I still remember the feeling of wanting to build my first website. I wanted full control over the design and the freedom to make changes myself, without needing to hire an expensive developer for every little update.
I also know how overwhelming it is to choose the right website builder. You worry about picking the wrong one, wasting money on a platform you’ll outgrow, or getting stuck with a tool that’s just too complicated.
That’s why I created this guide.
Drawing on years of professional experience, I’ve personally put 13 of the most popular website builders to the test to find the best option for WPBeginner readers. And from that testing, I’ve narrowed it down to my top 5 recommendations.
To help you see the big picture immediately, I’ve started with a high-level comparison table.
After that, we’ll dive into the in-depth, hands-on reviews for each of my top picks.

My Pick for the Best Website Builders
After testing 13 platforms, my top recommendation is WordPress.org for its unmatched flexibility and control. For beginners who want an all-in-one solution, Wix is the best starting point.
Here’s a quick summary of all the website builders I’m going to talk about:
| Builder Name | Best For | Platform Type | Our Rating | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WordPress.org | Full control & scalability | Self- Hosted | ★★★★★ (5/5) | $1.99/mo |
| Wix | Beginners needing simplicity | Fully Hosted | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) | $17/mo |
| WooCommerce | Customizable online stores | Self- Hosted | ★★★★☆ (4.8/5) | $2.99/mo |
| Shopify | All-in-one eCommerce | Fully Hosted | ★★★★☆ (4.6/5) | $29/mo |
| Hostinger AI Builder | Fast & affordable AI setup | Fully Hosted | ★★★★☆ (4.2/5) | $2.99/mo |
You can use the quick links below to easily navigate through the article:
- How I Test & Review Website Builders
- WordPress.org – Best for Ultimate Control & Scalability
- Wix – Best for Beginners Who Need Simplicity
- WooCommerce – Best for Powerful, Customizable eCommerce
- Shopify – Best All-in-One Platform for eCommerce
- Hostinger AI Website Builder – Best for Affordable AI-Power
- Other Website Builders I Considered
- Conclusion: Which Is the Best Website Builder?
- Website Builder FAQs
How I Test & Review Website Builders
I’ve seen too many ‘best of’ lists that are just a shallow summary of features.
My goal with this guide was different. I wanted to provide a truly practical review based on my own hands-on testing and years of professional experience building websites.
To do that, I personally signed up for, built test sites with, and evaluated each of the 13 builders on this list. I judged each one against the same eight key criteria that I know are most important for small business owners, bloggers, and store owners.
Here’s what I looked at:
- Ease of Use & Customization: How easy is it for a true beginner to get started, and how much freedom do you really have to make the site look and function the way you want?
- Features & Integrations: What can the platform do out of the box, and how well does it connect with the other essential tools you need to run a business?
- eCommerce Capabilities: How powerful is it for selling online? I looked at payment options, transaction fees, and the types of products you can sell.
- SEO & Marketing Tools: Can it actually help you get found on Google and grow your audience, or will you hit a wall?
- Data Portability & Scalability: This is a big one. Are you locked into the platform forever, or do you own your data? Can it handle your site as your traffic grows?
- Security: Who is responsible for keeping your site safe? I looked at how each platform handles software updates, SSL certificates, and protection against malware.
- Support: When you run into trouble, what kind of help is available, and how good is it?
- Pricing & True Cost: What is the real cost beyond the advertised price? I dug into hidden fees, required upsells, and long-term value.
With these criteria in mind, let’s dive into the in-depth reviews of my top five recommendations.
A Quick Note: WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org
Before we dive in, it’s important to understand that there are two versions of WordPress. WordPress.org, which I recommend here, is the self-hosted platform that gives you 100% control and ownership. WordPress.com is a more limited, hosted service.
To understand all the key differences, see our guide on WordPress.com vs WordPress.org.
1. WordPress.org – Best for Ultimate Control & Scalability

| Pros | ✅ Total design freedom ✅ You own 100% of your data ✅ Huge library of plugins & apps |
| Cons | ❌ Has a learning curve ❌ You manage hosting & updates |
| Price | Starts from $1.99/month |
| Ideal For | Users who want a future-proof site with no limits. |
WordPress.org is the open-source software that powers over 43% of all websites on the internet, including WPBeginner itself. It’s my #1 recommendation because it gives you maximum control, freedom, and flexibility over your website.
Ease of Use & Customization
Unlike fully hosted builders, you will need a domain name and web hosting to use WordPress.org. However, getting started is surprisingly simple, as most hosting companies, like Bluehost, offer a 1-click WordPress installation that does the setup for you.
Once installed, you can start building pages with the block editor.
When I first started creating WordPress websites, I was surprised by how intuitive the editor was. It lets you add and arrange content blocks, which felt a lot like putting together a document and made the whole process much easier to learn.

For total design control, you can install a drag-and-drop page builder like SeedProd, which lets you build a completely custom theme without writing any code.
While there is a slight learning curve, the payoff is having no limitations on what you can create.
For more details, see my guide on how to create a WordPress website.
Features & Integrations
The true power of WordPress lies in its massive ecosystem of plugins. With over 60,000 free plugins available, you can add any feature imaginable to your site.
For example, at WPBeginner, we use WPForms for all our contact forms and surveys, and MonsterInsights to properly install Google Analytics.
This ability to integrate with best-in-class tools is something that proprietary builders can’t match.

eCommerce Capabilities
By installing the free WooCommerce plugin, you can transform your WordPress site into a powerful online store. This allows you to sell physical goods, digital downloads, subscriptions, and more.
Best of all, WooCommerce doesn’t charge you a percentage of your revenue. You only pay the standard transaction fees charged by your chosen payment gateway, like Stripe or PayPal.
If you don’t need a full shopping cart system, there are other great options available, too. For simple payments without a cart, I recommend WP Simple Pay.

And if you only plan to sell digital goods like ebooks or software, then Easy Digital Downloads is an excellent choice. It’s the same plugin we use to sell our own WordPress plugins and software.
SEO & Marketing
WordPress is known for being the most SEO-friendly website builder right out of the box. You can take its capabilities even further with a plugin like All in One SEO, which we use on our own sites to optimize content and rank higher in search results.
You can also easily connect powerful marketing tools like OptinMonster to grow your email list or PushEngage for web push notifications.
In fact, we use OptinMonster on all our websites for lead generation. It’s the main tool we used to grow our email list by 600%, giving us a powerful way to stay in touch with our audience.

Data Portability & Scalability
This is a critical advantage. With WordPress, you have 100% ownership of your content and data. You are never locked into a platform, and you can easily export all your information and move to a new hosting provider whenever you want.
This freedom ensures your website can scale with your business, from a small personal blog to a high-traffic site handling millions of pageviews.
Security
WordPress security is pretty straightforward to manage. Your web hosting provider will handle security at the server level to protect your site. Plus, most good hosts include a free SSL certificate.
On your end, some of the most important steps are keeping your plugins and themes updated (which just takes one click) and using a good security plugin like Cloudflare for extra peace of mind.
For a complete checklist, you can follow our ultimate WordPress security guide.

Support
WordPress offers support through many channels. Your first line of support is your web hosting company, which provides 24/7 help for any platform-related questions.
Plus, because WordPress is so popular, there is a huge community online. You can find answers and free tutorials for nearly any topic on sites like WPBeginner, official forums, and countless blogs.
You can also watch helpful video tutorials on our YouTube Channel and get feedback from fellow WordPress users in our WPBeginner Engage Facebook group.
Pricing & True Cost
The WordPress software itself is 100% free. Your only costs are for a domain name (around $14.99/year) and a web hosting plan (typically starting at $7.99/month).
Fortunately, Bluehost has agreed to offer our readers web hosting for only $2.99 per month. This exclusive deal also includes a free domain name and a free SSL certificate, making it the most affordable way to build a professional website.
With this special pricing, WordPress is one of the cheapest website builders on this list for small businesses.
For more details, see my guide on how to make a website with step-by-step instructions (including a video tutorial).
2. Wix – Best for Beginners Who Need Simplicity

| Pros | ✅ Extremely intuitive website builder ✅ All-in-one platform (no hosting needed) ✅ Hundreds of designer templates |
| Cons | ❌ Cannot change template later ❌ Significant vendor lock-in ❌ App costs can add up |
| Price | Free plan available; paid plans start at $17/mo |
| Ideal For | Absolute beginners and small businesses. |
Wix is a fully hosted, all-in-one website builder that has become incredibly popular for its ease of use. It’s designed to get you online as quickly as possible, without worrying about the technical side of things.
Ease of Use & Customization
User-friendliness is where Wix truly shines. Its drag-and-drop editor is incredibly intuitive. When I built my test site, I was able to create a professional-looking ‘About Us’ page in under 10 minutes.
I could drag elements exactly where I wanted them without getting stuck, which I know is a huge relief for anyone who’s new to building websites.

Features & Integrations
Wix comes with a solid set of built-in features for things like contact forms, photo galleries, and basic bookings. You can add more functionality through the Wix App Market, which offers tools for everything from social media feeds to restaurant menus.
While the App Market is good, the selection is much smaller and more controlled compared to the WordPress plugin library. This means you have fewer choices and less flexibility if you need a very specific tool.

eCommerce Capabilities
Wix offers capable, built-in eCommerce features on their higher-tier plans. You can accept payments, manage inventory, and handle shipping all within the Wix dashboard.
It’s a great, simplified solution for small to medium-sized online stores. However, in my opinion, this simplicity comes with major trade-offs.
Compared to a more powerful platform like WooCommerce, you have far less design flexibility and fewer options for adding advanced features to grow your sales.

SEO & Marketing
Wix provides a guided SEO setup checklist to help you optimize your site for search engines. This is very helpful for beginners who are new to SEO.
However, it lacks the advanced control and powerful automation that a dedicated WordPress plugin like All in One SEO can offer.

Data Portability & Scalability
In my opinion, this is Wix’s most significant drawback. It is extremely difficult to export your content and move your website away from Wix.
You are essentially renting your website, not owning it.
This creates a high level of vendor lock-in, which simply means it’s very difficult to move your site to another service later on. This can be a serious problem as your business grows and your needs change.
Security
As a fully hosted platform, Wix handles all security for you. Their dedicated security team manages server maintenance, software updates, and protection against threats. Every Wix site also comes with a free SSL certificate, ensuring the connection is encrypted.
This is a huge plus for beginners because it means you don’t have to worry about the technical side of keeping your site safe.
The trade-off is that you can’t install your own security software or have deep control, but for most users, the hands-off approach is a major benefit.

Support
Wix offers good customer support through a detailed knowledge base and a scheduled callback system.
For users who want the peace of mind of having a dedicated support team to call on, this is a definite advantage over the community-based support of WordPress.
Pricing & True Cost
Wix offers a free plan, but it places Wix-branded ads on your site and doesn’t allow you to use a custom domain name.
To remove the ads and look professional, you need to upgrade to a paid plan, which starts at $17 per month. And to access their eCommerce features, you’ll need one of their business plans.
If you are interested in how it stacks up against WordPress, then see my comparison of Wix vs. WordPress.
3. WooCommerce – Best for Powerful, Customizable eCommerce

| Pros | ✅ No platform transaction fees ✅ Fully customizable store design ✅ Huge library of extensions |
| Cons | ❌ Steeper learning curve than Shopify ❌ You are responsible for security & hosting |
| Price | Free plugin (hosting from $2.99/mo) |
| Ideal For | Store owners who want maximum control & flexibility. |
It’s important to understand that WooCommerce isn’t a standalone website builder. It’s a free, open-source eCommerce plugin built specifically for WordPress. It essentially transforms your WordPress site into a powerful and fully customizable online store.
Ease of Use & Customization
Because WooCommerce runs on WordPress, it does have a bit of a learning curve. I’ll admit, the first time I decided to build an online store, I was a little intimidated.
However, the helpful setup wizard made a huge difference, walking me step-by-step through configuring payments, shipping, and other basic store settings.
The real benefit for me became clear when it came to design. Unlike other platforms where you’re stuck with a template’s limitations, with WooCommerce, you have complete freedom.
Your store’s appearance is controlled by our WordPress theme, and you can use a page builder to create completely custom product templates and shop pages.

Features & Integrations
This is WooCommerce’s greatest strength. The platform is built to be extended, allowing you to add almost any feature you can imagine with free and premium WooCommerce extensions and plugins.
Here are just a few examples of powerful tools you can add to grow your sales:
- Create advanced coupons and discounts. To move beyond basic coupon codes, I use the Advanced Coupons plugin to set up Buy One, Get One (BOGO) deals and other smart promotions.
- Build high-converting sales funnels. For creating custom checkout pages, order bumps, and one-click upsells, my go-to tool is FunnelKit.
- Design custom store pages. If you want to build completely custom WooCommerce product pages or shop layouts without code, a theme builder like SeedProd is the perfect solution.
- Launch your own affiliate program. You can get other people to promote your products by setting up a referral program with a plugin like AffiliateWP.
- Increase trust with social proof. To show real-time notifications of recent sales and activity on your site, I recommend using a tool like TrustPulse.
This ability to install these powerful tools for any need is what will allow you to design and grow your online store.

eCommerce Capabilities
WooCommerce lets you sell anything online. Whether you have physical products, digital downloads, subscriptions, or appointment bookings, you can do it with WooCommerce.
It supports all major payment gateways, and most importantly, it does not charge you any transaction fees on top of what your payment processor charges. This can save you a significant amount of money compared to other platforms.
WooCommerce also comes with powerful built-in tools for managing your store. I especially find the detailed inventory management and automatic tax calculation features helpful.
Plus, you can set up very flexible shipping rules, which is important for businesses that sell to different regions.

SEO & Marketing
By running on WordPress, WooCommerce inherits the best SEO foundation of any platform.
You can use a powerful plugin like All in One SEO, which includes specific features to optimize your product pages, product categories, and images for higher search rankings.
For more details, see our complete guide to WooCommerce SEO.
Data Portability & Scalability
Just like WordPress, WooCommerce gives you 100% ownership and control over your store’s data. You are never locked in and can move your store to a new host at any time.
It’s an incredibly scalable platform that can grow with you, from your first sale to becoming a multi-million dollar brand.
Security
Because WooCommerce runs on WordPress, you are in full control of your store’s security. This means you are responsible for keeping your software updated and protected.
Your first line of defense is a high-quality hosting provider like SiteGround, which manages security at the server level.
On top of that, you’ll need to handle your own SSL certificate (most good hosts provide one for free) and use a WordPress security plugin for firewall protection and malware scanning.
While this requires more hands-on management, it gives you complete authority over your store’s security, which is something many business owners prefer.

Support
Support for WooCommerce comes from several places. You can get technical help related to your server from your hosting provider.
For questions about the plugin itself, there is extensive official documentation and active community forums.
You can also hire expert developers from a huge global talent pool for custom work.
Pricing & True Cost
The WooCommerce plugin is free. Your costs will be for hosting and a domain name. I recommend using a WooCommerce-optimized hosting plan.
For example, SiteGround offers managed WooCommerce hosting starting at just $2.99 per month, which comes with the plugin pre-installed.
→ Click Here to Claim This Exclusive SiteGround Offer ←
4. Shopify – Best All-in-One Platform for eCommerce

| Pros | ✅ Incredibly easy to use ✅ Excellent 24/7 support ✅ Handles all technical aspects for you |
| Cons | ❌ Charges fees for external payment gateways ❌ High degree of vendor lock-in ❌ App costs can add up quickly |
| Price | Starts from $29/month + transaction fees |
| Ideal For | Merchants who want a simple, hands-off eCommerce solution. |
Shopify is a fully hosted, all-in-one eCommerce platform that handles every technical aspect of running an online store for you. It’s a powerful competitor to WooCommerce, built for users who prioritize simplicity and outstanding support over ultimate flexibility.
Ease of Use & Customization
When I set up my test store on Shopify, I was immediately impressed by how simple it was.
Because it’s a fully hosted platform, I didn’t have to worry about installing software or managing backups. The interface is clean and guided me through adding products and launching the store, which I was able to do in under an hour.
While I found the available themes beautiful, this is also where I ran into limitations. Making simple customizations was easy, but I couldn’t make significant design changes outside of what the theme allowed.
This is a big difference from WordPress, where you have full control over the design.

Features & Integrations
Shopify comes with a comprehensive set of features for inventory management, shipping, and marketing.
You can add more functionality through the Shopify App Store, which is full of third-party extensions. However, many of these apps work on a monthly subscription model. Plus, the costs can add up quickly, significantly increasing your monthly bill.

eCommerce Capabilities
Shopify is an eCommerce machine. It offers its own integrated payment gateway, Shopify Payments, and Shopify POS for syncing with physical retail stores.
Its key drawback is that if you want to use third-party payment gateways like PayPal or Stripe, Shopify charges an additional transaction fee of up to 2% on top of the gateway’s fee. This can eat into your profits over time.
In my experience, the choice between Shopify and WooCommerce really comes down to simplicity versus control.
Shopify is fantastic because it handles all the technical details, so you can focus only on selling. This is a huge relief if you don’t want to worry about security or updates.
However, that convenience comes at a price, both in monthly fees and the extra transaction charges.
With WooCommerce, you have more responsibility, but you also have the freedom to customize everything, and you avoid those extra platform fees, which can save you a lot of money as you grow.
For a detailed look at how they stack up, see my full comparison of Shopify vs. WooCommerce.

SEO & Marketing
Shopify includes solid, built-in SEO and marketing tools to help you manage your campaigns.
You can edit title tags, meta descriptions, and create discounts.

While these tools are effective for getting started, I found them to be less powerful than the dedicated plugins available for WordPress.
For example, a WordPress plugin like All in One SEO gives you much more control. You can add advanced schema markup to get rich snippets in search results and easily manage redirects, both of which are critical for outranking competitors.
Data Portability & Scalability
Similar to Wix, Shopify presents a significant vendor lock-in problem. It is very difficult to migrate your website away from the platform if you ever decide to switch.
This is a common pain point for growing businesses, which is why we created a free Shopify to WooCommerce migration tool to help users regain control.
Security
Shopify’s all-in-one platform provides excellent security, which is one of its core strengths. They handle all software updates, server security, and provide a free SSL certificate for your store.
Most importantly, Shopify is Level 1 PCI DSS compliant by default. This is the gold standard for eCommerce security, and it means you don’t have to manage the complex compliance requirements for handling credit card information yourself.
For store owners, this provides incredible peace of mind and allows you to focus on selling, knowing that the platform is secure.

Support
Shopify’s support is one of its biggest selling points. They offer 24/7 support via live chat, phone, and email.
For store owners who want the security of knowing an expert is always available to help, this is a major advantage.
Pricing & True Cost
Shopify’s pricing starts with its Basic plan at $29 per month. The true cost, however, is often much higher.
This is because you also have to factor in payment processing fees, additional transaction fees for using external gateways, and the recurring monthly costs for any third-party apps you need.
If you are just starting out, then you may find Shopify’s pricing a bit higher than some other website builders on this list. For more details, see my Shopify vs. WooCommerce comparison.
5. Hostinger AI Website Builder – Best for Affordable AI-Power

| Pros | ✅ Extremely affordable pricing ✅ AI tools make setup incredibly fast ✅ All-in-one solution with hosting included |
| Cons | ❌ Limited third-party integrations ❌ Less design flexibility than WordPress ❌ Proprietary platform with lock-in |
| Price | Starts from $2.99/month |
| Ideal For | Beginners on a tight budget who need a site online fast. |
The Hostinger AI Website Builder is an all-in-one website builder that stands out for its affordability and innovative use of AI. It’s part of the Hostinger web hosting platform and is designed for beginners who want a professional-looking website without a big budget or a steep learning curve.
Ease of Use & Customization
Hostinger’s main selling point is its AI-powered setup. I was able to generate a complete starter website in under a minute simply by answering a few questions about my business.
From there, you can customize the design using their simple drag-and-drop editor. While it’s very easy, it uses a grid system, which offers less freedom than the open canvas of a builder like Wix.

Features & Integrations
The platform comes packed with helpful AI tools, including an AI writer to generate content, an AI logo maker, and even an AI heatmap tool to predict where visitors will focus their attention on your page.
However, its ability to connect with third-party tools is very limited, which is a major trade-off compared to a platform like WordPress.

eCommerce Capabilities
Hostinger AI Website Builder includes eCommerce functionality on all its plans. You can add products, manage inventory, and accept payments through Stripe and other processors.
While the features are straightforward and suitable for a simple store, I found in my testing that they lack advanced capabilities.
For example, you can’t easily sell recurring subscriptions or set up complex sales promotions like ‘buy one, get one free.’
This makes it a good starting point for selling basic products, but you may outgrow it as your business needs become more complex.

SEO & Marketing
You get access to basic, built-in SEO tools that let you edit titles, meta descriptions, and alt text. This is enough for beginners to get started.
It also includes some simple marketing integrations for things like Google Analytics and Facebook Pixel, but it can’t compete with the powerful marketing stacks you can build on WordPress.
Data Portability & Scalability
As a proprietary, closed-source platform, Hostinger AI Website Builder comes with vendor lock-in. You cannot easily export your website’s data and move it to another platform.
This makes it best suited for smaller projects where future scalability and data ownership are not the primary concerns.
Security
Because this is a fully hosted platform, Hostinger handles all the security for you. They manage server security, deploy patches for their builder, and provide a free SSL certificate.
This is a big advantage for beginners who don’t want to worry about technical maintenance, but it comes at the cost of control.

Support
Support is provided through Hostinger’s main customer support channels, which include 24/7 live chat and a comprehensive knowledge base.
Their support is generally well-regarded and helpful for issues related to their platform.
Pricing & True Cost
This is where Hostinger excels. Plans start at just $2.99 per month, which includes the builder, free hosting, and a free domain name for a year.
This makes the Hostinger AI Builder one of the most affordable all-in-one solutions on the market. Overall, it offers tremendous value for anyone on a tight budget.
Other Website Builders I Considered
In my testing, I looked at 13 different platforms.
While the five above are my top recommendations for most users, some of the other builders are strong contenders for very specific needs.
Here’s a quick summary of the other platforms I reviewed.
The Good: It integrates perfectly with HubSpot’s powerful CRM and marketing automation tools.
The Bad: Expensive and overly complex if you aren’t using the full HubSpot ecosystem.
Who it’s for: Businesses already invested in HubSpot’s marketing and sales software.
The Good: It acts as a powerful eCommerce engine that can run in the background of a WordPress site, and it doesn’t charge platform transaction fees.
The Bad: The interface is less intuitive than Shopify’s for beginners.
Who it’s for: Larger stores or WordPress users who want a separate, powerful eCommerce engine.
The Good: A managed, all-in-one version of WordPress.
The Bad: Less flexible than self-hosted WordPress.org, and you need a higher-tier plan to install plugins and add advanced features.
Who it’s for: The free plan is great for new bloggers. Meanwhile, the higher-tier plans are a good fit for businesses that want the power of WordPress without managing their own hosting.
The Good: Fast AI-powered setup that comes bundled with a domain and professional email.
The Bad: Offers very little design flexibility once the AI builds your site, and it lacks the advanced features found in other platforms.
Who it’s for: Users who want the simplicity of an AI builder and prefer to bundle all their services with a long-standing domain provider.
The Good: Industry-leading template designs that are beautiful and professional.
The Bad: The editor can have a learning curve, and its eCommerce is less capable than competitors.
Who it’s for: Artists, photographers, and designers who need a visually stunning portfolio.
The Good: Very simple and affordable, with strong integration into Square’s payment system.
The Bad: Feels less modern and innovative compared to Wix or Squarespace.
Who it’s for: Small businesses or cafes already using the Square POS system.
The Good: A solid WordPress-based builder from a trusted hosting provider.
The Bad: It’s essentially a pre-packaged version of WordPress that you could set up yourself.
Who it’s for: Users who want WordPress but prefer a more guided setup experience from their host.
The Good: Extremely fast for creating a basic ‘brochure’ site.
The Bad: Very limited features and customization. You’ll likely outgrow it quickly.
Who it’s for: Users who want to keep everything under their GoDaddy account for simplicity.
Conclusion: Which Is the Best Website Builder?
After extensive testing, I recommend WordPress.org as the best overall website builder because it gives you unlimited flexibility and full ownership of your data.
For users who want the simplest option, Wix is the top choice for beginners.
For eCommerce, Shopify provides the simplest all-in-one solution, while WooCommerce is the most powerful and customizable choice.
To help you decide, here is my final verdict on the top website builders and who they are best suited for:
1. WordPress.org
🏆 Best Overall Website Builder
For anyone who wants a future-proof website with unlimited potential, WordPress is the answer. It gives you complete control and ownership over your site, allowing you to build anything from a blog to a massive online store without limitations. It’s the platform I use for my own projects.
2. Wix
✅ Best for Beginners
If your main priority is ease of use, then Wix is an excellent choice. Its intuitive drag-and-drop editor is perfect for absolute beginners who want to build a simple, good-looking website with minimal fuss and don’t want to worry about hosting.
3. WooCommerce
🛒 Best for Customizable Stores
For building a powerful and fully customizable online store on WordPress, nothing beats WooCommerce. You get total control over your design, pay no platform transaction fees, and can add any feature you need with extensions. It’s the choice for serious store owners.
4. Shopify
📦 Best All-in-One eCommerce Platform
Shopify is the best choice for merchants who want a simple, hands-off solution. It’s incredibly easy to get started, handles all the technical details for you, and offers fantastic 24/7 customer support.
5. Hostinger AI Website Builder
💰 Best for Tight Budgets
If you’re on a tight budget, Hostinger offers unbeatable value. Its AI-powered tools help you create a professional site in minutes for a very low monthly price, making it a great starting point for new projects or small businesses.
Website Builder FAQs
Having helped thousands of users choose the right website builder, I’ve answered a lot of questions. Here are the answers to some of the most common ones.
Which is the best website builder for beginners?
In my experience, WordPress.org is the best website builder for beginners overall. While it has a small learning curve, I find that most beginners are able to learn WordPress quickly. Plus, it’s a much better long-term choice that will grow with your business.
However, if your absolute top priority is ease of use, then Wix is a great alternative. For beginners on a very tight budget, the Hostinger AI Website Builder is another excellent choice.
How much does it really cost to build a website?
For a self-hosted WordPress site, you can get started for as little as $2.99 per month with our exclusive Bluehost deal, which includes a free domain name.
For fully hosted builders, prices vary. A simple site on Wix will cost around $17/month, while a Shopify store starts at $29/month plus transaction fees.
For a detailed breakdown, see our guide on how much it really costs to build a WordPress website.
Can I switch my website builder later on?
This is a critical question. With fully hosted builders like Wix and Shopify, it is extremely difficult to move your site to another platform. This is why I strongly recommend WordPress.org, as it gives you 100% ownership and the freedom to move your site whenever you want.
If you do need to make a switch, you can follow our ultimate website migration guide.
What is the best website builder for SEO?
WordPress.org is hands-down the best website builder for SEO. When you combine it with a powerful SEO plugin like All in One SEO, you have an unmatched level of control to optimize your site for higher search engine rankings.
Disclaimer: To help avoid choice paralysis, I only compared the top 13 best website builder platforms. This list doesn’t include other website builder software like Site123, Duda, Jimdo, SiteBuilder, Webflow, Format, Carrd, Ucraft, Google Sites, Webs, IONOS by 1&1, Adobe Muse, Yola, Webnode, etc, because I believe the solutions mentioned in this article are simply better.
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Bryant Grant
Since when did Wordpress a CMS become a “builder”?
WPBeginner Support
The improvements in the Gutenberg/Block editor help make WordPress more of a website builder than only a CMS
Admin
Jiří Vaněk
Thank you for the excellent comparison article. I’m used to using only WordPress and WooCommerce, and I have also used WIX in the past. However, sometimes customer requirements are entirely different from my ideas, and sometimes they don’t want WordPress as the end solution. This is a great guide for me on how to choose and try out another platform that could work similarly to WordPress or WooCommerce for e-commerce. I appreciate the pros and cons for each CMS; it really helps me in my decision-making process.
kzain
I have just tried wix.com and WordPress.org WordPress is a deep ocean you will get as many things as you get. Love this website builder list!
WPBeginner Support
Glad you found our list helpful
Admin
Mrteesurez
The solution you mentioned are not just simple but best.
WordPress still top, it’s flexible, self hosted and customizable to build Amy type of website.
Woocomerce become a popular ecommerce plugin making WordPress brag more.
Peter Iriogbe
Thank you for the insightful post, but I’m a bit confused. You mentioned “WooCommerce” as a website builder. I always thought it was a plugin. Can you clarify if it’s a website builder or just a plugin?
WPBeginner Support
WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin but it does take over WordPress’s tools enough that we considered it a website builder in this sense.
Admin
Indhu Prakash
Hello sir,
You are missing the (Blogger. Com /Blogspot) in this list. My blog is running in this Google CMS..
When you update this post try to add the Blogger in this list…
WPBeginner Support
For the moment we prefer the builders on this list but for our opinion on Blogger we would recommend taking a look at the article below
https://www.wpbeginner.com/opinion/wordpress-vs-blogger-which-one-is-better-pros-and-cons/
Admin
Linda
So for someone who is very tech challenged though experienced in owning and operating websites, which is the best? I have gone thru squarespace and now on shopify but both were built for me so trying to figure out how to make changes and get support is challenging. I also have very specific desires beyond a 2 page place holder website for my e-commerce website that may be beyond my ability to install. I don’t see anything that is ‘super easy’ for a person like me. I’ve shied away from Wordpress because it used to be just for experienced web builders. Has that changed?
WPBeginner Support
It would depend on how specific your design goals are but WordPress can be for beginners and we recommend our content to help simplify the process of the getting started learning curve
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Peter Iriogbe
In addition to what the author said, if you’re not very tech-savvy but experienced in managing websites, the best choice depends on your needs. Squarespace and Shopify are user-friendly, but making changes and getting support can be tricky. If you have specific requirements beyond a basic website and find it challenging to install features, things might be a bit overwhelming.
WordPress has evolved, and there are user-friendly themes and plugins available now. It’s no longer just for experienced web builders. With some dedication to learning, you might find WordPress more flexible for your specific desires, and there’s a broader community for support.
Moinuddin Waheed
Leaving everything aside, the fact that wordpress has a large community support is the single best reason for any one to choose wordpress over other options available.
Other options might be helpful if one is to deal with limited cutomisation options and have very specific needs to go with those solutions but for a braoder range of probelms and needs, wordpress will be best choice to use.
Margaret
Thank you for all these golden nuggets. JUST maybe I can finish my WP site myself.
WPBeginner Support
Glad our recommendations were helpful, we hope this and all of our articles make you that much more confident in using your site
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Muhmmad Rizwan
My First Step with WpBeginner.com Thanks
WPBeginner Support
Glad to see you starting with our content
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Vincent Ermita
Very useful blog post.
WPBeginner Support
Thank you!
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Peter Blizzard
Great article. Very helpful. Thanks.
WPBeginner Support
Glad it was helpful!
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Yomna Ahmed
Thank you, That was very helpful.
WPBeginner Support
Glad to hear our comparison list was helpful!
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kishan dan
genuinely it helped me a lot, and saved my time.
WPBeginner Support
Glad to hear our comparison was helpful!
Admin
Gino Van Geersom
WordPress may not be the easiest website builder but it certainly has the most possibilities.
WPBeginner Support
We hope our guides can help make the process of using WordPress easier
Admin
Mohd zarrar
this is the best article for website
WPBeginner Support
Glad you found our comparison helpful!
Admin
Syed Sohail
this blog is best for website building thanks for this valuable information
WPBeginner Support
Thank you for your kind words and glad you found our content helpful!
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Ann Williams
You’ve helped me out a tight spot many a time. This really is an excellent resource!
WPBeginner Support
Glad to hear our guides have been helpful!
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Jaime Haney
I always check with WPBeginner when trying to figure out anything related to my Wordpress website. Reading through this, I’m not seeing my builder on here which tells me it’s time to change. Being just barely techy enough to be dangerous, I appreciate all the information here and on all the sm platforms. Thank you Syed and Happy 14th Birthday WPBeginner!
WPBeginner Support
Glad you found our comparison helpful and thank you for the kind words Jamie
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kamlesh
the article is really impressive and all inclusive. Thanks a ton for sharing these resources.
WPBeginner Support
Glad you found our comparison helpful!
Admin
Carrie
Super helpful! Thank you so much.
WPBeginner Support
Glad it was helpful!
Admin
HEATHER G
WOW what an amazing amount of information thank you so much for all the hard work you and your team put into all your sites to make WordPress easier to understand and implement. Happy 14th Birthday and to many future birthdays!
WPBeginner Support
Thank you for your kind words Heather
Admin
Swapnil Nakate
I have been following this website past 10+ years and I have found answers to all my queries at here. This is like a stackoverflow for me. Thank you for the another insightful blog post.
WPBeginner Support
Thank you for your kind words and your continued support
Admin
Mark Rohde
Just as Sandy says – “Thank you for the massive amount of useful information” – but also from someone who does not consider themself technologically challenged! Phew!
WPBeginner Support
You’re welcome and we’re always happy to hear how our guides have been helpful!
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Surendra Giri Goswami
Awesome Very helpful information you provide in your posts. Thank you for such articles.
WPBeginner Support
You’re welcome, glad you found our list helpful!
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Saket Aggarwal
detailed guide at one place
WPBeginner Support
Glad you think so!
Admin
Marcia Batton
Great article, thank you.
WPBeginner Support
You’re welcome!
Admin
Stephen
Very insightful site.
WPBeginner Support
Thank you!
Admin
Pantelis Paschalidis
I have switched from Weebly to WordPress with your help!
WPBeginner Support
Happy to hear our guides have been helpful!
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Sandy Krzyzanowski
Thank you for a massive amount of useful information for a technologically impaired website owner! I appreciate every single detail!
Nasrullah Yousofi
Wordpress makes it much easier for anyone to build an ecommerce or blogging website. I use wordpress for my local business websites, ecommerce and blogging websites.
WPBeginner Support
Thanks for sharing your opinion
Admin
Andreu
I’ve tried some builders. WordPress is the most effective to achieve a professional website. But sometimes it’s difficult to advance if you don’t know some code.
WPBeginner Support
Thanks for sharing your opinion
Admin
Bimal Raj Paudel
Wix may be easy and professional but too much expensive. So WordPress is the best.
WPBeginner Support
Thanks for sharing your opinion
Admin
Yasar Arafath
Out of all, WordPress.Org is my most favourite and undoubtedly the best website builder in the market for anyone who wants to run blogs and websites seamlessly.
WPBeginner Support
Thanks for sharing your opinion
Admin
Steve Avrick
What comes first the web builder or you writing content?
WPBeginner Support
There is no set order on which should be first, it is whichever works best for you
Admin
Janet Lirio
Thank you so much for this. Extremely helpful!
WPBeginner Support
Glad our recommendations were helpful
Admin
Abilash
Thank you for the detailed explanation and recommendation.
WPBeginner Support
You’re welcome
Admin
Andre Lee
Thank you for providing such a detailed and well organized guide.
WPBeginner Support
You’re welcome
Admin
AJAY SHROTRIYA
I was looking for this information so I searched on Google and reached here. I helped me in taking a decision about my website discreet vision. Thanks again.
WPBeginner Support
You’re welcome
Admin
Samrat Roy
Great article. Amazing depth of content, and ability to provide a clearer picture on the subject.
WPBeginner Support
Glad you liked our content
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Saurav Singh
The article is full of useful content. And, yes WordPress is best due to its reliability and flexibility. The content is amazing. highly appreciated. I will look to hear from you more often. Thanks
WPBeginner Support
Glad you liked our content
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Frank
I want to build a corporate website for a company that offers professional services. how do I get started?
WPBeginner Support
For creating a website in general we would recommend our guide below:
https://www.wpbeginner.com/guides/
Admin
Ruby
I have little tech experience but I’m trying to set up a website for my aunt to sell her art and crafts. I am struggling with which one to choose? I need something easy for her to manage when I’m not there. Any advice?
WPBeginner Support
As a WordPress tutorial site we will be biased toward WordPress.org
Admin
David Blaska
MUCH prefer WordPress.com for blogs.
WPBeginner Support
Thank you for sharing your opinion
Admin
Melvin Adame
WORDPRESS FOR THE WIN!!
WPBeginner Support
Glad you like WordPress
Admin
Ahmed Kasem
Thank you for this valuable post, actually I am using wordpress and it is fine with me till now
WPBeginner Support
Glad you’ve been enjoying WordPress
Admin
Fakhar
Great article. Easy to understand amd follow.
WPBeginner Support
Glad you liked our articles
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Taiwo Hakeem
Indeed a great article, I would expect nothing less, I’ve had some experience with wix and their themes were pretty and all, but wordpress is much better in terms of functionality and everything on wordpress is a lot of neat and organized, I like wordpress but I’m loving self hosted wordpress even more.
WPBeginner Support
Glad our recommendations were helpful
Admin
Jack Martin
Great Article!
Thanks for sharing amazing list of website builder.
I am recommends WordPress because of its features and flexibility.
Keep sharing…
WPBeginner Support
You’re welcome, glad you like our recommendations
Admin
Wellingtone
Great article i am a newbie in website building but i think from this article wordpress.org has it all, i have bee thinking about wix but since migration is another expensive thing i am left with one choice of wordpress
WPBeginner Support
Glad you liked our article
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Jewel Ahmed
Thank you for sharing.
WPBeginner Support
You’re welcome
Admin