5 Best Website Builders for Small Businesses (2025)
We tested 15+ website builders to find the best options for small businesses, portfolios, and online stores in 2025. Our top picks with detailed comparisons.
By Emily Park
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Our Top Picks
Table of Contents
After building over 30 websites across 15+ different platforms, we’ve narrowed down the 5 best website builders for small businesses, creatives, and entrepreneurs in 2025.
Whether you’re launching a portfolio, business site, blog, or online store, there’s a perfect tool on this list for you.
How We Evaluated#
We built real websites on each platform and evaluated:
- Ease of use — How quickly can you build a professional-looking site?
- Design quality — Do the templates look modern and professional?
- Features — Blogging, ecommerce, SEO, analytics, integrations
- Pricing — Value per dollar across plan tiers
- Flexibility — Can it grow with your business?
- Performance — Site speed and mobile optimization
Quick Comparison Table#
| Builder | Best For | Starting Price | Free Plan | Our Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Squarespace | Creatives & design-focused sites | $16/mo | No | 8.5/10 |
| Wix | Maximum flexibility | $17/mo | Yes | 8.3/10 |
| WordPress | Power users & developers | $4/mo | Yes | 9.0/10 |
| Webflow | Professional designers | $14/mo | Yes | 8.7/10 |
| Carrd | Simple one-page sites | $9/yr | Yes | 7.5/10 |
1. Squarespace — Best Overall for Most Users#
Squarespace earns our top recommendation for the majority of small businesses and creatives. It strikes the perfect balance between ease of use, design quality, and feature completeness.
Why We Love It#
Squarespace makes professional web design accessible. Every template is designed by professionals, and the platform’s opinionated approach means you can’t easily make your site look bad. It’s the “Apple of website builders” — premium, polished, and focused on delivering excellent results.
The Fluid Engine editor (introduced in 2022) brought modern drag-and-drop flexibility while maintaining Squarespace’s signature clean aesthetic. You get creative control without the design paralysis that comes with too many options.
Key Highlights#
- 150+ premium templates — All professionally designed and mobile-responsive
- Excellent blogging platform — Rivals WordPress for content creators
- Solid ecommerce — Great for stores with under 5,000 products
- All-in-one platform — Hosting, domains, SSL, analytics included
- Beautiful typography — Best-in-class font rendering and reading experience
- Strong mobile apps — Manage your site from iOS/Android
Pricing#
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Personal | $16/mo | Simple websites and portfolios |
| Business | $23/mo | Professional sites with advanced features |
| Commerce Basic | $27/mo | Online stores (0% transaction fees) |
| Commerce Advanced | $49/mo | Growing stores with subscriptions |
Annual billing required for these prices (monthly is ~20% higher). 14-day free trial available.
Perfect For#
- Photographers, designers, artists, and creatives
- Small business websites (consultants, agencies, local businesses)
- Bloggers and content creators
- Boutique online stores with curated products
- Anyone who values design quality and simplicity
Not Ideal For#
- Large ecommerce operations (5,000+ products)
- Advanced developers needing full code control
- Extremely budget-conscious users (Wix and WordPress offer free plans)
- Complex web applications
Pros
- Best-in-class template designs
- Clean, intuitive editor with structure
- Excellent blogging features
- All-in-one simplicity (hosting, domains, SSL included)
- Professional results with minimal effort
- Strong customer support (24/7 live chat)
- No transaction fees on Commerce plans
Cons
- More expensive than some competitors
- No free plan (only 14-day trial)
- Less flexibility than Wix or WordPress
- Smaller third-party app ecosystem
- Can't export and self-host elsewhere
14-day free trial, no credit card required
2. Wix — Most Flexible & Feature-Rich#
Wix is the Swiss Army knife of website builders. With 900+ templates, 300+ apps, and absolute design freedom, it offers maximum flexibility for users who want complete control.
Why We Love It#
Wix doesn’t force you into any particular design structure. You can place elements anywhere with pixel-perfect precision, giving you creative freedom that rivals custom-coded sites. The extensive app marketplace means you can add virtually any functionality without coding.
The platform has matured significantly, improving SEO capabilities and performance issues that plagued earlier versions. Wix today is a serious professional tool.
Key Highlights#
- 900+ templates — Largest selection (though quality varies)
- Absolute design freedom — Place anything anywhere
- 300+ apps — Extensive marketplace for extended functionality
- Wix ADI — AI builds entire site for you by answering questions
- Free plan — Forever free (with Wix branding)
- Better SEO control — More granular optimization options
- Multichannel ecommerce — Sell on Amazon, eBay, Facebook, Instagram
Pricing#
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Testing and personal sites (with ads) |
| Light | $17/mo | Basic websites |
| Core | $29/mo | Professional sites and small stores |
| Business | $36/mo | Advanced features |
| Business Elite | $159/mo | Large ecommerce operations |
Perfect For#
- Users who want maximum customization and control
- Businesses needing extensive third-party integrations
- Multichannel sellers (Amazon, eBay, social commerce)
- Beginners who want hand-holding (Wix ADI)
- Anyone who needs a free plan to start
Not Ideal For#
- Users easily overwhelmed by too many choices
- Those prioritizing minimalist design aesthetic
- Users who want to switch templates later (requires rebuild)
Pros
- Maximum design flexibility and control
- 300+ apps for virtually any functionality
- Free plan available forever
- Easy for absolute beginners
- Better SEO control than competitors
- Multichannel ecommerce support
- Large community and extensive tutorials
Cons
- Template quality varies widely
- Can look generic without design effort
- Template switching requires site rebuild
- Free plan has Wix ads and branding
- Can become slow with many apps
- Feature overload can be overwhelming
Free forever plan available
3. WordPress — Best for Power Users & Developers#
WordPress powers 43% of all websites on the internet. WordPress.com offers a hosted version that brings WordPress power with platform simplicity, while self-hosted WordPress.org provides unlimited control.
Why We Love It#
Nothing beats WordPress for scalability and customization. With 60,000+ plugins and 10,000+ themes, you can build literally anything — from simple blogs to complex membership sites, marketplaces, and SaaS applications.
The Gutenberg block editor has modernized WordPress with a visual, intuitive editing experience while maintaining the power that developers love.
Key Highlights#
- 60,000+ plugins — Add any functionality imaginable
- 10,000+ themes — Free and premium design options
- Best SEO platform — Plugins like Yoast, SEMrush, RankMath
- WooCommerce — Most powerful ecommerce platform for large catalogs
- Infinite scalability — Powers sites from blogs to Fortune 500 companies
- Content management excellence — Industry-standard CMS
- Full code access — Customize absolutely everything
Pricing#
WordPress.com (hosted):
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Personal blogs (with WordPress.com branding) |
| Personal | $4/mo | Simple sites with custom domain |
| Premium | $8/mo | Monetization and advanced features |
| Business | $25/mo | Plugins and custom themes |
| Commerce | $45/mo | Advanced ecommerce |
WordPress.org (self-hosted):
- Free software, but requires hosting ($3-20/mo), domain ($10-20/yr), and maintenance
Perfect For#
- Bloggers and content creators (WordPress started as blogging software)
- Large online stores (WooCommerce powers 28% of all online stores)
- Developers who need full code control
- Websites requiring custom functionality
- Users who want complete ownership of their site
- SEO-focused businesses
Not Ideal For#
- Complete beginners (steeper learning curve)
- Users wanting truly hands-off website management
- Those who need phone support (WordPress.com support is limited)
Pros
- Unlimited customization and scalability
- 60,000+ plugins for any functionality
- Best SEO capabilities (Yoast, RankMath, etc.)
- WooCommerce for powerful ecommerce
- Massive community and resources
- You own your content and data
- Most affordable option (WordPress.com Personal at $4/mo)
Cons
- Steeper learning curve than drag-and-drop builders
- Requires maintenance (updates, backups, security)
- Self-hosted version requires technical knowledge
- Can be slow without optimization
- Plugin conflicts can cause issues
- Support is community-based unless you pay for managed hosting
Free plan or $4/mo for custom domain
4. Webflow — Best for Professional Designers#
Webflow bridges the gap between visual design and code. It’s a professional design tool that gives you CSS-level control through a visual interface, then generates clean, production-ready code.
Why We Love It#
Webflow is where professional designers build websites visually without sacrificing power. You get the precision of code with the speed of visual design. The platform generates clean HTML, CSS, and JavaScript that rivals hand-coded sites.
It’s not just a website builder — it’s a professional design tool used by agencies, freelancers, and in-house design teams at major companies.
Key Highlights#
- Visual CSS control — Design with the power of code, no coding required
- Responsive design tools — Granular control for mobile, tablet, desktop
- CMS — Powerful content management for dynamic sites
- Interactions & animations — Create complex animations visually
- Clean code export — Export production-ready code
- Hosting included — Fast, AWS-powered hosting
- Collaboration tools — Design systems and team workflows
Pricing#
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Learning and testing (2 projects) |
| Basic | $14/mo | Simple sites |
| CMS | $23/mo | Content-heavy sites |
| Business | $39/mo | High-traffic sites |
| Ecommerce | $29-212/mo | Online stores |
Perfect For#
- Professional web designers and agencies
- Designers who want code-level control without coding
- Developers building client sites
- Anyone outgrowing Squarespace/Wix but not wanting WordPress
- Design-focused businesses and portfolios
Not Ideal For#
- Complete beginners (significant learning curve)
- Non-designers building their first website
- Users who want pre-made templates without customization
- Quick, simple sites (too powerful for basic needs)
Pros
- Professional-grade design control
- Clean, semantic code generation
- Powerful CMS for dynamic content
- Best animation and interaction tools
- Fast, reliable hosting (AWS-powered)
- No limits on creativity
- Can export code to self-host
Cons
- Steep learning curve (20+ hours to proficiency)
- Not beginner-friendly
- More expensive for ecommerce
- Smaller template marketplace
- Fewer third-party integrations
- Overkill for simple sites
Free plan for up to 2 projects
5. Carrd — Best for Simple One-Page Sites#
Carrd is the minimalist option — a one-page website builder that does one thing beautifully: simple, responsive landing pages at an unbeatable price.
Why We Love It#
Sometimes you don’t need a multi-page website. Carrd excels at single-page sites: landing pages, portfolios, personal profiles, event pages, and simple business sites. It’s dead simple and ridiculously affordable at $9/year.
The platform proves that limitations breed creativity. With Carrd, you focus on message and design rather than getting lost in features.
Key Highlights#
- One-page focus — Optimized for single-page sites
- Beautiful templates — 100+ well-designed starting points
- Super simple — Build a site in under 30 minutes
- Incredibly affordable — $9/year for Pro ($19/year for Pro Plus)
- Fast loading — Minimal code, maximum performance
- Forms & widgets — Contact forms, newsletters, embeds
- Custom domains — Connect your domain on paid plans
Pricing#
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Testing (3 sites, limited features) |
| Pro Lite | $9/yr | Simple sites (3 sites per account) |
| Pro Standard | $19/yr | More sites (10 sites, more features) |
| Pro Plus | $49/yr | Premium features (25 sites, A/B testing) |
Perfect For#
- Personal portfolios and profiles
- Landing pages for products or services
- Event pages and RSVPs
- “Link in bio” pages (better than Linktree)
- Simple business cards and contact pages
- Side projects and MVPs
Not Ideal For#
- Multi-page websites
- Blogs (no built-in blog functionality)
- Ecommerce (limited to payment buttons)
- Complex functionality
Pros
- Extremely affordable ($9/year!)
- Dead simple to use
- Beautiful, minimal templates
- Fast loading speeds
- Perfect for landing pages
- Responsive mobile design
- No bloat or feature overload
Cons
- One page only (no multi-page sites)
- No blogging features
- Limited ecommerce (payment buttons only)
- Basic analytics
- Fewer customization options
- Not suitable for large or complex sites
Free for up to 3 basic sites
Feature Comparison#
| Feature | Squarespace | Wix | WordPress | Webflow | Carrd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Templates | 150+ premium | 900+ mixed | 10,000+ | 100+ | 100+ |
| Ease of Use | Medium | Very Easy | Medium-Hard | Hard | Very Easy |
| Design Quality | Excellent | Good | Variable | Excellent | Good |
| Blogging | Excellent | Good | Excellent | Good | No |
| Ecommerce | Good | Good | Excellent | Good | Basic |
| SEO Control | Good | Very Good | Excellent | Very Good | Basic |
| Apps/Plugins | ~40 | 300+ | 60,000+ | Limited | Basic |
| Customization | Medium | High | Unlimited | Unlimited | Low |
| Price/Value | Medium | High | Very High | Medium | Excellent |
Ecommerce Comparison#
If you’re building an online store, here’s how they stack up:
| Platform | Best For | Transaction Fees | Product Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squarespace | Small boutiques | 0% (Commerce plans) | Unlimited |
| Wix | Multichannel selling | 0% (ecommerce plans) | Unlimited |
| WordPress | Large catalogs | Depends on payment processor | Unlimited |
| Webflow | Design-focused stores | 2% (Standard), 0% (Plus) | 15,000 |
| Carrd | Simple payment buttons | Via payment processor | N/A |
For serious ecommerce (5,000+ products), consider Shopify instead of these general website builders.
How to Choose the Right Website Builder#
Choose Squarespace If:#
- You’re a creative professional (photographer, designer, artist)
- You want beautiful design without design skills
- You need a strong blogging platform
- You value all-in-one simplicity
- You’re willing to pay for premium quality
Choose Wix If:#
- You want maximum flexibility and control
- You need extensive third-party apps
- You want a free plan to start
- You prefer absolute drag-and-drop freedom
- You’re selling across multiple channels
Choose WordPress If:#
- You need unlimited scalability
- You want the best SEO capabilities
- You’re building a large ecommerce store
- You need custom functionality
- You have (or want to hire) technical skills
- You want complete ownership and control
Choose Webflow If:#
- You’re a professional designer or agency
- You want code-level design control without coding
- You’re outgrowing Squarespace/Wix limitations
- You need advanced animations and interactions
- You value clean, semantic code
Choose Carrd If:#
- You only need a one-page site
- You’re building a landing page or portfolio
- You want the most affordable option
- You value simplicity over features
- You need something fast (built in under an hour)
Our Overall Recommendation#
For most small businesses, creatives, and entrepreneurs, we recommend Squarespace. It delivers the best balance of design quality, ease of use, and features. You can build a professional-looking website in a few hours without design or technical skills.
If you need maximum flexibility and a free plan, go with Wix. If you’re a power user or developer, WordPress offers unlimited potential. If you’re a designer, Webflow provides professional-grade tools. And if you just need a simple one-page site, Carrd is unbeatable value.
The good news? Most platforms offer free trials or free plans. Test 2-3 options before committing to see which workflow feels right for you.
FAQ#
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free website builder?
Which website builder is easiest for beginners?
Do I need coding skills to build a website?
Can I switch website builders later?
What's the cheapest website builder?
Which website builder is best for SEO?
Can I sell products on these website builders?
Which website builder is best for photographers?
Do these website builders include hosting?
Can I use my own domain name?
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