Are you in search of the most affordable website builder to construct a visually appealing website without exceeding your budget?
There is a vast number of websites available, and not all of them were designed by experts. A large portion of these websites, including the well-performing ones, were created by individuals lacking experience in web development. Affordable website builders are widely available, and they encompass a greater range of functionalities than one might anticipate.
This article will compare the six top options for those on a budget, discussing what features they offer, how much they cost, and who should consider using each option. Some website builders are so cheap that they can cost as little as $5 per month or even less.
To begin, let’s briefly discuss the definition of a ‘website builder’!
What is a website builder?
Typically, the term “website builder” refers to platforms that provide drag-and-drop tools and pre-built elements for creating basic websites, although it technically encompasses any service or software aiding in website creation.
Website builders allow individuals to easily create contemporary websites that are not limited to static pages. These builders provide the option to incorporate various components, including forms, buttons, galleries, social sharing functions, and more.
When considering the process, it is important to note that the majority of website builders operate under a subscription model. In order to utilize these services and maintain the availability of your website, you will be required to pay a recurring fee on a monthly or yearly basis.
What’s the cheapest website builder in 2023? Top options compared
Previously, we have discussed our preferred options for website builders. Nevertheless, today our main objective is to assist you in locating the most affordable website builder that suits your requirements. Our emphasis will be on the basic plans provided by each option, as well as the features included in those tiers.
What’s the Cheapest Website Builder?
1. Zyro
Zyro, developed by the team behind Hostinger, is a website builder that provides a highly intuitive drag-and-drop interface along with a variety of templates catering to different website categories.
This website builder, which is inexpensive, is perfect for those who are new to website building because it doesn’t require any coding knowledge. Additionally, when you subscribe, you get free hosting and a domain, enabling you to handle all aspects of your site from a single location.
Zyro is appropriate for e-commerce stores in addition to blogs. It offers integrated payment methods and a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) interface to assist you in monitoring your customers.
Zyro’s AI tools are particularly impressive. Utilizing artificial intelligence, the platform assists in generating personalized slogans, business names, blog titles, and other content. As a result, if you are seeking a website builder that will ignite your creativity, Zyro can be an exceptional option.
On the other hand, Zyro’s customer support is quite restricted, so you might encounter difficulties if you need assistance during the website creation process. Additionally, once you have selected a template for your website, it becomes challenging to make significant design changes.
The characteristics of Zyro’s Website plan are as follows:
- A free domain for one year
- Unlimited bandwidth and storage
- Free web hosting
- Three months of free email software
- An SSL certificate
- AI branding tools
2. Webnode
Webnode is a website builder that is affordable and offers basic plans supported by ads. With this service, you have the option to select from a wide range of templates (with a total of over 90 options) and easily customize them using a drag-and-drop builder that is intuitive to use.
However, based on our experience, we discovered that Webnode does not have an extensive selection of page sections.
Webnode provides a free plan, with premium options available from $3.90 per month. The Limited plan includes 100 MB of storage and 1 GB of bandwidth. With the free or Limited plan, you can access all of Webnode’s website builder tools and set up an unlimited number of websites.
Please note that these plans do not include a domain. It is necessary for you to either register a domain through Webnode or connect your own.
The Limited plan of Webnode includes the following features:
- 100 MB of storage
- 1 GB of bandwidth
- Support for multiple websites
- Over 90 templates to choose from
- Limited form builder capabilities
- Access to basic website analytics
3. Zoho Sites
Zoho Sites, which is a member of the Zoho tool family, allows you to choose from a limited collection of templates. These templates can be easily customized using a user-friendly site builder.
In addition to its page builder being one of the most intuitive we’ve tested, this solution offers a wide range of pre-built sections and elements.
For just $5 per month, Zoho Sites’ Starter plan offers excellent value. This plan allows up to five pages, provides 500 MB of storage, and offers 10 GB of bandwidth. Additionally, it is ad-free and allows you to incorporate custom code into your site. Moreover, it seamlessly integrates with Zoho CRM and SalesIQ tools.
The Starter plan has the disadvantage of not providing access to the complete range of templates or pre-built elements offered by Zoho Sites. Additionally, it cannot be utilized for online stores, requiring the use of Zoho Commerce instead.
The features offered in Zoho Sites’ Starter plan include:
- Support for up to five pages
- 500 MB of storage
- 10 GB of bandwidth
- Limited selection of templates to choose from
- Limited support for custom forms
- 10 MB max file size and up to five photo galleries
- Ad-free website
- Integration with the Zoho CRM and SalesIQ tools
4. Wix
Wix is a cost-effective and highly innovative website builder option. You have the choice to either select a template and modify it to create a unique website, or Wix can assist you in automatically generating a website tailored to your requirements by asking a set of fundamental questions.
Wix provides a wide variety of pre-built sections and elements that you can easily incorporate into any of your pages using their website builder.
For a monthly cost of $4.50, Wix’s Connect Domain plan includes advertisements and offers 500 MB of storage, 1 GB of bandwidth, a free SSL certificate, and unlimited pages. However, eCommerce functionality is not included with this plan.
The features offered by Wix’s Connect Domain plan are as follows:
- Support for unlimited websites
- 500 MB of storage
- 1 GB of bandwidth
- Free SSL certificate
- Over 900 templates to choose from
- A website creation wizard
5. Carrd (carrd.co)
Carrd, the most affordable choice on this list, is also the most basic. It is ideal for those who are new to creating an online presence and need a straightforward website to display their professional profile and portfolio. It is a minimalist platform that emphasizes your skills without any unnecessary complexity or embellishments.
Main features
- Responsive design.
- Built for one-page websites.
- Gives you the possibility to create three sites per account/license.
- Premium templates and URLs.
- Allows you to use media elements like large images, videos, custom icons, slideshows.
- Integration with third-party form builders, widgets, and custom code.
- Over 50 design elements for your site.
Pros
- It’s the cheapest website builder you will find out there.
- The builder is easy to use and quite intuitive.
- It lets you create your own templates from scratch.
Cons
- It’s limited to one-page sites. If you want to build many different pages, you won’t be able to.
- The templates offer limited options when it comes to designs and elements; you can’t build anything complex or get creative.
- You can’t track your visitors because it doesn’t offer Google Analytics integration on the cheapest plan.
6. Hostinger Website Builder (hostinger.com)
If you are looking for a modern and cool online presence, Hostinger Website Builder is the ideal choice. Whether you need a website for personal projects, small businesses, portfolios, small online shops, blogs, or various niches, this website builder is perfect.
Main features
- Drag-and-drop editor.
- Nicely designed templates.
- Blogging tools.
- Ecommerce functionality.
- Hosting and domain included.
- Security and support.
- Search engine optimization.
- Business integrations and tools.
- Mobile-friendly.
- AI tools – Writer, Heatmap, and SEO.
Pros
- Has a modern design and it’s easy to set up.
- Provides AI tools (AI Writer, AI Heatmap, AI SEO) and a logo maker as part of its toolbox.
- You get marketing integrations and free email.
- Offers 24/7 customer support and great uptime.
Cons
- There is no free trial.
7. uKit (ukit.com)
If you are a startup or small business, uKit is an excellent choice because it offers affordability, attractive designs, and numerous promotion features. Therefore, if you wish to promote your new business concept, uKit is likely to be highly effective. Additionally, uKit provides a wide range of niche templates, making it easier for you to find the perfect design.
Main features
- Unlimited domains.
- Unlimited pages, disk space, and visitors.
- Mobile-friendly.
- Hosting included and in-depth analytics.
- Automatic and manual backups.
- 350+ professional designs from 38 categories/niches.
- It offers a drag-and-drop website builder.
- Lets you add pages, pop-up windows, widgets, and blocks.
Pros
- The fact that you get unlimited disk space and visitors is a great advantage.
- It provides a built-in wizard that lets you know when your website is ready to be promoted to the public by checking if vital site elements are complete.
- The builder is intuitive, fast, and has a friendly look.
- If you can’t find a template to perfectly match your ideas, you can easily contact the team via the built-in form, and they will send you one that fits your criteria.
- You can turn your Facebook page into a website (feature that you can find in the templates wizard). It will take all the existing Facebook content and arrange it to form an actual good-looking website.
Cons
- You can’t create online stores unless you upgrade to the ecommerce plan.
- You can’t use custom color schemes except for the four default ones.
- No live chat support.
8. Gator Website Builder (www.hostgator.com)
Gator is a website builder that is worth considering by both professionals and beginners who want to create a website for various purposes. Whether it is for making a resume, building a portfolio website for oneself, or launching a visually appealing site for a business, Gator offers an enjoyable website building experience for all.
Main features
- Hosting included, along with domain name, and SSL certificate.
- Drag-and-drop page builder.
- Website analytics to get information about your visitors.
- Over 200 free customizable templates.
- Chat, email, and phone support.
- A library of high-quality stock photos integrated in the interface, that you can freely use on your website.
- Mobile-friendly design.
9. WordPress.com
WordPress is widely regarded as the most popular website builder on the internet due to its suitability for a diverse range of users, including bloggers, writers, business owners, and independent professionals. With its user-friendly interface and extensive selection of designs for various purposes, WordPress is a convenient platform to manage websites. However, it should be noted that the least expensive plan is better suited for blogs and magazines. If you desire complete control over customizing your site, upgrading is necessary.
Main features
- A collection of hundreds of customizable themes for all purposes and niches. New themes are added weekly.
- Mobile-friendly.
- Hosting included.
- Visual and code-based editors.
- Built-in statistics about your visitors.
- Access to email and live chat support.
- WordPress.com Reader community page (aka news feed) where people can find your content and interact with it (like, share, subscribe to your profile).
- SSL certificate included.
10. Weebly (www.weebly.com)
Weebly, like Wix, is a cost-effective website building tool suitable for individuals without design skills who need to establish an online presence for their business promptly. It is frequently featured in lists of top website builders due to its effectiveness in creating portfolios, basic business sites, and basic blogs. However, the interface lacks the attractiveness and contemporary feel of Wix’s interface.
Main features
- Hosting included, custom domain, and SSL security.
- SEO optimization and community forums.
- Chat and email support.
- Lead capture and contact forms.
- Drag-and-drop website builder.
- Mobile apps from where you can manage and edit your site.
- Responsive, professional themes with design features.
11. Web.com
If you need a basic website to get your business up and running quickly, consider using Web.com. As long as you’re not seeking advanced features, integrations, or highly creative designs, this website builder will fulfill your simple needs.
Main features
- 150+ design layouts and templates.
- DIY Builder.
- Hosting included.
- Lots of stock images.
- Ecommerce functionality (not in the basic plan).
- A domain name generator and search.
- Marketing tools and business email account.
- SSL certificates.
Pros
- In the cheapest plan, you get access to the DIY builder, so you can craft your site the way you want.
- One hour of free website design support included.
- If you are a fan of WordPress functionality, you can opt to build a WordPress site with Web.com. They set up WordPress for you via the Web.com platform so you can use them both in one mix.
- The available designs look stylish and modern.
- If you pay extra, you can get the Web.com team of experts to build the website for you.
Cons
- You should not expect more than a basic package of features (limited customization options and lack of advanced elements).
- While it does come with a generous offer of professional services and tools, you need to pay separately for most of them.
- No ecommerce in the cheapest plan.
