You need a robust online presence, a gorgeous website with valuable features, and an easy-to-use layout. However, creating one from scratch takes time, money, and work.

If you’ve been thinking about creating a website for a while, you probably know what options are available to you. The most common approach is purchasing a domain name and web hosting plan, then installing your favorite CMS like WordPress.org or Joomla.

Based on my practical experience, the issue with this choice is that WordPress or Joomla comes with something other than page content or a guide when installed straight out of the box. My websites were blank pages when I started using this strategy, so the end product would appear shoddy and amateurish unless I paid a developer or invested a lot of time in developing it.  

By experimenting with some of the free website builders like WordPress.com and CMS Hub, I was able to simplify my workflow immensely. In contrast to starting with an out-of-the-box CMS, my website felt more complete because the themes included ready-made placeholder content and photos.

For your convenience, I’ve compiled a list of the top 15 website builders, out of which you can shortlist the one you might use to create your website in 2024. Let’s dive straight in!

How do I choose a website builder for my website?

Your options have already been significantly reduced if you’ve decided to use a website builder to design your website. However, the market for website builders still offers hundreds of options.

You should weigh various criteria, including cost, flexibility, and built-in features while comparing multiple website builders. This will guarantee that the website builder you select has the features you seek. Let’s examine these requirements in more detail below.

Costing

The budget is a vital factor when choosing a website builder. For a few reasons, it may even be your top requirement. It might first assist in eliminating excessively costly solutions. 

You shouldn’t employ a website builder that is way out of your budget but has all the features and extensions you could ever want. Second, the budget can assist in determining which features are essential and which are optional. 

If the website builder is free, you might be open to allowing ads on your website. In addition, you might be ready to pay a premium for a platform with many built-in features, so you won’t have to worry about paying extra money for extensions and third-party integrations down the road. This takes us to the next point.

Features

When comparing various website builders, take into account the features that are already included. Does it have every functionality you require? Perhaps you’re considering starting a personal blog and need a drag-and-drop editor, auto-save functionality, and blogging-specific templates.

You won’t have to worry about installing an extension or living without that function once you’ve constructed your site by ensuring the website builder offers such options. 

Add-ons and Integrations

It is doubtful that a website builder will include every function a site owner might desire, no matter how many features it offers. If so, it’s good to see whether the tool has any integrations or plugins for other programs. This ensures your website can incorporate any missing functionality, such as live chat and forms.

Consider how many add-ons a website builder offers are pricey and how many are free. You should account for the premium nature of the add-ons when planning your budget.

Now that we know a few of the things to look for in a website builder, let’s look at the 15 Best Website Builders In 2024:

1. Wix

With Wix, small businesses and individuals can create, manage, and expand professional-looking websites using a cloud-based builder. Without worrying about coding or complex design principles, you can build your website using Wix in minutes.

To help you create your website, over 900 pre-built templates are provided. 

Wix also offers a range of functionalities and services to help small businesses build and run their websites. Among the features are social network integration, e-commerce capabilities, SEO optimization, and a free domain name.

Hundreds of third-party apps are available in Wix’s extensive app store, which may be connected to a website to offer extra functionality.

Features:

• Simple to use and navigate.
• Large, editable, responsive templates for mobile devices are offered.
• It provides integrated e-commerce features for the sale of goods and services.
• Offers integrated SEO tools.
• Cutting-edge functionality for a basic or business website, Wix is among the best website builders.

Pricing: Free plan available; Premium starting at $4.50 per month

2. Shopify

An all-in-one tool for creating internet stores is none other than Shopify. It is maybe the most prominent online marketplace for companies that offer products. It makes the process of launching an internet store easier. 

Easy-to-use tools for inventory management and configurable templates come bundled with the software. In addition, Shopify provides social network integrations, SEO tools, and safe payment processing. Its UI is easy to use. 

It is a fantastic choice for small business owners looking to sell their goods or services online because of its all-in-one strategy. Small businesses can easily manage their items and stock levels with Shopify’s built-in inventory management capabilities. By offering secure payment processing, it guarantees the safety and security of every transaction made on the platform.

Features:

• Built-in inventory management capabilities.
• Third-party integrations include social media, marketing, and accounting applications.
• Every template on Shopify is responsive to mobile devices.
• Optimized for scaling business.

Price: Free Plan: Free 3-day trial, Starting at $39 per month

3. Webflow

With Webflow, you can create distinctive, business-like websites with advanced functionality and creative freedom. Without any prior coding experience, users can quickly build responsive websites using its user-friendly drag-and-drop editor.

Individuals can also choose from more than 100 customizable templates offered by Webflow or start from blank when creating their designs. Webflow’s robust content management system (CMS) makes it simple for users to manage the content of their websites, which is one of its key features. 

Features:

• Intuitive drag-and-drop editor
• With its CMS, managing and organizing your material is a breeze.
• You can use categories and tags to allow readers to filter your blog content.
• You can integrate your website with well-known payment gateways using Webflow.
• You will receive thorough manuals and a quick-response team to help you with any problems.

Pricing: Free plan available; Premium starts at $29 per month (billed annually)

4. Squarespace

Squarespace is a visually appealing one-stop shop for building all kinds of websites. Creating websites that look professional for small businesses, artists, photographers, and individuals frequently using this platform can be a wise decision.

Along with the site builder, Squarespace offers features like the logo, video maker, and the ability to purchase domains. It also provides specialized e-commerce tools, allowing small business owners to access everything in one location. 

Features:

• Squarespace offers a decent selection of sophisticated-looking designs.
• For photographers and visual artists, it’s an excellent forum.
• All websites built with Squarespace come with free, limitless web hosting.
• It provides e-commerce functions like payment processing, cart management, inventory management, etc. All of Squarespace’s premium plans come with a free domain.

Pricing: Free plan available (14-day Free Trial); Premium starts at $23 per month 

5. Square Online

Square Online is an additional website-building platform that caters to businesses. Despite not being as advanced as e-commerce systems such as Shopify, it is a suitable choice for novices.

A variety of e-commerce services are available, including the capacity to track shipment and delivery, automatically generate order confirmation emails, and inventory management tools.

It is a complete solution for small businesses trying to build a solid online presence, as it also offers tools for email marketing, social network integration, and abandoned cart recovery.

Features:

• Square Online makes it simple to set up an online business without coding expertise.
• Square Online provides a decent number of features for online shopping.
• Additionally, it provides you with a selection of editable templates to use when creating your website.
• Intuitive UI
• Payment options like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and credit cards are available.
• Integration with additional Square products like Square Marketing and Square POS.

Price: Free plan available; Premium starts at $29 per month, billed annually (2.9% + 30¢ per transaction when you make a sale)

6. Zyro

With the help of Zyro, website builders of all sizes can easily construct polished websites without requiring coding or technical expertise. Zyro provides all the necessary resources for small business owners, freelancers, and bloggers to launch and maintain their websites.

Zyro features a drag-and-drop editor with an intuitive user interface. To quickly and simply construct a distinctive and captivating website, you may select from a large selection of configurable themes and design elements.

The platform’s assortment of marketing and e-commerce solutions makes selling goods and services online simple.

Features:

• Online store-focused templates are offered by Zyro.
• Effortlessly handling inventory, orders, payments, checkouts, reporting, customer support, etc. 
• You can maintain contact with your customers with Zyro’s CRM.
• You may combine it with various payment processing platforms and analytics tools.
• You can utilize Zyro’s AI Writer, blog title generator, and other AI capabilities to launch a new blog.

Pricing: Premium starts at $11.99 per month

7. Cardd

Carrd is another famous website builder that makes it easy and quick for non-technical users to create fully responsive single-page websites. You can use it to quickly and easily construct personal websites and landing pages that look professional and responsive.

It is among the most reasonably priced website builders available. Carrd is a fantastic choice for individual branding. You can use Carrd’s pre-built templates to create a one-page website.

Features:

• The most affordable pricing options are offered by Carrd, which also offers a free plan that lets you use all of its main features.
• Its UI is simple and ideal for beginners.
• Integration with numerous well-known platforms is possible.

Price: Free plan available. Premium starts at $9/year

8. Dorik

With Dorik, you can create and manage any kind of small company website. Dorik has products for small business owners such as bloggers, content creators, photographers, online instructors, and entrepreneurs.

Now, let’s talk about templates. Dorik is among the most uncomplicated website builders with templates for beginners. It provides an excellent selection of pre-built, fully functional templates to create any kind of website.

With the help of the user-friendly drag-and-drop builder and an appropriate template, you can quickly create a website.

A variety of pre-built user interface blocks and features are also included for you to utilize in your website to improve its operation.

Dorik also has a content management system (CMS) for simple content management. You can also add collaborators and give them specific duties. It will make the operation of your company website more effective.

Features:

• With the low learning curve of the Dorik website builder, anyone can begin creating websites immediately.
• Features a versatile drag-and-drop builder.
• “Dorik Collection” makes it simple to arrange and handle the data on your website.
• You can set up a membership website with a payment button and accept money from customers or subscribers. To guarantee a seamless transaction, you can integrate several payment processors, such as PayPal, Stripe, Gumroad, etc.
• Dorik also permits the integration of several marketing solutions, like ActiveCampaign, MailerLite, Sendinblue, and others. It’s essential to any business’s expansion.
• Dorik provides limitless bandwidth and hosting storage.
• Dorik creates dependable and safe websites by hosting them on AWS and DigitalOcean cloud servers and giving away a free SSL/TLS certificate to guarantee security.

Price: Free plan available; premium starts at $4 per month (Billed Annually)

9. WordPress.com

A free and open-source CMS(content management system) powers none other than WordPress.com. It is among the most widely used website builders for making different websites. Both essential blogs and intricate e-commerce websites can be started.

It is renowned for being user-friendly, flexible, and scalable. Making a website that matches your brand and style with WordPress is simple.

You can utilize more than 50,000 themes and plugins to elevate the functionality of your website. Several built-in features include multilingual support, user administration, and search engine optimization (SEO).

Features:

• WordPress provides an extensive selection of adaptable themes and plugins to elevate the functionality of your website.
• It provides plugins, such as WooCommerce, that simplify setting up an online store.
• Because of its excellent scalability, WordPress can expand to meet your needs.
• It features a sizable, vibrant community where you can quickly locate resources and assistance.
• Numerous third-party technologies, including social media platforms, email marketing services, and analytics programs like Google Analytics, can be linked with WordPress.
• You may make your website using this alternative free website builder.
• For an entire year, all premium subscriptions come with a free domain.

Pricing: Free plan available; Premium starts at $9/month

10. Big Commerce

BigCommerce is an online store platform that provides companies with the resources they require to establish and expand their online stores. With an array of easily adjustable templates and user-friendly design tools, companies can quickly and effortlessly select an online store that looks professional.

BigCommerce makes it easier for companies to run their online store and draw in new clients by providing marketing tools, payment and shipping interfaces, and inventory management solutions.

Scalability is one of its best qualities, which makes it ideal for small enterprises that sell products online. It can handle companies that have thousands of goods or just a handful!

Features:

• Storefront design options that are customized.
• Robust inventory control features.
• Offers integrated marketing tools to increase revenue and client involvement.
• Integrations with popular shipping and payment companies are available.
• Any business of any size can use the BigCommerce platform because it is scalable.

Pricing: A 15-day free trial is available; Premium starts at $39 per month.

11. Pixpa

Pixpa caters to visually creative individuals who want to launch an elementary online store or portfolio. Pixpa makes it simple to handle all your tasks from one location, whether your goals are to publish blogs, build an online business, display your skills, or set up an online store. Not to mention the financial and time savings.

Features:

• Large selection of responsive templates with a polished appearance.
• Advanced customization is possible with custom HTML and CSS code.
• Deep SEO and marketing integrations.
• More than 50 third-party platform integrations are compatible with Pixpa.

Pricing: A 15-day free trial is available; Premium starts at $6 monthly.

12. Jimdo

Jimdo‘s primary audience consists of small enterprises, independent contractors, freelancers, aspiring business owners, and anyone wishing to build a website from scratch without any prior technical knowledge or coding abilities.

In addition to constructing websites, they provide users with web hosting, domain registration, and e-commerce features.

Features:

• You can change templates in the middle of a project.
• Additionally, you can add unique HTML and CSS code and make custom templates.
• Jimdo provides specific e-commerce functionality such as payment gateway integration, inventory management, and auto-product counting.
• Its flat learning curve makes it ideal for novices.
• You’ll have a reporting dashboard with the analytics for your website shown on it.

Pricing: Free plan available; Premium starts at $9 per month

13. Softr

Softr is a no-code platform that makes creating websites and web apps simple and quick. Numerous capabilities are available, such as a drag-and-drop editor, personalized design, user authentication, and connection with external applications like Mailchimp, Zapier, and Stripe.

Softr provides various products, including a client portal, marketplace, e-commerce app, and workflow management system, to meet different demands. With Airtable data, you can create a fully functional online application with membership and payment mechanisms.

Features:

• Softr can be easily tailored to your business requirements.
• A range of templates are available on the platform to assist you in getting started promptly.
• Simple to use and navigate, especially for first-time users.
• It allows you to build an virtual store where goods and services can be sold.
• To make your online sales process more efficient, you can create an e-commerce app.
• Softr provides robust workflow management solutions to ensure the smooth operation of your company.

Pricing: Free plan available; Premium starts at $59 per month

14. Tilda

With the help of Tilda, a cutting-edge website builder, individuals and small business owners can simply construct stunning, responsive websites. Tilda carefully considers a website’s content, unlike conventional website builders.

It provides more than 550 UI components to assist you in presenting your material in a distinctive manner that complements the style. You can make bespoke blocks to start from zero in design.

Tilda’s broad interaction with tools and services offered by other parties is another distinctive feature. Popular solutions for managing payments, email marketing, CRM systems, etc., are simple for users to interface with.

Features:

• Easy-to-use drag-and-drop editor.
• Animated effects can be used to create a visually beautiful website.
• You can add shopping carts, construct online storefronts, generate product catalogs, and accept payments, among other e-commerce features.
• Allows you to construct multilingual websites.
• Features a function that lets you collaborate effortlessly on projects with your team.

Pricing: Free plan available; Premium starts at $15 per month

15. Intuit Mailchimp

With Intuit Mailchimp, customers can create online stores to sell goods and receive a safe payment gateway, checkout and shopping features, product listing pages, descriptions, and other features. 

Additionally, users can represent incomplete online transactions by adding a cart to their online store. The main customers of the Mailchimp shop are public administrations, large and small businesses, nonprofit organizations, and independent contractors.

Features:

• Users of Mailchimp stores can establish flat shipping rates for every item in their store.
• To build up a secure payment gateway, you can integrate Stripe.
• Mailchimp’s online store users can set up a system for listing and describing products. It’s simple to add and remove new products at any moment.
• Offers free marketing features for all of its premium versions.

Pricing: Free plan available; Premium starts at $10 per month

Also Read: Website Builder Vs. Web Hosting: Make The Right Choice

Conclusion

Remember that the options you can access are almost always restricted when using free website builders. Although this could be fine initially, it might become annoying later on.

Because of this, we advise you to make full use of the free plans by creating, testing, and playing around with the various website builders; moreover, we only recommend sticking with a free plan for a while.

You will eventually need to upgrade to a premium plan if you take the seriousness of your website and want other people to do the same.

Since the website builders’ free plans have no time limit, there’s also no rush. Enjoy experimenting with our top-rated free builders, then.

FAQs

Is it possible and okay to switch from one website builder to another?

Yes, it is possible to switch between website builders. However, the process may involve exporting/importing content, which can be more straightforward for some platforms than others.

What features should I look for in a website builder for an e-commerce site?

For e-commerce, consider website builders like Shopify, BigCommerce, and WooCommerce (WordPress), offering features like secure payment processing, inventory management, and product showcasing.

Can I use a website builder for a blog?

Many website builders, including WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace, are excellent for creating and managing a blog.

What is the difference between hosted and self-hosted website builders?

Hosted website builders, like Wix and Squarespace, host your website on their servers. Self-hosted options, like WordPress.org, require you to find your hosting provider.

Can I link a custom domain to my website built with these platforms?

Yes, most website builders allow you to connect a custom domain. Some may provide a free domain with their premium plans.