Let’s Be Honest — Building a Website Can Feel Overwhelming

If you’ve ever Googled “best website builder,” you already know the internet is flooded with options. Some promise drag-and-drop simplicity. Others offer powerful features and total control. But how do you figure out which one’s right for you?

Whether you’re starting a small business, launching a blog, or finally turning that side hustle into something real — this guide will help you pick a website builder that actually works for you in 2025.

No jargon. No tech speak. Just honest advice.

First Things First: Why Does Your Website Builder Matter?

Your website is usually the first impression people get of your brand. So choosing the right platform means:

  • You’ll look more professional (even on a small budget)

  • Google will actually find and rank your site

  • You won’t have to fight with the tech every time you want to make a small update

  • You can grow your website as your business or project grows

The Top Website Builders People Are Actually Using in 2025

Here’s a quick breakdown of the best ones — and who they’re best for.

1. Wix

Perfect if you’re just starting out and want creative control without needing to code.

Wix is the go-to for beginners who want their website to look good without spending hours figuring things out. It has a drag-and-drop editor that’s super intuitive—if you can move icons on your phone, you can build with Wix.

Why people love it:

  • You get total creative freedom—move stuff anywhere you like.

  • Tons of templates for everything from pet grooming to personal coaching.

  • Built-in tools like forms, galleries, and basic SEO.

What to watch out for:

  • If your business really takes off and you need advanced features, it might feel a bit limiting down the line.

Starting price: Around $16/month

2. Squarespace

Great if you want a beautiful, modern website and don’t want to mess around too much.

Squarespace is like the Apple of website builders—sleek, polished, and everything just works. It’s perfect for photographers, creatives, or small businesses that want a site that looks like it cost a lot more than it did.

Why people love it:

  • Gorgeous, mobile-friendly templates

  • Built-in blogging and eCommerce (if you want to sell stuff)

  • You don’t need to install plugins or do much customizing

What to watch out for:

  • The editor isn’t as “free-form” as Wix, so you’re working within more design limits

  • Takes a few hours to get used to how things work

Starting price: Around $16/month

3. WordPress.com

Best if you want to grow, blog regularly, or care a lot about SEO and content.

WordPress.com is ideal for people who want a site that can grow with them—whether that means a blog, business site, or portfolio. It’s different from the self-hosted WordPress.org, but way easier to start with.

Why people love it:

  • It’s powerful—used by millions of blogs and businesses

  • Tons of customization options via themes and plugins

  • SEO tools built right in, plus it plays well with Google

What to watch out for:

  • Not quite as “plug and play” as Wix or Squarespace

  • Some useful features only come with paid plans

Starting price: Free to try, but useful features start at about $8/month

4. Shopify

Hands-down the best choice if you’re planning to sell products online.

Shopify is built from the ground up for eCommerce. It’s what thousands of online stores use to manage products, payments, shipping, and customer accounts. If you’re starting an online shop, this is the one.

Why people love it:

  • Designed specifically for selling things

  • Built-in tools for inventory, payments, coupons, and more

  • Excellent support and tons of app integrations

What to watch out for:

  • Not ideal for non-eCommerce sites

  • Monthly costs can add up if you need extra apps or features

Starting price: $39/month

5. Webflow

Great if you’re a designer (or want design-level control) without coding.

Webflow gives you pixel-perfect control over how your site looks and behaves. It’s like Photoshop for websites—but without needing to touch a line of code. If you want animations, custom layouts, or a truly unique design, this is your playground.

Why people love it:

  • Total design freedom with clean code behind the scenes

  • Fast, responsive, and optimized for performance

  • Great for freelancers, agencies, or design-focused brands

What to watch out for:

  • Definitely not beginner-friendly

  • Takes some time to learn, but tutorials are solid

Starting price: About $14/month, plus hosting

How to Choose the Right One (In Plain English)

Don’t worry about all the technical features. Instead, ask yourself:

What kind of website am I building?

  • Portfolio or simple service website → Wix or Squarespace

  • Blog or content-focused site → WordPress

  • Online store → Shopify

  • Custom or animated design → Webflow

Am I okay learning something new, or do I need it to be dead simple?

  • Total beginner → Wix or Squarespace

  • Want to grow and learn over time → WordPress or Webflow

Do I care about Google rankings and SEO?

If you do (and you should), make sure your builder lets you:

  • Edit titles and descriptions

  • Use clean URLs

  • Load quickly on mobile

  • Add alt text to images
    (WordPress and Webflow are best for this, but the others do a decent job too.)