Best Website Builders for Small Business: Which One is Right for You?

by Cheefoo • Updated on 8 Jan, 2024

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best website builder fo small business

If you're a small business owner, having a website is crucial for success.

However, building a website can be overwhelming for those without web design experience. This is where website builders come in handy.

Check out the best website builders for small businesses and start creating your website today.


A Website Builder Overview

A website builder is an online tool that enables users to create and customize websites without the need for extensive coding or technical skills.

Witnessing a surge in adoption, the website builders market size is expected to reach USD 2602.77 million by 2027.

While website builders offer benefits like affordability and ease, challenges arise in customization limitations and potential scalability issues. 

  • Are there enough customization options to reflect my brand identity?
  • Can the chosen website builder accommodate the growth of my business?
  • What are the limitations in terms of design flexibility?
  • How easily can third-party tools and integrations be added?
  • Are there any hidden costs beyond the initial pricing?

Top Website Builders for Small Business

Here are eight of the best website builders for small business, based on the above factors:

WebWave


Freehand drag and drop website builder with layered elements and animations.

logo webwave

WebWave is a true drag and drop website builder that allows you to position elements anywhere on the canvas and work with layers.

With lots of beautiful animations to choose from, WebWave has gained popularity with over 550,000 users globally.

The company has offices in Poland, Romania, and Australia and offers a range of features including shop, email, domain, SEO, and hosting.

WebWave offers three paid plans based on bandwidth and storage, and is a great choice for those looking for an intuitive, customizable website building experience.

webwave homepage

Features

  • True drag and drop website builder with intuitive graphic design-inspired interface
  • Interactive website capabilities with a range of innovative interactions and visual effects
  • Built-in email services and multilanguage website support
  • Built-in SEO checking and suggestion tool
  • Website uptime with 99.9% SLA

Best for: WebWave is most suitable for businesses that value high visuals and require a high degree of customization in their website design. It is particularly well-suited for industries such as interior design and art galleries that require a visually stunning website.

Pros:

  • User-friendly interface with fast load times
  • Highly customizable templates and design options
  • Affordable pricing plans with good value for features provided
  • Freehand, true drag-and-drop website builder allowing for more creative designs
  • Excellent customer support with quick response times

Cons:

  • Steep learning curve: the platform can take some time to learn and get used to, especially for beginners.
  • Lacking in e-commerce functionality and analytical tools.

Pricing:

WebWave offers 3 simple paid plans for users. Pricing starts at $13 per month for the monthly subscription or $10 per month for the yearly subscription. They also offer a 30-day money-back guarantee for all their plans. The plans vary based on features such as storage, bandwidth, and the number of websites you can create.


Pixpa


Build a stunning portfolio website with client galleries and e-commerce.

logo

Pixpa is an online platform designed for photographers and creators to showcase, share, and sell their work online with ease and style. 

The platform offers a range of features, including portfolio websites, client galleries, online stores, and ecommerce galleries.

Pixpa has four paid plans, with pricing based mainly on content, product, and image count, allowing users to choose the plan that best fits their needs.

Overall, Pixpa is a user-friendly and affordable option for photographers and creators looking to create a professional online presence.

pixpa homepage

Features

  • One-click website theme change
  • 25+ customizable gallery layouts to choose from
  • Zero commissions on sales
  • Password protection and right-click protection to restrict access to content
  • Built-in SEO tools for ranking on search engines

Best for: Pixpa is most suitable for photographers and creators who want a user-friendly, affordable platform to showcase, share, and sell their work online. 

Pros:

  • Easy to use with customizable templates and layouts
  • Excellent customer service with quick and thorough support
  • Affordable pricing with good value for the money
  • Built-in client galleries for collaboration and sales
  • Beautiful designs to showcase photos and create a professional online presence

Cons:

  • Limited options for third-party printing companies
  • Multilanguage site creation can be complicated
  • Learning curve for some of the finer interface details

Pricing:

Pixpa offers four paid plans, which can be paid monthly, yearly, or every two years. Prices start at $6/month for the monthly plan or $4.80/month for the yearly plan. Users can also start with a 15-day free trial, with no credit card required, and can subscribe at any time with a 30-day money-back guarantee. 


Webflow


Design and launch custom websites without coding.

logo webflow

Webflow is a versatile website builder that caters to freelancers, startups, education, and enterprise users. It is suitable for building websites and ecommerce stores and comes with AWS hosting.

With over 3.5 million users and a team of 600+ members, Webflow has established itself as a reliable platform for website creation.

What makes Webflow stand out is its ability to let you build any website you can imagine without needing to code, thanks to its visual canvas. 

You can customize your website with the full power of HTML, CSS, and Javascript. Additionally, Webflow offers a free plan until you're ready to launch, with three main paid plans based on traffic and CMS items to choose from when you're ready to upgrade.

Overall, Webflow is a user-friendly and powerful website builder that can help you bring your online vision to life.

webflow homepage

Features

  • AI-powered visual development learning journey
  • Completely visual canvas for creating, collaborating on, and scaling beautiful websites without needing to code
  • Enterprise-level scalability
  • Membership or subscription tier for gating premium content, offering online courses, and building member portals
  • Logic feature for automating marketing processes and other mission-critical workflows

Best for: Webflow is most suitable for users who want to create visually stunning websites without needing to code. It is ideal for freelancers, startups, education, and enterprise users who require scalable solutions and the ability to gate premium content or build member portals. 

Pros:

  • True creative control over UI design
  • Flexibility and robustness for building any design
  • Easy-to-use platform for codeless web development, including prototyping
  • Extensive tutorials and community forum for support

Cons:

  • Not very intuitive or easy to learn for beginners
  • Ecommerce tools are not on par with other ecommerce-specific tools
  • Complex pricing structure with limited possibilities
  • Limits static pages to 100 per project, with a rigid folder structure that isn't optimal for SEO

Pricing:

Webflow offers both general site plans and ecommerce plans, with general plans starting at $14 per month and ecommerce plans starting at $29 per month. The platform also offers team plans, which include the ability to choose workspaces and start at $16 per month.


Godaddy Website Builder


Build a professional website and market it with built-in marketing tools.

logo godaddy square

GoDaddy Website Builder is an all-in-one platform that allows small business owners to easily create and manage their online presence. With built-in tools for SEO, social media, email marketing, and e-commerce, GoDaddy Website Builder offers businesses everything they need to build and grow their online presence.

One standout feature of GoDaddy Website Builder is GoDaddy Studio, which provides users with a variety of design tools to create eye-catching content for their website. With 20+ theme filters and A.I.-powered advice from GoDaddy InSight, businesses can create a professional-looking website that reflects their brand and meets their business needs.

In addition to its website building tools, GoDaddy Website Builder also offers e-commerce functionality, making it easy for businesses to sell products and services online. 

godaddy website builder homepage

Features

  • All-in-one management of website, social media, email marketing, and ecommerce
  • Customizable themes with 20+ filters for layouts, fonts, and colors
  • Rapid page-load performance with backup and restore options
  • Action plans with continuous suggestions for a better online presence.

Best for: GoDaddy Website Builder is a great option for small business owners looking for an all-in-one platform to build and manage their online presence.

Pros:

  • Well designed UI
  • Good customer support, available 24/7
  • Easy to use, even for beginners

Cons:

  • Limited design and customization
  • Limited integrations available
  • Costly add-ons

Pricing:

Godaddy website builder offers four paid plans starting at $9.99 per month for annual billing. The price increases to $11.99 per month for the second year. Users can also start for free with no credit card required.


Shopify


Create and manage an online store with ease

logo shopify

Shopify is an all-in-one e-commerce platform that provides businesses with everything they need to grow their business online and in-store. With a range of integrated tools, businesses can sell on popular social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, as well as their own website.

One standout feature of Shopify is its fast, reliable checkout process. This makes it easy for businesses to convert potential customers into actual buyers, boosting their sales and revenue.

In addition to its e-commerce capabilities, Shopify also offers features such as inventory management, shipping and fulfillment, and marketing tools to help businesses manage their entire online store from one platform. This level of integration and ease of use makes Shopify a great option for small business owners who want a hassle-free solution for selling products online.

shopify homepage

Features

  • Access to a wide range of payment gateways
  • Inventory management and order tracking features
  • Built-in eCommerce functionality, including shopping cart and payment processing
  • Access to a range of third-party apps and integrations

Best for: Shopify is a suitable option for businesses looking for an all-in-one commerce platform to grow their online and in-store sales. With its integrated tools, fast and reliable checkout, and range of features, it's a tool that can help businesses take their online presence to the next level.

Pros:

  • Payment and shipping integration with multiple providers
  • Marketing and analytics tools for tracking sales and customer behavior
  • Wide range of third-party integrations and add-ons available in the App store.
  • User-friendly and intuitive interface

Cons:

  • Expensive for small and medium businesses
  • Limited B2B functionality without buying multiple apps
  • Limited theme options
  • Costly as business grows

Pricing:

Shopify offers three paid plans that start from $39 per month. The pricing is based on the level of report details and credit card rates.


Squarespace


Build your online presence with stunning templates and powerful tools.

logo squarespace

Squarespace is a website building and e-commerce platform that was founded in 2003. With its user-friendly interface, Squarespace makes it easy for businesses to create a professional-looking website quickly and easily.

One standout feature of Squarespace is its ability to help businesses choose a design that is based on their specific business outcome. Whether a business is looking to showcase their local business, online store, or restaurant, Squarespace has website templates tailored to meet those specific needs.

In addition to its website building tools, Squarespace also offers features such as email campaigns and the Unfold app, which allow businesses to create stunning content for their social media platforms. Squarespace also provides e-commerce functionality, enabling businesses to sell products and services online.

squarespace homepage

Features

  • Logo maker to create professional logos easily
  • Video Studio app for creating and sharing engaging videos
  • Robust analytics and dashboards for rich audience insights
  • Email Campaigns for effective communication with audience
  • Acuity Scheduling for all-in-one appointment management

Best for: Squarespace is most suitable for those who want to quickly build a website based on their desired outcome.

Pros:

  • Sleek and modern design templates
  • Quick and easy to set up for beginners.
  • User-friendly and intuitive interface

Cons:

  • Limited customization options for advanced users
  • Cannot use a company email to have an account
  • Price may not be justifiable for some users with minimal traffic

Pricing:

Squarespace offers four paid pricing plans, with the cheapest starting at $16 per month for an annual subscription. These plans vary based on the included ecommerce tools and fees. Users can also start with a 14-day free trial.


Weebly


Affordable eCommerce with mobile app and secure checkout

logo weebly

Weebly is a website building and e-commerce platform that provides businesses with everything they need to create and manage their online presence. With its customizable templates, businesses can easily create a professional-looking website or online store.

Weebly's marketing tools include email campaigns, SEO optimization, lead capture, Instagram feed, and pop-up notifications, helping businesses attract and engage customers. Additionally, Weebly's integrated analytics provide businesses with insights into their website's performance.

One standout feature of Weebly is its mobile apps, which make it easy for businesses to track their website's performance, interact with visitors, and manage their site on the go.

weebly homepage

Features

  • Weebly mobile apps for building and managing websites on any device
  • Fully integrated shopping cart and secure checkout for ecommerce websites
  • Access to a range of third-party apps and integrations
  • Reliable customer support

Best for: Weebly is most suitable for small business owners who are looking for a standard website building and e-commerce platform that offers a free plan and allows them to upgrade as their needs increase. 

Pros:

  • User-friendly interface
  • Great for small businesses and individuals with little to no web design experience
  • Affordable pricing options

Cons:

  • Limited design flexibility compared to other website builders
  • Limited SEO features

Pricing:

Weebly offers 3 paid plans starting from $10/month for annual subscription, with priority support and advanced eCommerce features.


Wix


Flexible Design, Extensive Features

logo

Wix is an all-in-one platform that provides small business owners with everything they need to create, manage, and grow their online presence. With domain registration, hosting, and branding tools such as a customizable logo, Wix makes it easy for businesses to get started.

In addition to website and e-commerce functionality, Wix offers marketing tools including complete SEO optimization, AI-driven Facebook and Instagram Ads, and email campaigns. This enables businesses to attract and engage customers, driving traffic and sales to their website.

One standout feature of Wix is its advanced design capabilities, with thousands of templates and full-stack web development tools available for businesses to create custom functionality. Additionally, Wix's AI technology can even create a site for businesses, making the process even easier.

Wix also offers multi-cloud hosting that guarantees 99.9% uptime for businesses' websites. The Wix Owner app is also available, which enables businesses to capture leads, gain reports and insights, and automate their business processes.

wix homepage

Features

  • 1000's of advanced design capabilities
  • Full-stack web development tools for custom functionality
  • AI technology that creates a site for you
  • Multi-cloud hosting ensures 99.9% uptime
  • Wix Owner app for capturing leads, gaining reports and insights, and automating business processes.

Best for: Wix is a suitable option for small business owners looking for a comprehensive all-in-one platform. With its range of features including advanced design capabilities, full-stack web development tools, AI technology, and marketing tools, Wix can help businesses establish and grow their online presence.

Pros:

  • Beginner-friendly with drag-and-drop interface
  • No coding knowledge required to create a professional-looking website
  • Wide range of professional templates, allowing for quick website creation
  • Free logo maker for branding

Cons:

  • Not ideal for large websites or e-commerce stores.
  • Inflexible templates that cannot be easily changed once a website is live.
  • Expensive pricing as your website grows.
  • Limitations in creative design and adding code or widgets.

Pricing:

For Wix, the pricing model includes two types of plans: website plans and ecommerce plans. The website plans start from $16 per month and are based on video hours and storage. Ecommerce plans start from $27 per month and are based on storage, video hours, and ecommerce tools.


Wrapping Up

Having a website is crucial for small business success, and website builders can make the process easier for those with little to no experience in web design.

Have you used a website builder before? What was your experience like?

Let me know in the comments.

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