Having a personal website is an advantage in itself. It helps you reach several personal goals at a time, being the top notch destination for everyone, who wants to find out more about your occupation, hobby, professional, personal details, life facts and other information you will upload to the Internet.
Whether you plan to launch a project to pursue business goals or just need reliable web presence to present your creativity, hobby or any other info, a website is the first thing you should start with. It will help you grow customer base, drive traffic and boost your web reputation.
The size and parameters of a personal website may differ with regard to the plans you set and objectives you have. The same is about the web design tool you will use to create a personal website.
If your web design skills leave much to be desired, then there are a few ways you can go to build a website from scratch. You can order it from a web studio or hire a freelancer, but get ready to invest a lot into the project. Mind that it will be close to impossible to manage a website on your own, if you don’t know how to do that. If you wish to be in charge of the web development process to be able to manage and update the project afterwards, then you can choose between Content Management Systems (CMS) and website builders.
By choosing a functional website builder, you’ll be able to create a full-featured website in the shortest time possible, even if you are not a web design pro. It’s high time now to analyze the parameters, pros and cons of both system types now so that you could decide on the best solution.
Wix – Best Website Builder to Create a Personal Website
Wix – is the best website builder to create a personal website. It rightfully deserves the title of the most popular and feature-rich all-in-one web building tools that works equally well for beginners and web design professionals. The system does not require any coding proficiency, while its feature set makes it possible to start various projects for personal and business use. If you intend to launch a full-featured website, Wix should be the first on your list.
Wix Features
Wix is convenient, powerful and simple. The website builder offers two web editing options – there is a standard website editor and the ADI option. The latter is the tool, which will automatically design a website for you based on the information you will upload. There is also a convenient mobile editor that lets you modify and update your mobile website version. Desktop and mobile versions are updated separately, but the changes you make in the mobile mode are not displayed in the desktop version.
The website builder also comes with powerful blogging and eCommerce engines, which make it possible for you to create blogs and online stores with maximum convenience and simplicity. For proficient web developers, Wix offers a professional Wix Corvid tool, which allows creating different types of web apps.
Speaking about apps and widgets, the website builder makes it possible to choose dozens of them in the integrated App Market. All the widgets available there are divided into groups based on the niches they refer to. Additionally, Wix comes with an advanced Ascend tool – a professional CRM system that helps users start, manage and promote their businesses with maximum efficacy and applications of high end marketing tools.
Wix Designs
One of the highlights of the website builder is the impressive template collection, which encompasses over 550 high quality themes. Whatever specialization you have, there is a suitable template for you here. The templates are available in dozens of niche categories based on their specialization.
For those users, who don’t manage to find the best matching themes, the service offers an opportunity to select and modify a blank template. Mind that you won’t be able to switch the chosen template in the middle of the web design process.
Wix Cost
When it comes to the pricing aspect, the website builder has plans to match any needs. There is a free never-expiring plan, which allows testing all the features of the service for as long as you need that. Premium subscriptions are versatile and there is definitely a pricing solution to come up to your website development and promotion needs. The website builder currently offers two types of paid plans, each including several other options
Standard Wix Plans
Combo ( $13/mo ) – absence of system ad banners, free hosting and domain connection;
( ) – absence of system ad banners, free hosting and domain connection; Unlimited ( $17/mo ) – 10GB storage space, unlimited bandwidth;
( ) – 10GB storage space, unlimited bandwidth; Pro ( $22/mo ) – integrated statistics collection tools and Google Analytics, 2 hours of video storage space;
( ) – integrated statistics collection tools and Google Analytics, 2 hours of video storage space; VIP ($39/mo) – professional logo, first priority support etc.
Business/eCommerce Plans
Business Basic ( $23/mo ) – online payment acception;
( ) – online payment acception; Business Unlimited ( $27/mo ) – eCommerce platform, business development tools, applications for entrepreneurs;
( ) – eCommerce platform, business development tools, applications for entrepreneurs; Business VIP ( $49/mo ) – unlimited bandwidth and video storage space, complete Wix Suite;
( ) – unlimited bandwidth and video storage space, complete Wix Suite; Enterprise ($500/mo) – end-to-end business solution that provides the highest functionality and maximum amount of tools.
Wix has distinguished itself due to the availability of its frequent discounts, bonuses and special offers. They help newbies save big when signing up for the system, while existing clients can get extra website management benefits. Additionally, the website builder offers the 14-day money back guarantee for any of the paid plans chosen.
Summary
Wix is a website builder that definitely stands out from the crowd due to its convenient and intuitive WYSIWYG website editor, lots of advanced features, adaptive templates and advanced design customization tools. You’ll be able to master and use it, even if you are not a web design pro and this is your first try to launch a personal website. The platform is user-friendly and full-featured – right what you need to get a decent personal website.
WordPress – 100% Free Platform for Personal Website
WordPress – is a 100% free platform for personal website creation. What’s more, this is the most popular, flexible and feature-laden Content Management System in the world. Even if you have not been involved in website development before, you have definitely heard at least anything about this open source platform. WordPress abounds in tools and features required to start and manage any website, be it a business website, a web store, a portfolio, a blog or a landing page.
WordPress Features
WordPress was initially built as a blogging platform, but it’s functionality has grown a lot since that time. The service is now used to launch different types of websites as there are plenty of plugins you can integrate into the system to get the website you need. The platform is convenient and allows customizing your website content by means of theme and plugin integration. They may be free and paid. Make sure to check the reliability and expertise rate of web developers you deal with, when looking for a plugin on the web. The thing is that some plugins may come with malicious codes, which will eventually pose threat to your website functionality and safety.
WordPress ensures quick and intuitive content publication and management. The default visual editor of the system is quite primitive, but there are lots of add-ons and plugins, which notably extend its initially available functionality. If you face any problems or need a professional piece of advice, you are welcome to join the extensive WordPress community to find answers there.
WordPress Designs
WordPress design collection is not quite extensive, but this concerns only integrated themes. Users, who wish to give their websites a unique and personalized look, have an opportunity to choose dozens of templates developed by third-party users as well as by the community members. Templates are paid and free, which affects their quality safety level. If you are looking for a professional WordPress theme, it makes sense to complete a profound online research and select the best variant.
WordPress Cost
WordPress is initially a free CMS. You don’t have to pay for registering with the service and for using it. However, you’ll have to invest into domain name and hosting. Plugins and templates may also be provided at extra cost. The prices differ based on the item you are interested in. To publish a ready-made project, however, you will have to pick trusted hosting and a domain name that meets all the requirements.
The versatility of hosting providers and the terms/plans they offer is quite impressive, but there is one that undoubtedly stands out from the crowd, when it comes to hosting WordPress websites. This is Bluehost – the system, which is recommended by the CMS and the most credible and feature-rich service. The hosting provider offers several plans to pick from, namely:
Basic ( $2.95/mo ) – unlimited traffic and bandwidth, free SSL connection, one website hosting, free WordPress updates, 50GB storage space;
– unlimited traffic and bandwidth, free SSL connection, one website hosting, free WordPress updates, 50GB storage space; Plus ( $5.95/mo ) – unlimited email accounts and domains, unmetered storage space and bandwidth, unlimited number of hosted websites, $200 for advanced marketing options;
– unlimited email accounts and domains, unmetered storage space and bandwidth, unlimited number of hosted websites, $200 for advanced marketing options; Choice ($5.45/mo) – enhanced domain privacy, website backup, anti-spam protection, etc.
All Bluehost premium plans guarantee free domain name connection and use during the first year after registration. Upon the end of the term, the cost of the domain name will constitute around $12-$14 per year, which is also quite affordable for most users.
Summary
With over 180 millions of active users, WordPress remains the most widely-used open source CMS in the world. Originally created as a blogging platform, the system now offers plenty of features and tools to let you create different types of websites. Plugin integration feature has made the service even more powerful, which eventually affects its popularity and demand.
uKit – Easy-to-Use Small Business Website Builder
uKit – is a popular easy-to-use small business website builder. The sphere of application of the system, however, is not limited by the development of business projects. The functionality of the system is enough to design portfolios, blogs, landing pages and even small/mid-sized online stores. The platform stands out from the crowd due to its exceptional simplicity, intuitive nature and convenience for all user categories.
uKit Features
When you start using uKit, you can’t but notice its intuitive interface, which features simple navigation and convenience. This is one of the features that make the website builder the top choice for beginners, who need time to master the system. Apart from the business-specific features, the website builder offers multiple widgets for personal websites (SlideShare, LiveChat, Callback, MailChimp, Instagram Feed and Google Maps to mention a few).
uKit comes with a decent eCommerce option, which allows building small-to-mid web stores either by connecting the eCommerce widget or by integrating the Ecwid plugin. The website builder also allows granting temporary website management rights to other members of your web design team. The rights holder will be able to edit and customize the project, while the owner will control the process. This ensures more productive cooperation and higher efficacy of the website development procedure.
Another highlight of the website builder is its AmoCRM integration. The feature lets you keep track of your business advancement, sales growth, client/deals accounting etc. This will especially be useful for online store owners. Finally, the website builder ensures the utmost security of all projects launched with it. It allows connecting the SSL Certificate to your domain absolutely for free. This is a must for all websites that accept online payments and deal with the confidential information of their clients.
uKit Designs
uKit template collection is worth the attention as well. There are 380+ themes here, which are free and responsive. Template customization doesn’t take much time as well due to the broad feature set and intuitive toolbar the system offers. The templates are available in lots of niche-specific categories to simplify the choice. It’s possible to select a blank template here to create a personalized website from scratch. uKit allows changing the templates on any stage of the web development process to reach the desired result.
uKit Cost
uKit pricing policy is amazingly affordable for everyone. This is impressive, considering the initial orientation of the service upon the entrepreneurs. The 14-day free trial allows checking out all the features of the service. As to the paid plans, uKit lets you choose from the following subscription types:
Minimal ( $4/mo ) – custom domain name connection, unlimited disk storage space and page number, website backup creation, over 200 professional templates, SMS notifications, 24/7 support;
– custom domain name connection, unlimited disk storage space and page number, website backup creation, over 200 professional templates, SMS notifications, 24/7 support; Basic ( $8/mo ) – powerful statistics tracking tools, no copyright sign, premium designs, Google Analytics, live chat support;
– powerful statistics tracking tools, no copyright sign, premium designs, Google Analytics, live chat support; eCommerce ( $9.60/mo ) – integrated eCommerce tools, shopping cart settings, acceptance of online payments, payment/shipping options, currency choice;
– integrated eCommerce tools, shopping cart settings, acceptance of online payments, payment/shipping options, currency choice; Pro ($12/mo) – eCommerce functionality, custom color scheme application, custom code integration etc.
uKit lets you save big, when upgrading for its paid plans. The longer the subscription duration is – the more budget you can save. Generally, it is possible to pay for 3, 6, 12 or 24 month with one payment.
Summary
If you have an idea to launch a personal website, but realize that you lack design skills to do that, then uKit is surely worth trying. The website builder is easy-to-use and it’s very affordable for everyone. Rich assortment of responsive templates, advanced design customization tools and regularly-updated feature sets make the system a decent representative of the web building niche.
SITE123 – All-In-One Tool to Build a Personal Website from Scratch
SITE123 – is the all-in-one tool to build a personal website from scratch. The website builder that comes with a handy WYSIWYG editor, is free for each and every user. Its integrated feature set and options make it possible to start different types of projects in a hassle-free and convenient way. The system ensures intuitive and easy web building process, simple navigation and abundance of tools to let newbies and web design pros complete projects of diverse complexity levels. SITE123 works well for the development of portfolios, blogs, landing pages as well as other types of personal and business websites.
SITE123 Features
There is an intuitive website editor here that eliminates the need to learn the basics of coding. The website builder also comes with a decent eCommerce engine, which makes it possible to launch a nice online store with excellent functionality. To do that, you should create and manage product lists, design and modify the show window to give it appealing look, adjust payment and shipping parameters etc.
For users, who would like to make their websites available in several languages, SITE123 offers multilingual support. By using the tool, you can create several language versions of your site depending upon the objectives you pursue. SITE123 is also known for its advanced SEO tools, free hosting and domain registration, quality blogging engine, integrated logo tools, custom form builder, email accounts and other useful features.
SITE123 makes it possible to set website access rights depending upon your requirements and web design needs. This is especially important for users working in teams. The website builder additionally lets you connect a free SSL Certificate to your website domain name to enhance its security and confidentiality of users’ data. When working with the platform, you can get access to its rich App Market that comes with multiple extensions, widgets and add-ons (Analytics Tools, Social, Payment Gateway, Live Support Chat, Marketing Tools, Forms, Booking, Galleries, Webmaster Tools, Pricing, Online Store and Popular). Integration of these widgets can notably boost your website performance and design.
SITE123 Designs
The website builder has one of the best collections of responsive templates. They are available in several categories and are displayed well on all mobile and desktop devices. The templates are free and you can customize the selected theme as you wish. Thus, you can adjust general design settings, integrate widgets, media files and social account buttons, select and upload versatile web page elements etc.
SITE123 Cost
The pricing policy of the website builder is moderate and flexible. It is possible to use a free plan to see what the system has to offer. However, to build full-featured websites, you should choose between four paid subscriptions. These include:
Basic ( $10.80/mo ) – 10GB of disk storage space, free domain name connection, 5GB of bandwidth;
– 10GB of disk storage space, free domain name connection, 5GB of bandwidth; Advanced ( $16.80/mo ) – 30GB of disk space, 15GB of bandwidth, opportunity to sell up to 50 products per month;
– 30GB of disk space, 15GB of bandwidth, opportunity to sell up to 50 products per month; Professional ( $22.80/mo ) – 90GB of disk storage space, 45GB of bandwidth, 500 products for sale per month;
– 90GB of disk storage space, 45GB of bandwidth, 500 products for sale per month; Gold ($28.80/mo) – 270GB of disk storage space, 135GB of bandwidth, unlimited products for sale.
Whatever plan you will eventually go for, it will let you create the unlimited number of websites on one account.
Summary
SITE123 is a decent website builder for personal use. It allows creating nice websites at affordable cost. The system has multilingual support and eCommerce engine, which extends your web design options and allows for creative freedom. The website builder is really worth the attention of users, who need an impressive personal website at affordable cost.
Squarespace – Simple Website Builder for Beginners
Squarespace – is a simple website builder for beginners, which also has much to offer to web design pros. The platform features ease-of-use, convenience, flexibility and comparative affordability. It allows designing good-looking and full-featured websites at reasonable cost and without the need of code editing. Those users, however, who possess programming knowledge, can use it to start powerful websites with end end performance.
Squarespace Features
Squarespace is the all-in-one DIY website builder, which can be used to start literally all types of projects. These include business websites, portfolios, landing pages, blogs and other commercial/non-commercial web projects. It comes with the integrated WYSIWYG editor that allows for simple and quick website development, but there is also the opportunity to work in the advanced style editor of the system to design quality and feature-laden projects.
The platform makes it possible to pick and integrate multiple widgets, extensions and add-ons that can add to your website functionality. Its powerful blogging and eCommerce engines make it possible to start and effectively manage online stores and blogs, while extensive social integration options along with advanced email marketing tool allow for the effective promotion of your newly-created project on the web. Additionally, it is possible to embed Google Maps to the Contacts section of your website and keep track of your website statistics by means of Google Analytics integration. Squarespace also stands out from the crowd due to its distinctive highlights, such as Acuity Scheduling tool, Logo Maker, Unfold Storytelling feature and advanced image editing options.
Squarespace Designs
Squarespace mostly focuses on the quality of its templates rather than on their amount. As of today, the website builder has around 40 themes, which are absolutely responsive, customizable and professional. These designs, however, fit various niches and industries, including Blogs, Photography, Digital Stores, Portfolios, Cafes and Restaurants, Local Business, Events, Musicians and Bands, Community and Non-Profits, Personal, Real Estate, Wedding and more. Due to the Cover Page Builder, it is possible to design the appealing and personalized cover page of your website by filling it with content blocks, editing design elements, adding texts, integrating media files etc. HTML/CSS editing options are also enabled here.
Squarespace Cost
The website builder charges moderate prices for its premium plans. The system doesn’t offer a completely free plan, but there is an opportunity to test its functionality during the 14-day free trial. When it comes to upgrading to paid subscriptions, consider using one of the following plans:
Personal ( $12/mo ) – 3% transaction fee, 20 website pages, free custom domain connection;
– 3% transaction fee, 20 website pages, free custom domain connection; Business ( $18/mo ) – 2% sales transaction fee, unlimited number of web pages, AdWords credit;
– 2% sales transaction fee, unlimited number of web pages, AdWords credit; Basic ( $26/mo ) – unlimited product number, bandwidth and disk storage space, integrated accounting feature;
– unlimited product number, bandwidth and disk storage space, integrated accounting feature; Advanced ($40/mo) – label printing, abandoned checkout autorecovery, real time carrier shipping etc.
All Squarespace premium plans come with free domain name and hosting. Likewise, it is possible to appoint your own website domain to the system, if you have the one and wish to keep using it.
Summary
Squarespace is a contemporary DIY website builder, which works great for the development of personal projects. The system grants access to multiple features, integrations and design customization tools that help simplify the web design process for beginners and web design pros. The platform offers reasonable pricing for the services offered, which will definitely fit any budget and requirements.
Mobirise – Free Website Development Software
Mobirise – is a simple free website development software, which requires downloading and installation before proceeding to the web design process. The platform was initially created with the needs of newbies in mind and, thus, it comes with a wide range of handy tools and features they can easily master and use. With Mobirise, you can start almost any project, be it a business website, a promo site, a landing page, a blog or a portfolio. This is by far one of the easiest and the most intuitive offline website builders you can find out there.
Mobirise Features
The website builder allows for extensive integration options. When working on your website development, you can choose and connect multiple extensions – those that are provided by the system and those you can find on third-party services. Some of them include Twitter Feed, Soundcloud, Lazy Load, Icons, PayPal compliant shopping carts, Sliders, Google Analytics etc. Additionally, the website builder comes with the advanced AMP – Accelerated Mobile Page feature. It contributes to better performance and SEO optimization of mobile websites launched with the system as well as to the way they look on mobile devices.
Websites built with Mobirise are GDPR compliant, which means that they look reputable and safe for all users, browsing them. What you need to enable the feature is to create the project and then to customize the corresponding GDPR compliance block, filling out the required fields.
Mobirise Designs
The website builder allows expressing your creative freedom by using multiple content blocks for design development. You can personally select and integrate dozens of such blocks the system has in stock. These blocks can be further adjusted and arranged on a web page to form its structure and layout that works best for your type of project. Due to the powerful Code Editor, proficient coders and web designers can customize the themes, integrating new features and elements. Mind, however, that Code Editor is not provided by default and has to be chosen and then integrated as a paid extension.
Mobirise Cost
The website builder is absolutely free for any user. You can download and install it without paying anything at all to start a commercial/non-commercial website. However, the system allows integrating third-party extensions, the cost of which starts at $49. Additionally, the platform makes it possible to pick and integrate templates designed specially for Mobirise by web developers. The price of themes also starts at $49. Each template has a demo version that lets you preview the way it looks before making the final choice.
Don’t forget about hosting and domain name you need to purchase out there. This also implies extra financial investments. The most reasonable hosting provider to pick for your project is Bluehost as its cheapest plan will cost you $2.95/mo only.
IM Creator – Personal Website Builder, Free for Non-Profits
IM Creator – is a personal website builder, which is completely free for non-profits. The initial sphere of its application encompasses personal and business website creation. However, the system can be used to launch websites for creatives, students, non-profit organizations. It has multiple offers and advantages for these user categories.
IM Creator Features
What makes IM Creator a worthy solution is its blogging and eCommerce engines. The system allows building online stores and blogs depending upon your website type. To manage websites, you can add and edit posts, schedule them when needed and enable the commenting feature to stay in touch with website visitors.
IM Creator web design process implies the use of the Polydoms technology. This is the selection and arrangement of content blocks – Stripes – that helps you design your website structure. This makes the web development process easy and quick.
IM Creator Designs
IM Creator design collection is pretty extensive as well. There are multiple niche-specific templates, which are free and responsive. You can select the template and customize it by using the toolset the service has at its disposal. IM Creator templates have modern look. The system allows previewing them before making the choice, which makes the procedure even more convenient for inexperienced users.
IM Creator Cost
As to the price aspect, IM Creator initially positions itself as a free website builder. And that’s really so as the system is absolutely free for creatives, non-commercial organizations, students as well as for users, who need quality personal websites. Paid subscriptions are as follows:
Annual License ( $8/mo ) – one domain name, eCommerce engine, premium tech support, one website, unlimited disk storage space and bandwidth, implies one time annual payment that constitutes $96/mo;
– one domain name, eCommerce engine, premium tech support, one website, unlimited disk storage space and bandwidth, implies one time annual payment that constitutes $96/mo; Biannual License ( $11/mo ) – one domain name, one website, eCommerce engine, premium tech support, unlimited disk storage space and bandwidth, implies one time half-year payment that constitutes $66 for 6 months;
– one domain name, one website, eCommerce engine, premium tech support, unlimited disk storage space and bandwidth, implies one time half-year payment that constitutes $66 for 6 months; SSL Protected ($21/mo) – above listed features plus SSL Certificate connection to the chosen domain name.
For those users, who plan to use the system’s functionality for their individual website development purposes, IM Creator offers an opportunity to choose from three White Label plans. Their cost constitutes $350, $2500 and $25000 per year respectively based on the integrated functionality, services, tools, options and terms provided.
Summary
IM Creator is a website builder, the use of which allows launching a quality and visually-appealing website at no cost at all. The system comes with advanced tools, responsive templates and it’s also free for many users, who don’t plan to make profit with their websites. This is a decent choice you will be satisfied with.
Weebly – eCommerce-Focused Personal Web Builder
Weebly – is an eCommerce-focused personal web builder, which works great for the development of small-to-large online stores. The systems can also be used for the creation of other types of quality web projects, including business websites, portfolios, blogs etc. Its use does not require obligatory web design proficiency, although, coding awareness will be a benefit for users, willing to launch high end websites with the software.
Weebly Features
Before acquiring the eCommerce focus, Weebly was extensively used for blogging purposes. The website builder comes with a rich set of tools and features that make blog creation quick, effective and hassle-free. In April 2018, Weebly was purchased by the eCommerce giant – Square, which has given the system strong eCommerce specialization. Thus, Weebly comes with a stunning set of web store-related features that make it possible to run high end digital stores.
The website builder is also known for its advanced Weebly Promote Tool, which makes your business email marketing campaigns effective and helps reach the goals you have set for your company. The tool grants access to a pack of pre-designed themes, which are customized when writing different types of emails. What’s more, Weebly has an extensive and versatile App Center, where you can select free and paid widgets/integrations like LiveChat, PinPoll, Call-Out-Box etc. to boost your project performance.
With Weebly, you can make use of versatile video hosting options as the system lets you pick one of two available approaches. You can either upload your video files to YouTube platform and other video hosting services or save them directly on Weebly servers. It’s up to you to choose the most suitable solution.
Weebly Designs
Weebly offers its subscribers three web design options. Users may choose from the collection of ready-made templates that meet their business parameters. They can also pick and customize one of the available templates or order the required personalized theme from the system developers. DIY template customization is quite simple and convenient here sure to the abundance of tools and features the system has in stock.
Weebly Cost
Weebly pricing policy is affordable for all user categories. The website builder has plans to come up to any requirements and budget. There is a free subscription here, which is good for testing the integrated functionality of the service. If you intend to run a full-featured project with Weebly, you will face the need to upgrade to one of the premium plans. Here they go:
Personal ( $6/mo ) – pop-up notifications, connected custom domain, shipping/tax calculator etc.;
( ) – pop-up notifications, connected custom domain, shipping/tax calculator etc.; Professional ( $12/mo ) – branded professional portfolio/small business website, password protection, absence of the system ad banners, free domain connection, advanced website analytics;
( ) – branded professional portfolio/small business website, password protection, absence of the system ad banners, free domain connection, advanced website analytics; Performance Plan ($26/mo) – used for scalable business projects with enhanced eCommerce options, shopping cart abandonment tools, product reviews, availability of payment gateway integration, priority customer support etc.
Whatever personal website you intend to start, you will surely find a suitable pricing solution here.
Summary
Weebly is an eCommerce-focused website builder, which is used to run quality digital stores and feature-laden business projects. The system is a nice pick for beginners and web design pros, who don’t have deep coding proficiency yet intend to get a web project to comply with their requirements and needs.
Webflow – Personal Website Creator for Professionals
Webflow – is a personal website creator for professionals, which stands out from the crowd due to its professional web development approach and variety of high end design customization options. You don’t have to be a web design expert to work with the system yet coding skills are a must here for everyone, who has the goal to launch complex and feature-rich web projects with the software.
Webflow Features
The website builder comes with tools and features that make it similar to modern Content Management Systems. Being mostly oriented on web design experts, it requires programming background to get the most out of its integrated functionality. Webflow encompasses advanced styles and classes management options, high end HTML/CSS editing tools, opportunity to work in Designer and Editor modes in order to create dynamic website content.
Webflow includes a powerful eCommerce engine, which makes it possible to launch and run feature-rich online stores. Likewise, the system offers extensive integration opportunities, letting its subscribers integrate Adobe After Effects, Lightbox Gallery, Lottie, CMS collections, Zapier, Slack, MailChimp and other external services.
Webflow Designs
Webflow templates are multiple and versatile. All in all, registered users have access to over 200 free and paid themes, which are responsive, versatile and appealing. There is a preview option, which lets you see the details of a template you are interested in. The cost of premium designs ranges between $24 and $79. If needed, you can pick a blank theme to customize it from scratch and create your own unique website design. As a professional software, Webflow grants access to high end customization tools, which will give any theme exquisite look.
Webflow Cost
Webflow stands out from the crowd due to its versatile yet reasonable pricing policy. The system has several groups of plans to come up to any budget and business requirements. At the same time, there is a free subscription here, which extends for the unlimited time interval and is sufficient for everyone, who intends to explore the functionality of the service. Webflow plans are reviewed below.
Site Plans encompass Website and eCommerce subscriptions. Website Plans are as follows:
Basic ( $12/mo ) – CDN included, domain connection, free SSL certificate, 500 online form submissions;
( ) – CDN included, domain connection, free SSL certificate, 500 online form submissions; CMS ( $16/mo ) – 1000 online form submissions, 3 content editors, 2000 CMS items, limited CMS API, site search;
( ) – 1000 online form submissions, 3 content editors, 2000 CMS items, limited CMS API, site search; Business ($36/mo) – unlimited number of online form submissions, full CMS API, 10 content editors, advanced global CDN, etc.
eCommerce plans, correspondingly, include:
Standard ( $29 ) – all features of the CMS plan plus custom checkout and shopping cart, integrated CMS for blogs, 2% transaction fee, email customization;
( ) – all features of the CMS plan plus custom checkout and shopping cart, integrated CMS for blogs, 2% transaction fee, email customization; Plus ( $74 ) – all features of the Business plan plus zero transaction fee, 10 staff accounts, unbranded emails;
( ) – all features of the Business plan plus zero transaction fee, 10 staff accounts, unbranded emails; Advanced ($212) – all features of the Business plan plus unlimited yearly sales volumes, 15 staff accounts and more.
Account plans also fall into two subscription types. These are Individual and Team plans. Individual subscriptions encompass:
Free ( $0 ) – 2 projects, free staging, client billing;
( ) – 2 projects, free staging, client billing; Lite ( $16 ) – 10 projects, enhanced staging, code export, unlimited project transfers;
( ) – 10 projects, enhanced staging, code export, unlimited project transfers; Pro ($35) – White Labeling, site password protection, unlimited projects.
As to the Team Plans, these are as follows:
Team ( $35 per person ) – all features of the Pro plan plus enhanced staging, client billing, code export, team dashboard etc.;
( ) – all features of the Pro plan plus enhanced staging, client billing, code export, team dashboard etc.; Enterprise (the cost is discussed with Webflow experts individually) – all features of the Team plan plus White Labeling, site password protection, unlimited projects, team dashboard etc.
Webflow also offers advanced client billing opportunities for freelancers, who intend to work with the website builder for free, considering their unique web design needs.
Summary
Webflow is a professional website builder, which can be used to run a variety of personal web projects. The system application implies coding knowledge and web design expertise and it also takes time and effort to get used to it. The software offers reasonable and versatile pricing options, being a great pick for all user categories.
Gator – Best Hosting and Website Builder for Personal Use
Gator – is the best hosting and website builder for personal use. This is the all-in-one platform, which lets you create all types of personal web projects with regard to special user requirements. The system comes with an integrated drag-and-drop editor, a variety of niche templates and design customization tools needed to give your website a personalized look. These are only some of the features that make Gator a worthy solution for newbies and web design pros.
Gator Features
Gator is the all-in-one platform, which encompasses a website builder and a hosting provider. The software is used to create all types of web projects for commercial and non-commercial use. It has a rich App Market that contains widgets and extensions for effective website customization. Alongside, the system includes extensive social media embedding options, which make it possible to add content from social networks to your project.
The platform grants access to integrated analytic tools. Their availability allows tracking your website performance and its major parameters, including traffic flow, conversion and website abandonment rates and more.
Gator is also known for its integrated web hosting, which includes unlimited bandwidth, storage space and other advantages defined by the selected plan.
Gator Designs
The website builder includes a rich collection of quality responsive designs. They are all free and completely customizable. A preview option lets you see the details of each theme before choosing it for customization. All the templates fall into niche categories with regard to their specialization and type of business you run.
Hostgator Cost
Gator pricing policy is quite moderate as the website builder has several plans to comply with any needs and budget. You won’t find a free plan here as well as a free trial. Thus, you’ll face the necessity to pick a paid subscription at once. All in all, the website builder lets you choose from three premium plans namely:
Express Start ( $3.84/mo ) – intelligent website builder, 3-product online store, free domain and SSL Certificate, 3 email campaigns per month;
( ) – intelligent website builder, 3-product online store, free domain and SSL Certificate, 3 email campaigns per month; Express Site ( $5.99/mo ) – 5 email campaigns per month, 10-product online store, appointment booking, priority support;
( ) – 5 email campaigns per month, 10-product online store, appointment booking, priority support; Express Store ($9.22/mo) – 10 email campaigns per month, no transaction fees, unlimited product online store.
The website builder introduces special offers and discounts on a regular basis to reduce the cost of using the system for current and new subscribers. Just browse the available options to pick the one that complies with your needs and project requirements most.
Summary
Gator deserves special user attention as the all-in-one system, which includes a website builder and a hosting provider in one place. The system is easy-to-use, affordable and full-featured, being a good choice for beginners and web design professionals. It definitely works great for personal start up projects.
How to Create a Personal Website with a Website Builder?
Suppose, you have defined what website builder to use. What’s next? To be sure about the efficacy of the web building process, you have to find out the algorithm of actions to launch a website. Although, website builders differ in their feature sets and parameters, the procedure of website creation is nearly the same in any service of your choice:
Sign Up. Just like with any other program, you have to register with it first. This is fast and simple in most services. What you need is to provide your email, login and password to sign up for the service. Select the Template. As a rule, the themes fall into niche categories based on the niches they belong to. Just access the required category and select the template that meets your needs and adheres to your niche specialization most of all. Mind that some templates are available at no cost, while others are paid. Customize the Template. This is the most responsible and time-consuming part of any web design process. Most website builders offer extensive collections of tools you can make use of to customize the design. What you can do is to adjust background and layout settings, choose suitable colour palette, fonts, styles, icons and other elements available at the website. Upload Content. It goes without saying that “Content is the King”. The quality and amount of information you will upload to the website will have serious impact upon user attraction. Make sure the content you upload is interesting and versatile. Add informative and niche-related articles, integrate media files, create image galleries, slideshows or polls. Content types you will upload depends upon the project you will create. If this is a portfolio, for example, add your own works to showcase them. If this is a hobby-related website, provide enough information to keep users engaged into the subject matter. Make sure to add social media account links, client testimonials, contact info, reviews etc. Choose Domain Name. The domain name shouldn’t be too long or complicated. Otherwise, it will be difficult for users to memorise it. Make it concise, memorable and informative – the domain should be associated with your website topic. Mind that many website builders offer free hosting and domain name. This frequently depends upon the plan chosen. Set Up SEO Parameters. Reach a special website section in the dashboard to set up or modify the major SEO parameters, including meta tags, titles, keywords, descriptions, alt tags for images etc. Check whether all the URLs are human-friendly. This is one of the most important factors that influence SEO. Publish the Website. Finally, you can make your website accessible to the target audience. The publication process takes a few seconds. Enjoy the result!
How to Create a Personal Website with CMS?
Designing a personal website with CMS is somewhat more complicated and time-taking as compared to that completed with website builders. This is explained by the fact that CMS requires more coding knowledge and it takes more time to customize websites with them. They practice a bit different approach to the entire web building process. If you decide to launch a website with CMS, mind the following steps:
Select Hosting. CMS doesn’t offer integrated hosting. You need to find a reliable hosting provider before you start working on your website. Check out the credibility of the service, pricing plans and features they imply. Choose Domain Name. Just like you don’t have an opportunity to choose hosting, you won’t be able to get a domain name from the CMS you will work with. Make it up in advance not to waste time afterwards. Make sure to follow standard domain selection rules to get a memorable and quality domain name. Install the CMS. If the CMS you plan to use is not web-based, then you’ll need time to download and install it. This won’t take much effort and time, but you still have to consider this nuance. Choose and Install Plugins. The majority of CMS don’t come with the entire plugin set. They have standard integrated plugins to ensure basic functionality. You’ll need to choose and install the plugins you prefer. They may be free and paid. Browse those of them you consider important for your website topic and make sure they are safe and quality. Design a Website. Having installed the required plugins, you may proceed working on your personal website development. Select the template (they may also be free and paid) and choose the tools you’ll need to give them the required design. You may look for CMS templates out there, but make sure they are developed by professional and reliable web designers. It really makes sense to pay for a quality theme, which won’t put your website at risk. Upload Content. Having selected the template, it is high time to upload the content. This depends upon the goals you set and the type of website you need. Select and add posts, videos, social network accounts, media files and other elements that will boost your website rating. Adjust SEO Parameters. As soon as you are done with website editing, adjust SEO parameters. Reach a special website section in the CMS dashboard or install a SEO-plugin and browse the available options. Publish a Website. The final step of the website creation process is obviously its publication. This is easy and fast. Just enable the “Publish” button and observe the result!
How to Choose the Best Hosting for a Personal Website
If you have an intention to create a personal website with CMS, the choice of reliable hosting provider becomes a must. With so many options available out there, it is easy to get puzzled. A good and truncated hosting company should encompass a set of features that will contribute to your project security, good online presentation and 24/7 online accessibility. Here are the major factors to consider, when making the final choice:
Define your project parameters – The choice of hosting will mainly depend upon the type of project you run. The more features it includes, the more advanced plan you will need. The same about hosting characteristics. A portfolio website, for example, implies more speed rate and storage space, while an eCommerce project requires enhanced security and bandwidth.
– The choice of hosting will mainly depend upon the type of project you run. The more features it includes, the more advanced plan you will need. The same about hosting characteristics. A portfolio website, for example, implies more speed rate and storage space, while an eCommerce project requires enhanced security and bandwidth. Сheck out the available subscriptions – Hosting providers may offer different types of subscriptions that include versatile parameters. Check out the available plans to comply with your personal website specialization, characteristics, features, budget and other aspects.
– Hosting providers may offer different types of subscriptions that include versatile parameters. Check out the available plans to comply with your personal website specialization, characteristics, features, budget and other aspects. Reliability and uptime guarantees – The higher the uptime rate is – the more reliable your potential host will be. This affects the percentage of time your website will be accessible by users without any hindrances. Trusted hosting providers generally guarantee up to 100% uptime.
– The higher the uptime rate is – the more reliable your potential host will be. This affects the percentage of time your website will be accessible by users without any hindrances. Trusted hosting providers generally guarantee up to 100% uptime. Browse plan limitations – Any hosting plan comes with certain limitations, which may not come up to your current project/business requirements. This mostly concerns the amount of disk storage space, security features, bandwidth and other important parameters. It makes sense to check that out before you make the payment.
– Any hosting plan comes with certain limitations, which may not come up to your current project/business requirements. This mostly concerns the amount of disk storage space, security features, bandwidth and other important parameters. It makes sense to check that out before you make the payment. Backup and support options – Opportunity to create website backups as well as support options are crucial, when it comes to hosting choice. These features may also differ with regard to the type of subscription you will go for.
Listed above are only a few features that matter a lot, when it comes to picking a hosting provider for your personal website. Take your time to explore the most popular options available out there to make the unbiased choice.
Read also: How to Choose the Best Hosting Provider.
How to Choose the Service to Build a Personal Website from Scratch?
There are multiple factors you should consider, when choosing the best service to build a personal website. This depends upon the experience level, available budget, objectives and aspirations. At the same time, there are general features that are a must for any service you will go for. To provide maximum safety and efficacy of the web building process, the platform should come with the following:
Ease-of-use;
Safety;
User-friendliness;
Fast web development time;
Quality;
Functionality;
Extensive template choice;
Convenience;
Powerful design customization features;
Affordable pricing policy.
Does the service you plan to use meet these requirements and look professional? Then you can start testing it to make sure it really comes up to your needs.
Pros and Cons of Website Builders
Website builders are specially designed for users with diverse skills and expertise rates. Most of them are generally flexible and convenient, but each service still has its special characteristics you should be aware of. Here are the basic merits of website builders:
Simplicity and Convenience. Website builders feature exceptional ease of use. This is what makes them a smart choice for users with little or no web design skills. They mostly come with WYSIWYG editors and drag-and-drop features that simplify the entire process of website creation, making it intuitive and engaging. This allows creating a decent and full-featured website in a couple of hours only.
Template Selection. These systems offer rich collections of pre-designed templates, which frequently fall into categories based on the niche specialization. The templates are mobile-optimized to make websites display well on all types of desktop and mobile devices.
Visual Design Customization. Apart from offering multiple templates, website builders provide powerful visual design customization tools to give them the required appeal and performance.
Affordable Pricing Policy. Website builders are really affordable as compared to other web design solutions. They often have free trials or even free plans to enable users to test their features. As to the paid plans, they are versatile and come with different parameters and features to come up to diverse user requirements and budgets.
Apart from the benefits, website builders also have a set of demerits. Some of them are as follows:
Insufficient Functionality. Many website builders lack features that are a must to launch large-scale projects. Take your time to explore the entire feature set of the system to make sure it fits your needs;
Code Editing Limitations. The fact that website builders are created mostly for newbies makes it possible to assume that they frequently lack code editing options. This is not a problem for beginners, while webmasters may find this feature a drawback, looking for extensive code editing options;
Unavailable Website Migration Options. If you plan to create a project with a website builder, you should realize that you won’t be able to transfer it to another service. Even though, some systems allow migrating from one platform to another, the process may be a serious challenge.
Pros and Cons of CMS
Content Management Systems also have their merits and demerits users should be aware of, when making the choice. Each system has its specific cons and pros, but there are also general features inherent for all CMS. Some of the benefits include:
Extensive Functionality. CMS are generally powerful systems, which come with a broad ranges of features needed to launch and manage a decent website.
Impressive Customization Options. CMS provide impressive design customization options. This implies extra plugin and template integration as well as multiple design customization tools needed to give a website decent functionality.
Fast and Effective Web Design Process. Launching a personal website with CMS doesn’t take much time, especially if you know how to make use of the powerful feature set of the service. Even those users, who don’t have experience in web design, will complete the task in several days by integrating free and paid tools, plugins, modules and templates.
Flexible Rates. Most open source CMS are absolutely free. This means that you can download and install them for free. However, to get advanced functionality, you should be ready to invest into paid add-ons, plugins, templates and extensions. Hosting and domain names are also paid as most systems don’t offer integrated options.
Just like website builders, CMS also have a number of drawbacks. Some of them are worth to be mentioned first:
Need for Programming Skills. If you wish to launch and manage a powerful project with CMS, you won’t go without having at least a minimum set of programming knowledge. They are needed to edit website codes, customize the design of your project, integrate extra tools and plugins, update content and manage your website design.
Security Issues. Security of websites launched with CMS may be at risk because of the need to install extra plugins and templates. Being frequently developed by third-party users, they may come with malicious codes, which will eventually pose danger to the entire website.
Is It Possible to Make a Personal Website for Free?
Launching a personal website without investing anything into its development is possible, but don’t expect powerful functionality and flexibility from it. This is viable for one purpose only – to practice your web design skills and to explore the functionality of the platform you work with.
Do you need a quality personal website with a connected domain, availability of integrations and special features? Then you won’t go without upgrading your website to one of the paid subscriptions the web design platform includes. Here are the advantages you will avail in this case:
No ad banners – Premium plans exclude the availability of system ad banners on your website, which won’t distract your visitors from the published content;
– Premium plans exclude the availability of system ad banners on your website, which won’t distract your visitors from the published content; Connecting a personal domain – Most web design platforms allow for personal domain connection after you upgrade to their premium subscriptions. Some of them also offer an opportunity to connect a domain for free during the first year of system use;
– Most web design platforms allow for personal domain connection after you upgrade to their premium subscriptions. Some of them also offer an opportunity to connect a domain for free during the first year of system use; Premium support – Paid plans often come with premium support options: the higher the plan is – the more extensive tech support you will avail;
– Paid plans often come with premium support options: the higher the plan is – the more extensive tech support you will avail; Template choice – Some systems grant access to premium templates, when you upgrade to their paid plans, which obviously diversifies your choice and project design;
– Some systems grant access to premium templates, when you upgrade to their paid plans, which obviously diversifies your choice and project design; Special features – Premium plans include a broad spectrum of special features like extra storage space, bandwidth, powerful integrations, security options, website analytic tools, SEP and marketing features and more.
The conclusion is as follows: if you need a quality website for personal use with abundance of features, design customization tools and integrations, then upgrading to a premium plan is not a whim, but a must for you.
Read also: How to Create a Website for Free.
Bottom Line
When it comes to building a personal website, users may face multiple problems. They mostly concern the available web building options and tools that ensure decent results. This is when the choice between website builders and CMS becomes so complicated. Both types of systems have much to offer users and both of them ensure decent results provided that you know how to make use of the features and tools the platforms offer.
So, which type of service will work best for your website? If you’ve ever worked with CMS or have the basic web design knowledge, then using these systems will be a nice solution. The services are powerful and full-featured. This cannot but guarantees worthy result. However, get ready to face and overcome the problems you may encounter on any stage of the web design process.
