Andrew Speight • 27 October 2020 |
We’ve sought out and compared the top 6 best website builders that will take us into 2020 and beyond.
You don’t need to know how to code to build a great website… you just have to find one with the right tools for your needs!
Our top 6 includes a mix of eCommerce, powerful hybrid options and custom builders that require some basic HTML/CSS knowledge.
So, without further ado, let’s get into this list. Here are our top 6:
Please note, the order of the list does not represent the order of our ranking, as each site provides something different for their creators.
If you’re just starting out or are new to using website builders, Wix is an excellent option for you.
It’s fairly intuitive, there are lots of tutorials and support available online, and it has the most users with over 110 million websites built.
Wix also has an AI automatic website creator that users can take advantage of to help maximize their experience, but there are actually three options for development with Wix:
You’re not tied down to one or the other either, you can mix-and-match. Say you start with an AI creation but still want to customise, you can. Likewise, if you start with a template and want to modify components to make it your own.
Jumping from Wix to Squarespace, the first thing you’ll notice is the quality of the templates designs. There are 110 responsive templates for websites of all shapes, sizes and niches. Of all the website builders out there, Squarespace wears the crown as far as templates are concerned.
It’s also fairly intuitive to use, but a bit trickier than Wix to navigate. If you’re new to building websites and are considering Squarespace, you’ll most likely find it overwhelming at first. Thankfully, there are tons of online resources to help you get started, and support is available when you need it, too.
Squarespace is best suited for small and mid-size businesses looking for stunning templates, and maybe a few eCommerce transactions here and there.
The eCommerce catalogue of features is not nearly as robust as Shopify, but does offer room for smaller volumes of transactions. For example, a florist with three size offerings for bouquets or arrangements.
Next up, it’s WordPress, and one for the high-volume content producers.
Relatively speaking, WordPress has been around (and popular) for ages, since 2003. At the time of writing, WordPress powers 35% of all websites - which is ridiculous when you consider how many website builders exist!
This platform is truly a content producer’s dream. With plugins for everything under the sun including eCommerce extensions and SEO plugins. However, it’s not a super intuitive drag-and-drop builder like Squarespace or Wix, so it will either require some learning on your part, or a commitment to working with a web developer who can produce a custom theme for your website.
Doing it yourself is the best way to understand how it works, though, and at this point, there are plenty of resources online.
For those who are serious about building a secure and content-rich site on WordPress, consider subscribing to WPEngine, WordPress’s “Digital Experience Platform”. Here, you’ll find solutions to create remarkable sites and apps on WordPress that drive your business forward quicker.
For those looking for a solution to their eCommerce website, Shopify is the leading website builder in existence. It’s like the “Wix of eCommerce”... super easy to use and customize, and integrates with a physical POS if you have an in-person location or go to events where you’d be charging customers directly. Think expos, conferences, concerts, farmers markets etc, the opportunities are endless.
On the note of endless opportunities, Shopify is also an extremely affordable way to get your store online. For those with moderately sized catalogues, the prices are around $20 /month, which is nothing compared to what a custom eCommerce site build would cost you.
They also offer amazing customer service as their team has grown exponentially in the past couple of years. They also have an app store to enhance your website’s features. Just be aware that some of these cost money every month and can run your bill up, so choose your plugins wisely!
*Bigger sites should consider BigCommerce with a custom template build.
And then, there’s Webflow. The “cool” option for true internet geeks building websites.
Well, anyone can use Webflow but there is a higher learning curve here than any of our other options. However, it is also the most custom option available for non-developers. This means you don’t need to worry about templates changing or requiring upgrades.
What makes Webflow different from our other options is their builder automatically generates HTML, CSS, and Javascript depending on what you’re dragging onto the pages. You do need to understand a little bit about site architecture and coding in order to use it, but not much. They also have a massive support library and plenty of courses available online for those looking to complete a specific task.
If your present needs aren’t that complex but you could see yourself going more custom down the line, you can start with a Webflow template and then alter it when the time comes. You can also export your code to use on another platform or custom build, if desired.
If you’re looking for a multilingual website that’s straightforward to build, you won’t want to look past Duda.
Duda gets all the basics right: the templates look great, it has all the SEO settings you’ll need, there’s an online store, and the blog is pretty cool, too. But if you’re looking for more than the basics, you won’t be disappointed either.
Duda outshines its competitors in two areas, and both are handy if you’re looking to work with overseas clients. The first is that you can create multilingual websites — something as of yet, no other website builder can master. They also offer what they call “website personalization tools”. These tools enable you to customise your content based on the location and timezone of your visitors. This is a seriously impressive feature!
Of course, this isn’t cheap, though. Duda’s Agency plan is $44 /month, but with that you get 4 websites and AWS hosting, email, chat and phone support, access to team & management features, plus a widget builder!
So, there you have it! And like we said, there’s something for everyone when it comes to website builders for 2020 and beyond. And they’ll only get better as technology advances and users needs expand.
Let us know in the comments, which website builder do you use and why?