Thanks to website builders, it’s easier than ever to create your own website without having any coding knowledge. There are even site builders meant for specific uses, such as e-commerce stores and blogs. The best website builders are easy to use, affordable and allow room for growth.
The most popular options include templates or themes, so you have a design starting point. This makes it much easier for you to add your own images or content and then publish quickly. Most of the website builders that made our list are all-in-one solutions that include web hosting, domain registration and a built-in editor for one monthly fee.
To select the best website builder, we analyzed dozens of options based on cost, ease of use, features, storage and bandwidth allowances, user reviews and more. We hope our guide helps you to find the best option for your unique needs and budget.
- The Best Website Builders of 2023
- GoDaddy
- Weebly
- 1&1 IONOS (MyWebsite)
- Squarespace
- HostGator
- Wix
- Shopify
- Zyro
- WordPress.org
- Duda
- Forbes Advisor Ratings
- What is a Website Builder?
- How to Choose the Best Website Builder
- How Much Does it Cost to Build a Website?
- 2023 Web Design Trends
- Tips to Build a Successful Website
- Methodology
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Next Up in Business
The Best Website Builders of 2023
GoDaddy
4.4
Starting price
$9.99
per month
Drag-and-drop editor
Yes
E-commerce in entry-level plan
Yes
On GoDaddy’s Website
Why We Picked It
Pros & Cons
Weebly
4.4
Starting price
$6
per month
Drag-and-drop editor
Yes
E-commerce in entry-level plan
Yes
On Weebly’s Website
Why We Picked It
Pros & Cons
IONOS By 1&1
4.3
Starting price
$1
per month (for the first year, then $5 per month)
Drag-and-drop editor
Yes
E-commerce in entry-level plan
Add-on
Read Forbes’ Review
Why We Picked It
Pros & Cons
Squarespace
4.2
Starting price
$16
per month
Drag-and-drop editor
Yes
E-commerce in entry-level plan
No
Via Squarespace’s Website
Why We Picked It
Pros & Cons
HostGator
4.1
Starting price
$2.75
per month (for the first three years, then $6.95 per month after that)
Drag-and-drop editor
Yes
E-commerce in entry-level plan
Add-on
On HostGator’s Website
Why We Picked It
Pros & Cons
Wix
4.0
Starting price
$16
per month
Drag-and-drop editor
Yes
E-commerce in entry-level plan
No
On Wix’s Website
Why We Picked It
Pros & Cons
Shopify
4.0
Starting price
$29
per month
Drag-and-drop editor
No
E-commerce (low-priced plan)
Yes
Read Forbes’ Review
Why We Picked It
Pros & Cons
Zyro
3.9
Starting price
$2.99
per month (for the first year, paid annually)
Drag-and-drop editor
Yes
E-commerce in entry-level plan
No
On Zyro’s Website
Why We Picked It
Pros & Cons
WordPress.org
3.7
Starting price
Free
Drag-and-drop editor
Yes
E-commerce in entry-level plan
Add-on
Why We Picked It
Pros & Cons
Duda
3.5
Starting price
$14
per month
Drag-and-drop editor
Yes
E-commerce in entry-level plan
Add-on
Why We Picked It
Pros & Cons
What is a Website Builder?
A website builder is a platform that offers a drag-and-drop interface that makes it easy to create a website for users with little to no coding experience. These platforms generally offer integrated storage for photos and videos, options for adding a custom domain, hosting capabilities, pre-built themes and more. Third-party integrations are often available as well, allowing you to add elements such as shopping carts and lead capture tools. Advanced plans may even include custom email addresses and SEO analytics tools for next-level marketing campaigns.
Note: There are two different types of website builders—online and offline. An offline website builder is software that you download to create the website on your personal computer. Online website builders are web-based and allow you to create and edit your website directly on the company’s server. This article focuses on online website builders such as Squarespace, Wix and Weebly.
How Does A Web Builder Work?
A website builder converts your drag-and-drop commands into code. Your website can either be hosted by the company or connect to your hosting provider. Most website builders offer a selection of themes or templates that are suitable for different types of websites. For example, a portfolio would use a different template than an e-commerce store. Once you select a template, you’ll be able to customize many of the features. Depending on the website builder, this includes elements like typeface, the layout and the size of the text and images. You may also be able to add contact forms and embed videos.
While coding is often not required for many of the most popular web builders, most platforms do allow users to customize HTML and CSS to suit their needs.
How to Choose the Best Website Builder
There is no magical one-size-fits-all approach to choose the best website builder. You need to find the right balance of cost and features to fulfill your needs.
Determine Your Needs
Ask yourself some questions to help narrow things down:
- Do you just need to display information, or should site visitors be able to interact with the pages?
- Are you planning to sell products or services, or capture contact information of potential customers?
- Will you be managing your site yourself or working with a third-party service provider?
- Are you willing to pay extra for more features?
- How much customization do you want in terms of layout and design?
- Do you need to create any unique functionality like quizzes, forms, or newsletters?
Consider these elements when comparing products and you’ll soon find a service that fits the bill.
Explore Key Features
A website builder makes many of the complicated aspects of running a website simple and intuitive. Here is a list of some of the most common features.
- Drag-and-Drop Interface. Many website builders allow you to drag and drop the components of a web page to design it as if you are assembling a collage. This could include text, photos, video or any other component on your web page. Each website builder offers different flexibility for customization options. Some companies use themes that are harder to adjust, while others allow you to customize almost every aspect of the web page with no coding whatsoever.
- Pictures and Video Storage. Website builders make it easy to upload pictures and videos. With Squarespace, for example, you’ll have access to an image gallery on your account. This way, you’ll be able to edit and remove photos and videos from different pages, but still store them and refer to them in the future. Storage capabilities generally vary by subscription plan.
- Hosting and Domains. When you’re building a website, you need two components other than design: a website host and a domain name (the URL used to navigate to your site). Many website builders offer all three services. If you already own a domain name but want to use a different website builder (for example, you purchased your domain name through GoDaddy but want to use Wix for design), you’ll have to migrate your domain to the new platform.
- Third-Party Integrations. Website builders make it easy to integrate third-party applications like social media feeds or shopping carts. Lead capture forms are another commonly used integration, allowing potential customers/clients to provide their information and dump it directly into your preferred CRM or data repository.
- Mobile Compatibility. Because so many people browse the web, mobile compatibility is an important feature for any website. Many website builders integrate this feature automatically and allow you to view the mobile version of your website as you edit. Some can even automatically adjust the elements on your site so that a single design functions well on multiple devices.
- Business Email. Most website builders come with the ability to create an email address with your domain name as the extension. Some always charge extra for this feature while others offer one or two emails for free and charge for each additional email, so be sure to choose the best plan for your needs.
- SEO Analytics. While many people use Google Analytics to assess traffic, most website builders come with their own form of traffic analysis that is easier to follow for average people. This will give you information about which websites your traffic is coming from and how viewers found you. If you are actively trying to develop your SEO and expand the reach of your website, you may find the need to invest in specific software for analytics. However, for most individuals and small businesses, the insight available through their website builder is sufficient.
How Much Does it Cost to Build a Website?
When building a website, choosing a platform is only one piece of the puzzle. You also need to consider hosting costs, domain names, SEO analytics, custom email options, graphic design and more. You may even want to hire a content manager to make sure your site is updated regularly, keeping it fresh for new visitors. You should research prices of all web design costs in order to get the full picture of how much your site will cost.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the cost to build a website:
| Service | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Domain Name | $12 to $60 | You will need to purchase a domain name and maintain active registration with a domain registrar. |
| Hosting | $100 to $500 | A web host is necessary to keep your site live. If you expect higher traffic to your site, be sure to select a plan that can handle that traffic. |
| Website Builder | $100 to $500 | As you can see in the guide above, there are many top website builders with options for all kinds of business and personal needs. |
| SSL | Free to $250 | SSL certification helps to keep your website secure. Some web builders include an SSL in their package for free. |
| Total | $212 to $1,350 | These are the most basic costs to build a website. You’ll also need to consider additional costs for site plugins, SEO services, website management services, imagery licenses, and more. |
2023 Web Design Trends
If you’re a web designer, staying on top of design trends can ensure you deliver your most demanding clients’ dreams on the first try instead of the fifth. Here are some major 2023 web design trends we anticipate will surf their way into the new year.
Motion Design Trends
The number one trend we’ve noticed is a shift towards designs that integrate motion in some form. Incorporating active design elements is a great way to capture visitor attention and spark interest, and with a multitude of ways to add them to your site, you’re sure to find something meaningful and even fun to use.
Prioritizing Download Speeds
A study by Google discovered that more than half of mobile users will abandon a website if it takes more than three seconds to load. Ensuring ultra-fast download speeds will provide a better user experience, encourage the consumer to stay on your site and increase sales potential.
Content Loading
A website can either load in its entirety upon arrival, or only load the content the client is accessing—also called smart or lazy loading. By using smart loading, it is possible for a company website to run faster and more efficiently than non-smart loading competitors.
Individualized Content
Utilizing user data trends and location services can help web developers create a more personalized online experience for a consumer base, thus increasing the company’s conversion potential.
Accessibility and Availability
The demand for creating digital content accessible and usable for everybody is on the rise. For example, when designing a web page, it is important to consider accommodations for neurodivergent individuals, consumers with disabilities and consumers with visual or auditory impairments.
Tips to Build a Successful Website
Here are a few important tips to help you create a successful site:
Design for Desktop and Mobile Devices
A mobile-responsive site automatically adjusts images, text and design elements to show up quickly and appropriately for a mobile phone. According to Google Analytics stats, more than 60% of traffic is mobile in the U.S., so it’s important that your site is mobile-responsive.
Most modern site builders are mobile-responsive, but even those that are may not be 100% perfect. Be sure to always preview your designs on both desktop and mobile screens of different sizes. If you notice any errors, you can adjust your designs by changing up element sizing or even removing certain elements on specific screen sizes.
Consider Pre-Built Templates and Themes
The terms theme and template are usually interchangeable. They are pre-built page designs that usually include menu navigation with the most common pages (home, about, contact, blog), a header and a footer. Most themes will include sample imagery and text, which you can replace with your own content. You can often customize the global template to best meet your needs as well.
Most site builders will have a variety of free and premium themes to choose from. Using these can help you get a well-designed site up and running much faster than if you were to build the site from scratch yourself. That said, not all themes are created equal. Be sure to preview all your pages to make sure there are no inconsistencies or errors as you add your content.
Add An SSL Certificate
A secure sockets layer (SSL) certificate is a file that encrypts data transfers to and from a website. So, when someone visits your secure website or enters information in any fields on your site (forms, username, password, credit card details), the SSL certificate keeps that data private. It’s important to have that security on your site for the end user, and having an SSL certificate can also help to improve your ranking in search engines.
Do I Need a Website Builder?
If you want to create a website and don’t have experience coding, a website builder is the easiest way to do it. The other option is to build your website yourself, but this requires knowledge of coding or hiring a professional. The benefit of hiring someone is that you have complete control of how the website looks.
When you are working with a website builder, you will likely come across design challenges that the website builder does not support. For example, let’s say you want a drop-down menu, but the theme you’re using doesn’t offer that feature. Or, you may love a particular template but find you’re not able to change the color theme.
Each website builder and each theme within it has different limitations, and you often only learn what they are as you go. If you don’t need complete creative control, you’ll find that the best website builders offer more than enough features to build a professional website.
More Web Building Essentials
Forbes Advisor has compiled a list of other services that you may need in order to get your website off the ground and thriving. Check out these guides for more essential information:
Methodology
To compile our list of best website builders, Forbes Advisor gathered thousands of data points on the top website builders—and their several plans—and categorized the data into five core categories and 43 subcategories.
We paid special attention to the pricing of the various plans. We also considered factors such as storage, bandwidth, tools, templates and mobile responsiveness, customer service, and user reviews. Additionally, we included an expert rating to account for qualitative things such as popularity and stand-out features or policies.
