In this article, we'll take a look at the 11 best website builders for small businesses on the market, fully ranked and reviewed plus recommendations to find out which one is best suited to your needs.
But first, here are our editor's top 7 website builders:
Top 7 Website Builders for Small Business
Are you looking for the best website builder for small business?
As a small business owner, you want to be able to create a website that looks professional from the get go to help you grow your business online without having to hire a web developer.
This is where website builders come in. These platforms take the complexity out of website development by automating most of the process for you.
All users have to do is choose a website template that fits the needs and image of their business segment and within a few minutes, they can go live with a fully functional website.
In fact, website builders have grown so sophisticated over time that they can now easily handle complex features, like full eCommerce implementations, by dragging and dropping visual objects within an intuitive user interface without the need for code.
However, finding the best website builder can be difficult, especially when there are so many different options available.
Disclosure: Although I receive affiliate compensation at no additional cost to you to support this site that compensation in no way influences my recommendations, which are strictly informed by my 10+ years of online business experience consulting for clients large and small. My aim is to always recommend tools that offer the best return for your investment (for more details, read my Affiliate Disclosure).
What is a Website Builder?
It's basically “the machine that builds the machine.”
In short, it’s a system that allows you to develop a website from scratch to launch without having to write a single line of code and without even having to be technically proficient.
Now, do website builders address the needs of every single website project you throw at them? No, in some cases, builders can be just too limiting and impractical.
But in many many cases, perhaps yours included, they're just the perfect solution to create a functional and attractive website that does everything you need at a reasonable cost — and most importantly, fast!
Perfect candidates for website builders:
- Small businesses who need to create professional looking online portfolios (e.g. realtors)
- Artists (e.g. musicians, photographers, painters, sculptors, etc.)
- Self-employed service providers (e.g. editors, writers, proofreaders, consultants, etc.)
- Small retail stores (e.g. gift shops, specialty food stores, non-chain clothing stores, non-chain pet stores, etc.)
- Hospitality services (e.g. restaurants, bars, non-chain hotels, motels, inns, b&b's, etc.)
- Professional services (e.g. chiropractors, dentists, psychologists, clinics, vets, etc.)
- Home/car service providers (e.g. plumbers, electricians, HVAC repair, painters, mechanics, body shops, etc.)
- Small food services (e.g. non-chain fast-food joints & pizza places, specialty food grocery stores, etc.)
- Small-scale services in general (e.g. accounting/bookkeeping, barbers, yoga and fitness studios, etc.)
Businesses that’ll likely find website builders limiting:
- Online business that are not localized (e.g. affiliate sites that deal with national or worldwide audiences and large amounts of traffic)
- Businesses with a complex service structure that require websites with multiple levels of menus and dozens or hundreds of pages
- eCommerce sites with a complex product mix that require a lot of advanced automation for products, taxes, shipping, etc.
- Complex multilingual websites
- Large blogs (100+ posts) with multiple categories and a large readership
Why Should you Consider a Website Builder for Your Small Business?
Website builders offer many benefits over more complex content management systems, like WordPress.
Some of the benefits of using a website builder for your small business include:
Ease of use
Website builders are intuitive to set up (point and click) and do not require a high level of technical fluency.
Most of the complexities to do with web hosting, SSL certificates, security patches, domain name servers and much more are automatically taken care of behind the scenes with no effort required on your part.
Affordability
Most website builders are very affordable at the beginning and are configured to scale with your business, making them the perfect choice for any budget.
Self-hosted implementations, on the other hand, have a lot of hidden costs that can easily escalate beyond your budget.
Versatility
Website builders offer a wide range of professionally-designed templates, with feature sets specifically tailored to many different types of businesses.
Whether you are a photographer, a therapist, a musician, an artist or own a brick-and-mortar store, you’ll be able to find a website template designed specifically for your industry.
Professional Look
With a website builder, you can create a professional-looking website in minutes without having to hire a designer.
The top platforms are constantly updating their templates with the latest industry developments to ensure that your site always looks modern and functional based on what visitors expect, from social integrations, audio and video streaming, chatbots, etc.
What are the Best Website Builders for Small Businesses?
When it comes to choosing a website builder for your business, you want to make sure you get a platform that has high uptime, is reliable, will be there in the long run and has excellent customer support.
Here are the top 11 platforms I recommend:
Best Overall:
Bluehost Website Builder is an extremely user-friendly platform that makes creating and managing a small business website easy for anyone, especially those who are not technically inclined.
It offers an abundance of features and templates to choose from, making it possible to create a website that looks professional and reflects your unique brand.
Additionally, Bluehost Website Builder is very affordable, making it a great option for small businesses on a tight tech budget.
Overall, Bluehost Website Builder is an excellent web design tool that's easy to use and provides a lot of features and customization options.
Bluehost Website Builder Features that Stand Out
- User-friendly setup wizard
- Multiple niche-based website designs to choose from
- Intuitive drag-and-drop graphical editor
- Responsive mobile editing
- Marketing design suite, including countdown timers, call-to-action buttons, social buttons and forms with built-in email marketing integration
- eCommerce store that supports online payments, a shopping cart, product pages, support for subscription revenue, and more
- Simplified search engine optimization (SEO) settings tailored to beginners
- Built-in support for blogging
- Free stock image library with hundreds of photos to choose from
- 24/7 support via phone and live chat
Best for Beginners:
2. WiX
WiX is a website builder that makes it easy to create a professional-looking small business website in minutes, without having to learn coding or design.
You can choose from a library of over 500 templates and designs that fit almost every small business niche, or you can start your design from scratch.
There's no need for your small business to incur in expensive web development and design services.
WiX also offers a wide range of features and tools to help you customize your site, including SEO assistance, social media integration, eCommerce capabilities, and more.
Plus, all WiX websites are mobile-friendly so they look great on any device.
WiX Features that Stand Out
- Over 500 customizable website templates covering multiple small business niches
- Intuitive website builder design wizard will help you get started by answering a few questions about your business
- Blog support
- Appointment scheduling extension allows you to accept bookings online
- Full-featured online store with order and inventory management
- Mobile design editor so you can customize your site for multiple screen sizes
- Personalized SEO plan that helps you fine tune your site for search engines
- Logo maker
- Custom domains
- Built-in email marketing automation
- Facebook and Instagram ad campaign creator
- Landing page builder
Best Budget:
3. Weebly
Weebly is a website builder that lets you create your small business website from scratch or choose from a selection of pre-defined templates.
You can add text, images, and videos, and Weebly will automatically optimize your site for mobile viewing. You can also use Weebly to create a blog, sell products online, or collect payments for your services.
Basic Weebly is free to use, but you can upgrade to a premium plan for added functionality.
Weebly Features that Stand Out
- Step-by-step guidance with expert starter guides and planning tools
- Wide range of professionally designed website templates
- Highly-customizable drag-and-drop website builder
- Ability to build, edit and manage your website from your mobile device
- Free domain hosting and management
- All-in-one eCommerce tools for order management, shipping, and payments
- Free blog templates
- Integrated marketing tools, including Facebook ad creator and automated email campaigns
- Optimized for search engines, including meta tag editing and responsive design
- Detailed website usage statistics
4. Webnode
Best Free Website Builder
Webnode is popular free website builder. It enables you to create a website by selecting a template and then customizing it to suit your needs.
You can add your own text, photos, and videos, as well as change its layout and design to suit your personal style.
Webnode also offers paid "premium" plans, where you can use your own domain name, get access to premium support, build an online store, offer membership registration and much more.
Webnode Features that Stand Out
- User-friendly website builder: see all the changes as you make them and have perfect control over your site's content and look
- Domain flexibility: build a free website on the Webnode subdomain or get a domain name of your own, free for the first year with a premium plan
- Reliable hosting: all Webnode websites are hosted on safe and secure servers. As your online presence grows, you can expand your storage and bandwidth to suit your needs
- Fast page loads: Webnode uses the latest hardware to ensure your site loads fast so you don't get penalized by search engines
- Full backup support built-in: you can restore any previous version of your website with the push of a button
- Professional email accounts: set up your email accounts with your own domain and with any email client your like, including Gmail, Outlook and many more
5. Zyro
Best All-in-One Website Builder
Zyro is an all-in-one website builder and eCommerce platform that makes it easy to create and manage your small business website without the need for coding.
The built-in online store includes inventory management, order processing, and sales tracking.
With Zyro, you can sell products directly to consumers or through other online marketplaces like Amazon and eBay.
The platform is easy to use, even for small businesses with no dedicated web development or design resources.
Zyro Features that Stand Out
- Designer-made templates customized for multiple small business niches
- Unlimited bandwidth and storage with all plans
- Free custom domain for one year
- AI-based business branding tools that can generate original business names, logos and slogans
- Turnkey eCommerce solution built-in, including online payments, order processing and inventory management
- Fast page loading speeds
- 24/7 customer support
- 30-day money-back guarantee
6. Shopify
Best Website Builder for eCommerce
Shopify is a comprehensive eCommerce solution that allows you to create a professional online store for your small business quickly and easily.
With Shopify, you can choose from a wide range of templates and designs, or you can create a custom look. You can also add features and functionality as needed through a simple point-and-click interface.
In addition, Shopify has built-in marketing and SEO tools to attract more visitors and generate more sales. Plus, it offers 24/7 support in case you get stuck during off hours.
Shopify Features that Stand Out
- Over 70 customizable, responsive themes for many small business niches
- Intuitive drag-and-drop store builder
- You can bring your own custom domain or purchase one through Shopify
- Mobile-friendly secure checkout
- Built-in blog with SEO support
- Automated email marketing campaigns through Shopify Email
- Marketing dashboard reports
- Automated marketing flows
- 24/7 customer support
7. Web.com
Best Website Builder for Dedicated Marketing Support
Web.com is a comprehensive web services company that helps small businesses grow online and reach new customers.
It offers a wide range of solutions, including web hosting, domain registration, site design and online marketing tools.
Its easy-to-use site builder makes it quick to create a professional-looking website for your business without the need to know coding or web design.
Web.com also has an online marketing services division with experts that work with you to create a custom marketing plan to reach new customers and grow your business that fits your budget.
With Web.com's built-in SEO tools, you can get your website found by potential customers who are searching online for small businesses like yours.
You can also use Web.com's pay-per-click advertising feature to get your website in front of targeted customers who are looking for what your small business has to offer.
Web.com Features that Stand Out
- Mobile responsive drag & drop website builder
- Over 150 professionally designed templates that work in most business niches
- Customizable social buttons, embedded social feeds, and social sharing features
- Simplified data analytics dashboard to help you get insights quickly
- Custom domain name
- Fast website loading speeds and automated backups
- Business email accounts
- eCommerce store with inventory and stock controls
- Built-in appointment scheduling
8. Squarespace
Best Website Builder for Beautiful Templates
With Squarespace, you can create a small business website that's both professional and unique in just a few clicks. You don’t need to know how to code or have any design experience.
You can choose from a wide range of templates to get started, each with its own unique look and feel. Or if you prefer, you can start from scratch and create your own custom design. All templates are fully responsive so they look great on any device.
Squarespace also provides powerful tools for building your online presence. You can add social media integration, eCommerce functionality, and more.
And if you're ever in a pinch, their customer support team is available 24/7 via phone, email, or chat.
Squarespace Features that Stand Out for Online Earners
- 100s of small business-specific templates tailored to different niches (e.g. photography, fashion, food, entertainment, travel, real estate, home decor, etc.)
- Full-featured online store with unlimited products, shopping order processing and inventory management
- Appointment scheduling and management for online bookings
- Video conferencing integration with Zoom, GoToMeeting and JoinMe
- Supports recurring purchases via subscriptions
- Email marketing automation with user-friendly HTML email editor
- Integrated data analytics
9. GoDaddy Websites
Best Website Builder for Unlimited Storage
GoDaddy Websites makes it easy and affordable to create a small business website that reflects your brand.
You can choose from a variety of pre-configured templates tailored to specific business niches or create a custom design from scratch.
With GoDaddy you get access to free hosting, unlimited storage, and the backing of a globally known domain name registrar.
All you have to do to get going is choose a template and add your content. Their 24/7 support team is very responsive, especially if you hit a snag after hours or on weekends.
GoDaddy Websites Features that Stand Out
- 100s of professionally designed responsive, mobile-friendly templates to choose from
- Free stock-photo images for your website pages
- Built-in tools for SEO, social media and email marketing
- Mobile-friendly online store with tools to manage online sales performance and inventory levels from a central dashboard
- Ability to promote and sell products on your Facebook business page in addition to GoDaddy's online store
- Built-in appointment scheduling system to take online bookings with payment processing
10. Jimdo
Best Website Builder for SEO Site Optimization
Jimdo is a website builder that makes it easy for anyone without web-design or coding knowledge to create a professional-looking small business website.
You can start from scratch, or you can use one of hundreds of available templates, covering a large number of business niches.
Jimdo also offers a host of useful features, including a built-in SEO tool that helps you optimize your site for Google search results, an eCommerce tool that lets you sell products online and a blog module that helps you keep your customers updated on your latest news.
Jimdo Features that Stand Out
- Mobile-optimized templates
- Custom domains
- Free stock photo library for your website pages
- SEO tool that automates a lot of the behind-the-scenes work
- Commission-free online store
- Multiple payment options: Visa, PayPal, direct debit, etc.
- Legal Text Generator for your disclaimer pages
- Facebook and Instagram store integration
- Free logo creator
11. Duda
Best Website Builder for Agencies
Duda is a leading business website builder that primarily caters to agencies building sites for clients.
Like its competitors, you can create a professional-looking small business website in minutes, without having to learn coding or design.
Plus, Duda's powerful optimization tools make sure that your website is always loading quickly and looking great on any device.
Duda Features that Stand Out
- Multiple niche-based template designs to choose from
- Intuitive drag-and-drop editor
- Fully customizable website builder
- Responsive pages
- Over 100 font styles
- Free stock photo images and gifs
- Online store with multi-payment providers, marketing tools, and omnichannel integrations
- Gated content for members-only subscriptions
- Over 50 conversion-boosting widgets, like popups, maps, online booking, and reviews
How to Choose the Best Website Builder for Your Small Business
When looking for the best website builder for your small business, it's important to consider your needs and budget.
You want a builder that is easy to use and has all the features you need, but doesn't break the bank. At the same time, you don't want pay for extra features that you'll likely never use.
Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing a website builder:
What kind of website do you want?
Some builders are better for creating blogs or ecommerce stores, while others are more suited for creating product portfolios or informational websites. Make sure the builder you choose has the features you need to create the type of website you want.
How much experience do you have with building websites?
If you're a beginner, choose a builder that is easy to use and has plenty of tutorials and 24/7 support. If you're more experienced, you may want a builder with more flexibility and customization options.
What is your budget?
Most website builders have a range of pricing options, from a few dollars per month to several hundred dollars per year. Choose the one that fits best into your budget without paying for features you'll never really use.
The Benefits of Using a Website Builder for Your Small Business
There are many benefits of using a website builder for your small business. Perhaps the most obvious one is that website builders are a lot easier to set up than self-hosted solutions like WordPress.
They're designed from the ground up to be simple and user-friendly, so even those of us with little or no experience in web design can create a professional website in just a few minutes.
Another major benefit of using a website builder is that they are versatile and affordable.
These builders can be used to create a wide variety of websites, from simple brochure websites to full-blown ecommerce stores with multiple products.
Finally, another key benefit of using a website builder is that they can help you grow your online business significantly before you need to hire a professional web developer.
So, if you're looking for an easy and affordable way to create a professional website for your small business, then a website builder might just the perfect solution for you.
How to Create a Professional Small Business Website With a Website Builder
Creating a professional website can be a daunting task, but with a website builder it can be easy and affordable.
Here are the basic steps to follow:
1. Choose a website builder. There are many different builders available, so be sure to choose one that is right for your business, as discussed above.
2. Register for an account with the builder. Sign up for an entry-level account at the beginning as you're developing the site. You can always upgrade to larger plans later as you grow.
3. Choose a template. The best builders offer a wide variety of templates to choose from for every imaginable business niche, so make sure to pick one for your business that requires a minimal amount of customization.
4. Customize your template. So, once you settle on your template, customize it to your brand. Add your logo, change the colors, and add your content.
5. Publish your website. Once you're happy with the way your website looks, publish it and start promoting it to your customers.
Creating a professional website doesn't have to be expensive or difficult. With a website builder, you can create a website that's perfect for your business in just a few minutes.
What to Do Next?
Now that you know the basics of creating a professional website for your small business with a website builder, it's time to get started.
So, sign up for an account from one of the builders above to test the waters, choose a template, customize it to your brand, and you'll be on your way to having a great website in no time.
Most website builders have generous money-back guarantees or offer limited-time free trials.
