Software is a tool, and like any other tool it can be used for good or bad. Web design software is no different. It’s important to know what to look for when choosing web design software, so you can make sure your company is using the right kind—and not the wrong kind.
There are a lot of options out there. Some of them are free and some of them cost money. But not all of them are created equal! We’ve done some research on the best web design software for businesses, so you don’t have to do it yourself!
Table of Contents
Recommended Web Design Software
The best web design software makes it simple and easy to build a website, either by offering a coding platform, or a drag-and-drop interface.
It used to be the case that the only option was to code a website directing, using HTML & CSS and even JavaScript. However, these days drag-and-drop editors have become much more commonplace, making it a breeze for anyone to customize or even build their own website.
Whichever option you prefer, all of them make it easier to build in the elements you require on your website, and can work with additional tools such as form builders, image hosting, and even content delivery networks (CDN).
In this guide we have focused on the best web design tools currently available on the market. Similar to the best website builder services, when weighing up which to include, we focus on ease of use, supported web languages, cost, and how easy the tools make it to upload the finished project once you are done.
These are the best web design software services of 2022
1. Wix
The best web design software for beginnersTODAY’S BEST DEALSWix Pro$23/mthWix Connect Domain$3.54/mthVISIT SITEat Wix
REASONS TO BUY
+Very easy to use+No coding required+Huge range of powerful features+Yet still highly user-friendly
Wix is more of a website builder than a coding platform, but it is one of the most popular online website creators, offering a range of plans and products. The free version has Wix branding, limited storage space and bandwidth, but move up to the most popular plan (unlimited) and there’s no Wix ads.
An excellent collection of 500 plus templates gets the design process off to a quick start. The drag-and-drop editor gives you all kinds of tools and features to explore – an image editor, video backgrounds, animations, social buttons, an integrated site blog – and just about everything can be tweaked, tuned and restyled. Furthermore, as of recently, Wix introduced Wix Turbo, which increases the speed and performance of websites substantially.
All the core editing functions are really smartly designed, and operate more like a native app than your average website builder. Wix does have some weaknesses, with tech support seeming a little sluggish and limited in some respects. But there’s no denying that the superb editor and range of top-notch templates make it easy for web building novices to create something impressive.
- Read our full Wix review to find out why it’s the best web design software on the market.
2. Adobe Dreamweaver
The best web design software for professionalsTODAY’S BEST DEALSVISIT SITE
REASONS TO BUY
+Customize your design+Build a responsive design+HTML5 support
REASONS TO AVOID
-Not cheap
Adobe Dreamweaver is a long-established app that allows you to code your website design directly, without having to know too much about programming. The software works through a mix of visual editing and HTML editing, which means it shouldn’t have too steep a learning curve for most users.
Additionally, while coding your own website design requires you to put in more effort than simply using an existing ready made template, at least you have the chance to ensure you get the look you actually want, rather than trying to work around someone else’s design specifications.
A particularly good feature of Dreamweaver is that it allows you to produce a responsive design, which means your website can be optimized to display on desktops as well as mobile devices, without limiting the user experience.
However, if you are a more advanced user you may be pleased to note that Dreamweaver provides multi-monitor support for Windows. It also supports the Chromium Embedded Framework (CEF) to work with HTML5 elements and CSS grids. Additionally, there’s also support for Git to allow you to edit source code directly from within Dreamweaver.
Dreamweaver is available as part of Adobe’s mid-range packaged app subscription service, Creative Cloud, which also includes Photoshop.
- Read our full Adobe Dreamweaver review
3. WordPress
The best custom option for beginnersTODAY’S BEST DEALSVISIT SITE
REASONS TO BUY
+Easy to install and use+Many available features+Pre-built website templates
REASONS TO AVOID
-Watch out for spamAdvertisement
WordPress is an alternative way to set up and design your website, being rather different to the other offerings we’ve highlighted here because it’s actually a content management system (CMS). The power here is that it is a simple matter to set up a website in minutes. Indeed, many web hosting packages include a one-click install of WordPress from their Control Panel, but even without that, WordPress is relatively easy to install.
Once installed, the backend for administration and management is very user-friendly. You can use the existing WordPress design templates for your website, but more likely you will want to download and install an existing free or premium WordPress template – all of which can be done with just a few clicks.
Even if you would prefer to work with your own design, you can often do so using drag-and-drop functions, usually from a downloaded design with an in-built framework. This can allow you to create a professional-looking website without having to learn programming or coding at all.
Better still, there are so many free add-ons available to download and install, often requiring nothing more than a few clicks. This makes the whole process of customizing your website very simple, and it does not require any professional skills.
Overall, WordPress is a very easy CMS to use, and can provide a very quick way to get any form of website online fast. The huge variety of template designs and additional community supported features mean that getting something which is near the mark of what you want isn’t hard at all. Just ensure that in the settings you select to turn off comments so as to avoid spam.
- Read our full WordPress review
4. Weebly
The DIY e-commerce websiteTODAY’S BEST DEALSWeebly Starter$5/mthWeebly Pro$12/mthWeebly Business$25/mthVISIT SITEat Weebly
REASONS TO BUY
+Professional look+Mobile-friendly+Easy to personalizeAdvertisement
Weebly is another online CMS, this time targeted at people with little or no coding experience, by providing easy to use drag and drop tools for creating a website. Weebly also provides the ability for users to create online stores using existing templates to work with their simply website-building framework.
The number of themes available for Weebly is somewhat limited, but the designs are clean and professional-looking, plus there are options to personalize accordingly. Additionally, the themes are responsive, which means they are optimized to work with mobile devices, plus they have in built SEO, analytics, and even a feature for posting ads directly to Facebook.
There’s a free tier available for basic use, and allows you to get used to the service. However, to use your own domain and get rid of ads, you’ll need the Professional plan.
- Read our full Weebly review
5. Webflow
Cloud-based offering that needs no coding knowledgeTODAY’S BEST DEALSVISIT SITE
REASONS TO BUY
+Drag and drop GUI+Truly cross-platform
REASONS TO AVOID
-Interface takes time to masterAdvertisementhttps://a0a00ed32220071cfe044caaec42d8dc.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
Webflow is a cloud-based service which has been created specifically to allow people with no coding knowledge to get started with web design.
Aside from being truly cross-platform, as it’s web-based, Webflow emphasizes the concept of ‘smart codelessness’. In the first instance this means a crisp drag and drop interface allowing you to drop elements such as text and images seamlessly onto a page using one of the freely available templates.
Unlike many WYSIWYG editors, the code produced is very clean and well-written even if you choose the ‘I have no coding experience’ option during setup. Webflow’s automation tool will create the necessary HTML/CSS code for you. You can make granular changes to individual elements using the panels on the right.
Webflow offers a free demonstration of its features via the website, and you can also subscribe for a free Starter package which allows you to create up to two projects.
- Read our full Webflow review
6. Bluefish
Lightweight and easy to use web coding platformTODAY’S BEST DEALSVISIT SITE
REASONS TO BUY
+Lightweight and quick+Use advanced code via wizards
REASONS TO AVOID
-No visual interfaceAdvertisement
Bluefish is among the smallest web design tools available today. The tiny installer takes only a few moments to setup. While the interface is text-only, it’s clearly designed with novices in mind as it employs clear-cut toolbars, user customizable menus and syntax highlighting.
While the main focus is on HTML, Bluefish supports a huge range of other languages including PHP, Java, JavaScript, SQL, XML and CSS. Unlike visual WYSIWYG web design tools, the text interface makes for much cleaner code.
Bluefish has an excellent search function, allowing you to find text across multiple projects. The tool also has no trouble juggling hundreds of documents at the same time. Although Bluefish supports working with remote files, the varied and useful dialogs and wizards don’t currently support direct upload of web pages via FTP.
Despite the best efforts of the developers, Bluefish may take some time to get used to. The tool is available free of charge, however, so you have nothing to lose by giving it a try.
7. Visual Studio Code
A text editor from MicrosoftTODAY’S BEST DEALS
REASONS TO BUY
+Customizable+Loads of integrations+Source control toolsAdvertisement
Visual Studio Code (or VScode) has become popular among developers – the ones who aren’t put off by the fact that it’s a Microsoft product, anyway. It offers a variety of packages and free extensions that can be downloaded from its marketplace to add additional features – and the code editor itself can be customized.
While a lot of people may be intimated by the idea of coding if they have no programming experience, at some point in the web design process it can be important to be able to edit code directly. This is particularly helpful if you want to customize code for existing software add-ons in order to get the features you want for your website. Visual Studio Code can help make the process less painful by providing a dedicated platform for coding.
Visual Studio Code sports its own terminal and debugger, supports linting, and has integration with all manner of source control tools. It especially offers good support for Javascript and Python, making it potentially useful not just for coding the frontend of a website but also potentially some backend functions as well.
Other web design tools you might find useful
If you’re involved in web design, the chances are you’ll also need some graphic design skills and assets. Here we’ll look at a couple of other resources and assets you’ll properly need to help with your website design process:
1. Graphics program
You don’t need anything too expensive or fancy unless you’re chasing a career in graphic design or illustration. However, you’ll probably find yourself wanting to create simple logos, headings, text features, as well as manipulate photos, all as part of your website design.
There are a lot of different packages out there, from GIMP which is a completely free software platform, to older software such as Jasc’s Paint Shop Pro which remains a competent program that can be bought on the cheap at Amazon.
Alternatively, check out these other features for the latest in best, and sometimes free, software you might want to use:
- Best drawing and painting software
- Best graphic design software
- The best free photo editor
2. Stock photos
On top of creating your own graphics, there’s also a good chance you’ll want to use stock photos to really give your website a professional look.Advertisement
Stock photos are available on almost any subject matter, and on top of that there are also an increasing number of stock video websites, in case you want to add video media.
Even better is that there are a number of free stock image and video websites, but be advised that these tend to be much more limited than paid-for stock image sites.
Here you can check out some of our features on these, to help you choose the best ones:
- The best free stock photo sites
- The best free stock video sites
Round up of today’s best deals
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offline website builder software
Users can now benefit from endless instruments whenever they need a professional portfolio, a web store or a corporate site. Despite the type and purposes, website builders have proved to be the easiest and fastest option on the way to a solid web representation. While online builders are growing popular, offline website software keeps staying in the shadow for a while. We decided to highlight some of the major offline website building platforms and compare them with a leading online service.
The first thing we need to do is to figure out what an offline builder actually is. What misses and hits might the offline software have?
An offline website builder is a set of downloadable software elements. Every time a user needs to build a site, he or she has to download and install those pieces onto a computer. Unlike online platforms, you do not require an internet connection to edit your website.
This fact ensures higher security and some decent backup degree. On the other hand, your PC is the only way to access the builder. You will not be able to outsource the work on the website or edit it remotely.
The major stages of using an offline website builder are as follows:
Download the software.
Install the website platform on your laptop or PC or Mac.
Choose from the list of templates or design your own.
Add and edit content.
Add media files.
Publish the website.
Although some offline platforms still have a drag-and-drop feature, they are pretty complicated. It will take some time for beginners to keep up with all the functions and features. Moreover, using an offline builder requires advanced hardware, a separate hosting, and regular update downloads.
We Tested Out 10 Of The Best Offline Website Builders:
Wix – The Best Website Builder Software (SaaS)
WordPress – Free Downloadable CMS for Any Website
Webflow – Professional Web Design Tool
Dreamweaver – Offline Web Design and Development Tool
Mobirise – Offline Website Building Program (Mac & Windows)
TemplateToaster – Offline Software for Creating Website Templates
Adobe Muse СС – Offline Website Builder for Web Designers
Pinegrow – Downloadable Drag&Drop Design Software
WYSIWYG Web Builder – Offline Program for Windows 10
Figma – Web Development Tool for Professionals
All the systems listed above are full-featured offline web building tools, which come with their advantages, disadvantages, special parameters and specifications. Each software works great for the completion of certain tasks. That’s why, it makes sense to review each of the services in details to pick the one that works best for your individual project.
Wix – The Best Website Builder Software (SaaS)
Wix – The Best Website Builder Software (SaaS)
Product Name: WIX
Official Website: wix.com
Founded: 2006
Number of Websites: 4,565,423
Complexity: Very easy
Free plan: Yes
Paid plan: From $13/mo
In-depth Review
Try It for Free
Although Wix is an online builder, it is actually a hosted program. The only difference between offline software is that you do not have to download program files and look for a place to host them. You get an all-in-one solution with files already hosted and all changes saved in real time.
The platform has proved to be equally good for different purposes. It lets beginners easily come up with a solid web store, a professional looking portfolio or a capturing business website within a couple of hours. The software boasts its advanced online editor to customize the site pages with just one click.
The main Wix advantages are as follows:
Ease of Use – Wix boasts probably the easiest-to-understand WYSIWYG editor. You can start building a website once you have signed in. The intuitive interface does not take long to figure out how everything works here;
Great Collection of Templates – the software boasts an amazing selection of mobile-ready templates for any type of website. Wix developers regularly come up with new themes to meet users’ expectations. All templates are professionally designed and boast an excellent online appearance;
Wix App Market – looking for a widget or app to make your website more user-friendly? Wix boasts its own App Market with a huge collection of FREE applications and widgets to choose from. Create a stunning blog, integrate analytics into your digital store, etc.;
ADI Tool – Wix follows the latest website building trends and offers its unique ADI tool letting you build a website at no time at all. The AI-based system will consider your preferences and likes. Then it will automatically build a website you need without any manual involvement;
Wix Mobile Editor – you can now check how your website will look like on a mobile device before publishing it. The tool lets you edit various blocks and sections without affecting the web version of the original website.
Moreover, Wix comes as an all-in-one platform. It means that you do not have to think of where to host your website or register a domain name. The system is advanced enough to let you cope with different projects despite their complexity. You will hardly ever need the assistance of third-party developers or programmers. The website builder offers an affordable pricing policy – there is a free subscription and two types of paid plans – standard and Business/eCommerce. Each type, in its turn, falls into more detailed subscriptions. Their cost starts from $13/mo.
See also: How to Use Wix Website Builder.
Try Wix for Free
WordPress – Free Downloadable CMS for Any Website
WordPress – Free Downloadable CMS for Any Website
Product Name: WordPress
Official Website: wordpress.org
Founded: 2003
Number of Websites: 28,183,568
Complexity: Complex
Free plan: Completely free
Paid plan: Paid themes and hosting
In-depth Review
Try It for Free
WordPress – is a renowned Content Management System, which is free to download and install. The platform, which was initially intended for blog development, is now used to launch and manage all types of projects for personal and business use.
It’s quite hard to call the CMS an easy-to-use system as it requires a bit of coding and web design proficiency to create high end projects. The system is known for its extensive integration options, availability of built-in and third-party templates as well as advanced design customization tools.
The major WordPress benefits include:
Free Hosting Choice. WordPress allows choosing any hosting provider that comes up to your project requirements and needs most. What’s more, many contemporary hosts come with pre-set CMS that is installed in a few clicks only. Bluehost, for example, is a trusted hosting provider, which is officially recommended by WordPress as one of the best services. Bluehost offers free domain name during the first year of use as well as 60% discount for WordPress installation.
Offline Website Creation. When working with WordPress, a user can pick specialized tools to get a virtual server on his/her computer. This makes it possible to launch websites without any online connection, while ready-made projects can further be published on one of special hostings.
100% Design Customization. Whatever template you will go for, it will be quality, responsive and 100% customizable. You can select and modify the required settings to get the best result in the long run. What you can experiment with is general web design settings, colors, backgrounds, styles, fonts and images, which are both available in stock and can be added to the system’s gallery. Additionally, it is possible to upload and integrate social media files, documents, new gallery elements etc.
Professional Blogging Platform. As far as WordPress was initially created as a blogging system, it boasts and extremely powerful blogging engine that encompasses multiple features, tools and settings. The service allows launching and managing full-featured blogs, which can also be updated any time of the day and even on the go.
WordPress is an absolutely free CMS. You can download and install it at no cost at all. Mind, however, that to get extra features, plugins, third-party templates, hosting and domain name, you’ll have to invest an extra budget. When it comes to hosting, Bluehost proves to be the best solution. This is the top hosting provider officially recommended by the CMS. The cost of its plans starts from $2.95/mo only, which is more than affordable for everyone.
See also: Best Web Hosting Services Reviewed.
Install WordPress for Free
Webflow – Professional Web Design Tool
Webflow – Professional Web Design Tool
Product Name: Webflow
Official Website: webflow.com
Founded: 2013
Number of Websites: 169,567
Complexity: Medium
Free plan: Yes
Paid plan: $12/mo
In-depth Review
Try It for Free
Webflow – is a cloud website builder, which is used to develop professional projects with high end performance and outstanding design. The major system specialization goes down to the development of advanced projects, which differ in thematic niches, complexity, size and other important parameters.
Because of the system’s complexity and professional web design approach, users are expected to possess coding skills right from the start. Otherwise, it will be difficult for them to get used to the control panel and master the entire feature set of the service. Webflow can give your project outstanding look and exquisite functionality.
Here are the main Webflow advantages:
eCommerce Engine. The website builder comes with a powerful eCommerce engine that lets you set up and modify all types of online stores. These projects are distinguished by high end functionality, although, no deep coding skills are required to manage them. What you can do to give your eCommerce project outstanding look is integrating and customizing the shopping cart, creating and updating product lists, uploading items and providing their descriptions, adding prices, introducing discounts, tracking web store statistics, inventory tools sales reports etc.
Responsive Templates. Webflow boasts a collection of responsive templates, which are customizable, modern and versatile. As of today, the template set of the platform encounters over 200 ready-made designs, which are both free and paid. The templates are sorted out by industry to ensure quick and easy access.
Lightbox Gallery. The website builder now allows creating professional Lightbox galleries. With this purpose, you can use videos and images available in the system’s collection or those you have uploaded and stored on your own. The feature is provided on a free basis to let all Webflow users enjoy an opportunity to create immersive web browsing experience.
Code Editing. As mentioned above, the system makes it possible to create exclusive and personalized website designs by means of code editing. Users are allowed to integrate custom HTML codes into footers or headers to give their projects high end look.
After Effects and Lottie Integration. Another highlight of the website builder is its After Effects and Lottie integration. The system lets users control vector animations display options via the use of multiple system interactions.
Webflow is a professional website builder, the major specialization of which goes down to the development of complicated and feature-laden projects. Along with the free plan, the system offers several payment options. There are two types of subscriptions here – Site and Account plans. Each of them, in its turn, falls into smaller groups – Website and eCommerce plans as well as Individual and Team plans. These subscriptions, correspondingly, offer several more plans users may choose from based on their web design needs. The overall Webflow pricing starts from $12/mo.
Try Webflow Now
Dreamweaver – Offline Web Design and Development Tool
Dreamweaver – Offline Web Design and Development Tool
Product Name: Adobe Dreamweaver
Official Website: adobe.com
Founded: 1997
Number of Websites: 4,308,178
Complexity: Complex
Free plan: Free 7-day trial
Paid plan: From $14.99/mo
In-depth Review
Try It for Free
Adobe Dreamweaver – is an advanced offline web design tool, which allows creating, publishing and editing professional websites featuring high end functionality and exquisite design. The software is provided as a part of the Creative Cloud service. It lets you create and update different types of websites and offline applications with no hassle at all. However, it is still desirable to possess some coding skills and web design background to be able to work with the system.
Both web design pros and beginners can use the software to develop high end projects. However, newbies will find the system complicated as it takes some time and effort to master it to the advantage.
Have a look at the main Dreamweaver highlights now:
Code Editor. The software allows getting access to the advanced code editor of the platform. This is where you can work with a variety of website codes, such as HTML, PHP, CSS, JSP, XML JavaScript and more. The feature lets you create individual professional app and website design. All the steps and edits you make are clearly displayed in the visual preview mode so that you could fix the available errors before publishing the project.
Integration Options. Dreamweaver comes with advanced integration options. To be precise, it perfectly integrates with other Adobe products in terms of Creative Cloud Library and Adobe Stock Marketplace integration. Among the products you can choose for your website or offline app, it makes sense to mention InDesign CC, Photoshop CC, Premiere Pro CC, Illustrator CC, After Effects CC, Dimension CC and Animate CC. Additionally, the software allows integrating third-party services, such as Business Catalyst, Bitbucket, GitHub and many more.
Adobe Stock Marketplace Services. As a Dreamweaver user, you can get access to the rich Adobe Stock Marketplace with lots of services to be chosen for your project. This is where you can browse an extensive collection of illustrations and images to further download and insert them into the website or app you are working on. Additionally, you can export multiple PSD files you plan to use for your project.
Free Templates. Dreamweaver grants access to lots of templates you can download and install from third-party services. These designs are both free and paid, so, it’s up to you to pick the design you are interested in. The software lets you integrate Joomla, WordPress and Drupal templates. Mind, however, that picking themes from external resources is not altogether safe. So, mind this aspect and check the security of each design chosen in advance.
Adobe Dreamweaver is a professional offline web design tool, which is provided by the Creative Cloud service. It requires download and installation to be used for web building purposes. There is no completely free plan, but there is a 7-day trial that lets you test the entire feature set of the system prior to opting for one of its paid subscriptions, the price range of which is quite extensive. Currently, the cost of Dreamweaver subscriptions starts from $14.99/mo.
Download Adobe Dreamweaver
Mobirise – Offline Website Building Program (Mac & Windows)
Mobirise – Offline Website Building Program (Mac & Windows)
Product Name: Mobirise
Official Website: mobirise.com
Founded: 2003
Number of Websites: 293, 247
Complexity: Easy
Free plan: Free Software
Paid plan: Hosting and extensions
In-depth Review
Try It for Free
The release of Mobirise appeared to be a revolutionary step, as it boasts some core differences if compared with its contemporaries. First of all, it is a responsive free offline software. It means that you will need to download and install it. Otherwise, you will not be able to launch the website building process. It is very simple to use.
This fact makes Mobirise a good option for newbies. The software provides an intuitive and simple editing environment in addition to some other fundamental competitive advantages.
The major Mobirise benefits include:
Simple installation – the process is very fast and easy. Make sure your hardware meets necessary system requirements;
800+ Content Blocks – create a unique page structure using any of the content blocks form a huge collection;
Good-Looking Templates – the software delivers a bunch of appealing and responsive templates out of the box. All Mobirise websites are mobile-friendly;
Simple Drag-and-Drop Feature – Mobirise boasts an easy-to-use and intuitive WYSIWYG editor. It means that no coding skills are required;
AMP Website Builder – Choose from an array of AMP templates to create an online business card, portfolio or blog. AMP templates are the best bet to represent and promote your business/services on mobile devices.
Users may choose a place to host their Mobirise websites. It can be your Google Cloud, local drive or even Github. The features certainly add some flexibility. Another good advantage about the software is the fact that it is free to use whether your website is going to serve commercial or non-profitable purposes.
However, Mobirise does not provide hosting, which means you will have to pay for it and maintain by yourself. In addition, you should be ready to pay for any further advance or extension for your website. On the other hand, users may opt for Github Pages as a free web hosting alternative. To get access to high end Mobirise themes and extensions, you can opt for a Premium Pack of the service. Its cost currently constitutes $129.
Download Mobirise for Free
TemplateToaster – Offline Software for Creating Website Templates
TemplateToaster – Offline Software for Creating Website Templates
Product Name: TemplateToaster
Official Website: templatetoaster.com
Founded: 2012
Number of Websites: –
Complexity: Complex
Free plan: Free Trial
Paid plan: $49 and $149
In-depth Review
Try It for Free
TemplateToaster – is the offline software that lets you create advanced, stylish and contemporary templates with no programming or coding knowledge required. The software is handy to web design experts and beginners, who intend to create professional and visually-appealing themes for Joomla, WordPress, Drupal, Magento and other CMS. No programming skills or web connection is needed to design a theme with the software.
You can choose one of two template design options offered by TemplateToaster. It’s either possible to use a ready-made responsive template to further customize it with regard to your project needs or create a brand new template from scratch.
Top TemplateToaster advantages are now listed below:
Responsive Layouts. One of the major highlights of the system is that it comes with a powerful visual editor and responsive layouts to let you independently create visually-appealing and technically correct templates.
Advanced Compatibility. The template builder is compatible with almost any Content Management System of your choice. This means that you can design a high quality template for any CMS you wish without any coding or third-party assistance. This can be a blog, eCommerce, small business website template or any other theme you need.
Drag and Drop User Interface. TemplateToaster offers integrated drag-and-drop functionality, which lets you create up-to-date UI designs without any extra techniques or coding skills. Just pick the required element and choose the area you’d like to place it and drop it there. Then you can proceed to content editing, which is also easy and quick. All the edits you make are saved in the automated mode.
Template Collection. The system comes with a rich choice of responsive themes you can choose for your own template. There are 10 free industry-specific design packs and a rich choice of paid templates to browse and pick for your project. All the designs come with the preview mode to let you make the right choice from the start. Additionally, there is an opportunity to design your own template from scratch, if there is anything you don’t like about ready-made themes. This option, however, implies coding knowledge.
TemplateToaster can be downloaded from the official website for free. To use the program, you will need to upgrade to one of the paid plans – either Standard ($49) or Professional Edition ($149). The software also offers an unlimited trial version that lets you test the program before purchasing one of the paid plans.
Download TemplateToaster for Free
Adobe Muse СС – Offline Website Builder for Web Designers
Adobe Muse СС – Offline Website Builder for Web Designers
Product Name: Adobe Muse CC
Official Website: adobe.com
Founded: 2012
Number of Websites: 322,278
Complexity: Complex
Free plan: Free Software
Paid plan: –
In-depth Review
Try It for Free
Adobe Muse – is a software developed for professional web designers, which aims at putting ease on the process of collaboration between web experts and programmers. The program is to let designers express their creativity at full swing without hiring third-party coders.
The main mission of the software is to let users come up with static websites that are mainly focused around design. The platform delivers a bunch of handy features to build sites that stand out from competitors due to capturing appearance and stunning look.
Here are some of the main Adobe Muse hits:
A Familiar Dashboard – if you are a professional designer, you have used some other Adobe products at least once. Whether you are used to working with Photoshop, InDesign or Illustrator, you will hardly find the Adobe Muse interface difficult. The dashboard is actually the same as in all other Adobe products, which is certainly a good news;
Extended List of Instruments – the web design toolkit looks very impressive, here you will have everything you need from brushes and layers to self-hosted and Typekit fonts, text sizes and more instruments to create a stunning design;
Extensions and Integration – although Adobe Muse is an offline builder, it still reserves some space for third-party integration. You can implement various widgets and edit them to meet your requirements;
Flexibility – the program offers some advanced integration capabilities to come up with your digital store, professional blog or any other type of website;
A Selection of Themes – Adobe Muse cooperates with thousands of developers who provide endless themes for different website types. Some of them are free while some are paid. Websites built with the help of this software are mobile responsive;
Code Editing Option – if you are still on for coding, the program lets you Edit its CSS code to customize the website.
Adobe Muse is a good software for web designers looking for a set of professional tools. It comes with a wide array of designing features and toolkits. On the other hand, it is hardly a good choice for newbies. The program will be too complicated for beginners. What you should also mind is that the system is not supported by Adobe any longer. Thus, it can be used only by those web designers, who have purchased it before.
See also: Adobe Muse alternatives.
Download Adobe Muse
Pinegrow – Downloadable Drag & Drop Design Software
Pinegrow – Downloadable Drag & Drop Design Software
Product Name: Pinegrow
Official Website: pinegrow.com
Founded: 2013
Number of Websites: 312,525
Complexity: Average
Free plan: No
Paid plan: From $12/mo
In-depth Review
Try It for Free
Pinegrow – is a downloadable drag & drop design software, which is created with the needs and skills of web design experts in mind. The platform requires preliminary download and installation before being used for web development purposes. It delivers an extensive range of features and tools to help you get started even with the most feature-rich and complex responsive projects. Pinegrow is compatible with windows, Mac and Linux. Have a look at the major advantages of the system now:
Editing and Multi Review Mode – the software offers an opportunity to see the way your project runs of various desktop and mobile devices. It automatically analyzes the stylesheets to define the potential errors and bugs and to let you fix them on time.
Advanced Visual Editing Tools – the system grants access to the powerful toolset to rearrange,modify, edit and add new CSS and HTML elements. There is an opportunity to get a repeater here to insert the selected code elements in order to customize your project layout.
Custom CMS – the platform can be applied as a custom CMS system to create/edit static HTML pages. This eventually makes website/content management more intuitive and understandable to everyone.
Pinegrow has several pricing solutions. Thus, you can opt for monthly/annual palms along with Lifetime licenses that require one-time payment. If you plan to work with the software, it makes sense to opt for a Pro License, the cost of which starts from $99. The system frequently introduces discounts that let you save big when getting a subscription/license.
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WYSIWYG Web Builder – Offline Program for Windows 10
WYSIWYG Web Builder – Offline Program for Windows 10
Product Name: WYSIWYG Web Builder
Official Website: wysiwygwebbuilder.com
Founded: 2014
Number of Websites: 33,602
Complexity: Complex
Free plan: Free trial
Paid plan: $49.95 per license
In-depth Review
Try It for Free
WYSIWYG Web Builder – is an offline program for Windows 10, which is used to build professional jQuery-based and HTML web projects. As a desktop software, it requires download and installation before being applied for website development. The system works great for small business websites, portfolios, news portals, blogs and other content-based projects. The list of the website builder advantages is as follows:
Powerful Design Customization Options – users get access to over 200 design tools that contribute to simple and hassle-free project development and customization. No deep coding skills are required to work with the system yet it takes some time to explore the platform and to get used to it.
Pre-Designed Modules – the website builder comes with an extensive selection of free, customizable, pre-designed modules and content blocks, the number of which exceeds 150 versatile sections that let you present your company niche specialization, pricing policy, services, contacts etc.
Extensions Choice – for premium plan subscribers, the system has a special offer that includes more than 200 extensions, such as slideshows, eCommerce features and tools, online menus and many more.
Media Files – the platform allows for media file integration to let you create image carousels, galleries, animation/visual effects etc.
As a downloadable platform, WYSIWYG Web Builder comes as a lifetime license version, the cost of which constitutes $49.95. There are no limits in terms of use and updates here. Monthly subscriptions fees are absent here as well. Those users, who are interested in the system’s functionality before purchasing it, can test it for free during the 30-day trial.
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Figma – Web Development Tool for Professionals
Figma – Web Development Tool for Professionals
Product Name: Figma
Official Website: figma.com
Founded: 2012
Number of Websites: –
Complexity: Complex
Free plan: Yes
Paid plan: From $12 per editor/month
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Figma – is an advanced cloud-based web development tool for professionals, which allows for interface design editing under the terms of real-time collaboration. This means that everyone involved in the project creation has an opportunity to stay on the same page, making the edits at a time. This puts strong focus on the work itself, contributing to high end result. The system lets businesses start web designs projects and share prototypes with other team members, who have website access. The main Figma highlights are as follows:
Prototyping Features – the platform offers a broad range of prototyping options, such as versatile templates, animations, collaboration tools, UI Prototyping, UX Prototyping, version control and usability testing tools.
Graphic Design Tools – the software grants access to multiple graphic design tools, including those for effective data visualization, collaboration, filtering as well as Image Editor and Image Database compilation.
Distinctive Collaboration Functionality – Figma stands out from the crowd due to its extensive team collaboration options, letting designers, product/project managers, engineers, and other specialists work on the same project at a time.
Figma has a starter plan, which is completely free for everyone. It allows 2 editors to participate in the project and it also lets you run up to 3 projects. If you plan to use the system ona long-term basis, it makes sense to upgrade to one of its premium plans – Professional or Organizational. Their cost constitutes $12 and $45 per editor or per month.
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Website Builders: Going Offline or Online?
The main idea of any website builder is to make the building process easier. No matter if you are a professional web designer or a beginner trying to open your first ever digital store, such software should come as a helper to cope with web projects of different complexity.
On the other hand, choosing the right platform is vital. It will define the future success of the website. For this reason, we decided to compare offline and online programs as well as highlight their fundamental hits and misses. And you are the one to choose, which of them suits you best.
Offline Website Builders Hits and Misses
Designed as a downloaded software, offline website builders still come with enough flexibility. On the other hand, they have core misses that will keep them behind the online software at least for now.
Offline Software Hits:
Edit website without an Internet connection. Work with your website anytime;
Ease-of-use thanks to implemented WYSIWYG website editors;
Advanced opportunities to customize the website design and content;
Free program versions;
Direct editing capabilities.
Offline Software Misses:
Manual update installation;
Website access from your personal PC only;
Software installation required;
Higher pricing if compared with online website builders;
Out-of-date software, the lack of updates;
Separate web hosting;
The need for powerful hardware.
Online Website Builders Hits and Misses
Created to build a website of any type with just a couple of hours, online website building software is perfect for newbies with no coding skills. It offers a high level of flexibility in addition to features that let users promote their websites online.
Online Software hits:
Use the software whenever you need despite the location;
Ease of use and speed when building a website from scratch;
No software installation required;
More updating opportunities;
No need to buy powerful hardware;
No manual software updates and downloads;
More flexibility.
Online Software Misses:
Requires Internet connection;
Requires the signing-up procedure;
Fewer opportunities to work with CSS code.
The Bottom Line
The array of website building software is impressive. Users can choose from various options to meet their expectations. All you need is to define the website goals, complexity, structure, type of content and some other crucial features before getting started. Both online and offline programs have proved to be efficient when building a solid website.
However, online software appeared to be a better choice for those who look for a simpler and more cost-effective solution. They offer easier ways to build a new store or portfolio from scratch and publish it with no coding skills at all. They are cheaper and easier to use. On the other hand, professional web designers may prefer offline programs with a wide option of customizing opportunities.
Conclusion
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