Best Website Builder Software: What Actually Works

You don't need a developer to build a professional website anymore. But with dozens of website builders competing for your attention, picking the right one can waste hours of your time—and potentially lock you into the wrong platform.

I've tested these platforms extensively. Here's the honest breakdown of what each one does well, what sucks, and which one you should actually choose based on your specific situation.

Quick Recommendations

Don't want to read the full breakdown? Here's the short version:

Wix: Best for Most People

Wix has held the top spot in website builder rankings for years, and there's a good reason for that. It offers the most flexibility without requiring technical knowledge.

Wix Pricing

All prices are billed annually. Monthly billing runs significantly higher.

What Wix Does Well

The drag-and-drop editor gives you granular control over every element. Wix offers over 2,000 templates covering almost every industry imaginable. The App Market adds functionality through hundreds of integrations—from booking systems to live chat.

Their AI tools have improved substantially. You can generate a complete website from a text prompt, though you'll still want to customize it.

Where Wix Falls Short

Once you publish your site, you can't switch templates without rebuilding. This is a significant limitation if you want to refresh your design down the road. The editor can feel overwhelming for absolute beginners—there are a lot of options to navigate.

Some users report inconsistent customer support experiences, requiring multiple back-and-forth emails to resolve issues.

Best For

Freelancers, small businesses, and anyone who wants maximum customization without coding. If you're unsure what you need, start with Wix's free plan.

Squarespace: Best for Design-Focused Sites

Squarespace wins on aesthetics. Every template looks polished and professional out of the box. If you're a creative professional, photographer, or anyone who needs a visually stunning portfolio, Squarespace should be your first stop.

Squarespace Pricing

Prices shown are for annual billing. Monthly rates are 25-40% higher. There's no free plan, but you get a 14-day free trial. For more details, check out our Squarespace pricing breakdown or grab a Squarespace coupon to save on your first year.

What Squarespace Does Well

The templates are simply better-looking than competitors. Squarespace Blueprint (their AI builder) creates stunning starting points that actually look designed. The editor is intuitive—it's the easiest builder to use in my testing.

Built-in scheduling through Acuity is excellent for service-based businesses. No third-party app needed.

Where Squarespace Falls Short

You can't add custom CSS or JavaScript on the Basic plan. That's a problem if you need any design tweaks beyond what the editor offers. The App/extension ecosystem is more limited than Wix. And if ecommerce is your main focus, you'll hit limitations quickly—you'll need the expensive Advanced plan for features like subscriptions and advanced shipping.

Comparing platforms? Read our Squarespace vs Wix breakdown.

Best For

Creatives, photographers, portfolios, and service-based businesses that prioritize design over complex functionality.

Shopify: Best for Ecommerce

If you're serious about selling products online, Shopify is the standard. It's built specifically for ecommerce, and it shows.

Shopify Pricing

Shopify offers a $1/month deal for the first 3 months on Basic, Grow, and Advanced plans—worth taking advantage of to test the platform.

What Shopify Does Well

The checkout converts 15% better on average than other platforms, according to Shopify's data. That alone can justify the higher price. Inventory management, multi-channel selling (Instagram, TikTok, Google), and the App Store with 8,000+ apps make scaling straightforward.

POS integration is seamless if you also have a physical retail location.

Where Shopify Falls Short

It's expensive. The Basic plan at $29/month is just the starting point—you'll likely spend on apps, themes (most premium themes cost $180-350), and transaction fees. If you use a third-party payment processor instead of Shopify Payments, you'll pay additional 0.6-2% transaction fees.

For simple websites without heavy ecommerce needs, Shopify is overkill.

Best For

Established online stores, multi-channel sellers, and anyone who prioritizes conversion optimization and selling features over general website building. Compare it to Squarespace in our Squarespace vs Shopify guide.

Hostinger Website Builder: Best Budget Option

Hostinger has improved dramatically. Starting at just $2.99/month (for a 48-month term), it's the cheapest quality option available.

Hostinger Pricing

The catch: these prices require 48-month commitments. Month-to-month is around $12.95/month. Renewal prices also jump up—the $1.99/month plan renews at $10.99/month.

What Hostinger Does Well

AI tools are genuinely useful—AI-generated templates, AI writing, and AI heatmaps to analyze visitor attention. The editor is intuitive and modern. For basic sites and small ecommerce, you get solid value.

Where Hostinger Falls Short

There's no app marketplace. If you need functionality beyond what's built-in, you're out of luck. Features are more limited than Wix or Squarespace—fine for simple sites, but you'll hit walls quickly as complexity increases.

Best For

Budget-conscious beginners, simple websites, and anyone who doesn't need advanced features.

WordPress.org: Best for Full Control

WordPress powers about 40% of all websites. The self-hosted version (WordPress.org) offers unlimited customization, but requires more technical knowledge.

WordPress Pricing

What WordPress Does Well

Complete ownership and portability. You can move your site anywhere. The plugin ecosystem is massive—there's a solution for almost everything. SEO capabilities are unmatched when combined with plugins like All in One SEO or Yoast.

WooCommerce adds ecommerce without the percentage-based fees of hosted platforms.

Where WordPress Falls Short

Maintenance is on you—core updates, plugin updates, security patches. Plugin compatibility issues are common. The learning curve is steeper than visual builders, though page builders like Elementor help bridge that gap.

Compare the trade-offs in our Squarespace vs WordPress guide.

Best For

Bloggers, SEO-focused businesses, developers, and anyone who wants complete control over their website.

GoDaddy: Best for Speed

GoDaddy's website builder is designed for people who need a site up fast—you can have a basic site live in under a minute.

What GoDaddy Does Well

GoDaddy Airo (their AI tool) generates websites, logos, and marketing assets quickly. The interface is stripped down and beginner-friendly. Built-in marketing tools like email marketing and social media posting are included.

Where GoDaddy Falls Short

Simplicity comes at the cost of flexibility. The design options feel more restrictive than Wix or Squarespace. If you want creative control, look elsewhere.

Best For

Absolute beginners who need a simple, informational site quickly.

How to Choose: Decision Framework

Still not sure? Use this:

  1. Selling products as your main goal? → Shopify
  2. Design and aesthetics are priority #1? → Squarespace
  3. Maximum flexibility, no coding? → Wix
  4. Tight budget, simple site? → Hostinger
  5. Full control, willing to learn? → WordPress.org
  6. Need it live in 10 minutes? → GoDaddy

What About Free Website Builders?

Free plans exist, but they come with significant limitations. You'll typically get:

Use free plans to test the editor, not as a permanent solution. For a real business presence, budget at least $16-29/month.

For more options, check our free website builder software roundup.

Hidden Costs to Watch

Subscription pricing is just the start. Factor in:

Final Verdict

For most small businesses, Wix's Core plan at $29/month offers the best balance of features, flexibility, and value. You can sell products, accept bookings, run email marketing, and customize extensively—all without touching code.

If design matters more than features, Squarespace's Core plan at $23/month delivers stunning results with less complexity. And if you're building a serious ecommerce operation, accept that Shopify's higher costs come with better selling tools.

The good news: every platform offers free trials. Test your top two choices before committing, and don't overthink it—you can usually migrate if you outgrow your choice later.