my (imaginary) sales patterns. For a real store owner, this could make or break a campaign.

I also played with Shopify's new AI Store Setup Tool in May 2025 – gave it a simple store idea description and watched it build a basic theme with suggested blocks and layouts. Not perfect, but a fun time-saver to kickstart the creative process.

Shopify Magic
Shopify Smart Sidekick

6. Bluehost – easy-to-use web builder for small business

Bluehost
Rating:
4.3
Free plan:❌ No
Pricing:$1.99/month
Money-back guarantee:✅ 30 days
Best deal:Get up to 83% OFF Bluehost website builder!

Bluehost is my top pick for the best easy-to-use AI website builder for small businesses. This platform distinguishes itself with a streamlined, beginner-friendly approach and a growing suite of AI-powered features that make website creation and management faster and smarter.

💡 Why I picked bluehost as the best AI website builder for small businesses

From my experience testing website builders, Bluehost stands out for its simplicity and smart automation. The Bluehost WonderSuite, their AI-powered toolkit, asks a few straightforward questions about your business and style, then generates a tailored website in minutes. What impressed me most is how the platform’s AI tools – like WonderAssist – offer personalized design suggestions, automated content generation, and smart SEO recommendations to help your site look professional and perform well.

⭐ My experience with Bluehost website builder – 4.4/5

When I built test sites with Bluehost, the AI engine walked me through a quick setup, generating layouts, images, and content based on my inputs. For a local bakery and a personal consulting brand, the AI suggested relevant templates and even pre-filled sections with industry-appropriate copy and images. The drag-and-drop editor made it easy to personalize details, while the grid-based layout kept everything neat and professional.

What surprised me was how much time the AI tools saved – what would normally take a full day was condensed into just a couple of hours. The built-in SEO recommendations and content suggestions meant I didn’t have to start from scratch, and the staging environment let me preview changes before going live.

Bluehost’s eCommerce features are also notable: the AI builder can add product catalogs and payment options for small shops, with everything integrated into a secure, reliable hosting environment. While you won’t get endless creative freedom or the most advanced AI content tools, Bluehost is perfect for getting a polished, business-ready site online quickly and easily.

Bluehost’s AI website generator
Bluehost AI assistant

7. SITE123 – AI website builder for simple sites

site123
Rating:
4.2
Free plan:✅ Yes
Pricing:$1.99/month
Money-back guarantee:✅ 14 days
Best deal:Get up to 83% OFF Bluehost website builder!

SITE123 is my top pick for the AI website builder for simple sites. If you want to create a clean, functional website without diving into complex tools or settings, SITE123 is a fantastic choice. Its intuitive interface, beginner-friendly approach, and streamlined AI features make it ideal for anyone who values speed and simplicity over deep customization.

💡 Why I Picked SITE123 as the Best AI Website Builder for Simple Sites

SITE123 stands out for its simple setup and easy-to-use editing tools. The platform’s recently improved Text AI feature now covers even more page types – including restaurant menus, FAQs, blog posts, schedules, and testimonials. This means you can generate solid, relevant content for almost any section of your site with just a few prompts, saving hours you’d otherwise spend writing and revising.

⭐ My Experience With SITE123 Website Builder – 4.2/5

From my experience, SITE123 is incredibly user-friendly. The interface is clean and easy to navigate, making it perfect for beginners or anyone who wants to get online fast. The Text AI tool was a genuine time-saver for me: it generated content for FAQs, product descriptions, and blog posts in minutes, cutting my usual setup time to just 4.

While SITE123 doesn’t offer the most advanced AI capabilities or deep customization (like what you’d find on Hostinger or Wix), it excels at what it promises – quick site creation. The responsive design templates look good on any device and require minimal tweaking, so you can focus on your content rather than dealing with design details.

SITE123 AI web creator
SITE123 Text AI generator

Web builders testing methodology

At Cybernews, we follow a clear and transparent testing process to review website builders. For AI web builders, I started with %numberofreviews_webbuilders%% providers that promoted AI features. From that list, I handpicked 7 that met the key criteria – effective AI tools, beginner-friendly design, essential security features, and reliable performance. Over the course of 3 months, I tested each builder in depth to see how well they helped users create functional, great-looking websites. For performance and speed tests, our research team helped me monitor each created site's behavior using Grafana and GTmetrix.

  1. AI tools (40%). I evaluated each builder’s specific AI tools: AI design suggestions, AI-generated text, logo creators, and image generators. Testing the effectiveness of these tools was crucial, as not every builder offers fully developed AI functionality.
  2. Ease of use and setup speed (20%). To determine how quickly and easily beginners could get started, I measured the intuitiveness of the interface, setup process, and navigation. Builders with simpler workflows and helpful onboarding got higher scores.
  3. Templates and design flexibility (15%). I examined each builder’s template library, looking at the quality, variety, and customization options. Flexibility was also evaluated, particularly on how well designs adapted to different screen sizes.
  4. Security features (15%). Security is essential for any site, so I verified that each builder supported SSL certificates, data privacy policies, and other security features that protect users’ information. I used GTmetrix for security checks and load time evaluations.
  5. Performance and speed (10%). Using Grafana, I tested loading times, uptime, and general performance under traffic to ensure that each builder could handle typical usage and keep websites running smoothly.

After testing each provider, I assigned a final ranking based on overall performance in each category. The test results highlighted the best-performing builders in specific areas, such as business-oriented, eCommerce features, and beginner accessibility, allowing us to provide a well-rounded list.

Do I need an AI website builder?

Yes, absolutely. AI has quietly but firmly become the new standard in website building. Personally, I wouldn’t trust a builder that doesn’t include some form of AI – or worse, charges extra for it as if it’s some premium perk. When a builder integrates AI, it shows they’re keeping up with current trends and user needs.

From my own experience testing these tools, AI doesn’t always get everything 100% right. It’s not some magical brain that reads your mind and builds your dream site in one click. But here’s the beauty of it: AI gives you a real starting point. Instead of spending hours scrolling through endless templates or dragging boxes around trying to make things look right, you simply tell the AI what you want – your niche, your vibe, your site goal – and it gives out a layout tailored to that.

After that, you just tweak the details to make it yours. It saves time. It saves energy. And most importantly, it takes away the overwhelming blank-page feeling that every beginner fears.

Can I build a website for free with AI?

Yes, you can build a website for free with AI – but there are limits. Many AI website builders like Wix or Squarespace offer free plans that let you create a site using AI tools for design, content, and even logos. It’s a quick way to get a site draft without coding.

But here’s the catch: free versions often include builder branding, a subdomain (like yoursite.wixsite.com), and limited features. For a personal blog or portfolio, that’s fine. But if you want a professional, ad-free site with your own domain, you’ll likely need to upgrade to a paid plan.

Still – for testing ideas or building a simple site, AI-powered free plans work well.

My verdict: which AI web builder is the best?

After testing different AI website builders, my favorite is Wix AI. Why? Because it’s super easy to use, fast, and flexible. You just answer a few questions, and Wix AI creates a website for you that looks professional right away. Plus, it gives you tools to change things if you want – so it works well for both beginners and small business owners.

On the other hand, there are more tools that are great for specific needs. For example, if you want to start a simple blog, Hostinger is perfect. It’s cheap, easy to use, and comes with AI tools like Kodee and a page generator. The AI Heatmap also helps you see what parts of your page get the most attention.

Additionally, if you want to build a website without spending much, IONOS is a good option. It’s affordable and covers the basics. But it’s not the best if you want lots of custom features.

In the end, remember the best builder depends on what you need. Do you care more about design? Blogging? Online selling? Budget? Simplicity? Think about your goals first – then pick the tool that fits them best.wbuilde