Website builders are great for those looking to create a unique online presence but don’t have the technical expertise or skills. Today, countless website builders are on offer. With different features, pricing, templates, and editors, each website builder is unique.
I have been testing and reviewing various website creators for quite some time now, so I have a quite good understanding of what a website builder should be like to help you create a quality website for any purpose. In this article, I talk about my top web builder recommendations and my experience with them – including what types of websites each is best for.
5 best website builders by Cybernews in short
- Wix – the best website builder overall
- Hostinger Website Builder – website creator for beginners
- SITE123 – beginner-friendly tool for quick website building
- Shopify –the best web builder for UK eCommerce
- IONOS – good builder for building simple sites fast
You can find 5 more website builders in the review list below: Squarespace, Web.com, Weebly, GoDaddy, and Zenfolio.
Who should use a website builder?
A website builder is the best tool for beginners – those who have never built a website before but want to create a unique site to showcase their work in a portfolio, a space for their business or online shop, or any other purpose.
Some of my favourite things about using a web builder to create a site are that it’s usually affordable, you have the freedom to make your own design choices, and the user-friendly interfaces, pre-made templates, and editors make web builders easy to use.
Beyond that, many quality website builders offer tools to improve the performance of your site – such as marketing and SEO tools, as well as AI-powered suggestions for better design choices, and more.
If this sounds like something you are looking for in a website builder – read on to find my best recommendations below.
Best website builders – detailed review
For this article, the Cybernews research team and I tested and reviewed 32 website builders. We looked at and evaluated their features, templates, pricing plans, and the overall site-creation process and experience. Below is my list of the best website builders for the UK.
1. Wix – the best website builder overall
| Rating | |
| Price range | Free – $172.00/month |
| Themes | 800+ |
| Best deal | Get Wix with 50% OFF |
Wix is my #1 website builder today. It offers countless useful features and quality AI tools. The simplistic and modern interface makes it easy to use Wix, and with over 800 various templates, the possibilities are endless. Best of all, Wix offers a free version, and the prices for paid plans start at just $10.50/month with a 14-day money-back guarantee.
For which websites is Wix suitable?
| Website type | Benefits | Limitations |
| Blog | Free blog templates, blog marketing tools | Some tools cost extra |
| Portfolio site | Beautiful templates for all tastes, advanced visual design features, media galleries | AI-editor might be too limiting for a portfolio site |
| Business site | Built-in AI and SEO tools for the best optimisation, online marketing tools, and business-focused apps | Some features cost extra |
| eCommerce site | App market with eCommerce apps, payment gateways, analytics and marketing tools, management solutions | Too limiting for big corporations or big-scale projects |
My experience using Wix
Wix is the best website builder I’ve tried. It is really easy to use both if you’re an advanced or a beginner user, and still includes everything you need to launch a successful site. The building process itself was smooth and enjoyable. After specifying what kind of website I want, I could choose my preferred editor. I could either let Wix build a site for me using the AI website creator, or edit one of the 800+ templates.
The AI website creator is especially great for beginner users. It requires minimal input from you to create a functional site, but you might want to be fairly specific with your prompts to avoid misinterpretation. Although the drag-and-drop editor allows for more customisation – choosing a template, adjusting fonts, colours, and more – the AI-created site can also always be adjusted afterwards.
Overall, I find Wix to be a versatile and flexible builder with options for both advanced and beginner users. With numerous templates, tools, and even eCommerce integrations, it has all you need to create any site.
2. Hostinger Website Builder – UK web builder with top AI tools
| Rating | |
| Price range | $2.12/month – $11.99/month |
| Themes | 150+ modern templates |
| Best deal | Get Hostinger Website Builder, 82% OFF + free months |
My second favourite website creator is the Hostinger Website Builder – and an absolute favourite when it comes to AI tool integration. Besides being exceptionally easy to use, Hostinger also offers AI site creation services and tools like image and text generator, page creator, and a heatmap. Hostinger is also one of the cheapest web builders today, with prices starting at $2.12/month and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
For which websites is Hostinger Website Builder suitable?
| Website type | Benefits | Limitations |
| Blog | Attractive design options and blog post scheduling | Limited features, some tools cost extra |
| Portfolio site | Beautiful modern templates, gallery integration, and other tools to showcase your work | Limited functionalities lead to a very simple portfolio site |
| Business site | Built-in AI and SEO tools | No app store and some tools cost extra |
| eCommerce site | Affordable start, no commission fees, includes visitor remarketing | Some features are still being developed |
My experience using Hostinger Website Builder
Hostinger has one of the most modern and easy-to-use interfaces which also made the setup process smooth for me. It starts with the option to use an AI website creator or to start from scratch by choosing one out of 150+ modern templates to edit.
With the AI builder, the process was almost the same as with Wix: I answered a couple of questions about my site, such as colours, site description, and style. Then I simply hit the create button. The only little annoying with Hostinger Web Builder is that after the site was created, I got sent back to the dashboard and not to the editor.
Nevertheless, I found the drag-and-drop editor itself satisfying to use. The smart grid helped with aligning elements well, and the AI heatmap was cool to have to know where to place which element for maximum visitor engagement. However, the AI tools, including an image and text generator, are not completely free and require credits to access. Furthermore, the left side panel of the editor also includes useful SEO and analytics tools.
3. SITE123 – beginner-friendly tool for quick website building
| Rating | |
| Price range | Free – $45.00/month |
| Themes | 80+ simple templates |
| Best deal | SITE123 coupon 40% OFF |
SITE123 may look outdated, but that doesn’t diminish its power. It’s one of my favourite builders to use, especially if you want to build a beautiful, professional website fast. You don’t need any coding skills, and it offers features for all kinds of sites. In my personal opinion, though, bloggers benefit from SITE123 the most. Another SITE123 advantage is that it offers a free plan, and paid subscriptions start only at $12.80/month.
For which websites is SITE123 suitable?
| Website type | Benefits | Limitations |
| Blog | Good SEO and marketing tools for optimisation | Limited tools for content and blogging |
| Portfolio site | Content blocks and templates for visual sites | Limited customisation options |
| Business site | Tools for online sales, email marketing, and a plugin library | Tools may be too basic for advanced business sites |
| eCommerce site | Straightforward sales, SEO, and marketing tools and features suitable for beginners | More advanced eCommerce tools and resources are available only with more expensive plans |
My experience using SITE123
SITE123 greets you with the standard website building process. I had to choose a type of website between 4 options: a website, an online store, a blog, or a landing page. In all fairness, I don’t think SITE123 is the best option for online stores. However, it’s suitable for all the other site types.
The editor is nothing out of the ordinary. You can find sections for Pages, Design, Settings, and Domain at the top of the page. Each opens up to a left-side menu where editing takes place. You can do things like adding new pages, changing the colour scheme, and customising the menu.
SITE123 is a section-based editor, which means that the customization options are limited to editing the placement of the sections and the overall layout of a page. However, the layout of the sections themselves is not customisable. Therefore, I found it a bit inflexible when compared to Wix or Hostinger.
4. Shopify – the best web builder for UK eCommerce
| Rating | |
| Price range | $29.00/month – $299.00/month |
| Themes | 9 free templates, many more premium options |
| Best deal | Try Shopify free for 3 days + 1 month for $1 |
Made specifically for online shops, Shopify is one of the most popular eCommerce site builders. While it lacks features for blogging or portfolio websites, if you want to build a professional online store, this provider is my go-to option. The pricing is quite high, though – the entry plan starts at $29.00/month.
For which websites is Shopify suitable?
| Website type | Benefits | Limitations |
| Blog | Seamless eCommerce integration if you want to add a blog to your online store | Limited blogging features, not the best for blogs |
| Portfolio site | SEO tools, analytics, and a wide range of pre-made portfolio templates | Has a steep learning curve to get the best out of Shopify functions for a portfolio site |
| Business site | Easy to set up and scale up as your business grows | Monthly and transaction fees may add up, especially with additional apps and themes |
| eCommerce site | Supports numerous payment gateways, extensive app store for various eCommerce plugins, built-in SEO tools | Some advanced features are only available via apps and cost extra |
My experience using Shopify
Building a store website with Shopify was great – its biggest advantage is that it makes difficult things simple. Shopify provides prompts, and questions, and guides you through the creation process, which is immensely helpful if you don’t have much experience with website creation.
The editor might not be as modern as Squarespace’s or Wix’s editors, but it is easy to understand and navigate. The left-side menu contains all the features. The templates are also fully customizable – you can add new, pre-made sections, or create your own.
There’s also an option to edit the website’s code – but it’s not a requirement. The pre-made themes are more than enough. However, I like that there’s a choice – if you know HTML, design possibilities are endless with Shopify.
5. IONOS – good builder for building simple sites fast
| Rating | |
| Price range | $1.00/month – $17.00/month |
| Themes | Only 35 templates |
| Best deal | Get up to 91% OFF IONOS website builder |
One of the oldest in the market, the IONOS website builder and hosting service is flexible, offers resources for all kinds of users and needs, and even includes unique features like competitor tracking. It may lack when it comes to customisation, but otherwise it is a solid web builder. IONOS prices are also really good – the subscriptions start at $1.00/month.
For which websites is IONOS suitable?
| Website type | Benefits | Limitations |
| Blog | Easy to set up and use | Blogging templates may not be visually striking |
| Portfolio site | Photo galleries, testimonial pages, live social media feed embeds | Templates are more business-oriented |
| Business site | Business-oriented templates | Limited business features, some come at extra cost |
| eCommerce site | Unique features like competitor tracking, and also includes analytics | Most eCommerce features come at an extra cost |
My experience using IONOS
Like many other website builders these days, IONOS lets you either build a website from a template or use its AI website creator. Whichever option you choose, I found both to be convenient and intuitive.
If you choose AI builder, you first need to answer some basic questions about your website. However, I think that some questions were a little too general, and Wix’s AI builder prompts were more detailed and straightforward, and yielded overall better results.
IONOS editor is nothing out of the ordinary. In fact, I was a little surprised to find it offers only three colour palette options – blue, black, and grey. While these choices are pretty neutral and would suit most businesses, you might feel a little constrained if your website vision is different.
6. Squarespace – good web builder with visually striking templates
| Rating | |
| Price range | $16.00/month – $52.00/month |
| Themes | 180+ |
| Best deal | Get up to 36% OFF Squarespace |
I find that Squarespace is a popular choice among bloggers and small business owners. The interface is especially visually appealing, and that may speak to its popularity. Additionally, the templates are beautiful and the editor is easy to use. However, some might find it too inflexible. Squarespace is also quite an expensive builder, with prices starting at $16.00/month.
For which websites is Squarespace suitable?
| Website type | Benefits | Limitations |
| Blog | Attractive designs and blog post scheduling option | Limited features, some tools cost extra |
| Portfolio site | Excellent and visually striking templates to showcase your best work, gallery, and video content integration | Limited features for portfolio sites |
| Business site | Easy to use, includes built-in AI and SEO tools, email marketing, business performance tracking | Limited design flexibility and some tools cost extra |
| eCommerce site | Variety of eCommerce plans, marketing, and analytics features | Some tools cost extra |
My experience using Squarespace
Squarespace is enjoyable to use. The interface is modern and well-organized – I liked building a site with it. The website creation process itself is pretty standard. You can either start with a blank page, or pick one of the 130 beautifully designed templates from categories like fashion, travel, and more. I must note, however, that Wix offers more templates in more varied categories.
The editor is also intuitive and easy to use. You can edit pages separately, or the whole website at once. This global design opportunity is great for unifying fonts, styles, and colors throughout the entire website, so you don’t accidentally miss any details.
7. Web.com – good builder for online stores
| Rating | |
| Price range | $4.99/month – $34.99/month |
| Themes | 190+ templates |
| Best deal | Get Web.com builder, now 75% OFF |
Combined with a hosting service, Web.com also offers a website builder. I think it’s a pretty convenient solution, similar to Hostinger. The builder itself is quite intuitive and easy to use, although the block-based editor is a little more restrictive than the classic drag-and-drop. Web.com website creator prices start at $4.99/month.
For which websites is Web.com suitable?
| Website type | Benefits | Limitations |
| Blog | Easy-to-use editor, and includes Google Analytics integration | Not a blogging platform, therefore functionalities and templates are limited |
| Portfolio site | Easy-to-use editor, and includes social media embeds | Not the main area of focus, only 9 portfolio templates, and limited features |
| Business site | Business-oriented template designs, social media embeds, Google Analytics integration | SEO tools not included in the entry plan, limited business tools |
| eCommerce site | Can sell up to 500 products, templates for online stores | Limited eCommerce tools, eCommerce only available with the most expensive plan |
My experience using Web.com
Web.com allows you to choose whether you want to build a website from scratch or use the AI website creator. Building yourself leads to picking a template, and if you choose the AI generator, all you need to do is answer a couple of questions. The process is pretty standard, as with other builders like Wix or Hostinger.
However, the block-based editor (although advertised as drag-and-drop) is quite unusual. Even though I could move the element blocks around, the placement of those elements within their sections wasn’t really an option.
Nevertheless, the overall Web.com interface is pretty intuitive, with the classic left-side panel for functions. It contains Themes, Build, and Settings sections for more customization and configuration of your site.
8. Weebly – affordable web builder for small businesses
| Rating | |
| Price range | Free – $26.00/month |
| Themes | 60+ templates |
| Best deal | Get up to 33% OFF Weebly |
In my opinion, Weebly is quite a good choice if you’re looking for a builder that focuses on business features. However, it’s not the greatest for portfolios or blogs, since the designs are quite limiting. There aren’t that many templates either. Nevertheless, Weebly offers a free version, which is great, and the prices for paid plans start at $6.00/month.
For which websites is Weebly suitable?
| Website type | Benefits | Limitations |
| Blog | Easy to set up, attractive design options | Too basic for advanced bloggers, lacks categorisation and tagging options |
| Portfolio site | Offers modern templates, includes various media integrations | Templates can be rigid and limiting if you have a specific design vision |
| Business site | Built-in essential business tools like SEO and marketing features | Lacks advanced SEO tools and extensive app integrations |
| eCommerce site | Affordable start for a basic eCommerce website | Limited payment options, lacks advanced eCommerce features for large-scale operations |
My experience using Weebly
Weebly is a simple but intuitive builder. I liked the drag-and-drop editor, and the left-side panel conveniently contained all the functions and features. Design, store management, and settings sections are helpfully displayed at the top of the page.
I also really enjoyed Weebly’s font library, but I must say that fonts are only a small part of the overall design. Otherwise, there aren’t that many design opportunities and the pre-made design elements can’t be modified so they may feel too restrictive.
9. GoDaddy – great website creator for small companies
| Rating | |
| Price range | $9.99/month – $29.99/month |
| Themes | Over 240+ |
| Best deal | Get up to 50% OFF GoDaddy website builder |
GoDaddy’s target customers are small business owners and beginner users. It offers good features for building your first site and making it look professional and appealing. However, it isn’t very flexible when it comes to customization. GoDaddy prices start at $9.99/month, with a 14-day trial for all plans.
For which websites is GoDaddy suitable?
| Website type | Benefits | Limitations |
| Blog | Blogging editor with SEO tools | The blog editor is basic, other builders offer more advanced options |
| Portfolio site | Modern design templates for showcasing your work, and a user-friendly editor | Limited customization options |
| Business site | Strong business tool and marketing feature suite with SEO functionalities | Limited website editing, SEO tools not included in entry plan |
| eCommerce site | Excellent eCommerce features with helpful guides for beginners | Only one plan for eCommerce |
My experience using GoDaddy
Overall, it was quite easy to use GoDaddy to build a site. Navigation is simple due to an intuitive interface – and the more technical features are made easy to understand. Setting up a website itself was a smooth process, and I had no issues or moments of confusion whatsoever.
However, GoDaddy is not as helpful as some other website builders when it comes to guiding you through the process of building a site. With no prompting or guidance, I got stuck in choosing a template for a moment. Nevertheless, the editor is relatively easy to use, although the features and design freedom leave something to be desired.
10. Zenfolio – great builder for visual artist portfolio
| Rating | |
| Price range | $7.00/month – $20.00/month |
| Themes | 19 templates |
| Best deal | Get up to 50% OFF Zenfolio |
Zenfolio is a website builder for visual artists. If your goal is to create a beautiful photography portfolio website, chances are that Zenfolio is right for you. It also offers features for selling your work – digitally, or prints of your visual art, and more. This website builder's prices start at $7.00/month, which is quite high for such a niche builder. There’s also a 14-day free trial.
For which websites is Zenfolio suitable?
| Website type | Benefits | Limitations |
| Blog | Simple editor, social media integration, basic marketing features | Not main focus, limited templates and functionalities |
| Portfolio site | Excellent builder for portfolio sites, seamless visual media integration, social media, and marketing features | Only 9 templates, limited customisation, only photography-focused |
| Business site | Suitable for basic business landing pages, includes events and bookings | Not the main focus of the provider, limited business features |
| eCommerce site | Good for selling your portfolio work, automated marketing campaigns, integrated invoicing, and payments, automated client bookings | Mainly focused on portfolio item sales, but could be used for other types of online stores |
My experience using Zenfolio
Overall, I found Zenfolio easy and convenient to use. It is a good builder for visual artists and offers much flexibility when displaying your work. I could use a grid, a stacked grid, a masonry portrait, and masonry landscape styles for my images. Additionally, the drag-and-drop editor made creating my custom layout an intuitive process.
The overall interface was highly intuitive, too. The setup process didn’t take long and required minimal input. I had to decide whether I was creating a gallery or a website, choose a template, and the last steps were giving the site a name and uploading pictures. All the features I needed were on the left-hand panel. The Galleries menu is for adding new pictures and sorting them, the Settings menu is for configuring the galleries themselves, and the Selling menu for monetisation options of my work.
Compare top website builders
| Brand | Rating | Starting price | Free version | Best for | Editor | Templates | eCommerce | Free domain name | Custom email |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wix | $10.50/month | ✅ Yes | Top design customization | Wix ADI and Wix Editor | 800+ | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | |
| Hostinger website builder | $2.12/month | ❌ No | Portfolios and simple websites (beginners and advanced) | Drag and drop | 150+ | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | |
| Shopify | $29.00/month | ❌ No | Building webshops | Section based | 70+ | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | |
| SITE123 | $12.80/month | ✅ Yes | Personal and small business websites | Section based | 160+ | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | |
| IONOS | $1.00/month | ❌ No | Personal and small business websites | Section based | 28 | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | |
| Squarespace | $16.00/month | ❌ No | SEO-optimized business site | Section based | 110+ | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | |
| Web.com | $4.99/month | ❌ No | Easy website building | DIY and AI editors | 190+ | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | |
| Weebly | $6.00/month | ✅ Yes | Small businesses, portfolios, online stores | Drag and drop | 60+ | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | |
| GoDaddy | $9.99/month | ❌ No | Small business websites and hosting | Section based | 20+ | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | |
| Zenfolio | $7.00/month | ❌ No | Simple online stores | Drag-and-drop and a block-based portfolio editors | 19 | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ❌ No |
Website builder ranking methodology
The Cybernews website builder testing and ranking process is extensive and takes into account the smallest details. For this recommendation list, I teamed up with the research team to test 32 website builders and evaluate their templates, ease of use, editors, features, pricing, and more. Here’s what the testing and final ranking process looked like, with percentages indicating the weight of the testing category in the final ranking:
- Templates (25%). Website builder templates are an essential part of any site builder, as they make the creation process streamlined and easy to follow. We took into account both the number and diversity of the templates, as well as their quality in responsiveness and visual aspects.
- Ease of use (25%). Drag-and-drop editors are the most popular and preferred by both experts and users. Nevertheless, with many builders now implementing AI site creators, we also evaluated this type of site creation process.
- Features (20%). To evaluate each builder’s suitability for different kinds of sites, we looked for features dedicated to blogging, SEO, marketing, eCommerce, businesses, and others.
- Performance (10%). To ensure that the websites we built are functional, we ran some performance tests, including timing the page load time. The ideal page load speed is 1-2 seconds.
- Pricing (20%). Affordability is an important part of any user-friendly website builder. We looked at each provider’s pricing plans and evaluated the quality-to-price ratio, as well as compared them to each other to determine the final ranking order.
Final thoughts
Building a website from scratch can seem like a daunting task – especially if it’s a business landing page or an online store with many complicated features and pages. In such cases, a quality website builder with premade templates, guidance, and an easy-to-use editor can be a lifesaver.
My favourite website builder is Wix – with it, you can build essentially any site, ranging from a simple blog to an extensive online store. It offers over 900 responsive templates, excellent SEO tools, marketing features, an AI site editor, eCommerce features, and more. Best of all, it has a free plan. For more advanced features, plans start at just x with a 14-day money-back guarantee.
FAQ
What website builder do most people use?
WordPress is the most often used website builder. Even though it technically is a content management system, many people use WordPress both for personal and business sites. However, if you find WordPress to be a little too complicated as a beginner with website builders, I recommend Wix or Hostinger – they offer AI site creators and are easy to use.
Who should use a website builder?
A website builder is a great option for people new to website building. If you want to create a personal or a business site but don’t have the technical expertise or resources, an affordable and modern builder like Wix or Hostinger is a great choice.
What website builders do professionals use?
Wix and WordPress are among the most popular website builders that professionals use. They offer excellent templates, plenty of customization and flexibility, advanced features, and editors for professional site designers.
Should you pay someone to build a website?
You should hire someone to build your website if you want a site that’s more than one page and requires web design, user experience, and technical expertise. However, if you want to build a simpler site for your small business, portfolio, blog, or online store, using a website builder like Wix or Hostinger will be enough, and cheaper.