Do you want to reach the world with a great website that isn’t too complicated to design and run? Whether for an art folio, blog, online shop or a company that you’re just getting off the ground, these website builders provide sleek styles without any coding knowledge required.
By Jane Hosking
This website builder is probably the easiest to use with its intuitive features that include the ability to drag-and-drop images, titles, and content onto your webpage. Text can be altered in style, and there’s no need to switch between editing mode and preview mode as you simply make your edits on the website itself—so what you see is what you get. Both a pro and con about Weebly is that it doesn’t contain a huge array of tools and features. While some might find this limiting, it will please others just wanting the essential basics to build a respectable website. Weebly allows you to choose from a range of templates and you can easily create pages and sub pages. Another attractive feature of Weebly is that you can invite other people to edit your website, and allow them either full or restricted access to editing content.
Cost: Free for basic access and plans from $4 per month for more features and tools.
Features 4
Usability 5
Squarespace is another drag-and-drop website builder that can produce one of the most visually stunning websites, thanks to its designer templates and sophisticated style. While a bit more pricey than its competitors, if you’re serious about creating a sleek website that’s visually stunning and suitable for computer and mobile phone use, then Squarespace is for you. The slightly higher fee means that you get a bit more support than with other options, such as 24-hour assistance, live chat advice, and a one-hour email response turnaround time. The only real drawback about Squarespace is that it requires you to switch between editing mode and live mode, so how you see the layout in the editing view isn’t always exactly what you get when you go to preview your web page. While again you don’t need to know the code to use Squarespace, if you’re a code-lover then you do have the option to make edits to CSS if you want to further tailor your website. But there are also many tools to do this in a simple and easy way for those of us who can’t code. Another advantage of Squarespace is its comprehensive e-commerce tools if you want to create an online store.
Cost: Free 14-day trial and plans from $8 a month for an annual plan.
Features 5
Usability 4
Webs is one of the more established drag-and-drop web builders around, having been launched way back in 2001. But it still remains popular today, hosting over 55 million websites. It’s particularly appealing to small businesses and entrepreneurs who wish to build an online store using its e-commerce tools. But to get the best out of the e-commerce feature you will need to opt for the higher priced plans. On a more positive note, however, Webs doesn’t charge a transaction fee for each of your sales. Another unique feature of Webs is that it allows you to create membership access for specific users and group email these members. While Webs’ templates aren’t as impressive as some of its competitors, and the free version doesn’t provide as many tools to tailor your design, it nonetheless allows you to create a solid online presence.
Cost: Free for limited features and plans from $5.99 a month.
Features 3
Usability 4
