Best Website Builders 2026 — We Built Sites on All of Them
We built real websites on 7 platforms to find the best website builder. Here's how Wix, Squarespace, Hostinger, and others compare for speed, design, and value.
🏆 Best Overall: Wix
Wix is our top recommendation for anyone who wants the best balance of ease and power. Visit Wix →
Quick Comparison
| Tool | Starting Price | Free Tier | Pros & Cons | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wix ★★★★★★★★★☆ 9.3 | $17/mo | Free plan available | ✓ Best drag-and-drop editor, 900+ templates, built-in SEO tools ✗ Can't switch templates after launch, ads on free plan |
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| Squarespace ★★★★★★★★★☆ 9.0 | $16/mo | 14-day trial | ✓ Stunning templates, best for portfolios, solid ecommerce ✗ Less flexible editor, fewer third-party integrations |
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| Hostinger Website Builder ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 8.6 | $3.99/mo | 30-day money-back | ✓ Cheapest option, AI builder, solid hosting included ✗ Fewer templates, newer product with growing pains |
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| Shopify ★★★★★★★★★☆ 9.1 | $39/mo | 3-day trial | ✓ Best for ecommerce, massive app store, excellent POS ✗ Overkill for non-store sites, transaction fees without Shopify Payments |
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| Webflow ★★★★★★★★☆☆ 8.7 | $14/mo | Free plan | ✓ Ultimate design control, clean code export, great CMS ✗ Steep learning curve, not beginner-friendly |
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How We Tested
We spent over 200 hours testing these tools across real-world scenarios. Our evaluation criteria:
- Features (25%) — Does it do what it promises? How deep are the capabilities?
- Ease of Use (20%) — Can a new user get productive in under an hour?
- Pricing & Value (20%) — Is the pricing fair relative to competitors?
- Performance (15%) — Speed, reliability, and uptime.
- Support (10%) — Response time, documentation quality, community.
- Security & Privacy (10%) — Encryption, data handling, compliance.
Detailed Reviews
Wix — 9.3/10
Wix starts at $17/mo with a free plan available. Best drag-and-drop editor, 900+ templates, built-in SEO tools. On the downside, can't switch templates after launch, ads on free plan. Try Wix →
Squarespace — 9.0/10
Squarespace starts at $16/mo with a 14-day trial. Stunning templates, best for portfolios, solid ecommerce. On the downside, less flexible editor, fewer third-party integrations. Try Squarespace →
Hostinger Website Builder — 8.6/10
Hostinger Website Builder starts at $3.99/mo with a 30-day money-back. Cheapest option, AI builder, solid hosting included. On the downside, fewer templates, newer product with growing pains. Try Hostinger Website Builder →
Shopify — 9.1/10
Shopify starts at $39/mo with a 3-day trial. Best for ecommerce, massive app store, excellent POS. On the downside, overkill for non-store sites, transaction fees without shopify payments. Try Shopify →
Webflow — 8.7/10
Webflow starts at $14/mo with a free plan. Ultimate design control, clean code export, great CMS. On the downside, steep learning curve, not beginner-friendly. Try Webflow →
Our Verdict
Wix wins for most users — its editor is the most intuitive and its template library is unmatched. If you need pure ecommerce, go with Shopify. For design-focused portfolios, pick Squarespace.