The best website builders of the year

10. Duda:

Duda is a website builder that focuses on mobile responsiveness. It offers a range of responsive templates and a powerful drag-and-drop editor to create mobile-friendly websites. Duda also provides advanced features like multilingual support and extensive customization options, making it a good choice for businesses targeting a global audience.

Best for Agencies

We Recommand

3.5

05/2024

MINH MEDIA

Starting price

$19 per month

(billed annually)

E-commerce in entry-level plan

Add-on

Starting e-commerce price

$7.25 per month

(billed annually)

Learn More    →

Read Forbes' Review

$19 per month

(billed annually)

Add-on

$7.25 per month

(billed annually)

Minh's Take

Why We Picked It

Although Duda is an outlier in this list of the best website builders, it earns its spot with its simplicity, flexibility and unique features. The lowest-priced plan is $19 per month with no introductory discount. To add on an e-commerce store, you’ll pay an additional $7.25 per month, making this one of the pricer options of the top website builders.

General Features

To start, I find Duda one of the most intuitive drag-and-drop website builders around. I have minimal coding experience, so I appreciated that I could build a website easily with the templates and the WYSIWYG editor. I also liked that I had the option to customize my website with code, should I choose to go that route.

Given that Duda is meant for digital agencies, I was happy to see Duda includes a client management tool that allows you to bill clients as needed. There’s also a client portal, so clients can edit their own site (you get to control permissions) and view and pay their bill. I’d likely use Duda’s white labeling service to brand my platform to give it a more professional look too. On top of this, Duda offers packages with unlimited storage and bandwidth, which makes it ideal for those selling websites to businesses.

Extras

A unique feature of Duda is that it allows you to leave comments on pages. In my opinion, this is a helpful tool that acts as a sort of markup tool for teams. My colleague left a comment with a note to update the logo on the site, so I knew precisely what I needed to change before the site was ready to ship.

Pricing

Duda isn’t the cheapest website builder around but it is well worth the cost for agencies that sell digital services to others. The cost ranges from $19 per month, billed annually, to $149 per month, billed annually. One of the highest-priced plans, Agency, gives you four sites to start with, making it a great starter option and it’s the one I would choose if I wanted to sell my services

Reputation

It’s important to keep in mind that many user reviews come from people who are highly impressed or highly outraged by a service or their experience, so I don’t usually trust just a star rating. I checked Duda user reviews to see what the biggest complaints were to determine whether the star ratings were fair. Many users are frustrated with a lack of security features (it doesn’t offer multi-factor authentication), platform errors, slow support and difficulty canceling a subscription. A lot of the negative feedback is warranted but doesn’t speak to the quality of the service and platform.

Users who are happy with Duda understand what the service is meant for: digital agencies. It gets a lot of positive feedback about its ease of use, helpful support and client-centric tools. Ratings range from 2.5 to 4.8 on a five-star rating scale across multiple review sites.

Standout Features

You can create rules for visitors to your site and it gets fairly granular. For example, you can have specific content show for site visitors who are geographically near your business.  There’s also a content library that makes it easy for you to import content from a client’s existing website into a new design you’re creating.

Who Should Use It?

Due to Duda’s unique website personalization feature, it’s a good choice for businesses with multiple locations and sites that need to present different content to different site visitors. It’s also a good option for marketing agencies, given its white label options.

Learn more: Read our full Duda review.

Pros & Cons

• 100+ professional pre-built templates
• Easy drag-and-drop editor
• Very customizable
• Website personalization for all plans
• White label option for agencies

• Limited low-priced plan
• API only available on top-tier plan
• No domains included

Plans & Pricing

	Basic	Team	Agency	White Label
Pricing (if Billed Annually)	$19 per month	$29 per month	$52 per month	$149 per month
E-Commerce Add-On	$7.25 per month	$19.25 per month	$39 per month	$39 per month
Max. Number of Products	100	2,500	Unlimited	Unlimited
Number of Sites	One	One	Four	Four
Website Personalization	✓	✓	✓	✓
Multi-Language Sites	✓	✓	✓	✓
Membership Option	✓	✓	✓	✓
Client Billing	–	✓	✓	✓
Branded Platform	–	–	–	✓
Branded Client Portal	–	–	–	✓
Support	Email only	Email only	Priority email, phone and live chat	Priority email, phone and live chat

See MoreSee Less

Expert Test Scores

Decision Factor	Score	Scoring Weight	Expert Take
General Features	4.5	30%	Duda’s core features include a drag-and-drop editor and templates for easy design, but also allows custom coding.
Expert Score	4.5	20%	Duda shines when it comes to ease of use, but its value is questionable at the lower tiers.
Extras and Inclusions	4.5	20%	You can leave comments on a page for easy communication with team members, add on an e-commerce store and explore client-centric options.
Pricing	4	15%	Duda is a bit expensive at the lower tiers, but there’s more value in the high-priced plans for agencies.
Third-Party User Reviews	4.5	15%	Overall, users seem to understand that Duda is meant for agencies, but there are still some negative reviews regarding the lack of security features and occasional errors.
Overall Score	3.5	>-	Duda’s white label options and client options make this an ideal choice for digital agencies.

See MoreSee Less

How does a website builder work?

A website builder is a tool that allows users to create websites without needing to manually code them from scratch. Here's a simplified overview of how a website builder typically works:

1. User Interface: Website builders usually have a user-friendly interface that allows users to design their websites visually. This interface often includes drag-and-drop functionality, where users can simply drag elements like text boxes, images, videos, and buttons onto the page and position them as desired.
2. Templates: Website builders often offer a variety of pre-designed templates that users can choose from as a starting point for their website. These templates typically include layouts, color schemes, fonts, and sometimes even content placeholders. Users can then customize these templates to better suit their needs.
3. Customization: Users can customize various aspects of their website using the website builder's tools and options. This may include changing colors, fonts, background images, adding or removing sections, and more. Some website builders also allow users to add custom code if they have specific requirements that can't be achieved through the built-in tools.
4. Content Management: Website builders usually provide tools for managing website content. This can include adding, editing, and deleting pages, blog posts, images, videos, and other media. Users can typically do this through a simple interface without needing to understand HTML or other coding languages.
5. Responsive Design: Many website builders automatically generate websites that are responsive, meaning they can adapt and display properly on various devices and screen sizes, such as desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones.
6. Hosting and Publishing: Once a website is created, website builders often provide hosting services as part of their packages. This means that users can publish their websites directly from the website builder platform, making them accessible on the internet.

Website builders simplify the process of creating websites by providing intuitive tools and templates, allowing users to focus on the design and content rather than the technical aspects of web development.

Key Features of Website Builders

Website builders offer a range of features that empower users to create professional-looking websites without needing coding expertise. Here are some key features commonly found in website builders:

1. Drag-and-Drop Interface: Website builders typically feature an intuitive drag-and-drop interface, allowing users to easily add, move, and customize elements on their web pages without writing any code.
2. Templates: Pre-designed templates provide a foundation for building websites. Users can choose from a variety of templates tailored to different industries, styles, and purposes, saving time and effort in the design process.
3. Customization Options: Users can customize templates to reflect their brand identity by adjusting colors, fonts, layouts, and more. Advanced customization options may include CSS editing, allowing users to fine-tune the design to their preferences.
4. Responsive Design: Website builders often ensure that websites are responsive, meaning they adapt and display optimally across various devices and screen sizes, including desktops, tablets, and smartphones.
5. Content Management: Built-in content management systems (CMS) enable users to easily add, edit, and organize text, images, videos, and other multimedia content on their websites. Some website builders offer blog functionality for publishing regular posts.
6. Media Integration: Users can seamlessly integrate multimedia elements into their websites, such as images, videos, audio files, slideshows, and interactive content, enhancing the visual appeal and engagement of the site.
7. E-commerce Functionality: Many website builders include features for building online stores, such as product listings, shopping carts, payment gateways, inventory management, and order tracking, enabling users to sell products and services online.
8. SEO Tools: Website builders may offer built-in search engine optimization (SEO) tools to help users optimize their websites for better visibility and ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs), including features like meta tags, keyword optimization, and site maps.
9. Analytics and Tracking: Some website builders integrate analytics tools that allow users to track website performance metrics, such as traffic, visitor behavior, conversion rates, and more, helping users understand and improve their online presence.
10. Domain and Hosting Integration: Website builders often provide domain registration and hosting services, allowing users to easily register a domain name and publish their websites online without the need for separate hosting providers.

These key features empower users to create professional-quality websites quickly and efficiently, making website builders a popular choice for individuals, small businesses, and organizations looking to establish an online presence.

Benefits of Using Website Builders

Website builders offers numerous benefits for individuals, businesses, and organizations looking to create an online presence. Here are some of the key advantages:

• Cost-Effectiveness: Building a website with a website builder is often more cost-effective than hiring a web developer or agency to create a custom website. Website builders usually offer subscription plans with affordable monthly or annual fees, eliminating the need for large upfront investments.
• Ease of Use: Website builders typically feature intuitive drag-and-drop interfaces and pre-designed templates, making it easy for users with little to no technical skills to create professional-looking websites quickly.
• Time Efficiency: Website builders streamline the website creation process by providing ready-made templates and intuitive tools for customization. Users can launch their websites in a matter of hours or days, rather than weeks or months required for custom development.
• No Coding Required: With website builders, users can create websites without writing a single line of code. This eliminates the need for coding skills or hiring developers, making website creation accessible to individuals and small businesses without technical expertise.
• Professional Designs: Website builders offer a wide range of professionally designed templates that users can customize to reflect their brand identity. These templates are often created by experienced designers and are optimized for various industries and purposes.
• Responsive Design: Many website builders automatically generate responsive websites that adapt and display properly on different devices and screen sizes. This ensures a consistent user experience across desktops, tablets, and smartphones, without the need for manual optimization.
• Built-in Features: Website builders come with built-in features and functionalities, such as content management systems, e-commerce tools, SEO optimization, analytics, and more. Users can easily add and customize these features without relying on third-party plugins or integrations.
• Updates and Maintenance: Website builders often handle software updates, security patches, and server maintenance, freeing users from the technical responsibilities of managing a website. This allows users to focus on creating content and growing their online presence.
• Scalability: Website builders offer scalability, allowing users to easily add new pages, features, or content as their needs evolve. Whether it's expanding an online store, adding a blog, or integrating social media feeds, website builders can accommodate growth without requiring extensive redevelopment.
• Support and Community: Many website builders provide customer support, tutorials, and community forums where users can seek help, share tips, and connect with other users. This support ecosystem ensures that users have assistance available whenever they encounter challenges or need guidance.

Website builder enables individuals and businesses to create professional-quality websites quickly, affordably, and without technical barriers, helping them establish and grow their online presence effectively.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a  website Builder ?

Before considering the factors of choosing a website builder, please determine what your website building needs are?

Determining your website building needs involves clarifying your goals, requirements, and preferences to ensure that you choose a website builder that can meet them effectively. Here are some steps to help you identify your website building needs:

1. Define Your Goals: Start by clarifying the purpose and goals of your website. Are you creating a personal blog, an online portfolio, a business website, or an e-commerce store? Identify the primary objectives you want to achieve with your website, such as increasing brand awareness, generating leads, selling products, or sharing information.
2. Identify Your Audience: Consider who your target audience is and what they expect from your website. Are they consumers, businesses, professionals, or enthusiasts? Determine their demographics, preferences, and behaviors to tailor your website's design, content, and features to meet their needs effectively.
3. Outline Your Content: Make a list of the content you want to include on your website, such as pages, posts, images, videos, products, and services. Consider the type of content you need to showcase your brand, products, or expertise effectively. Determine if you need blogging capabilities, multimedia integration, or e-commerce functionality to support your content strategy.
4. Assess Your Design Preferences: Consider the design aesthetic and branding elements you want to incorporate into your website. Do you prefer a minimalist, modern, traditional, or artistic design style? Identify your color scheme, typography, imagery, and overall visual identity to ensure consistency and alignment with your brand image.
5. Evaluate Functionality Requirements: Determine the specific features and functionalities you need to achieve your website goals. This may include content management systems (CMS), e-commerce tools, contact forms, social media integration, multimedia galleries, event calendars, membership portals, or custom applications. Prioritize the features that are essential for your website's success.
6. Consider Technical Requirements: Assess any technical requirements or constraints that may impact your choice of website builder. For example, if you have specific hosting preferences, domain requirements, or integration needs, ensure that the website builder can accommodate them seamlessly. Consider factors such as scalability, security, performance, and compatibility with third-party tools or services.
7. Budget and Resources: Determine your budget for building and maintaining your website, including subscription fees, domain registration costs, hosting expenses, and any additional investments required for customization or integration. Consider your available resources, such as time, skills, and personnel, to manage and update your website effectively.
8. Future Growth Potential: Anticipate future growth and expansion opportunities for your website. Choose a website builder that can scale with your business or personal needs over time, allowing you to add new features, content, or functionality as your requirements evolve without encountering limitations or disruptions.

By thoroughly assessing your website building needs and priorities, you can make an informed decision when selecting a website builder that best aligns with your goals, preferences, and budget, empowering you to create a successful and impactful online presence.

When choosing a website builder, it's essential to consider various factors to ensure that the platform meets your specific needs and preferences. Here are some key factors to consider:

• Ease of Use: Look for a website builder with an intuitive and user-friendly interface. The platform should offer drag-and-drop functionality, easy navigation, and clear instructions to simplify the website creation process.
• Templates and Design Options: Consider the range and quality of templates offered by the website builder. Look for templates that align with your industry, style preferences, and branding requirements. Additionally, assess the customization options available, such as the ability to modify layouts, colors, fonts, and images.
• Features and Functionality: Evaluate the built-in features and functionalities provided by the website builder. Common features to look for include content management systems (CMS), e-commerce tools, SEO optimization, blogging capabilities, media integration, forms, and social media integration. Ensure that the platform offers the features necessary to support your website's goals and requirements.
• Responsive Design: Confirm that the website builder generates responsive websites that adapt seamlessly to various devices and screen sizes. Responsive design is essential for providing a consistent user experience across desktops, tablets, and smartphones, which can impact usability and search engine rankings.
• Scalability: Consider the scalability of the website builder, particularly if you anticipate future growth or expansion. Ensure that the platform allows you to easily add new pages, features, or content as your website evolves without encountering limitations or requiring extensive redevelopment.
• SEO Tools: Assess the SEO capabilities of the website builder, including features such as customizable meta tags, keyword optimization, site maps, and analytics integration. Strong SEO tools can help improve your website's visibility and ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs).
• E-commerce Support: If you plan to sell products or services online, evaluate the e-commerce capabilities of the website builder. Look for features such as product listings, shopping carts, payment gateways, inventory management, and order tracking to ensure that the platform can support your online store requirements.
• Cost and Pricing: Compare the pricing plans and subscription options offered by different website builders. Consider factors such as the features included, storage limits, bandwidth, domain registration, and hosting fees. Choose a pricing plan that aligns with your budget and provides the necessary features for your website.
• Customer Support and Resources: Assess the level of customer support provided by the website builder, including availability, responsiveness, and support channels. Additionally, consider the availability of tutorials, documentation, and community forums where you can find help, guidance, and resources to assist you in building and managing your website.
• Reputation and Reviews: Research the reputation and reviews of the website builder to gauge user satisfaction, reliability, and performance. Look for testimonials, case studies, and online reviews from other users to gain insights into their experiences with the platform.

Be carefully considering these factors, you can select a website builder that aligns with your needs, preferences, and goals, enabling you to create a professional-quality website efficiently and effectively.

How much does it cost to build a website?

The cost of building a website can vary widely depending on several factors, including the complexity of the project, the features and functionalities required, the platform or technology used, and the level of customization. Here's a breakdown of the typical costs associated with building a website:

1. Domain Name: This is the web address of your website (e.g., www.example.com). Domain registration costs vary depending on the domain registrar and the popularity of the domain name. On average, domain registration can cost anywhere from $10 to $50 per year, with some premium domains costing significantly more.
2. Website Builder or Content Management System (CMS): If you choose to use a website builder or CMS platform like WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, or Shopify, you'll typically pay a subscription fee for access to the platform's tools, templates, hosting, and support. Prices can range from free (with limited features and branding) to $30-$300 per month, depending on the plan and provider.
3. Web Hosting: Web hosting is required to store and serve your website's files to visitors on the internet. Hosting costs vary depending on factors such as storage space, bandwidth, performance, security, and support. Shared hosting plans start at around $3 to $10 per month, while more advanced hosting options like VPS (Virtual Private Server) or dedicated hosting can range from $20 to $100+ per month.
4. Design and Development: If you hire a professional web designer or developer to create a custom website for you, the cost can vary based on the complexity of the design, the number of pages, the integration of features and functionality, and the level of customization. Freelancers may charge hourly rates ranging from $50 to $200 or more, while agencies may offer project-based pricing starting from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands of dollars or more for large-scale projects.
5. E-commerce Functionality: If you're building an online store, you'll need to consider the additional costs associated with e-commerce functionality, such as payment processing fees, SSL certificates for secure transactions, shopping cart software, product photography, inventory management systems, and compliance with legal requirements like GDPR or PCI-DSS. E-commerce solutions like Shopify or WooCommerce offer subscription plans starting from around $29 to $79 per month, plus transaction fees.
6. Maintenance and Updates: After your website is launched, you'll need to budget for ongoing maintenance, updates, and security measures to keep your site running smoothly and securely. This may include software updates, security patches, backups, content updates, domain renewals, and hosting fees. Depending on your needs, you may handle these tasks yourself or hire a web developer or maintenance service, which can range from hourly rates to monthly retainer fees.

The cost of building a website can range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars or more, depending on the scope and requirements of your project. It's essential to carefully consider your budget, goals, and priorities when planning your website to ensure that you invest wisely in creating an effective and successful online presence.

Tips for developing and building a successful website?

Tips for developing and building a successful website:

1. Define Clear Goals: Clearly define the purpose and goals of your website. Determine what you want to achieve, whether it's to inform, entertain, sell products, generate leads, or provide services.
2. Know Your Audience: Understand your target audience's preferences, needs, and behaviors. Tailor your website's content, design, and functionality to resonate with your audience and provide value to them.
3. Plan Your Content: Develop a content strategy that aligns with your goals and audience interests. Create high-quality, engaging, and relevant content that educates, entertains, or solves problems for your audience.
4. Choose the Right Platform: Select a suitable website building platform or content management system (CMS) based on your technical skills, budget, and requirements. Consider factors like ease of use, customization options, scalability, and support.
5. Focus on User Experience: Design your website with the user in mind. Prioritize usability, accessibility, and responsiveness to ensure a seamless and enjoyable experience across devices and screen sizes.
6. Optimize for SEO: Implement search engine optimization (SEO) best practices to improve your website's visibility and ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs). Optimize meta tags, headings, URLs, and content for relevant keywords, and build quality backlinks to increase authority.
7. Mobile-Friendly Design: Ensure that your website is optimized for mobile devices, as an increasing number of users access the internet through smartphones and tablets. Use responsive design techniques to adapt your website's layout and content to different screen sizes.
8. Fast Loading Speed: Optimize your website's performance to ensure fast loading times. Minimize file sizes, enable browser caching, optimize images, and use a reliable hosting provider to enhance speed and user experience.
9. Strong Visuals: Use compelling visuals, such as high-quality images, videos, graphics, and icons, to enhance the visual appeal and engagement of your website. Ensure that visuals are relevant, optimized, and aligned with your brand identity.
10. Calls-to-Action (CTAs): Include clear and compelling calls-to-action (CTAs) throughout your website to guide users toward desired actions, such as making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or contacting you. Make CTAs prominent, persuasive, and relevant to the user's journey.
11. Regular Updates and Maintenance: Continuously update and maintain your website to keep content fresh, fix bugs, improve performance, and stay secure. Regularly review analytics data to track performance, identify areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions.
12. Build Trust and Credibility: Establish trust and credibility with your audience by providing accurate information, showcasing testimonials or reviews, displaying security badges, and being transparent about your business, products, or services.
13. Promote Your Website: Implement a comprehensive marketing strategy to promote your website and attract traffic. Utilize various channels, such as social media, email marketing, content marketing, paid advertising, SEO, and partnerships, to increase visibility and reach your target audience.

Following these tips, you can develop and build a successful website that effectively engages your audience, achieves your goals, and contributes to the growth and success of your business or organization.

You are not satisfied with your website and want to transfer data to another Website Builder platform?

If you're considering transferring data from one website builder platform to another, here are some general steps you can follow

1. Evaluate New Platform: Research and select a new website builder platform that better meets your needs and preferences. Consider factors such as ease of use, design flexibility, features, pricing, and customer support.
2. Export Data: Most website builders allow you to export your website data, including content, images, and other media files. Look for options or tools within your current platform to export your data in a format that is compatible with the new platform.
3. Prepare Content: Review and organize your content to ensure it is ready for transfer to the new platform. This may involve cleaning up formatting, optimizing images, and updating any outdated information.
4. Import Data: Once you've chosen a new platform, explore its import options or tools for transferring your data from the exported files. Follow the platform's instructions to import your content, ensuring that it is properly formatted and displayed on the new site.
5. Rebuild Design: Depending on the capabilities of the new platform and your design preferences, you may need to rebuild the design of your website. Use the platform's design tools and templates to create a layout and style that aligns with your brand and goals.
6. Customize Settings: Configure the settings and preferences of your new website, including domain settings, SEO settings, security settings, and any integrations or third-party plugins you may need.
7. Test and Launch: Once you've transferred your data and customized your new website, thoroughly test its functionality, usability, and appearance across different devices and browsers. Make any necessary adjustments or fixes before officially launching the new site.
8. Redirect Traffic: If you're changing your website's domain or URL structure, set up redirects from your old site to your new site to ensure a seamless transition for visitors and maintain your search engine rankings.
9. Update Links: Update any internal and external links that may have changed as a result of the website transfer. Check for broken links and ensure that all links point to the correct pages on your new site.
10. Monitor Performance: After launching your new website, monitor its performance and user feedback to identify any issues or areas for improvement. Continuously optimize and refine your website to ensure it meets your objectives and provides a positive user experience.

You can successfully transfer data from one website builder platform to another, allowing you to improve your website and better achieve your goals.

What more are the necessary things about web building?

In addition to the steps and considerations mentioned earlier, here are some more necessary aspects of web building to consider:

1. Accessibility: Ensure that your website is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. Follow accessibility guidelines such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to make your website perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust for all users.
2. Legal Compliance: Familiarize yourself with legal requirements and regulations relevant to your website, such as privacy laws (e.g., GDPR, CCPA), data protection, copyright laws, terms of service, and disclaimers. Ensure that your website complies with these regulations to avoid legal issues.
3. Security Measures: Implement robust security measures to protect your website and users' data from cybersecurity threats, hacking attempts, malware, and other vulnerabilities. Use SSL certificates, firewalls, secure passwords, and regular security audits to safeguard your website's integrity and trustworthiness.
4. Backup and Recovery: Set up regular backups of your website data and files to ensure that you can recover quickly in case of data loss, server failure, or security breaches. Use reliable backup solutions and store backup copies securely offsite or in the cloud.
5. Performance Optimization: Continuously optimize your website's performance to ensure fast loading times, smooth navigation, and optimal user experience. Minimize HTTP requests, optimize code and images, leverage caching, and use content delivery networks (CDNs) to improve performance.
6. Analytics and Tracking: Use web analytics tools to track and analyze user behavior, traffic sources, conversion rates, and other key metrics. Gain insights into your website's performance, user engagement, and effectiveness of marketing efforts to make data-driven decisions and optimizations.
7. Content Updates and Maintenance: Regularly update and maintain your website's content, design, and functionality to keep it fresh, relevant, and engaging for users. Update information, add new content, fix broken links, and address user feedback to ensure a positive user experience.
8. Mobile Optimization: Optimize your website for mobile devices to accommodate the growing number of users accessing the internet on smartphones and tablets. Use responsive design techniques, mobile-friendly layouts, and touch-friendly navigation to provide a seamless experience across devices.
9. Social Media Integration: Integrate social media into your website to enhance engagement, expand your reach, and drive traffic. Add social sharing buttons, embed social media feeds, and encourage users to interact and share your content on social platforms.
10. Continuous Learning and Improvement: Stay informed about industry trends, best practices, and emerging technologies related to web building. Continuously learn and experiment with new tools, techniques, and strategies to improve your website and stay ahead of the curve.

Considering these additional aspects of web building, you can create a successful website that not only looks great and functions well but also meets legal requirements, prioritizes security, delivers optimal performance, and provides a positive experience for users.

Methodology

The Bonus Round (20 percent)

While not necessary, some website builders provide built-in capabilities that can be like discovering hidden treasure! These include email marketing tools to interact with your target audience, SEO tools to help your website rank higher in search results, and the flexibility to add custom code for complete control over your website's design and performance.

Price Point: (10 percent)
Budget is important! We evaluate each website builder's pricing plans, looking for scalability with plans at various price points (so you can grow without breaking the bank) and, of course, reasonable monthly fees.

The People Speak (10 percent)

We've spent a lot of time testing these website builders, but guess what? Real users can also provide vital information! We consider both good and negative feedback from real individuals to gain a complete sense of each platform's strengths and weaknesses. This allows us to establish a balanced and comprehensive rating system.

Decision Factor	Scoring Weight	Description
General Features	30%	The best website builders offer drag-and-drop functionality, templates and themes and e-commerce options. The basic features are the vital building blocks you need for creating your website, which is why we gave this section such a high weight.
Expert Score	30%	Not all the important things about a site builder can be assessed objectively. Our experts tested each tool to determine its value-to-cost ratio, ease of use and uniqueness compared to other website builders.
Extras and Inclusions	20%	Though you don’t need email marketing, SEO tools and the ability to add custom code, these built-in features are nice to have.
Pricing	10%	Pricing is an important factor in any business decision, so we considered scalability with plans at different price points and low monthly costs.
Third-Party User Reviews	10%	Despite our many hours of testing each service, we also want to consider what users of these tools have to say about them. We researched positive and negative reviews of each website builder and worked those ratings and opinions into our overall ratings.

See MoreSee Less