Written by Tatiana Lebreton Reviewed by Oliver Simpson Updated on 11 June 2025 On this page Best Website Builders Comparison 1. Wix 2. Squarespace 3. Hostinger 4. Shopify 5. GoDaddy Buying Guide: How to Choose a Website Builder How We Test Website Builders Expert verdict FAQs Expand Our site is reader-supported – by clicking our links, we can match you with a potential supplier, and we may earn a small commission for this referral. Wix came out on top as the all-around best website builder in our most recent round of testing, maintaining the top spot for the fourth year in a row. What keeps Wix on top is that it’s suitable for a wider range of users and businesses, compared with competitors, while still delivering quality features.Of course, it’s not the only option out there. Squarespace has stayed strong in second place, while relative newcomer Hostinger has jumped up to third place, thanks to great improvements in the quality of its designs.When ranking website builders, we’ve chosen ones that are good value for money, are easy to use, and have useful tools for businesses, such as integrated sales or marketing features. You can see our top five picks below: What are the best website builders? Wix – Best all-around website builderSquarespace – Best for creatives and service-based businessesHostinger – Best for creating a website with AIShopify – Best for growing an ecommerce businessGoDaddy – Best for a quick and easy setupWe rank website builders based on in-house testing and research criteria. If you’ve already made your choice, click any of the above links to go straight to the website builder (and its free trial, where available). Best Website Builders ComparisonBefore we get into our detailed review of each website builder, here’s a quick side-by-side comparison of their core features: Swipe right to see more 0 out of 0 backward forward Wix Squarespace Hostinger Shopify GoDaddy Score 4.9 Score 4.5 Score 4.2 Score 4.1 Score 4.1 Price Range Paying for one year upfront £9-£119/month£8.10-£107.10 with code: TAKE10 Price Range Paying for one year upfront £12-£35/month (billed annually)£10.08-£31.50/month with code: EM10 Price Range Paying for one year upfront £11.99-£14.99/month£2.99-£3.99/month for first term of 4 year contract Price Range Paying for one year upfront £19-$2,300+/monthFirst month for £1 Price Range Paying for one year upfront £12.99-£26.99/month£7.99-£13.99/month for your first year Unlimited storage space? Unlimited storage space? Unlimited storage space? Unlimited storage space? Unlimited storage space? Number of free templates 900+ Number of free templates 150+ Number of free templates 150+ Number of free templates 150+ Number of free templates Free Plan Free Plan Free Plan Free Plan Free Plan Free Trial Free Trial Free Trial Free Trial Free Trial Try Wix Try Squarespace Try Hostinger Try Shopify Try GoDaddy What are transaction fees? If you take payments through your website (for instance, you sell products, subscriptions or services), some platforms will take a commission from each transaction.This is unrelated to payment processing fees (which are charged by payment gateways for the service of facilitating the money transfer). 1. Wix: Best All-Around Website BuilderWix came out on top as the all-around best website builder, owing to its versatility and integrated marketing and ecommerce tools. Here’s what you need to know:Forever free website builder planAI website builder and drag-and-drop editor suitable for beginners900+ templates, more than any competitorIntegrated marketing and ecommerce tools Wix 4.9 Pricing £0-£119/month Try Wix Wix Review Suitable for Users who want to create a site quickly with AI Businesses that want integrated sales and marketing tools Users who want access to expert support Not suitable for Users who want to change their theme/style often Novice or non tech-savvy users who just want a simple website Small businesses looking for low processing fees Pricing See more See less PlanPrice Free £0/month Light £9/month Core £16/month Business £25/month Business Elite £119/month What do we like about Wix?In the past few years, Wix has focused on developing its AI (artificial intelligence) tools, which have greatly improved its usability and sped up the creative process. For example, Wix has one of the best AI website builders on the market. What we like about it is that, unlike its key AI rival, Hostinger, Wix’s AI website builder can produce a wide variety of different website designs based on the same prompt.This variety is also present in Wix’s pre-built templates, should you skip the AI and go for a design. It has over 900 templates, far more than the average 150 offered by competitors, and they span a huge number of topics, including ones missing from competitors Squarespace and GoDaddy, such as education.This makes Wix a viable option for any type of business, organisation, or individual looking to create a website.This is just a small snapshot of the website topics that Wix's templates cover. Its wide range of templates is part of what makes it a comprehensive website builder. Source: Expert MarketCircling back to AI tools, we were also impressed by Wix’s use of AI for image generation and editing. Besides Hostinger, Wix is the only website builder on this list to offer an AI image generator, but Wix goes one step further by also letting users use AI to help them remove backgrounds and objects in images.Another one of Wix’s strong suits is its wide array of built-in tools, especially its marketing and sales features. Besides GoDaddy, Wix is the only website builder on this list to offer built-in logo, email campaign, and social post creation tools. Plus, businesses can start selling products or services from the £16 per month Core plan, as well as integrate sales with online marketplaces such as Amazon and social media platforms such as Facebook.This is a similar level of ecommerce functionality offered by industry giant Shopify, with the added bonus of Wix’s excellent website design tools, making it a great ecommerce platform for small businesses.What could be improved about Wix?One of Wix’s key faults, which unfortunately hasn’t been fixed in years, is that you can’t switch website templates once you’ve published your website, an action all Wix competitors let you make. This means Wix isn’t the best option for indecisive creators or businesses that envision a rebrand in the future.Additionally, while Wix has certainly made strides to make its platform more user-friendly, some of our testing participants were still overwhelmed by Wix’s dashboard and had trouble navigating more technical sections, such as the SEO (search engine optimisation) dashboard. For this reason, Wix isn’t the best option for total beginners or non-tech-savvy users, who’ll do better with simpler website builders such as Hostinger or GoDaddy.Finally, Wix charges slightly high payment processing fees of 2.1% + 20p for businesses that choose to process payments with Wix Payments. Competitor Shopify has a similar starting fee. However, it gets lowered on more expensive plans, whereas Wix’s fee is the same on all its plans.To get lower fees, you can always process payments through a third-party provider, such as Stripe, since Wix doesn’t charge an additional fee for using another provider to process payments, unlike Shopify.You can find more details on Wix’s highs and lows in our detailed Wix review, and for a direct comparison with its top rival, see our Wix vs Squarespace review.Wix pricingWix offers a 14-day free trial on its premium plans, with several plans to choose from. Only three of these offer the chance to sell online, so look carefully at the features included in each one. Here’s the full breakdown of Wix’s pricing: Swipe right to see more 0 out of 0 backward forward Light Core Business Business Elite Price (billed monthly) £11.50/month Price (billed monthly) £19/month Price (billed monthly) £29/month Price (billed monthly) £129/month Price (billed annually) £9/month£8.10/month with code: TAKE10 Price (billed annually) £16/month£14.40/month with code: TAKE10 Price (billed annually) £25/month£22.50/month with code: TAKE10 Price (billed annually) £119/month£107.10/month with code: TAKE10 Best For Basic small business website Best For A small online store Best For Expanding online sellers Best For Fast-moving online stores Key Features No online store2GB storageNo Wix adsFree domain (1 year)Customer data forms Key Features 50GB storageFree domain (1 year)Sell products, video, music1 auto backup/monthBasic gift cards Key Features 100GB storageFree domain (1 year)Sales tax automationPrint shipping labelsSell in 6 currencies Key Features Unlimited storage50,000 dropshipping productsPriority customer supportAdvanced analytics, custom reports11 currencies Take payments? Take payments? Take payments? Take payments? 2. Squarespace: Best for Creatives and Service-based BusinessesSquarespace is our top pick for creatives, businesses in aesthetics-oriented industries, and service businesses, thanks to its stunning website designs and excellent built-in booking tools. Here’s what you need to know:Mid-tier pricing, ranging from £12 to £35 per monthNewly launched AI builder and editor with grid layout for easy design and customisationThe most attractive website templates on the marketAdvanced booking management tools with built-in Acuity app Squarespace 4.5 Pricing £12-£35/month Try Squarespace Squarespace Review Suitable for Design and aesthetics-focused users Novice users who want an easy to use platform Businesses who need strong bookings tools Not suitable for Users who prioritise site speed Businesses who sell in-person Users who need over-the-phone support Pricing See more See less PlanPrice Personal £12/month Business £17/month Commerce Basic £23/month Commerce Advanced £35/month What do we like about Squarespace?Squarespace is a little late to the game when it comes to AI, only launching its AI website builder in late 2024, a full year after Wix. However, we think it was worth the wait. Squarespace’s AI website builder offers a step-by-step approach, allowing for more creative control over the final product, and unsurprisingly, the websites the AI website builder came up with were very attractive and modern-looking.Squarespace is known for its aesthetic website designs, and its pre-built template library is full of sleek styles. On top of this, it’s easier to customise a template while still maintaining a cohesive layout on Squarespace, compared with other website builders. Its drag-and-drop editor has a unique grid layout, making it easy to align elements.When testing Squarespace, we found the grid pattern that appears as you move elements around made it much easier to align components on the page. This can help even first-time builders achieve a slick, neat page layout. Source: Expert MarketGreat design isn’t all Squarespace has to offer. It’s got a particularly great set of booking tools, making it a great option for service-based businesses. While rivals Wix and GoDaddy also offer built-in bookings management, Squarespace has specialised scheduling and booking management software that allows for better organisation.With Squarespace, you’ll get access to its Acuity app, a dedicated scheduling software that allows you to create a customised bookings page, set availability for different staff and across different locations, and send automated reminders to clients, among other features. And, of course, Squarespace has ecommerce tools, which means clients can pay online and even store card information for next time.What could be improved about Squarespace?Squarespace didn’t perform well in our Site Speed Tests, perhaps due to its high volume of content and imagery. A slow site speed can be irritating for your customers but also negatively affect your SEO ranking due to a higher drop-off rate from site visitors feeling impatient while the site loads. A rival that performed extremely well in this department is Hostinger, although its designs aren’t as eye-catching as Squarespace’s.Additionally, although Squarespace has tools for selling online, it doesn’t offer any card machines or POS hardware for selling in person. This isn’t a requirement of a website builder, but competitors Wix, Shopify, and even GoDaddy now all offer equipment for selling in person.Lastly, Squarespace, along with Hostinger, is one of the only website builders on this list that does not offer over-the-phone support. If you want to get live support fast, we recommend Wix or Shopify.If you need a closer look at what’s included, check out our Squarespace review.Squarespace pricingSquarespace’s price plans come with a 14-day free trial, including its two ecommerce plans. Also, don’t forget you can save 10% on Squarespace by using code EM10 at checkout. Swipe right to see more 0 out of 0 backward forward Personal Business Commerce Basic Commerce Advanced Price (billed monthly) £16/month Price (billed monthly) £24/month Price (billed monthly) £28/month Price (billed monthly) £43/month Price (billed annually) £12/month Price (billed annually) £17/month Price (billed annually) £23/month Price (billed annually) £35/month Best For Portfolios and blogs Best For Small businesses Best For Growing online stores Best For Established small online stores Key Features Free domain (1 year)Unlimited bandwidth and storageCollect visitor dataVideo maker Key Features Sell unlimited number of productsFree domain (1 year)Free Gmail (1 year)Pop-ups and banners Key Features Collect reviewsProduct waitlistsFree Gmail (1 year)Free domain (1 year) Key Features Abandoned cart recoverySell subscriptionsLocal shipping ratesAPIs for custom integrations Take payments? Take payments? Take payments? Take payments? Transaction fees 0% on invoices Transaction fees 0% on invoices3% online store Transaction fees 0% Transaction fees 0% Payment processing fees N/A Payment processing fees 2.0% + 25p Payment processing fees 2.0% + 25p Payment processing fees 2.0% + 25p 3. Hostinger: Best for Creating a Website With AIHostinger jumped up from fifth to third place in our latest round of testing, largely thanks to improvements in the quality of its AI website builder and AI tools. Here’s what you need to know:Cheap plans with a maximum price of £14.99 per monthAI-focused website builder designed for fast content creationImpressive AI blogging tool capable of drafting long piecesFastest site-loading time of any builder we tested Hostinger 4.2 Pricing £2.99-£14.99/month Try Hostinger Hostinger Review Suitable for Novice users who need an easy to use builder Business looking for AI tools to help write and create content Users who need a fast loading website Not suitable for Businesses who need strong bookings tools Businesses who want built-in marketing tools Ecommerce stores looking to grow Pricing See more See less PlanPrice Premium Website Builder £2.99-£11.99/month, depending on billing cycle Business Website Builder £3.99-£14.99/month, depending on billing cycle What do we like about Hostinger?Hostinger only launched its website builder in 2023, making it the newest entry on this list. From the start, the website-building experience was centred around using AI to create a website fast. Hostinger remains one of the fastest ways to build a website, with its AI assistant only requiring two prompts before drafting a website in 30 seconds.The quality of the websites Hostinger’s AI builder generates has also vastly improved since the last time we tested it. They used to look quite dated and were full of strange AI images, whereas now they look more modern and utilise stock images. Like Wix, Hostinger still gives you the option of generating AI images, and, although the quality of the images has improved, we would still recommend using real pictures.I was impressed by how clean and modern Hostinger's AI-generated websites looked. Source: Expert MarketHostinger has also improved its AI writer, which is now capable of crafting entire blog articles and multi-paragraph entries. Although we would recommend editing the copy before sending it live (it can be quite bland), there’s no doubt that Hostinger’s AI writer can speed up content creation compared to other builders, such as Wix, whose AI writer can only produce short copy.It’s also very easy to create a blog with Hostinger’s editor since there’s a dedicated button in the editor’s sidebar menu that, when selected, creates a whole new blogging section filled with blank entries.On top of that, Hostinger had the fastest site-loading speed of all the website builders we tested, which is good for sites like blogs that host a lot of content and also makes Hostinger a great option for users who expect frequent website visitors.What could be improved about Hostinger?Hostinger does not have any built-in marketing tools, unlike Wix, GoDaddy, Shopify, and Squarespace. On top of this, since it doesn’t have an app market, it’s not possible to make up for this by integrating third-party marketing apps into the website.Add to this the fact that Hostinger has a 500-product limit on its only ecommerce plan and limited shipping tools (there’s no integration with third-party shipping apps), and it’s not the best option for online sellers looking to grow their ecommerce business. A great alternative is Shopify, which has no product limit and plentiful integrations with marketplaces and shipping apps.Finally, although Hostinger does have an integrated booking tool, it’s very rudimentary, and the availability calendar was quite glitchy when we tested. We recommend GoDaddy if you want to build a website fast with AI but need reliable booking management tools.Read our full review of Hostinger here for more details on its features.Hostinger pricingHostinger only has two website builder plans: the Premium Website Builder plan, designed for creating an informational website, and the Business Website Builder plan, which gives you access to ecommerce features and advanced AI tools.Pricing changes a lot depending on how long your contract is, but it starts at £2.99 per month: Swipe right to see more 0 out of 0 backward forward Premium Website Builder Business Website Builder Price (billed monthly) £11.99/month Price (billed monthly) £14.99/month Price (billed annually) Price in first term based on contract length:1 year: £3.49/month2 year: £3.29/month4 year: £2.99/monthAll renew at £10.99/month Price (billed annually) Price in first term based on contract length:1 year: £4.49/month2 year: £4.29/month4 year: £3.99/monthAll renew at £13.99/month Best For Creating an informational website quickly using AI Best For Local businesses looking to set up a basic online store Key Features Free domain worth £8.99Free business emailIncludes web hosting featuresUnmetered website bandwidthUnlimited SSL certificates Key Features AI writer and image generatorAI website heatmaps and SEO toolsSell products online The way Hostinger displays its pricing on its website is a little confusing because it makes it seem like its two plans only cost £2.99 and £3.99 per month, forever.In reality, this is a discounted price you’ll get in your first term if you sign up for a long-term contract and pay for the whole term upfront instead of month on month. Still confused? Let’s take a look at the £2.99 per month Premium Website Builder plan.If you sign up for a four-year contract, you’ll pay £2.99 per month for your first term, which is the first four years. After that, the plan is renewed at a higher price, but it’s still a cheaper price than paying monthly.Lastly, pay attention to the terms – you’ll actually need to pay the entire fee upfront. That means on a four-year contract, you’ll be paying for four years upfront every time the contract renews. Ask the ExpertWe sat down with Lucy Carney, deputy editor at Website Builder Expert, who’s been testing and writing about website builders for over six years.What’s the biggest trend you’re seeing in the website builder space?“AI is definitely a big trend at the moment! Mostly, we’re seeing this being implemented by builders during the setup process, to take the brunt of the setup work off the user’s plate and give them an already customized starting point to edit and publish. This is something I’m really pleased to see since it breaks down the entry barriers and makes it faster and easier for anyone to get online – but some are much better than others!“What I’m intrigued to see more of is the AI support once setup is complete – of course, we’re already seeing builders offering AI logo, image, and text generators, but we’re also seeing the development of AI assistants – for example, Shopify Sidekick could be set to change the game for merchants running online stores, acting as an advisor and assistant for Shopify sellers. This is in early access currently so it’ll be interesting to see what impact it has as it rolls out.” 4. Shopify: Best for Growing an Ecommerce BusinessIf you need to create a website for your ecommerce business and have plans to grow and expand, Shopify is the best option on the market. Here’s what you need to know:Higher price tag reflects scalability, with a $2,300 USD enterprise plan for large businessesNew AI website builder for quicker setupExtensive sales and shipping tools and integrationsMobile-optimised websites with the ability to customise the layout Shopify 4.1 Pricing £19-$2,300 USD/month Try Shopify Shopify Review Suitable for Ecommerce businesses looking for a platform that can grow with them Businesses that need extensive shipping tools Users who need control over the design of their mobile website Not suitable for Novice users with limited tech skills Design-focused users who want creative freedom Businesses looking for a cheap option Pricing See more See less PlanPrice Basic £19/month Grow £49/month Advanced £259/month Plus $2,300 USD/month What do we like about Shopify?If you run an ecommerce website, we strongly recommend Shopify above the other contenders to help your store run smoothly. With over 8,000 apps to choose from in its App Store, Shopify helps create a solid ecommerce ecosystem. It can manage high volumes of stock, assist in shipping, promote your products, and link with review sites to showcase your customers sharing the love about your brand.Plus, with its newly launched AI website builder (released in late 2024), it’s become easier and faster to create an online store with Shopify. Although the results weren’t as innovative as Wix’s AI website builder, they’re attractive enough to be ready to use. Plus, with the help of Shopify’s AI writing tools, you can speed up product listing by getting it to write descriptions for you.Shopify, like many platforms, has been increasing its AI tools. You can now use AI to fluff up product descriptions, although the results aren't always great. Source: Expert MarketShopify is also miles ahead of the competition when it comes to integrating in-person and online sales. It offers fully fledged EPOS software and hardware, earning it a spot on our list of the best EPOS systems, something rival GoDaddy’s basic EPOS system didn’t achieve.It’s also easy to create a website that’s mobile optimised with Shopify, which is crucial for online retailers since a lot of shopping is done on mobile. Not only do Shopify websites automatically optimise their layout for mobile, but it’s also the only website builder on this list to also optimise layout for tablets. Plus, it’s possible to edit the mobile and tablet layout so it’s exactly to your liking.What could be improved about Shopify?Although the addition of more AI tools has made Shopify easier to use, it’s still not the best option for novice users looking for a simple website. Shopify is designed for running an omnichannel sales business, so its backend is packed full of features, which can be overwhelming.Plus, while it’s wonderful for sales-focused businesses, Shopify would not be our first choice for those looking to get creative with their website. It works best for those with something to sell, and it’s not as design-focused as it is functionality-focused. For a creative-friendly option, we recommend Squarespace.Finally, one of Shopify’s biggest downsides is its pricing. It has the highest starting price and the highest maximum price of any website builder on this list. If you’re looking for a cheap way to sell online, you could consider Hostinger, but if you’re serious about ecommerce, Shopify is worth the price.If you want more information before making your decision, read our full Shopify review, and if you want to know how Shopify stacks up against our top pick, see our Shopify vs Wix article.Shopify pricingShopify used to offer a 14-day free trial, but this has now shrunk to three days. It has a £5 per month Starter plan, but it doesn’t give you access to a full website builder, since it only lets you build a product page used for selling on social media. Shopify’s actual website builder plans start at £19 per month.Here’s a breakdown of Shopify’s price plans: Swipe right to see more 0 out of 0 backward forward Starter Basic Grow Advanced Plus Price (billed monthly) £5/month Price (billed monthly) £25/month Price (billed monthly) £65/month Price (billed monthly) £344/month Price (billed monthly) From $2,300 USD/month (1 to 3-year term) Price (billed annually) £5/month Price (billed annually) £19/monthFirst month for £1 Price (billed annually) £49/month Price (billed annually) £259/month Price (billed annually) From $2,300 USD/month (1 to 3-year term) Best For Selling on social media Best For Starting a small online store Best For Growing your retail business Best For International sellers Best For High volume retailers Key Features Get shoppable links (URLs)Product pagesBasic order management5% + 25p online credit card rates Key Features Sell an unlimited number of productsUp to two usersSell in 33 currencies (2% conversion fee) Key Features Five staff accountsStandard reportsTask automations1.7% + 25p online credit card rates Key Features 15 staff accountsCollect import taxesAdvanced reportingLocalised selling (3 markets; $59/month each to add more); 10 inventory locations Key Features Faster checkoutUnlimited staff accountsAutomate workflowsPriority phone supportLocalised selling (50 markets); 200 inventory locations Transaction Fees N/A Transaction Fees 2% (if not using Shopify Payments) Transaction Fees 1% (if not using Shopify Payments) Transaction Fees 0.6% (if not using Shopify Payments) Transaction Fees 0.2% (if not using Shopify Payments) Payment processing fees Payment processing fees Online: 2% + 25pIn person: 1.7% Payment processing fees Online: 1.7% + 25pIn person: 1.6% Payment processing fees Online: 1.5% + 25pIn person: 1.5% Payment processing fees Variable 5. GoDaddy: Best for a Quick and Easy Set-upGoDaddy has been dethroned by Hostinger as the fastest and easiest way to build a website, but it’s still an incredibly user-friendly and fast tool for building a website, so it still has a place on this list. Here’s what you need to know:Forever free plan and mid-tier pricing with big discounts on the first termAI website builder and simple-to-use drag-and-drop editorExcellent built-in booking toolsIntegrated marketing and social media content creation GoDaddy 4.1 Pricing £0-£26.99/month Try GoDaddy GoDaddy Review Suitable for Service and appointment-based businesses Users who need to create a website quickly Businesses who want integrated marketing tools Not suitable for Users who prioritise modern-looking designs Users who want to control how their site appears on mobile Users who want to integrate apps into their website Pricing See more See less PlanPrice Free £0/month Basic £7.99/month for first year, them £12.99/month Standard £9.99/month for first year, them £17.99/month Premium £11.99/month for first year, them £22.99/month Ecommerce £13.99/month for first year, them £26.99/month What do we like about GoDaddy?GoDaddy is a great option for users with limited technical knowledge who want to get a functional website up and running in no time. This is made possible by its AI website builder, which works in just two steps to create a site in less than 30 seconds. The results aren’t the most innovative or modern-looking designs, but it’s a fair compromise for the ease of setup GoDaddy offers and its intuitive backend.The website GoDaddy's AI builder created matched what I had in mind, although it was quite generic. Source: Expert MarketGoDaddy is also the only website builder on this list besides Wix to offer an extensive set of marketing content creation tools, with a logo, email campaign, and social media post creator. Hostinger offers none of these tools and doesn’t integrate with third-party apps that do, making GoDaddy the go-to alternative for users requiring speed and simplicity, but also integrated marketing.Like Squarespace, GoDaddy also packs some impressive booking tools. It may not have created a dedicated scheduling software like Squarespace, but users can still use GoDaddy to create a custom bookings page, manage availability, and accept both group and one-to-one appointments.Plus, GoDaddy’s booking tools are actually available from its free plan (the only website builder to offer this), although you need to upgrade to a paid version to accept payments for bookings.What could be improved about GoDaddy?While AI generation can earn points for efficiency, it doesn’t always produce the most high-end results. Your GoDaddy website may lack originality and can look outdated if you don’t give it that personal touch. For modern designs from the start, we recommend Squarespace instead.Furthermore, another design limitation of GoDaddy is that it’s not possible to edit how your website appears on mobile devices. For more creative control over your site’s mobile appearance, Shopify is a good alternative.Finally, GoDaddy, like Hostinger, doesn’t have an app market, limiting the number of third-party apps you can integrate into your website to enhance its functionality. For a big selection of integrations, we recommend Wix.Check out our full GoDaddy review for our full verdict.GoDaddy pricingGoDaddy has a 30-day free trial, plus a 30-day money-back guarantee if you change your mind after buying it. That makes it pretty low-risk, financially. Here are GoDaddy’s price plans (only the most expensive one is for selling online): Swipe right to see more 0 out of 0 backward forward Make an online shop Basic Standard Premium Ecommerce Price (billed annually) £7.99/month(Renews after one year for £12.99/month) Price (billed annually) £9.99/month(Renews after one year for £17.99/month) Price (billed annually) £11.99/month(Renews after one year for £22.99/month) Price (billed annually) £13.99/month(Renews after one year for £26.99/month) Best For Short-term projects Best For Small businesses Best For Services-based businesses Best For A small online shop Key Features Analytics100 email marketing emails/month5 social posts per month Key Features 20 social posts per month (3 platforms)500 email marketing sends per monthBasic SEO tool Key Features Unlimited social media postsUnlimited email marketingTake payments for appointments Key Features List up to 5,000 productsDigital or physical productsAdd discounts and promos Buying Guide: How to Choose a Website BuilderWhen looking for the right website builder to help you achieve your ideal website, we recommend you look at the following criteria to ensure your dreams can be realised.Pricing: Arguably one of the most important factors. Consider your budget restraints and whether you prefer to buy domains and hosting separately, as well as any recurring monthly fees.Ease of use: The platform should be intuitive and easy to navigate, even for non-technical users. You want something that allows you to create and edit pages visually without needing to know code.Support options: Look out for platforms with adequate online help resources, tutorials, and knowledge bases for DIY troubleshooting and live support via chat or phone for when you need extra help.Flexibility and customisation options: Look for a website builder that offers a broad range of templates, themes, and the ability to customise elements like fonts, colours, and layouts. Ideally, you want to be able to tailor the design to your brand.Built-in SEO tools: Choose a site builder that helps improve your search engine optimisation by automatically generating metadata and more.Ecommerce capabilities: If you plan to sell products or services, ensure the builder has robust ecommerce features like shopping carts, payment processing, and inventory management.Scalability: An ideal website builder grows with you, allowing expansion into more pages and bandwidth as your traffic demands increase.Mobile flexibility: With more web browsing happening on phones, your site needs to be able to dynamically respond and reshape itself for mobile devices. How We Test Website BuildersWe've tested and researched 16 market-leading website builders, evaluating their functionality, usability, integrations and customer support so we can make the most useful recommendations to businesses.Our rigorous testing process means these products have been scored and rated in six main categories of investigation and 33 subcategories. We then gave each category score a ‘relevance weighting' to ensure the product's final score perfectly reflects the needs and requirements of Expert Market readers.Our main testing categories for website builders are:Website features: The capabilities and functionalities offered by a website builder, e.g. blog functionality, SEO capability, marketing capacity and AI tools.Design functionality: The aesthetic appeal and visual layout of a website created using a website builder. It encompasses aspects such as page templates, customisable themes and content display tools (accordions, tabs, etc.).Ease of use: How user-friendly and intuitive a website builder is for people with varying levels of technical expertise.Value for money: The balance between the cost of a website builder and the benefits it provides. It considers factors such as pricing plans, subscription models and available features.Reputation: External customer opinion; the feedback and ratings given by customers who have used a particular website builder – the market position and reputation a website builder holds.Help and support: The assistance and resources available to users when they encounter issues or need guidance while using a website builder. This can include tutorials, knowledge bases, and email or chat support. Expert verdict Our top-rated website builder is Wix since it caters to the widest range of needs, offers a variety of built-in sales and marketing features, and remains easy to use thanks to its AI tools.But just because Wix is our winner doesn’t mean it’s necessarily the right tool for you. Aesthetics-focused businesses, such as fashion brands or trendy yoga studios, might prefer Squarespace, for example, since it has a stronger focus on visual appeal.We’re confident that our research can help you find the website builder best suited to your business project. If you’re looking to sell online, you can check out our specific ecommerce platform comparison guide. FAQs Is it unprofessional to use a website builder? Not necessarily, as your customers might not even be able to tell. If you use a free plan (with Wix, GoDaddy, or WordPress), your web address will contain the name of the website builder. That looks unprofessional, honestly, as it shows you’re not making enough money to pay for your own domain. The same reasoning applies to the banner adverts that appear on non-premium plans.But if you use a website builder and tweak the template design enough to reflect your own branding, you can produce a professional-looking result. You should ensure your images are large enough to avoid looking pixelated. Hiring a quality photographer to create on-brand imagery can help add credibility to your site. Is it worth hiring someone to build a website? Hiring a professional to build you a site will probably result in a really great site for your business. But it will come with a much higher cost compared to using a website builder, and you’ll have to rely on someone else to bring your vision to life. How much do I pay someone to build me a website? It can cost you anywhere from £30 to £100+ per hour for someone to build your website. Written by: Tatiana Lebreton Senior Grow Online & Business Software Expert Tatiana is Expert Market's resident payments and online growth expert, specialising in (E)POS and merchant accounts, as well as website builders. Reviewed by: Oliver Simpson Senior Research Executive After three years in operational B2B data analysis, Oliver became a business insight specialist in 2022 and now focuses full-time on understanding small business preferences and needs. He blends his quantitative skills, forged by his experience working as a law enforcement researcher, with qualitative exploration, to ensure robust and nuanced results.