Best Online Website Builder Software in 2021 (Free & Paid)
Whether you are an entrepreneur or a designer, you can build great websites by using one of the many website builder software available online.
Setting up an appealing, professional-looking website has never been easier.
Yes, you can do it yourself without hiring a seasoned developer.
And you can do it all online, because these website builders work in your browser.
Most of these tools provide a user-friendly drag and drop interface that makes designing your website incredibly easy.
If you don’t know the ABCs of cryptic words like HTML, JavaScript, and PHP? — Don’t worry. No coding required!
These tools not only will allow you to design your website, but also host it under your own domain.
This is 2021, and with the right software, your outstanding website is just a step away!
How to choose the right website builder
With so many options to create a website these days, choosing the one that meets your needs can be quite daunting.
Ultimately, it is all comes down to picking the right features at the best price!
I suggest you start brainstorming the different features and functionalities you require in the development of your website.
The best thing you can do is seek inspiration from your competitors.
Envision your future website and list out all the “must-have” elements.
With this list at hand, all you have to do is go through my review and choose the right tool that meets your needs!
All of these tools don’t require a technical background to design a great looking website.
Some of the them are totally free, others offer subscription plans for using their premium features (like hosting, templates, eCommerce etc.)
Check out my all-time-favorite, top 7 website builders that have been tried and tested.
1. Webflow
An agency called MetaLab, which is known for developing Slack, also designed Webflow, a tool for designers wanting to build websites visually.
The most professional builder to create custom websites visually.
Webflow is an advanced website builder software that is mostly known for its simple, but efficient user interface, design and beautiful interface.
Webflow — website builder
As you can see my website was built with Webflow and I think this is actually the best to to build website the way you want it.
It is a sophisticated website builder software that offers a lot to businesses and creatives alike.
Webflow is the most advanced software from the pack that offers the greatest level of customization without the hassle of indulging in the coding process.
However, you must have a basic understanding of website designing.
This includes aspects such as absolute and relative positions, style hierarchy, and box models.
Pro tip: You can learn everything on Webflow University totally for free!
And then you can either buy a template or start building your website from scratch.
Pricing
Webflow offers a free subscription as well as paid plans that start $12 per month.
Pros
- Design and build websites visually, without any limits.
- A robust WYSIWYG editor with advanced features (unlike competitors).
- Great templates that are designed by professional designers.
Cons
- No live technical support.
- Requires basic web designing knowledge.
- Not the cheapest option.
2. WordPress
WordPress is the first website builder from the pack and is known to power 38.8% of all websites on the internet.
The world’s most popular website builder that powers 38% of all internet.
You can either use Wordpress.com (subscription) or just download the CMS from Wordpress.org and install it on your favorite hosting platform.
WordPress — website builder
I have been using Wordpress for over a decade up until 2019 when I switched to Webflow.
There certainly isn’t any denying the popularity of this software in creating flattering designs for your website.
Unlike many complex platforms in the market, this software offers a structured and streamlined interface.
You also get to choose among an ocean of themes, including from third-party websites, like Themeforest.
Also, WordPress provides the widest range of 3rd-party plugins and integrations
Ultimately, this software is inexpensive, widely-used, and probably the best gateway to building the website of your dreams!
Pricing
WordPress offers a free subscription as well as paid plans that start from $4 per month.
Pros
- Hundreds of themes available for free.
- Best place to run a blog (great for SEO).
- A free forever plan on Wordpress.com
Cons
- Limited level of customization & flexibility.
- You have to know coding to build your own template.
- Slow page speed (loaded with features that you don’t need).
3. Squarespace
Squarespace is the easiest to use website builder on the market, an all-in-one solution for anyone looking to create a beautiful website.
The easiest to use website builder with plenty of good-looking templates.
Squarespace is an easy to use software that you can use to build anything from a personal blog to an online shop.
Squarespace is a very popular tool known for its ease of use and appealing designs.
The best thing that I like about this website builder tool is its beautiful templates that are 100% mobile-friendly.
Around 57% of internet users claim that they don’t appreciate a website that isn’t mobile-responsive.
So, if you yearn for a visually impressive website that render consistently across all devices, this is it — You’ve got your perfect website builder!
However, do not mistake it for a software that prefers style over substance.
This website builder includes an array of extensive features to power your site with what it needs! (domain, hosting, blog, newsletter, forms, shop etc.)
Pricing
Squarespace plans vary from $12 to $40 per month. Pretty reasonable, I’d say.
Pros
- One of the easiest tools on the market.
- Hundreds of beautiful, responsive templates.
- Great customization / ease of use ratio.
Cons
- No free plan available.
- No full control of your website features.
- You don’t own the website (no export option).
4. Weebly
Weebly, that is one of the leading web building apps available on the internet, was acquired in 2018 by Square.
The simples website builder that is intuitive and easy to follow.
The seamless integration between Weebly and Square make it a great choice if you want to take your local store online.
Weebly — website builder
You can use Weebly to build your eCommerce store in the blink of an eye.
As with other similar website builders (Squarespace, Wix) you can control and customize almost all parts of your website.
I say “almost”, because as with other similar tools, you have to give away some of the advanced features for that simplicity and ease of use.
However, despite the fact that it is easy to use, it is a foolproof website builder with all basic features of functionalities.
If you are a developer who is adept in HTML, you also have an option swiftly modify the code, just like in WordPress.
You can also find plenty of beautiful templates for various industries and businesses.
Pricing
Weebly offers a free subscription. The paid plans begin from only $6 per month.
Pros
- Very simple interface that anyone can use to build a nice website.
- A bunch of templates you can choose and customize.
- Support for eCommerce and online payments (using Square).
Cons
- Offers way less editing capabilities than its competitors.
- No support for building a multilingual website.
- You cannot undo an action if something goes wrong.
5. Wix
If you have done some research regarding website building software, you must have heard about Wix and its excellent design capabilities.
The most flexible website builder to give you total design freedom.
If you don’t have a decent web design experience, this software is your match made in heaven!
Wix — website builder
This tool makes it easy for anyone to design a website 100% visually and then publish it with just a click of a button.
So whether you want to start a personal blog or you need a full-featured eCommerce store, you can do it all with Wix.
Wix offers absolutely the most flexible design editor that give you control over almost everything!
Besides, it is also probably the most intuitive tool I’ve come across so far.
Wix is famous for the feature called “Repeaters”, that allows you reuse similar layout and design, but with different content.
You can modify the content of each item, including the images, text, and the background of course.
You’ll also find hundreds of free templates that you can customize with just a few clicks and launch your website in a matter of minutes.
Pricing
Wix offers a free subscription. The paid plans start at $14 per month.
Pros
- You can customize or change anything (design freedom).
- Hundreds of free stunning templates.
- Fully-featured online stores.
Cons
- The free plan puts an ad on your website.
- You can’t switch between templates (like in WordPress)
- Fewer plugins as compared to other software.
6. Shopify
Shopify is one of the biggest players in the eCommerce space which makes it probably the most popular online store builder.
The best eCommerce platform to build online stores fast and easy.
If you’re looking to start an online store, Shopify is an all-in-one platform with well integrated payments, great shopping experience and seamless marketing tools.
Shopify — online store builder
Other tools on my list offer eCommerce functionality as well, but Shopify is a dedicated platform that will give you way more control over your store.
Similarly to WordPress or Squarespace, you can switch content between templates which makes it easy to update your online store in the future.
Unlike other website builders with eCommerce functionality, on Shopify you can scale from $0 to millions without worrying about the technical part at all.
There’s a lot of different aspects of building an online store but Shopify makes it easy for you to do it all in one place (no integrations needed).
So whether you want to sell digital or physical products, Shopify can take care of every step of the process (although pretty expensive!).
And just like with other web design tools you can use their drag & drop builder to quickly customize your store the way you want it.
Shopify is trusted by over 1 million businesses worldwide!
Pricing
Shopify offers a 14-day free trial. The paid plans start at $29 per month.
Pros
- A scalable eCommerce platform with everything you need to sell online.
- A great selection of customizable and mobile-friendly templates.
- Integrations with Amazon, Facebook, Instagram and more.
Cons
7. Site123
As the name suggest, Site123 make building your website easy like 1,2,3.
The easiest website builder tool with basic functionality.
Site123 is a very basic website editor when compared e.g. Webflow or even Wix, because their main focus is simplicity and affordability.
The editor is extremely easy to use, but once your business starts growing, it may lack a some advanced features that you need.
So if you just need a simple website, or simply don’t want to pay for advanced tools that you don’t need, Site123 might the way to go.
You can even run a simple online store, but don’t expect scalability of Shopify or nowhere close.
Need a simple website? — Site123 will save you a lot of time and money making it easy for you to launch your website without any design or coding background.
Pricing
Site123 offers free plans. The paid plan is only $10 per month!
Pros
- The best option for your free website builder.
- Very easy to use with solid features & functionality.
- 24/7 Live support to help you build your website fast.
Cons
- The editor doesn’t offer advanced customization features.
- Less options compared to others tools like Squarespace and Weebly.
- Once you launch your website, you can’t switch templates.
Conclusions
These were my top website builders for designing a website in 2021.
My list contains web design tools that cater to different businesses and at a different price point.
You have a variety of options ranging from the more advanced and expensive, to more basic and therefore affordable.
Webflow is what creative professionals like myself use to build websites with the utmost control over design and functionality.
Squarespace and Weebly is good for businesses who want to launch a decent website but without spending too much time or money.
Wix will make a great choice if you want total control over your design, but don’t mind paying a little more.
Wordpress will always be a great option for bloggers with its robust CMS and SEO capabilities.
Shopify is your go-to website builder if you need a scalable online store that will make you millions.
And Site123 is the most affordable and the easiest to use website builder from the pack.
So ultimately, it comes down to figuring out what your needs are and then weighing the pros and cons of each option.
I’d also encourage you to give a try to a few of them, especially given the fact that most offer free plans or at least free trials.
Which website builder is best for you? — Leave a comment below.
Originally published on my blog at:
https://www.ebaqdesign.com/blog/website-builder-software
