I've spent 2 months testing the main website builders, and these are the 7 that creatives should check out

Best website builder for artists: Wix/Shopify/Squarespace

If you've got a small business, then you'll want an online presence. And the best website builders for small business can make that surprisingly easy.

For a small fee, these online platforms enable you to create a professional websites without having any coding knowledge. But which should you choose? We've tested out a variety of website builders to find the ones that offer the best value for money, are easiest to use, and offer good looking templates you can customise to your own needs. And in our view, the absolute best website builder for small business today is Wix. It really is an excellent platform, and if you want to dive into why we think it's the best around, check out our recent Wix (2025) review.

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Tom May

Tom May is an award-winning journalist and editor specialising in design, photography and technology. He has tried and tested a range of website builders, using them to create his own portfolio sites.

01. Wix: The best website builder overall

01. Wix: The best website builder overall
Wix is the best website builder for small business overall that we've used. It's easy to use, has lots of templates which you can customise to your own needs, and it's affordable. Best of all, it's keenly focused on small business, so they've largely thought of everything you're likely to need.

02. Squarespace: the most beautiful templates

02. Squarespace: the most beautiful templates
When I used this platform, I found that Squarespace's templates are the most beautiful of all the website builders. Plus its interface is easy to use, the SEO tools are great, and you can add an online store too.

03. Shopify: the best for ecommerce

03. Shopify: the best for ecommerce
In my testing, I found Shopify to be the best choice for ecommerce because it specialises in the creation of online shops. Its latest update adds some complexity, but also a raft of useful new features.

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Wix scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Interface and usability

Intuitive drag-and-drop editor

★★★★★

Versatility

Over 2,000 options and lots of design flexibility

★★★★★

Pricing

Free version, but paid plans not the cheapest

★★★

Our expert says
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Our expert says
Tom May

If you're new to web builders, don't have web design skills or are just pushed for time, Wix Classic enables you to build a website quickly and easily. And as long as you're happy with something basic, it's all you really need.

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Squarespace scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Interface and usability

Takes some time to learn.

★★★★

Versatility

Exceptional templates and good ecommerce options.

★★★★★

Pricing

Premium, with no free option

★★★

Our expert says
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Our expert says
Tom May

"It's a great choice for creatives needing an impressive visual showcase thanks to its beautiful templates and excellent ecommerce features."

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Shopify scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Interface and usability

Clean dashboard, section-based editor

★★★★

Versatility

Excellent sales tools, good for scaling

★★★★

Pricing

Expensive with extras, but good value

★★★

Our expert says
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Our expert says
Tom May

"Shopify makes it a lot quicker to set up an online store than say, WooCommerce, which requires you to manage your own hosting, install WordPress, and configure multiple plugins."

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GoDaddy scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Interface and usability

Question-based setup is brilliantly simple.

★★★★

Versatility

Limited customisation and no app marketplace.

★★

Pricing

Affordable first year but hefty increases afterwards.

★★★

Our expert says
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Our expert says
Tom May

With its AI-powered setup and clear guidance, GoDaddy is the fastest way to get online for those with zero technical knowledge.

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Weebly scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Interface and usability

Easy-to-use but sometimes buggy

★★★★

Versatility

Limited themes and customisation options.

★★

Pricing

Exceptional value with a useful free plan.

★★★★★

Our expert says
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Our expert says
Tom May

The limited design options mean it's not for everyone, but it's brilliant value if you just need something simple.

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Hostinger scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Interface and usability

Intuitive with fast, responsive controls.

★★★★★

Versatility

Multiple websites per plan but limited customisation and no app marketplace.

★★★

Pricing

Excellent value, especially for multiple sites.

★★★★★

Our expert says
A headshot of the journalist Tom May.
Our expert says
Tom May

"With the AI-powered Hostinger Web Builder, you don't even have to add your own images and text! Your website comes with AI generated text and images, which you might not even have to change. Even if you do, you can generate fresh AI images just by typing new prompts."

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Bluehost scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Interface and usability

Takes some time to learn.

★★★

Versatility

Lots of flexibility.

★★★★

Pricing

Competitive pricing but not free plan.

★★★★

Our expert says
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Our expert says
Richard Sutherland

Bluehost Website Builder is an exciting option for anyone who wants the power of WordPress but the simplicity of a drag-and-drop website editor.

Recent updates

December 3rd, 2024: I added Shopify 2024 as the best ecommerce option for small businesses, using data and insights from Creative Bloq's Shopify 2024 review.

TOPICS
Tom May
Freelance journalist and editor

Tom May is an award-winning journalist and author specialising in design, photography and technology. His latest book, The 50th Greatest Designers, was released in June 2025. He's also author of the Amazon #1 bestseller Great TED Talks: Creativity, published by Pavilion Books, Tom was previously editor of Professional Photography magazine, associate editor at Creative Bloq, and deputy editor at net magazine.