Building a website can seem daunting, especially if you're new to the process. But with the advent of website builders, creating a beautiful site has become much easier and faster without the need for coding. Here are some of the best platforms to consider for developing your first website:
Wix
Wix is a popular website builder that has been around since 2006. It offers a wide range of features, including SEO, shopping carts, eCommerce integrations, and more. The platform has a free plan (called WixGrow) and paid plans that range from $6 to $24 per month. The most popular paid plan is the $12/month option, which includes a drag-and-drop editor and other features that you would expect from a website builder. However, Wix's eCommerce features are not as robust as other platforms like Shopify.
Squarespace
Squarespace is another easy-to-use website builder that is great for beginners. It is an all-in-one platform that includes everything you need to get started without any technical knowledge or experience. Squarespace offers excellent templates and a drag-and-drop editor that allows you to build a site quickly. It also works with WordPress, making it easy to transfer your site if you decide Squarespace isn't for you. However, the drag-and-drop editor may be less user-friendly than Wix.
Weebly
Weebly is a feature-rich, easy-to-use website builder that doesn't require any coding skills. It has over 600 built-in templates and an easy interface, making it easy to customize your site with just a few clicks. Weebly also offers e-commerce stores, blog posts, events calendars, and mobile apps for managing your site on the go. Its pricing starts at $8/month, making it a bit more expensive than other builders in this price range, like Squarespace or Wix, but it offers more features.
Shopify
Shopify is an excellent platform for developing your first website, particularly for e-commerce sites. It is easy to learn and use, making it an affordable way to get familiar with creating a website without spending a lot of money or time learning to code. Shopify also has mobile apps, making accessing your website from anywhere convenient.
Webflow
Webflow is an online drag-and-drop website builder that allows you to build responsive websites without writing code. It's easy to learn and use, even for beginners and has a large community of designers, developers, and users willing to help out when needed. With Webflow, you can create a beautiful website in minutes and publish it online in hours.
Bubble
Bubble is a drag-and-drop website builder that makes it easy to create your site. The platform offers templates to get started, many pre-made options, and fill-in fields that will let you customize your site as much or as little as you want. Bubble also has free plugins that enable you to add things like Google Maps, calendars, and more to your site. Bubble has been around since 2006 and claims to be one of the first sites where users can make their websites online without any coding experience.
Many website-building platforms make it easy to create a beautiful website without needing to learn how to code. Wix, Squarespace, Weebly, Shopify, Webflow, and Bubble are all great options to consider for developing your first website.
Each platform has unique features and advantages; the best one for you will depend on your specific needs. Whether you're looking to create a simple blog, a portfolio, or an e-commerce store, there is a platform that can help you get started without any technical knowledge or experience. It's worth exploring and testing a few of them to find the best match for your project.
The best advice we can ever lend is to begin with, the end in mind.
What are you trying to achieve in 6 months, a year, three years, or 5 years? Consider scale into your decisions. Because having to rebuild your site on a new platform, is doable but costly and time-consuming. As Glenn, our COO, says, "you never have time to do it right, but somehow always find time to do it twice." Find the time to do it right the first time. We are here to help, even if you need advice on the best platform for your business.