Duda website builder review

A website builder that is flexible and packed with features

Duda Review
(Image: © Duda)

TechRadar Verdict

Having a website is essential for businesses to exist and thrive in the digital age. With the ever-growing competition, having a website that stands out from the crowd is now more important than ever. One tool that can help you create a great-looking website quickly, with no coding skills required, is the Duda website builder. Let’s explore what makes Duda such an effective and efficient website builder.

Pros

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    Lots of features to choose from

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    Huge library of templates

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    Allows customization of CSS and HTML code

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    Easy ecommerce setup

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    Supports digital downloads and memberships

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    Easy to use

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    Responsive design

Cons

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    Pricey

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    Does not allow switching of templates

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    Limited functionality

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Launched in 2010, Duda is a popular website builder which allows users to create fast, modern and mobile-friendly sites. Pay particular attention to that mobile-friendly aspect. Unlike some of the competition, that doesn't just mean 'we have a few mobile-oriented templates' – Duda was designed from the very beginning with full support for building quality responsive websites. 

It comes with a wide range of features including drag-and-drop editing capabilities as well as access to hundreds of templates and widgets. This makes it easy for anyone to build an attractive site in minutes without coding experience. 

Their site includes plenty of information about the service and does a good job helping you understand its features before you sign up. You don't just get a few thumbnails of templates, for instance: viewers can browse everything the service has to offer and preview each template in desktop, tablet or mobile views. 

The reviews on Duda speak volumes about its capabilities. On Trustpilot (an independent review site that hosts thousands of customer feedback) at the time of this review update, Duda has an overall score of 3.9 out of 5 stars. 

Duda features

The Duda App Store lets you easily install apps from over 25 different categories. Whether you’re looking for ecommerce tools, membership options, or website personalization options, there's plenty of options to choose from. 

If you’re running an online store, then you need an ecommerce solution. With Duda, we were able to easily set up an online store with its built-in ecommerce tools. We also took advantage of additional features such as payment processing integration and customer management tools. 

Duda also provides membership options so that your customers can access exclusive content on your site. Whether it’s videos or podcasts, your site visitor can register for a paid membership to access this content without needing to leave your site. This is a great way to generate additional revenue for your business while offering your visitors more value. 

Creating a website from scratch can take a lot of time and effort – but not with Duda. We were able to create a professional-looking website with Duda’s templates. These templates have been carefully crafted by industry experts so that they look great on any device or browser – regardless of size or resolution. Plus, all templates are fully customizable so that you can make them look exactly how you want them to be.

Mobile devices are becoming increasingly popular among web users – and if your site isn't optimized for mobile devices then it won't be seen by these potential customers. Fortunately, with Duda's mobile-friendly sites feature, creating mobile websites is easier than ever before. Not only does this feature allow visitors to view your site on any device or browser – but it also allows them to take advantage of features such as click-to-call buttons which give visitors direct access to contact information such as phone numbers and addresses right from their phones. 

Widgets are small pieces of code snippets that add extra functionality and features to websites without needing any coding knowledge whatsoever. During our test, we were able to create custom widgets with drag-and-drop functionality. This can also be used by beginners to customize their sites in no time at all. 

Keeping track of client payments is essential if you're offering services through your website - and luckily with the client billing feature in Duda, we were able to keep track of payments with ease. This feature allows you to easily set up invoicing systems through which you can keep track of clients' payments seamlessly - ensuring that all payments are made promptly and accurately every time. 

Getting started with Duda

When you start your trial, and after you’ve verified your email address (par for the course these days), you’ll be asked about your business - are you a freelancer, a design agency, are you a web designer, or developer, that sort of thing. You’re then promptly sent to Duda’s template selection. 

Templates

Duda has many templates to choose from to help you get started quickly… (Image credit: Duda)

It’s incredibly easy to locate the theme you’d like from Duda’s long list. It’s even possible to preview its look on any type of device with just a click. Once you’ve found the template that’s right for you business, Duda will start setting it all up for you.

Fine Tune Design

You can have a light touch on the design or be as manipulative as you’re comfortable with… (Image credit: Duda)

Duda tools

Everyone deserves to experience an accessible website regardless of their disability or technology. With the AudioEye tool, businesses get peace of mind knowing the product they are providing meets WCAG 2.0 AA standards for website accessibility in just a few clicks. Duda’s AudioEye tool allows visitors with visual impairments to access your site’s content in Audio format. 

With the Omni-channel eCommerce tool, you can easily drive sales from both your online stores as well as across the web. All products are synced with the store catalog and managed from one convenient platform. This feature enables customers to shop from anywhere; whether it’s on a computer or mobile device and pay for purchases seamlessly without ever having to leave your site. This helps create a seamless shopping experience that customers will appreciate and come back for again and again. 

The Simple Member Management & Reporting tool makes it easy for you to manage members directly from the Site Overview tab or the side panel of the editor. You can add, edit or remove members quickly while also keeping track of user interactions such as past purchases and more in one convenient place. This simplifies member management while also giving you valuable insight into how people are interacting with your website so you can adjust accordingly.  

If you are a web developer or web designer working with clients, then hiding your platform is essential for maintaining credibility and professionalism. With Duda’s white-label website builder & preview tools, you can place your client’s entire site-building process under your brand. That way your customers will never know that you are using Duda until you tell them yourself. This tool also includes preview tools so that your customers can get an accurate view of how their site will look before it goes live.  

The Dynamic Pages tool is one of Duda’s most powerful tools as it allows you to design a single page once and then use it over and over again for different purposes without having to manually enter new information each time. This tool uses collections of text, images, business information, video, and more to automatically populate pages with relevant data based on user input or preferences. You can even sync these collections with Google Sheets or Airtable for even faster results.

Options

Click on an object to be presented with numerous customising options… (Image credit: Duda)

Is Duda easy to use?

Duda has several features that make it easier for you to build the website you want without having to go through a complex process. For instance, you can drag and drop elements wherever you need them on your site. This makes it easy if you don’t have coding knowledge to add images, videos, and text boxes wherever you need them. 

The dashboard is also designed in such a way that makes it easier for you to manage and edit your sites. The tools are all clearly labeled and easy to access – which means you don’t have to waste time figuring out how each tool works or where they’re located in the dashboard. This makes it possible for anyone with no web design experience at all to quickly and easily create a beautiful website that looks professionally done. 

All of these features combine in such a way that makes Duda an incredibly user-friendly platform that anyone can use.

Pricing

Choosing the right pricing plan for your website can be a daunting task. Fortunately, Duda has broken down its pricing plans into four different tiers: Basic, Team, Agency, and white label.

The basic plan from Duda is priced at $14 per month, billed annually. This plan includes hosting on AWS, one site, and email support. It’s great for those who are just getting started with their website or need an easy-to-use platform without any extra features. 

Looking to add more features to your website? The team plan is priced at $22 per month which is billed annually. It includes everything in the basic plan plus up to 4 team members, client management tools, and client billing options. This makes it ideal for businesses that need collaboration tools and want to give clients access to their accounts on the site. 

For those looking for even more features, there’s the agency plan priced at $44 per month, billed annually. This plan gives users access to up to 10 team members, priority email, phone & chat support, widget builder options, dynamic pages feature, site export options, and more. This is great for larger businesses or agencies that need powerful tools to build complex websites quickly and easily. 

The white label plan is priced at $74/month and includes 4 sites with AWS hosting, priority email, phone & chat support, up to 10 team members, client management, client billing, widget builder, dynamic pages, and site export. It also comes equipped with custom platform domain branding, branded client communication, a white-label support portal, and a branded client login screen. This option is ideal for larger businesses or agencies that need multiple sites with more advanced features.               

Blogging

Blogging is easy with Duda, and pretty thorough… (Image credit: Duda)

Blogging and selling

The blogging feature offers you pretty much everything you need. You have the ability to add a featured image, your editing tools are as you’d expect, with a choice of font type, size and weight, links, bullets, numbers, etc. If you need it, you probably got it. You can also include images, set up comments and schedule when you want your post to be published. It’s a good, all-round blogging tool.

The ecommerce side of things is also pretty comprehensive, with numerous options available to you to fully customise each page to suit your needs.

Image Editing

Duda has powerful image editing tools… (Image credit: Duda)

Unlike most website builders, Duda also comes with a good array of image editing tools. You have numerous Instagram-like filters, and access to regular image adjustment tools (such as brightness, gamma, exposure, etc). There’s even text, stickers and paint tools available. It’s pretty impressive.

Video can also be added to your site, as long as it’s hosted on YouTube, Vimeo or Daily Motion (we don’t see many services that support Daily Motion, so this is a win for flexibility and versatility).

Duda's security

Duda offers an optional SSL certificate for all websites hosted on its platform. An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate is a security protocol that encrypts data sent between a web server and a browser. This ensures that any personal information entered into your website is kept secure and protected from any potential hackers or malicious actors. The SSL certificate also adds an extra layer of protection against data breaches and other cyberattacks. 

Finally, Duda also provides a Password Manager feature which allows you to store their passwords securely within the platform itself. This means that even if someone does get access to your account, they won't be able to view or use your passwords unless they have the correct login credentials for the Password Manager. This added layer of security further protects your account from malicious actors looking to gain access without authorization. 

Customer support

Duda offers comprehensive and up-to-date information through its Knowledge Base & Documentation section. This section contains detailed step-by-step instructions on how to use various features on Duda, as well as frequently asked questions (FAQ) about common issues that may arise when using the platform. Additionally, this page also contains links to other helpful resources such as user guides, tutorials, and videos that can help you get started quickly with your website.  

If you require more personal help with your website or need assistance troubleshooting something specific, then Duda has you covered in this area too. With live chat, you can get quick answers from knowledgeable customer service representatives when needed. Plus, Duda even offers priority support for businesses that need immediate solutions or have urgent requests for their websites.  

In addition to having access to direct customer service representatives via live chat or phone calls, Duda also provides users with access to its online forum and community support networks. This is great for users who are looking for advice from fellow web developers or want to learn from others who may have encountered similar challenges as they work on their websites.  

Duda alternatives

Squarespace has an intuitive drag-and-drop interface that makes it simple to design a beautiful website from scratch. Squarespace also offers dozens of templates that can help you get started quickly if you don’t have time to build your site from scratch. 

WordPress is another great option for building websites. Unlike many other site builders, WordPress isn't a drag-and-drop platform - instead, it's a content management system (CMS). This means that you have much more control over how your site looks and functions than with other platforms like Duda or Squarespace. Plus, WordPress has an extensive library of themes and plugins so you can customize every aspect of your site. The only downside is that setting up WordPress can be complicated if you're not familiar with coding or web development in general. 

If ease of use is what you're looking for in a website builder, then Wix might be the solution for you. Wix doesn't require any coding knowledge - just point and click. It has hundreds of templates available so you can easily create a stunning website in minutes without having any prior design experience. Additionally, Wix offers powerful features like customizable forms and ecommerce solutions so you can easily manage customer orders on your site. 

Is Duda right for you? 

Duda offers an extensive package of features that make it easy to build and maintain a website. It includes everything from template designer tools, customization capabilities, content management tools, e-commerce integrations, SEO optimization options, and more. All of these features work together to give you control over how your website looks and functions. 

In addition to having lots of features that make it easy to customize your website, Duda also offers several helpful support resources. From getting started tutorials to detailed user guides and FAQs, there are plenty of resources available that can help you design the perfect site for your business or organization in no time. 


Duda website builder FAQs

Can I try out Duda before purchasing?

Yes. Duda offers a 14-day free trial with all the features available in the Team plan so that you can play around with the platform and make sure it fits your needs before making any commitment.  

Does my website have to be hosted with Duda?

All websites built on the Duda platform are hosted on our servers via Amazon Web Services (AWS). This guarantees your sites maintain a 99.999% uptime. However, if you’re on an Agency or Custom plan, you can export code from Duda - but importing code from an external source isn’t allowed.  

What CDN does Duda use?

All websites created with Duda are served via Amazon's Cloudfront CDN for lightning-fast loading speeds. This makes sure visitors have quick access to your website no matter where they are located and that your content is delivered quickly and reliably across all devices.  

Ruby has been a freelance technology writer for over four years and has a passion for information technology and the Internet in its entirety. She has a wide range of specialities including web hosting, streaming (Firestick, Kodi, and APKs), VPN, information technology, and affiliate marketing. Ruby is a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Commerce from the University of the Philippines, and regularly codes in her free time.