Best Small Business Website Builder: Which One is Right for You?

In the pre-digital age, you needed a brick-and-mortar storefront to connect with your customers. In the digital age, your website serves as that storefront, showcasing your products and services to prospective customers. A website is table stakes for any small business. No matter your industry, you need at least a basic site to drive more customers your way.

As a small business owner, especially when starting up, the thought of building your website might seem like a bridge too far. However, several platforms make building basic or complex websites more manageable than you might think. When considering website builders, it's important to evaluate the best free website options, keeping in mind that free plans often come with limitations such as branding restrictions, storage constraints, and a lack of advanced features.

In this article, we’ll cover the various platforms and help you finally answer the question, “Which website builder is right for my small business.”

We recently did a webinar on this topic with Small Business University. You can view it here.

Understanding Your Needs and Skills

Before diving into the different website-building platforms, understanding your small business’s unique needs is essential. Are you a local bakery looking to attract more customers? Using a theme from somewhere like Wix might be enough. Or maybe you’re an online boutique aiming to expand your e-commerce operations, which would mean Shopify is your best bet. Your business goals and requirements should guide your choice of a website platform.

Additionally, you need to consider your skills and time commitments. With little skill and time, you can use a template from somewhere like Squarespace and get something up quickly. Suppose you have some HTML and CSS experience and want a more comprehensive and unique site. In that case, you can consider something more advanced like Webflow. We’ll review several popular site builders here and help guide you in selecting the best website builder by comparing different platforms based on user needs.

What is a Website Builder?

A website builder is a user-friendly platform that allows you to create and design your own website without needing extensive coding knowledge. These platforms typically feature a drag-and-drop interface, making it easy to add elements like text, images, and videos to your site. Website builders come with pre-built templates and a range of features to help you manage your online presence effectively. Whether you’re looking to start a simple blog or a complex e-commerce site, website builders are designed to be accessible to individuals and small businesses alike.

Key Features to Consider

When choosing a website builder for your small business, several key features can make a significant difference in your website’s success. Here are some essential aspects to keep in mind:

Template Quality and Customization

A high-quality website builder should offer a diverse selection of templates that you can customize to reflect your brand’s identity. Look for builders that provide templates tailored to various industries and niches. The ability to easily modify colors, fonts, and layouts is crucial for creating a unique and professional-looking site that stands out.

Content and Marketing Tools

Effective content and marketing tools are vital for building and maintaining your online presence. A good website builder should include features such as:

• Blogging Tools: To share updates, news, and valuable content with your audience.
• SEO Optimization: Tools to help improve your site’s visibility on search engines.
• Social Media Integration: Easy sharing and connectivity with your social media profiles.
• Email Marketing: Built-in tools to create and manage email campaigns.
• Analytics and Reporting: Insights into your website’s performance and visitor behavior.

These tools can help you attract and engage visitors, ultimately driving more traffic to your site.

Security and Payment Options

Security is paramount, especially if you plan to sell products or services online. When evaluating website builders, ensure they offer robust security features and payment options, such as:

• SSL Certificates: To encrypt data and protect your site.
• Two-Factor Authentication: For added security.
• PCI Compliance: Ensuring your site meets industry standards for handling payment information.
• Secure Payment Gateways: Integration with trusted payment providers like PayPal and Stripe.

By considering these key features, you can choose a website builder that not only meets your needs but also helps you create a secure and successful online presence.

Popular Website Builders

Let’s begin by evaluating some of the most popular website-building platforms. We will explore the best website builders, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses to help you choose the most suitable option for your website creation goals. Additionally, we will discuss the effectiveness of each website builder for small businesses, focusing on ease of use, e-commerce functionality, and pricing.

WordPress

Skill level: Advanced

Known for its flexibility and customization options, WordPress is a top choice for businesses looking for complete website control. It’s an excellent platform for content-heavy websites, so if you do much blogging, WordPress can handle it. There’s also a vast array of plugins and themes that can help you extend your site. Additionally, WordPress offers numerous SEO tools that are crucial for small businesses engaging in e-commerce, lead generation, and online marketing. However, the more plugins you use, the more bloat and the slower your website. Plus, they can lead to security vulnerabilities. A bad WordPress plugin caused the Panama Papers leak.

WordPress Pros: SEO Tools

• Flexibility: WordPress.org offers unparalleled flexibility with thousands of plugins and themes, making it highly customizable.
• Content Management: It's an excellent choice for content-heavy websites like blogs and news sites.
• SEO-Friendly: You have complete control over SEO settings, allowing for excellent search engine optimization.
• Scalability: Suitable for small businesses looking to grow over time.
• Community Support: A vast community of users and developers provides support and resources.

WordPress Cons:

• Learning Curve: It can be challenging for beginners who need to be tech-savvy.
• Maintenance: Requires regular updates and maintenance, which may require technical expertise.
• Costs: While the platform itself is free, there are costs associated with hosting, themes, and plugins.
• Security: Vulnerable to security issues if not properly maintained.

Wix

Skill level: Beginner

Wix is user-friendly and offers a drag-and-drop interface, making it ideal for beginners. It’s a versatile platform that can suit a variety of business types. Wix also offers a free plan, which allows users to create websites without initial costs, though it includes limitations such as ads and restricted features.

Wix Pros

• User-Friendly: Extremely easy to use with a drag-and-drop interface, making it ideal for beginners.
• Design Templates: Offers a wide range of professionally designed templates.
• Cost-Effective: Affordable pricing plans, including a free option.
• Customer Support: Provides excellent customer support for users.
• Mobile Optimization: Ensures mobile-responsive websites.

Wix Cons

• Limited Customization: Less flexibility in design and customization compared to WordPress.
• Not Ideal for Complex Sites: This may not be suitable for very complex websites with specific needs.
• Long-term Scalability: Scaling a Wix site beyond a certain point may become challenging.

Squarespace

Skill level: Beginner

Squarespace is known for its stunning design templates, making it an excellent choice for businesses prioritizing aesthetics. Additionally, Squarespace offers a free domain for the first year, which helps minimize initial costs for users setting up their online presence. It’s user-friendly but offers fewer customization options compared to WordPress.

Squarespace Pros

• Stunning Design: Known for its beautiful and elegant design templates.
• Ease of Use: User-friendly with a clean and intuitive interface.
• Mobile Responsiveness: Automatically optimizes websites for mobile devices.
• Managed Hosting: Takes care of hosting and security.
• Customer Support: Provides reliable customer support.

Squarespace Cons

• Limited Customization: Less flexibility in terms of design compared to WordPress.
• E-commerce Limitations: More robust for e-commerce than platforms like Shopify.
• Pricing: Slightly more expensive than some other website builders.

Shopify for Online Store

Skill level: Intermediate

If you plan to sell products online, Shopify is a dedicated e-commerce platform. It provides robust e-commerce features and is designed to help small businesses set up and manage online stores quickly. Shopify offers specific tools and features that facilitate the creation, management, and growth of an online store, making the shopping experience seamless for both sellers and customers.

If your primary business is selling online, you should use Shopify as a part of your solution. It often makes sense to use Shopify in addition to WordPress or Webflow, where you host most of your marketing information and content and then link users to Shopify to sell products online effectively.

Shopify Pros

• E-commerce Powerhouse: Designed specifically for e-commerce, offering extensive features.
• Security: Highly secure and compliant with e-commerce regulations.
• Scalability: Easily scales as your business grows.
• Payment Options: Supports multiple payment gateways for online transactions.
• App Store: Offers a vast selection of apps to enhance functionality.

Shopify Cons

• Cost: It can be more expensive than other platforms, especially for small businesses.
• Learning Curve: This may require some learning time, especially for beginners.
• Less Versatility: While excellent for e-commerce, it's less versatile for non-e-commerce

Webflow

Skill level: Expert

Webflow is a modern website builder that stands out for its unique web design and development approach. It combines a visual design interface with powerful code-based customization options, making it a versatile choice for small businesses and designers. Webflow helps businesses establish a strong business online presence by serving as a central hub for information, facilitating direct sales, and improving marketing efforts.

Here at Peak Digital Studio, we work on Webflow because it’s the most powerful, flexible, fast, and SEO-friendly platform out there. But if you’re a small business owner with limited web experience, building something from scratch can be too much.

If you are looking for a great website that helps you do almost anything you need on the web, consider working with us!

Webflow Pros

• Advanced Design Control: Webflow allows for precise control over design elements. You can create visually stunning and highly customized websites without coding experience.
• No Coding Required (But Supported): Beginners can use Webflow's visual editor to build websites quickly, while developers can leverage its code capabilities to implement complex features.
• Responsive Design: Webflow ensures that websites are automatically responsive and optimized for various screen sizes, making them mobile-friendly.
• Content Management: It offers a built-in content management system (CMS) for managing and updating website content.
• Hosting Included: Webflow provides reliable hosting, ensuring your site is secure and performs well.
• E-commerce Features: Webflow's e-commerce capabilities allow you to set up online stores and manage products effectively.
• Custom Interactions and Animations: You can create custom animations and interactions to enhance the user experience.

Webflow Cons:

• Learning Curve: Webflow has a steeper learning curve than some other website builders, particularly for those new to web design and development.
• Complexity for Simple Sites: Webflow might be overkill for basic websites due to its robust feature set.
• Limited E-commerce Features: While it has e-commerce capabilities, it may not be as feature-rich as dedicated e-commerce platforms like Shopify.

Summary

In conclusion, the right website-building platform for your small business website depends on your unique requirements and goals. Be sure you know what you want to get out of your website and what skills are required to build it. If you want something simple, some drag-and-drop builders will work just fine. However, if you want something robust, consider a platform like Webflow and an agency like Peak Digital Studio to help you build a world-class website on your budget. Alternatively, you might weigh the option of hiring a web designer versus using a website builder, depending on your budget, time, and specific website goals.

Website Builder FAQs

What is web development?

Web development is the process of building and maintaining websites. It involves writing code for website functionality, designing the layout, and ensuring the website performs well. Web development can range from creating simple static pages to complex web applications.

What are SEO tools?

SEO tools are software applications or platforms that help you optimize your website for search engines. They assist with keyword research, performance tracking, backlink analysis, and improving website ranking. Common SEO tools include Google Analytics, Ahrefs, and SEMrush.

How to get a domain name for free?

Many hosting companies or website builders offer a free domain when you sign up for their services. Additionally, some providers like Freenom offer free domain registration for specific domain extensions, though these may have limitations in terms of control or branding.

How to create your own email domain free?

You can create your own email domain for free by using services like Zoho Mail or using your web hosting provider’s free email features. If you already own a domain, you can connect it to these services to create a custom email address like "you@yourdomain.com."

What is a web designer?

A web designer is a professional who creates the visual layout, appearance, and usability of a website. They focus on aesthetics, design principles, and user experience to ensure a site is both attractive and functional.

What is an eCommerce website?

An eCommerce website is an online platform that allows businesses or individuals to sell products or services. These websites enable users to browse products, add items to a cart, and make secure purchases. Popular eCommerce platforms include Shopify, WooCommerce, and Magento.

How to learn web development?

You can learn web development by taking online courses, reading tutorials, or joining coding bootcamps. Start by learning HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, then progress to more advanced topics like databases, backend programming, and web frameworks. Websites like freeCodeCamp, Udemy, and Codecademy offer great resources.

How to build an eCommerce website?

To build an eCommerce website, you can use platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce. First, choose a domain and hosting, then design the site, add products, set up payment gateways, and ensure a smooth user experience. Many eCommerce platforms provide templates and tools to simplify the process.

What is a web hosting service?

A web hosting service provides the infrastructure for making websites accessible on the internet. It stores your website’s data on servers and ensures it is available to users when they enter your domain name into a browser.

How much is web hosting?

The cost of web hosting can vary based on the provider and the plan you choose. Basic shared hosting can start as low as $2 to $10 per month, while dedicated servers or VPS hosting may range from $30 to $100+ per month.