Given the sheer number of platforms claiming to be the best website builder on the market, it can sometimes be hard to know which ones are telling the truth.
That’s why I created this guide.
On my journey to creating a $1.5 million website portfolio, I’ve tried scores of top website builders, giving me the knowledge and experience to understand what separates the best from the rest.
Below, I’ll share with you the pros and cons of this year’s top site-building tools, as well as my advice on how to choose the perfect platform for you.
What to Look for When Choosing the Best Website Builder to Use
If you’ve never built a website before, keeping the following key factors in mind will help you to find the best website builder to suit your particular needs and level of experience.
● Template Quality
At heart, all website builders are designed to do one thing:
Give you pre-built templates that you can customize to match your branding and meet the needs of your visitors.
This is why template quality should always be a top priority. Not only should those templates match the standards and aesthetics of modern websites, but they should also be fully responsive on all devices and allow you to easily integrate the functionality your site needs in order to flourish.
● Drag-and-Drop Features
There are some drag-and-drop builders that give you the freedom to edit every microscopic detail of your site. In contrast, others limit their customization options for the sake of making it easier to create your site.
Which one you choose will depend on the level of detail you want to go into and how experienced you are, especially if you want to really customize your site by editing the CSS.
● Ease of Use
I said this when I reviewed the best podcast hosts, I said it again when I gave you my pick of the best webinar platforms, and I’ll repeat it a third time here:
No matter what software, service, or platform you use, it should always be as easy to use as possible. After all, the easier it is to create your site, the quicker and more enjoyable the whole process is going to be.
● Integrations and Functionality
We’ve long since moved on from the time when websites were simply a collection of text and images.
These days, users demand interactive features such as contact forms, appointment scheduling, the ability to buy products, maps, and much more.
The more in-built functionality and/or integrations with third-party tools that provide that functionality, the better.
Top 10 Best Website Builders in 2023
Without further delay, let’s discuss about these top website builders. We will talk here in details about these website builder, from launching to the functionality, the pricing plans, and pros and cons as well. Scroll down to read all.
1. Wix
Wix didn’t become the world’s leading website builder by accident. Their value-for-money plans combine beginner-level simplicity and affordability with the essential, advanced website features any website owner, or blogger needs to succeed, making them the trusted platform for millions of users.
It may have been Wix’s massive TV advertising campaigns that first attracted many of their millions of users, but it was the company’s low-cost, high-quality website-building tools that kept those users coming back year after year.
For me, the platform’s biggest strength is the sheer number of premium-quality templates for just about every niche, though that’s not to downplay the beginner-friendly drag-and-drop builder, making it a breeze to customize those templates even if you have zero experience.
Throw in a range of apps, add-ons, and integrations to provide all kinds of extra functionality, and it’s no wonder Wix is the world’s number one website builder.
Key Features:
- 500+ customizable templates
- Drag-and-drop builder
- Video backgrounds
- Scroll effects
- Animations
- eCommerce tools
- Online scheduling and bookings
- Free SSL certificate.
Pricing:
Wix offers a free 7-day trial of its services along with the following affordable plans:
| PLAN NAME | PLAN DESCRIPTION | PLAN PRICE |
| Combo | 1 x year free domain name 2 x GB storage 30 minutes x video content. | $16 p/m |
| Unlimited | Everything in the Combo plan plus: 5 GB x storage 1 hour x video content Ad vouchers Visitor analytics apps. | $22 p/m |
| Pro | Everything in the Unlimited plan plus: 50 GB x storage 2 hours x video content Free events calendar app Professional logo designer Social media logo files. | $27 p/m |
PROS AND CONS OF Wix
Pros
- All plans include a free one-year domain name and free SSL Certificate
- The Wix Artificial Design Intelligence (ADI) automatically generates a high-quality, customizable site in a matter of minutes.
- Extensive selection of customizable templates to use.
Cons
- Wix doesn’t allow you to change templates once you’ve selected one
- One of the few website builders to put restrictions on storage space.
How to Get Starte d With Wix?
1. Head to Wix.com and click ‘Get Started’
2. Sign in with Google or Facebook, or enter a name, email, and password to create an account
3. Once logged in, click ‘Get Started.’
4. Complete the onboarding questionnaire to help Wix pick the perfect pre-built site for you
5. Give your website a name.
6. Select the features you want on your new site.
7. Use the Wix ADI (Artificial Design Intelligence) tool to automatically generate your site (or choose a template if you prefer).
8. Pick your preferred homepage design and edit it to suit your needs.
2. Squarespace
It’s rare to find a full eCommerce package at the kind of affordable pricing offered by Squarespace, especially when you consider the quality of the designs and the quantity of their features, all of which make it the number one choice for online stores.
While pretty much all of the website builders in this guide enable you to build an eCommerce site, few do it better than Squarespace.
It isn’t just Squarespace’s beautiful, modern templates for just about every type of business that makes them so popular; it’s the fact that these templates combine a certain contemporary elegance with forward-thinking functionality to create exceptional customer experiences.
Whether you’re selling products or using the appointment scheduling tools to book clients, you’ll find everything you need to turn your website into a serious money-maker.
Key Features:
- eCommerce-optimized templates
- Unlimited rich product listings with images and videos
- Product catalogs
- Schedules sales, promotions, and discounts
- Inventory management
- Shipping and local pickup options
- Stripe and PayPal integrations.
Pricing:
Squarespace offers a 14-day free trial of the following affordable plans:
| PLAN NAME | PLAN DESCRIPTION | PLAN PRICE |
| Personal | Unlimited bandwidth 30 minutes x video storage 2 x contributors Free SSL certificate Free 1-year domain name. | $14 p/m |
| Business | Everything in the Personal Plan plus: Unlimited contributors Premium integrations and blocks CSS customization Advanced website analytics Promotional pop-ups and banners Full access to the Squarespace Video Studio app Sell unlimited products 3% transaction fees. | $23 p/m |
| Commerce | Everything in the Business plan plus: Full eCommerce features (inventory, shopping cart, etc.) 0% transaction fees Product reviews Customer accounts Checkout on your domain. | $27 p/m |
PROS AND CONS OF SQUARESPACE
Pros
- The inventory management tool is compatible with other inventory and commerce tools to let you track stock across multiple platforms
- Create product demos using the Squarespace video editor and include them in your product listings
- 0% transaction fees on dedicated commerce plans.
Cons
- Doesn’t support multi-currency selling, which may be a problem for international stores
- Payment gateway options are limited to PayPal, Stripe, and Apple Pay.
How to Get Started With Squarespace?
- Visit Squarespace.com and click ‘Get Started’
- Select the type of website you want to make (online store, portfolio, membership, blog, scheduling, or one-page)
- Choose your preferred template
- Give your site a name and start editing your template.
3. Weebly
While an ad-free website with your own domain name may be the best way to create a professional image for your brand, Weebly's outstanding free plan is ideal for bloggers, personal sites, or anyone looking to try out website building without an investment.
Weebly and Wix are two platforms that started within a year, and both competing for the title of the best free website builder.
For the longest time, Wix held that title, but while they would eventually focus more on their premium plans, Weebly went all-in to make their fee plan as comprehensive as possible, making it the ideal choice if you need to make a website with no money.
It’s rare for any free website builder to offer unlimited storage and bandwidth, especially alongside an extensive suite of free eCommerce tools, including a valuable free SSL certificate.
Yet not only does Weebly provide all of that, but it also does so with a level of simplicity that is ideal for first-time website builders.
The only downside to Weebly’s free plan is that it comes with the company’s own advertising, though, to be honest, you’ll have a hard time finding any free plan from any company that doesn’t.
Key Features:
- Free SSL
- Shopping cart
- Unlimited products
- Inventory management
- SEO tools
- Lead capture
- Instagram feed
- Unlimited storage and bandwidth.
Pricing:
All of the key features listed above come as standard with Weebly’s free plan.
If you need more features, you can upgrade to one of the following plans:
| PLAN NAME | PLAN DESCRIPTION | PLAN PRICE |
| Personal | Includes everything in the Free plan plus: Connect a custom domain Sell digital products Shipping calculator Shipping labels Pop-up notifications. | $6 p/m |
| Professional | Includes everything in the Personal plan, plus: Telephone support Remove ads Free domain name for one year Password protection. | $12 p/m |
| Performance | Includes everything in the Professional plan plus: Item reviews Abandoned cart emails Advanced analytics. | $26 p/m |
PRO AND CONS OF WEEBLY
Pros
- Chat and email support included for free users
- Attractive template designs
- Build and manage mobile-optimized sites from a mobile app.
Cons
- The free plan comes with branding from Weebly’s parent company Square, which can be off-putting to site visitors
- eCommerce tools use Square as their only payment tool. Square doesn’t work in some countries, which can be problematic for accepting payments.
How to Get Started With Weebly?
- Go to Weebly.com and click ‘Create your website’
- Create an account and click ‘Continue’
- Choose either business or personal website options
- Select your preferred template and click ‘Start Editing.’
4. Zyro
I’ve tried out countless website builders in the past, but I’d never found such ease-of-use, template quality, and responsive customer support for under $5 until I came across Zyro, making them hands down the best platform for budget-conscious businesses and creators.
Free website builders may be great, but most of them come with restrictions such as limited storage or having your website plastered with your platform’s branding.
If you’d rather avoid all that yet still spend as little money as possible, Zyro is a platform that’s definitely worth checking out.
My pick for the best budget website builder around, Plans start from only $2.99 and include all the tools, templates, and third-party integrations you need to create everything from attractive, conversion-optimized landing pages to blogs, portfolios, and even secure online stores.
Key Features:
- Free 1-year domain name
- Unlimited bandwidth and storage on all plans
- Connect a custom domain
- Drag-and-drop site builder
- Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager integration
- Facebook Pixel integration
- SEO tools
- Blogging tools
- eCommerce features.
Pricing:
Even with its stylish templates and beginner-friendly editor, Zyro’s low costs are still its biggest asset.
Plans come in at the following prices:
| PLAN NAME | PLAN DESCRIPTION | PLAN PRICE |
| Website | Unlimited bandwidth and storage 1-year free domain name 3 months of free domain-based email 24/7 customer support. | $2.99 p/m |
| Business | Everything in the Website plan plus full eCommerce features for up to 100 products. | $3.99 |
| Advanced Store | Everything in the Business plan, plus: Sell up to 2,500 products Create Facebook and Instagram stores Sell in multiple languages Abandoned cart recovery. | $15.99 p/m |
PROS AND CONS OF ZYRO
Pros
- Templates are of much better quality than other platforms at this price range
- 24/7 customer support with fast and effective responses
- eCommerce plans integrate with a huge range of payment gateways.
Cons
- Free domain-based email is limited to three months
- Limited template customization options.
How to Get Started With Zyro?
- Visit Zyro.com and click ‘Start for Free’ to try out the website builder
- Choose a template and click ‘build’ to start editing your site
- When you’re done creating your site, click ‘Publish Website’ to choose and pay for a monthly plan.
5. Strikingly
The whole point of using web builder tools is to make the process of creating a website as easy as possible. Nobody seems to understand this better than Strikingly, who make it practically effortless to create sites, which deliver fantastic visitor experiences.
Ease of use was a top priority for me when picking my top 10 website builders, so it was impossible not to include Strikingly, which I’m convinced is the easiest way to build a website if you have zero experience.
The sign-up process is as quick and simple as you could hope for, taking you from the homepage to a ready-to-edit template in under 30 seconds.
From there, you can customize that template in an environment that makes the process as simple as clicking on pre-existing elements and adding your content.
All this is designed to help you launch a site in under 30 minutes without compromising on that site’s quality or performance.
Key Features:
- Fast and efficient site builder tool
- In-built eCommerce tools
- PayPal and Stripe integrations
- Manage sign-up forms and newsletters
- Create member sites
- Analytics
- Free SSL
- Simple blogging tools.
Pricing:
Though I still prefer the one from Weebly, I can’t deny that Strikingly has one of the best free plans out there.
This one includes:
- Unlimited free sites
- 5 GB monthly bandwidth
- 500 MB storage space per site
- 5 pages per site
- 1 product per site
- 5% transaction fee on eCommerce sales.
If you choose to upgrade, you’ll pay just $10 a year for the audience plan, which allows you to connect a domain name and enjoy live chat, membership, and newsletter features.
PROS AND CONS STRIKINGLY
Pros
- Has a great free plan available
- Fast sign-up process means you start editing your website in under 30 seconds
- Use apps to add maps, forms, and other functionality.
Cons
- Free plan users are stuck with a mystrikingly.com domain
- Sites are limited in the number of pages you can create.
How to Get Started With Strikingly?
- Head to Strikingly.com and enter your name, email, and password
- Click ‘Get Started’
- Select a template and start editing
- Click publish to either publish a free site or upgrade to a paid plan.
6. WordPress.com
Between the managed and self-hosted Versions, WordPress powers more of the world’s websites than any other platform or service. When you see how easy it is to create stylish, search engine-optimized blogs that draw real traffic; you’ll understand why it's so universally revered.
If you’re a regular reader here, you’ll no doubt recall that I voted self-hosted WordPress as the best blogging platform around.
If you’re looking to utilize blogging as one of the primary ways of driving traffic to your website but still prefer the convenience and simplicity of a website builder of the cost and complications of hosting your own site, then I recommend you checkout WordPress.com.
The managed version of WordPress offers affordable plans that give you access to the biggest selection of customizable templates on the web, easy-to-use tools to edit those templates, and the ability to collect payments.
More importantly for bloggers, it also gives you access to an intuitive blog post editor, the ability to create custom tags and categories, effortless media embeds, and a whole suite of features to help you write the best blog post possible.
Key Features:
- Extensive collection of mobile-responsive themes
- Intuitive post editor
- Site editor available as a mobile app
- Social sharing features
- Search Engine Optimization tools.
Pricing:
WordPress offers a good free plan which, despite limiting you to a subdomain at WordPress.com, does give you 3GB of storage, unlimited bandwidth, and a free SSL certificate.
If that doesn’t cut it, consider one of the following upgrades:
| PLAN NAME | PLAN DESCRIPTION | PLAN PRICE |
| WordPress Starter | Free custom domain for one year 6 GB storage Collect payments Google Analytics integrations. | $5 p/m |
| WordPress Pro | Everything in the Starter plan, plus: 50 GB storage Use unlimited WordPress plugins for added functionality Premium support Premium themes Sell products with WooCommerce. | $15 p/m |
PROS AND CONS OF WORDPRESS.COM
Pros
- The WordPress Reader tool helps your blog to reach thousands of members of the WordPress community
- A generous free plan is a good choice for personal blogs
- Add unlimited functionality through WordPress plugins on the Pro Plan
Cons
- Not compatible with Google Adsense and limited in monetization options
- Limited functionality on free and Starter plans.
How to Get Started With WordPress.com?
- Try WordPress.com and click ‘Start your website’
- Sign up with Google, Apple, or a username, email, and password
- Complete the onboarding process to tell WordPress about the site you want to create
- Select a template and start editing it.
7. Jimdo
For me, the real highlight of Jimdo is the vast array of niche-oriented templates. No matter whether you're an artist or an accountant, a freelancer, or a retail store owner, you'll find great-looking templates that are optimized for your success.
Sole traders and small business owners have enough challenges on their plate without investing huge amounts of time, money, or both in getting a professional website.
That’s why I’m such a big fan of Jimdo.
The platform offers a wide range of easy-to-edit templates catering to almost every business type, along with full eCommerce features and zero percent transaction fees, all at prices that are well within the budget of most SMBs.
Key Features:
- Drag-and-drop site builder
- Custom domains
- Mobile-optimized templates
- Database of royalty-free photos
- Social media commerce tools
- Multiple payment gateways
- Zero commission fees on sales.
Pricing:
Jimdo offers a free trial that allows you to test out the editor, but if you want to publish a professional site at your domain, you’ll need one of the following plans:
| PLAN NAME | PLAN DESCRIPTION | PLAN PRICE |
| Start | 10-page website Free domain Free SSL Customer support response within 1-2 days | $9 p/m |
| Grow | Everything in the start plan plus: 50-page website 4-hour response time from customer service. | $14 p/m |
| Business | Everything in the Grow plan, plus eCommerce tools. | $18 p/m |
PROS AND CONS OF JIMDO
Pros
- Template colors automatically adjust to match your logo and branding
- Features an excellent GDPR compliance tool to make your site accessible for European users
- Easily change your templates without affecting your content.
Cons
- Limitations on the number of pages may be a problem, especially for online stores.
- Slow customer response times.
How to Get Started With Jimdo?
- Head to Jimdo.com and click ‘Start Now‘
- Create an account and answer the onboarding questions
- Connect to Google or Facebook to automatically pull in your business information and logo
- Choose, edit, and publish your template.
8. WebFlow
Just because you’re an experienced user who needs to edit code and access advanced customizations doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the ease and efficiency of a visual website builder. Webflow brings the best of both worlds together to create the perfect package for professionals.
I’ve said time and time again how important ease of use is when it comes to picking any kind of software. Webflow, however, proves the old adage that there’s an exception to every rule.
If you’re new to building websites, you may find the extensive collection of developer and designer-friendly tools to be a little complicated and overwhelming.
However, if you’re a seasoned pro, you’ll love being able to take full control of CSS, HTML, and Javascript through an intuitive visual interface, not to mention the advanced customization options that give you the freedom to fine-tune every last detail of your site.
Key Features:
- Visual website editor
- Content management system
- Code editor
- Amazon Web Services hosting
- eCommerce tools
- Create membership sites
- Animations and user interactions.
Pricing:
WebFlow offers a decent free plan which offers 1 GB of bandwidth and 50 CMS items (posts, products, portfolio items, etc.) but limits you to a Webflow.io domain.
For more, you’ll need one of the following plans:
| PLAN NAME | PLAN DESCRIPTION | PLAN PRICE |
| Basic | Connect to a custom domain 50 GB bandwidth | $12 p/m |
| CMS | Connect to a custom domain 2,000 CMS items 200 GB bandwidth 3 guest editors. | $16 p/m |
| Business | Connect to a custom domain 10,000 CMS items 400 GB bandwidth 10 guest editors. | $36 p/m |
PROS AND CONS OF WEBFLOW
Pros
- Full editing access to HTML, CSS, and Java script
- Powered by Amazon Web Services for optimum performance
- Offers a full range of eCommerce tools.
Cons
- It May be too confusing for first-time website owners
- Limits on the number of posts, pages, and other CMS items can be too restrictive for some sites.
How to Get Started With WebFlow?
- Head to Webflow.com and click ‘Start building’
- Create an account and log in
- Create your first layout and edit your site
- Choose a plan to upload your site.
9. GoDaddy
That GoDaddy’s website builder is one of the best of the best should come as no surprise to anyone who knows the company’s 25+ year history of helping countless website owners launch an online business, a track record that makes them one of the most trusted names in the game.
GoDaddy may be better known as a leading domain name registrar and web hosting provider, but they’ve quickly become a major name in the website builder game thanks to the innovative artificial intelligence approach to creating websites.
Complete a quick onboarding questionnaire, and GoDaddy will generate the best theme design and content layout to ensure the success of your new site.
Use the intuitive visual site builder to fine-tune that site, and you can have a stunning, fully-functional website up and running in under five minutes.
Key Features:
- AI-generated design
- Visual site builder
- email and social media marketing tools
- Appointment bookings
- Sell products and services with GoDaddy Payments
- Free SSL certificate
- Create branded video content with GoDaddy Studio
- SEO tools.
Pricing:
GoDaddy Website Builder’s pricing is at the lower end of the scale, making them an attractive option for anyone looking for an affordable site builder.
Plans are as follows:
| PLAN NAME | PLAN DESCRIPTION | PLAN PRICE |
| Basic | Connect a custom domain SSL certificate Online pay links 2.3% + 30c transaction fees for eCommerce 100 x email marketing messages per month. | $6.99 p/m |
| Premium | Everything in the basic plan plus: Take online payments and deposits Run classes and courses 25,000 email marketing messages per month. | $13.99 p/m |
| Commerce | Everything in the Premium Plan plus: 5,000 products online store 50 orders per month Auto inventory and product syncing Coupons and sales badges Gift cards Abandon card recovery. | $14.99 p/m |
| Commerce Plus | Everything in the Commerce plan plus: Unlimited product online store 1,000 orders per month 100,000 monthly email marketing messages. | $29.99 p/m |
PROS AND CONS OF GODADDY
Pros
- Go from zero to launch in under five minutes
- Content automatically adopts the best format when you change themes
- Affordable pricing.
Cons
- Doesn't offer as many customization options as other platforms
- Templates aren't as aesthetically appealing as other site builders.
How to Get Started With GoDaddy?
- Go to GoDaddy.com and click ‘Start for Free’
- Sign in with Facebook, Google, or an email and password
- Complete the onboarding process by answering questions about your website goals
- GoDaddy will create a custom template based on your answers
- Edit this template to suit your needs and publish your first site.
10. SiteBuilder
Whatever problem you’re facing with your website, the fast, effective responses from Sitebuilder’s support team get it solved in no time.
Even the most experienced website creators run into problems from time to time, but if you’re new to creating websites, you may encounter more than your fair share.
With that in mind, it’s always good to have access to fast, helpful support whenever you need it, which is precisely what SiteBuilder.com provides.
Whether you’re struggling to find a feature in their intuitive drag-and-drop editor or you’re not sure how to take advantage of their in-built marketing features, support via live chat, email, and telephone right around the clock so that you can prevent any problems from affecting your ability to run a successful site.
Key Features:
- Mobile-responsive templates
- Visual drag-and-drop builder
- Advanced analytics
- Access royalty-free images
- Free 1 x year domain name.
Pricing:
Sitebuilder is hosted by parent company Web.com and charges the following prices:
| PLAN NAME | PLAN DESCRIPTION | PLAN PRICE |
| Essentials | Basic website features | $4.95 p/m |
| Business Essentials | All basic website features plus marketing features. | $7.95 p/m |
| eCommerce Essentials | All website and business essentials plus eCommerce tools. | $13.95 |
PROS AND CONS OF SITEBUILDER
Pros
- Powered by Web.com, an established company with a reputation for trustworthiness and reliability
- The drag-and-drop editor is very easy to use
- Includes basic blogging features.
Cons
- Some templates can look quite outdated and aren't very well optimized
- plans don't include an SSL certificate.
How to Get Started With Sitebuilder?
- Visit Sitebuilder.com and click ‘Get Started’
- Choose your preferred plan from Web.com
- Choose your preferred domain name or enter an existing domain
- Enter your name, email, and a password to create an account
- Enter your payment details
- Choose your template to begin customizing your site.
Frequently Asked Questions About Website Builders
These frequently asked questions are meant to further enhance your knowledge of website builders that we have discussed over here in this article. Read on.
What is the best free website builder?
Weebly’s generous free plan combines eCommerce features, attractive design templates, and user-friendly simplicity to make it the best free website builder on the block.
Is Wix better than WordPress?
Wix triumphs over WordPress.com in terms of features, ease of use, and features, though experienced users may prefer the advanced features of self-hosted WordPress.
What is the most popular website builder?
As the platform behind almost 10.5 million websites on the Internet, Wix is the most popular website builder around right now.
What is the Best Website Builder to Use in 2023? My Final Verdict
Technically, any one of the platforms above could reasonably claim to be the best website builder of the year, meaning choosing just one of them to use is all about finding the one platform that best suits your needs.
If you’re on a tight budget, then the free plan offered by Weebly and Zyro’s budget-friendly pricing will certainly appeal.
If you’re set on building a fully optimized online store, then I recommend Squarespace has the best eCommerce site builder around.
Finally, if you want the all-round best combination of affordable costs, beginner-friendly features, and attractive templates, look no further than Wix.
