List of the Best Online Web Design Tools Today

Online website builders make it possible to create and publish a website without developing every feature from the beginning. Depending on the platform, users can select a template, arrange page sections visually, manage content, connect a domain, publish articles, accept payments, and monitor website performance.

However, no single platform is the best choice for every project. A personal portfolio, company website, landing page, online publication, and ecommerce store have different technical and operational requirements.

This guide compares some of the most useful online web design tools available today, including their advantages, limitations, SEO capabilities, and most appropriate use cases.

Businesses that need a unique interface, specialized functionality, greater data control, or long-term technical flexibility may still benefit from a professionally developed website rather than relying entirely on a hosted website builder.

What Is an Online Website Builder?

An online website builder is a hosted platform that provides visual tools for creating and managing web pages through a browser.

Most website builders combine several services:

• Page-design tools.
• Website hosting.
• Templates or themes.
• Content management.
• Domain connection.
• Mobile-responsive layouts.
• Security certificates.
• Analytics or marketing integrations.
• Basic search-engine optimization settings.

The platform provider manages much of the underlying infrastructure. This can simplify website administration, but it can also limit access to source code, server settings, databases, and data-export options.

How to Choose an Online Web Design Tool

Before comparing platforms, define what the website must accomplish.

Website Purpose

Determine whether you need:

• A company introduction website.
• A professional portfolio.
• A blog or online publication.
• A product catalogue.
• An ecommerce store.
• A campaign landing page.
• A membership website.
• A booking or appointment system.
• A custom web application.

Design Control

Some platforms prioritize ease of use, while others provide greater control over responsive layout, animation, components, and custom code.

A simple editor may be appropriate for a small business website but become restrictive when the project requires a detailed design system or unconventional layout.

Content Management

Consider how often the website will be updated and who will manage it.

Important features may include:

• Blogging.
• Custom content types.
• Categories and tags.
• Editorial permissions.
• Scheduled publication.
• Revision history.
• Multilingual content.

SEO Capabilities

A suitable platform should allow appropriate control over:

• Page titles.
• Meta descriptions.
• Heading structure.
• Image alternative text.
• URL paths.
• Canonical tags.
• Redirects.
• XML sitemaps.
• Robots directives.
• Structured data where relevant.
• Page performance.

Built-in SEO settings do not guarantee search visibility. Content quality, website architecture, competition, authority, and ongoing optimization remain important.

Ecommerce Requirements

Online stores should evaluate:

• Product variations.
• Inventory management.
• Payment gateways.
• Shipping calculations.
• Tax settings.
• Discounts.
• Order management.
• Returns.
• Point-of-sale integration.
• Local payment support.

Total Cost

Do not compare platforms only by their introductory monthly price.

Long-term costs may include:

• Hosting plan.
• Domain registration.
• Premium themes.
• Applications or plugins.
• Ecommerce transaction fees.
• Email services.
• Additional storage.
• Developer support.
• Migration costs.

Data Ownership and Migration

Before building the website, determine what can be exported if you later change platforms.

Ask whether you can export:

• Pages.
• Blog posts.
• Products.
• Orders.
• Customer information.
• Images.
• SEO metadata.
• Redirects.
• Complete website code.

A platform may allow content export without allowing the complete design or functionality to be transferred.

1. Wix

Wix is a hosted website-building platform designed for users who want to create websites visually without managing their own server.

It supports business websites, portfolios, blogs, bookings, events, memberships, and online stores through built-in tools and applications.

Advantages

• Visual drag-and-drop editing.
• Large selection of templates and page sections.
• AI-assisted website creation.
• Built-in hosting and security management.
• Blogging, forms, booking, and ecommerce options.
• SEO settings for common website requirements.
• Application marketplace for additional functionality.
• Free plan for testing the platform.

Limitations

• The free plan uses a Wix subdomain and displays platform branding.
• Advanced functionality may require higher plans or paid applications.
• Complete migration to another platform can be difficult.
• Design freedom may result in inconsistent layouts when pages are not managed carefully.
• Complex custom applications may exceed the intended scope of the platform.

Who Should Use Wix?

Wix can be suitable for:

• Small businesses.
• Consultants.
• Restaurants.
• Personal portfolios.
• Service providers.
• Users who want to manage the website without server administration.

It is less suitable when the project requires full server control, a highly specialized database structure, or easy migration of the complete website to another technology.

2. WordPress

WordPress is a content-management system used for websites ranging from small blogs to large publications, company websites, membership platforms, and ecommerce stores.

It is important to distinguish between two approaches:

• WordPress.org: Open-source software installed on hosting selected by the website owner.
• WordPress.com: A hosted service that manages much of the infrastructure through subscription plans.

Advantages

• Highly flexible content-management system.
• Large ecosystem of themes and plugins.
• Suitable for blogging and content-heavy websites.
• Can support ecommerce through WooCommerce and other solutions.
• Greater ownership and portability with self-hosted WordPress.
• Extensive developer and community resources.
• Strong potential for custom post types, taxonomies, and integrations.
• Broad control over technical SEO when configured correctly.

Limitations

• The self-hosted version requires hosting, updates, backups, and security management.
• Poor-quality or incompatible plugins can create performance and security problems.
• Advanced customization may require PHP, CSS, JavaScript, database, or server knowledge.
• Premium themes, plugins, and maintenance can increase long-term costs.
• A poorly configured WordPress website can become slow or difficult to maintain.

Who Should Use WordPress?

WordPress can be suitable for:

• Blogs and online publications.
• Business websites.
• Content-marketing programs.
• Membership websites.
• Online courses.
• WooCommerce stores.
• Organizations that need substantial content flexibility.

Self-hosted WordPress is particularly useful when the business wants greater control over hosting, code, data, plugins, and future migration.

3. Squarespace

Squarespace is a hosted website builder known for visually polished templates and integrated tools for websites, portfolios, scheduling, blogging, and ecommerce.

Advantages

• Professionally designed responsive templates.
• Consistent visual system.
• Built-in hosting and security management.
• Blogging and content-management features.
• Portfolio and gallery tools.
• Ecommerce options.
• Integration with scheduling and marketing services.
• Suitable for users who prefer an integrated platform.

Limitations

• Less low-level customization than a self-hosted platform.
• Some business features require higher subscription tiers.
• Third-party extension options are more limited than the WordPress plugin ecosystem.
• Moving the exact design and functionality to another platform can be difficult.
• Complex data structures or custom application logic may require another solution.

Who Should Use Squarespace?

Squarespace can work well for:

• Photographers.
• Designers.
• Artists.
• Consultants.
• Restaurants.
• Event businesses.
• Small online stores.
• Businesses that value polished presentation and simplified administration.

4. Webflow

Webflow is a visual website-development platform that provides greater layout and styling control than many template-based builders.

Its editor maps many visual decisions to concepts used in HTML and CSS, making it attractive to designers who want detailed control without manually coding every page.

Advantages

• Detailed responsive-layout control.
• Visual management of CSS-style properties.
• Reusable components.
• Animations and interactions.
• Built-in content-management capabilities.
• Hosting and deployment options.
• Control over many important SEO settings.
• Useful designer-to-developer workflows.

Limitations

• Steeper learning curve than simplified website builders.
• Users should understand layout, spacing, responsive behavior, and semantic structure.
• Costs can increase with multiple sites, editors, CMS requirements, or team features.
• Complex backend applications require integrations or external development.
• Exported static code does not necessarily include all hosted CMS and platform functionality.

Who Should Use Webflow?

Webflow can be suitable for:

• Professional web designers.
• Design agencies.
• Marketing websites.
• Startups.
• Brand websites.
• Projects requiring detailed visual control.

It is most effective when the user understands responsive design and basic web-development principles rather than treating it as a simple document editor.

5. Shopify

Shopify is a hosted commerce platform designed primarily for businesses that need to sell products through an online store and other sales channels.

Its main strength is not simply page design. It combines storefront creation with product, order, payment, inventory, shipping, and business-management features.

Advantages

• Strong ecommerce infrastructure.
• Product and inventory management.
• Secure checkout and payment options.
• Responsive store themes.
• Application ecosystem.
• Multichannel selling features.
• Order and customer management.
• Analytics and marketing integrations.
• Suitable for stores that expect to grow.

Limitations

• Ongoing subscription costs.
• Applications and premium themes can increase total expenses.
• Transaction-related costs depend on the plan and payment configuration.
• Advanced theme changes may require Liquid, CSS, and JavaScript knowledge.
• Content management outside ecommerce may be less flexible than a publishing-focused CMS.
• Migrating products and data is easier than recreating the complete storefront elsewhere.

Who Should Use Shopify?

Shopify can be suitable for:

• Retail businesses.
• Direct-to-consumer brands.
• Dropshipping stores.
• Online and physical retailers.
• Businesses selling through multiple channels.
• Stores requiring established commerce operations.

A business that only needs a simple company website may not need the ecommerce infrastructure and recurring costs associated with Shopify.

6. Hostinger Website Builder

Hostinger Website Builder is the current website-building product within Hostinger’s hosting ecosystem. The former Zyro builder was incorporated into Hostinger and should no longer be presented as a separate current platform.

The builder focuses on quick website creation through templates, visual editing, hosting integration, and AI-assisted tools.

Advantages

• Beginner-friendly visual editor.
• Hosting and website builder provided together.
• AI-assisted content and design features.
• Responsive templates.
• Basic ecommerce options.
• Suitable for relatively simple websites.
• Potentially lower initial cost than some premium builders.

Limitations

• Less extensible than WordPress.
• Less detailed visual control than Webflow.
• Advanced application and database requirements may exceed its capabilities.
• Complete migration to another platform may require rebuilding the design.
• The total renewal price should be checked after promotional periods.

Who Should Use Hostinger Website Builder?

It can be appropriate for:

• Individuals.
• Freelancers.
• Small service businesses.
• Simple portfolios.
• Small websites that need to launch quickly.
• Users who prefer hosting and website creation under one account.

7. Framer

Framer is a visual website-design and publishing platform focused on modern marketing websites, landing pages, interactive layouts, and design-led workflows.

It is often used by designers who want to move from interface design to a published website without developing the entire frontend manually.

Advantages

• Modern visual-design workflow.
• Responsive layout tools.
• Animation and interaction capabilities.
• Reusable components.
• Content-management features.
• Fast publishing workflow.
• Useful for landing pages and startup websites.
• Suitable for design-focused teams.

Limitations

• Less appropriate for complex backend applications.
• Large content or ecommerce projects may require another platform.
• Advanced responsive design still requires design knowledge.
• Third-party integration and migration requirements should be evaluated before adoption.
• Costs may increase when multiple sites, editors, or advanced features are required.

Who Should Use Framer?

Framer can be suitable for:

• Startup landing pages.
• Product marketing websites.
• Designer portfolios.
• Campaign websites.
• Creative agencies.
• Businesses prioritizing modern presentation and rapid iteration.

8. Strikingly

Strikingly is a hosted website builder focused on simple websites, portfolios, and one-page or small multi-page presentations.

It provides templates, visual editing, blogging, and basic ecommerce functionality.

Advantages

• Simple setup process.
• Beginner-friendly editor.
• Responsive templates.
• Suitable for one-page websites.
• Basic blogging and ecommerce options.
• Free plan for testing and simple publishing.

Limitations

• Less appropriate for large or structurally complex websites.
• Limited design and content flexibility compared with advanced platforms.
• Advanced ecommerce requirements may require Shopify or another specialized system.
• Migration of the complete design may require rebuilding.
• The free plan includes platform-related limitations.

Who Should Use Strikingly?

Strikingly can be suitable for:

• Personal introduction pages.
• Event pages.
• Simple portfolios.
• Freelancers.
• Small campaign pages.
• Businesses that need a basic online presence quickly.

Is Weebly Still an Option?

Weebly remains available as a website builder and continues to provide visual editing, responsive templates, blogging, and ecommerce-related features.

However, businesses beginning a new long-term project should compare it carefully with platforms receiving stronger product-development attention and offering clearer future growth paths.

Weebly may remain practical for:

• Existing websites already built on the platform.
• Simple informational websites.
• Users familiar with its editor.
• Small projects that do not require extensive customization.

Before choosing it for a new business website, evaluate current templates, integrations, ecommerce requirements, support, export options, and the expected lifespan of the project.

Online Website Builder Comparison

Which Website Builder Is Best for SEO?

No website builder automatically guarantees strong SEO results.

A platform can provide useful controls, but successful SEO still requires:

• Search-intent research.
• Helpful and original content.
• Logical website architecture.
• Internal links.
• Fast and stable pages.
• Mobile usability.
• Accurate metadata.
• Strong business reputation.
• Ongoing technical maintenance.

For small websites, Wix, Squarespace, Webflow, Framer, and hosted WordPress can provide many essential SEO settings.

For technically complex or content-heavy websites, self-hosted WordPress or a custom-developed system may provide greater control, provided that the website is configured and maintained correctly.

For ecommerce, the choice should consider product architecture, filters, structured data, inventory, international stores, and platform performance—not only page-title settings.

Free vs. Paid Website Builders

Free plans can be useful for learning, prototyping, or testing a platform. They often include limitations such as:

• Platform subdomains.
• Platform advertising or branding.
• Limited storage.
• Limited bandwidth.
• Restricted ecommerce features.
• Fewer analytics and marketing tools.
• No connection to a custom domain.

A serious business website will usually require a paid plan, custom domain, professional email, reliable analytics, and suitable backup or recovery procedures.

Hosted Builder vs. Self-Hosted Website

Hosted Website Builder

The platform manages hosting, software updates, and much of the technical infrastructure.

This can offer:

• Faster setup.
• Less server maintenance.
• Integrated support.
• Predictable administration.

Potential disadvantages include:

• Platform dependence.
• Limited server access.
• Restricted code or database control.
• Difficult complete migration.

Self-Hosted Website

The business selects its own hosting and controls the website software or source code.

This may provide:

• Greater technical control.
• More customization.
• More flexible integrations.
• Better portability.

It also requires greater responsibility for:

• Security.
• Backups.
• Updates.
• Performance.
• Server management.

When Should You Use a Custom-Developed Website?

An online website builder may not be appropriate when the project requires:

• Specialized business workflows.
• Complex user permissions.
• Custom order or quotation systems.
• Integration with internal software.
• Large databases.
• Advanced multilingual workflows.
• Unique ecommerce logic.
• Complete source-code ownership.
• Strict infrastructure or data-location requirements.

In these cases, a custom website or customized open-source platform may provide a more sustainable foundation.

Common Website Builder Mistakes to Avoid

• Selecting a platform only because its introductory price is low.
• Choosing a design before planning the website structure.
• Installing too many third-party applications.
• Ignoring mobile editing and testing.
• Using large uncompressed images.
• Failing to configure page titles and redirects.
• Building the site under an account controlled only by an employee or agency.
• Ignoring content and data-export limitations.
• Assuming built-in SEO tools guarantee rankings.
• Launching without analytics, backups, or conversion tracking.

Online Website Builder Checklist

Business Requirements

• The platform supports the required website type.
• The business can add future pages and features.
• Required payment and booking services are available.
• The total annual cost is understood.

Design and Content

• Templates work on mobile devices.
• Typography and colors can be customized.
• The content-management system fits the publishing workflow.
• Important components are reusable.

SEO

• Page titles and descriptions can be edited.
• URL paths can be controlled.
• Redirects are available.
• Images support alternative text.
• Canonical and indexing controls meet the project’s needs.
• The website can achieve acceptable performance.

Ownership and Security

• The company controls the main account.
• Two-factor authentication is available.
• Domain ownership is documented.
• Content and business data can be exported.
• Backup and recovery options are understood.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Easiest Online Website Builder?

Wix, Squarespace, Hostinger Website Builder, and Strikingly are designed to simplify website creation for beginners. The easiest option depends on the required features and the user’s preferred editing workflow.

Which Website Builder Is Best for a Small Business?

Wix, Squarespace, WordPress, and Hostinger Website Builder can all support small business websites. The right choice depends on content volume, booking needs, customization, budget, and future growth.

Which Platform Is Best for Ecommerce?

Shopify is designed specifically for ecommerce operations. WooCommerce can provide greater control within WordPress, while Wix and Squarespace may be appropriate for smaller stores with simpler requirements.

Which Platform Is Best for a Landing Page?

Framer, Webflow, Wix, and Strikingly can all create landing pages. Framer and Webflow provide greater design control, while Strikingly and Wix may be easier for beginners.

Is WordPress a Website Builder?

WordPress is primarily a content-management system. Themes and page-building plugins can provide visual website-building functionality.

Is Zyro Still Available?

Zyro is no longer positioned as a separate current website-building platform. Its functionality was incorporated into Hostinger Website Builder.

Is Weebly Still Available?

Yes, Weebly remains available. Businesses should still compare its current development direction, integrations, export options, and scalability with newer alternatives before starting a long-term project.

Can a Free Website Rank on Google?

A technically accessible free website may appear in search results. However, free plans often include platform subdomains, branding, restricted functionality, and limited professional credibility.

Can I Move My Website to Another Platform?

Some platforms allow content or product export, but the complete design and functionality may not transfer. Review migration options before building the site.

Do Website Builders Support SEO?

Most current builders provide common SEO settings. The amount of technical control varies, and no built-in feature can replace a complete content and SEO strategy.

Do I Need Coding Knowledge?

Basic websites can be created without coding on most platforms. Coding knowledge becomes useful when implementing custom layouts, integrations, advanced tracking, performance improvements, or specialized functionality.

Should I Use a Website Builder or Hire a Developer?

A builder may be appropriate for a small and standard website. A developer becomes more valuable when the business requires unique design, complex features, integrations, advanced SEO control, stronger performance, or long-term technical ownership.

Conclusion

The best online web design tool is the one that supports the website’s current goals without creating unnecessary limitations for future growth.

A practical selection can be summarized as follows:

• Wix: Suitable for beginner-friendly small business websites.
• WordPress: Suitable for flexible, content-heavy, and customizable websites.
• Squarespace: Suitable for visually polished portfolios and business websites.
• Webflow: Suitable for professional designers and highly controlled marketing websites.
• Shopify: Suitable for businesses focused primarily on ecommerce.
• Hostinger Website Builder: Suitable for simple websites with integrated hosting.
• Framer: Suitable for modern landing pages and design-led marketing websites.
• Strikingly: Suitable for simple one-page and small websites.

Before committing to any platform, test the editor, review long-term pricing, confirm SEO and export capabilities, and determine whether the business will need custom functionality later.

VietSEO provides professional website design and development services, including platform selection, custom web development, WordPress, ecommerce, responsive UI/UX, technical SEO, migration, hosting, and long-term website maintenance.