Choosing the Best Website Builder for Your Business in 2024

by Marielle Reussink

In today's digital world, having a website for your business isn't a luxury - it's a necessity. The good news? Powerful website builders have made creating a professional online presence more accessible than ever. Costs are down, features and functionalities are robust and the possibilities seem endless.

But here's the catch: having so many options (WordPress, Webflow, Wix, Squarespace, Shopify… the list goes on), can easily lead to decision overwhelm.

How does one choose?

Having worked with over 200 companies and entrepreneurs, we know that trying to understand all the options available can be overwhelming and that the anxiety of choosing the wrong platform can become a real roadblock. That’s why we want to help you find the perfect fit.

While all website builders have their benefits, not all builders are suitable for every company. In this blog, we will be reviewing some of the most popular options to help you find the best solution for your business.

But before we dive in, let's unpack what a website builder is and why it’s such a beneficial tool.

What is a website builder?

A website builder is a technical design and development platform built specifically for creating websites. Designed to be user-friendly (although some are friendlier than others), a website builder helps you create a website with little to no need for coding. In addition, pre-designed templates or blocks can help you create beautiful websites without having to create everything from scratch. Useful features like contact forms, booking systems and ecommerce solutions will also already be built-in or can easily be added by integrating other technologies via apps, plugins and integrations.

This means faster development times, lower costs and typically better websites without bugs and errors (although this will depend on the developer). Thus, website builders make building websites much more accessible for companies of any size. Even large corporates are increasingly choosing website builders over custom web development projects, as these normally take longer, are much more expensive and require more technical expertise and costs to maintain and update.

Now let’s look at which website builder might be right for you. Here's what you need to know about the most popular website builder platforms for 2024:

Shopify | Best for E-commerce businesses

Shopify is designed specifically for online stores - big and small. Offering a wide range of features to sell products online, it provides a user friendly interface, customizable themes and robust e-commerce functionalities, such as inventory management, payment processing, and order tracking. Additionally, Shopify has a large app store where users can further extend a website’s capabilities with various apps. While Shopify is a no-code platform by design, it still offers the possibility to custom code and create bespoke online experiences.

Pros:

E-commerce first
Easy to use
Huge apps store with lots of possibilities to add features
Built-in hosting and security
Built-in SEO
Good customer support

Cons:

Not suitable for informational websites, blogs, portfolios etc.
Themes are more restrictive, not as customizable
Not all apps work or look as desired
Too many apps can also slow down the site
Costs can add up (annual subscription, themes and apps)

Squarespace | Go-to platform for businesses that need flexibility

Squarespace is known for offering beautiful templates that can easily be updated to help you put your best foot forward. However, with the platform having evolved significantly over the years, today Squarespace is becoming increasingly known for offering almost limitless possibilities. With its drag-and-drop and layering design functionalities, the interface is user-friendly, making it possible to create bespoke websites without any coding knowledge. Coupled with built-in blogging tools, e-commerce features for simple stores, scheduling, email marketing and so much more, it’s a great all-in-one platform for businesses that need flexibility to transform and evolve without the complexity of managing a completely custom platform. While Squarespace is a no-code platform by design, it still offers the possibility to custom code and create bespoke online experiences.

Pros:

Suitable for any kind of website
Easy to use
Lots of high-quality built-in features (e-mail, e-commerce, scheduling etc.)
Very flexible design options
Built-in hosting and security
Built-in SEO
Excellent customer support

Cons:

More limited plugins and apps but almost limitless coding possibilities
Annual subscription costs
Not ideal for very large e-commerce stores

Webflow | Best for companies that want full creative control

Webflow is a powerful platform that combines visual design tools to create completely custom websites without any coding, making it ideal for companies who want complete control over the look and feel of their websites. This creative control makes it a favorite among creative professionals who prioritize design aesthetics and innovation. It is important to note that e-commerce features are currently more limited.

Pros:

Great for informational websites
More training required
Template based with excellent customization tools
Built-in hosting and security, as well as ongoing backups
Built-in SEO
Good customer support

Cons:

More limited in terms of functionalities and features, higher need for integrations
Not ideal for e-commerce
Costs add up (annual subscription and theme)
Limits on storage and pages

Wix | Best for small businesses and simple online stores

Wix is a good website builder for small businesses and simple online stores that need a simple online presence without much flexibility. With its user-friendly interface and extensive collection of free templates, it offers great options for small business owners. However, for customization and scalable solutions, Wix is not ideal.

Pros:

Good for small, simple sites
User friendly
Offers 900+ templates
Built-in email automation
Built-in hosting and security
Good customer support

Cons:

Not as customizable
Not scalable or flexible
Templates aren’t switchable once website is live
Annual subscription costs

WordPress | Best for flexible websites, blogs and larger businesses

WordPress is highly customizable and scalable, making it suitable for various types of websites, from simple blogs to complex e-commerce sites through the integration of WooCommerce. It offers thousands of themes and plugins, allowing users to create virtually any type of website they envision. WordPress is particularly popular for blogs and content-heavy websites due to its robust blogging capabilities and SEO-friendly nature, when plugins are installed. While it requires more technical knowledge and ongoing maintenance compared to some other platforms, it offers great flexibility and good control over your website.

Pros:

Very customizable
Endless plugins
Endlessly scalable
Free (no annual subscription)

Cons:

Steep learning curve
No customer support
Hosting and security not included
Constant need to update website and apps to remain secure
High need for plugins and integrations which don’t always perform as desired
Costs of plugins and themes add up

Conclusion

Now that you have a comprehensive understanding of website builders, we hope you’re able to make the right decision for your business. Remember, a website is your business’ home, so it’s important to take a moment and understand which one fits you best.