Best website builder services for 2025
Website builders differ in their design flexibility, ease of use, features, and general functionality. That’s why I, together with the Cybernews team, have researched each provider’s templates, interface, features, and more. Each category was rated from 1 to 5. In this article, I review my top 10 website builders to help you pick the best one for your needs.
Note: The ratings and insights in this article are based on our team’s personal experiences and testing. The choice of the best website builder may vary among users with different needs, so be sure to evaluate your own website needs as well.
Our 5 best website builders in short
- Wix – best website builder overall with SEO tools
- Hostinger Website Builder – best AI-driven website builder for eCommerce
- SITE123 – best website builder for beginners
- Shopify – top website building service for businesses
- IONOS – best website builder for quick site creation
- Squarespace – fastest website builder with unique templates
There are 4 more providers on our detailed list to explore. Check out Web.com, Bluehost, GoDaddy, Zenfolio for more options.
The best website builders in 2025 – detailed list
After continuous testing, we ranked the top 10 website builders on the market. You’ll find different picks for different website needs – from quick five-minute builders to intricate pixel-perfect design tools. So, without further ado, here’s our list of best website builders in the market:
1. Wix – top feature-rich website builder
| Overall rating: | |
| Templates: | 900+ free themes |
| Pricing: | Free – $10.50/month |
| Current deal: | Get Wix with 50% OFF |
Packed with an abundance of features and well-functioning AI tools, Wix is my #1website builder today. I truly appreciate its simplistic yet modern interface, ease of use, and, most importantly, the websites I was able to create. Here’s how I ranked each aspect of Wix:
| Feature | Overview | Rating |
| Price-to-value ratio | Wix offers excellent value with plans starting at $10.50 per month, featuring free SSL, a free first-year domain, and an extensive app market, making it ideal for both beginners and experienced users. | |
| Templates | Wix offers over 900 customizable templates for various niches, all responsive for mobile and tablets. However, while flexible, once you choose a template, you can't switch without starting over. | |
| Ease of use | Wix is user-friendly, offering Wix AI builder for beginners and the Wix Editor for those who want hands-on control, making it accessible to all skill levels while still providing advanced customization options. | |
| Features | Wix offers a wide feature set, including SEO tools, eCommerce solutions, and email marketing via its Ascend platform. Additionally there is an extensive app store, regular backups, and free SSL certificates. | |
| Overall rating | Wix is a top-tier website builder with a user-friendly interface and advanced features, making it ideal for both beginners and professionals. On the other hand, it has some limitations like the inability to switch templates mid-build. |
If you’re eager to learn more, read the full Wix review here.
My experience with Wix
Wix has to be the best website builder I’ve tried out. It’s exceptionally easy to use and yet it has everything an advanced user would need to launch a successful website. The entire process from the very beginning was smooth. At first, Wix asked me what kind of website I’ll be creating and then I had to choose the editor. I could either let Wix do the entire job for me or customize one of their many templates – Wix offers over 900 customizable templates.
The AI editor quickly creates a website with minimal input, making it ideal for beginners, though it offers less customization than the Wix Editor, where you can choose templates, adjust fonts, and drag and drop elements. While the AI builder tailors the site to your needs based on detailed questions, you may need to be very specific to avoid misinterpretation, but adjustments can always be made afterward.
In general, Wix is a highly versatile website builder. Everyone from beginners to advanced users can benefit from the tools offered by Wix. Not to forget a massive template library, convenient AI tools to speed up the process, and even eCommerce integration.
Pricing
Wix provides a free plan, though it doesn't allow custom domain connections. Premium plans begin at $10.50/month, with a 14-day money-back guarantee included.
2. Hostinger Website Builder – best AI website builder for online stores
| Overall rating: | |
| Templates: | 150 |
| Pricing: | $2.69/month |
| Current deal: | Get Hostinger Website Builder, 78% OFF + free months |
A really close second on my list is Hostinger, a feature-packed AI website builder that lets you quickly create any type of site, including a full-fledged online store. Personally, I’m a big fan of Hostinger’s designer-made templates and intuitive drag-and-drop editor. Here’s how I ranked Hostinger Website Builder:
| Feature | Overview | Rating |
| Price-to-value ratio | Hostinger Website Builder offers excellent value. Starting at $2.69/month, the Premium plan gives you a free domain, free custom emails, marketing integrations, and 24/7 customer support. The Business plan unlocks the eCommerce functionality and the complete suite of AI tools. | |
| Templates | Hostinger Website Builder offers over 150 customizable templates for eCommerce, portfolios, blogs, and landing pages, ensuring a visually appealing and responsive experience across desktops, mobile phones, and tablets. | |
| Ease of use | With the AI builder, you can instantly create a fully functioning website by simply answering three questions. You can then customize your website further using the intuitive drag-and-drop editor. | |
| Features | The platform excels with its suite of AI tools, including the AI builder, AI image generator, AI writer, AI heatmap, and AI SEO tools. Another notable feature is its eCommerce functionality with over 20 payment methods and zero transaction fees. | |
| Overall rating | Hostinger Website Builder is easy to use yet feature-rich. With an intuitive drag-and-drop editor, powerful AI tools, and eCommerce functionality, it's hard to find a better value at this price point. |
If you’re eager to learn more, read the full Hostinger review here.
My experience with Hostinger
Needless to say, I’m a big fan of Hostinger Website Builder’s interface. It’s very modern-looking and simple to navigate. Setting up was smooth as well. Users are given the option to instantly create a website with its AI builder or pick one of the 150 pre-designed templates and customize it.
Using the AI builder, all I had to do was choose the website type, enter my brand name, and describe my project or brand. Hostinger Website Builder then instantly created a website based on my answers.
Once set up, Hostinger’s drag-and-drop editor is user-friendly with flexible design options, including the Smart Layout for alignment. Credits are needed for the AI tools, which include an image generator, writer, and heatmap.
You can also access insightful analytics and AI-powered SEO settings for suggestions on keywords and meta descriptions.
Last but not least, the online store functionality lets you sell up to 500 products, manage orders and stocks, set up shipping options, add taxes and discounts, and enable appointment bookings.
Pricing
Hostinger Website Builder doesn’t have a free version, but you can try it out risk-free using the 30-day money-back guarantee. There are two available plans, Premium and Business.
Starting at $2.69/month, Hostinger is significantly cheaper than most website builders available today Naturally, shorter-term subscriptions will cost a little bit more, but in comparison, Hostinger still offers more value for money than its competitors.
3. SITE123 – beginner-friendly and quick website-building tool
| Overall rating: | |
| Templates: | 160+ free themes |
| Pricing: | Free – $12.80/month |
| Current deal: | SITE123 from $12.80/month |
Although the SITE123’s interface is a bit outdated, this website builder still allows you to create lovely websites. You don’t need any coding skills and I feel like it’s best suited for small bloggers. In all honesty, I wouldn’t recommend this builder for creating online stores. After playing around with this website builder, here’s what I can say about it:
| Feature | Overview | Rating |
| Price-to-value ratio | SITE123 is an affordable option starting at $12.80 per month, ideal for beginners creating simple websites. Its free plan offers solid features, but it's better suited for basic projects rather than professional-grade sites. | |
| Templates | SITE123 offers over 160 categorized templates, even on the free plan, ideal for beginners with straightforward designs and limited customization. It stands out for its fast page load speeds, ensuring a responsive user experience. | |
| Ease of use | SITE123’s section-based ADI editor simplifies website building with pre-selected options, making it ideal for beginners. However, its simplicity may not meet professional standards, limiting its appeal to experienced designers. | |
| Features | SITE123 offers basic features suitable for personal or small business websites, including eCommerce, essential SEO tools, email marketing, SSL encryption, and autosave. You also get a free domain connection for the first year. | |
| Overall rating | SITE123 is a great choice for beginners due to its ease of use and affordability, but it lacks advanced customization and features, making it less suitable for complex or professional websites. It’s ideal for users needing a simple site quickly. |
If you’re eager to learn more, read the full SITE123 review here.
My experience with SITE123
The interface, in my opinion, is somewhat outdated. It doesn’t mean that SITE123 is unable to create beautiful websites though. When getting started, I was first asked what type of website do I want. You can choose from a website, an online store, a blog, or a landing page. Again, I think SITE123 doesn’t have what it takes to launch a good online store, but it suffices for all the other categories.
The editor itself is super straightforward. At the top, you’ll find items such as Pages, Design, Settings, and Domain. Once you click on any of these, you’ll see a menu on the left side of the preview. This is where the editing takes place. You can add new pages, change the color scheme, customize the menu on the website. You can even optimize your website for mobile, which I think is a nice touch, especially if you want to launch a blog or something of the sort.
SITE123 websites are built from interchangeable sections that you can edit easily, but you can't customize the layout beyond the options provided. While SITE123 is user-friendly and affordable, its design options are limited compared to the more modern aesthetics of Hostinger or Wix.
Pricing
SITE123 really keeps things as simple as possible. When you first go to their website, you’ll see only two options – a free plan and the Premium plan. However, there are more plans available once you’re logged in. You’ll find the Basic business package available for $12.80/month, then Advanced priced at $21.33/month and offering email marketing capabilities. The Professional plan costs $41.00/month, while the Gold and Platinum packages have all the eCommerce and marketing tools. The Gold and the Platinum plans may seem expensive, priced $55.00/month and $45.00/month respectively. However, the longer your subscription is, the cheaper your monthly payments will be.
4. Shopify – eCommerce-focused website builder
| Overall rating: | |
| Templates: | 9 free themes, 70+ paid and free templates, many premium third-party options |
| Pricing: | $29.00/month – $299.00/month |
| Current deal: | Try Shopify free for 3 days + 3 months for $1 |
Shopify is every sellers go-to. Made specifically for launching online shops, Shopify may not be an ideal choice for bloggers or visual artists. However, I feel like it’s even better to have rely on a service that focuses on one main thing. In Shopify’s case it’s launching professional-looking online stores. After trying it out, here’s what I have to say about Shopify:
| Feature | Overview | Rating |
| Price-to-value ratio | Shopify is a strong choice for entrepreneurs aiming to expand their online business. Although it can be pricey, with plans starting at $29.00 per month, its extensive tools and app marketplace offer excellent value, making the investment worthwhile. | |
| Templates | Shopify provides over 70 modern, responsive templates that ensure your store looks great on all devices. Each theme includes essential features like SEO, drop-down navigation, social media integration, and free updates for a professional, customizable appearance. | |
| Ease of use | Shopify's section-based editor is user-friendly for beginners but feels outdated compared to advanced, AI-driven options. While app integrations simplify many tasks, some customizations may require coding knowledge. | |
| Features | Shopify offers a comprehensive platform with features like automatic tax calculation, multiple shipping and payment options, abandoned cart recovery, and built-in email marketing. Its extensive app store and additional perks, such as free SSL protection and PCI compliance, enhance its functionality. | |
| Overall rating | Shopify is a top-tier eCommerce platform for serious online businesses, offering extensive features and customizable templates. However, it has a steeper learning curve and higher cost. |
If you’re eager to learn more, read the full Shopify review here.
My experience with Shopify
After playing around with Shopify, I can definitely say that Shopify makes difficult things simple. Making an online store with this builder was quite straightforward as the platform guided me through the process. At first, I had to answer a couple of questions about my business and was then taken to the dashboard.
As for the editor, it may look a bit outdated but it has all the necessary features. The menu is on the left-hand side and you can hide it anytime. Shopify allows users to add new sections to your site, including maps, images, blogs, and more. You can even create a custom section, so you do have more than enough design freedom.
A crucial thing about Shopify is that you can edit your website’s code, but only if you know what you’re doing. I had one look and came right back to editing premade Shopify’s themes. If you’re more advanced in HTML coding than I am, then with Shopify, you can truly craft the site of your dreams.
Pricing
Shopify’s Basic plan costs $29.00/month, offering unlimited products, discount codes, multi-language support, and standard analytics. The Shopify plan, at $79.00/month, adds 5 staff accounts and shipping insurance. The Advanced plan, priced at $299.00/month, provides custom reports, enhanced support, and global selling features.
5. IONOS – fast website-building solution for beginners
| Overall rating: | |
| Templates: | 20+ |
| Pricing: | $1.00/month – 17.00 |
| Current deal: | Get up to 91% OFF IONOS website builder |
IONOS is a website builder that will meet everyone’s needs. It offers pretty good analytics and even unique features like competitor tracking. It lacks certain customization options, but it’s a pretty solid website builder nonetheless. Here’s what I think about IONOS:
| Feature | Overview | Rating |
| Price-to-value ratio | IONOS is currently available at $1.00/month, making this website builder a pretty good deal. Packed with useful features like SEO and AI tools, and app integrations, I feel like IONOS really gives you what you pay for. | |
| Templates | Unfortunately, despite an abundance of features, IONOS offers merely 28 templates. The color palette is as basic as it gets, too. Not to mention that the fixed elements grid doesn’t allow you to adjust the sections however you like it. | |
| Ease of use | No complaints here. IONOS is simple enough as it is and if you add the help of AI on top of that, creating a good website will be exceptionally easy. | |
| Features | Users will find plenty of handy features, such as site analytics, SEO tools, eCommerce features, and competitor tracking that lets you inspect the keyword strategy of your competitors to help you improve your site’s visibility on Google. | |
| Overall rating | All in all, if it wasn’t for the lack of templates, IONOS would definitely rank so much higher. It has all you need for building a successful website, yet you get very limited customization options, which can be a bit disappointing if you have a specific design in mind. |
If you’re eager to learn more, read the full IONOS review here.
My experience with IONOS
The experience was overall positive with a few minor drawbacks. Once you register on their site, you will be directed straight to the website builder where you’ll be able to choose whether you want to build your website from a template or leave it to AI.
The process is similar to all previous providers. At first, the website builder will ask you a few general questions about your website and will then process this information to build your website. When comparing providers, I have to admit that Wix’s chatbot works better and the prompts I received were straight to the point.
After you’ve done all that, you’ll be able to customize your website. However, IONOS lacks colors and themes, giving you three options, namely Professional Blue, Elegant Gray, or Sleek Black. Naturally, this may not suit everyone’s business vision, so if you value customization over everything else, then maybe IONOS is not for you. Plus, users are not allowed to rearrange the sections, so the website you get is pretty much set in stone.
Pricing
IONOS doesn’t offer a free trial, but its Starter plan is very affordable at $1.00/month for the first six months, providing 10GB of storage and up to 10 websites. The Plus plan also starts at a discount but rises a month later; while it’s not the cheapest, it includes unique features like competitor tracking.
6. Squarespace – website builder with outstanding templates
| Overall rating: | |
| Templates: | Over 130+ modern themes |
| Pricing: | $16.00/month – $99.00/month |
| Current deal: | Get up to 36% OFF Squarespace |
Squarespace is a popular choice among those who need to launch a small business or start a blog. Since Squarespace’s interface is so pleasing to the eye, this provider is appreciated by many users worldwide. I had a look at it myself and here’s how I ranked Squarespace:
| Feature | Overview | Rating |
| Price-to-value ratio | Squarespace offers a premium set of features and stylish templates starting at $16.00 per month. While it's not the cheapest option, its comprehensive business tools and customizable design make it a valuable investment for creating a high-quality website. | |
| Templates | Squarespace offers around 130 professionally designed templates for various industries, allowing significant customization with easy section adjustments for a unique, polished look. | |
| Ease of use | The Squarespace editor is intuitive and user-friendly, offering easy customization with a clean, section-based design. The new Squarespace Blueprint feature simplifies the process with guided, professional layout options for a cohesive site. | |
| Features | Squarespace offers a comprehensive suite of features for business users, including robust eCommerce tools, integrated analytics, and various marketing and SEO functionalities. It supports Google Analytics and provides its own analytics, along with plugins for finance, shipping, and inventory management. | |
| Overall rating | Squarespace is definitely a convenient and easy to use website builder. Although it’s definitely on the pricier side, it makes up for it with a user-friendly interface, elegant templates, and robust marketing and analytics tools. |
If you’re eager to learn more, read the full Squarespace review here.
My experience with Squarespace
In general, I enjoyed using Squarespace. The interface looks sleek and modern, so it’s definitely a pleasure to use. In the very beginning, Squarespace asks if you want to pick a predesigned template or make a website from scratch. This website builder has around 130 templates that are divided into categories, such as fashion, travel, restaurants, events, weddings, and so on. Although it can’t compete with Wix’s template library, Squarespace delivers carefully crafted beautiful templates, so you can find the right fit for yourself.
The editor itself was also highly intuitive. I found everything I needed displayed on the left-side panel. Users will find options like Pages, Design, Commerce, Marketings, Analytics, and so on.
It’s all very straightforward. As for designing your website, Squarespace allows you to do it globally or on a single page. I found global design especially convenient, as it allows you to change fonts, styles, colors throughout the entire website, so you don’t miss any minor details by accident. When it comes to page design, you can edit or replace the pages individually, tailoring the website to your needs.
Overall, Squarespace definitely provides and intuitive and uncomplicated user experience. The editor is super easy to use even for beginner users.
Pricing
Yes, Squarespace is quite pricy. The cheapest subscription costs $16.00/month and it’s the simplest option for creating basic personal websites. You’ll get a free custom domain, mobile optimized websites, and 0% transaction fee on invoices. The Business plan is available for $23.00/month and has advanced website analytics on top of the basic features. The Basic Commerce plan cosats $39.00/month and has implemented selling tools to boost your business. The last plan is Advanced Commerce, priced $99.00/month, and has all the necessary tools for advanced sellers.
7. Web.com – great tool for starting an online store
| Overall rating: | |
| Templates: | Over 190 free themes |
| Pricing: | $1.95/month – $3.95/month |
| Current deal: | Get Web.com builder, now 70% OFF |
Web.com is not only a web hosting service, but it provides a fairly good website builder as well. Therefore, it’s a convenient solution for those looking to combine these two services. I have focused on the website builder part, so here’s how I rated each aspect of Web.com:
| Feature | Overview | Rating |
| Price-to-value ratio | Web.com offers a competitive price-to-value ratio, providing solid features at $x/month cost. For the price, you get 2GB of storage, five email addresses, and an hour of design support and that’s included in every subscription package. | |
| Templates | Web.com offers over 190 attractive, responsive templates for various industries. However, their row-based layout limits customization by restricting element movement. | |
| Ease of use | Web.com is user-friendly, featuring a DIY approach and an AI-driven site generator with a block-based drag-and-drop editor. It’s straightforward and accessible, ideal for users with minimal web development experience. | |
| Features | Web.com offers plans with basic features like hosting and SSL protection, while advanced plans include email marketing, secure payments, and support for up to 500 products. You can also integrate galleries, YouTube videos, and social media feeds for a more engaging site. | |
| Overall rating | Web.com is a respectable website builder with great features. Although the besign functionality is a bit limited due to the fact that the templates are organized in rows, it’s still a pretty good choice for launching your first website. |
If you’re eager to learn more, read the full Web.com review here.
My experience with Web.com
It’s safe to say that my experience with Web.com has been largely positive. The building process starts with you choosing whether you want to build the website yourself or use Web.com’s help. The DIY approach allows you to pick a template from the gallery and an automated website generator will ask you a couple of questions and will find the most-fitting template for you. So, in general, the process is quite smooth.
What I found a bit unusual, is that although Web.com is said to be a drag-and-drop type of editor, it’s actually more like a block-based one. In other words, all elements can be edited in blocks rather than separately. I was able to drag and drop numerous elements into my website but I didn’t have the complete freedom when it came to element placement.
Just like with most providers, Web.com conveniently places everything you need on left-side panel. There you’ll find Build, Themes, and Settings sections. Build section is where you, as the name suggests, build your website. Themes leads you to template customization, and Settings stores all configuration options.
Pricing
Web.com has three subscription packages available. The most basic one, available for $1.95/month, is called Website and it has a SSL certificate, 1 hour of expert design support, professional email, free domain for a year, and the AI-tools needed for smooth website creation. Website + Marketing plan costs $2.95/month and you’ll find social and email marketing tools as well as appointment scheduling. Lastly, the eCommerce package, costing $3.95/month, allows you to create a store with secure checkout, and sell on numerous platforms like Amazon, eBay, Facebook, Instagram, and more.
8. Bluehost – wallet-friendly website builder for small businesses
| Overall rating: | |
| Templates: | Over 300 themes |
| Pricing: | $1.99/month – $9.99/month |
| Current deal: | Get up to 83% OFF Bluehost website builder! |
Bluehost is a versatile website builder that can be a good option for those who are looking to show off their portfolio or start a blog. But in my opinion, it best fits the needs of a small business website. However, more experienced users might find this website builder somewhat limited in its advanced customization. In terms of features, ease of use, and templates, here’s how I ranked Bluehost:
| Feature | Overview | Rating |
| Price-to-value ratio | Bluehost stands out as one of the most budget-friendly website builders available, offering exceptional value for the $1.99/month. Despite its affordability, it delivers a range of robust tools and features that make it a strong contender among more expensive options. | |
| Templates | Bluehost offers a wide selection of about 300 well-organized templates that cater to various needs, from blogs to business sites. | |
| Ease of use | Bluehost’s’s drag-and-drop editor is highly user-friendly and requires no coding but it comes with a sligh learning curve. | |
| Features | Bluehost caters to basic needs and offers features like SEO tools, eCommerce functionality, and marketing tools. | |
| Overall rating | Bluehost is a solid choice for budget-conscious users, offering a good balance of affordability and functionality. However, it’s not so flexible in terms of advanced customization and comes with a slight learning curve. |
If you’re eager to learn more, read the full Bluehost review here.
My experience with Bluehost
Overall, I found Bluehost to be a quite intuitive website builder. It smoothly integrates with WordPress allowing switching between the builder and WordPress editor block. While this feature gives more flexibility, it can be complicated to use for beginners.
Bluehost website builder also includes additional features. For business and eCommerce, Bluehost offers WooCommerce integration feature that allows managing products, handling shipping, and setting up payments. Also, the platform has built-in SEO tools that will help optimize your website for search engines.
Pricing
Bluehost website builder offers four plans. The pricing starts at $1.99/month for The Basic plan that is great for simple websites and can be scaled up to The Pro plan ($9.99/month) that is best for high-traffic websites.
9. GoDaddy website builder – great solution for small companies
| Overall rating: | |
| Templates: | 200+ different layouts |
| Pricing: | $9.99/month – $29.99/month |
| Current deal: | Get up to 50% OFF GoDaddy website builder |
GoDaddy website builder usually appeals to small business owners and beginner users. It’s a pretty decent tool to build your first websites and create a professional-looking online presence. However, it’s not the epitome of customization, which is why I couldn’t rank it any higher. Here’s how I rated GoDaddy:
| Feature | Overview | Rating |
| Price-to-value ratio | You’ll find three pricing plans and they’re quite expensive, even the basic one – costing $9.99/month. After thorough testing, I feel like GoDaddy could offer a lot more for what they charge their customers. | |
| Templates | You’ll find hundreds of quite basic templates in GoDaddy’s library. They do look quite good, especially if you’re a fan of minimalist aesthetics. However, they’re quite similar to one another. | |
| Ease of use | Quite straightforward website creation process, although I would have appreciated a bit more prompts in the early stages of the process. | |
| Features | A strong suite of in-house marketing tools, a SEO wizard that guides you through creating, editing and placing the right keywords on your headlines. | |
| Overall rating | GoDaddy is quite decent for early projects and small business owners as it has the right tools for marketing and outreach, but falls behind templates and customization. |
If you’re eager to learn more, read the full GoDaddy review here.
My experience with GoDaddy
Using GoDaddy was overall a positive experience. The platform's interface is intuitive, making it easy to navigate through various features even if you're not tech-savvy. I particularly appreciated how quickly I was able to set up my website – everything from domain registration to hosting felt seamless.
However, I found the lack of detailed prompts during the initial setup phase a bit frustrating, I couldn’t even choose a theme first. The editor isn’t extensive either but it’s easy to use. I was able to find everything I need on the right-hand panel. You shouldn’t expect much design freedom but for inexperienced users this is more than enough. It’s a solid option for anyone looking to create a website without much hassle.
Pricing
GoDaddy doesn’t offer a free version but includes a 14-day trial with each plan. The basic plan at $9.99/month offers essentials like custom domain connection, 100 marketing emails, and SEO tools. The premium plan at $14.99/month adds social media ads, online payments, and 25,000 marketing emails. The Commerce plan, costing $20.99/month, includes advanced features like automated sales tax, inventory sync, and unlimited product sales.
10. Zenfolio – ideal website builder for visual artists
| Overall rating: | |
| Templates: | 11 themes + custom option |
| Pricing: | $7.00/month – $20.00/month |
| Current deal: | Get up to 50% OFF Zenfolio |
Zenfolio is a website builder made specifically for visual artists, be it photographers or illustrators. Essentially, Zenfolio is an ideal tool to manage, sell, and showcase your work, since it’s highly convenient and portfolio-focused. Here’s how I rated each aspect of this website builder:
| Feature | Overview | Rating |
| Price-to-value ratio | With three pricing plans available, starting $7.00/month, you can easily choose the best one for you. Overall, the service offered by Zenfolio matches the price. | |
| Templates | Zenfolio provides 8 templates to kickstart your website. You also have the option to create the layout yourself. It’s not a lot but it usually suffices to create a good-looking portfolio. | |
| Ease of use | Setting up is relatively easy, takes up to 10 minutes, and you can take advantage of the follow-through guide. | |
| Features | A strong suite of in-house marketing tools, a SEO wizard that guides you through creating, editing and placing the right keywoA bunch of useful features like unlimited storage, video hosting, copyright protection, social media integration, and more. rds on your headlines. | |
| Overall rating | Absolutely ideal for photographers and visual artists in general, so you wouldn’t miss with Zenfolio if those are your needs. |
If you’re eager to learn more, read the full Zenfolio review here.
My experience with Zenfolio
Overall, I had no issues with this website builder and found it quite convenient. If you need to showcase your pictures, Zenfolio gives you full flexibility of the layout. I was able to display the images in a grid, grid stacked, masonry portrait, and masonry landscape styles. Plus, I found the custom layout option highly intuitive to use thanks to the classic drag-and-drop editor.
The follow-through guide was helpful and required minimal input. I was asked if I want to create a gallery or a website and was then taken to choose a template. After that, I had to name my gallery and upload pictures. In general, I found the interface highly intuitive. Everything a user needs is on the left-hand panel. The “Galleries” menu allows you to add new images and sort them into galleries, the “Settings” menu configures the privileges of the said galleries, and the “Selling” menu allows for quick monetization of pictures.
Pricing
Zenfolio offers three plans: the basic plan at $7.00/month with 15GB storage, HD video uploads, and social media integration, but no sales options. The PortfolioPlus plan at $11.50/month adds more storage, sales capabilities, and email marketing tools. The ProSuite plan provides unlimited storage, automated marketing, invoicing, and full features. All plans come with a 14-day free trial, no credit card required.
Our best website builders compared
| Wix | Hostinger Website Builder | SITE123 | Shopify | IONOS | Squarespace | Web.com | Bluehost | GoDaddy | Zenfolio | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Price starts from | $10.50/month | $2.69/month | $21.33/month | $29.00/month | $1.00/month | $16.00/month | $1.95/month | $1.99/month | $9.99/month | $7.00/month |
| Free plan | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ❌ No, free trial only | ❌ No | ❌ No, free trial only | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No, free trial only | ❌ No, free trial only |
| Best for | Top design customization | Easy website building | Top ease of use | Affordable eCommerce | Affordable eCommerce | Beautiful site designs | Easy website building | Simple online stores | Small business websites | Simple online stores |
| How many templates | 900+ | 150+ | 160+ | 70+ | 20+ | 130+ | 190+ | 300+ | 200+ | 19 |
| Editor | Wix ADI and Wix Editor | Drag-and-drop and AI editors | Section-based ADI editor | Section-based editor | Section-based editor | Section-based editor | DIY and AI editors | Drag-and-drop editor | ADI editor | Drag-and-drop and a block-based portfolio editors |
| Free domain name | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Custom email | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
How we tested the best website builders
When it comes to testing web builders, here at Cybernews, we spare no detail. We picked 32 website builders and reviewed each provider’s templates, ease of use, features, and many other aspects. After going through all that, we selected the top 10 providers that offer the best price-to-quality ratio and dived even deeper on attributes like these:
- Templates. Website building templates ensure quick and easy flow through the site creation process. However, we looked for website builders that not only offer lots of templates, but we also ensured those templates are eye-catching.
- Ease of use. Drag-and-drop website builders are what experts and users prefer. We are not an exception. Yet, we not only looked for drag-and-drop builders but also for advanced AI-driven services that offer even faster site building process.
- Features. The variety of features determine how flexible a website builder is regarding different user purposes. While testing, we searched for dedicated SEO, marketing, blogging, and eCommerce features, among others.
- Performance. Once we built the website, we ran each provider through the speed test to find only those that didn’t break during the loading process with heaps of images on the site. The ideal page load speed is 1-2 seconds.
- Price. When paying bigger money, we expect to receive higher quality service. Yet, that’s not always the case. Hence, we made sure that website builders on the list offered a fair price-to-quality ratio.
What is a website builder?
A website builder is a tool for building a website that doesn’t require coding experience. It’s a quick and all-around solution for small-scale businesses, merchants, artists, or anyone who wants to succeed without depending on professionals or investing money.
The majority of website builders rely on drag-and-drop website-building principles. This means that what you choose to drag or drop while building a webpage is automatically converted into a code, and the service provides you with the final result only. Reputable website builders include a list of additional features that ease your experience even more. For instance, with Hostinger Website Builder, you get an AI website builder, while Shopify focuses on bringing eCommerce tools to the user.
While web hosting services make your website accessible for users online, website builders help you make the website visually approachable. Some providers, like Hostinger Website Builder, offer both web hosting and a website builder, allowing you to quickly publish your website online.
How to choose the best website builder for you?
Choosing a website builder that's right for you is basically a balancing act between many different options.
But just how in the world do you choose between all of them? Why is option A and D better for you than option B, C, E, or even F? Well, this is where I'll try to help you sort things out.
Before opening your wallet, ask yourself these questions.
- What is my budget? Determine your budget and choose a website builder that will last you a long time, like Hostinger Website Builder. Don’t trust free plans, as they often lack the substantial features needed for a good website.
- What is my website going to be? Your needs should influence your choice, whether you need an online store, a website to showcase your portfolio or just a simple website. For example, Hostinger Website Builder is an excellent all-in-one solution for any website type, Wix and Shopify are great for online stores, and Squarespace is the go-to choice for portfolios.
- What other additional features do I need? Some website builders offer extensive marketing and SEO tools for you to take advantage of, like Shopify. Others, like Hostinger Website Builder and Wix, offer a bunch of AI tools to streamline your website creation process.
- What do I want from my website design? If you want more flexibility and an array of third-party themes, go for Shopify. However, if you want simplicity and a website that looks great with minimal effort, then Hostinger Website Builder, Wix, or Squarespace are the builders for that.
- How much experience building websites do I have? For beginners, it’s recommended to pick a website builder that guides you through the process. For example, Wix, Hostinger Website Builder, SITE123, or GoDaddy. On the other hand, more experienced users can enjoy the customizability of the Wix Editor.
- How much time do I want to spend building and running my website? With Wix AI or Hostinger Website Builder AI, the website creation process is smooth as the editor guides you through it. However, if you have the time and are feeling crafty, you can use Wix to its full potential and finetune anything you want.
Video review
You can learn all about the best website builder in our YouTube video review. Check it out to find out more about the features, value, templates, and more.
Final thoughts
Having a functioning website is the most convenient way to showcase your products, services, or ideas. What’s even better is that with most website builders you don’t need any prior knowledge to craft the website you want. Just pick the one that suits your needs best.
Tests show that Wix is the most versatile website builder currently available. With a vast selection of templates and handy marketing and AI tools, this provider ensures a smooth and effortless website creation process. Plus, there’s a fairly good free version for you to try.
If you know your needs better, you can opt for a different website builder for a more tailored experience. Always evaluate what you need from such a service and how much are you willing to spend, only then you will be able to make an informed choice.
FAQ
What does a site builder do?
A website builder is a tool that lets you build a website without coding. With a website builder, you don’t need to hire a developer or a designer as website builders often provide built-in templates and many customization options, so even beginner can craft great websites.
What is the future of website builders?
Advances in machine learning and artificial intelligence continue to influence the web design creation process, as more and more website builders implement AI-based tools. This streamlines the process and enables a more comfortable user experience that only keeps getting better as technology advances.
What is the fastest-growing website builder?
Wix is undoubtedly the number one website builder considering the range of templates it offers, its modern AI-based tools, and overall ease of use. Being reasonably priced, Wix continues leading the market today.
Is Sitebuilder good?
Sitebuilder is adequate for its starting price, however, it’s not great value for money in the long run. You can find other website builders that provide better features and more reasonable renewal pricing.
Is there a completely free website builder?
Google Sites is entirely free of charge. Wix also offers a free version with certain limitations.
Do professionals use website builders?
Professional developers usually code their websites from scratch and don’t rely on website builders, especially if their projects require unique functionality and a high level of customization.
