If you want a website for your business, hobbies or just for blogging, it’s never been easier to set one up, but it can still be daunting because there are so many options that all promise the world.
I’ve certainly been put off building and hosting my website because the wealth of competitors in the market makes it hard to know where to start.
To solve the problem, I tried five different, popular website builders that allow you to give them a go without using credit card details. They’re all easy to use and quick to get started, too – I started using these five and was building my first website within five minutes.
The five I chose all impressed me, even if I chose one particular provider for building and hosting. I’ve explained my choice at the end. And if you don’t agree or need something different for your next web project, check out our roundup of the best website builders in 2023 for the complete rundown.
1. All-rounder: Squarespace
2. Fastest: Wix
3. Amazing for beginners: GoDaddy
4. Best for mobile optimization: Jimdo
5. Top-notch AI feature: Hostinger
All-rounder
Fastest
Amazing for beginners
Best for mobile optimization
Top-notch AI feature
Final verdict
The five website builders I tried to free in less than five minutes: here’s the one I chose
I’ll admit this immediately: Wix is my preferred choice, even though it’s one of the more expensive products here. And it may cost me more to build my site, but you get what you pay for.
Wix isn’t just easy to use – it’s packed with features, a fantastic editor, hundreds of templates, easy customization and integrations from loads of apps, social media pages, stock image libraries and more. It does a smart job of incorporating AI, and it’s consistently easy to use despite its power.
Don’t discount the other options I tried, though. Jimdo is excellent for creatives, GoDaddy is amazing for beginners, Squarespace is a powerful all-rounder and Hostinger does tremendous work with AI.
One thing I will say: Wix may be my favorite, but shop around for a deal no matter which website builder you choose. At the time of writing they all touted offers, and that’s only going to increase when Black Friday and Cyber Monday are nearby.
That’s even more important when the cost of living and rising inflation are both putting the squeeze on millions of people around the world.
I had a great time trying out some of the world’s best website builders – and you will, too, thanks to their intuitive builders and AI-powered wizards. It’s never been so easy to beef up your online presence.
