ShivarWeb

Better Websites. SEO. Marketing. Business.

Choosing The Right Website: Web Hosting, Ecommerce Platform Reviews & More

Choosing the right infrastructure for your website is critical. It's the foundation you'll use to build your business - whether it's an online store or personal project.

But choosing the right option is tough.

Because there is no such thing as an overall "best" option for everyone. There is no "best web hosting" or "best ecommerce website platform" - there is only the best option for you based on your goals, expertise, resources & situation.

Here's an overview of the types of reviews I've written based on my experience as either a customer or consultant.

Web Hosting Reviews

Your website has to "live" somewhere. And that somewhere is a server that "hosts" your website. I've been able to look at a wide range of web hosts and break them down based on pros & cons, or compare them to each other based on set of criteria.

My most popular web hosting review looks at the two of the industry's top brands - Bluehost vs. GoDaddy. My post on InMotion and 1&1 Hosting are also popular.

If you're getting frustrated reading about all the options, I also have a BuzzFeed-style quiz that can help you figure out the best web hosting options for you.

Find all my web hosting reviews here.

Ecommerce Hosting Reviews

There are some types of websites that need a core set of features. For ecommerce, that means a shopping cart, payment processing and inventory management. For some, it makes sense to provide those features as part of an integrated platform. My most popular ecommerce hosting review looks at Shopify. I've also written a guide to building your own ecommerce site with WordPress.

If you're getting frustrated reading about all the options, I also have a BuzzFeed-style quiz that can help you figure out the best ecommerce hosting options for you.

Find all my ecommerce hosting reviews here.

Domain & Business Software Reviews

But your business doesn't start and end with hosting - below, you'll also find reviews of domain name registrars, website builders & more. And I have quizzes on choosing domain registrars & choosing website builders too, and a full list of my favorite resources here.

Background on Ratings

I generally hate stars. They do not provide the nuance that I like to know when choosing a service. And yet, stars are a thing. We all expect stars on reviews, so my reviews have stars.

Here's what star ratings on my site mean.

1 Star - if you need the service, stop researching this company and move on. You will certainly find someone better.

2 Star - For what it's worth, this company is fine...but you'll probably be able to find a better service provider regardless of your goals.

3 Star - if there is a specific pro or feature that speaks to you - then you should feel good about using this company. Their cons or disadvantages are not especially bad across the board.

4 Star - unless there is a specific con or disadvantage that turns you off - then they are a good choice. Their pros are great across the board, but you should still keep an eye out for disadvantages that apply to your goals.

5 Star - if you need the service, stop looking and use them. I've never given a full 5 star even though Ahrefs comes super close.

Explore onwards - you'll find all my reviews listed below!

Top 8+ WordPress Themes for All Things Travel

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It’s been said that “Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.” And having an amazing website to share those changes & ideas, to showcase the beautiful experiences, and to be a part of the bigger community out there – well, it can be one of the best decisions you’ve ever made.

Themes are one of the “killer” features of using WordPress to power your website. Unlike drag and drop website builders, you start with a defined, beautiful template with built-in features. While some themes come with feature overkill (or a blank slate), there is a whole universe of themes customized for every type of website imaginable.

In fact, there are hundreds and hundreds of “off-the-shelf” WordPress themes for all things travel that have stunning design and amazing functionality like beautiful galleries, social media integration, landing pages for everything from guides & resources to blog posts and even eCommerce and forum / social network functionality.

And, even better, WordPress themes are (supposed to be) open-source & GPL licensed so you gain access to a wide community of resources and help…which means you’ll never be left high and dry by a design firm. Some require a learning curve, and some are super-simple, but all have the versatility for a traveler that wants an active online presence.

Here are the 8+ Best WordPress Themes for All Things Travel Blogging (+2 frameworks) curated from marketplaces and theme sellers around the Internet. [Read more…] about Top 8+ WordPress Themes for All Things Travel

ExpressVPN Review: Pros & Cons of Using ExpressVPN

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ExpressVPN is a virtual network provider (VPN) founded in 2009. They are based in the British Virgin Islands, and serve a far-reaching global customer base.

ExpressVPN has become one of the name-brands in the VPN industry due to their longevity (seriously, VPNs churn & burn all the time), their press coverage, their focus on product usability, and savvy advertising. ExpressVPN offers a single-plan for access to their network of 1000+ servers across 94+ countries via a range of devices including Android, iPhone, Mac & Desktop.

Skip to the Conclusion & Next Steps

After years of foolishly running my online business via public WiFi, I decided to start using a VPN to secure my communications (and access a bit of out of market sporting events while traveling).

But I found out that – similar to web hosting – there is no such thing as a “best VPN provider”. In fact, it’s like a whole world of confusing information where even trustworthy information is near-useless since it’s so complex. This ExpressVPN review are my notes from trying them out for my own purposes as a security-aware, traveling, US-based businessperson who needs good usability and good pricing. I am not a political activist or someone who regularly travels to firewalled countries.

Whether you are looking for a VPN for privacy, for website access, for avoiding geotargeting, for protecting communications or all the above, hopefully this ExpressVPN review will be useful.

See ExpressVPN’s Plans here…

Here’s my ExpressVPN review – structured with pros & cons based on my experience as a customer. [Read more…] about ExpressVPN Review: Pros & Cons of Using ExpressVPN

13+ Recommended WordPress Themes for Banks & Accountants

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Themes are one of the “killer” features of using WordPress to power your website. Unlike drag and drop website builders, you start with a defined, beautiful template with built-in features. While some themes come with feature over-kill (or a blank slate), there is a whole universe of themes customized for every type of business imaginable.

In fact, there are hundreds and hundreds of “off-the-shelf” WordPress themes for banks and accountants that have stunning design and amazing functionality like beautiful service and product pages, lease calculators, online transaction integration, and more.

And, even better, WordPress themes are (supposed to be) open-source & GPL licensed so you gain access to a wide community of resources and help. Some require a learning curve, and some are super-simple, but all have the versatility for a bank or accountant that wants an active online presence.

Here are 13+ Best WordPress Themes for Banks and Accountants (+2 frameworks) curated from marketplaces and theme sellers around the Internet. [Read more…] about 13+ Recommended WordPress Themes for Banks & Accountants

15 Select WordPress Themes for Local Small Businesses

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Themes are one of the “killer” features of using WordPress to power your website. Unlike drag and drop website builders, you start with a defined, beautiful template with built-in features. While some themes come with feature over-kill (or a blank slate), there is a whole universe of themes customized for every type of business imaginable.

In fact, there are hundreds and hundreds of “off-the-shelf” WordPress themes for small, local businesses that have stunning design and amazing functionality like beautiful galleries to display your services and products, map features, search functions and more.

And, even better, WordPress themes are (supposed to be) open-source & GPL licensed so you gain access to a wide community of resources and help…which means you’ll never be left high and dry by a design firm. Some require a learning curve, and some are super-simple, but all have the versatility for a local small business that wants an active online presence.

Here are 15 WordPress themes for small local businesses (+2 frameworks) curated from marketplaces and theme sellers around the Internet. [Read more…] about 15 Select WordPress Themes for Local Small Businesses

FatCow Hosting Review: Pros & Cons of Using FatCow

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FatCow is a web hosting brand owned by Endurance International. They offer a full spectrum of hosting services from shared hosting to dedicated servers with unique branding.

FatCow has been around for quite a while. They started in 1998 and run out Burlington, MA – in possibly the same datacenter as their sister brand iPage.

FatCow has made their name with a specific focus on beginner and DIY website owners, and a fun, friendly brand – both of which stand out in an industry traditionally focused on developers and technical server jargon.

Like most shared hosting companies, FatCow also provides email, a website builder, and various complementary services to web hosting with 24 hour support and a 30 day money back guarantee.

You can check out FatCow’s plan and promo pricing here.

I’ve had several readers email to ask my opinion about FatCow, so I decided to give them a shot in my recent shopping tour of entry-level web hosts.

Here’s my FatCow Hosting review – structured with pros & cons based on my experience as a customer. [Read more…] about FatCow Hosting Review: Pros & Cons of Using FatCow

BigCommerce vs. WooCommerce & WordPress: Differences & Using Them Together

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BigCommerce and WooCommerce + WordPress are two of the most well-known online store platforms. But if you’re considering BigCommerce vs. WooCommerce + WordPress, how do you decide which one is the best fit for you and your project?

Try BigCommerce for Free for 14 Days

See my WooCommerce Setup Tutorial

I’ve been able to consult with clients who use both BigCommerce and WooCommerce as well as running my own stores with both BigCommerce and WooCommerce. They are both excellent platforms with a full suite of options to run a successful online store.

However, they are both very different, and different businesses will certainly do better with one or the other.

I’ve written extensively on both, including a BigCommerce review, a WooCommerce setup guide, and a roundup of WooCommerce themes. But in this comparison, I’ll look at the core definitions of WooCommerce and BigCommerce, some of the differences in the areas of largest consideration for eCommerce owners, and how to use them together.

Additionally, this comparison will be very similar to my Shopify vs. WooCommerce + WordPress review. As hosted eCommerce platforms, Shopify and BigCommerce are direct competitors with each other and they both indirectly compete with WooCommerce. We’ll talk a bit more about that in the Definitions section – but it is something to keep in mind.

In most situations, it’s better to choose the type of platform you want before choosing the exact software. But since BigCommerce & WooCommerce are leading solutions – it’s just as helpful to look at them head to head (in addition to ways that you can use them together).

Make sense? Awesome.

If you want to jump right to a condensed recommendation, I’ll outline which one is likely a better fit for different types of eCommerce store owners in Next Steps.

Let’s dive into this comparison of BigCommerce vs. WooCommerce & WordPress.

Skip to the Conclusion & Next Steps

[Read more…] about BigCommerce vs. WooCommerce & WordPress: Differences & Using Them Together

Best 8 Themes for Real Estate WordPress Websites

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A lot of real estate business owners assume that to have a professional, informative, and stunning website you have to fork out a ton of money and invest in a long-term contract with a web design firm. Well, it’s simply not true. There’s another, more agile way to get started.

With WordPress Themes, you can create a fully functional website that you can manage & control yourself with a shorter learning curve than you might think.  In fact, there are hundreds and hundreds of “off-the-shelf” WordPress themes for businesses that have stunning design and amazing functionality beautiful galleries to display your listings, map features, search functions and more.

And, even better, WordPress themes are open-source so you gain access to a wide community of resources and help…which means you’ll never be left high and dry by a design firm using a proprietary software.

That said – like owning your own house – there are additional responsibilities that you’ll need to take care of when you run your own website rather than using a website builder. Be sure to think through your requirements and how you are going to actually use and market your site.

Here are 8 WordPress themes for real estate businesses and agencies (+2 frameworks) curated from marketplaces and theme sellers around the Internet. [Read more…] about Best 8 Themes for Real Estate WordPress Websites

11 Noteworthy WordPress Themes for Athletes & Coaches

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Themes are one of the “killer” features of using WordPress to power your website. Unlike drag and drop website builders, you start with a defined, beautiful template with built-in features. While some themes come with feature over-kill (or a blank slate), there is a whole universe of themes customized for every type of business imaginable.

In fact, there are hundreds and hundreds of “off-the-shelf” WordPress themes for athletes and coaches that have stunning design and amazing functionality like beautiful galleries to show off your skills & experience, pages to build your biography, blog functionality to share tricks of the trade, and more.

And, even better, WordPress themes are (supposed to be) open-source & GPL licensed so you gain access to a wide community of resources and help…which means you’ll never be left high and dry by a design firm. Some require a learning curve, and some are super-simple, but all have the versatility for athletes and coaches that want an active online presence.

Here are 11 of the best WordPress Themes for Athletes & Coaches from our favorite marketplaces around the internet. Read on!

[Read more…] about 11 Noteworthy WordPress Themes for Athletes & Coaches

HostMonster Hosting Review: Pros, Cons & Comparisons

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HostMonster is a web hosting brand owned by Endurance International. They offer shared Linux hosting (what nearly all starter website owners need) in three plans in addition to VPS and Dedicated servers. Like most hosting companies, HostMonster also provides email, a website builder, and various complementary services to web hosting.

Their datacenter is located in Provo, Utah within (what appears to be) the same facilities as their sister brand Bluehost. In fact, a large part of their brand is a replica of Bluehost and JustHost.

You can check out HostMonster’s plan and current pricing here.

One of my oldest clients uses HostMonster, but until now I’ve never written anything about them. Here’s my HostMonster Hosting review – structured with pros & cons based on my experience both as a customer and consultant to a customer.

Skip to direct comparisons or skip to the conclusion. [Read more…] about HostMonster Hosting Review: Pros, Cons & Comparisons

Top 12+ WordPress Themes for Web & Graphic Designers

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It’s only natural as a web or graphic or even interior designer to think about your own website. Whether you are an individual contractor or a large company, it’s actually *pretty* important to have a professional, informative, & stunning website yourself.

Themes are one of the “killer” features of using WordPress to power your website. Unlike drag and drop website builders, you start with a defined, beautiful template with built-in features. While some themes come with feature over-kill (or a blank slate), there is a whole universe of themes customized for every type of business imaginable.

In fact, there are hundreds and hundreds of “off-the-shelf” WordPress themes for web & graphic designers that have stunning design and amazing functionality like beautiful galleries and portfolios to display your services and products, pricing tables, bio pages, and more.

And yes – I know what you’re thinking – “I’m a designer…shouldn’t I have a custom design that I built myself?” – yes and no. Here’s the thing. You get paid when you design for other people. And just because you are a designer does not mean you are a front-end developer either. If you can get a custom design, then that is preferable. Go for it.

But if you need something that looks good, is quick and will get leads to get in touch with you…then an off the shelf theme with flexibility will allow you to focus on the work that you get paid to do.

And, even better, WordPress themes are (supposed to be) open-source & GPL licensed so you gain access to a wide community of resources and help. Some require a learning curve, and some are super-simple, but all have the versatility for a web or graphic designer that wants an active online presence.

Here are the 12+ Best WordPress Themes for Web & Graphic Designers (+2 frameworks) curated from marketplaces and theme sellers around the Internet. [Read more…] about Top 12+ WordPress Themes for Web & Graphic Designers

Top 15 WordPress Themes For Musicians & Bands

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Publicity is a major – and necessary – part of being a successful musician or band. But let’s be real. Using SoundCloud, Bandcamp, YouTube, and Facebook are great for getting off the ground, but eventually, you’ll want to get your own website.

Themes are one of the “killer” features of using WordPress to power your website. Unlike drag and drop website builders, you start with a defined, beautiful template with built-in features. While some themes come with feature over-kill (or a blank slate), there is a whole universe of themes customized for every type of business imaginable.

In fact, there are hundreds and hundreds of “off-the-shelf” WordPress themes for bands and musicians that have stunning design and amazing functionality like bio pages, tour date calendars, integrated audio players and more.

And, even better, WordPress themes are (supposed to be) open-source & GPL licensed so you gain access to a wide community of resources and help. Some require a learning curve, and some are super-simple, but all have the versatility for a musician or band that wants an active online presence.

Here are 15 of the Best WordPress Themes for Musicians and Bands (+2 frameworks) curated from marketplaces and theme sellers around the Internet. [Read more…] about Top 15 WordPress Themes For Musicians & Bands

Favorite WordPress Themes for Agencies & Consultants

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Themes are one of the “killer” features of using WordPress to power your website. Unlike drag and drop website builders, you start with a defined, beautiful template with built-in features. While some themes come with feature over-kill (or a blank slate), there is a whole universe of themes customized for every type of business imaginable.

In fact, there are hundreds and hundreds of “off-the-shelf” WordPress themes for agencies & consultants that have stunning design and amazing functionality like beautiful galleries and portfolios to display your services and products, pricing tables, social media integration, contact forms and more.

And, even better, WordPress themes are (supposed to be) open-source & GPL licensed so you gain access to a wide community of resources and help. Some require a learning curve, and some are super-simple, but all have the versatility for an agency or consultant that wants an active online presence (while also focusing on clients rather than custom web design).

Here are our Best WordPress Themes for Agencies and Consultants (+2 frameworks) curated from marketplaces and theme sellers around the Internet. [Read more…] about Favorite WordPress Themes for Agencies & Consultants

eHost Hosting Review: Pros, Cons & Comparisons

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eHost is a web hosting brand owned by Endurance International. They offer shared Linux hosting (what nearly all starter website owners need) in the form of single unlimited plan. They have been around for a while, but were only recently relaunched by their parent company.

Their datacenter is located in Houston, TX within (what appears to be) the same facilities as their sister brand HostGator. Like most shared hosting companies, eHost also provides email, a website builder, and various complementary services to web hosting.

You can check out eHost’s plan and current pricing here.

I’ve had several readers email to ask my opinion about eHost, so I decided to give them a shot in my recent shopping tour of entry-level web hosts.

Here’s my eHost Hosting review – structured with pros & cons based on my experience as a customer. [Read more…] about eHost Hosting Review: Pros, Cons & Comparisons

Just Host Hosting Review: Pros, Cons & Comparisons

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Just Host is a web hosting brand owned by Endurance International. They offer a standard selection of Linux-based web hosting solutions from shared hosting to VPS to dedicated servers, though they focus on marketing their shared hosting solution (which is what most website owners need/want).

Their datacenter is located in Provo, Utah within (what appears to be) the same facilities as their sister brand Bluehost. Like most shared hosting companies, Just Host also provides email and various complementary services to web hosting.

You can check out Just Host’s plans and pricing here.

I have a marketing client who uses Just Host, and also gave them a try myself while shopping for a discount home for a WordPress-based side project.

Here’s my Just Host Hosting review – structured with pros & cons based on my experience as a customer (and consultant to a customer of Just Host).

Skip to direct comparisons or skip to the conclusion. [Read more…] about Just Host Hosting Review: Pros, Cons & Comparisons

Volusion Review: Pros & Cons of Using Volusion for Ecommerce

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Volusion is one of the leading hosted ecommerce platforms. They focus on providing a full toolkit for ecommerce owners who want a hosted solutions. Their features lean towards the operational side of an ecommerce store (ie, inventory management, customer managment, etc) over marketing-led features.

There are a lot of Volusion reviews online – usually with user-generated reviews based on anecdotes and personal experience. That’s fine but I take a different approach. Like any option, it’s going to have some pros and some cons and will really come down to if it’s a good fit for your specific business. In this Volusion review, I’ll focus on 6 pros and 6 cons that will probably most affect your choice.

Get Volusion’s free trial here.

Skip to the Conclusion & Next Steps

Editor’s Note – This review was originally published in November 2014. It’s been updated throughout as of February 2017.

[Read more…] about Volusion Review: Pros & Cons of Using Volusion for Ecommerce

Top 7+ WordPress Themes for Mobile & Apps

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Themes are one of the “killer” features of using WordPress to power your website. Unlike drag and drop website builders, you start with a defined, beautiful template with built-in features. While some themes come with feature over-kill (or a blank slate), there is a whole universe of themes customized for every type of website imaginable.

In fact, there are hundreds and hundreds of “off-the-shelf” WordPress themes for mobile apps and app showcases that have stunning design and amazing functionality like beautiful galleries to display your newest product, social media integration, and apps tours.

And, even better, WordPress themes are (supposed to be) open-source & GPL licensed so you gain access to a wide community of resources and help…which means you’ll never be left high and dry by a design firm. Some require a learning curve, and some are super-simple, but all have the versatility for an app developer or mobile app store owner that wants an active online presence.

Here are the 12+ Best WordPress Themes for Mobile Apps (+2 frameworks) curated from marketplaces and theme sellers around the Internet. [Read more…] about Top 7+ WordPress Themes for Mobile & Apps

Best WordPress Themes for Churches & Ministries

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Looking for creative ways to get the word out about your church or ministry? Believe it or not, 61% of potential churchgoers who checked out the website beforehand said that it was “somewhat to very important” in their decision to visit that church and with the increasing number of non-profit organizations and ministries, more and more potential volunteers and donors want some sort of online engagement with their organization of choice.

But investing in a design firm or a webmaster can be an expensive affair, especially when you want to use your budget for the good of the community! With WordPress Themes, you can easily create a beautiful, functional website for your church or ministry – without knowing a bit of coding! It’s an amazing platform because it offers versatility in design, function, and user-friendliness. What’s more – you’ll have complete control and ownership over it.

There are a ton of WordPress themes out there – everything from the basic foundation to an out-of-the-box theme with all the bells and whistles you can imagine (like donation portals, event management systems, and even podcast options). And since WordPress themes are open-source, you gain access to a huge community of resources, ideas, and help. It really can’t get any better for a church or ministry trying to maintain effective communication and outreach with their community!

Finding the perfect theme can be a little overwhelming, especially if you’re new to all the lingo. Here are the Best WordPress Themes for Church & Ministry Websites from our favorite marketplaces around the internet + 2 amazing theme frameworks. [Read more…] about Best WordPress Themes for Churches & Ministries

11 Best WordPress Themes for Fitness & Personal Trainers

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One of the best ways to generate publicity and interest for your fitness or personal trainer business is a website that looks amazing – but who wants to spend a huge chunk of their budget on a web designer and contracts?

With WordPress themes you can create your own fully functional website with professional, stunning design without knowing any coding. And what’s more, you’ll have complete control and ownership over it.

There are a ton of WordPress themes out there – everything from the basic foundation to an out-of-the-box theme with all the bells and whistles you can imagine. And since WordPress themes are open-source, you gain access to a huge community of resources, ideas and help. It really can’t get any better for a fitness company or a personal trainer trying to establish a solid online presence.

Finding the perfect theme can be a little overwhelming, especially if you’re new to all the lingo. We’ve curated 11 of the best WordPress Themes for Fitness & Personal Trainer blogs, websites and businesses from our favorite marketplaces around the internet + 2 amazing theme frameworks. Read on! [Read more…] about 11 Best WordPress Themes for Fitness & Personal Trainers

WordPress Premium Plugin Providers + Free Premium WordPress Plugins

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WordPress Plugins are an enormous reason for the success of WordPress. Plugins allow anyone to add nearly any function to any WordPress powered website with a series of clicks – no coding knowledge required. You can add anything from social networking to ecommerce to email capture to SEO options to really anything you can dream up.

As a bonus for website owners the world over – thousands of plugins are free to use and available in the community supported WordPress.org repository.

That said – plugins can also present problems. Since anyone can create a plugin…they can suffer from bad quality control (to say the least). And even if a free plugin is well-supported, it might not be up to the standard that your site needs.

Although the WordPress community has a habit of destroying the idea that “you get what you pay for” – plugin code quality is usually directly related to the resources that the author has to invest in the plugin.

Enter premium plugins – aka, WordPress plugins that you pay for directly before use. “Premium” does not necessarily equal “good” but it does make the relationship more direct. If you have a critical website function, premium plugins are certainly worth a look.

Here’s a roundup of the most stable & reputable providers of premium WordPress plugins based on my experience and following of the WordPress community.

Aside – before looking at the list, please remember that WordPress is GPL licensed software and any software that is dependent on WordPress must follow the license as well. It gets complicated, but just be sure to always check that your plugin is licensed correctly to follow the GPL license.
[Read more…] about WordPress Premium Plugin Providers + Free Premium WordPress Plugins

SiteBuilder Review: 5 Pros & 5 Cons of Using SiteBuilder.com

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SiteBuilder.com is one of the faster-growing brands in the rapidly evolving website builder space. SiteBuilder focuses on core features and a clean interface. Based on feedback from my Weebly, Wix and Squarespace reviews – I gave SiteBuilder a try. Here are my 5 pros and 5 cons and full SiteBuilder review.

Skip to the Conclusion & Next Steps

Check out SiteBuilder’s current plans & pricing here.

But before we look at SiteBuilder specifically – there is a bigger concept to keep in mind. Whether you go drag and drop website builder; an installed Content Management System (CMS), or hand-coded HTML files, there are a lot of considerations that go into an building a website.

In the end, you really want someone to type in a website address and see your information, presented well with the right functionality in their browser. Whether you are building a simple project website or running a online business, the way you build your site determines a lot of what you can do both long-term and short-term.

In the long-term, the tools you use to set up your website affects your versatility, functionality, and, of course, your brand. In the short term, it can certainly add/take away a lot of headaches. That said, just like choosing a physical house or office, there is no such thing as an absolute “best” or “top” choice. There’s only the right choice relative to your goals, experience, and circumstances. [Read more…] about SiteBuilder Review: 5 Pros & 5 Cons of Using SiteBuilder.com