The 10 best DIY website builders for your online identity

Nick A. | October 21, 2022
11 mins

It seems like almost everyone has an online presence — and for good reason. It’s essential for engaging with others, connecting with customers, and getting the word out about what you do. To that end, it’s easy to set up a social media account. But what about a website? What if you’re looking for more content space to blog, a better way to feature products and services, or a simple page where consumers can get to know you better? 

Now, you might be thinking, “Sure, a website sounds great, but I don’t know the first thing about creating one.” Here’s the good news: Web developers aren’t the only ones who can create a website. From small businesses selling products to foodies writing an ode to New York’s finest pizza, anyone can launch their digital presence with the help of easy DIY website builders. Here, we’ll explore the top 10 website builders that can help you reach new customers and build connections in no time.

The 10 best DIY website builders

Site builders make creating a website simple with a variety of customizable website templates for personalization, none of which require knowledge of how to code or program something from scratch. These website builders are popular because of their free plans or free trials, customer support, step-by-step setup, and more features that improve accessibility. So without further ado, let’s explore the best DIY website builders for small business or personal use. 

1. Namecheap Site Maker

Building websites with compelling web design — with help every step of the way as you build your online presence — is Namecheap Site Maker’s top priority. Showcase your work with an online portfolio or share your thoughts by creating an engaging blog. With Site Maker, you can design a website that looks professional and works seamlessly on all devices (smartphone-friendly mobile design included). Go live in minutes — it’s that easy. 

Site Maker includes secure web hosting, an SSL certificate for security, access to a 24/7 support team, and unlimited site visitors. This all-in-one package has you answer a few questions to determine your site’s sections. It’s effortless to structure your site by adding or removing blocks within the template. The templates themselves offer added personality with base color selection and font style, so your website looks like a natural extension of your brand. This process ensures you have all the essential elements in place, including security features that instill confidence in your customers.

Key features:

Price: A free 14-day trial plan is available, and plans start at $3.88 per month. 

2. Squarespace

Squarespace provides a range of design tools and choices, which makes it a great choice for DIY web design. The level of customization leaves users free to make their mark on their site without conforming to template limitations. With the ability to cultivate an aesthetic, the DIY website builder is also popular among small businesses because it features ecommerce capabilities with no plug-ins required. 

A few notable features are the tool’s use of analytics for social integrations and customer insights and online store components. Plus, you can get into email marketing easily with their designated email partners that integrate with your website. 

Key features:

  • Ecommerce features 
  • Variety of design tools and options 
  • Includes secure site license

Price: A free 14-day trial is available, and plans start at $14 per month for a personal site or $23 per month for a business site if you pay annually. 

3. Wix

This platform works well for beginners in the website building space, providing ease of use and build at a low cost. Users can choose from more than 500 templates to customize to their liking and their business needs. 

It’s important to note the drag-and-drop editing feature, support via live chat (Wix Chat), stock image selection, and personalized search engine optimization plan for your online presence. However, if you’re looking to build a larger website with more than 30 pages, then Wix doesn’t provide an advanced enough navigation menu. Premium plans give you more design elements and a custom domain. 

Key features:

  • Live chat for customer support
  • 500+ template options 
  • Free basic plans

Price: A basic plan is free, but premium plans start at $9 per month.  

4. GoDaddy

Mainly known as a domain registrar, GoDaddy also offers web design capabilities. This DIY tool offers simple website implementation for new business owners. Since it’s fairly intuitive, technophobes can rejoice and save brainpower for business ideas and blog post brainstorming. 

GoDaddy has a host of business and marketing tools, such as email marketing, social media organization, and appointment booking features that can be added. While there are many templates to choose from, a notable downside is less creativity and customization. There isn’t as much room to put your own spin on the design using this platform. And though initial prices for your first year are low, they can go up over time, and the low price point may not pertain to all domains. Plus, there are a lot of additional features that cost extra. 

Key features:

  • Largest domain registrar 
  • Good for web building newbies 
  • Several tiers to choose from

Price: The basic website builder plan starts at $6.99 per month and increases to $11.99 per month when you renew. 

5. WordPress.com

It’s common to think of WordPress when it comes to building a website. As the largest content management system (CMS) in the world, it’s a frequent go-to for web developers. But the key here is web developers. If you’re not a web expert, you may need the help of a developer to make your WordPress website work perfectly. But that’s where WordPress.com comes into play. This website helps you build your own site on the WordPress platform, without knowing how to code.

Popular features of the platform include domain registration, hosting, and security features, alongside all the other website building tools that make WordPress such a well-known platform. Plus, they offer thousands of plugins, alert you when plugins need a refresh, and provide the option to update them all at once — saving the hassle of going through every plugin to make sure it’s working properly. One major downside: You’ll have to pay to upgrade if you don’t want your website URL to have “wordpress” in the address.

Key features:

  • Includes hosting and security
  • A variety of plugin options 
  • Includes URL

Price: Get started for free, and then personal paid plans start at $4 per month. 

6. Jimdo

On the website-building scene since 2007, Jimdo has made quite an impression since its launch. Site builders seeking both regular and ecommerce capabilities can find solutions through this platform.

With Jimdo, you can upload photos, put together galleries for easy access, share content on social media, and easily navigate the storefront you’d manage online. However, users have noted limitations on customization and flexibility in template adjustments.  

Key features:

  • Online storefront capabilities
  • Advanced search engine optimization potential 
  • Work within a fixed design

Price: Get started for free, and then paid plans start at $9 per month. 

7. Weebly

Weebly is ideal when working with different collaborators on a site. You can designate various levels of access to different individuals, depending on authors, administrators, and editors. There are numerous web designs to select from for a more personalized touch. Plus, sellers can make use of ecommerce tools for business growth. 

Besides being easy to use, one of Weebly’s biggest draws is the ability to expand your business with marketing features, integrated shipping, and inventory management. It’s key to point out that a domain name is free to start, but you’ll end up having to pay for it down the road. Like a lot of website builders, prices tend to evolve over time. 

Key features:

  • Integrated ecommerce tools 
  • Professional web designs 
  • Permits access levels for different team members

Price: The basic use is free to start, and then personal plans start at $6 per month. 

8. Google Sites

The Google Workspace suite of tools like Gmail and Google Voice also includes a DIY website builder called Google Sites. This free website builder is simple to use and compatible with the full range of Google services.

With Google Sites, project collaboration with coworkers is the name of the game. It’s best suited for a work presentation or event announcement and information. It doesn’t follow the image of traditional website builders with a ton of unique templates. But with its stripped-down version of site creation, the platform is incredibly simple and intuitive, so it really depends on your individual needs. 

Key features:

  • Google Workspace compatibility 
  • Opportunities for collaboration
  • Ideal for landing pages or single-page websites

Price: It’s free, but if you go over your storage limit or want a custom domain name, then there’s a cost. 

9. Site123

With Site123, the name says it all — it’s another intuitive and user-friendly website builder for beginners. It offers a basic platform for free and visually captivating website templates. Yet, for the more advanced site builders, the limitations might hinder your creativity. And compared to others on this list, their features are not as robust. However, you can customize responsive templates and get a free domain when you use their service. The 24/7 live customer support with live chat can help guide you in the right direction. 

Key features:

  • 24/7 customer support
  • Appealing mobile-friendly website templates 
  • Free domain with signup

Price: Site123 has a free option as well as a premium option for $12.80 per month.

10. Strikingly.com

Strikingly allows for DIY website creation in minutes. It’s free to get started, and it’s simple to edit and publish quickly. Built for beginners, the platform understands what features are needed. It provides 24/7 live support for any questions. And it works for businesses or for personal use as a blog or portfolio. 

Notable features are video backgrounds, media sliders, and social feed displays. However, a recurring downside is limited customization abilities. But Strikingly can be a good place to start if you feel unsure of your tech skills, and you can sell products on your site with ecommerce functionality. 

Key features:

  • Easy to use blog and ecommerce tools
  • Accessible customer service
  • Show your social feed directly on your site 

Price: Pricing begins at $6 per month for a 5-year commitment.

Get online fast with a DIY website builder 

Anyone can benefit from controlling their digital footprint with their own website. A site can help build your image, boost credibility, and differentiate you from competitors. And while websites might have once appeared out of reach, building a site doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg or take weeks and months to create.Namecheap’s Site Maker delivers a personalized step-by-step web building experience at a low cost with everything you need in one package. With the comprehensive Visual suite of creative tools, Namecheap has everything you need to launch your new venture quickly. Plus, with more than 14 million available domains, Namecheap is one of the world’s largest domain registrars. Sharing your ideas with the world has never been easier, so get started with Site Maker today!


Biography

Picture of Nick A.

Nick A.

Nick Allen is a writer, photographer, and content marketer. He’s also the founder of BrainBoost Media, a boutique content and operations studio. With a wide range of interests, he enjoys reading and writing about sports, entrepreneurship, and start-ups.

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