The World Wide Web. Love it or hate it, it’s certianly here to stay, and it’s fundamentally altered the way we approach everything, including how we do business. As a small business owner, the internet can serve as a launching pad for virality and attracting an audience who otherwise would have had almost no other way to know you exist. Simultaneously, however, its prevalence can mean that those without the resources to cultivate a large online presence may find themselves being drowned out in all the noise. It’s a trick problem for small business owners: as important as having a website is nowadays, it’s not very easy to find resources and tools that can help you get your business out there.
At Payday HCM, we understand the importance of a good website when it comes to running a small business. We frequently receive questions from clients regarding website creation and management. Without knowing what to look for or where to look, finding the right website builder can seem impossible. Considering the number of options available, it might feel as if your search for the perfect website creation tool may go on forever.
That’s why, in this article, we’ll be going over the best website creation tools for small businesses. We’ll be taking a look at four main categories:
- Best Overall Website Builder for Small Businesses
- Best Value Website Creation Tool
- Easiest to Use Website Creation Tool
- Best Online Shop Website Creation Tool
Within these four categories, we’ll provide our pick for the best overall platform as well as a runner-up. We'll go over the kinds of features each platform offers, as well as the pricing of each platform. By the end of this article, you’ll have the information you need to approach the website creation process with confidence.
Best Overall Website Builder for Small Businesses
First up, we’ll go over the best overall website creation tool for small businesses—the best combination of capability, usability, and price.
Best Overall: Wix
If you’ve been searching around for website creation tools (which, if you’re reading this, it’s likely that you have), then you’ve probably come across Wix. It’s for good reason, though, as Wix stands out as the best all-around platform for small businesses. Its easy-to-use drag-and-drop program, customizable templates, and AI-powered website builder make Wix the obvious top choice.
Wix also stands out for its flexibility. Businesses just looking for an easy-to-use website builder can find just that, but for those looking for more robust features like SEO tools, e-commerce capabilities, and a CRM, Wix also has you covered. Wix’s pricing offers a few different tiers, starting with their free plan that helps you get your website off the ground. Paid plans start at $16/month (Light plan) for basic sites, $27/month (Core plan) for business/e-commerce, and scale up to $159/month for advanced features.
Runner-Up: Squarespace
While Wix stands out as the top choice in a very busy market, Squarespace still comes in as a close second. While both platforms are great for any business regardless of industry, Squarespace is a particularly good option for creatives, consultants, and businesses with a focus on design.
Those that opt for Squarespace can still expect to see many of the same features that Wix has, including website templates, an AI-assisted website builder, e-commerce tools, as well as marketing and SEO tools. Squarespace is free for 14 days, with plans starting at $16/month (Personal), $23/month (Business), and up to $49/month (Advanced Commerce).
Best Value Website Creation Tool
Next, we’ll dive into our top pick and runner-up for website builders that offer the most bang for your buck.
Top Pick: Hostinger
For those with a tight budget looking to make a great website, Hostinger just might be for you. It includes most of the previously discussed features like AI-driven design tools, e-commerce support, and blogging capabilities, but does so at a lower price. If you’ve come across Hotstinger in your search, it’s likely because of its pricing—after all, it’s the very first tab on their website.
Of course, Hotstinger isn’t necessarily a website builder first. Its website hosting allows you to manage your WordPress site using Hotstinger’s platform. This doesn’t make it any less capable than the other tools on this list, however. Both Hostinger’s website builder and hosting plans start at $2.99/month, with their Business tier starting at $3.79 for both hosting and their builder.
Runner-Up: WordPress.com
Speaking of WordPress, this is another great option for businesses looking to get their website off the ground without breaking the bank. Once again, WordPress features many of the same tools our other picks feature while doing so in an affordable package. For businesses that want both affordability and room to grow, WordPress.com is a strong alternative.
The trade-off here is that WordPress doesn’t feature the same low barrier to entry as some of the other picks on this list. WordPress operates on themes, plugins, as well as a drag-and-drop editor. It’s best for those with some prior experience in website creation. WordPress’s pricing starts with their free plan, before moving to $4/month (Personal), $8/month (Premium), $25/month (Business, for plugins and custom themes), and $45/month (Commerce for eCommerce features).
Easiest to Use Website Creation Tool
While on the topic of ease-of-use, we’ll share our pick for the easiest to use website builder as well as its runner-up.
Top Pick: Weebly
Weebly has been a player in the website creation tool game since 2007, and it’s no surprise that it’s stuck around this long. With a focus on a free website builder that’s simple and helps you get your website off the ground as quickly as possible, Weebly is perfect for businesses that want a quick, hassle-free setup without a steep learning curve.
Not only that, but Weebly’s eCommerce features are powered by Square, the go-to POS system for many small businesses. While its simplified website builder may prove too bare bones for more experienced users, it’s great for businesses that are just getting started. As we said, Weebly’s pricing starts with their free plan. Paid plans include $10/month (Personal), $12/month (Professional), and $26/month (Performance, for advanced e-commerce).
Runner-Up: GoDaddy Website Builder
Another market mainstay, GoDaddy has come a long way from its domain-selling roots. While they still offer their domain services, GoDaddy also features an AI-powered website builder, as well as email, marketing, and SEO tools. GoDaddy offers a number of free website templates to help businesses get their website going quickly.
Now, GoDaddy may not offer the same level of customizability that its other easy-to-use partner Weebly may have. But for sole entrepreneurs just getting off the ground who may not have a lot of time to spare on in-depth website creation, GoDaddy is a great option. GoDaddy pricing starts at $10.99/month (Basic), $14.99/month (Standard), $20.99/month (Premium), and $24.99/month (Commerce for online stores).
Best Online Shop Website Creation Tool
Finally, we’ll go over the best overall choice, as well as runner-up, for small businesses looking specifically to set up an e-commerce site or online shop.
Top Pick: Shopify
If you haven’t personally used Shopify, you’ve almost certainly heard of it or seen the classic “Powered by Shopify” on someone else's site. There’s a reason why Shopify is our top pick for the best online shop website builder: featuring both a robust website builder as well as a multi-layered e-commerce platform, Shopify is the best choice for businesses of all sizes.
On top of its online offerings, Shopify also offers its own proprietary POS system, alongside other features like B2B sales and financial tools. When it comes to cost, Shopify pricing starts at $39/month (Basic), $105/month (Shopify plan), and $399/month (Advanced). It also charges a 2.9% + $0.30 transaction fee unless you use Shopify Payments.
Runner-Up: WooCommerce
Our runner-up for online shop website creation is one that we’ve actually already talked about, although just not by name. WooCommerce is another online platform that allows you to sell and accept payments, as well as market your business—all through the WordPress platform. Both WordPress and Hotstinger’s e-commerce platform are powered by WooCommerce, making this the obvious choice for businesses using those platforms.
Like WordPress, WooCommerce does feature a bit of a steeper learning curve in terms of utilizing its platform. If you’re already on WordPress, though, this likely isn’t an issue, and WooCommerce will prove to be a worthwhile addition. WooCommerce itself is free, but costs depend on hosting and add-ons. Expect to pay $4–$25/month for WordPress.com hosting (or $10–$30/month for self-hosted plans), plus additional costs for premium themes, plugins, and payment processing.
Building Better Sites for Small Businesses
These days, small businesses have to consider multiple different presences within the marketplace. This may mean a physical storefront, but it also includes an online presence as well, with all its different subcategories (social media, website). Trying to balance the necessity of having your business present on all of these different platforms while simultaneously still running the business is not very easy. With the information provided in this article, though, you’ll have the knowledge to make that process just a little easier.
While technology as a whole certainly has its pros and cons, there are ways businesses can utilize the latest technology to their advantage. Creating a stand-out website is just one way small businesses can leverage the power of technology to their advantage. Utilizing a capable applicant tracking system can also help to streamline your hiring process, helping connect you not only with the right candidates but also helping you save time and money in the process. Check out our article for the top five applicant tracking systems (ATS) to find the right hiring solution for your business.
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