Best drag-and-drop website builders
Our team of experts and researchers rigorously test and evaluate website builders through transparent, in-depth testing procedures and methods using both in-house and industry-approved tools.
Drawing on cybersecurity insights, we provide unbiased, empirical rankings and analysis to help users make informed digital platform choices.
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Creating a website no longer requires hours of programming and coding skills. With a drag-and-drop website builder you can create a professionally looking website fast without any technical skills.
All this is possible due to the drag-and-drop functionality that allows easily adding various elements, such as images, videos and text straight to the website. It makes website creation simple, fast, and beginner-friendly.
To help you find the best website builder, together with the Cybernews research team, I tested 33 builders. As a result, I selected top 6 drag-and-drop website builders with great performance, affordable pricing, and a broad selection of templates.
6 best drag-and-drop website builders: shortlist
- Hostinger Website Builder – drag-and-drop web builder with AI features, from $2.69/month
- IONOS – cheapest drag-and-drop website builder, from $1.00/month
- Squarespace – visually advanced drag-and-drop website builder, from $16.00/month
- Shopify – e-commerce-focused drag-and-drop website builder, from $29.00/month
- Network Solutions – drag-and-drop website builder for growing businesses, from $1.95/month
- SITE123 – beginner-focused drag-and-drop website builder, from $12.80/month
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Best drag-and-drop web builders: detailed review
Below, you'll find a detailed overview of my best 6 website builders with drag-and-drop functionality and their performance and price compared.
1. Hostinger Website Builder – AI-driven website builder
| Editor: | Drag-and-drop |
| Rating: | |
| Templates: | 150 |
| Price: | From $2.69/month |
| Current deal: | Get Hostinger Website Builder, 78% OFF + free months |
Hostinger is a great choice for everyone, from beginners to experienced users looking to quickly create a professional-looking website. It provides easy-to-use AI web creation tools, a large variety of attractive templates, and a user-friendly drag-and-drop editor. You can create modern websites in just a few minutes.
What website is Hostinger's drag-and-drop editor suitable for?
| Website type | Benefits | Limitations |
| Blog | Easy installation and attractive design options, along with the ability to schedule blog posts | Limited features, numerous tools need extra payment |
| Portfolio site | Beautiful modern templates for every taste, integration with galleries and other tools for showcasing your work | Limited functionalities, so the portfolio site might be very basic |
| Business site | Easy to use, built-in AI tools, and SEO tools | There’s no app store, some tools require additional payment |
| eCommerce site | Affordable to start, includes visitor remarketing, and has no commission fees | Limited scalability options |
Using Hostinger drag-and-drop editor
Hostinger Website Builder’s drag-and-drop editor allows you to easily add elements to your site and move them around. The overall interface isn’t cluttered and has intuitive navigation, so you won’t need a lot of time to figure out how to build a fully functional website. The editor uses a grid system to suggest alignments for page elements, ensuring visual clarity. However, you can ignore these suggestions and drag and drop elements wherever you like.
Hostinger performance
While testing Hostinger website builder, I saw exceptional performance. Even when I built a website with many elements, content blocks, and videos, it still loaded in just 1.1 seconds. This is an excellent result because these fast loading times reduce the likelihood of visitors leaving the site due to long loading periods.
Hostinger website builder pricing
Hostinger offers two website builder plans, ranging from $2.69/month to $3.41/month when you purchase a 48-month plan. The Premium plan comes with 25 and the Business with 50 websites, while both plans include a free domain for the first year, free email, and an AI website builder. Additionally, the Business plan includes AI tools and eCommerce features. Hostinger also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and a trial period to test the website builder without the option to publish your site.
2. IONOS – most affordable builder
| Editor: | Drag-and-drop |
| Rating: | |
| Templates: | 40 |
| Price: | From $1.00/month |
| Current deal: | Get up to 91% OFF IONOS website builder |
IONOS is a nice website builder that offers robust features suitable for both beginners and experienced users. It's most suitable for small businesses and blogs. However, more demanding users may find it lacking some essential features.
What website is IONOS's drag-and-drop editor suitable for?
| Website type | Benefits | Limitations |
| Blog | Simple setup and user-friendly tools | Not as visually appealing templates as with other providers, no scheduling tool |
| Portfolio site | Allows you to create photo galleries, add testimonials, and embed live feeds from your social media | Templates are a bit too corporate |
| Business site | Templates are designed for corporate businesses | Features are limited, scheduling or built-in online booking tools cost extra |
| eCommerce site | Features like competitor tracking and AI-generated post suggestions | Most eCommerce features require payment, so setting up an online store costs extra |
Using IONOS drag-and-drop editor
The IONOS editor AI-powered setup assists in the initial stages. It suggests templates and layouts based on the user's input on the type of website they want to create. However, the drag-and-drop editor is limited to fixed elements on the page and only covers the basics. For instance, there's no pop-up feature or extensive options when adding a new section. In my opinion, the IONOS web builder doesn't offer the same flexibility as other competitors.
On the other hand, IONOS would be perfect for those who don’t want to play around and get too creative with their design. That's because the customization options can seem somewhat limiting.
IONOS performance
Testing IONOS performance was challenging due to the inability to create an empty site for benchmarking. Instead, I tested a fully built site and a minimal template. Both websites performed similarly, indicating limitations with IONOS servers. While stable under heavy load, the platform may struggle with larger sites due to slower processing speeds and performance issues during high-traffic periods.
IONOS website builder pricing
IONOS pricing starts at $1.00/month for the first year, making it an economical choice. However, it may not offer as much flexibility or variety in templates as other competitors. If you want more features, unlimited webspace and webpages, its Pro plan costs $17.00/month. IONOS also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
3. Squarespace – best for stunning online stores
| Editor: | Drag-and-drop |
| Rating: | |
| Templates: | 186 |
| Price: | From $16.00/month |
| Current deal: | Get up to 36% OFF Squarespace |
Squarespace is a great website builder with beautiful templates and a solid array of marketing tools and features. It’s an excellent choice for artists and creative professionals looking to create stunning websites.
What website is Squarespace's drag-and-drop editor suitable for?
| Website type | Benefits | Limitations |
| Blog | Easy setup with a beginner-friendly blogging suite, along with the ability to schedule blog posts | Limited free features, advanced tools need extra payment |
| Portfolio site | Beautiful modern templates for every taste, integration with galleries and other tools for showcasing your work | Limited functionalities without applying CSS, so the portfolio site might look generic |
| Business site | Easy to use with built-in AI tools, SEO tools | Some tools require additional payment |
| eCommerce site | Affordable to start, includes visitor remarketing, no commission fees on higher plans | Limited eCommerce themes |
Using Squarespace drag-and-drop editor
Squarespace provides a straightforward drag-and-drop editor that allows you to move and customize different elements to suit your project requirements. With the Squarespace editor, you can effortlessly maintain a consistent style across your entire website, saving you from the laborious task of manual styling.
As highlighted in our Squarespace review, the editor ensures that the mobile version of your site is almost ready as soon as the desktop version is done. Unlike Hostinger, for instance, where I had to make significant adjustments to the mobile version to achieve the desired look.
Squarespace performance
I decided to put Squarespace to the test and evaluate its performance by building my website. Everything went smoothly, and the test site loaded in approximately 3 seconds, which is a satisfactory result that falls within Google's standards.
Squarespace website builder pricing
Squarespace subscriptions range from $16.00/month to $99.00/month when you choose an annual plan. The more expensive plans include features such as advanced website analytics, complete customization, and lower rates for Squarespace Payments. Squarespace also offers a 14-day free trial and discounts on long-term plans.
4. Shopify – top choice for full eCommerce sites
| Editor: | Drag-and-drop |
| Rating: | |
| Templates: | 240 |
| Price: | From $29.00/month |
| Current deal: | Try Shopify free for 3 days + 3 months for $1 |
Shopify is an eCommerce builder that allows individuals and businesses to create online stores within seconds, due to its user-friendly building experience. Shopify makes it into the list due to its extremely easy, customizable, and straightforward website-building process.
What website is Shopify's drag-and-drop editor suitable for?
| Website type | Benefits | Limitations |
| Blog | Easy to use, mobile friendly, seamless integration with eCommerce if you’re looking to start a blog for your shop | Shopify is mainly an eCommerce web builder, so features are limited |
| Portfolio site | SEO tools, analytics, and a wide range of pre-made templates | As an eCommerce oriented builder, Shopify has limited features required to build a portfolio site |
| Business site | Easy to set up and use, scales with your business growth | Monthly fees and transaction fees can increase, especially with adding extra apps and themes |
| eCommerce site | Supports numerous payment gateways, has an extensive app store with various plugins, built-in SEO tools | Some advanced features may only be available through paid apps, adding to operational costs |
Using Shopify drag-and-drop editor
Shopify made the list due to its extensive customization capabilities. Shopify is primarily an eCommerce website builder. In addition to basic online store tools, it offers features for creating appointments, digital subscriptions, and online menus, as highlighted in our Shopify review. It also has a clear item management and sales analytics menu. When it comes to designing your online store, Shopify provides drag-and-drop functionality that ensures straightforward navigation.
Shopify performance
I ran an in-house test by building a fully functional eCommerce site. Shopify loaded in less than 4 seconds, slightly exceeding the ideal speed recommended by Google. Additionally, the visual loading time was under 2 seconds, ensuring your visitors won't face prolonged waits on a blank loading screen.
Shopify website builder pricing
The only thing that stops me from truly relying on Shopify is its high cost. The prices start at $29.00/month and can go up to $299.00/month, depending on what functionalities you’re looking for. Fortunately, you can try Shopify free for 3 days and then pay $1.00 for your first 3 months.
5. Network Solutions – ideal for small business websites
| Editor: | Drag-and-drop |
| Rating: | |
| Templates: | 150+ |
| Price: | From $1.95/month |
| Current deal: | Get Network Solutions builder, now 70% OFF |
Network Solutions has carved a niche for itself as a straightforward web design editor for those who prefer simplicity over complexity. It's especially favored by beginners and small business owners who need to get a website up and running without delving into the nitty-gritty of web design. Whether you're looking to launch a small online store, a portfolio, or just a personal blog, Network Solutions offers all the essential tools wrapped in a user-friendly package.
What website is Network Solutions drag-and-drop editor suitable for?
| Website type | Benefits | Limitations |
| Blog | Simplistic blogging features, Google Analytics | 20 templates, not a blogging platform, limited functionalities |
| Portfolio site | Easy to use, social media integration | Only 16 available templates, portfolio sites aren't Network Solution’s main area of focus |
| Business site | Google Analytics and social media integrations, many business-oriented template designs | Limited business tools, entry plan doesn't include SEO tools |
| eCommerce site | Can sell up to 500 products, templates designed for online stores | Only available on the most expensive plan, limited eCommerce tools |
Using Network Solutions drag-and-drop editor
Network Solutions makes our list because it's one of the most beginner-friendly website builders. Network Solutions is great for small eCommerce sites. It has all the basics, like product pages and secure checkouts, but doesn’t overwhelm you with too many features. It’s not as customizable as IONOS, but is a lot simpler to handle.
Network Solutions performance
For our Network Solutions tests, we built a site and clocked an impressive page load time of 1.2 seconds, well below the 3 second mark that Google likes to see for good SEO. Fast loading times like this improve user experience and lower the bounce rate.
Network Solutions website builder pricing
Network Solutions has three plans. The pricing starts at $1.95/month and can go up to $9.99/month. While Network Solutions offers refunds, you have to contact them within 72 hours of your welcome email to get your money back. I suggest testing the builder on a free plan and upgrading only once you’re sure it’s right for you, as the money-back guarantee period is a lot shorter than what other competitors offer.
6. SITE123 – easiest website builder
| Editor: | Drag-and-drop |
| Rating: | |
| Templates: | 80 |
| Price: | Free version, paid plans start from $12.80/month |
| Current deal: | SITE123 from $12.80/month |
SITE123’s name reflects its philosophy: you can get a fully functional site up and running in a few simple steps. If you have your text and images ready, achieving this goal is entirely feasible – whether you’re creating an affiliate website, marketing your services, or starting to sell online. You can also use SITE123’s free images, videos, and icons to create a professional-looking website.
What website is SITE123's drag-and-drop editor suitable for?
| Website type | Benefits | Limitations |
| Blog | Robust SEO and marketing tools, ideal for optimization | Could use more tools focused on content |
| Portfolio site | Templates and content blocks that emphasize visuals | Customization options are limited |
| Business site | Online selling tools, email marketing, and a robust plugin library | The tools provided are basic – they work but leave much to be desired |
| eCommerce site | Provides straightforward sales features for beginners and robust SEO and marketing tools | The Professional, Gold, and Platinum plans provide a good eCommerce experience, allowing users to accept more payment gateways |
Using SITE123 drag-and-drop editor
SITE123 offers a practical editor that lets users customize different elements such as text, images, and layouts. With a focus on simplicity, the editor also provides pre-designed content blocks that you can add to your page and edit.
SITE123 performance
During our in-house SITE123 tests, it emerged as one of the fastest website builders. On top of that, despite incorporating numerous text blocks, images, videos, and even some heavy documents, the website I created loaded in less than a second, showcasing an exceptional outcome.
SITE123 website builder pricing
SITE123 offers a free plan, even though it’s limited in features. The Basic ($12.80/month) and Advanced ($21.33/month) plans are ideal for simple personal sites, while the expensive plans, like Professional ($41.00/month) and Gold ($55.00/month), are better suited to business websites with a focus on eCommerce.
Best drag-and-drop website builders comparison
| Website builder | Drag-and-drop functionality | Starting price | Templates |
| Hostinger website builder | ✅ Yes | $2.69/month | 150 |
| IONOS | ✅ Yes | $1.00/month | 40 |
| Squarespace | ✅ Yes | $16.00/month | 186 |
| Shopify | ✅ Yes | $29.00/month | 240 |
| Network Solutions | ✅ Yes | $1.95/month | 150+ |
| SITE123 | ✅ Yes | $12.80/month | 80 |
How we tested best drag-and-drop web builders
When reviewing website builders at Cybernews, we use a comprehensive testing methodology. You can find out more by visiting our how we test website builders page.
When choosing the best drag-and-drop options, together with the research team, I looked into 33 providers. Throughout the review process, I focused on specific factors that determine a site builder's quality. Firstly, I excluded providers that don't offer drag-and-drop options and then evaluated each provider based on these criteria:
- Drag-and-drop functionality (35%). I focused only on website builders that offer drag-and-drop functionality with their editors. Also, I examined how each provider's builder compares to others.
- Additional features (25%). In addition to the convenient drag-and-drop feature, it’s essential for a website builder to include tools that enable tracking and enhance site performance. As a result, my list has providers that offer a range of features, including SEO tools, marketing functionalities, eCommerce capabilities, and analytics. This ensures that a website's business and aesthetic aspects are effectively addressed.
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Performance (25%). Performance is a crucial factor in creating a seamless and efficient website. With our research team, I conducted tests by setting up fully functional websites with each provider. This process allowed us to evaluate the loading speed with tools like GTMetrix and determine if the performance aligns with Google's recommendations.
- Value for money (15%). My list of the top drag-and-drop website builders comprises providers that offer a variety of pricing options. All of these providers offer comprehensive features, templates, and customization options, providing transparency in what you are paying for and ensuring you get the best value for your money.
I ranked these providers from 1 to 6 based on their performance in the mentioned categories, comparing them with competitors and considering pricing. This ensures you get comprehensive and trustworthy recommendations for your website requirements.
Drag-and-drop vs section-based editors
Two types of editors are common in website builders – drag-and-drop and section-based. In the table below, I’ve analyzed the main differences between them.
| Drag-and-drop website builders | Section-based website builders |
| Freedom to place elements anywhere on the page | Layout is often restricted to predesigned content blocks |
| More detailed customization options | Better design consistency and responsiveness throughout the website |
| May require more time to master and adjust | Often times quicker to create a website |
| Often required extra code, which can slow down site speed | More optimized code, resulting in faster loading times |
| More long-term flexibility to grow your website | Some limitations as your needs or website grow |
Whether you choose a drag-and-drop or section-based website builder depends solely on your needs and experience. With a drag-and-drop builder, you have a steep learning curve, but you get more creative freedom and customization options.
On the other hand, section-based editors have some limitations. They restrict you to adding elements in specific areas, but this ensures your website is clean and well-structured.
Final thoughts
Selecting the optimal drag-and-drop website builder can be daunting due to the abundance of providers offering this functionality. However, not all website builders deliver a comprehensive range of features, templates, and outstanding performance that aligns with your desired value for money. That’s why we reviewed 58 providers and curated a list of the best ones.
Among the recommended options for a functional and budget-friendly drag-and-drop website builder, Hostinger stands out as the best one. It excels with its exceptional customization capabilities, fast website loading speeds, an extensive set of useful AI features, and a great selection of 150 templates. With Hostinger, you can enjoy a hassle-free web-building process, even if you don’t have any web development experience.
FAQ
What are the disadvantages of drag-and-drop website builders?
Drag-and-drop website builders can sometimes limit deep customization options compared to coding-based approaches. This can restrict flexibility for more complex projects or unique functionalities.
How do I create a drag-and-drop website?
You have to use a drag-and-drop builder like Hostinger. It’s a very good option for those looking to customize their website layout with a flexible drag-and-drop editor. Hostinger is intuitive and very simple to use, making your website building process a breeze.
Can you drag-and-drop WordPress?
Drag-and-drop function in WordPress is possible when you use a plugin like Elementor. It allows you to turn WordPress into a simple builder, letting you forget all the hardships that might come with using this content management system.
