Best website builders of 2025

Introduction to Wix

I built my first site on Wix back in 2020. Since then, it has been my go-to for a host of website projects I’ve worked on. It is also what I recommend to most people, in most cases.

I found it intuitive to get to grips with. After just a few hours of use, I was navigating around the site with ease.

Its built in business tools are super useful and can save small businesses a lot of money. These include a full bookings system, event management platform, as well as extensive ecommerce and marketing features.

Plus, what isn't built in can often be found on its extensive app store.

Getting started with Wix

You can start with a 14-day free trial.

When you start building a website with Wix, you can select from over 2000 templates or create a bespoke template using the Wix AI website builder.

Whichever option you choose, you can then use the editor to make the website your own. Wix's editor allows you to do everything from adding and rearranging sections to editing granular design details such as the shape and color of buttons and fonts.

AI is integrated across the editor, helping speed things up. This includes an AI writing tool that offers options such as a total rewrite, fixing errors, making the text shorter, or a total rewrite.

During testing, I found Wix's AI tools especially helpful when I was lacking inspiration.

Wix features and tools

Wix’s impressive business tools are one of the biggest reasons I recommend Wix so often.

These include advanced ecommerce functionality, an appointment booking system, event management tools, restaurant reservations platform, logo maker, and a bunch of helpful financial tools such as a pay link generator and invoice creator.

Wix also offers helpful AI-powered features including a text and image creator, meta tag generator, and analytics with built in AI that helps you identify and take action based on website trends.

These tools will help you build, manage and grow your website quickly and easily.

You can also take advantage of its AI Marketing Agent which makes SEO, social media, email, and paid ad suggestions. It can even automate those suggestions, which can be a massive time saver. However, I found the output to be of varying quality - so, I recommend at least a level of oversight and editing.

For non-built-in tools, you can jump into Wix’s app marketplace.

Here you'll find over 800 apps from top names, including Mailchimp, Ominisend, Printful, Google Reviews PRO, and Rabbit SEO, helping you to massively extend the functionality of your site.

However, bare in mind that each premium app can add to your monthly costs.

Wix pricing and plans

You can find a more detailed guide on Wix pricing here.

Learn more about Wix

This is just a snippet of what Wix has to offer. Read our in-depth Wix website builder review to find out why it's the best website builder on the market.

If you are looking for something cheaper than Wix, Hostinger offers many of the same tools at a lower price point. Squarespace is also a worthy alternative if website design is important to you. You can check out our full guide to Wix alternatives.

Testing Wix's website builder

Image 1 of 4

Introduction to Hostinger website builder

Although Wix tops my list, it comes with a premium price tag, which can be an issue. Hostinger offers a worthy and more affordable alternative, earning it my number 2 spot. In fact, I recently moved one of my websites from Wix to Hostinger, saving myself an impressive $168/year in the first 4 years.

Hostinger's website builder is somewhat of a hidden gem. It doesn't quite offer the same feature list as Wix, but it covers the essentials, including a full AI website builder, AI copy and image tools, and a simple to use interface. It's also more affordable, and it keeps getting better with new features being added all the time.

I’m a fan of Hostinger’s AI website builder, it’s certainly one of the best AI website builders on the market. I found the briefing process super simple compared to the long list of questions you have to answer with Wix and Squarespace, but the output was of comparable quality and would require the same level of editing to get it ready for launch. Plus, you can use it on Hostinger’s entry-level plan that starts at $2.54/mo (intro rate).

Getting started with Hostinger

You can get started with the Hostinger website builder with a 7-day free trial.

Once logged in, you are presented with the AI website builder, or you can switch to the traditional template builder in the link below it.

Note: In a recent meeting with Hostinger, they shared that 85% of users are opting for the AI builder, highlighting just how popular this option is.

For the AI builder, simply fill out your brand name and add a little info about your business. Then hit ‘Create a website’ and sit back whilst the AI creates your site. If you opt for the non-AI route, you have almost 160 website templates to pick from.

Whichever option you pick, you’ll then land in the Hostinger editor. Here you can add pages, tweak the design, and populate the images and copy to your liking.

Hostinger website builder features and tools

The multi-lingual AI builder allows you to put a website online in just four clicks, Hostinger claims. I gave this a try, and although the results were good, the text, images, and formatting needed a fair amount of editing to make it fit for purpose. This is true of every AI website builder I've tested.

Outside of the editor, you’ll get all the features you would expect from a leading website builder, including an AI writer and AI SEO tool (only available on higher level plans) as well as a bunch of simple, yet powerful ecommerce and blogging tools.

Hostinger’s website builder also comes with some helpful business tools, such as its recent integration with Print On Demand (POD) company Printful. This partnership allows small businesses to launch online stores without the need to ever purchase, manage, package, or post stock - helping unlock a lucrative new revenue stream, with minimum input.

Oh, and I love that you don’t have to pay any additional transaction fees to Hostinger, which can be a big profit drain with some website builders.

Hostinger pricing and plans

You can use code TECHRADAR to get an extra 10% off at checkout.

Hostinger doesn’t offer a free plan, but does offer a 7 day free trial AND a 30-day money back guarantee. You’ll need the Business plan to sell online and access advanced AI tools

Learn more about Hostinger

Read our full Hostinger website builder review for more insight into what the platform offers.

For more business and website building tools, Wix is more comprehensive than Hostinger, but will also cost you more. Squarespace is also a good alternative to Hostinger if you want a platform that puts design first.

Testing Hostinger's website builder

Image 1 of 3

Introduction to Squarespace

If you want a great-looking website, Squarespace is well worth considering.

Sure, other website builders like Wix and Hostinger have significantly improved website design options in recent years, yet still none match up to Squarespace.

Of course, design isn’t everything. What good is a stunning website if it doesn’t work?

I’ve built everything from online stores to portfolio websites on Squarespace. Although it doesn’t quite match Wix for features, it isn’t far off. It comes with everything you would expect, including an AI website builder, a drag-and-drop editor, SEO tools, ecommerce features, marketing tools, business features, and a bunch more.

Getting started with Squarespace

Just like Wix and Hostinger, you start your website building journey by picking the template or AI website builder route.

Go with AI, and you will be taken through several steps that include providing details about your business and making decisions on things like page sections, fonts, and color palettes. True to its reputation, Squarespace’s AI website builder is the most design-focused I’ve used.

Personally, I have always opted for one of Squarespace’s 180 stunning templates as my starting place. Which option you pick is purely personal preference - I’d recommend trying out both.

Once I had selected a template, I was then taken to the editor where I can access a huge range of tools to edit the copy, images, and design of my site. I’ve used many of these. I’m a fan of the AI-powered copy creator, which has saved me a lot of time - but does need some considerable human oversight to make it fit for purpose.

Squarespace features and tools

I found Squarespace’s feature list impressive. I found everything I would expect from a top website builder, including SEO tools, ecommerce features, and one of the best blogging sites. I even used the Squarespace Blog app to publish and edit blog content on the go - a much better use of my commuting time than doomscrolling social media.

Business tools like invoice creation and scheduling can streamline processes, saving time and money for small businesses. So too does Squarespace's Acuity which can be used for everything from restaurant bookings to scheduling client meetings.

Personally, I really like Squarespace's additional platforms, such as Squarespace Unfold, a dedicated social media creation and management platform, and a link in bio creator to help drive social traffic to your site.

Squarespace pricing and plans

Unlike with Wix, you can sell online with Squarespace's cheapest plan, although there is 2% fee on online transactions on the Basic plan.

A detailed overview of costs can be found on our Squarespace pricing page.

Learn more about Squarespace

Our Squarespace review takes a deep dive into everything you need to know about the platform.

Wix is Squarespace’s closest competitor. I found that Wix just edges ahead when it comes to tools and features, whereas Squarespace offers better designs. They are similar in price, too. It is worth checking out our full Squarespace vs Wix comparison to learn more. You can also get insight into other options in our Squarespace alternatives guide.

Testing Squarespace's website builder

Image 1 of 3

Introduction to Shopify

I first got to grips with Shopify back in 2019 when I launched a scandi-inspired homeware store with my partner. Before we picked Shopify, I did a huge amount of research on which would be the best ecommerce platform for us. For a dedicated online store, especially a start up with a tight budget, Shopify won outright.

All of the best website builders, including Wix, Hostinger, and Squarespace, have invested heavily in improving ecommerce features since then. In some cases, such as websites that aren’t 100% ecommerce focused, these platforms now offer a worthy (if not better) alternative.

But with advanced ecommerce tools and developments all focused squarely on supporting ecommerce businesses, for dedicated online stores, I still recommend Shopify as the best option.

Getting started with Shopify

You can get started on Shopify with a 3-day free trial. This is a little on the ungenerous side compared to our top three. Squarespace and Wix both offer 14-days free, and Hostinger offers a 30-day money back guarantee. However, you can also try some of Shopify’s premium plans for 3 months for just $1, which is hardly a huge investment.

I found getting set up with a Shopify store refreshingly straightforward. The onboarding process guides you through essential steps, including choosing a theme, adding products, and configuring payment settings. I found the initial setup intuitive, with helpful prompts and tutorials throughout. The drag-and-drop store builder requires no coding knowledge to use, though having some technical skills opens up more customization possibilities.

The learning curve is gentle for basic functionality. Most users can have a functional store running within hours. However, mastering advanced features like custom checkout flows, complex shipping rules, or theme customization takes more time and effort.

Shopify features and tools

Shopify's ecommerce functionality is industry-leading, that’s why I picked it for my online store.

The platform includes built-in inventory management, order processing, and customer management tools. Payment processing through Shopify Payments eliminates the need for third-party providers, though over 100 alternative payment gateways, including PayPal, are supported. Checkout is optimized for conversions, with features like abandoned cart recovery.

Shopify also comes with a bunch of super-helpful AI tools. These tools include an AI-powered template creator, image editing, intelligent product suggestions, and automated customer service responses. The AI assistant provides context-specific guidance based on your store's data, making store management more efficient. Its AI offering makes it stand out from its closest competitor, BigCommerce, which lacks many of these features.

Marketing tools are robust, covering SEO optimization, email campaigns, and social media integration. The platform automatically generates sitemaps, handles meta tags, and provides analytics to track performance. Built-in discount and promotion features let you create coupon codes, automatic offers, and seasonal sales campaigns.

App Store is Shopify's secret weapon, offering over 8,000 apps to extend functionality through 3rd-party vendors. Whether you need advanced analytics, loyalty programs, or specialized shipping solutions, there's an app for that. However, app costs can accumulate quickly, so budget carefully.

I never used Shopify for in-person selling, but its Point Of Sale (POS) integration allows seamless online/offline integration. You can manage online and physical store inventory from one dashboard, accept payments in person, and provide unified customer experiences across all touch points.

Shopify pricing and plans

Shopify offers a 3-day free trial, then 3 months for $1. Large, high volume businesses can use Shopify Plus starting at $2,300/mo .

Learn more about Shopify

Take a deeper dive into what Shopify has to offer with our full Shopify review.

With simple to use, yet comprehensive ecommerce tools, Wix is a great alternative, especially if your website isn’t a dedicated online store. BigCommerce is also worth considering, it offers many of the same features as Shopify, but can be a little complex and is better suited for larger businesses. Read our full guide to the best Shopify alternatives to learn more.

Testing Shopify's website builder

Image 1 of 3

Introduction to GoDaddy website builder

GoDaddy is one of the biggest domain companies in the world. It also offers one of the best website builders that comes with a huge range of helpful marketing tools, making it ideal for small businesses that want everything in one place.

I found its dashboard super easy to use and navigate, although this did come at a price, with many of the tools being a little more simplistic than the likes of Wix and Squarespace. Its website builder is perfect for newbies who want to launch a site and get straight into marketing it to their target audience.

Getting started with GoDaddy

There are two routes to launching a website with GoDaddy.

Firstly, you can opt for its dedicated AI website builder. This works much the same way as any other AI website builder, simply input a handful of details about your website and let the AI create something for you.

Alternatively, you can use GoDaddy Airo, GoDaddy’s AI powered tool targeted at helping small businesses launch and grow. The journey here starts by inputting your desired domain, or business idea. Once you have purchased your domain the Airo tool then uses the information you have provided to create a range of assets including a website, a logo, and even a social media calendar.

Whichever route you take, you will then find yourself on GoDaddy’s simple website dashboard, where you can edit and manage your website.

GoDaddy website builder features and tools

Once your template is sorted, you can start adding and managing different elements on your website. For example, you can add an online store or appointment booking tool to your site. You can also set up promotions and create pop ups to promote them (or anything else you want to promote).

GoDaddy’s suite of marketing tools is extensive and includes features ranging from SEO and digital ads to social media and email marketing. Perhaps more crucially, I found GoDaddy’s marketing tools to be some of the easiest to use out of all the best website builders.

GoDaddy pricing and plans

GoDaddy offers a free, but limited, plan. You’ll need the most expensive plan to sell online

Learn more about GoDaddy

Read our GoDaddy website builder review for an in-depth look at all of its features. You can also discover how GoDaddy stacks up against our top rated website builder in our Wix vs GoDaddy guide.

Testing GoDaddy's website builder

Image 1 of 3

Introduction to HubSpot website builder

HubSpot is known for being one of the best CRM and marketing platforms out there, but in 2022, it also launched its own website builder. Having found HubSpot’s other offerings easy to use, I was intrigued to take it for a test run.

It looks and feels like any other drag and drop website builder, although if you are looking for the same level of functionality and flexibility as the likes of Wix and Squarespace you won’t find it. It has been built as an extension to HubSpot's marketing tools, and it does that very well.

There are two reasons I would recommend this website builder. Firstly, if you already use HubSpot’s platforms and don’t need an advanced web presence, this is a great option that will help you streamline your marketing processes. Secondly, if you want to connect a custom domain to your website and you really don’t want to pay, you can do that with HubSpot, which very few other free website builders will allow you to do.

Getting started with HubSpot’s website builder

HubSpot's onboarding process reflects its marketing DNA, with guided setup flows and educational resources. The AI website builder can generate a complete single-page site within minutes by answering simple prompts about your business.

I found it incredibly fast for those who want to get online quickly. However, the platform's feature set can feel overwhelming for users expecting a dedicated website builder without the marketing layer.

HubSpot website builder features and tools

The drag-and-drop editor requires no coding knowledge, though the interface feels more complex than competitors like Wix or Squarespace. The learning curve steepens when exploring advanced features like CRM integration, but HubSpot provides a ton of documentation and tutorials for newcomers through HubSpot Academy.

HubSpot includes email marketing, lead scoring, marketing automation, and campaign management built directly into the website builder. Contact forms automatically populate the integrated CRM, creating seamless lead management workflows that typically require separate tools.

I found that the AI-powered content suite has a lot of breadth and sophistication. Content Remix generates multiple content formats from single blog posts, AI Blog Writer creates compelling articles with minimal input, and Brand Voice technology ensures consistency across all AI-generated content.

SEO capabilities go beyond basic optimization with in-editor recommendations, content planning suggestions, and comprehensive analytics. The platform automatically generates sitemaps, handles technical SEO, and provides detailed performance tracking for search-focused marketers.

HubSpot's native ecommerce functionality handles product catalogs, payment processing, and customer insights through an integrated CRM. While not as advanced as Shopify, it provides sufficient tools for businesses selling digital products or simple physical goods.

HubSpot pricing and plans

Rather than offering a stand alone plan, Hubspot's website builder comes with its 'Content Hub'. The prices above can vary based on several factors such as how many 'seats' you require.

Learn more about HubSpot’s website builder

You can learn more about the HubSpot platform with our full HubSpot website builder review.

Introduction to Bluehost website builder

Despite some improvements over recent years, WordPress’ native website builder (Gutenberg) doesn’t meet the needs of most users. This is why third-party page builders, like Bluehost, have exploded in popularity - helping you unlock WordPress’ great CMS, whilst building a great website.

Getting started with Bluehost

Thanks to the WordPress integration, I was able to set up parts of our test website using Bluehost’s website builder, and other parts using WordPress. The WordPress-friendly builder also includes over 300 templates - not quite as many as Wix, but still a fair amount.

Bluehost website builder features and tools

While Bluehost's website builder isn't as seasoned or as easy to use as Wix’s overall, it still includes attractive features such as a free domain for the first year and 24/7 expert support for its website building service.

In addition to offering unlimited websites, Bluehost’s website builder includes templates for specific website types and use cases and gives the option to edit websites for mobile, desktop, and tablets.

For ecommerce capabilities, Bluehost has combined WordPress, WooCommerce, and YITH plugins in its Online Store solution, which provides businesses with a WordPress website builder.

Bluehost pricing and plans

Bluehost doesn’t offer a free plan or free trial. You’ll need to go with the most expensive plan for advanced ecommerce features.

Learn more about Bluehost website builder

You can dive into the details with our Bluehost website builder review.

Elementor is a great alternative to Bluehost for those looking to build their website on WordPress. Both offer a powerful AI website builder and many of the same features and tools. The costs are similar too.

Introduction to Duda

Duda is a powerful website builder founded in 2009, designed for budding web professionals, agencies, and freelancers. It offers multiple features for website builders, including white labelling, client management tools, and tons of integrations, making it one of the best website builders for agencies and freelancers.

Getting started with Duda

Duda impresses from the very beginning with an intuitive editor that offers a mix of various customization options and frameworks for precise design control.

Unlike Wix, Duda does not use the traditional drag-and-drop interface, but adopts a structured approach, working with rows and columns that align with the site's grid. It further boasts access to HTML and CSS frameworks, and section-based layout editing, all helping you take full control over your website building process.

Duda features and tools

Duda’s core strength lies in its focus on client management tools.

With this, users can easily create new websites from Duda’s pre-saved templates, set permissions for clients, and even offer a streamlined feedback and revision process. All this saves significant time and resources in the workflow.

It also offers robust ecommerce tools, including various payment gateways, coupons, and gift cards. However, these features come as a paid add-on service.

What makes Duda even better for design is its customization capabilities, featuring ultra-precise edits through Flex Mode, global styles for sitewide consistency, and continuous support for RTL languages.

Plus, you even get a bunch of marketing and SEO tools, like native email marketing, blogging functionality, and comprehensive SEO features, specially optimized for Google Page Speed.

Duda pricing and plans

Duda does not offer a free plan. Custom pricing is available to Enterprise customers.

Learn more about Duda

You can check out our Duda review for more insight into what the platform has to offer.

Introduction to Elementor

Like Bluehost, Elementor isn’t a full website builder, but instead a plug-in that allows you to build a website on top of WordPress’ powerful CMS. Unlike Bluehost, it comes with an impressive free version that has some impressive capabilities, considering it costs nothing.

Getting started with Elementor

Elementor’s interface is a dead simple and streamlined affair, allowing you to drag-and-drop whatever elements you want into place while seeing what the results look like in real-time.

I set up my test site in minutes and did not run into any complications while doing so. There are a bunch of widgets and pre-designed templates on offer, and as you might expect, you get a lot more content with the paid-for plans, even the basic ‘Essential’ package comes with 57 pro widgets and 10 cloud templates to pick from.

Elementor features and tools

Similar to Wix, even the free option is pretty well fleshed out. The freebie route may deliver enough functionality for some and for those who’ll need more, it’s still a great way of checking out what you’re letting yourself in for before stumping up any cash (no credit card details are needed for signing up to the free plan, either).

The Advanced plans boast more tools, such as ecommerce features and a pop up builder. These plans live up to their names, offering users the ability to add and edit custom code and CSS, making it ideal for advanced users with coding skills. The Expert plan offers most of the same features, but allows you to build 25-100 websites.

The main downside with Elementor is, that compared to some rivals, such as Bluehost or Squarespace, the premium pricing isn’t so competitive if you’re running lots of websites – but the Essential Elementor plan, which supports one site, is great value if that’s all you need. You will also need a premium plan if you want access to direct support.

Although Elementor doesn't come with built in SEO features, as it works on top of WordPress, you can easily connect your site to top SEO plugins such as Yoast.

Elementor pricing and plans

Elementor offers a free plan, but no free trial. You’ll need the Advanced Solo ($6.99/mo) or above to unlock advanced ecommerce features.

Learn more about Elementor

Our full Elementor website builder review dives deep into what this platform has to offer.

Introduction to BigCommerce

BigCommerce is an experienced vendor with almost 15 years in the ecommerce business. Its impressive feature list includes online store creation, search engine optimization, marketing, and security for small to Enterprise sized businesses.

Getting started with BigCommerce

First of all, the platform made it easy for us to build a store that looks good, with its drag-and-drop visual editor, fully customizable themes, mobile optimization, and checkout customization. We also received plenty of support every step of the way. BigCommerce lets users sell physical, digital, and service-based products, and the hugely flexible service gives you vast control over how your store is run (there are more than 65 different payment gateways to choose from, for instance.)

BigCommerce features and tools

Offering great scalability, a host of built-in features, fantastic SEO tools, and the ability to sell across multiple channels, BigCommerce is geared towards big brands that have plenty of customers to satisfy.

In terms of drawbacks, BigCommerce occasional use of complex terminology might confuse inexperienced users, and its design interface can take some getting used to. Having said that, it’s still not a bad choice for smaller retailers, as it has a staggered pricing plan dependent on how many sales your site generates.

There also isn't a full AI website builder available, which is unusual for a big player in the market, although it offers plenty of great templates.

BigCommerce pricing and plans

BigCommerce doesn't offer a free plan, but does offer a 15-day free trial. Custom pricing is available for larger businesses with complex needs.

Learn more about BigCommerce

Read our detailed BigCommerce review for more details on pricing, features, and ease of use.

Introduction to Weebly

Weebly offers one of the most generous free plans available in the website builder space.

Founded in 2006 and acquired by Square in 2018, the platform has maintained its focus on simplicity, differentiating itself only by integrating strong ecommerce capabilities. With over 50 million websites built on the platform, Weebly proves that sometimes basic functionality trumps flashy features.

Getting started with Weebly

Creating your first Weebly site is as easy as it gets. You go through template selection and basic setup without any overwhelming technical jargon. I found the drag-and-drop interface intuitive enough for beginners to grasp within minutes. The learning curve remains gentle throughout, though you'll quickly discover the platform's limitations when attempting advanced customizations.

The onboarding process includes helpful prompts and tutorials. However, some users report that setup takes longer than expected due to limited documentation. Once you're past the basics, adding content and products becomes second nature.

Weebly features and tools

In 2025, Weebly's free plan is a genuine surprise thanks to its ecommerce capabilities. You can sell unlimited products without transaction fees — a feature that typically costs way more on competing platforms. Unbelievably enough, it even includes inventory management, automatic tax calculation, item options, and even gift card functionality.

I found that the drag-and-drop editor handles basic website building tasks well. I could add text, images, videos, and forms without touching code. The platform automatically optimizes sites for mobile devices, ensuring content looks decent across screen sizes. However, customization options felt restrictive compared to modern no-code alternatives and the lack of a full AI website builders is noticable.

SEO tools come built-in, including automatic sitemap generation and basic optimization features. The platform handles technical aspects like SSL certificates, removing common headaches for beginners. Integration with Square's payment processing creates seamless checkout experiences for customers.

Weebly pricing and plans

Weebly offers a free plan that lets you sell online, but comes with other limits. Serious online stores will need the top tier plan for advanced tools.

Learn more about Weebly

If you want to learn more about what the Weebly platform has to offer, check out our full Weebly website builder review.

Although Weebly is still super easy to use, it hasn’t released any major features or updates in recent years, making it feel a little dated. Wix offers a great alternative with a generous free plan, but you won’t be able to sell online with it. We have done a full comparison of the two free plans in our Wix vs Weebly guide.

📈 Consider value for money

Price plays an undeniable role in picking the best website builder, after all, if you don’t have the budget for an expensive website builder, then it isn’t a viable option. However, once you know which options are viable, assessing value for money is crucial.

Value isn’t just a case of how many tools you get and how much a website builder costs. Take time to consider how well each tool will help you achieve your goals and drive profit. A more expensive subscription may unlock features that let you automate key processes and grow your business quickly, or it may just be bloated with features that you will never use.

👤 Test usability

When we test website builders we consider how easy they are to use. However, ultimately, how easy you find a platform will depend on your own experience and preference. A platform that is easy and intuitive to one person may be a nightmare for another to use.

Take some time to familiarize yourself with the website builder's tools and features. Can you easily find what you are looking for? How quick and easy is each tool to use?

Take advantage of a platform's free trial or plans to test its usability.

🛠️ Identify the features and tools you need

Website builders vary widely in the range and quality of features and tools they offer. When picking the best website builder for you, it is important to consider which tools you may need when building, managing, and growing your website.

If you are building a business website, you may also want to look at website builders that come with helpful business tools. For example, Wix offers a booking tool, restaurant reservations feature, dropshipping integrations, and helpful financial tools.

🔮 Think about your future needs

Finally, it is important to consider scalability. Although you may not need advanced business tools when you first build your website, as your business inevitably grows, so too will the demands on your website.

Of course, you can always switch website builder platforms as your business gets bigger, but this can be a costly and time consuming task. So, it’s best to plan ahead and consider your future needs where possible.

🤔 Get expert insight

If you are interested in learning more about what to look for in a website builder, I asked experts from all of the top website builders to give us their thought and insights on the subject.

Step 1: Data collection

We start our process by collecting as much data as possible on the website builder we are testing. This includes reading through all the marketing materials, support pages, and small print to help us understand what the platform claims it offers.

Step 2: Getting hands on experience

Initial sign up

To test website builders, we get hands-on. This means signing up, purchasing one (or more) plan, and going through the process that any other customer would in order to sign up for a website builder for the first time.

Building a website

Once our reviewers sign up to each website builder, they create a website to get an accurate depiction of what you can expect.

At this stage, we assess how easy the website builder is to use, how much flexibility there is in the design process, and identify any potential challenges we need to overcome. We also test the various methods available. For example, if a website builder offers templates and an AI website builder, we will test both, comparing the results of each.

We have tested and reviewed all of the website builders listed above.

Assessing tools and features

We look at the features offered, functionality, support, and other add-ons. We will test any additional tools on offer, such as email marketing, social media, or SEO tools, looking at how easy they are to use and the quality of the outcome they produce.

We also take a detailed look at any AI-powered tools, assessing how they stack up against their non-AI counterparts and other similar tools from other website builders.

Step 3: Pricing

One benefit of reviewing hundreds of website builders is that we build a good picture of industry standards. This knowledge allows us to give well informed insight into whether a website builder offers good value for money or not.

We will also look at whether the website builder offers a free trial or free plan, as these are an important part of letting you reduce risk when deciding which option to invest in.

Step 4: Offering a balanced view

Because nothing can be 100% perfect, we made sure to dig out the positives and negatives of each website builder so that you have a clear understanding of what to expect.

Want to learn more? Find out how we test website builders at TechRadar.