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Website Builders

Learn more about website builders including in-depth reviews, comparisons, alternatives, rankings, and guides to using them more effectively.

Yahoo! Website Builder Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

Nate Shivar Updated October 7, 2020 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Yahoo! Website Builder Review_ Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

Yahoo! Small Business Website Builder is known as an all-inclusive website builder that’s tailored to helping small business owners get up and running online quickly and easily. They’re also known for offering responsive websites, which means the site fits on any device (i.e. a tablet, phone, computer).

[Read more…] about Yahoo! Website Builder Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives
Yahoo! Website Builder

Yahoo! offers good usability and accessibility but Yahoo's pricing leaves something to be desired, especially when you get into the higher priced plans and take into account the technical limitations, even with the higher priced options.

Price Currency: USD

Operating System: All

Application Category: Website Builder

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Website Builder Reviews

How To Choose The Best Ecommerce Website Builder for Small Business

Nate Shivar Updated September 18, 2020 By ShivarWeb Staff

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

How To Choose The Best E-Commerce Website Builder for Small Business

Choosing the best e-commerce website builder for a small business can be challenging, especially when you consider the variety of options available. By doing a little reading and research before committing to a website builder, you can make the best possible choice for your small business.

[Read more…] about How To Choose The Best Ecommerce Website Builder for Small Business

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Website Builder Rankings

How To Choose The Best Website Builder for Videographers

Nate Shivar Updated September 11, 2020 By ShivarWeb Staff

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

How To Choose The Best Website Builder for Videographers

Building your website can be a tough but fulfilling part of growing your videography business. Website builders make building & maintaining a website much more accessible and convenient. But they all have tradeoffs, and videographers usually have very specific requirements.

[Read more…] about How To Choose The Best Website Builder for Videographers

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Website Builder Rankings

Weebly vs. WordPress (Self-hosted .org & WordPress.com)

Nate Shivar Updated September 9, 2020 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Weebly vs WordPress (Self-hosted org & WordPress-com)

Weebly and WordPress are two of the most well-known brands in the website building industry. They are both excellent choices in general. But if you are comparing Weebly vs. WordPress – which is the best fit for your project?

[Read more…] about Weebly vs. WordPress (Self-hosted .org & WordPress.com)

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Website Builder Comparisons

Squarespace vs. WordPress (Self-hosted .org & WordPress.com)

Nate Shivar Updated September 9, 2020 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Squarespace vs WordPress (Self-hosted org & WordPress-com)

Squarespace and WordPress are two of the most recognizable brands in the website building industry. They are both excellent choices in general.

But if you are comparing Squarespace vs. WordPress – which is the best fit for your project?

[Read more…] about Squarespace vs. WordPress (Self-hosted .org & WordPress.com)

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Website Builder Comparisons

SiteBuilder Review: Pros & Cons of Using SiteBuilder.com

Nate Shivar Updated September 7, 2020 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

SiteBuilder Review_ 5 Pros & 5 Cons of Using SiteBuilder.com

SiteBuilder.com is one of the faster-growing brands in the rapidly evolving website builder space. SiteBuilder focuses on core features, a clean interface, and simple templates.

[Read more…] about SiteBuilder Review: Pros & Cons of Using SiteBuilder.com
SiteBuilder

SiteBuilder is one of the fastest growing companies in the website builder industry. They focus on core website features for basic sites. SiteBuilder is a clean, simple drag and drop hosted website builder. Great for a basic site, but look at other options for anything more.

Price: 7.68

Price Currency: USD

Operating System: All

Application Category: Website Builder

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Website Builder Reviews

Wix Review: 11+ Pros & Cons of Using Wix For Websites

Nate Shivar Updated September 7, 2020 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Wix Review

There are seemingly thousands of different ways to build a website now. Wix is one of the best-known brands in the website builder world.

See Wix’s Current Plans & Pricing

They’ve been around for quite a while (circa 2006). Until 2018, they built their brand on word of mouth and ease of use. Post-2018, they’ve accelerated that growth with Super Bowl ads, sports sponsorships and more. I recently had a small project, and a reason to try out several drag and drop website builders. I gave Wix a try to see how they fit. Here are my pros, cons, use cases, alternatives and full Wix review.

[Read more…] about Wix Review: 11+ Pros & Cons of Using Wix For Websites
Wix

Wix is one of the best known all inclusive website builders. It has drag and drop design, and straightforward user experience. Wix lacks some features favored by design and marketing professionals, but, for DIY website builders, they have solid pricing and functionality.

Price Currency: USD

Operating System: All

Application Category: Website Builder

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Website Builder Reviews

Zoho Sites Website Builder Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

Nate Shivar Updated September 5, 2020 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Zoho Website Builder

Zoho is a software company that has a suite of products designed to help business owners get their businesses up and running online.

[Read more…] about Zoho Sites Website Builder Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives
Zoho Website Builder

Zoho Website Builder is very straightforward with lots of advanced features. The pricing, versatility, and future-proofing leaves some to be desired.

Price: 4

Price Currency: EUR

Operating System: All

Application Category: Website Builder

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Website Builder Reviews

How To Choose The Best Ecommerce Website Builder For Beginners

Nate Shivar Updated September 4, 2020 By ShivarWeb Staff

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

How To Choose The Best Ecommerce Website Builder For Beginners

The Internet has changed dramatically in the past 10 years for anyone who wants to sell a product online. In many ways, it’s easier than ever for beginners to sell online. However, the sheer world of options makes choosing an ecommerce website builder difficult in different ways.

Even though selling online should be approachable, it can be daunting. Here’s how to choose the best ecommerce website builder for beginners so that you can get started for less money and fewer barriers, but also build with confidence.

[Read more…] about How To Choose The Best Ecommerce Website Builder For Beginners

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Website Builder Rankings

Zenfolio Website Builder Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

Nate Shivar Updated September 1, 2020 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Zenfolio Website Builder Review_ Pros, Cons, and Alternatives(1)

Zenfolio is a photography portfolio website builder that includes eCommerce functionality, so photographers can “showcase and sell your photography”.

See Zenfolio’s Current Plans & Pricing

Recently, I gave Zenfolio a try for a small project after receiving a few reader questions. But before I get into the pros and cons of my Zenfolio review, let’s consider a bit of background on building a website in general.

There are so many considerations to take into account when choosing a website builder — and really, there are a thousand ways to get what you want in the end in terms of functionality, convenience, pricing, etc. The thing to remember is: whether you’re building a simple photography portfolio or running a full-fledged photography business, the way you build your photography website has a lot of consequences.

[Read more…] about Zenfolio Website Builder Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives
Zenfolio

Zenfolio's focus on photographer's and functionality make it a great choice, but it comes with a lot of tradeoffs in price, control, and versatility.

Operating System: All

Application Category: Website Builder

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Website Builder Reviews

How to Choose the Best Free Website Builder for Your Website

Nate Shivar Updated August 28, 2020 By ShivarWeb Staff

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

How to Choose the Best Free Website Builder

Thanks to free website builders, creating a webpage has become something that almost anyone can do. Because there are so many options out there when it comes to finding a website builder, though, it can be challenging to know which one is the best choice for your future website.

[Read more…] about How to Choose the Best Free Website Builder for Your Website

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Website Builder Rankings

How to Choose the Best Website Builder for Photographers

Nate Shivar Updated August 21, 2020 By ShivarWeb Staff

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

How to Choose the Best Website Builder for Photographers

Building your website can be a tough but fulfilling part of growing your photography business. Website builders make building & maintaining a website much more accessible and convenient. But they all have tradeoffs, and photographers usually have very specific requirements.

[Read more…] about How to Choose the Best Website Builder for Photographers

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Website Builder Rankings

Best Website Builder For Selling Products

Nate Shivar Updated August 14, 2020 By ShivarWeb Staff

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Best Website Builder For Selling Products

E-commerce is booming. And not just Amazon. With better fulfillment, COVID-19 changes, and more familiarity, buying online has become normal for everyone. As more people buy products online, the sites that businesses use to sell their items are becoming more critical for competition. 

[Read more…] about Best Website Builder For Selling Products

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Ecommerce Rankings, Website Builder Rankings

Vistaprint Website Builder Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

Nate Shivar Updated August 10, 2020 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Vistaprint Website Builder Review_ Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

When you think of Vistaprint, you probably think of business cards — which is what the company is known for and has been since their founding in 1995. But did you know Vistaprint offers other marketing materials for small business owners — like a website builder?

See VistaPrint’s Current Plans & Pricing

Actually…

You probably do know that, because you are likely in the middle of checking out and got their website builder offer. And you thought “is the Vistaprint website builder actually good?” And so, you stumbled on this post.

Well I thought the same thing while buying a few business cards. So, I went ahead and gave Vistaprint a try for a small project for a full Vistaprint Website Builder Review.

But before I get into the pros and cons of my review, let’s get a bit of background on building a website in general.

[Read more…] about Vistaprint Website Builder Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives
Vistaprint Website Builder

Vistaprint is known for their business cards, but they offer a website builder as a complementary product. It's functional, but very basic and probably won't fit long-term projects.

Application Category: Website Builder

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Website Builder Reviews

11+ Weebly Website Examples for Inspiration

Nate Shivar Updated June 5, 2020 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Weebly Website Examples (1)

So you’re considering using Weebly as your website builder, and you’re looking for Weebly website examples for inspiration and confirmation that you’re making the right choice.

[Read more…] about 11+ Weebly Website Examples for Inspiration

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Website Builder Guides, Explainers & Examples

Site123 Review: Pros & Cons of using Site123 Website Builder

Nate Shivar Updated April 20, 2020 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Site123 Review

Site123 is a fast-growing, independently-owned, website builder based in Israel focused exclusively on DIYers. They claim to be “the most intuitive and easy to use website builder on the market”.

See Site123’s Current Plans & Pricing

Recently, I gave Site 123 a try for a small project after receiving a few reader questions. But before I get into the pros and cons of my Site 23 review, let’s consider a bit of background on building a website in general.

[Read more…] about Site123 Review: Pros & Cons of using Site123 Website Builder
Site123

Site123 is an accessible and straightforward website builder for DIYers. They do fall down on total value and technical limitations.

Price: 12.80

Price Currency: USA

Operating System: All

Application Category: Website Builder

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Website Builder Reviews

Squarespace vs. Weebly vs. Wix: Website Builder Comparison

Nate Shivar Updated April 4, 2020 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Squarespace vs Weebly vs Wix

Squarespace vs. Weebly vs. Wix – they are the three most well-known website builders. I’ve written about them individually here, here and here. But how do they compare to each other?

See Squarespace Current Plans
See Wix Current Plans
See Weebly Current Plans

First, a bit of background. Over just the past few years, website costs have plummeted and the technology to get a website from idea to reality has blossomed. Whether you are using a text editor and uploading to the Amazon cloud; hosting your own site powered by WordPress or using a drag and drop website builder, there’s never been an easier time to create a website.

All-inclusive website builders have been particularly interesting. Companies like Squarespace, Weebly and Wix have brought websites to everyone regardless of coding knowledge or skills.

On the wide spectrum of website building solutions, they live on the end that is all-inclusive and provides everything you need to get started and grow your website. This is in contrast to solutions where you buy, install and manage all the “pieces” of your website separately. That’s not a good or bad thing. But it is something to be aware of when you’re choosing one of them as a solution…since it affects your website both long and short term.

In the long-term, it 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.

Using a website builder is sort of like leasing and customizing an apartment in a really classy development instead of buying and owning your own house. You’re still in control of decor, cleaning, and everything living-wise – but you leave the construction, plumbing, security, and infrastructure to the property owner. That point is key because there’s usually a direct tradeoff between convenience and control.

Squarespace, Weebly, and Wix as a group compete with options like WordPress (which provides the free software to build a website that you own & control – see my WordPress setup guide here) all the way down to options like typing actual HTML code into a text file. Make sense? Awesome, let’s dive into the comparison.

Side note – if you want this comparison in a BuzzFeed-style quiz, you can take my website builder quiz here…

You can also look at my posts on –

  • Squarespace vs. WordPress
  • Wix vs. WordPress
  • Weebly vs. WordPress

Otherwise, we’ll look specifically at pricing, onboarding/user experience, design features, technical features, marketing features, and customer support.

[Read more…] about Squarespace vs. Weebly vs. Wix: Website Builder Comparison

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Website Builder Comparisons

When Should Someone Not Use WordPress?

Nate Shivar Updated March 30, 2020 By ShivarWeb Staff

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

When Should Someone Not Use WordPress_

You’re probably here because you’ve heard the buzz about WordPress (Alignable’s SMB Index says WordPress is the most trusted software for small business), but are wondering if there are situations in which someone should not use WordPress for their business website.

WordPress is an incredibly versatile website platform — I won’t hide my enthusiasm for it. But there is no such thing as a “best website platform”. There’s only the best choice based on your goals, resources and preferences.

Most website platforms promote with features and price. But like buying a house – price and features don’t tell the whole story. They don’t tell you if this platform is a good choice for your website.

When evaluating whether or not to use WordPress, you need to think about your needs for a website. Do you need flexibility? Support? A mixture of both?

Here’s how to figure out if/when someone should not use WordPress for their business website.

[Read more…] about When Should Someone Not Use WordPress?

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Review FAQs & Explainers, Website Builder Guides

Weebly Review: Pros & Cons of Using Weebly For Your Website

Nate Shivar Updated March 30, 2020 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Weebly Review

When it comes to getting a website up, there’s never been an easier time. Weebly is one of the fastest growing and longest standing brands in the website building space. They were mentioned in the first edition of the 4-Hour Workweek. Ever since then, they’ve grown and continued to revise their software. I recently gave Weebly, Wix & Squarespace a try for a small project.

See Weebly’s Current Plans & Pricing

Weebly Video Review

But first, a bit of an overview on website builders in general. Whether you go drag and drop builder; an installed Content Management System (CMS), or hand-coded HTML files, there’s a lot of considerations that go into 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 personal website or running a business, the way you build your site determines a lot 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 such thing as the right choice relative to your goals, experience, and circumstances.

*Aside – I did try to sort the best choices by typical uses/goals in my best website builder quiz here, though.

What Is Weebly?

On the wide spectrum of website building solutions, Weebly lives on the end that is all-inclusive and provides everything you need to get started and grow your website. It’s in contrast to solutions where you buy, install, and manage all the “pieces” of your website separately.

It’s like trading off some control for more convenience.

Using Weebly is sort of like leasing and customizing an apartment in a nice development instead of buying and owning your own house. You’re still in control of decor, cleaning, and everything living-wise – but you leave the construction, plumbing, security, and infrastructure to the property owner. That point is key because there’s usually a direct tradeoff between convenience and control.

All the functionality and design that are included with Weebly work seamlessly together as a platform. That’s what allows them to have drag and drop design, layout, and content.

As far as competition, Weebly competes directly with all-inclusive website builders like Squarespace, Wix, and WordPress.com.

Website builders as a group compete with options like WordPress.org (which provides the free software to build a website that you own & control – see my WordPress setup guide here) all the way to options like typing actual HTML code into a text file. Make sense? Awesome, let’s dive into the Weebly review.

[Read more…] about Weebly Review: Pros & Cons of Using Weebly For Your Website
Weebly

Weebly is one of the best known all in one website builders. It offers drag and drop design, good functionality and bundled hosting and customer support. If you're going the all-inclusive website builder route, Weebly is a great fit for most. Great functionality, great user experience.

Price Currency: USD

Operating System: All

Application Category: Website Builder

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Website Builder Reviews

11+ Wix Website Examples for Inspiration

Nate Shivar Updated March 11, 2020 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Wix Website Examples

So you’re considering using Wix as your website builder, and you’re looking for Wix website examples for inspiration and confirmation that you’re making the right choice.

Wix is one of the biggest names in the website builder product space. It’s a drag-and-drop website builder, which means users can “drag” different elements around and “drop” them where they want…all to create a site that looks the way they want.

It makes nice designs incredibly accessible for DIY-ers while leaving the heavy-lifting (AKA hosting, functionality, coding) to someone else.

See Wix’s Complete Selection of Templates

But before we dive into examples of what Wix websites look like in the wild, there is one thing to keep in mind when you’re evaluating a website platform: it’s not just about how the websites look. The functionality matters too.

Think of it like buying a car. You have a make / model in mind, and you’re probably looking to see them drive by on the road to see how they actually look. However, you also care about how they operate. Does it accelerate well? Does it have the hauling capabilities you need? How is the gas mileage?

Looking at a website platform should be done in the same way. We collected the following Wix examples not just to show you how they look, but how Wix websites can function so you can be sure you have a website that fits both the style you want and the functionality you need.

[Read more…] about 11+ Wix Website Examples for Inspiration

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Website Builder Guides, Explainers & Examples

Duda Website Builder Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

Nate Shivar Updated March 10, 2020 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Duda Website Builder Review_ Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

Duda Website Builder is known as an all-inclusive website builder that was originally created as an easy-to-use mobile website platform for DIYers. It has sinced evolved to help agencies, digital publishers, and hosting companies scale with an quick and easy website platform that helps their clients get up and running ASAP.

See Duda Website Builder Current Plans & Pricing

Duda is also known for making responsive websites, which means the site fits on any device (i.e. a tablet, phone, computer).

Recently, I gave Duda a try for a full Duda review. But before I get into the pros and cons of my Duda review, let’s dive into an overview about tools to build a website.

[Read more…] about Duda Website Builder Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives
Duda Website Builder

Duda certainly makes getting a website up and running easy, and when you factor in their advanced features that give you more control, it makes the platform a pretty solid website builder for small agencies and even DIYers who need something that's easy-to-use but can also scale.

Price: 14

Price Currency: USD

Operating System: All

Application Category: Website Builder

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Website Builder Reviews

Blogger Review: Pros & Cons of Using Blogger (aka Blogspot)

Nate Shivar Updated March 8, 2020 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Blogger Review

Blogger is the grand old man of Internet publishing. In fact, they arguably started the whole “everyone should have a voice online” ideal. Evan Williams started the company way back in the 1990s.

After Evan Williams sold Blogger to Google, he went on to found both Twitter and Medium – both pillars of Internet publishing in their own right. Additionally, it was Matt Mullenweg’s dissatisfaction with Blogger that led him to create the first version of WordPress back in the early 2000s.

All that to say – Blogger is an Internet standby. In fact, it’s such a standby that it gets unfairly disregarded for many web projects simply due to its age.

Check out Blogger here.

I recently gave Blogger a try for a small project, along with several other website builders. I tried to approach Blogger not as the platform that had my first blog back in 2004, but as a serious platform that might be a good fit for someone’s web project today, post-2020.

But first, a bit of an overview on website builders (and blogging platforms) in general. Whether you go drag and drop builder, an installed Content Management System (CMS), or hand-coded HTML files, there are a lot of considerations that go into building a website and/or blog.

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 personal blog or running a business, the way you build your site determines a lot both long-term and short-term.

[Read more…] about Blogger Review: Pros & Cons of Using Blogger (aka Blogspot)
Blogger

Blogger is one of the original blog platforms of the Web and is now owned by Google. While not a good fit for many web projects, Blogger is a solid, simple platform for web publishing despite its age.

Price Currency: USD

Operating System: All

Application Category: Website Builder

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Website Builder Reviews

12+ Great Squarespace Website Examples for Inspiration

Nate Shivar Updated March 8, 2020 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

12+ Great Squarespace Website Examples for Inspiration

So you’re considering using Squarespace as your website builder, and you’re looking for Squarespace website examples for inspiration and confirmation that you’re making the right choice.

Squarespace is one of the most well-known brands in the website builder industry.

Find The Right Website Builder for Your Project

In terms of different types of website builders, Squarespace lives on the end that is all-inclusive and provides everything you need to get started and grow your website. It makes a nicely designed website incredibly accessible for DIY-ers while leaving the heavy-lifting (AKA hosting, functionality, coding) to someone else. It contrasts with solutions where you buy, install, and manage all the “pieces” of your website separately.

Using Squarespace is sort of like leasing and customizing an apartment. You’re in control of decor, cleaning, and everything living-wise – but you leave the construction, plumbing, security, and infrastructure to the property owner. You have some flexibility, but you also give up some control for convenience.

Ecommerce Real Estate Tradeoffs

But before we dive into examples of what Squarespace websites look like in the Internet wild, there is one thing to keep in mind when you’re evaluating a website platform: it’s not just about how the websites look. The functionality matters too. I’ve written a full Squarespace review in addition to comparisons like Squarespace vs Wix vs Weebly, Squarespace vs WordPress and Squarespace vs Shopify.

But in short – think of it like buying a car. You have a make / model in mind, and you’re probably looking to see them drive by on the road to see how they actually look. However, you also care about how they operate. Does it accelerate well? Does it have the hauling capabilities you need? How is the gas mileage?

Looking at a website platform should be done in the same way. We collected the following Squarespace examples not just to show you how they look, but how Squarespace websites can function so you can be sure you have a website that fits both the style you want and the functionality you need.

[Read more…] about 12+ Great Squarespace Website Examples for Inspiration

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Explainers & Examples, Website Builder Guides

WordPress.com Review: Pros & Cons of WordPress.com as a Website Builder

Nate Shivar Updated March 6, 2020 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

WordPress.com Review

WordPress is one of the most popular pieces of software in the website space. WordPress powers over 25% of the Internet and is famous for its versatility and ease of use.

See WordPress.com’s Current Plans & Pricing

Its is so well-known, that it’s common for people with some web design experience to generally say “just use WordPress” when referring DIYers and freelancers to a website solution.

But for those who are unfamiliar with the general WordPress world, there is a major point of confusion: WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org.

In this article, I’ll be reviewing WordPress.com as a website builder and general website solution for DIYers.

But before I dive into specifics, let’s talk about the difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org.

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WordPress.com

WordPress.com is a great choice for anyone who loves the feel & versatility without the complications of seeking out hosting services.

Price Currency: USD

Operating System: All

Application Category: Website Builder

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Wix vs. WordPress (WordPress.com & Self-hosted)

Nate Shivar Updated March 2, 2020 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Wix vs. WordPress (Self-hosted .org & WordPress.com)

Wix and WordPress are two of the most well-known brands (and oldest) in the website building industry. They are both useful in their own ways. But if you are comparing Wix vs. WordPress – which is the best fit for your project?

Wix
See Wix.com Current Plans
WordPress.com
See WordPress.com Current Plans
WordPress
See Self-Hosted WordPress Guide

Before we look at different tradeoffs between Wix and WordPress, we have to define exactly what Wix and WordPress are.

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8+ Google Sites Examples for Inspiration

Nate Shivar Updated March 2, 2020 By ShivarWeb Staff

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Google Sites Examples

So you’re considering Google Sites as your website builder, and you’re looking for Google Sites website examples for inspiration and confirmation that you’re making the right choice.

Google Sites is Google’s free website builder software that it offers as part of the G Suite of Drive, Email, Hangouts, etc. It’s a template-based website builder, which means you have a set of templates that you can customize to a certain extent.

It makes nice designs incredibly accessible for DIY-ers while leaving the heavy-lifting (AKA website hosting, functionality, coding) to someone else.

I wrote a full review of Google Sites here. It’s free, even for everyday users. If you are logged into your Google Account, you can start a Google Site here.

But before we dive into examples of what Google Sites look like in the wild, there is one thing to keep in mind when you’re evaluating a website platform: it’s not just about how the websites look. The functionality matters too.

Think of it like buying a car. You have a make / model in mind, and you’re probably looking to see them drive by on the road to see how they actually look. However, you also care about how they operate. Does it accelerate well? Does it have the hauling capabilities you need? How is the gas mileage?

Find the Best Website Builder for Your Site

Looking at a website platform should be done in the same way. We collected the following Google Sites examples not just to show you how they look, but how they can function so you can be sure you have a website that fits both the style you want and the functionality you need.

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Squarespace Review: 5 Pros & 4 Cons of Using Squarespace

Nate Shivar Updated March 2, 2020 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Squarespace Review

Squarespace is one of the best known brands in the website building space. They do a ton of advertising with everything from podcasts to the Super Bowl and have a beautiful product with a long trusted history. I recently had a project that was a fit for a bundled website builder software. I gave Squarespace a try, along with several other brands. Here are my 5 pros, 5 cons, and full Squarespace review.

But first, a bit of an overview. There are a lot of considerations that go into an choosing a website builder.

There are also a ton of options, tons of pricing – and really a thousand ways to get what you want in the end (aka for someone to type in a website address and see your information in their browser). Whether you are building a simple personal website or running a business, the way you build your site has a lot of consequences.

In the long-term, it 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.

What Is Squarespace?

On the wide spectrum of website building solutions, Squarespace lives on the end that is all-inclusive and provides everything you need to get started and grow your website. It contrasts with solutions where you buy, install, and manage all the “pieces” of your website separately.

Using Squarespace is sort of like leasing and customizing an apartment in a really classy development instead of buying and owning your own house. You’re still in control of decor, cleaning, and everything living-wise – but you leave the construction, plumbing, security, and infrastructure to the property owner. That point is key because there’s usually a direct tradeoff between convenience and control.

Everything may fit together just right with a website builder like Squarespace, but that may or may not be what you’re looking for.

As far as competition, Squarespace competes directly with all-inclusive website builders like Weebly, Wix, and WordPress.com.

Compared to their direct competition, they try to allow for more customization and code access. Squarespace tries to appeal to the non-developer customer AND the developer community. It’s a tough pitch to sell – but they try it.

Those options as a group compete with options like self-hosted WordPress (which provides the free software to build a website that you own & control – see my WordPress setup guide here) all the way to options like typing actual HTML code into a text file. Make sense? Awesome, let’s dive into the Squarespace review.

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Squarespace

Squarespace is one of the world's most well-known website builders. They have truly beautiful designs and lots of functionality. If the all-inclusive website builder is the right solution for you, Squarespace is a good route to go. It has some drawbacks, but plenty of built-in beautiful design.

Price: 12

Price Currency: USD

Operating System: All

Application Category: Website Builder

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Google Sites Review: Pros & Negatives of Using Google’s Website Builder

Nate Shivar Updated March 1, 2020 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Google Sites Review Pros & Negatives of Using Googles Website Builder

Google Sites is Google’s free website builder software that it offers as part of the G Suite of Drive, Email, Hangouts, etc.

Sites has never been highly publicized like its other products. I’ve always thought of Sites as part of the bucket of products like Drawing, Blogger, and Correlate that sort of come as part of other, well-known product lines but are otherwise forgotten about…yet still awesome in their own way.

If you have a Google Account, go check out Google Sites here.

I’ve written about Google’s Domains product and Blogger – but have never looked at Google Sites specifically.

My experience with Google Sites began back when I first started my web design business years and years ago. I never used Google Sites for my own projects until I came across it when a client of mine was using it and needed a few tasks done.

But since then, better competition has popped up from Wix, Squarespace, Weebly, WordPress.com, Website Creator, and other website builders. And Google has upgraded the product I originally used. They’ve streamlined it to make it supposedly the “effortless way to create beautiful sites.”

See Google Sites here…

So for a personal project of mine, I decided to try it out again and see who the product would really be a good fit for – and not just compare it to other hosted website builders.

I also wanted to compare Google Sites to other website solutions like hosting your own website or using a hosted eCommerce platform.

[Read more…] about Google Sites Review: Pros & Negatives of Using Google’s Website Builder
Google Sites

Google Sites is Google's website builder product that is integrated with their productivity suite. Very limited - but good for what it is. If you could add a custom domain, it would be much more useful.

Price Currency: USD

Operating System: All

Application Category: Website Builder

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GoDaddy Website Builder Review w/ Pros, Cons & Alternatives

Nate Shivar Updated February 9, 2020 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

GoDaddy Website Builder Review w_ Pros, Cons & Alt

GoDaddy is the big brand in the website services industry. From their Super Bowl ads to TV ads to online advertising, they are by far the most well-known choice for domains, hosting, website builders, and productivity products for small businesses.

See GoDaddy’s Current Plans & Pricing

I have written about GoDaddy’s hosting product and compared their domains product, but I’ve never looked specifically at GoDaddy’s website builder product (aka “Websites + Marketing”) before this post.

My experience with GoDaddy’s website builder began back when I first started my web design business years and years ago. I didn’t actually use GoDaddy’s website builder for my projects until I came across it when a client of mine was using it and needed a few tasks done.

Since then, new competition has popped up from Wix, Squarespace, Weebly, Gator Website Builder, WordPress.com and other website builders. And GoDaddy has upgraded the product I originally used. They’ve streamlined it to make it supposedly the “easiest way to get online.”

So for a personal project of mine, I decided to try it out again and see who the product would really be a good fit for – and not just compared to other hosted website builders.

I also wanted to compare GoDaddy’s website builder to other website solutions like hosting your own website or using a hosted eCommerce platform.

[Read more…] about GoDaddy Website Builder Review w/ Pros, Cons & Alternatives
GoDaddy Website Builder

GoDaddy's Website Builder (GoCentral) offers businesses a way to seamlessly get their own website started. Very convenient with simple onboarding and integration. Features are limited with some upsells.

Price: 10

Price Currency: USD

Operating System: All

Application Category: Website Builder

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GoDaddy Website Builder vs. Wix vs. Weebly: Website Builders Compared

Nate Shivar Updated February 8, 2020 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

GoDaddy Website Builder vs Wix vs Weebly Website Builders Compared

GoDaddy Website Builder vs. Weebly vs. Wix – they are the three most well-known website builders. I’ve written about them individually here, here and here. But how do they compare directly to each other?

See GoDaddy Current Plans
See Wix Current Plans
See Weebly Current Plans

First, a bit of background. The process of building a website has changed radically since the early days of the Internet. Even though the core job of a website – HTML rendered in a browser – has not changed, the technology used to produce the HTML has. While you can still produce a website with nothing but a text-editor – most people choose a technology that makes the process of building and managing the website much easier and more accessible.

All-inclusive website builders have been particularly interesting. Companies like GoDaddy’s Website Builder, Weebly, and Wix have brought websites to everyone regardless of coding skills with their drag & drop and/or customizable templates.

There is a wide variety of website building solutions, and they all live on a spectrum with a tradeoff between control & convenience. I’ve written a full explainer on website builders here, but here’s how I think about it –

On the 100% control, but 0% convenience end – you have solutions like a text editor and server space that you purchase separately. It’s a bit akin to buying raw land to build your house for shelter.

On the 0% control, but 100% convenience end – you have solutions like Facebook and Twitter that provide no control (not even domain name control), but are highly convenient.

In the 50/50 middle – you have solutions like WordPress that live on your own server, but help you manage & build your website. It’s akin to buying a house that you own – you are responsible if anything breaks, but you can do really whatever you want.

Towards the convenience end, but with more control all live “hosted” website builders like Weebly, Wix, and GoDaddy’s Website Builder. They offer more convenience by bundling hosting, design, etc, but trade some control.

Using a website builder is sort of like leasing and customizing an apartment in a really classy development instead of buying and owning your own house. You’re still in control of decor, cleaning, and everything living-wise – but you leave the construction, plumbing, security, and infrastructure to the property owner. That point is key because there’s usually a direct tradeoff between convenience and control.

In the long-term, it 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 such a thing as the right choice relative to your goals, experience, and circumstances.

GoDaddy Website Builder, Weebly, and Wix as a group compete with options like WordPress (which provides the free software to build a website that you own & control on your own hosting – see my WordPress setup guide here) all the way to options like typing actual HTML code into a text file.

*confusingly, GoDaddy also offers hosting, where you can install website software like WordPress. This comparison will focus on GoDaddy’s Website Builder that bundles hosting. You can find GoDaddy hosting alternatives here.

Make sense? Awesome, let’s dive into the comparison.

Side note – if you want this comparison in a BuzzFeed-style quiz, you can take my website builder quiz here…

Otherwise, we’ll look specifically at pricing, onboarding/user experience, design features, technical features, marketing features, customer support & company structure.

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11+ GoDaddy Website Builder Examples for Inspiration

Nate Shivar Updated January 31, 2020 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

11+ GoDaddy Website Builder Examples for Inspiration

So you’re considering using GoDaddy as your website builder, and you’re looking for GoDaddy website builder examples for inspiration and confirmation that you’re making the right choice of site builder.

See GoDaddy’s Current Plans & Pricing

GoDaddy is the big brand in the website services industry. From their Super Bowl ads to TV ads to online advertising, they are by far the most well-known choice for GoDaddy domains, GoDaddy hosting, GoDaddy website builder, online stores, and productivity products for small businesses.

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14+ WordPress Website Examples for Inspiration

Nate Shivar Updated January 8, 2020 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

WordPress Website Examples

So you’re using WordPress as your website software, and you’re looking for WordPress website examples for inspiration and confirmation that you’re making the right choice.

WordPress powers more than 30% of the Internet. It’s famous for its versatility and ease of use (yes, there is a learning curve. No, it’s not insurmountable). In short, it’s an incredibly popular choice for your website software.

But before we dive into WordPress website examples in the wild, let’s talk about a few common misconceptions about WordPress.

WordPress is a content management system — web jargon for a place where you can log in to your website to create, edit, and manage your content.

It’s also “open-source”, which means a community maintains it. The software and open-source community live and function at WordPress.org. It’s where anyone can grab a free copy of the software. It’s also know was self-hosted WordPress, because you have to provide the server for the software to live on.

WordPress.org is like buying a house. You can make all the customizations you want, but you’re also in charge of the plumbing and electricity.

Learn how to set up a self-hosted WordPress site from scratch here.

And then there’s WordPress.com. This is a for-profit company and service that offers websites powered by their install of WordPress (the software). They bundle hosting, support, services, and software into a single subscription. WordPress.com is like renting an apartment. You can pay for upgrades, but really everything is up to your landlord… including maintenance.

View WordPress.com’s Plans & Features here.

So what does this have to do with WordPress website examples?

Think of looking for a website builder like looking for a car. You have a make / model in mind, and you’re probably looking to see them drive by on the road to see how they actually look. However, you also care about how they operate. Does it accelerate well? Does it have the hauling capabilities you need? How is the gas mileage?

Looking at a website platform should be done in the same way. A website’s design is simply some HTML and CSS. It can be created anywhere. However, the functionality are more dependent on things like hosting, integrations, features, plugins, etc.

We collected the following WordPress examples not just to show you how they look, but how WordPress websites can function so you can be sure you have a website that fits both the style you want and the functionality you need.

[Read more…] about 14+ WordPress Website Examples for Inspiration

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What’s The Best Website Builder for Your Website?

Nate Shivar Updated January 2, 2020 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Best Website Builder

Figuring out how to choose the best website builder for your website is a tough and often all too confusing process. It’s tough to do a simple comparison because there is no such thing as an absolute “best website builder.” There is only the website builder that is right for you considering all the pros & cons.

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Mailchimp Website Builder Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

Nate Shivar Updated December 27, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

MailChimp Website Builder

MailChimp has been one of the fastest growing email marketing providers for years now. They’ve built an huge base of customers ranging from tiny personal accounts to some of the most prestigious enterprise brands in the world.

In 2019, they added a ton of functionality, including postcards & remarketing as they grow their positioning into a marketing platform. And as part of their growth, they’ve introduced a free website builder.

See MailChimp’s Current Plans & Pricing

I’ve been using Mailchimp for years, and was super curious when they announced the beta version of their website builder (FYI, beta just means it’s their first, trial run version. They’re looking for feedback from users to improve the product).

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Adobe Spark Website Builder Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

Nate Shivar Updated November 23, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Adobe Spark Website Builder Review

Adobe is a huge name in the software industry — and their website builder app, Adobe Spark Page, is no exception. Adobe Spark is a single-page website builder that makes building one-page websites (think resumes, portfolios, blog posts, presentations, etc.) easy to do with zero design experience.

See Adobe’s Current Plans & Pricing

Recently, I gave Adobe Spark Page a try for a small project after receiving a few reader questions. But before I get into the pros and cons of my Adobe Spark review, let’s consider a bit of background on building a website in general.

There are so many considerations to take into account when choosing the best website builder for your project, such as what you want it to look like, what you need your site to be able to do, and how much time you want to spend creating the site. And really, there are a thousand ways to get what you want in the end in terms of functionality, convenience, pricing, etc. The thing to remember is: whether you’re building a simple personal website or running a business, the way you build your site has a lot of consequences.

[Read more…] about Adobe Spark Website Builder Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives
Adobe Spark Website Builder

Adobe Spark has a straightforward user-experience and easy-to-use editor that makes getting your content out there a breeze. But if you're looking to create anything beyond a simple, single page website, Adobe Spark Page is probably not the best option for you.

Operating System: All

Application Category: Website Builder

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1&1 IONOS MyWebsite Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

Nate Shivar Updated September 1, 2019 By ShivarWeb Staff

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

1&1 IONOS MyWebsite Review_ Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

1&1 MyWebsite is an all-inclusive website builder from German web hosting company IONOS. Their website builder is geared toward helping small businesses get up and running online with pre-made templates that include images and text based on your niche. Their platform requires zero code or design skills, meaning even those with no website experience can create a good-looking site in minutes.

See 1&1 MyWebsite’s Current Plans & Pricing

Recently, I gave 1&1 MyWebsite a try for a full 1&1 MyWebsite review (I have previously reviewed their hosting services). But before I get into the pros and cons of this website builder review, let’s dive into an overview about tools to build a website.

[Read more…] about 1&1 IONOS MyWebsite Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives
1&1 IONOS MyWebsite

1&1 IONOS MyWebsite is 1&1 IONOS' hosted website builder. It comes bundled with hosting and drag & drop features.

Price: 5

Price Currency: USD

Operating System: All

Application Category: Website Builder

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Homestead Website Builder Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

Nate Shivar Updated August 29, 2019 By ShivarWeb Staff

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Homestead Website Builder Review_ Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

Homestead is an all-inclusive website builder that’s tailored to helping businesses build their websites quickly, so they can have an online presence. Their platform includes “ready-to-use” templates that DIYers can customize to meet their needs, or simply “plug in” their content and hit publish.

See Homestead’s Current Plans & Pricing

Recently, I gave Homestead a try for a full Homestead Website Builder review. But before I get into the pros and cons of my review, let’s dive into an overview about tools to build a website.

[Read more…] about Homestead Website Builder Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives
Homestead Website Builder

Homestead is one of the Internet's oldest website builders. Now owned by Endurance, they still offer template-based website design & hosting services.

Price: 7.99

Price Currency: USD

Operating System: All

Application Category: Website Builder

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Strikingly Website Builder Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

Nate Shivar Updated August 8, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Strikingly Website Builder Review_ Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

Strikingly is an all-inclusive website builder that’s tailored to helping entrepreneurs get up and running online quickly and easily. They’re platform requires zero code or design skills, meaning even those with no website experience can create a good-looking site in minutes.

See Strikingly’s Current Plans & Pricing

Recently, I gave Strikingly a try for a full Strikingly Website Builder review. But before I get into the pros and cons of my review, let’s dive into an overview about tools to build a website.

There are so many considerations to take into account when choosing a website builder — and really, there are a thousand ways to get what you want in the end in terms of functionality, convenience, pricing, etc. The thing to remember is: whether you’re building a simple personal website or running a business, the way you build your site has a lot of consequences.

In the long-term, it 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 Strikingly Website Builder Review: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives
Strikingly Website Builder

Thinking of using Strikingly for your next website project? Here's my full Strikingly Website Builder review with pros, cons, and alternatives.

Price: 8

Price Currency: USD

Operating System: All

Application Category: Website Builder

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InMotion’s BoldGrid Website Creator Review: Pros, Cons & Alternatives

Nate Shivar Updated March 13, 2019 By ShivarWeb Staff

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Website Creator Review

Website Creator (also called BoldGrid) is a stand-alone website builder product built & sold by InMotion Hosting, one of the largest independent web hosting companies in the world.

See BoldGrid / Website Creator Current Plans & Pricing

InMotion Hosting has been in the web hosting business since 2001. Unlike many hosting companies, they remain staunchly independent and focused primarily on website products for small businesses. They have an emphasis on customer support and raw performance.

While they still have a range of hosting products (my InMotion Hosting Review), they have also been quick to respond to changes in customer demand. Website Creator came out of that effort.

The big demand of the past 5 years has been for easy to use, bundled, drag and drop website builders. But popular website builders pose some risks for business owners investing in a long-term project.

Website Creator was created for small business owners who need to easily DIY their own website, but also are thinking seriously about how to best build their website for scalability, versatility, and long-term success.

Since I’ve been a user of InMotion’s hosting products for quite some time, I recently decided to give their new website builder, Website Creator, a try for a small, quick project.

Before I dive into pros and cons, let’s talk about some basics.

[Read more…] about InMotion’s BoldGrid Website Creator Review: Pros, Cons & Alternatives
InMotion BoldGrid Website Creator

Website Creator is a website builder that combines the benefits of self-hosted WordPress with the ease of use and drag & drop abilities of traditional website builders.

Operating System: All

Application Category: Website Builder

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Jimdo Review: Pros & Cons of Using Jimdo Website Builder

Nate Shivar Updated February 27, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Jimdo Website Builder Review

Jimdo is known as an easy-to-use, all-inclusive website builder that is designed for people with no coding knowledge.

View Jimdo’s Current Plans & Pricing

They offer three options for website owners: a DIY website builder that puts you in control of choosing a template and customizing it, an AI logo creator that will create logo & brand from scratch, or a fully function ecommerce store.

[Read more…] about Jimdo Review: Pros & Cons of Using Jimdo Website Builder
Jimdo

Jimdo is an accessible and simple website builder for DIYers, but takes a hit on value, technical limitations, and overall user experience.

Price Currency: USD

Operating System: All

Application Category: Website Builder

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HostGator’s Gator Website Builder Review: Pros, Cons & Alternatives

Nate Shivar Updated February 11, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Gator Website Builder

HostGator is one of the best-known brands in the website & hosting industry. HostGator is especially known for their shared hosting, building their reputation on good pricing, fast servers, and great service compared to other brands like GoDaddy.

[Read more…] about HostGator’s Gator Website Builder Review: Pros, Cons & Alternatives
Gator Website Builder by HostGator

Gator is a drag & drop website builder provided by the popular hosting brand, HostGator. It focuses on low pricing and a simple user experience. It has limited advanced options and some upsells, but makes for a solid option to get your website online.

Price: 3.84

Price Currency: USD

Operating System: All

Application Category: Website Builder

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Website Builders Explained

Nate Shivar Updated January 10, 2019 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Website Builders Explained

Website builders are a type of software that turns visual design elements into HTML / CSS files that browsers can show as a website. Modern website builders are usually bundled in some form with hosting to provide storage & server abilities for those files.

As an analogy, imagine a website is like a physical home. Website builders are a bit like pre-built houses or condominiums with infrastructure & services provided. Usually the land (hosting), address (domain) and services are bundled with the home. There are usually costs & limitations, but also much more convenience compared to building a home from scratch.

[Read more…] about Website Builders Explained

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WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org: Which Should You Use?

Nate Shivar Updated March 10, 2018 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

WordPress-com vs WordPress-org Which Should You Use

So you’re exploring starting a website. And you’ve chosen WordPress as your software of choice. It powers more than 25% of the Internet. It’s famous for its versatility and ease of use.

But for anyone unfamiliar with the WordPress world – there’s a point of confusion. WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org – which should you use? What’s the difference? What’s the best fit for your website?

Here’s a concise overview of what you should think about before getting started. [Read more…] about WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org: Which Should You Use?

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Review FAQs & Explainers, Website Builder Guides

WordPress.com Alternatives for Blogs & Websites

Nate Shivar Updated September 16, 2017 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

WordPress Alternatives

There has never been so many options for starting a website or blog. WordPress.com is one of *the* name-brands in the website builder industry. They took the free & open-source WordPress software and combined it with an all-in-one platform that focuses on ease of use. Users get a platform with the versatility of WordPress without the learning curve of hosting WordPress on their own server.

[Read more…] about WordPress.com Alternatives for Blogs & Websites

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Website Builder Alternatives

Best Wix Alternatives for DIY Website & Blog Creators

Nate Shivar Updated September 16, 2017 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

Wix Alternatives for DIY Website & Blog Creators

There has never been so many options for starting a website or blog. Wix was one of the companies to really start the “drag & drop” design revolution where non-developers could start and setup a unique, fully-functional, beautifully designed website with no knowledge of HTML/CSS. They have been the name brand in the website builder industry for quite a while.

[Read more…] about Best Wix Alternatives for DIY Website & Blog Creators

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Website Builder Alternatives

Self-hosted WordPress Alternatives for a CMS & Building a Website

Nate Shivar Updated March 17, 2017 By Nate Shivar

Disclosure: ShivarWeb may receive a commission when you purchase from companies mentioned on this site. All data & opinions are based on our experience as customers or consultants to customers.

There has never been so many options for starting a website or blog. Hosting WordPress on your own server is not only the most popular ways – it has been completely revolutionary. As a free, open-source, community-maintained content management system – WordPress software has allowed millions of people to start & fully control their own website.

[Read more…] about Self-hosted WordPress Alternatives for a CMS & Building a Website

Read More Posts in This Topic! Filed Under: Website Builder Alternatives

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