Using one of the best small business website builders will help you quickly and easily create, launch, and manage a great website for your small business, all without breaking the bank.
Our experts have spent thousands of hours testing and reviewing 140+ of the best website builders and hosting providers. Now I have created this list of the best small business website builders, to help you find the option that is right for you.
Each website builder on our list is beginner-friendly, requires no coding or design skill, and won’t burn a sizable hole in your budget.
Wix tops my list as the best website builder for small businesses with a range of powerful (but easy to use) tools and features. With plans starting at $17 a month, it isn’t the cheapest option, but with everything you need to build a great small business website, it offers great value for money.
Most of the best small business website builders we list below come with a level of website hosting within their packages. However, as your website grows you may need to upgrade your hosting. We’ve also listed the best web hosting providers.
Owain has been leading on all website builder content at TechRadar for over 11 month. With a background in business and marketing, he has spent 7+ years testing website builders, building his own small business websites, and writing about small business and marketing topics.
My top 3 website builders for small businesses
Looking for all the insight, but don't want to read the full guide?
In this section I have listed my top 3 small business website builders and note what they offer to earn a top spot.
Best small business website builder overall
Wix has launched a new tool that allows website owners to quickly create visual sitemaps and wireframes with AI, drastically speeding up the website creation process.
> Discover more about this latest update here
Wix recently launched a suite of new AI-powered tools designed to help users produce more, higher quality blog content. These tools leverage AI, generating ideas, text, and images for use in blog posts.
> Learn more about Wix's new AI-powered blogging tools
Wix is one of the most comprehensive website builders we’ve encountered, and this is no different when it comes to small business websites. With a wide range of features, it’s no wonder Wix is the go-to platform for over 200 million registered users.
Tools and features
Wix’s website editor operates under the simple drag-and-drop principle, offering hundreds of different attractive design choices and customization tools. It also includes features such as an image editor, animations, video backgrounds, and proprietary and third-party apps.
Wix has also recently launched its full AI website builder, which helps small businesses create websites in record time. You start by answering a few simple questions about your business. The AI tool then uses the information you provide to create a full website, complete with images and text. Once you have reviewed your generated site, you can then use the Wix website editor to make all the necessary changes and tweaks.
Even when doing the required tweaks, we found that using the AI website builder drastically sped up the website building process, making it ideal for time strapped small businesses that want to build a great looking website with little time investment. Plus, as Wix's AI website builder creates a bespoke option, it helps overcome the issues of limited template customization on Wix. Wix Studio is another new addition to the Wix platform and allows users access to advanced tools for designing website and working with clients. It is totally free for all Wix users, making it one of the best website builders for agencies.
Finally, small businesses can take advantage of additional tools like Wix Turbo, Wix Bookings, Wix Restaurants, and Wix Hotels. This makes it ideal for businesses that want simple, yet powerful tools to support their business operations.
I’ve built several websites for small businesses using Wix and found the process a breeze. The websites were simple to build, looked great, and very easy to manage once live.
Owain Williams, Editor at TechRadar Pro
Alternatives
If you don't need all the advanced tools offered by Wix, you can save yourself a small amount of money by opting for Weebly instead. Paid plans start at $10/mo and although not as advanced as Wix, Weebly still provides you with a host of powerful website building tools and features.
You can read our comparison of Wix vs Weebly to learn more.
Alternatively, if you're in the market for an advances AI website builder, but aren't convinced by Wix's price tag you may want to check out Hostinger. We have covered a full comparison of the two in our Wix AI vs Hostinger AI guide.
Plans and pricing
With the free edition, you'll get a basic service with limited bandwidth and storage (500MB) and you’ll have to put up with ads on your website.
Opting for any of the paid plans - such as the Lite package at $17 per month (with a yearly subscription) - will get you a custom domain (free for the first year), 2GB storage, removal of Wix ads and much more. However, if you want to sell online and unlock features such as advanced analytics, you'll need to go for the Core plan or above, starting at $29/mo.
There’s also a 14-day money-back guarantee if things don’t work out.
Read our Wix website builder review.
Find the best deals on Wix products with our Wix promo codes.
I’ve used Wix to build several of my own small business websites and found it to be an absolute breeze. The AI website builder is impressive and super-quick, although I personally prefer to find a template that I can then mold into exactly what I want using the editing tools. Wix is great for small businesses because of all the easy to use additional tools it comes such as simple ecommerce and SEO features. I recently set up a website to take bookings on Wix and found the customer support incredibly patient and helpful when I was trying to get the system to work exactly how I wanted. ★★★★½ Read more: Wix review
Best small business website builder for beginners
Weebly is a great option if you want a very simple website or online store, so it’s ideal for startups, entrepreneurs or businesses that don’t conduct their business solely online.
Tools and features
Weebly scored high marks in our review for its easy-to-use drag and drop editor, good-looking website templates, and small business-friendly features such as its library of third-party apps and integrations (ecommerce, social media, marketing, customer support and more.)
It wasn't all good news - there are no blog templates, for instance, so you must design your own - but there were no critical issues, and overall Weebly is a strong all-round website builder for first-time users.
We found that although Weebly lacks some of the advanced functionality you find on other platform such as AI tools and a wide array of templates, unless you actually need those extras, its affordability and usability make it a great alternative to some others on this list.
Alternatives
If you want more advanced tools and more advanced customization options, Wix is well worth considering, although it will cost you a little more. You can read our full Wix vs Weebly review to learn more.
Equally, if you need more advanced ecommerce tools, a specialist ecommerce platform such as Shopify is likely to better meet your needs.
Alternatively, you may want to explore Square Online, a website builder owned by the same company as Weebly. This option offers some more advances ecommerce features than Weebly, but with a similar, affordable price tag. Read our Square Online review to learn more.
Plans and pricing
A free plan makes it easy to try the service for yourself, although Weebly-branded ads, an inability to connect a custom domain, and a minimal 500MB storage make it less suitable for long-term business use.
Opting for the Personal plan ($10/mo on the annual plan) lifts some of these limits, allowing you to connect a custom domain and sell digital goods.
Upgrading to the Professional plan ($12/mo on the annual plan) offers much more, getting you access to a free domain, SEO tools, advanced site stats, phone customer service, and support for a web store with unlimited items. If this isn’t enough, the powerful Business plan at $26/mo adds more high-end features like abandoned basket emails, item reviews, PayPal payments, and more.
The Weebly website builder is known for being one of the easiest to use website building platforms on the market. I often recommend this option to small business owners who are time-poor but want to get a professional website built without too much of an investment. However, Weebly might not be the best option for you if you are looking to create a more complex website. ★★★ Read more: Weebly review
Best small business website builder for ecommerce
Shopify is arguably one of the best ecommerce platforms on the market. Although it is widely used by business behemoths including Tesla, Gymshark, and PepsiCo, it also offers fantastic options for small businesses that want to set up, manage, and grow an online store.
Tools and features
The platform includes an intuitive website builder that makes building a site a breeze. Shopify’s website builder is the perfect choice for someone who is looking to start their online store, thanks to the huge range of ecommerce features that Shopify brings to the table.
These include advanced ecommerce tools that can be used to create a beautifully branded storefront and to manage products, inventory, payments, and shipping. Plus, you can integrate it with various marketplaces to further grow your business including Amazon, eBay, and even social media platforms, all making it a great option for omnichannel selling.
While doing a test run, we found Shopify’s dashboard quite neat and direct. It has a central hub for order tracking, customer management, analytics, and more. On top of that, the analytics suite gives detailed insights into customer behavior, sales trends, and the website’s performance.
It even has a wide variety of responsive themes that are customizable through a visual editor, where you can easily adjust layouts, fonts, colors, and other design elements without writing a single line of code. However, if you’re into coding and want to customize your theme further, Shopify gives access to the site’s JavaScript, CSS, and HTML, all giving you a free hand to make it your own.
You don’t get any call or email support with any of Shopify’s paid plans. However, there is 24/7 live chat customer support available on the platform. We tried reaching out to the support team on some queries we had, and they responded fairly quickly, which was impressive. So, if you want to build an online store and are looking for a one-stop solution, we are pretty confident that Shopify could be the right choice for you.
Alternatives
Although not a dedicated ecommerce platform like Shopify, Wix offers plenty of advanced ecommerce features and with plans starting at $12/mo, it is a lot more affordable.
However, if you really need all the extra tools that come with an ecommerce platform you can consider one of the leading ecommerce plaforms such as WooCommerce or BigCommerce. Our Magento vs WooCommerce vs BigCommerce vs Shopify guide will help you decide which option is best for you.
Although not included in this guide, Square Online is a great alternative for ecommerce stores, offering plenty of specialist ecommerce tools, but with a lower price tag than other Shopify alternatives.
Plans and pricing
You can use Shopify’s website builder along with its other ecommerce features with a 3-day free trial, which is far from the most generous free trial. However, you can also opt to use the platform for an entire month for just $1, giving you ample time to build your site and test the platforms features.
After that, you’ll have to purchase a plan to continue using it. It has three different plans to choose from. The “Basic” plan is currently priced at $29/ month (yearly payment), the “Shopify” plan comes at $79/ month (yearly payment) where you get 5 additional staff accounts, and its “Advanced” plan costs $299/ month (yearly payment), offering 15 additional staff accounts.
Having used Shopify to set up and run a small homeware ecommerce store in the past, I can confirm that this is a great website builder for small businesses. Although the platform comes with plenty of advanced tools, the initial set up and basic tools are incredibly simple to use. If you want to gamify your online sales, I recommend turning on sales notifications on the app. The "cha-ching" cash register sound is the ultimate dopamine hit and gets a little addictive! ★★★★ Read more: Shopify review
Best website builder for small business on a budget
Hostinger continues to make impressive updates to its website builder recently announcing 4 new tools. These include an AI-powered background remover and CSV product upload tool, along side a new feature that allows users to offer free and paid digital content, and the addition of custom fields to product pages.
> Discover more about updates to the Hostinger website builder
Hostinger is a popular hosting platform with a remarkably user-friendly AI-powered website builder.
Tools and features
It boasts an extensive template library featuring over 150 responsive, fully customizable templates. These templates come with a diverse range of industries and purposes, from eCommerce and blogs to portfolios and business sites, all created with a keen eye for modern aesthetics and user experience. All of this helps websites built using Hostinger not only look contemporary but also perform flawlessly across devices.
During our tests, we were amazed by Hostinger’s AI site builder that creates a complete website just by asking you a couple of questions about who you are and what type of website you are trying to build. It is not just very easy, but makes Hostinger one of the fastest website builders on the market.
Hostinger claims that it takes an average of just 28 minutes and 46 seconds to build a website with its AI site builder.
Even without the advanced AI tools, you can manually set up a website easily with their drag-and-drop editor. Plus, you can further customize their templates without writing a single line of code which makes it great for beginners.
Alternatives
If you prefer to talk to an actual person when facing website issues you may want to opt for an alternative such as Weebly, although even in this case phone support is only available on the platform's more expensive plans.
Plans and pricing
When it comes to pricing, Hostinger leaves most of its peers behind with the cheapest rates. You can buy their “Premium Website Builder ” plan along with the intuitive website builder at just $2.99/ month if you buy it for 4 years. In this you get a free domain, AI-powered website builder, marketing integrations, and more.
However, if you want to set up an online store, then you will need to go for the “Business Website Builder” which costs $3.99/mo (on a 4 year plan). In this, you get all the features present in the “Premium Website Builder” along with multiple ecommerce features, 20+ payment methods, various AI tools, and more.
Overall, Hostinger offers a great website builder for someone who wants to create a website quickly, cheaply, and without a lot of effort.
You could save on Hostinger products with our Hostinger promo codes.
Hostinger is a hot contender when it comes to the best small business website builder. Offering many similar tools to Wix, including a powerful AI website builder, the platform is built with the non-tech-savvy in mind and is super easy to use. It’s also very affordable, making it an attractive option for cash-savvy small businesses. ★★★★ Read more: Hostinger website builder review
Best small business website builder for design
In September 2024 Squarespace announced Squarespace Refresh, seeing 14+ new and updated tools and features launched across the website building platform. These include improved functionality across areas including design, invoicing, content, and marketing, with a strong theme for AI integration across the board.
> Read our full interview with Squarespace about its latest updates
> Learn more about Squarespace Refresh 2024
Squarespace is one of the best known website builders on the market - and for good reason. With all the essential website building tools and some of the most aesthetically pleasing templates on the market, it is a great option for small businesses that want to make a big impact.
Tools and features
The drag-and-drop editor is exceptionally easy to master, letting you customize each element of your website. It might appear a little basic, but don't worry: Squarespace's huge selection of beautiful templates are so stylish that you may well not want to make any changes at all (although even if you do, there are plenty of opportunities for tweaks and fine-tuning.)
In fact, during our testing we found Squarespace to offer some of the most visually appealing templates available. This makes it ideal for small businesses that value brand aesthetics.
You can also take advantage of Squarespace Blueprint AI, the platforms full AI website builder. By answering just 5 design questions about your website structure, color palette, fonts, and design preferences, Squarespace's AI will then create a bespoke site matched to your answers.
Alternatives
If you are looking for similar website building tools, including one of the best AI website builders, Wix offering is a worthy alternative and is a little cheaper to boot. For a full comparison you can check out our Wix vs Squarespace guide.
Alternatively, for a powerful ecommerce website, Shopify gives a much greater range of ecommerce tools than Squarespace.
Pricing and plans
All users can take advantage of the 14-day free trial before making up their mind about which Squarespace pricing plan is right for them. This is ideal for small businesses that want to make sure they are making the right investment.
Unlike some competitors, Squarespace doesn’t offer forever-free plan, but at $16/month its cheapest package is more than generous, making it a very price competitive small business website builder. You’ll get access to unlimited storage and bandwidth, an SSL certificate, SEO features, image/video galleries, intelligent image optimization, professional web store, performance boosting CDN support, free fonts, a free domain for a year, and more.
However, this package doesn’t include an online store. If that's what you're after, you'll need the Business plan at $23/month (billed annually) or one of the commerce plans starting at $27/month.
Check out our Squarespace promo codes for the best deals on Squarespace products.
Squarespace is best known for offering some of the most stunning templates on the market. However, they offer more than just that. With a powerful AI website builder and intuitive small business tools such as ecommerce features and a dedicated bookings system, Squarespace is a smart option for small businesses looking for a complete website building tool. ★★★★ Read more: Squarespace review
Best for marketing
HubSpot helps businesses scale by connecting marketing, sales, content marketing, and customer service. But, along with this, it also comes with a website builder that can do a lot.
Tools and features
With a What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get (WYSIWYG) editor, its website builder comes with a versatile range of templates, all of which are mobile-responsive and designed with conversion optimization in mind. Whether you're building a landing page, blog, or full-fledged business site, HubSpot provides a foundation that not only looks professional but is also tailored to meet specific business goals.
After testing the platform, we found one area where HubSpot truly shines, and that was the seamless integration with its popular CRM and marketing automation tools. If you already use their CRM, the website builder becomes the perfect extension to nurture leads, track website behavior, and create personalized experiences. Plus, it comes with excellent built-in SEO features, intuitive blogging tools, and powerful conversion elements like smart content and A/B testing capabilities.
Although HubSpot does let you do customizations with your website, it doesn't match the detailed control present in other dedicated website builders like Hostinger or Shopify. Instead, its focus leans more heavily towards using pre-built modules and sections, which can be slightly restrictive for someone who wants to build a super customized website.
Alternatives
HubSpot offers a lot with its free plan, but if you want more, entry level premium plans are expensive. A cheaper and easier-to-use alternative is Weebly, with premium plans starting at just $10/mo.
Plans and pricing
HubSpot’s website builder is totally free and can be used by signing up for the ‘Free Tools’ plan or above. This offers small businesses a great opportunity to get a website builder alongside other free marketing, sales, CMS, service, and commerce tools all in one place.
Another great things about HubSpot's free website builder is that it let's connect a custom domain to your site - something the majority of free website builders won't let you do.
However, if you want to increase the number and functionality of tools, you’ll need to opt for a paid plan for individuals/small businesses which start at $18/mo (paid annually) and range up to $800/mo (paid annually).
HubSpot offers a pretty impressive website building package, especially considering the fact that it is free. However, by opting for the HubSpot website builder you may find yourself tied into the company's larger ecosystem of products. This isn’t a bad thing, after all, many of the HubSpot products are great, but it can also get expensive as your needs grow. ★★★½ Read more: Hubspot website builder review
Best for quick set-up
GoDaddy have now made it easier to use its AI tools, including its AI-powered Airo website builder, through the introduction of a new API. The new API integration allows users of third party platforms to build and manage websites without ever having to go directly through GoDaddy.
> Learn more about this latest update here
GoDaddy is much more than just a place to register domains or host websites – it's a one-stop shop for creating a standout website for your small business. Popular for its user-friendly interface and straightforward approach, GoDaddy's site builder is the go-to choice for those eager to kickstart their online presence swiftly.
Tools and features
This all-in-one solution includes web hosting and a user-friendly website design editor. It's a perfect pick for newcomers and those with limited technical or design experience, thanks to its intuitive site-building tools and Artificial Design Intelligence (ADI) editor.
You can dive into almost 200 design templates or let GoDaddy's ADI set up a custom site based on your preferences, the choice is yours. Whether you're showcasing a simple portfolio or launching a full-fledged online store, with this drag-and-drop editor, tweaking your site to perfection has never been easier. However, while customization is available, it can be somewhat limited compared to platforms like Squarespace and Hostinger.
Geared toward small businesses, GoDaddy's website builder covers all the bases, boasting features like product and inventory management, online store templates, payment options, inventory tracking, shipping, tax calculations, discounts, promotions, and mobile optimization. With its intuitive interface and built-in analytics, tracking your site's performance is a breeze - no external plugins are needed.
Airo AI, GoDaddy's latest addition to its suite of tools, is designed to simplify digital marketing for small businesses. It automates tasks like suggesting domain names, crafting email marketing strategies, creating logos, and even building you a full website, saving you time and energy. By analyzing the latest trends, market shifts, and consumer behavior, Airo helps you create effective marketing plans tailored to your target audience.
Although GoDaddy may lack an app market for added bells and whistles, its comprehensive platform ensures you've got everything you need right at your fingertips. Plus, with its pocket-friendly pricing and nifty tools like the Airo AI, GoDaddy’s site builder can be an amazing ally for small businesses looking to make a splash online with minimal effort.
Alternatives
Despite being a little more expensive, Wix is also a little easier to use and typically allows for greater customization than GoDaddy. For a full comparison, you can read our guide to Wix vs GoDaddy.
Plans and pricing
While GoDaddy does offer a free plan with basic features, its paid plans start at $10.99/mo and come complete with essentials like SSL certificates, custom domains, and round-the-clock support - packing a more serious punch.
Plus, these come with superb business tools such as appointment scheduling, email marketing, social media management, graphic design, and customer relationship management (CRM).
You can save on your GoDaddy subscription with our GoDaddy promo codes.
GoDaddy has been a champion of small businesses for many years. Although its website builder features have previously been known for being a little simplistic, recent updates have made it a worthy contender, especially in the small business space. Perhaps the biggest reason for this is the launch of GoDaddy Airo, a new dedicated AI-powered small business tool that includes a complete AI website builder, making it easier and faster than ever before to get your small business online. ★★★★ Read more: GoDaddy website builder review
Best website builder for small business: Compared
Picking which website builder is right for your small business can be tricky, especially when there are so many great options. Below we have listed some of the most important factors to consider when picking a website builder, comparing each from the website builders on this list.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Wix | Weebly | Shopify | Squarespace | Hubspot | Hostinger | GoDaddy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Our rating | ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐½ | ⭐⭐⭐½ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Best for | All small businesses | Website building beginners | Building online stores | Stunning website design | Integrating with other small business tools | A great deal and helpful AI tools | Getting your business off the ground |
| Free plan/trial | Limited free plan | Limited free plan | 3-day free trial, then 3-months for $1/mo | 14-day free trial | Free plan | No | 30-day free trial on most plans |
| Paid plans starting at (paid annually) | $17/mo | $10/mo | $29/mo | $16/mo | Website builder is free. Paid tools start at $20/mo | $2.87/mo for first 12-months. Renews at $9.99/mo | $10.99/mo for first 12 months. Renews at $12.99/mo. |
| Ecommerce functionality | Yes - on the Core plan and above | Yes - on all plans | Yes - on all plans | Yes - on Business plan and above | Yes | Yes - on the Business Website Builder plan | Yes - on the Commerce plan |
| Support | 24/7 support available | Chat, email, and forum support on all plans, phone support on higher tiered plans | 24/7 chat support, phone support on highest tier plan | 24/7 customer support | Forum only | 24/7 live chat support | 24/7 support |
How to choose the best small business website builder for you
The top website builder for small business will depend on your precise digital requirements, but there are some key site-building features which everyone needs to consider.
Ease of use
Ease of use is important for every level of user, but it's made up of many ingredients. The best services have quality templates to get you started right away, a simple drag-and-drop editor and in-depth knowledge base with simple explanations on how to create and run your site.
Design capabilities
Different website builders offer different approaches to designing websites. Which is right for you will depend on your confidence in design and how much time you have.
For example, some website builders offer a drag-and-drop approach to website building, allowing you to customize your site based on a number of predesigned sections and pages. Others offer full templates which can be edited to meet your needs. There are also several AI website builders that use information you provide to create a bespoke website in seconds.
Of course, many website builders offer a combination of all three of these approaches.
Marketing tools
Marketing tools help you engage your audience, bring more visitors to your website, and generate more sales. When looking for a website builder, look at which type of marketing tools they have on offer.
This may include email tools to help you design and send powerful marketing emails to SEO tools that help you rank your website higher on search engine result pages. Some of these may be built into the platform, or be included as an optional integration.
Integrations
Business integrations allow advanced users to link their websites to all kinds of essential business-oriented services. Common options include Google or Facebook analytics to track your visitors, Mailchimp for email marketing, or Social Stream to display social media streams on your site.
Check each website builder to see which integrations are on offer. Having these bundled into your website builder package can save you money (if you were going to pay for them anyway).
Ecommerce features
Ecommerce features are vital if you're hoping to sell online, but these vary hugely between website builders and plans. Make sure your preferred provider can handle the number of products you want to sell, and includes the payment, shipping and other tools you need.
Additional costs
It is also important to pay close attention to additional fees. For example, some website builders may offer ecommerce functionality on their cheaper plans, but charge a transaction fee on each sale. This can eat away at profits overtime, so is especially important for small businesses to consider.
Security
Website security is often overlooked, yet is an essential element to consider when picking a website builder. So, it is important to take some time to research what level of security is offered with your website builder.
Greater levels of security can help build authority and trust with your website visitors and protect your business from potential attacks.
Price
Pricing is important, but be careful when you're making comparisons. Some providers may offer good-looking deals, but only if you sign up for years, and sometimes costs soar on renewal. Read the small print carefully to be sure you understand what you're getting before signing up.
How we test the best website builders for small business
We take reviewing website builders seriously, applying a tried and tested methodology alongside special considerations. When creating this buying guide we have considered the unique needs and challenges faced by small businesses
Sign up process
When testing website builders our reviewers start by signing up and purchasing plans from website builders. They then go through the same process any small business would when creating a website for the first time.
Creating a website
We cannot get a good idea of how good a website builder is unless we use it to build a website. So, our experts go through the process of creating a website, following the same steps that any small business user would.
Assessing features and tools
Our reviewers then work through each feature and tool available. They assess how easy it is to use, how good the results are and how important they might be to a small business looking to build, manage, and grow a website.
Pricing
Small businesses are often required to achieve impressive things with not-so-impressive budgets. We take the time to assess the pricing plans on offer, looking at what you get for the money and which plans may be most applicable to small businesses.
We also look out for free trials and free plans that will allow small business users to test what is on offer before committing.
Weighing up
Because nothing can be 100% perfect, we made sure to dig out the positives and negatives of each website builder so that you have a clear understanding of what to expect.
Want to learn more about our testing process? Discover how we test website builders now.
Best small business website builder: Summary
Picking the best website builder for your small business is no easy task. In this guide we have helped you get to grips with the best options on the market and offered you insight into the tools and features which could help you build your perfect website.
Wix offers a great option for those looking for an all rounder. However, if you are looking for something specific such as advanced ecommerce tools or an aesthetically pleasing design, then other options such as Shopify or Squarespace may be better for you.
Luckily, many of the website builders we cover in this guide some with a free plan, free trial, or money back guarantee - offering you a risk free way to try and them and see which works for you.
Best small business website builders FAQs
Does my small business really need a website?
All businesses can benefit from a website.
Why? Because a website can help potential new customers find your business online, act as an extension of your brand, and provide a central location where visitors can find all the information they may need such as where you are located, what you offer, and how they can buy your products and services.
Many small businesses can also use their website to sell directly to their customers, opening up an entirely new revenue stream.
Should I build my own website or hire a web designer?
Here are some key questions to consider when deciding whether you should build your own website or hire a web designer:
1. What is your budget?
Using a website builder will typically be a lot cheaper than working with a web designer or an agency. After all, you will be paying for the time, expertise, and experience that the designer brings to the table.
Ongoing costs will also need to be considered. Designers and agencies will typically charge an ongoing cost for maintenance along with a retainer or hourly rate for any updates you need to make. On the other hand, website builders offer a more predictable and usually more affordable monthly fee.
All things considered, if your budget is relatively low, a website builder is likely to be a better choice.
2. How much time do you have?
For busy small business owners, time can be a luxury. This is where working with a designer can be appealing. Although you will need to work with a designer to communicate your website needs and vision, they can work seamlessly behind the scenes whilst you get on with your day-to-day responsibilities.
Website builders, although easy to use, are going to take up more of your time as you work things out and get your website looking and working exactly as you want. However, with new AI tools that can automate everything from design to content writing, the time you have to spend on building your website is getting shorter.
3. What are your website goals?
What you want your website to achieve will help you decide whether a website builder or a designer is the best choice for you.
For example, those looking for a simple online store or a place to host information about their business would certainly only need the functionality offered by a website building platform. However, those who are looking for more advanced functionality, say an immersive shopping experience or bespoke design elements, may need to work with a designer to achieve this.
As website builders evolve, the gap between what they offer and what designers can achieve is getting smaller. So, even if you think you need something advanced for your website, it is worth checking whether it can be achieved via using a website builder before opting to hire a professional designer.
What's the best website builder for a creative business?
Although creative businesses could use any website builder we have listed on this page, they also typically have unique needs that can be better met by specific or dedicated website builders.
For example, Squarespace is widely considered as one of the best website builders for photographers due to its beautiful templates and advanced image tools. Similarly, BandZoogle is a website builder dedicated to helping bands and musicians promote their talents and is viewed as one of the best website builders for musicians.
Do I need hosting for my small business website?
Although you certainly need hosting in order to launch your website, all of the website builders included in this guide come with a level of hosting as standard.
You may want to upgrade your hosting as your website grows and you need your website to perform better across the board. However, not all platforms will let you do this. We recommend checking what level of hosting your website builder offers and whether it is possible to upgrade before making a decision.
What is a website builder?
The answer to the question "What is a website builder?" is simple. A website builder is a tool that lets you build a website without any coding experience.
Typically you'll start by browsing a library of pre-built website designs, typically called 'templates.' A template might include common pages such as About, Services and Contact, for instance, with stylish stock images you could use right away.
Next, you'll use an editor to add new pages, and customize any content to suit your needs. Inserting your own text can be as easy as clicking in a box and starting to type, and usually you're able to add new types of content - forms, maps, videos, more - by dragging and dropping.
How long does it take to build a website for small business?
Estimating the time it might take to build your site is difficult, because it depends on so many factors: the website builder, its editor, the available templates, the features you're aiming to include, and more.
If your needs are simple and you have the main copy and images already, perhaps from an existing website, you could have something ready to go in two or three hours.
When you see what the best small business website builders have to offer, though, you might extend the site with more features: maps, product videos, image galleries, whatever works for you. Although these are easy to add, you might spend an hour or two learning how to produce the best results for a specific feature.
Web stores usually make for the most time-consuming of projects, extending into weeks or even months. Most of that is tied up in creating a product catalog, sorting out payment support, shipping and so on; the best small business website builders can still create a workable main store in as little as a day or two.
Can I create a small business website for free?
Yes, it is possible to create a website for free, but this won't typically be suitable for small business use.
Even the best free website builders typically have fewer features, for instance, more restrictions, as well as loads of ads, and no option to use your own domain. That could create such an unprofessional impression with potential customers that you'd be better off having no website at all.
Don't rule out free tiers completely, though. Wix has a free plan, and although it's not a patch on the paid offering, it's a great way to try before you buy and see if the service is right for you.
What is the easiest type of website to build?
Most small business website builders include templates for one-page websites, where users can find everything they need - product and service information, pictures, pricing, testimonials and contact details - simply by scrolling down a single page.
If your website needs are simple, or you can find templates covering your precise business type - wedding photography, say - then this as simple as website building gets. Just scroll down the template, replace the company name, product images, addresses, contact details and so on with your own, and you'll immediately have a polished and professional site.
If your company doesn't quite fit into a standard business niche, though, a one-page solution may not quite work for you. Fortunately, that's not a problem. Website templates are just a starting point, and if something's not right, you're free to rearrange sections, add pages, or do whatever else you like to build your ideal business home.
