WordPress is #7 on my list, why? Because it is not intuitive and can be very complex for most business owners. Its not the type of platform that you can load up and get to work, there is a long learning curve. Most business owners, especially small business owners, don’t have time to waste to learn some complex website builder. It can be very clunky due to the amount of plugins and boltons available, and in the end will slow your website down very easily, which is terrible for SEO.

Now the positive, WordPress is a very modular website builder. You can pick out some fantastic themes and add a kagillion (is that a word?) plugins to it if you want. If you know what you are doing, its a fantastic platform to build beautiful websites on. But even then, its not a walk in the park and takes time to build a site on WordPress. Even a professional may take weeks due to the amount of features and high amount of detail that WordPress offers.

WordPress may be a fantastic option for a more technical website such as an IT consulting company, but may not be the best fit for a local HVAC contractor, simply based on the complexity and need for a very in-depth platform. Costs should be considered as well here, as WordPress does cost more if you have someone build it for you..

How much is WordPress?

Plans start at $4 and go all the way up to $45/month for ecommerce. They do have a free version, but it is similar to the GoDaddy free website builder where it is very limited and isn’t recommended for running a business. There are additional added costs that can be hidden in plug-ins, while many of them are free but want you to upgrade for their advanced features (which most often you want).

Strikingly Website Builder

Strikingly website builder is fantastic for one page websites, but there are better options for multi-page sites. Their website builder works great for quick builds and has very simple and easy navigation so there really is no learning curve involved (sorry WordPress). Strikingly has great pricing for multiple websites, compared to the others. Most website builders charge a separate fee individually for each website, which can get expensive quick. Their bulk “Pro” plan would be a great option for a business owner that runs multiple types of businesses and needs more than 1 website.

How much is Strikingly?

Besides the free website builder, prices range from $8 up to $49/month for their paid plans. As mentioned previously, their Pro plan includes 3 websites and their VIP plan includes up to 5 websites for 1 flat cost, which is unbeatable in the realm of website builders.

Duda Website Builder

You may have heard of Duda, but it is an up and coming website builder that you will start to hear about alot more. It has a great drag and drop builder platform, as do most, but its simplistic design and features make it a step above the rest. It also is great for multilingual sites and has a backup and restore feature, which many other site builders do not have. Most of the time once you build the site and hit the wrong button, all your hard work could go up in smoke.

How much is Duda?

The only reason Duda is so far down on the list is cost. They can be a bit pricey for what you are getting, compared to the other website builders. Their basic plan starts at $14/month and all the way up to $74/month. They do have an option to pay $299 as a one time cost for their “site for life” plan. Duda also does have a free website builder option, but you can’t do much with it, other than maybe build a personal blog.

Weebly Website Builder

Weebly website builder is one of my personal favorites for simplicity. The layout of the builder is very easy to understand right off the bat. Their intuitive design and modularity make it easy to add the features that you want via plugins. Many of their plugins are free and you can get a tremendous value for the price. You are able to build a very attractive website with Weebly, but you are still slightly limited in terms of what you can accomplish versus some of the other builders out there.

How much is Weebly website builder?

They do have a free option, but not recommended based on the limited functionality it provides. Their paid plans start at $6/month and go up to $26/month. The great thing with Weebly is you can manage multiple websites from the same dashboard. So if you have multiple businesses they can all be edited quickly without logging out and logging back in.

Weebly may be a great website builder for a local security company or roofing company, based on its quick and easy builder and ability to get a functioning site up in a matter of hours. All the necessary bells and whistles are there if you need them.

Wix Website Builder

Wix is very similar to Weebly in terms of its design and abilities. You can build very similar sites as Weebly, with a few distinct differences. I do find that Weebly sites are difficult in the page load arena, so that is why it gets lower marks compared to Wix. Wix websites are quick(er) to load and that is an important aspect in SEO in today’s Google-dominated search engine races to the top. They have great customer service and the overall flow of their builder makes them the #3 pick.

How much is Wix website builder?

They of course have a free basic option, but their paid plans start at $14/month. They have 3 other plans up to $39/month. As with many of the higher-end paid website builder plans, you get an included free domain address with your purchase. Compared to the other site builders, the price is right for what you get, especially access to their great templates that can make any business look good.

Webflow Website Builder

Heard of Webflow? I almost put it in a class with WordPress in terms of its complexity, but has a way better modularity to it that is easier to comprehend. The reason why its #2 on my list is its virtually limitless capabilities, like WordPress, without the Titatic-esque clunkiness. You are able to design a beautiful website that is completely customizable and their editor is second to none. Almost looks like Adobe Photoshop design-wise, so think of it like the Photoshop of website builders. One downfall- there is a slight learning curve just due to the sheer amount of “bells and whistles” that Webflow provides via their builder. But once you get the hang of it, you are off to the races.

How much is Webflow website builder?

Of course they have a free plan, but their paid plans are $12, $16, and $35/month respectively. You do get a lot for the price, and as I mentioned their builder design tool is probably the most attractive out of all website builders I have seen.

Drum roll please…

Squarespace

Why is Squarespace my top pick for the best website builder in 2021? Simply because it has a little bit of everything with a very SEO-friendly design. You can get a website up quickly that is already SEO-optimized with little to no website building experience. Their builder is not as sexy as Webflow, but you are able to quickly comprehend and build a site to meet your needs. Their drag and drop design is easy to understand and allows you enough flexibility to build a very nice website.

How much is Squarespace?

Their pricing plans are starting out at $12/month, and they also have an $18, $26, and $40 plan. To be perfectly honest, the $18 a month plan is your best option for most businesses. Its going to give you the necessary functionality you need, such as email marketing and the ability to drop code into your site.

All of these website builders are great and stand on their own merits. Whatever website builder you choose off of the list, just know that you will have a great experience no matter what you choose. Most of these companies have been around quite a long time, and the website builder you need depends on your individual requirements. For instance if you are a blogger, a free GoDaddy website could do the trick. Versus if you have 5 different businesses, a Strikingly account may suit you best.

So there you have it, the best website builders 2021 top 8 list. Bookmark this page if you need to refer back!