Best drag-and-drop website builders
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A drag-and-drop web builder is a tool that lets you create websites by simply dragging elements onto a page without writing any code. These builders are intuitive and user-friendly, making them ideal for beginners or anyone without coding skills. From images to videos, you can easily drop multimedia onto the page and have a polished website in minutes.
Keep reading to find my list of the best drag-and-drop web builders.
7 best drag-and-drop website builders: shortlist
- Hostinger Website Builder – most flexible and best drag-and-drop builder, From $2.78/month
- Squarespace – visually advanced drag-and-drop website builder, From $16.00/month
- IONOS – drag-and-drop builder with many different features, From $1/month
- SITE123 – beginner-focused drag-and-drop website builder, From $12.80/month
- Shopify – e-commerce focused website builder, From $29.00/month
- Web.com – easy drag-and-drop website builder, From $1.95/month
- GoDaddy website builder – great price-to-value drag-and-drop builder, From $9.99/month
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.
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Drag-and-drop website builders allow you to create a website without coding. All you need to do is select a template and drag pre-set elements onto the page.
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The website builders on this list offer customizable templates and tools that allow you to create anything, from a blog to a fully functional eCommerce store.
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Drag-and-drop website builders offer flexibility, while section-based ones focus on simplicity and provide a more streamlined approach.
Best drag-and-drop web builders: detailed review
The Cybernews research team and I reviewed 32 web builders and listed 7 of the best ones below. They all have drag-and-drop website editors, perform great, and are intuitive and user-friendly.
1. Hostinger website builder – top drag-and-drop builder overall
| Editor: | Drag-and-drop |
| Templates: | 150+ modern templates |
| Price: | From $2.78/month |
| Current deal: | Get Hostinger Website Builder, 77% OFF + free months |
Hostinger ranks #1 on my list of the best drag-and-drop website builders. Hostinger is for everyone, from beginners to experienced users looking to quickly create a professional-looking website. It provides easy-to-use 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 simple |
| Business site | Easy to use, built-in AI tools, 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 | Some features are still in development |
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, like with the following pick on this list, Squarespace, you can ignore these suggestions and freely 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. Yet it still loaded in just 1.1 seconds. It’s 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 $2.78/month to $3.71/month when you purchase a 48-month plan. Both plans come with up to 100 websites, 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 out the website builder but without the option to publish your site.
2. Squarespace – visually pleasing website builder for selling online
| Editor: | Drag-and-drop |
| Templates: | 230+ |
| 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 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 be very simple |
| Business site | Easy to use with built-in AI tools, SEO tools | Limited third-party integrations, some tools require additional payment |
| eCommerce site | Affordable to start, includes visitor remarketing, no commission fees on higher plans | Some features are still in development |
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.
I liked that the Squarespace 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.
3. IONOS – feature-rich drag-and-drop builder
| Editor: | Drag-and-drop |
| Templates: | Only 35 templates |
| 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 is 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 a bit too corporate |
| Business site | Templates are designed for corporate businesses | Features are limited and 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, IONOS web builder does not 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 is 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, though 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.
4. SITE123 – beginner-friendly way to build a website
| Editor: | Drag-and-drop |
| Templates: | 80+ simple templates |
| Price: | Free version, paid plans start from $12.80/month |
| Current deal: | SITE123 from $12.80/month |
SITE123’s name reflects its philosophy: get a fully functional site in minutes. 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 them quickly and easily.
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
A nice SITE123 feature is the free plan, even though it’s limited in features. The Basic ($12.80/month) and Advanced ($21.33/month) plans are more 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.
5. Shopify – eCommerce-focused online store builder
| Editor: | Drag-and-drop |
| Templates: | 230+ |
| Price: | From $29.00/month |
| Current deal: | Try Shopify free for 3 days + 3 month for $1 |
Shopify is an eCommerce builder that allows individuals and businesses to create online stores within seconds, thanks 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 | Compared to dedicated blogging services, Shopify is quite limited with features |
| Portfolio site | SEO tools, analytics, and a wide range of pre-made templates | While user-friendly, mastering Shopify’s full potential may require some additional learning |
| Business site | Easy to set up and use, scales with your business growth | Monthly fees and transaction fees can add up, especially with additional 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, Shopify offers features for creating appointments, digital subscriptions, and online menus. 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 $399.00/month, depending on what functionalities you’re looking for. You can try Shopify free for 3 days, and then pay $1.00 for your first month.
6. Web.com – great website builder for small business
| Editor: | Drag-and-drop |
| Templates: | 200+ |
| Price: | From $1.95/month |
| Current deal: | Get Web.com builder, now 70% OFF |
Web.com 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, Web.com offers all the essential tools wrapped in a user-friendly package.
What website is Web.com 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 are not Web.com’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 Web.com drag-and-drop editor
Web.com makes our list not because it offers deep customization options but because it's one of the most beginner-friendly website builders. Web.com is great for small eCommerce sites. It has all the basics, like product pages and secure checkouts, but doesn’t overwhelm with too many features. It’s not as customizable as IONOS, but it’s a lot simpler to handle.
Web.com performance
For our Web.com 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
Web.com website builder pricing
Web.com has three plans. The pricing starts at $1.95/month and can go up to $9.99/month. Web.com does offer refunds, but 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 upgrade once you’re sure it’s right for you, as the money-back guarantee period is a lot shorter than what other competitors offer.
7. GoDaddy website builder – great price-to-value website builder for beginners
| Editor: | Drag-and-drop |
| Templates: | Over 240+ |
| Price: | Free version, paid plans start from $9.99/month |
| Current deal: | Get up to 50% OFF GoDaddy website builder |
GoDaddy Website Builder is ideal for individuals and businesses looking to build websites quickly and easily. As a comprehensive solution combining eCommerce, marketing tools, and website-building capabilities, this platform has everything a small business needs to launch successfully.
What website is GoDaddy's drag-and-drop editor suitable for?
| Website type | Benefits | Limitations |
| Blog | A straightforward blogging editor with effective SEO tools | The blogging editor is quite basic compared to other website builders with more advanced options |
| Portfolio site | Many modern design templates to showcase your art beautifully, paired with a user-friendly editor | Customization options are limited due to the straightforward design editor, which makes it easy to use |
| Business site | Basic site-building tools, strong business and marketing features, effective SEO tools | Limited website editing, SEO tools are not included in the cheapest plan |
| eCommerce site | Excellent eCommerce features, with helpful guides for beginners | There's only one plan that includes eCommerce functionality |
Using GoDaddy drag-and-drop editor
GoDaddy website builder incorporates a user-friendly drag-and-drop editor that allows you to customize and add sections, modify layouts, and select themes. Alternatively, you can utilize the Artificial Design Intelligence (ADI) feature.
I liked that GoDaddy has such key eCommerce features as product catalogs, secure payments, and promotional tools. GoDaddy allows the selling of both physical and digital products, and offers management features like AI-generated product descriptions and customer reviews.
GoDaddy performance
I built a website to test GoDaddy and evaluate how well it performs. The site loaded in approximately 1 second, which is one of the best loading times we’ve witnessed among all the providers on this list.
GoDaddy website builder pricing
GoDaddy website builder is the best option for those looking to build a simple personal site. For this, a Basic plan for $9.99/month is enough, but if you need access to premium features, the price can go up to $29.99/month. GoDaddy also provides a free version, allowing you to publish your site on a free subdomain. It also has a 7-day money-back policy.
Best drag-and-drop website builders comparison
Here's how each provider compares in terms of ratings, price, features, and more:
| Brand | Rating | Templates | Best website type | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hostinger website builder | 150+ modern templates | Portfolios, blogs, and simple websites | $2.78/month | |
| Squarespace | 230+ | Small to medium business websites | $16.00/month | |
| IONOS | Only 35 templates | Business sites and small eCommerce sites | $1.00/month | |
| SITE123 | 80+ simple templates | Small to medium eCommerce sites | $12.80/month | |
| Shopify | 230+ | Any size eCommerce websites | $29.00/month | |
| Web.com | 200+ | Small business and online stores | $1.95/month | |
| GoDaddy | Over 240+ | Small business sites and portfolios | $9.99/month |
How we tested best drag-and-drop web builders
To evaluate website builders and choose the best drag-and-drop options, together with the Cybernews research team, I looked into 32 providers. Throughout the review process, we focused on specific factors that determine a site builder's quality. Firstly, I excluded providers that don't offer drag-and-drop options, then I focused on performance and features. Here are all the factors we considered:
- Drag-and-drop functionality (35%). Not all website builders offer drag-and-drop functionality with their editors. We examined how each provider's builder compares to others. Shopify, though not strictly a drag-and-drop website builder, stands out on our list. It doesn't have a dedicated drag-and-drop feature, but makes up for it with strong customization options.
- 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 both the business and aesthetic aspects of a website are effectively addressed.
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Performance (25%). Performance is a crucial factor in creating a website that is seamless and efficient. We 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 7 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 add 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.
Best drag-and-drop website builders: video recap
Final thoughts
Selecting the optimal drag-and-drop website builder can be a daunting task due to the abundance of providers offering this functionality. However, not all of them deliver a comprehensive range of features, templates, and outstanding performance that aligns with your desired value for money. That’s why we reviewed 32 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+ modern templates. With Hostinger website builder, 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?
One disadvantage of drag-and-drop website builders is that they 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. There are plenty of builder options to do so with, for instance, you can try 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.
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