Standalone Web Design Software

The web design industry has changed dramatically in recent years. Modern websites are often designed using a combination of tools, including Photoshop and Illustrator for mockups, Sketch for wireframes, and HTML/CSS for final delivery.

These days, there’s an abundance of web design software available to the public—some free and some paid.

Many website builders offer drag-and-drop functionality that allows you to create content without having to know code or spend time learning how to use a complicated interface.

In this post we’ll take a look at the pros and cons of some of the most popular choices among web designers today so you can decide which might be best suited for your own projects!

Standalone Web Design 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:

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)

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.

Try Wix for Free

WordPress – Free Downloadable CMS for Any Website

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 – 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

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)

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 – 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 – 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.

Download Adobe Muse

Pinegrow – Downloadable Drag & Drop Design Software

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.

Download Pinegrow for Free

WYSIWYG Web Builder – Offline Program for Windows 10

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.

Download WYSIWYG Web Builder for Free

Figma – Web Development Tool for Professionals

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.

Try Figma for Free

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.

best website builder software

1. Wix

Best Overall Website Builder
Pricing range: free – $56 per month

Editor’s Choice
Wix
Best all-round website builder

OUTSTANDING
4.8out of 5
Easiest to use
800+ template designs
Most popular in testing
Free plan available

Paid Plans: $14 – $56 / month

SEE PROS & CONS
wix logo
Wix Overview
Wix is an extremely beginner-friendly website builder that gives you total creative control over your site. Unlike some other builders, it doesn’t sacrifice power or customizability for ease – instead, it combines simple drag-and-drop editing tools with a huge range of features.

With an 18% increase in its ‘Features’ score in our pre-2021 research – driven largely by improvements to its blogging, and internationalization – Wix has proven itself to be the platform that, quite literally, does it all. Not only is it a fantastic website builder, but it’s also an excellent choice if you’re looking to open an online store, offering three ecommerce-specific plans, and a score of features to boost your sales. But that doesn’t mean it’ll be right for everyone – particularly because of its higher price point and cluttered visual editor.

It has a free plan, and eight premium plans starting at $14 per month. You get over 800 templates to choose from, but choose carefully – you can’t switch your template once your site goes live.

In our testing, Wix received the highest “likely to recommend” score from our users – so our advice is, if you’re unsure about which website builder to use, give Wix a spin for free and see how you get on.

Click the + to read a more detailed summary of Wix

Wix in Action: Ksenia Ponka
Ksenia Ponka
Ksenia Ponka
Ksenia Ponka is a PR and marketing practitioner. Her passion is to help companies uncover their growth potential and identify solutions to their problems, turning them into growth opportunities. Her professional strength lies in effectively promoting companies and projects through omnichannel communication, combining PR, marketing, CRM, advertising, ecommerce, and social media marketing.
When I announced the launch of my website, more than 20 people wrote to me, asking for contact details for the agency that did the design. And when they heard that it was only me, using Wix, they couldn’t believe it.

How long have you been using Wix?

What do you like most about Wix?

Is there anything you’d change about Wix?

Would you recommend Wix?

Click the + to see our favorite part of Ksenia’s website

In the gallery below, we’ve included images of some of the templates that you’ll find on Wix. If you’re looking for a template for an online store, check out Wix’s ecommerce template pages.
Wix Gallery
Click the image below to expand
Wix Homepage
Wix Templates
Wix Desktop Editor
Wix Mobile Editor
Wix Get Started
vergleich website baukasten wix logo
Like the Sound of Wix So Far?
Explore Wix’s website to get a closer look at its features, templates, and more.
More Information:
Read our in-depth Wix Review for a full look at Wix’s features, ease of use, and more
Just what makes Wix the best value for money? Read our Wix Pricing Review for a breakdown of its pricing plans and what you get with each premium package
Want to sell online? Our Wix Ecommerce Review tells you all you need to know about creating an online store with Wix

2. Squarespace

Best for Creatives and Quality Designs
Pricing range: $12 – $46 per month

Squarespace
Best for creatives and quality designs

EXCELLENT
4.7out of 5
Best website designs
Great blogging features
Ideal for creatives
Free trial available

Paid Plans: $12 – $46 / month

SEE PROS & CONS
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Use code WBE for 10% off
Squarespace Overview
Squarespace is a sophisticated website builder that has a lot to offer creatives and businesses alike. It’s not the easiest to use builder on the market, but it still won’t take long to get used to – it just needs a little more time and patience than Wix.

Where Squarespace really shines is its template designs – they’re the best on the market, and are perfect for creatives who want a visually impressive website (and standing out is important, since as of January 2021 there are over 1.8 billion websites on the internet!). It’s not a case of style over substance, however – Squarespace also has a huge range of features to give your site the power it needs.

Better still, Squarespace sports the best knowledge center on the market. There, you’ll find a range of text, image, and video guidance, as well as a seamless onboarding experience and clear navigational signposts and guidance.

Squarespace also has a 14-day free trial. If you love the trial and want to sign up, there are four premium plans to choose from, starting from $12 per month.

Click the + to read a more detailed summary of Squarespace

Squarespace in Action: Well Together
Iyana Anderson
Iyana Anderson
Iyana Anderson is the Founder and CEO of Well Together LLC, a wellness company dedicated to providing all the truth and tools needed to invest in the wellbeing of both the individual and the collective. She is a licensed social worker, motivational speaker, innovative wellness strategist, and though leader. Iyana holds a BA degree in Psychology and an MA in Social Work.
Squarespace is user-friendly, and it is easy to access support if you need it.

How long have you been using Squarespace?

What do you like most about Squarespace?

Is there anything you’d change about Squarespace?

Would you recommend Squarespace?

Click the + to see our favorite part of Iyana’s website

Squarespace Gallery
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Squarespace Homepage
Squarespace Templates
squarespace editor
Squarespace Custom CSS

squarespace logo
Do You Want a Stunning Website?
Squarespace combines style with power, making it a great choice for creatives.
More Information:
Read our Squarespace Review for a detailed look at this top quality builder, and find out if it’s the right choice for you
Got products you want to show off? Squarespace combines stunning visuals with advanced sales tools: read all about it in our Squarespace Ecommerce Review
What’s so good about Squarespace’s designs anyway? Check out our Squarespace Template Designs Review to find out!
Is it worth the money? Our Squarespace Pricing Review goes into detail on Squarespace’s price plans, and whether they offer good value for money
Looking for a discount? Take a look at our exclusive Squarespace Offer Code, which will save you 10% on the cost of any Squarespace plan
Unsure? Our Wix vs Squarespace comparison breaks down the strengths and weaknesses of each builder’s features, templates, and more to find the best option for you

3. GoDaddy

Best for Creating and Publishing Websites Fast
Pricing range: $6.99 – $29.99 per month

GoDaddy
Best for creating and publishing websites fast

VERY GOOD
4.4out of 5
5 minute setup
Strong marketing
Good for basic sites
Free trial available

Paid Plans: $6.99 – $29.99 / month

SEE PROS & CONS
godaddy logo
GoDaddy Overview
GoDaddy is very user-friendly, and is the fastest outright website builder for creating a website. Its design assistance means you just have to enter your details, before GoDaddy creates a tailored website for you to customize.

Simple layouts and guidance on adding elements to your site make for an extremely straightforward and speedy building process. And the results of our latest round of research bore this out – GoDaddy’s score has seen an overall 11.6% increase from our pre-2021 evaluations.

However, GoDaddy isn’t the best choice for powerful or complex websites – it may offer speed and simplicity, but this also means it’s not the best choice for building a truly personalized website. That said, GoDaddy should tick all the boxes for smaller site offerings and businesses, particularly because of its simple layout and user-friendly, design-assisted format.

In fact, GoDaddy has transformed itself somewhat since our pre-2021 rankings, enhancing its design functionality score in our latest research by 14%. This increase was driven mostly by the platform’s improved templates and superior customization, turning GoDaddy from an underwhelming ‘Plain Jane’ into one of the highest-rated (and nicest-looking) builders on the market.

GoDaddy may be the best website builder for speed, and its prices are similarly impressive – plans range from $6.99 to $29.99 per month. Luckily, GoDaddy has a free plan, as well as a very generous one-month free trial, so you can make sure it’s right for you before signing up.

Click the + to read a more detailed summary of GoDaddy

GoDaddy in Action: Naturally Made with Love
Jennifer Woodruff
Jennifer Woodruff
Jennifer Woodruff started Naturally Made with Love as an eager attempt to find a natural solution to her son’s eczema. After researching natural, skin healing products and reading many blogs, she began whipping up her own healing recipes. The positive feedback from her son, family and friends gave Jennifer the drive to launch her own business. Jennifer is a native New Yorker and Hampton University Alumnae with a degree in Computer Information Systems.
Most small businesses are working with limited budgets and a small team. I would recommend GoDaddy’s Website Builder because it offers a professional look while being easy to set up/maintain so hiring a professional is not necessary.

How long have you been using GoDaddy?

What do you like most about GoDaddy?

Is there anything you’d change about GoDaddy?

Would you recommend GoDaddy?

Click the + to see our favorite part of Jennifer’s website

GoDaddy Gallery
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GoDaddy Homepage
GoDaddy Website Type
GoDaddy Color Scheme
GoDaddy Editor
GoDaddy Select New Theme
godaddy logo
In a Hurry?
GoDaddy is the fastest website builder around; perfect for getting a simple site online quickly!
More Information:
Read our GoDaddy Website Builder Review to get the details on this speedy builder, from ease of use to FAQs
Want to sell online? Read our GoDaddy Ecommerce Review to find out if this is the best website builder for your online store

4. Weebly

Best for its Generous Free Plan
Pricing range: free – $29 per month

Weebly
Best for small businesses and portfolios

EXCELLENT
4out of 5
Best features for growth
Large app store
Cheap and free plans
Free plan available

Paid Plans: $6 – $29 / month

SEE PROS & CONS
weebly logo
Weebly Overview
Weebly is a simple website builder that nevertheless packs a powerful punch when it comes to features – especially in terms of blogging and ecommerce.

This website builder is pretty easy to use, but is also more limited than its competitors in terms of design and customizability.

What’s more, Weebly was the most recognized website builder we tested to see the largest reduction in scores across all categories in our 2021 research. Most notably, Weebly’s ‘Design’ score saw a whopping 36% decrease – a drop that indicates the platform is not only outdated vis a vis the rest of the market, but has been largely forgotten about by the industry at large.

That said, it does have a free plan, as well as three paid plans ranging from just $6 up to $26 per month (billed annually). These cheap starter plans makes Weebly one of the most affordable website builders on the market. But ultimately, Weebly is a platform which will work for someone new to website building – not longer term growth or expansion.

Click the + to read a more detailed summary of Weebly

Weebly Gallery
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weebly homepage
weebly themes
weebly app center
weebly website example
weebly website example
weebly logo
Is Weebly Right For You?
Weebly was our top scoring website builder when it came to features, and is perfect for growing your online business.
More Information:
Read our Weebly Review for a detailed breakdown of this builder’s pros, cons, features, and ease of use
Check out our Weebly Pricing Review to find out which plan is right for you
Setting up an online store? Read our Weebly Ecommerce Review for more information on Weebly’s sales tools, pricing, and more
Torn between Wix and Weebly? We’ve got just the thing! Our Wix vs Weebly comparison puts these market leaders head to head, helping you find the best one for you

5. Zyro

Best for the Basics
Pricing range: $8.99 $2.61 per month

Save Up to 72% With Zyro!
Grab Spring savings with Zyro! Simply use our dedicated discount code – WBE10 – at checkout, and you’ll snag up to 72% off Zyro’s premium plans, allowing you to get online from just $2.61/month.
Plus, with all annual plans, users get an additional 4 months on the house – and a free domain, too!

But hurry – this limited-time offer only runs until May 31st!

Zyro
Best for the basics

GOOD
3.9out of 5
Helpful grid layout
Clean, logical templates
Higher renewal prices
Paid Plans: $1.9 – $29.99 / month

SEE PROS & CONS
zyro logo
Zyro Overview
Zyro is an easy-to-use website builder with nice, clean templates. The features it does include are super high-quality, but it just doesn’t offer as many features as a top builder. In fact, Zyro can almost be seen as a kind of ‘mini Wix’. It costs less than our top website builder pick, but doesn’t boast all the same bells and whistles of that provider.

For example, Zyro lets you include a blog on your site – which is great – but it won’t come with search, archive, or commenting tools.

Still, we were really impressed by the quality of Zyro’s templates – not only do they have great UX for your website’s visitors, they’re also easy to edit, even if you don’t have any tech skills. They’re not very customizable, though, so if putting a personal touch on your branding is a top priority, then you may want to consider Squarespace instead.

The bottom line is that Zyro is a platform with a lot of potential – some of it unfulfilled. It feels like Zyro hasn’t quite finished building out certain features, and isn’t yet where it wants to be in relation to its closest website builder rivals. Zyro definitely has some big ideas, though, and is one for the future. Watch this space!

Click the + to read a more detailed summary of Zyro

Zyro Gallery
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Zyro AI Heatmap
Zyro Building Options
Zyro Store
Zyro Homepage
Zyro Templates
zyro logo
Interested in Zyro?
You’ve got good taste! We love Zyro’s clean templates and its solid sales features.
More Information:
Check out our Zyro Review to take a closer look at this builder

6. Jimdo

Best Value for Money
Pricing range: free – $40 per month

Jimdo
Best for removing adverts cheaply

GOOD
3.6out of 5
Sell on the free plan
Rigid designs
Help and support lacking
Free plan available

Paid Plans: $9 – $39 / month

SEE PROS & CONS
jimdo logo
Jimdo Overview
Jimdo is a basic website builder that’s best for creating simple websites, rather than anything complex or flashy. While it’s more limited than much of the competition (especially in terms of its features and scope for customization) it makes up for it with high levels of usability.

Jimdo has all the basic features you need to build your website. But if you want the power to edit, personalize, or create something more advanced, the builder will start to feel rigid very quickly.

Jimdo comes with a free plan so you can build risk-free, and has two additional paid plans ranging from $9 to $15 per month (billed annually).

Click the + to read a more detailed summary of Jimdo

Jimdo Gallery
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Jimdo Homepage
Jimdo Add Blocks
Jimdo Color Palette
Jimdo Website Design Starting Points
Jimdo colour palettes
jimdo logo
Is Jimdo Your Favorite So Far?
Jimdo is a great option if you want an ad-free site without having to spend too much.
More Information:
Read our Jimdo Review to find out if this is the best website builder for you
Can’t decide? Our Wix vs Weebly vs Squarespace vs Jimdo comparison lays out the pros and cons of the best website builders to help you choose the right one

7. Duda

Best for Pure, Polished Web Design
Pricing range: $14 – $59 per month

Duda
Best for lending a creative hand

GOOD
3.6out of 5
Aimed at design agencies
Surprisingly easy to use
Quite expensive
Free trial available

Paid Plans: $14 – $59 / month

SEE PROS & CONS
duda logo
Duda Overview
Duda is a clear winner for anyone in search of website design that’s pure, polished, and simple.

The builder is easy to use, giving you drag-and-drop functionality combined with structured and stylish templates. This makes it perfect for anyone who cares about design, but isn’t ready for total creative freedom over their site.

There are over 90 templates to choose from, covering a range of industries from business to lifestyle. You get creative control over customization, but within the template’s limits – you’re still largely guided by your chosen design.

These features make Duda ideal for web designers creating multiple websites for clients – in fact, that’s what Duda was originally built for! Duda also allows you to build progressive, personalized web apps, which is a massive advantage to any serious business owner.

However, this all comes at a cost, which is one of the reasons why Duda is – on average – around 59% more expensive than Squarespace. Cost is actually Duda’s main drawback – it’s the most expensive website builder on our list, with prices starting at $14 per month. Still, there’s a 14-day free trial for you to have a go on.

We’d particularly recommend Duda for web design businesses looking to build simple, efficient sites for clients that don’t want to use WordPress.

Click the + to read a more detailed summary of Duda

Duda Gallery
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Duda Homepage
Duda Templates
duda editor
duda pricing
duda logo
Does Duda Sound Like Your Perfect Match?
Duda is perfect for those wanting a beautiful website without any of the creative hassle.
More Information:
Read our Duda Review for a closer look at this builder’s drag-and-drop tools

8. WordPress.com

Best for Blogs and Content-Heavy Websites
Pricing range: free – $45 per month

WordPress.com
Best for blogging

ABOVE AVERAGE
3.5out of 5
Well-suited to blogs
Very cheap plans
Customize with code
Free plan available

Paid Plans: $4 – $45 / month

SEE PROS & CONS
wordpress logo
WordPress.com Overview
WordPress.com is the basic website building platform offered by WordPress. WordPress.org, on the other hand, is a more advanced content management system that offers more power, but demands more technical expertise. If you’re interested in WordPress.org, you can check out our WordPress.com vs WordPress.org comparison. But for now, let’s dive into WordPress.com.

WordPress.com isn’t the easiest website builder to use – in order to make the most out of the builder and expand your site, you’ll need to get to grips with some basic coding.

WordPress.com has one free plan and four premium plans, ranging from $4 to $45 per month (billed annually). This offers a lot of choice, as well as good value – WordPress.com’s lowest pricing plan in particular offers fantastic bang for your buck, especially if you’re after a more basic site.

Lots of features, high quality blogging tools, and sensible prices make WordPress.com a great choice. Easier to use than WordPress.org but still unsuitable for novices, WordPress.com is perfect for bloggers with some technical confidence.

Click the + to read a more detailed summary of WordPress.com

WordPress.com Gallery
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wordpress.com homepage
wordpress.com themes
wordpress.com plugins
wordpress.com logo
Do You Want to Start a Blog?
WordPress.com is the best website builder for blogging on the market – take a closer look!
More Information:
Read our WordPress.com Review for a full look at this ideal blogging platform, including its pricing plans, features, ease of use, and more
To learn more about the difference between the two WordPress platforms and what each one can offer you, check out our WordPress.com vs WordPress.org comparison guide
See how WordPress.com stacks up against our best overall website builder in our Wix vs WordPress comparison guide

9. SITE123

Best for Site Speed Reliability
Pricing range: free – $41 per month

Site123
Best for help and support via live chat

ABOVE AVERAGE
3.4out of 5
Great support on hand
Ideal for tech novices
Stripped-back features
Free plan available

Paid Plans: $12.8 – $97.5 / month

SEE PROS & CONS
site123 logo
SITE123 Overview
SITE123 gets back to basics to bring you a super simple and beginner-friendly website builder. It’s best for those with no tech experience, as it can quickly become limiting if you ask too much from it.

SITE123 makes it easy to create simple websites. Thanks to its live chat support and straightforward design, you can publish your website without wasting a moment.

Brilliant customer support is this website builder’s main strength. The live chat feature means you can easily get help if you get stuck while creating or editing your website. If you’re a beginner or are looking to set up your site fast, SITE123 is a safe choice.

However, it’s not a powerful builder – it lacks advanced features, and isn’t a scalable option for growing a website. Still, with a free plan and great support, SITE123 is a perfect choice for first-time builders. We like to think of it as a ‘best of the rest’ kind of platform – good value for money, but (according to our users, at least) nothing special.

This is confirmed by SITE123’s 12% dip in overall score performance since our pre-2021 research rankings. To us, that indicates how little the builder has progressed or improved over the last two years, which suggests it won’t be the best fit for ambitious, growth-minded businesses looking to scale.

Click the + to read a more detailed summary of SITE123

Site123 Gallery
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site123 homepage
site123 live chat support
site123 template example
site123 logo
Want to See More of SITE123?
SITE123 is a free and easy way of creating basic websites – a perfect option for beginners!
More Information:
Read our SITE123 Review for a more in-depth look at this popular website builder
See how SITE123 stacks up in this article on the Cheapest Website Builders on the market

10. Strikingly

Easy to Use
Pricing range: free – $159 per month

Strikingly
Best for value for money

ABOVE AVERAGE
3.4out of 5
For one page websites
Great value for money
Beginner-friendly
Free plan available

Paid Plans: $8 – $59 / month

SEE PROS & CONS
strikingly logo
Strikingly Overview
Strikingly is another beginner-friendly website builder that specializes in one-page websites.

It’s not ideal for complex websites, but Strikingly’s free plan includes some great basic features, making it popular with bloggers and freelancers. That said, you might find the one-page design and basic level of customization limiting if you have grand plans for your site.

If you want to use a personalized domain name, you’ll need one of Strikingly’s three premium plans, which range from $8 to $49 per month (billed annually).

While Strikingly has its strong points, our latest round of in-house research indicates the builder has been left behind in the rapidly evolving website builder space. Unlike its predecessor in this list, SITE123, Strikingly has poor sitespeed performance (in fact, it’s the worst!).

Strikingly is also the only platform our research recognizes as “poor”, and dismally underperforms against its top competitors by a whole 48%.

Click the + to read a more detailed summary of Strikingly

Strikingly Gallery
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strikingly homepage
strikingly editor
strikingly pricing
Strikingly Templates
strikingly logo
Do You Want Great Value For Money?
Strikingly is a simple website builder that’s perfect for beginners on a budget.
More Information:
Read our Strikingly Review for more on this builder’s features, ease of use, and pricing

Conclusion

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