In 2024, building your own website has never been easier. Whether you’re starting a personal blog or setting up an online store, there are plenty of tools available to help you create a stunning site. We’ve tested and reviewed the top website builders to help you find the best one for your needs. Here are our top picks for the best website builders in 2024.
Key Takeaways
- Wix offers a user-friendly interface with a wide range of templates.
- Squarespace is known for its beautiful designs and ease of use.
- Shopify is the go-to choice for creating an online store.
- Hostinger provides AI tools to save you time in building your site.
- GoDaddy offers great value for money and is perfect for beginners.
1. Wix
Wix is a leading website builder known for its easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface. This platform offers a wide range of templates, making it a great choice for beginners and those who want a visually appealing website.
Wix’s unstructured editor allows users to move any element to any spot on a page, providing a lot of freedom. This feature is perfect for users who want to control every aspect of their site.
Wix is like the Android of website builders, offering more features but requiring users to be comfortable with the risks that come with control.Key Features
- Drag-and-drop interface
- Wide range of templates
- Unstructured editor for full control
Pros
- User-friendly
- Highly customizable
- Extensive template library
Cons
- Limited advanced scalability
- Can be overwhelming for beginners
Best For
- Beginners
- Users who want full control over their website’s design
- Those looking for a visually engaging website
2. Squarespace
Squarespace is a top choice for anyone looking to build a website, whether it’s for a small business, a blog, a portfolio, or an online store. Its intuitive, drag-and-drop editor makes it easy for beginners to create stunning websites. If you ever get stuck, there are simple-to-follow guides to help you out.
Squarespace is often compared to Apple because of its sleek and polished design. The platform offers beautiful templates and a secure environment, making it a reliable choice for many users.
Key Features
- Responsive design templates
- Website traffic and commerce analytics tools
- 14-day free trial
- Pricing ranges from $16 to $49 per month, with custom plans available
Squarespace is like the cool kid in high school: flashy and hip on the surface but also packed with substance underneath. It’s perfect for small- to medium-sized businesses looking for a well-designed page with room for e-commerce growth and lower transaction fees.3. Shopify
Shopify is widely recognized as the best website builder for online stores. It simplifies the challenges of ecommerce, making it easier for anyone to create a stunning online storefront. Whether you’re a small creator or a large business, Shopify can accommodate your needs. Many famous personalities, like Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylie Jenner, trust Shopify for their online sales.
Key Features:
- Scalability: Shopify is perfect for businesses of all sizes, allowing you to grow without changing platforms.
- Global Selling: It offers seamless selling options worldwide, although it comes at a higher price compared to competitors like Squarespace or Wix.
- AI Tools: The platform is expanding its suite of AI tools to enhance user experience.
Pricing:Plan TypeMonthly CostBasic$29Shopify$79Advanced$299Pros and Cons:
- Pros:
- Ideal for large inventories
- Extensive app store
- Better for experienced builders
- Cons:
- Limited customization options
- Dependence on third-party apps
- Few free templates available
Shopify is the go-to option for e-commerce brands because of its scalability. As your sales volume increases, you can lower your transaction costs. This makes it a smart choice for anyone serious about selling online.4. Hostinger
Hostinger is a great choice for those who want to save time with AI tools. Hostinger website builder features an excellent interface and powerful tools that give small businesses many convenient options for setting up shop online. The pricing is also very affordable, starting at just $2.99 per month for a 48-month contract.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Suite of AI tools
- Ecommerce included
Cons
- Poor scalability
- Simple templates
- No app market
Hostinger’s website builder is an excellent value-for-money proposition, but it’s fairly new and lacks advanced features.
Hostinger introduced its no-code, drag-and-drop website builder, Zyro, in 2019. It was initially a side project but soon became part of the main brand. Now, Hostinger Website Builder offers a solid drag-and-drop editor, making it easy for beginners and budget-conscious users to create simple websites.
5. GoDaddy
GoDaddy’s website builder is designed with beginners in mind, making it perfect for those with limited technical and design experience. You can build your site by adding pre-made sections, which simplifies the process significantly. The platform includes a suite of business and marketing tools such as appointment scheduling, email marketing, social media management, graphic design, ecommerce, and a simple CRM.
GoDaddy is also known for its excellent 24/7 tech support, ensuring you have help whenever you need it. The subscription plans are affordable, starting at $9.99 per month for the Basic plan and going up to $16.99 per month for the Commerce plan.
PlanPrice per MonthBasic$9.99Premium$14.99Commerce$16.99GoDaddy is best for basic, no-frills websites and is ideal for getting a site up and running quickly.
However, the platform does have some limitations. The editor can be restrictive, making it less suitable for complex designs. Additionally, it lacks high-quality templates, which might be a drawback for some users.
6. Duda
Duda is a bit pricey, but it fills some gaps that other main players miss, like analytics, multilingual capabilities, and better personalization.
Who Duda is Best For
Duda suits freelancers and agencies that design sites for clients. If you handle branding or marketing campaigns but want to expand your product portfolio, Duda can help. You don’t have to be an expert developer or technical SEO master to use its web-building tools either. But, if you are, consider giving Duda’s developer mode a try.
Why is Duda the Best?
Duda’s client management and collaboration tools make this site-building platform stand out. You can add unlimited websites to your account, onboard new clients, and turn their vision into reality. AI tools and templates speed up processes, whereas flexible design features let you personalize each site fully.
Duda is a smaller player compared to other builders with around 960,000 live websites. It focuses on designers and design agencies, offering a powerful and easy-to-use builder with many differentiated offerings.7. Bluehost
Bluehost is a great choice for WordPress websites. It offers a website builder that is built on top of WordPress, making it easy for beginners to start their online journey. The tool includes 24/7 customer support and promises 99.9% uptime.
Key Features
- Ecommerce functionality: Yes
- WordPress friendly: Yes
- Unlimited websites: Yes
- Free domain: Yes
Reasons to Buy
- Large repository of templates
- Sufficient uptime
- Easy switch between Builder and WordPress builder
- Free SSL and free domain
Reasons to Avoid
- No email accounts included
- No monthly billing
- Doesn’t let you switch templates
Bluehost is a popular choice for beginners starting out their online journey. The tool includes 24/7 customer support, promises 99.9% uptime, and offers a user-friendly onboarding wizard to make the site-building process straightforward.
Conclusion
In 2024, choosing the right website builder depends on your specific needs, whether it’s for personal use, a small business, or a large e-commerce site. The top contenders like Wix, Squarespace, and Shopify offer a range of features that cater to different requirements. Wix stands out for its versatility and ease of use, Squarespace is known for its beautiful templates, and Shopify excels in e-commerce functionalities. Remember, the best website builder for you is the one that fits your goals and skill level. Take advantage of free trials and explore the options to find the perfect match for your project.
Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat is the best website builder for beginners in 2024?
Wix is often recommended for beginners because it’s easy to use and offers a lot of templates to choose from.
Can I use a website builder for free?
Yes, many website builders like Wix and Weebly offer free plans, but they come with limitations like ads and a branded domain name.
Which website builder is best for online stores?
Shopify is known for its strong ecommerce features, making it a top choice for online stores.
Do website builders offer customer support?
Most website builders offer customer support through various channels like chat, email, and phone.
Can I switch my website builder later?
Switching website builders can be tricky and may require manual work to transfer content. It’s best to choose the right one from the start.
Is coding knowledge required to use website builders?
No, most website builders are designed to be user-friendly and do not require any coding knowledge.