Finding the right website builder feels overwhelming when you’re new to the process. That’s why it’s important to focus on the best website builders for beginners. We tested over 140 platforms and found that building professional websites is easier than ever in 2025. Some builders like Hostinger can create a complete website in under 60 seconds with their AI tools.
Our team spent thousands of hours testing website builders to find ones that deliver real results for beginners. Wix ranks as our top choice, with more than 250 million users worldwide. They offer a generous free plan plus paid options starting at $17/month. Squarespace stands out for design enthusiasts with 185 stunning templates and a 4.7/5 user experience score. Budget-conscious users should check out Hostinger, which starts at just $2.99/month.
This guide walks you through website builders that actually work, shows what makes them beginner-friendly, and helps you decide between free and paid options based on your specific needs.
What Makes a Website Builder Beginner-Friendly
The user-friendliness of any website builder determines whether you’ll complete your dream site or quit halfway through. Our extensive testing reveals four key elements that make website builders work well for beginners.
Drag-and-drop editing
Visual website building ranks as the most essential feature for newcomers. Drag-and-drop functionality lets you place elements exactly where you want without coding a single line. This approach shows your changes instantly—what developers call WYSIWYG (what-you-see-is-what-you-get) editing.
Leading platforms handle this differently. Squarespace employs a grid system suggesting alignments for your elements, keeping everything professional. Wix gives complete freedom, allowing element placement anywhere on the page. GoDaddy works best for complete beginners thanks to straightforward navigation that helps first-timers get comfortable before moving to more complex platforms.
AI-assisted setup
Today’s website builders use AI tools that cut setup time dramatically. Hostinger generates entire websites under 60 seconds after you share basic business information. Wix uses a chatbot-style interface making the process feel like talking with a professional web designer.
Each platform takes its own approach. Squarespace’s Blueprint AI guides you through a five-step design process where you pick your business type, brand personality, and style preferences. GoDaddy beats others for speed—our tests showed it built websites roughly twice as fast as Wix and Hostinger.
Template variety and customization
Professional templates save hours and ensure your site looks polished immediately. Wix offers over 900 templates, far more than Squarespace’s 186 options. These templates serve as strong foundations you can customize to match your vision.
Good website builders let you customize without feeling overwhelmed. Look for platforms that allow you to:
- Change colors, fonts, and layouts to reflect your brand
- Add or remove sections based on your needs
- Adjust mobile layouts separately from desktop views
- Customize without requiring HTML or CSS knowledge
Support and tutorials
Every website builder requires some learning, making support resources crucial. Squarespace scored perfectly for its help center during testing, offering comprehensive video tutorials, community forums, and responsive live chat support.
Wix provides 24/7 support for all paid plans and earned a near-perfect support rating. Most top builders include onboarding checklists guiding you through essential setup steps, making the process less intimidating for beginners.
Website builder support should match your learning style. Some users need detailed video tutorials, while others prefer responsive chat support for specific questions. The best platforms offer multiple support channels, ensuring you won’t get stuck on problems that prevent your site launch.
Top 5 Website Builders That Actually Work in 2025
Image Source: cmsMinds
Now let’s look at which platforms actually deliver on their promises in 2025. These website builders combine easy-to-use interfaces with powerful features that help you build professional sites without coding knowledge.
1. Wix – Best all-rounder for beginners
Wix leads the website building market with over 900 customizable templates across many industries. Their drag-and-drop editor gives you freedom to place elements anywhere on your page, unlike more restrictive grid systems. Testing showed impressive 0% downtime over a full week—beating their 99.99% uptime guarantee.
Here is why Wix stands out by combining simplicity with powerful features. The editor includes helpful right-click menus that make design easier, unlike competitors showing only browser options. Beginners worried about design choices can use Wix’s AI Theme Assistant to create color schemes from your logo and get specific design tips.
Pricing begins at $16 monthly for the Light plan (with 2GB storage and a free domain for one year), while business plans range from $27 to $159 per month.
2. Squarespace – Best for design-focused users
Squarespace offers stunning, responsive templates perfect for photographers, designers, and creative professionals. Though fewer than Wix’s selection, Squarespace templates feature professional design quality.
Their “Fluid Engine” editor makes design intuitive while keeping visual consistency. Squarespace recently added Blueprint AI, which turns basic business information into personalized websites matching your brand. Their AI tools also help with content—automatically generating on-brand copy or modifying pre-written text.
Users focused on visual impact get robust media support for photos, videos, and audio, plus animation tools to increase engagement. The platform includes comprehensive SEO tools to help your well-designed site get found online.
3. Hostinger – Best value with AI tools
Hostinger has become popular with budget-conscious beginners. Their AI website builder creates complete, customized sites in under 30 seconds based on your business description. Plans start at just $2.54 monthly (renewing at $7.99), including free SSL, unlimited bandwidth, 100 emails, and a free domain—much cheaper than competitors.
Beyond low prices, Hostinger offers impressive AI tools. The Business Website Builder plan ($3.59/month, renewing at $8.99) includes additional AI features like Image Generator, Writer, Blog Generator, and SEO Tools. E-commerce users can sell up to 500 products with zero transaction fees—a major advantage over many competitors.
4. Shopify – Best for ecommerce beginners
Shopify remains the top choice for online stores in 2025. Built specifically for e-commerce, it excels at product management, payments, and inventory tracking. The platform offers templates designed to showcase products effectively and convert visitors into buyers.
Basic plans cost $29 monthly, including core e-commerce features, while advanced plans ($79-$299) add professional reporting and lower transaction fees. Despite its many features, Shopify maintains a user-friendly interface helping beginners navigate online selling.
5. GoDaddy – Fastest setup for simple sites
GoDaddy excels at quick website creation. Their AI-powered setup creates customizable sites in minutes—perfect for small businesses needing an online presence fast. The builder works especially well for service businesses, with templates designed to showcase work portfolios.
Users like GoDaddy’s simple interface, with one saying: “I found it easy to use and understand… it gives good options to upload images, videos, podcasts and more”. Beyond speed, GoDaddy provides marketing and SEO tools, unlimited storage, and the ability to switch between 100+ templates easily.
Basic plans cost $12.99 monthly (often discounted to $7.49 with annual commitment), making it affordable for beginners on a budget.
How to Choose the Right Website Builder for You
Selecting the perfect website builder needs a personal approach. What works for one person might not suit another. Focus on your specific needs to find the right platform for your next project.
Define your website goals
Website builders work best when you know what you want to accomplish. Consider your end goal before picking a platform. Are you building an online store? Creating a portfolio? Starting a blog?
Make sure your website goals:
- Match your business objectives
- Follow SMART criteria (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely)
- Focus on your most important needs
Avoid vague goals like “increase website traffic.” Choose specific objectives such as “increasing Q1 sales by 20% using PPC ads.” Your website goals should support your highest priority business goals. If growth matters most, your website should focus on traffic, leads, and conversions.
Consider ease of use vs. flexibility
The balance between simplicity and customization depends on your experience level. First-time website creators usually do best with intuitive drag-and-drop editors and pre-designed templates. Think about whether you’ll need more advanced features as your site grows.
Choose builders matching your technical comfort level. If WordPress and styling concepts feel familiar, more flexible options might work better. Otherwise, straightforward editors like GoDaddy might suit your needs.
Check for free plans or trials
Before spending money, check what free plans actually include. Free website builders typically have limitations like:
- No custom domain names
- Builder branding visible on your site
- Limited storage space
- Fewer customization options
Many top website builders offer free trials of premium features, letting you test capabilities before buying. Compare the true cost beyond the advertised price—look for extra fees for essential features like contact forms.
Evaluate support and learning resources
Good support makes a huge difference when building websites. Since website creation isn’t your main job, choose platforms with helpful assistance through your preferred channels—phone, email, or chat.
Check the quality and variety of learning resources. The best website builders provide detailed tutorials, community forums, and responsive support teams to help solve problems quickly.
The right website builder should grow with your needs while providing support to help you succeed.
Free vs Paid Website Builders: What You Need to Know
The appeal of “free” website builders often leads beginners toward options that might not support their long-term goals. Knowing exactly what you get—and don’t get—with free plans helps you make smarter decisions.
What’s included in free plans
Free website builders typically offer basic design templates and essential building tools. Wix provides access to over 900 customizable templates on their free plan, letting you test designs without spending money. Most free plans include core features like drag-and-drop editing, basic SEO tools, and limited storage—usually around 500MB with Wix. GoDaddy’s free option gives you their AI website builder, GoDaddy Studio for creating visuals, and basic email marketing tools.
Limitations of free website builders
Behind the attractive “free” label hide significant restrictions that impact your site’s professionalism:
- Branded subdomains: You’ll get yoursite.wixsite.com instead of yoursite.com
- Builder advertisements: Free plans show prominent ads on your pages, creating an unprofessional look
- Limited pages: Many free builders restrict your page count—sometimes to just five pages
- Storage restrictions: The typical 500MB limit makes it hard to host videos or high-quality images
- Restricted features: Key tools like analytics, e-commerce features, and advanced customization remain locked behind paywalls
These limitations often result in what industry professionals call a “cookie-cutter look” that fails to distinguish your site from competitors.
When to upgrade to a paid plan
Free plans work well for testing a platform’s interface. However, upgrading becomes necessary when you need to:
- Present a professional image (removing ads and using a custom domain)
- Scale your site beyond basic functionality
- Increase storage and bandwidth for growing traffic
- Access essential marketing and SEO tools
- Receive customer support (often unavailable with free plans)
Paid plans start at reasonable prices—Hostinger begins at just $2.99/month, making the upgrade affordable for serious website owners.
Tips for Getting Started with Your First Website
Once you select your website builder, turn your vision into reality. Creating your first website becomes straightforward when you follow these practical steps that deliver professional results without technical complications.
Start with a simple template
Building from scratch often leads to abandoned projects. Templates guide you through website creation while ensuring professional results. Web designers now favor minimalism—less is more. Templates give you a functioning foundation ready for your personal touch.
Look for templates featuring:
- Clean designs with minimal elements
- Clear, intuitive navigation
- Limited color palettes for visual cohesion
- Enough white space to improve readability
Use the builder’s checklist or onboarding
Most website builders provide guided assistance through built-in checklists or onboarding. These tools walk you through essential setup steps, reducing confusion. Making your own checklist of information to include helps organize your approach and ensures you cover all critical elements.
Preview on mobile and desktop
Statista reports about 52% of global website traffic comes from mobile devices. Making sure your site looks good on all screen sizes is essential. Website builders let you preview and edit your site in different viewing modes before publishing.
Check desktop and mobile views for:
- Text that’s too small or large
- Elements that overlap incorrectly
- Images that don’t resize properly
- Navigation menus that don’t collapse correctly
Don’t forget to publish and test
Before publishing, test your website thoroughly. Click every link to verify functionality and check that all features work correctly. This final review should include proofreading all text and ensuring design consistency across pages.
Your website represents your brand—often creating first impressions with potential customers. Taking time to evaluate it thoroughly ensures you’ll launch a site that reflects your values while remaining user-friendly for visitors.
Conclusion
Website building has evolved dramatically since the days when complex coding was essential. Modern builders like Wix, Squarespace, and Hostinger blend powerful features with user-friendly interfaces, making website creation possible for everyone regardless of technical skills.
Our testing of over 140 platforms confirms that selecting the right website builder depends on your specific goals. Wix excels as an all-around solution with versatile templates and intuitive editing tools. Squarespace delivers unmatched design quality for users focused on visual impact. Budget-conscious beginners will find exceptional value with Hostinger starting at just $2.99/month.
Your choice between free and paid options should reflect your long-term website goals. Free plans offer a starting point but include limitations that affect your site’s professionalism. Most serious website owners find the small investment in paid plans worthwhile for removing ads, adding custom domains, and accessing essential features.
Creating your website should be enjoyable rather than overwhelming. Today’s drag-and-drop editors, AI setup tools, and professional templates eliminate barriers that once made website creation intimidating. Choose a platform matching your comfort level, start with a template that fits your vision, and build your online presence step by step. Your perfect website is closer than you might think!