14 Best Website Builders for Small Business

Joanne Thompson

• 22 min read
14 Best Website Builders for Small Business

A website builder can be the deciding factor in the success of your small business. We spent months doing reverse engineering to figure out which website builders are utilized by popular brands. You won't have to spend months researching website builders like we did since we'll share with you the best ones we've identified.

By the year 2022, each and every company will require a website. You absolutely must have an internet presence, regardless of whether you own a small mom-and-pop confectionery store or a massive conglomerate. This is absolutely necessary in order to acquire new clients, promote new product lines, and conduct business in international markets.

The creation of a website can be a considerable financial commitment for smaller companies. Bespoke web design is offered by a large number of firms as well as sole practitioners, however the services can be quite expensive. In the past fifteen years, there has been a proliferation of business-oriented web design platforms thanks to the widespread use of online website builders such as Squarespace, WordPress, and Shopify. These platforms have been a boon to entrepreneurs.

In this piece, we will present a baker's dozen of the most effective website builders for your company to consider using.

What to look for in a website builder targeted for small businesses

What you need for your own website will be determined by the type of business you run, the audience you intend to attract, and the products you sell. But regardless of what you're offering, there are a few things that just must be overlooked. Here are seven characteristics that should be looked for:

  • Your own domain name: You will want to invest in a domain that has an original appearance and register it under your own name. Your shop's domain name, not buyadomain.yourshop.com; just yourshop.com. You are free to register domains independently from the platform you use to develop your website (this is actually advised), but many website builders provide a domain name with their product packages.
  • Ease of use: whoever will be updating your website should have a simple time adding tabs, pages, articles, items, and other content to the website. The very last thing you want to do is have to deal with the customer service department.
  • Integrations: You will want your website to be able to integrate with the customer relationship management platform that you use, as well as ecommerce plugins, chat bots, marketing analytics tools, and any other tools that you already use.
  • Dynamic visuals: Rather than a static site, you may need the option of incorporating moving visual elements like image carousels, popups, and smoothly embedded video.
  • Speed: The servers that are hosting your website have to be lightning-quick, cloud-based settings that are able to give lightning-fast page refreshes even when there is a high level of traffic.
  • Compatibility across numerous platforms: The website builder you use should make it easy for you to adapt your layouts for use on mobile and desktop platforms, as well as other software packages.
  • There is no need for coding: If you want to create your own website, but first you need to learn HTML, Javascript, and CSS, you might as well hire a professional instead. The most effective website builders offer an entirely graphical user interface, frequently incorporating drag-and-drop functionality

You know you've found a good website builder when it has these seven important capabilities, and you can check them off your list.

There are 14 top small business website builders for quality websites

The following are the finest website builders for small businesses:

  • Webflow (best for building fully custom websites)
  • WordPress (best for blogs)
  • Wix (best for simple websites)
  • Shopify (best for ecommerce websites)
  • Pixpa (best for portfolio websites)
  • Duda (best for creating multiple websites)
  • Squarespace (best for quickly getting a site up)
  • GatsbyJS (best for web developers)
  • Carrd (best for one-page websites)
  • Bubble (best for building web apps)
  • Weebly (best for being on a budget)
  • Website Builder by GoDaddy (best for free websites)
  • Jimdo (best for building a website quickly)
  • Webnode (best for multilingual websites)

Let's take a closer look at each website provider.

Webflow — best for creating completely customized websites

Over 3.5 million people use Webflow every month, including web designers, marketers, owners of small businesses, and teams. You don't need any prior experience with coding to use the platform, as it provides a visual canvas for you to construct fully bespoke websites on. Their client list definitely has some impressive names on it, such as TED, Dell, Zendesk, and Discord, to name a few.

The customization options include a wide variety of design elements, fonts, and website animations. The functionality is as simple as drag-and-drop, and there are many of these options. Webflow also has built-in ecommerce features, such as shopping carts, and the interface enables very precise element placement, down to the typographic spacing between individual characters. When recreating responsive websites, you can save individual elements of the site as "symbols" so that they can be used elsewhere on the site. This will save you time.

The content management system that Webflow uses is also considered to be among the best in the business. Their content management system enables users to create a variety of content structures to accommodate a variety of use cases (i.e. blogs, recipe pages, client work portfolios, ecommerce features, etc.).

In general, Webflow is an advanced set of tools, and the included templates can provide designers with a head start in the process of designing a website that has a sleek appearance. The best part is that it doesn't cost you anything to design a website, so you won't have to worry about spending money until you're satisfied with what you've made and are ready to publish it. Using Webflow's high-bandwidth professional web hosting, their free plan enables you to launch a two-page website on a webflow.io subdomain (free SSL certificate included).

Although their platform contains a large number of helpful tutorials, it is more difficult to obtain in-person support, and some users have reported that they have to wait longer for a response. There are a number of different pricing tiers and options available for premium plans, with two different sets of tiers available for e-commerce websites and business websites and blogs respectively.

  • Pricing: Business plan is $12 per month, $16 per month, and $36 per month, while the Ecommerce plan costs $29 per month, $74 per month, and $212 per month.
  • Pros: The interface is intuitive and WYSIWYG, making it easy to use despite its high level of sophistication and comprehensiveness.
  • Cons: Due to its flexibility and power, there is a steep learning curve.

WordPress.com — best for blogs

It's likely that you're already familiar with the name: as of October 2021, an astounding 42.8 percent of the top ten million websites in the world used WordPress as their content management system. WordPress.com was launched in 2003 as an open-source website builder that specialized in blog content. Its primary function is that of a content management platform. WordPress has been used to create content for blogs by a wide variety of users, from individual artists to companies in the Fortune 500.

Website templates and an extensive plugin ecosystem are two areas in which WordPress shines. You could have your website up and running in a matter of days, and there are literally tens of thousands of different looks that you could choose from for its initial appearance. You can also create newsfeeds, integrations, embedded content, counters, forms, SEO tools, and other marketing tools with the extensive library of "widgets" that is included with WordPress. Widgets are elements of plugins that can be added to a website.

As a result of the fact that websites built with WordPress are automatically optimized for mobile use as well, including resizing elements and substituting a more phone-friendly user interface, many bloggers prefer to use WordPress. Building online stores with WordPress can also be accomplished with the assistance of a variety of e-commerce tools, such as WooCommerce.

The support is satisfactory, but the documentation is primarily comprised of written guides rather than video walkthroughs. On the other hand, if you find yourself stuck, you can search YouTube to find plenty of WordPress users demonstrating different features.

One of the complaints that has been made about WordPress is that its templates are somewhat fixed, meaning that you do not have complete control over the positioning or sizing of your content. The fact that there are so many templates available to choose from, in addition to the possibility of beginning with a blank canvas, renders this criticism largely irrelevant.

The susceptibility of WordPress websites to being hacked is a more significant issue, particularly if a large number of plugins are utilized on the website. Because the loading speed of your website may be affected by certain plugins, it is essential to conduct extensive testing before making the site public. The results, on the other hand, are almost always very polished, the system is relatively simple to understand, there is no coding involved, and the most fundamental version is completely free (3GB of storage).

  • Pricing: $4 or $8 per month for individuals, and $25 for businesses (varies based on hosting services)
  • Pros: The mobile versions are automated, and the app is slick and simple to use. The price is also very reasonable.
  • Cons: Once they've been established, templates may be difficult to modify, and the level of security may not always be clear.

Wix — best for simple websites

It's possible that you don't require all of the bells and whistles that a website builder like WordPress or Webflow can provide. In such a scenario, Wix could be a workable choice.

The Israeli software developer has devised a three-tiered system that either directs you in an authoritative manner (Wix Artificial Design Intelligence, or ADI), in a moderate manner (Wix Editor), or in no manner whatsoever (Wix Code). If you choose the first method, it will take the components that you input and arrange them in a way that is aesthetically pleasing onscreen for you to decide whether or not you like it.

The Wix Editor provides you with a drag-and-drop interface as well as a library of different design elements. Working with Wix Code means you are directly working with HTML5 and CSS, which, judging by the fact that you are reading this article, is probably not very useful for you. If you're not a natural designer, it's also possible to create a website that looks a little bit clumsy, which is another reason why it might be preferable to stick to the ADI setting.

Wix is an extremely user-friendly platform, making it possible for even inexperienced web designers to create their own sites. On the other hand, it does not have the plugins or the variety of templates that WordPress or Webflow do. Some users have reported that there is a lack of functionality and support available, which could be an issue if you want to incorporate e-commerce elements. Additionally, advertisements will be hosted on your pages if you use the free version, and you will not have a custom domain. Get a paid plan if you want to avoid these problems at all costs.

  • Pricing: Personal: $0 / $4.50 / $8.50 / $12.50 / $24.50; Business/ Ecommerce: $17 / $37 / $75 per month.
  • Pros: The AI-driven design guidance makes it simple to use, and the overall cost is reasonable.
  • Cons: There is a limited selection of plugins, and ecommerce support is subpar.

Shopify — best for ecommerce

Shopify is the best ecommerce website builder on the market, and it is the one you should use if you want to sell products directly from your website. Shopify is the e-commerce platform of choice for more than 160,000 businesses, including household names such as Tesla, Gatorade, and Forbes. It serves primarily as a subsidiary outlet for merchandise for these large brands, but the fact that it is trusted by both major corporations and independent business owners speaks volumes about its reliability.

Shopify websites are both simple and appealing to set up, and their app store includes a wide variety of integrations for various business functions including customer analytics, advertising, email marketing, and more. Cloud-based implementation and automatic optimization of the mobile versions of your website are both features. Shopify also receives high marks for its round-the-clock customer support and various training programs.

You won't need to contact your designer or the Shopify support team every time you want to add something to your website because it's simple to add new products and content. There are more than a hundred payment integrations, which are of course essential for any ecommerce store. These integrations include all of the major credit card companies, PayPal, Stripe, and others. The third-party payment gateway permits payments to be processed either on- or off-site, depending on the preference of the customer. Be aware, however, that Shopify will keep a cut of all online sales in addition to charging a transaction fee of $0.30 for customers paying with credit cards online. In addition to that, you will be responsible for purchasing a custom domain on your own.

Using Shopify does have a few drawbacks, the most significant of which is the increased challenge of opening an online store that is in every way exceptional or extraordinary. Other than that, using Shopify has very few drawbacks (without knowing how to code or hiring a Shopify web developer). It is an excellent all-around e-commerce platform, particularly for those who are just starting out.

  • Pricing: Basic plan: $29 monthly plus 2.9% sales and 30c per card transaction; Standard plan: $79 pm plus 2.6% & 30c; Advanced: $299 pm plus 2.4% & 30c
  • Pros: It's simple to set up and manage, and it offers a wide variety of payment and integration choices.
  • Cons: The sites all look very similar, and the basic version does not include a custom domain.

Pixpa — best for affordable portfolio websites

Pixpa is a website platform that provides business owners, creators, and freelancers with an all-in-one solution that is simple to use. You can build your website quickly and easily with Pixpa's visual editor, which is both user-friendly and powerful, and its drag-and-drop page builder. Neither of these features require you to touch a single line of code.

Pixpa is pre-loaded with a wide variety of adaptable, professional templates that are packed with a variety of features and can be fully modified to suit your requirements. The platform provides users with a comprehensive collection of e-commerce tools in addition to an online store builder that is comprehensive in its functionality. Pixpa is the perfect solution for companies that sell physical goods, online services, or even digital content. In addition, integrated marketing and SEO tools assist you in promoting and marketing yourself in a more effective manner.

Pixpa's proactive customer service, which has an average response time of less than three minutes, is the service's most notable standout feature. On Capterra, the customer service received a rating of 4.9 out of 5, which indicates very high standards of customer care and an attitude that is user-focused. The pricing plans offered by Pixpa are not only very reasonable but also rank among the industry's most competitively priced options. The most affordable option has a starting price of just $3 per month!

Pixpa is the ideal website building solution for small businesses because it offers mobile-optimized website templates, robust and comprehensive e-commerce tools, and affordable pricing.

  • Pricing: Light costs $3 per month, Personal costs $7 per month, Expert costs $10 per month, and Business costs $16 per month.
  • Pros: The platform is easy to use for beginners and requires no coding. Excellent value at an affordable price.
  • Cons: There are no built-in shopping options for acquiring bespoke domain names.

Duda — best for creating multiple websites

Duda is a low-cost option to consider if you need to create a large number of different websites (perhaps you run a franchise or your own web design business), as it allows you to do so. It gives you the ability to scale up the creation of multiple websites. Additionally, it is not too difficult to develop versions that are compatible with mobile devices.

The website design companies that don't want to hire an army of coders can use Duda, which is a platform for designing websites. Duda's content is easily exportable, which is useful for small businesses that need a website up and running quickly, such as those that are expanding into new markets or moving to new physical locations. Because it is simple to transfer and grant permissions, this is an excellent choice for the generation of multiple sites, after which only a few key components need to be modified.

With Duda's straightforward drag-and-drop editor, clients and franchise managers can easily make changes to their respective local websites. It is similar to other website builders in that it provides users with the option to begin with a blank slate or choose from a variety of pre-designed templates. In addition to that, it provides access to an extensive collection of widgets and add-ons.

Users' satisfaction was lower than expected due to the absence of a free version, and customer support has room for improvement. It would appear that the scope of its ecommerce and SEO (search engine optimization) services is constrained as well. On the other hand, in contrast to some of its rivals, Duda provides free SSL technology, which provides you with an additional layer of protection.

  • Pricing: $14 / $22 / $44 per month plus custom.
  • Pros: The client-side maintenance capabilities are excellent, and the turnaround time for sites is very fast.
  • Cons: E-commerce facilities are limited, and customer support may or may not be available.

Squarespace — best for quickly getting a site up

Squarespace is an excellent option for situations in which time is of the essence but you do not wish to compromise on the website's overall quality. It is one of the simplest to use while still being one of the most sophisticated website builders available. It was established in New York in 2004, making it another of the industry's grandaddies in terms of web design.

You are provided with a few templates to choose from, but it is also simple to generate a site from scratch using Squarespace. Additionally, it is simple to generate and edit menus, links, content, and other elements of your site. E-commerce plug-ins are readily available in contrast to a good number of the other general-purpose website builders, and they perform very well.

You should be able to optimize your site so that it climbs higher in the Google rankings if you use Squarespace because there are a lot of third parties creating clever add-ons for Squarespace websites and Squarespace has impressive SEO features (even though we don't see many websites that get a lot of traffic from SEO that use Squarespace).

On the other hand, some users have complained that the interface can be difficult to understand, and it isn't always clear where to go to make adjustments to the different parameters. In addition, you can only embed videos that are hosted on another service when using Squarespace.

Because its social media integrations aren't particularly impressive, the website is most useful for site creators who already have a visual portfolio that they can showcase. However, it is a viable choice due to its ease of use and quickness.

  • Pricing: $12 / $18 / $26 / $40 for businesses
  • Pros: Quick setup, a wide selection of plugins, and a finished product that looks polished are all pluses.
  • Cons: There is lack of social media or video content integration.

GatsbyJS — best for web developers

This platform, which is named after the jazz era hero created by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is available to you if you are a developer or if you have the time and expertise necessary to create a website that is perfectly optimized and up to date. If you do it the right way, you will definitely end up with a website that has excellent search engine optimization (SEO) rankings, is easy to scale, is safe and powerful, and is optimized for both desktop and mobile applications.

Gatsby is capable of creating JavaScript integrations with a variety of other content sources, such as content management systems, Shopify, login apps, and more. These integrations allow for the rapid deployment of dynamic content on static websites. Websites built with Gatsby benefit from increased speed, security, and overall performance as a result.

If you have any questions or specific requirements that must be met, you can reach out to the sizable developer community that is available. Nevertheless, it is possible that the written documentation has holes in it. If the end user does not have experience with coding, it may be difficult for them to build a website that they themselves can easily maintain.

  • Pricing: Free (1 user, 100GB storage); $42.50 per month or custom pricing for Enterprise.
  • Pros: Create a website from scratch that is fully optimized, bespoke, and high-performing, which is a distinct advantage.
  • Cons: Negatives include a steep learning curve for customers as well as a lack of appropriate documentation.

Carrd — best for one-page websites

Complex menus and large amounts of content aren't necessary for every website. A straightforward landing page builder that only produces one page may be adequate for some kinds of small businesses. Carrd intends to make such a website a reality, which means that it should be able to be created within a day.

Carrd sites have an aesthetic that is straightforward and uncluttered, and they still provide the fundamental features that you require, such as forms, widgets, embedded video content, custom domains, and integration with payment facilities like PayPal and Stripe. You can check how well your website is doing by accessing Google analytics and purchasing a custom domain for your website.

The complexity and scalability of the system are both reduced as a result. It's also been said that the customer service is lacking (a common theme of website building software, it appears).

  • Pricing: Monthly fees range from $9 to $19 to $49.
  • Pros: The process is extremely uncomplicated, straightforward, and quick to implement.
  • Cons: It's not the best choice for sites that are particularly complicated, ones that focus on e-commerce, or those that don't lend themselves well to a minimalistic design.

Bubble — best for building web apps

There are many specialized tools available, such as Bubble, that can assist you in developing a web application rather than a website if that is what you have in mind. In case you were wondering, the ubiquitous word game Wordle is an example of a web app, as is the social bookmarking website Pinterest.

Bubble enables you to rapidly build web applications without requiring you to write any code. You are able to rapidly create workflow chains with the help of an editor for user interfaces that uses a drag-and-drop interface. This will allow you to create a prototype that is functional before you release it to the public. It asserts that it is sophisticated enough to construct websites comparable to Facebook or Airbnb, which are compatible with desktop computers as well as mobile devices.

You can check out metrics such as workflow runs and page views when it comes to putting your web app through its paces during road testing. Even though it's a relatively new platform, it's already been used to build a number of high-profile apps that have gone on to receive funding. One example of this is the clean energy financing platform Dividend, which has raised 365 million dollars from investors.

It is completely cloud-hosted, and in contrast to Webflow, you are unable to export code from it; as a result, Bubble maintains control over your creation up until the point at which you launch it. If you change your mind in the middle of the creation process and decide to move to a different platform, this could potentially slow you down. In general, this is an excellent value platform for testing ideas and possibly even bringing them to market. The loading time can be a little bit slow at times, but other than that, it's a great platform. The creation of a website is completely free, and payment is required only after it has been published.

  • Pricing: Personal: $29; Business: $129; Production: $529 (all per month)
  • Pros: A fantastic resource for the creation of straightforward web applications.
  • Cons: The load time is very slow, and there is a lack of options to export the data.

Weebly — best for being on a budget

There are a few options available that are affordable even if you do not have a lot of money to put toward the development of a professional-looking website for your company. Try out one of the best low-cost tools available, which is Weebly. It is even capable of producing straightforward e-commerce websites (powered by Square), which are ideal for artisans and home-based businesses.

Despite its low cost, Weebly is not an unsophisticated website builder because it includes a drag-and-drop interface, templates, the ability to embed video content, and a web app that allows you to monitor your online store while you are away from your computer. Over five million businesspeople around the world use this platform to rapidly create personal websites or portals for their own small businesses.

Weebly is probably not the best platform to use if you need to host a lot of content or if you want to make use of more advanced features. It is important to note that the paid version of Weebly provides access to the vast majority of the website builder's own features. Weebly offers an unbeatable value when considering the stylish websites that can be created using the platform, despite the fact that the code may not be the most sophisticated available.

Weebly was ranked as the top website builder software by Capterra in 2021. This was due to the fact that many companies that were shut down as a result of COVID-19 turned to Weebly in order to quickly secure their online business.

  • Pricing: Free, $4, $8, or $25 per month is available as payment options.
  • Pros: The product is user-friendly and offers a high level of functionality for its cost.
  • Cons: It can be a bit cumbersome at times, and the best features do not come free of charge.

GoDaddy Website Builder — best for free websites

If you absolutely need something for nothing, then the free website builder offered by GoDaddy is your best bet; however, if you want it to perform at its absolute best, you're better off purchasing a subscription to the service.

GoDaddy is primarily focused on e-commerce and caters to the needs of sole proprietors and other types of small businesses. Their ecommerce transaction fees are lower than Shopify's, and the company has been around since 1999, making it a veteran in the industry. There is a large selection of templates, and while the user interface is not the easiest one on this list, it is not the most complicated either

Customer service is of a satisfactory level, which is unusual among web builders. However, modification access rights might turn out to be a problem; in order to avoid embarrassing access problems, you should make sure that your administrator is correctly registered. Hosting fees are charged additionally, and WordPress is used to power websites (see above).

Although support for animation, photography websites, and video content may be limited, form creation, analytics, and reporting are all covered. Even if you choose the paid tiers, which can be difficult to negotiate, this e-commerce platform still has prices that are affordable for most businesses.

  • Pricing: There is a free plan or with monthly fees ranging from $5.99 to $14.99 (or $19.99 with ecommerce). Domains on WordPress cost between $3.99 and $19.99 per month.
  • Pros: If you only want a very basic website, it's possible to build it for no cost at all.
  • Cons: The cost is higher than average due to the inclusion of e-commerce and hosting features, despite the fact that it is still competitive.

Jimdo — best for building a website quickly

Jimdo is yet another lightning-fast platform that you can use to set up a basic website for your company. It features what is almost certainly the easiest interface of any website builder. You will lose some versatility in exchange for increased speed, but Jimdo is still worth looking into if you need to get a temporary website up and running in a hurry.

You can take advantage of fleeting opportunities by quickly creating a brand and a website to go along with it using Jimdo's logo creators, legal text generators, and other plug-in elements. Jimdo also has features that can help you get your business up and running quickly.

Jimdo offers just the right amount of functionality to transform your personal brand into a public-facing online concern, and it directs its attention squarely toward the self-employed as well as local businesses. However, there are not a lot of options for SEO optimization tools and analytics. In spite of this, it offers a reasonable return for the money spent.

  • Pricing: Free, $7.50 per month, or $20 per month.
  • Pros: Features that are helpful for individuals who are self-employed or run their own business.
  • Cons: Your company might not benefit from using simple designs and basic templates.

Webnode — best for multilingual websites

If your company does business in more than one country or region around the world, you will need to localize your website's content and translate its text so that it is appropriate for the locale in which it is displayed. If you choose to do this manually using professional translation services, you should be prepared for it to be time-consuming and expensive.

Webnode was initially established in the Czech Republic in 2008, and since then it has amassed a user base of forty million people across Europe and the rest of the world. Webnode is available in 44 languages, in addition to its English language offering. Because of this, it is simple to collaborate with programmers and designers located in other countries, in the event that you wish to adapt a foreign language version of your website.

Webnode is a simple website builder that utilizes the same drag-and-drop simplicity as other simple website builders. However, in comparison to some of the other items on this list, Webnode may be lacking in more advanced features and plug-ins. However, because it has such a widespread influence, it presents a formidable challenge to established businesses that are looking to expand their operations internationally.

  • Pricing: Monthly fees range from $3.90 to $7.50 to $12.90 to $22.90.
  • Pros: include a wide geographic reach and support in multiple languages.
  • Cons: There are not a lot of advanced features available.

Which online website builder is best?

Webflow is the website builder that has most impressed us, despite the fact that your decision to use it will be heavily influenced by factors such as your timeline, budget, the size of your company, and the purposes for which you intend to put your site to use.

This platform was sophisticated while also being simple to use, and it offered a pricing strategy that was reasonable. It would be a good fit for a wide variety of small businesses. It is both flexible and quick, making it the go-to option for well-known brands such as Chipotle, Upwork, Michael Kors, AngelList, and Adobe, amongst many others.

Which website builder is the most user-friendly?

It's safe to say that SquareSpace is the website builder with the easiest learning curve, all without sacrificing too much in terms of quality. However, users are limited in the layouts they can create and the graphic elements they can modify because of the software's design. If you want a site that is truly polished, you should look elsewhere.

If we were forced to choose just one platform from the website builder review list that was presented earlier, Webflow would be the one that we would go with.