Best website builder for small business

published on 06 May 2024

For small businesses looking to establish an online presence, choosing the right website builder is crucial. After evaluating the top options, Wix emerges as the overall best choice, offering:

  • Easy drag-and-drop editor

  • 500+ customizable templates

  • Online store and payment gateways

  • SEO-friendly and mobile-responsive

  • Affordable plans starting at $14/month with 24/7 support

Other top contenders include:

Website Builder Best For Pricing (per month)
Squarespace Design-focused businesses $16 - $46
Shopify Ecommerce businesses $29 - $299
GoDaddy Budget-friendly websites $10 - $25
Hostinger Affordable, easy-to-use sites $2.69 - $20.99

Consider your specific needs, budget, and priorities when selecting the ideal website builder to create a professional online presence for your small business.

1. Wix

Wix

Wix is a top website builder for small businesses, offering a user-friendly platform to create a professional website without requiring extensive coding knowledge. With Wix, you can choose from hundreds of templates, customize your website's design, and add features to enhance your online presence.

Setup & Usability

Wix's drag-and-drop editor makes it easy to set up and customize your website. You can choose from various templates, and the AI-powered website builder will guide you through the process. The editor is intuitive, allowing you to add elements, text, and images without coding.

Design & Customization

Wix offers a vast collection of templates, catering to various industries and website types. You can customize your website's design, layout, and content using the drag-and-drop editor. The platform also provides design features like a logo maker, font styles, and color schemes.

Ecommerce Tools

Wix's ecommerce features enable you to create an online store, manage products, and process payments. You can set up a storefront, add products, and configure payment options, including credit cards, PayPal, and Apple Pay.

SEO & Mobile Optimization

Wix's website builder is optimized for search engines, with built-in SEO tools to help you improve your website's visibility. The platform also ensures that your website is mobile-friendly.

Cost & Support

Wix offers a range of pricing plans, starting from $17/month. The platform provides 24/7 customer support, including phone, email, and live chat support. Wix also offers a comprehensive knowledge base and tutorials to help you get started.

Wix Pricing Plans

Plan Price (per month) Features
Basic $17 Website builder, 500 MB storage, 1 GB bandwidth
Unlimited $22 Website builder, unlimited storage, unlimited bandwidth
eCommerce $27 Website builder, unlimited storage, unlimited bandwidth, online store

Overall, Wix is an excellent choice for small businesses, offering a user-friendly platform, flexible design options, and robust ecommerce features.

2. Squarespace

Squarespace

Squarespace is a popular website builder that helps small businesses create a professional website without requiring extensive coding knowledge. With Squarespace, you can choose from various templates, customize your website's design, and add features to enhance your online presence.

Setup & Usability

Squarespace's drag-and-drop editor makes it easy to set up and customize your website. You can choose from various templates, and the platform's intuitive interface will guide you through the process. The editor is user-friendly, allowing you to add elements, text, and images without coding.

Design & Customization

Squarespace offers a range of modern templates, catering to various industries and website types. You can customize your website's design, layout, and content using the drag-and-drop editor. The platform also provides design features like a logo maker, font styles, and color schemes.

Ecommerce Tools

Squarespace's ecommerce features enable you to create an online store, manage products, and process payments. You can set up a storefront, add products, and configure payment options, including credit cards, PayPal, and Apple Pay.

SEO & Mobile Optimization

Squarespace's website builder is optimized for search engines, with built-in SEO tools to help you improve your website's visibility. The platform also ensures that your website is mobile-friendly, providing a responsive design that adapts to different devices and screen sizes.

Cost & Support

Squarespace offers a range of pricing plans, starting from $16/month. The platform provides 24/7 customer support, including email, live chat, and online resources. Squarespace also offers a comprehensive knowledge base and tutorials to help you get started.

Squarespace Pricing Plans

Plan Price (per month) Features
Personal $16 Website builder, unlimited storage, unlimited bandwidth
Business $23 Website builder, unlimited storage, unlimited bandwidth, ecommerce features
Basic Commerce $27 Website builder, unlimited storage, unlimited bandwidth, ecommerce features, abandoned cart recovery
Advanced Commerce $49 Website builder, unlimited storage, unlimited bandwidth, ecommerce features, abandoned cart recovery, APIs and integrations

Overall, Squarespace is a great choice for small businesses, offering a user-friendly platform, flexible design options, and robust ecommerce features.

3. Shopify

Shopify

Setup & Usability

Shopify is a user-friendly ecommerce platform that helps small businesses create an online store without requiring extensive coding knowledge. With Shopify, you can set up and customize your website using a drag-and-drop editor, making it easy to add elements, text, and images.

Design & Customization

Shopify offers a range of customizable templates, both free and paid, that cater to various industries and website types. You can modify your website's design, layout, and content using the drag-and-drop editor. Shopify also provides design features like a logo maker, font styles, and color schemes.

Ecommerce Tools

Shopify is primarily an ecommerce platform designed for online stores of all sizes. It offers robust ecommerce features, including:

  • Inventory management

  • Various payment gateways

  • An extensive app ecosystem

You can set up a storefront, add products, and configure payment options, including credit cards, PayPal, and Apple Pay.

SEO & Mobile Optimization

Shopify's website builder is optimized for search engines, with built-in SEO tools to help you improve your website's visibility. The platform also ensures that your website is mobile-friendly, providing a responsive design.

Cost & Support

Shopify offers a range of pricing plans, starting from $39/month. The platform provides 24/7 customer support, including email, live chat, and online resources. Shopify also offers a comprehensive knowledge base and tutorials to help you get started.

Shopify Pricing Plans

Plan Price (per month) Features
Basic Shopify $39 Website builder, unlimited storage, unlimited bandwidth, ecommerce features
Shopify $105 Website builder, unlimited storage, unlimited bandwidth, ecommerce features, abandoned cart recovery
Advanced Shopify $399 Website builder, unlimited storage, unlimited bandwidth, ecommerce features, abandoned cart recovery, APIs and integrations

Overall, Shopify is a great choice for small businesses, offering a user-friendly platform, flexible design options, and robust ecommerce features.

4. GoDaddy

GoDaddy

Setup & Usability

GoDaddy is a user-friendly website builder that helps small businesses create an online presence without requiring extensive coding knowledge. With GoDaddy, you can set up and customize your website using a drag-and-drop editor, making it easy to add elements, text, and images. The platform offers a 30-day free trial, allowing you to test its features before committing to a plan.

Design & Customization

GoDaddy offers over 100 customizable templates, catering to various industries and website types. You can modify your website's design, layout, and content using the drag-and-drop editor. The platform also provides design features like a logo maker, font styles, and color schemes.

Ecommerce Tools

GoDaddy's ecommerce plan offers robust features, including:

  • Inventory management

  • Various payment gateways

  • Online store

You can set up a storefront, add products, and configure payment options, including credit cards, PayPal, and Apple Pay.

SEO & Mobile Optimization

GoDaddy's website builder is optimized for search engines, with built-in SEO tools to help you improve your website's visibility. The platform also ensures that your website is mobile-friendly, providing a responsive design.

Cost & Support

GoDaddy offers a range of pricing plans, starting from $9.99/month. The platform provides 24/7 customer support, including email, live chat, and online resources. GoDaddy also offers a comprehensive knowledge base and tutorials to help you get started.

GoDaddy Pricing Plans

Plan Price (per month) Features
Basic $9.99 Website builder, unlimited storage, unlimited bandwidth, ecommerce features
Premium $14.99 Website builder, unlimited storage, unlimited bandwidth, ecommerce features, SEO tools
Commerce $20.99 Website builder, unlimited storage, unlimited bandwidth, ecommerce features, SEO tools, appointment scheduling

GoDaddy is a great choice for small businesses, offering a user-friendly platform, flexible design options, and robust ecommerce features.

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5. Hostinger

Hostinger

Setup & Usability

Hostinger Website Builder is a powerful tool for creating high-quality webpages without technical knowledge. Its intuitive drag-and-drop editor makes it easy to place elements manually or use the AI Website Builder to create your site's foundation. This makes it a perfect option for solopreneurs and small businesses looking to go online.

Design & Customization

Hostinger Website Builder offers 150+ modern templates, eCommerce functionality, analytic tools, and SEO settings. You can also use its royalty-free image library to find fitting images for your site.

Ecommerce Tools

Hostinger Website Builder provides a full suite of eCommerce tools to help you create an online store. You can add up to 500 physical and digital products, set up product categories, and even create custom discount codes.

Cost & Support

Hostinger Website Builder offers a range of pricing plans, starting from $2.69/month. The platform provides 24/7 live support, including email, live chat, and online resources.

Hostinger Website Builder Pricing Plans

Plan Price (per month) Features
Website Builder & Web Hosting $2.49 Website builder, unlimited storage, unlimited bandwidth, eCommerce features
Business $3.99 Website builder, unlimited storage, unlimited bandwidth, eCommerce features, SEO tools

Hostinger Website Builder is a great choice for small businesses, offering a user-friendly platform, flexible design options, and robust eCommerce features.

Comparing Key Features

When choosing a website builder for your small business, it's crucial to compare the key features of each platform. Here's a breakdown of the top website builders, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses in terms of setup and usability, design and customization, ecommerce tools, SEO and mobile optimization, cost, and support.

Website Builder Comparison

Website Builder Setup & Usability Design & Customization Ecommerce Tools SEO & Mobile Optimization Cost Support
Wix Easy drag-and-drop editor 500+ templates, customizable Online store, payment gateways SEO-friendly, mobile-responsive $14-$39/month 24/7 support
Squarespace User-friendly interface 100+ templates, customizable Online store, payment gateways SEO-friendly, mobile-responsive $16-$46/month 24/7 support
Shopify Easy setup, drag-and-drop editor 100+ templates, customizable Robust ecommerce features SEO-friendly, mobile-responsive $29-$299/month 24/7 support
GoDaddy Easy setup, drag-and-drop editor 100+ templates, customizable Online store, payment gateways SEO-friendly, mobile-responsive $10-$25/month 24/7 support
Hostinger Easy setup, drag-and-drop editor 150+ templates, customizable Online store, payment gateways SEO-friendly, mobile-responsive $2.69-$20.99/month 24/7 support

Pros and Cons Summary

When choosing a website builder for your small business, it's essential to weigh the pros and cons of each platform. Here's a concise summary of the advantages and limitations of Wix, Squarespace, Shopify, GoDaddy, and Hostinger:

Wix

Pros Cons
Easy to use Limited scalability
Many templates to choose from Limited ecommerce features
Good for SEO and mobile devices Limited integrations

Squarespace

Pros Cons
User-friendly interface Limited ecommerce features
Many templates to choose from Limited integrations
Good for SEO and mobile devices Higher pricing plans

Shopify

Pros Cons
Robust ecommerce features Higher pricing plans
Many templates to choose from Limited design flexibility
Good for SEO and mobile devices Transaction fees

GoDaddy

Pros Cons
Easy to set up Limited ecommerce features
Many templates to choose from Limited integrations
Affordable pricing plans Limited scalability

Hostinger

Pros Cons
Affordable pricing plans Limited ecommerce features
Many templates to choose from Limited integrations
Easy to set up Limited scalability

Final Thoughts

After evaluating the pros and cons of each website builder, it's clear that each platform has its strengths and weaknesses. Here's a summary:

Website Builder Comparison

Website Builder Ease of Use Design Options Ecommerce Features SEO and Mobile Optimization Cost Support
Wix Easy 500+ templates Online store, payment gateways SEO-friendly, mobile-responsive $14-$39/month 24/7 support
Squarespace User-friendly 100+ templates Online store, payment gateways SEO-friendly, mobile-responsive $16-$46/month 24/7 support
Shopify Easy setup 100+ templates Robust ecommerce features SEO-friendly, mobile-responsive $29-$299/month 24/7 support
GoDaddy Easy setup 100+ templates Online store, payment gateways SEO-friendly, mobile-responsive $10-$25/month 24/7 support
Hostinger Easy setup 150+ templates Online store, payment gateways SEO-friendly, mobile-responsive $2.69-$20.99/month 24/7 support

When choosing a website builder, consider your specific needs and priorities. If you're looking for ease of use, Wix or Squarespace might be the way to go. If ecommerce features are essential, Shopify is the top choice. For those on a budget, GoDaddy or Hostinger could be the perfect fit.

FAQs

What is the best website builder for small business?

The best overall website builder for small business is Wix. It offers hundreds of templates, a suite of tools, and a flexible, beginner-friendly drag-and-drop interface. Its fairly-priced plans come with a 14-day money-back guarantee, making it ideal for small businesses starting out.

What website builder is best for small businesses?

Here's a comparison of the top website builders for small businesses:

Website Builder Best For
Wix Overall best for small businesses
Squarespace Design-focused businesses
Shopify Ecommerce businesses
GoDaddy Budget-friendly businesses
Hostinger Affordable, easy-to-use websites

Each website builder has its strengths and weaknesses. Choose the one that best fits your small business needs.

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