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Website builders have exploded in popularity in recent years, each year better, faster, and more streamlined website builders are brought to the market by innovative designers and developers. Given the importance of Google Core Web Vitals in search engine performance, picking the right website builder can make or break your business on the web.
Depending on your need for a website, choosing the right website builder should include considerations about your core web vitals for better organic ranking. Take a look at what our researchers say:
Today, the solution is WYSIWYG or What You See Is What You Get website builders. To simply explain it, WYSIWYG website builders allow you to build, design, edit, and change different elements on your website, without having to code. Thus, what you’re changing and designing on your screen, will look the same if you had to search for your website on any browser.
WYSIWYG has now become the solution for those who are seeking out to have their website up and running without the hassles of coding or paying a developer.
Not all website builders will be and do the same thing, some are developed to help make the functionality of online shopping more convenient, while others are super-fast and reliable enough to host large photos, videos, and podcast formats.
Before you start purchasing your site builder, you may want to draw together a few things, what are your needs? What will I be using my website for? Am I expecting to have my website grow rapidly within the coming months? How many monthly visitors do I already have on my site? Are some websites have a dual purpose for what I want to do?
Writing down some questions and looking at what your competitors are doing will help find simple and straightforward answers. Although not all website builders might offer you the best pricing, or design features from the beginning, some may assist and make the growing process of your website a lot easier. In the end, having a reliable website builder will make your life a lot easier – without having to hire or pay for a developer.
Ease of Use & Versatility: Whether you’re starting from scratch or seeking convenience, the Sitetrail Website Builder offers both. You can either build your site powered by your unique vision or opt for the simpler route by integrating any of their pre-designed pages, blocks, pop-ups, or story layouts. Its aesthetic visual editing means there’s absolutely no coding required.
Optimized for Speed & Performance: Not only is Sitetrail built on the world’s fastest WordPress hosting environment, but it also offers free optimization plugins. These plugins replace the need for other popular optimization tools like WP-Rocket, making your website load faster than platforms like Elementor.
State-of-the-Art Features:
Top-Notch Security & Management:
E-Commerce Capabilities: Seamlessly sell products and services online using Woocommerce, the world’s most popular shopping cart platform, without any commissions on transactions.
Seamless App Integrations: Integrate with popular business apps used by both enterprise-level organizations and small businesses. All your essential communication automation needs can be addressed with ease.
Affordable Plans with Comprehensive Features:
The Sitetrail WordPress Website Builder offers an unparalleled combination of design flexibility, performance optimization, security, and value for money. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned web developer, Sitetrail provides all the tools you need to create a powerful online presence.
WIX has been crowned the leader in offering users and customers flexibility and freedom when it comes to their design and format options. The thing that has made WIX so popular is its easy “drag and drop” features, this means that you can easily move and shuffle around the element and different sets of content around on your page, without hassles.
The flexible features WIX offers its customers have meant that this website builder is a great choice for those who are looking for something simple, straightforward, easy to use, and can later decide if they perhaps want to purchase a paid plan. WIX does offer a free plan, but this means that WIX ads will popup on your site, you can’t change the Favicon in your HTTPS address and you are somewhat limited to the amount of additional free apps you can use on your site. For a bonus, the WIX App Market is probably one of the best for a website builder, with some apps developed by WIX themselves, others by a third-part.
On the bright side, WIX does offer users to choose from more than 500 different themes, and unlike other site builders such as Squarespace or WordPress, WIX allows you to chop and change the themes as you like.
Why do we say WIX is a great choice for beginners? Depending on your site’s intended use, WIX is easily manageable for bloggers, small businesses, startups, restaurants, musicians, artists, event organizers, and more. The additional features WIX offer such as restaurant bookings, payment providers, appointment-making options, and even forums just show how versatile WIX really can be.
Pricing – WIX has eight different priced plan options, and are VIP ($24.50/month), Unlimited ($12.50/month), Combo ($8.50/month), Business VIP ($35.50/month), Business Unlimited ($25.00/month), and then Business Basic ($17.00/month). WIX pricing is somewhat higher than other leading contenders but paying a little bit more for ease of use and freedom of design, it’s worth every dollar.
Suggested resource: How to build a Wix website
After WIX, Weebly is probably one of the best website builders for someone who is looking to have an easy user interface experience, without being restricted in their process. Its easy customizable themes and elements have seen more than 40 million websites being created through their site, and because Weebly is fully hosted, a lot of beginners and early coders enjoy using their software.
There are several themes you can choose from, all easily editable, customizable, and their “drag and drop” features make the job a lot easier. Additionally, Weebly is a ‘Do It Yourself’ type of website builder, and you can choose from a variety of features or add-ons to your site. Previous users have exclaimed that the built-in features Weebly offers make the processing of creating your website a lot easier.
From sliders, photos, and video galleries, contact forms, online checkout options, and more, there is something for everyone. Another great thing about Weebly is that no matter what size your website will be, the site builder can handle it. From big websites with over 100 pages, to simple and easy to read blog sites, Weebly is big enough to still make everything a lot easier.
Here’s the catch – Weebly recently went through a transition phase, bringing on a new editor called Square Editor. Although it comes with some software updates, Square Editor is less customizable, with no membership system, background videos, blogs, and no app store. This is a big step back for Weebly, especially since it has been known to have the most customizable features and design elements on the market.
There isn’t anything like Squarespace, clean, chic, minimal, and untouched – that’s how I would describe using Squarespace. If you’re looking to design a website with clean-cut lines, simple typography, straightforward designs, yet still having a highly interactive website, then Squarespace is for you.
In more recent times, Squarespace has been pushing their new online store features, which if you haven’t noticed, has become quite popular. Although this website builder is ranked as one of the best second to WordPress, Squarespace gives you a feeling of sophistication. Its features cater to an array of creatives, including, blogging, podcasting, photo galleries, audiobooks libraries, and many more. Depending on what you might need, Squarespace is a great option for frequent bloggers, especially those who want to share high-resolution images or large format videos.
The Squarespace online store options for eCommerce has taken off recently, and small to medium businesses looking to use a more affordable eCommerce solution other than Shopify or Woocommerce can check out their eCommerce pricing.
Although this website builder does offer some great templates, it’s not that easy to use, especially if you’re a beginner. Squarespace also has a slower page speed, which can become a problem for websites that receives large amounts of daily visitors. Finally, they still have a small app market, compared to WIX.
Pricing – A host of online reviews have claimed that Squarespace has the most straightforward pricing, the “what you see is what you get” type of deal. For blogging, audiobook libraries, photo galleries, and everything in between plans start from $12.00/month and go up to $18.00/month. If you’re looking for us its eCommerce site building tools, you’ll be paying anything between $26.00/month to $40.00/month.
GoDaddy isn’t new to the market, and for those who have used GoDaddy to set up and build their websites will share how easy it is. They don’t quite offer something special or that different from other website builders on our list but using GoDaddy means that you will have a website built and operating in a few easy steps. One great thing about it is that GoDaddy offers a bunch of great tools all in one place.
If you’re looking to make use of their social media marketing tools and email marketing tools, then GoDaddy is the way to go. Normally other website builders will charge for email marketing tools and will still limit you to the number of emails you can send to site visitors and followers. More so, the website builder has some incredibly attractive and extremely simple graphic design elements and tools – this is just yet another feature of the website builder that makes it such a popular choice for fast setup.
Because GoDaddy includes so many different marketing tools, we recommend small businesses and new startups have a go at GoDaddy. This means that your business will have better SEO on Google and if you’re not sure how to make use of it, its SEO Wizard will guide you through the process.
The drawback of this website builder is that it limits you to some degree, especially if you’re looking to have a funky and inspirational website. Its design elements are easy to use, but because they cater to those looking to have a website up and running in no time, their design functionality is quite basic. Additionally, bloggers may also feel somewhat restricted in a sense, and there are only a few customizable templates that you can choose from.
Pricing – You can start on GoDaddy for free, paid plans are billed annually, and if you pay upfront you can look to pay anything from $10.00/month for the Basic plan, $15.00/month on a Standard plan, and $20.00/month for a premium plan. GoDaddy does not yet offer any online store or eCommerce plans.
By now you would know all about WordPress and that it’s one of the biggest website builders and hosts in the world. WordPress hosts roughly more than 75 million websites, making them the leader in the industry. In a recent development, WordPress has gained even more popularity with its page builder plug-in – Elementor. This plug-in is already being used by more than 5 million users and developers around the world, making it one of the most trusted website builder plug-ins to date.
Although it’s quite obvious that you might need to install and purchase Elementor above having your regular website builder or WordPress site, this is a great all-rounded website builder that comes with great features, templates, and easy to use interface. Elementor caters to a wide variety of new websites, and no matter how big or small you want to go, the options are endless.
Because there is no coding needed to use this website builder plug-in, you can simply load it and start designing your site. There is a custom made and pre-designed template or widget for just about anything. From Google Maps, funky headlines, and typography, buttons, beautifully designed forms, simple image galleries, to SoundCloud, the Elementor plug-in captures what one would need to build a highly interactive and well-rounded website.
More so, Elementor doesn’t limit you to any previously loaded theme you have on your WordPress site, and it is compatible with almost all of them. Additionally, you can also customize preloaded themes, and easily change the layout of your site and template. Of course, there is also an option for eCommerce features and tools, and it supports third-party plug-ins such as MailChimp.
Pricing – Elementor can be installed for free, and you can still have access to some great widget and limited design features. Its pricing starts at $49.00 for 1 site on the Personal plan. The Business plan for 3 sites is priced at $99.00 and the Unlimited plan is available for $199.00 an includes unlimited sites. Elementor promotes the Unlimited plan as their most popular plan but depending on your needs, choose one that will work best for you.
The one thing website builders have done, is eliminating the hassles of having to code. With Webflow, it’s a little different. Webflow is a tricky website builder, but once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty easy and straightforward. Although it would require you to have some basic background understanding of web design, Webflow is a great option for those looking to build a beautifully designed website and having the design and coding freedom to do so.
Its Designer tool is what sets it apart from other competitors, this tool allows you to have access to front-end coding, meaning you can change and design your website as you wish, but without having to know code. With Webflow, you can physically create custom and original websites, unlike Squarespace, WIX, or GoDaddy that only offers you a template and a few open-ended design tools.
Although Webflow isn’t quite the same as other website builders, it’s a great choice nonetheless if you’re looking to have complete customizable and design freedom for your website.
Pricing – Webflow is free to use, but you’ll need to purchase a site or eCommerce plan to publish your site on the web. The Basic ($12.00/month) and CMS ($16.00/month) plans are the most popular for bloggers, photographers, and smaller websites. The Business Plan ($36.00/month) is a well-rounded option for smaller businesses, additionally, you opt to purchase an eCommerce plan, and can expect to pay anything between $24.00/month to $212.00/month.
This is somewhat of a bonus website builder we had to include, and those who have used Shopify will know why. What makes Shopify so popular is how it is a one-way avenue for businesses and startups looking to build an online store that has great backend support, easy to use features, and is fully hosted.
Because Shopify caters mainly to online stores and eCommerce websites, the website builder manages all your site backups, updates on your site, and software installation. More so, online payment processing and checkout features are easily added on any new website, with the option to have third-party payment features, while still running the Shopify payment option.
It’s an all-in-one online store website builder, that manages your inventory, and you can build your store or eCommerce site around its already lucrative software. Designing your perfect site is also quite simple, and you can integrate your Shopify with any WordPress site.
Pricing – There’s a plan for anyone, with its Basic plan starting at $29.00/month. Upwards, you can opt to purchase a Shopify or Advanced plan for $79.00/month and $299.00/month, respectively. If you’re looking to have something simple, and just add a ‘buy’ button on your website, get Shopify Lite for $9.00/month.
Easy is not always the best. While many WYSIWYG website builders are available today, each catering to specific needs, WIX stands out for its user-friendly interface, encompassing everything you’d need in one place. It’s an excellent choice for those wanting a hassle-free, straightforward design process, especially with its intuitive drag-and-drop feature. WIX’s design capabilities allow even beginners to create interactive and aesthetically pleasing websites with ease.
However, for those looking for more flexibility and control, our Sitetrail website builder offers a unique advantage. Built on the robust WordPress platform, Sitetrail ensures you aren’t tied down to a singular ecosystem. With WordPress, you enjoy the benefits of a vast community, a plethora of plugins, and the ability to migrate or adapt your site as your needs evolve. While WIX is undoubtedly a fantastic platform for quick and simple site-building, choosing Sitetrail means investing in a platform that grows with you, without any long-term constraints.
If you want the freedom of design, but have limited coding and web development experience, the Sitetrail Website Builder is your best option. Powered on WordPress and hosting an array of customizable design features, templates, and elements, Sitetrail Website Builder has everything you need in one place at a reasonably affordable price.
Go, GoDaddy if you want to have your website up and running in no time, with easy-to-use tools, access to different features, templates, and a straightforward layout, we highly recommended GoDaddy for fast website building.
Today, eCommerce ability: to accept payments online and list either services or products, is a key need.
Perhaps Shopify may have pitched itself as the best choice, but don’t eliminate Squarespace and WIX, as it too has some great eCommerce features, at a reasonably cheaper price. Yet they are all severely limited for SEO purposes and Wix does not have great hosting.
Our suggestion is that you consider a combination of WordPress and Woocommerce – with a good WordPress theme builder, which can be supported by a strong affiliate marketing system. See this complete WordPress Ecommerce Web Design Service for the best e-commerce solution that can support your SEO and Video Marketing needs too.
If you want to have the best-looking blog, photo gallery, audiobook library, and more, you can’t go wrong with Squarespace – it has great blogging features and beautifully designed and sophisticated templates. Additionally, you can also give Weebly ago, but don’t get too excited since its introduction of Square design.
Remember that just because a website builder did a lot of marketing and is well known for paying affiliates the highest fee for driving new business, it DOES NOT mean it is the best choice for your business.
If it cannot do exceedingly well at achieving a great score for core web vitals, we suggest that you avoid spending time using a site builder.
This is the current list of well promoted website builders in the world:
1. Wix.com (not recommended)
2. Squarespace
3. Weebly
4. Godaddy (not recommended)
5. Webnode
6. Jimdo
7. Webflow
8. Duda
9. WordPress.com
10. Strikingly
11. One.com
12. Site123
13. Webs.com
14. Homestead
Rank better on Google
Have E-commerce functionality
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