Best Website Builders 2026: Ranked & Compared
This guide ranks eleven mainstream, general-purpose website builders on the same six criteria, shows each one’s score, and explains who should pick it and who should skip it. Prices come from our live WebsiteBuilders.Directory listings and each vendor’s official pricing page, checked on 23 October 2026.
If you’d rather start from your situation (photographer, agency, one-page site), our companion guide Best Website Builders 2026: Top Picks for Every Use Case is organised by use case.
How we score website builders
The scores below are our editorial rating. They are not lab benchmarks or survey data. Each builder is rated from 1 to 10 on six criteria, based on what each vendor publicly documents (features, plan limits, pricing). The overall score is a weighted average:
- Ease of use (20%) – how fast a non-technical person gets a decent site live.
- Design control (20%) – layout freedom, custom code, animation, breakpoints.
- SEO and content (20%) – metadata, redirects, sitemaps, blogging and CMS depth.
- Ecommerce (15%) – selling tools, transaction fees, product limits.
- Pricing value (15%) – what entry and mid-tier plans include, plus renewals and billing terms.
- Room to grow (10%) – collaboration, multiple sites, integrations, APIs.
Weights matter: a designer who prioritises layout freedom would put Webflow or Framer on top. Prices also vary by country and billing term, so confirm the final figure at checkout.
The ranking at a glance
| # | Builder | Score | Best for | Directory listing from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wix | 7.9 | Most small businesses | $17/mo |
| 2 | Squarespace | 7.8 | Polished brand and service sites | $25/mo |
| 3 | Hostinger | 7.6 | Tight budgets | $2.49/mo |
| 4 | Webflow | 7.5 | Designers and content-heavy marketing sites | $18/mo |
| 5 | Tilda | 7.3 | Good-looking pages, fast | $15/mo |
| 6 | Framer | 7.1 | Startups and design-led landing pages | See note below |
| 7 | Duda | 7.0 | Agencies building client sites | $25/mo |
| 8 | GoDaddy | 6.5 | Quick AI-built starter sites | $9.99/mo |
| 9 | Webnode | 6.4 | Simple, low-cost multilingual sites | $4.50/mo |
| 10 | Jimdo | 6.2 | Absolute beginners | $11/mo |
| 11 | Strikingly | 5.8 | One-page and small personal sites | $12/mo |
“Directory listing from” is the starting price on each builder’s directory page; plan details below come from vendor pricing pages.
1. Wix – best all-round website builder (7.9/10)
Scores: Ease 9 · Design 8 · SEO 8 · Ecommerce 8 · Value 6 · Growth 8
Wix stays on top because it is good at almost everything and weak at very little. Start from one of its 2,000+ templates or let its AI generate a first version from a prompt, then refine it in the drag-and-drop editor. Built-in tools cover a store, bookings, blog, events, and marketing and SEO, which makes Wix the safest bet if you are unsure what your site will need next year.
Pricing: Wix has a free plan with Wix branding and a wixsite.com address. When we checked its plans page, paid plans were displayed (in USD, billed yearly) at $17.77/mo for Light, $29.77/mo for Core, $39.77/mo for Business, and $159.77/mo for Business Elite. Wix notes that prices and currency vary by location. Online payments and ecommerce start on Core, not Light, so a store needs at least Core. Paid plans come with a 14-day money-back guarantee.
- Pros: huge feature range, beginner-friendly editor, strong business apps and SEO controls.
- Cons: Light can’t take payments; costs climb as needs grow; hard to migrate away.
- Who it’s for: small businesses, local services, and first-time owners who want one platform for everything.
Read the full Wix review.
2. Squarespace – best for design-led brands (7.8/10)
Scores: Ease 8 · Design 9 · SEO 7 · Ecommerce 8 · Value 7 · Growth 7
Squarespace offers less raw freedom than Wix, but its templates and Fluid Engine editor make it hard to build an ugly site. Selling products, services, and memberships is built in on every plan.
Pricing: Squarespace’s pricing page lists Basic at $25/mo ($19/mo billed annually), Core at $39/mo ($29/mo annually), Plus at $65/mo ($49/mo annually), and Advanced at $139/mo ($99/mo annually). There is no free plan, but there is a 14-day free trial with no credit card. Watch the fees: Basic charges a 2% transaction fee on online store sales, while Core and above charge 0%. Code injection and advanced code blocks also start on Core.
- Pros: excellent templates, built-in commerce on all plans, free first-year domain on annual plans.
- Cons: no free plan; less layout freedom than Wix; Basic’s 2% sales fee.
- Who it’s for: brand-conscious businesses and creatives who want a beautiful site without hiring a designer.
Read the full Squarespace review.
3. Hostinger – best value for money (7.6/10)
Scores: Ease 9 · Design 6 · SEO 7 · Ecommerce 7 · Value 10 · Growth 6
Hostinger’s builder (now Hostinger AI Builder, with drag-and-drop and AI agent modes) is the cheapest way on this list to get a hosted site on your own domain with email. It includes ecommerce with 0% Hostinger transaction fees; you give up some design depth compared with the top two.
Pricing: Hostinger’s website builder page shows Premium at $2.49/mo when you pay for 48 months upfront ($119.52), renewing at $10.99/mo. Unlimited is $3.49/mo on the same 48-month term ($167.52), renewing at $16.99/mo. There’s a 14-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Pros: very low entry price, first-year domain and mailboxes, AI writing and SEO helpers.
- Cons: lowest price needs a 4-year prepayment; much higher renewals; fewer apps than Wix.
- Who it’s for: beginners, side projects, and small businesses that want a professional basic site for as little as possible.
Read the full Hostinger Website Builder review.
4. Webflow – most powerful for designers (7.5/10)
Scores: Ease 5 · Design 10 · SEO 9 · Ecommerce 6 · Value 6 · Growth 9
Webflow would be number one if this ranking were only about control. Its visual canvas exposes real web design concepts (classes, breakpoints, GSAP-powered interactions) and pairs them with a structured CMS, detailed SEO settings, 301 redirects, and APIs. The trade-off is a real learning curve.
Pricing: our directory lists Webflow from $18/mo. On Webflow’s pricing page, site plans are free (Starter, webflow.io domain, 2 static pages), Basic at $15/mo billed yearly (custom domain, 300 static pages, no CMS), and Premium at $25/mo billed yearly (adds the Webflow CMS with up to 20,000 items). Ecommerce is a separate set of plans starting at $29/mo billed yearly with a 2% transaction fee on Standard.
- Pros: best-in-class design freedom, excellent technical SEO, strong CMS, scales to large marketing sites.
- Cons: steep learning curve; pricing split across site, workspace, and add-on plans; thinner ecommerce.
- Who it’s for: designers, agencies, and startups with content-heavy marketing sites.
Read the full Webflow review, or compare CMS options in Webflow vs Framer vs Statamic.
5. Tilda – best for good-looking pages, fast (7.3/10)
Scores: Ease 8 · Design 8 · SEO 7 · Ecommerce 6 · Value 8 · Growth 6
Tilda builds pages from pre-designed blocks that fit together well, so non-designers still get tidy layouts. Its Zero Block editor adds a freeform canvas with breakpoints and scroll animation.
Pricing: Tilda’s pricing page shows a Free plan, Personal at $15/mo month-to-month ($10/mo with annual payment) for one site, and Business at $25/mo ($20/mo annually) for five sites plus static code export.
- Pros: consistently attractive output, strong animation tools, simple pricing, code export on Business.
- Cons: smaller app ecosystem; ecommerce suits small catalogues; Personal covers one site.
- Who it’s for: freelancers, small studios, and businesses that want a sharp site without a big learning curve.
Read the full Tilda review.
6. Framer – best for startups and design-led landing pages (7.1/10)
Scores: Ease 7 · Design 9 · SEO 8 · Ecommerce 3 · Value 7 · Growth 8
Framer feels like a design tool that publishes websites: layouts, motion, and responsive behaviour are quick to build, and AI agents can generate and edit pages. It has a CMS, built-in SEO, and staging on Pro, but no native store comparable to Wix or Squarespace, hence its low ecommerce score.
Pricing: Framer’s pricing page (yearly billing) shows a Free plan, Basic at $10/mo (custom domain, 30 pages, 2 CMS collections, 50 GB bandwidth), and Pro at $30/mo (150 pages, 10 CMS collections, 100 GB, redirects, staging). Additional editors are $20/mo each. Our directory listing currently shows Framer from $5/mo, which no longer matches Framer’s published plans, so use the official figures.
- Pros: fast, modern design workflow; smooth animation; strong for marketing and launch pages.
- Cons: no real built-in store; page and CMS limits on Basic; extra editors add up for teams.
- Who it’s for: startups, SaaS teams, and designers who want a striking marketing site.
Read the full Framer review or see Framer alternatives.
7. Duda – best for agencies (7.0/10)
Scores: Ease 7 · Design 7 · SEO 8 · Ecommerce 6 · Value 6 · Growth 8
Duda is built for businesses that make websites for other businesses. Its strengths are client management, team seats, reusable templates, white-labelling, an API, and agentic SEO tools.
Pricing: Duda’s pricing page lists Basic at $25/mo ($19/mo billed annually) with one published site, Team at $39/mo ($29/mo annually), Agency at $69/mo ($52/mo annually) with four sites, and White Label at $199/mo ($149/mo annually). Additional sites cost extra, and ecommerce and bookings are premium upgrades. There’s a 14-day free trial with no credit card.
- Pros: excellent client and team tools, white-labelling, unlimited storage and bandwidth.
- Cons: poorer value for one-site owners; ecommerce costs extra; fewer consumer-style apps.
- Who it’s for: agencies and freelancers managing several client sites.
Read the full Duda review.
8. GoDaddy – best for a quick AI-built starter site (6.5/10)
Scores: Ease 9 · Design 5 · SEO 6 · Ecommerce 6 · Value 7 · Growth 5
GoDaddy’s Website Builder now centres on its Airo AI: you describe your business in plain language and it generates pages, copy, and images. It is the fastest route to something live, with less design control than the builders above.
Pricing: our directory lists GoDaddy from $9.99/mo. GoDaddy’s builder page says you can start free with 50 AI credits a month, no credit card needed, and that paid plans include a monthly credit allowance that doesn’t roll over.
- Pros: very fast AI setup, everything under one account, 24/7 phone and chat support.
- Cons: limited design depth; credit-based usage takes some getting used to; less suited to complex sites.
- Who it’s for: sole traders and small local businesses that want to be online today.
Read the full GoDaddy Website Builder review.
9. Webnode – best for simple multilingual sites on a budget (6.4/10)
Scores: Ease 8 · Design 6 · SEO 6 · Ecommerce 5 · Value 8 · Growth 5
Webnode is a straightforward builder with a low entry price and a feature many cheap builders skip: multiple language versions on its higher plans.
Pricing: our directory lists Webnode from $4.50/mo. Webnode’s pricing page says the minimum term for premium packages is one year, includes a free domain for the first year with its Mini, Standard, Profi, and Business packages, and offers a 15-day refund window on first purchases. Its plan comparison shows that the lowest tier doesn’t include the online store or removal of Webnode branding.
- Pros: low price, multilingual support, easy editor.
- Cons: annual minimum; entry tier is very limited; modest design and ecommerce depth.
- Who it’s for: small businesses and organisations needing a simple site in more than one language.
Read the full Webnode review.
10. Jimdo – best for absolute beginners (6.2/10)
Scores: Ease 9 · Design 5 · SEO 6 · Ecommerce 5 · Value 7 · Growth 4
Jimdo keeps things deliberately simple: answer a few questions, get a site, edit text and photos. That simplicity is both the point and the limit.
Pricing: our directory lists Jimdo from $11/mo. Jimdo has a free plan you can upgrade later, and its pricing page says you can pay monthly or save by paying for a 12- or 24-month term.
- Pros: very easy, low maintenance, free plan to start.
- Cons: limited layout control; fewer integrations; not ideal for growing or content-heavy sites.
- Who it’s for: first-timers who value simplicity over flexibility.
Read the full Jimdo review.
11. Strikingly – best for one-page personal sites (5.8/10)
Scores: Ease 9 · Design 5 · SEO 5 · Ecommerce 4 · Value 7 · Growth 4
Strikingly is built around simple, scrolling one-page sites, with AI help to get started. Plan limits make it a poor fit for a growing business.
Pricing: our directory lists Strikingly from $12/mo. Strikingly’s pricing page shows (billed yearly) Limited at $8/mo (up to 5 pages per site, one product, 5% transaction fee), Pro at $16/mo (up to 100 pages, 300 products, 2% fee), and VIP at $49/mo (0% fee).
- Pros: very quick to publish, clean one-page templates.
- Cons: tight limits on the cheapest plan; transaction fees below VIP; limited SEO depth.
- Who it’s for: individuals and small projects that need a single attractive page.
Head-to-head: the questions people actually ask
Wix vs Squarespace
Pick Wix for more apps, more layout freedom, and a free plan. Pick Squarespace if design consistency matters most. If you sell online, compare Wix Core with Squarespace Core, not the entry plans.
Webflow vs Framer
Webflow wins on CMS depth, technical SEO, and ecommerce; Framer wins on design speed, motion, and a gentler learning curve.
What about Shopify, WordPress, and AI-only builders?
This ranking covers general-purpose hosted builders. For large catalogues, a dedicated platform like Shopify usually fits better; see our Shopify page builder roundup. For full ownership and plugins, look at WordPress builders such as Elementor or Bricks. If you want AI to do the building, our best AI website builders guide covers Durable, 10Web, and others.
How to choose in five minutes
- Decide what the site must do: inform, take bookings, or sell.
- Be honest about skill. If you won’t learn a design tool, skip Webflow.
- Price the real plan at the billing term you’ll accept, including renewal and sales fees.
- Try before you pay. Wix, Jimdo, Webflow, Framer, Tilda, and Strikingly have free plans or tiers; Squarespace, Hostinger, and Duda offer free trials.
- Think about leaving. Few hosted builders export cleanly. Webflow (on paid workspace plans) and Tilda Business offer code export; most others don’t.
New to all of this? Our step-by-step guide to building a website without coding walks through the whole process, and best no-code website builders for small business goes deeper on business needs. If you’re planning a listings or directory site, start with our guide to the best website builders for directory sites.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best website builder in 2026?
On our weighted scoring, Wix, with Squarespace a close second. If design control matters most, Webflow.
What is the best website builder for a business?
For most small businesses, Wix or Squarespace. Agencies should look at Duda; tight budgets at Hostinger.
Which website builder is cheapest?
Among paid plans here, Hostinger’s $2.49/mo is the lowest headline price, but it requires a 48-month prepayment and renews at $10.99/mo. Wix, Webflow, Framer, Tilda, and Jimdo also offer free plans with limits, such as no custom domain or visible branding.
Are these scores based on hands-on testing?
No. They are an editorial rating using the weighted criteria above, based on each vendor’s published features and pricing.
The bottom line
Choose Wix if you want one builder that can do nearly anything, Squarespace if looks come first, Hostinger if budget comes first, and Webflow or Framer if you’re a designer. For picks by use case, head to Best Website Builders 2026: Top Picks for Every Use Case, or browse every option in the WebsiteBuilders.Directory.