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The best easy website builder for small businesses is, without a doubt, Wix.
Not only does its intuitive drag-and-drop interface make customising your website a simple walk in the park, but its ADI editor allows you to build a website in minutes, just by answering a few basic questions.
Wix
GoDaddy
Squarespace
Zyro
Shopify
Jimdo
Best all-round website builder for small businesses
Ease of use and simplicity
Design flexibility & businesses looking to scale
Cheap builder
Best for dedicated sales features when selling online
Creating a website in under an hour (thanks to its ADI platform)£7.50-£27 per month
£3.75-£13.50 until Sept 1
£4.99-£13.99 per month (first term discounts available)
£10-£30 per month
Use code “STARTUPS10” to receive a 10% discount on all Squarespace plans£6.90-£19.50 £1.98-£10.71
Up to 71% discounted with code STARTUPS!
$5 – $2,000 per month
(approximately £5 – £1650 per month)
£0-£39 per month
But the important question is, regardless of Wix’s title as our best easy website builder, is it the right choice for your business?
It isn’t the only game in town – Squarespace and GoDaddy also have fantastic, easy web builder solutions. GoDaddy, because of its simple templates and site restoration function, and Squarespace, because of its industry leading knowledge support centre and customisable templates.
This guide ranks the UK’s leading web builders in terms of the ease of use we awarded them during our thorough research. These scores are based on hundreds of hours of in-house product research and user testing to accurately determine which web builder is the easiest platform to use.
The methodology behind our scoring is based on factors like the logic of the web builder’s interface, and how easy it is to make edits and move elements around. We also consider how quick and simple it is to create a website from scratch.
If you want support making a quick decision, our handy comparison page breaks down four top web builders so you can easily work out which one of our approved picks suits your needs.
Or, if you want to carry out further research, read on for our review of the best easy website builders for small businesses.
We think Wix is the best website builder you can choose for your small business – try it for yourself with a free trial
Wix rightfully earns its spot as the easiest web builder to use, achieving the highest Ease of Use score out of any provider reviewed by our research team, with an incredibly strong score of 4.4 out of 5.
This is thanks in large to its simple drag-and-drop editing interface, and its ADI functionality that allows you to literally set up a website in minutes (yes minutes – we’ve tried and tested it).
The one thing you want from an easy-to-use website builder is the ability to create your website in just a few clicks. With Wix, that is exactly what you get.
Unlike opensource web builder platforms like WordPress or Magento, which require you to be able to code to create your site, Wix is closed source.
This means that it has created the building blocks of your website for you, and has developed all of the elements or features that you’d want to add.
As a startup or small business owner, this saves you tons of time creating your own website from scratch, or big money as you no longer need to pay a web developer to do this for you.
And Wix goes one step further in that it offers users two options when setting up their website. You can either use Wix’s ADI function, which creates a website for you in minutes on the basis of some simple questions about the type of business you own, and what you want from your website.
Or, if you do want to create your website from scratch ( with closed source design tools,) you can select Wix’s Editor option. Although, to keep things as simple and easy as possible, we would recommend the ADI option.
In comparison, web builders like Weebly and WordPress don’t offer ADI, which is why they don’t feature on this list and scored poorly in the ease of use research category.
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Other factors which place Wix at the top of our easy web builder list include its editor interface. Drag and drop any element on the page to change its position, and make changes easily to any images or sections of the page by simply selecting that component and selecting a number of edit options available to you.
This will keep things simple after you’ve used the ADI to create your website, allowing you to change fonts and colours to fit your brand identity.
Although Wix is easy to use, one thing that certainly doesn’t make this web builder easy is the fact that you can’t change design templates once your website is created. You’ll have to start all over again, so just bear that in mind during the creation process.
To find out even more about Wix and its world-class website builder platform, visit our Wix review.
To find out more about Wix’s pricing, be sure to visit our dedicated Wix pricing page.
Connect Domain
Combo
Unlimited
VIP
£4 per month
£7.50 per month
£11/month
£21/month
“It was all really good, the simplicity of it all, you literally drag and drop things off the menu into editor/webpage and then moving them about and resizing them is pretty easy.”
GoDaddy is a great web builder for those small business owners who want to create a website with minimal fuss, and with little cost.
Our research concluded that it is the second easiest website builder to use, scoring a strong 4.1 out of 5 in the ease of use category. This is due to its design templates being arguably the simplest to work with out of all the web builders, even when compared with Wix.
Out of the sub categories of investigation our research team analysed, GoDaddy scored the joint highest along with Wix and Squarespace in terms of its user experience and design.
This is largely due to its incredibly clear and simple website design layouts. One factor that can often make web builders difficult to use is that even if they do offer ADI functionality, and countless template designs, these can often be overcomplicated.
This is arguably the case with Shopify, but not with the likes of GoDaddy which, in comparison, provides easy to edit and pleasantly simple designs.
As well as its simple, easy-to-use templates, GoDaddy also allows its users to restore their website, or unpublish the site if they publish by mistake. However, website restoration does come with a hefty price tag.
You can even reset your site if you want to start again which, as many startups know, is something that can happen if you decide to rebrand.
GoDaddy boasts simplicity, which is why it scores so highly on our list. However, it does fall short in other areas, particularly when it comes to features, even more so when it comes to its ecommerce capabilities.
It scored a measly 2 out of 5 in the ecommerce area of investigation and, because selling on the platform isn’t as plain sailing as selling on the likes of Wix. You may find that GoDaddy isn’t actually the easiest web builder to use, particularly if you are looking to create an online store.
To find out even more about GoDaddy and its excellent website builder platform, visit our GoDaddy review.
To find out more about GoDaddy’s pricing, be sure to visit our dedicated GoDaddy pricing page.
Basic
Standard
Premium
GoDaddy Ecommerce
£4.99 per month
£7.99 per month
£11.99 per month
£13.99 per month
“I put together a website in an hour, which was quicker than what I thought it was going to take.”
Squarespace’s templates are so aesthetically pleasing and so easy to customise, that it is no wonder the provider is in our top three easy web builders for small businesses.
Scoring a very strong 4 out of 5 for ease of use, Squarespace is particularly simple to use for creative businesses working in photography, graphic design, or art.
What makes Squarespace so easy to use is that you can create a visually stunning website within a short space of time. Users can create a site that looks and feels like it has been designed by a team of web developers.
There are over 100 slick templates to choose from, and each has the ability to be fully customised using Squarespace’s drag-and-drop interface, similar to Wix’s. You can even reset style settings with the click of a button – without creating a new site.
This will save you tons of time and stress deliberating which style will match the branding of your business. This simple feature is what sets Squarespace apart from the likes of Wix.
Squarespace’s Design Hero also makes it incredibly easy for businesses to add portfolios, and pages full of photographs and illustrations in one go.
This is really handy, particularly if you run a wedding photography business and want to bulk upload images and portfolios as quickly as possible.
In fact, Squarespace has made huge improvements to increase its overall ease of use score, particularly when it comes to help and support, and user experience. It now scores 4 out of 5 for ease of use whereas it scored an average of 3.5 out of 5 in our previous round of testing.
This is largely due to users finding it so much easier to navigate and edit, as well as them finding it far easier to access support through an incredibly detailed knowledge centre.
However, what can be a drawback of using Squarespace is that, unlike web builders such as Wix and GoDaddy, you won’t be able to set up your website using ADI software.
So, if you are looking to set up your business website in minutes via answering a few simple questions, instead of trailing over design templates, Squarespace won’t be the right web builder for you.
To find out even more about Squarespace and its website builder platform, visit our Squarespace review.
To find out more about Squarespace’s pricing, be sure to visit our dedicated Squarespace pricing page.
Personal Plan
Business Plan
Basic Commerce
Advanced Commerce
£10 per month
£15 per month
£20 per month
£30 per month
“It effectively puts a lot together for you in one go, which I think was great and looks incredible.”
Zyro, although relatively new to the web builder space, still packs a punch when it comes to its ease of use. It scores the same as Squarespace in this category, which is our second best overall web builder.
To find out more about our top website builders, based on all ranking criteria we investigated, visit our in-depth review.
The breakout scores Zyro received in terms of its user experience reached an impressive 5 out of 5, and it’s no surprise considering its users can take advantage of a number of advanced functions that aren’t offered by other web builders, including logo creation and AI software.
As mentioned above, Zyro is certainly one of the easier web builders to use. For starters, it offers the option to create your website using ADI, saving you tons of time and effort trying to build your own website from scratch.
But what really makes it easy for you as a business owner, is that it can solve multiple problems at once. You can build a brand logo in Zyro, take advantage of its AI writing capabilities to create quality content for your site in an instant, and use its free AI business tool to help you generate a business name.
All of this additional functionality means you don’t have to spend time and effort on the time-consuming (and expensive) elements of building a website. You won’t have to hire a branding agency to design your logo, and you won’t need to spend ages trying to write a blog post or ‘about us’ section, particularly if writing is not your forte.
For more information about AI content writing, be sure to check out our feature on digital marketing trends.
Although this additional functionality sets Zyro apart from the likes of Wix and GoDaddy, it is certainly lacking in creative flexibility. With Squarespace you can add an abundance of additional features to already stunning designs (including great blog elements), while you don’t have such an arsenal at your disposal with Zyro.
To find out even more about Zyro and its website builder platform, visit our Zyro vs Wix review.
Website
Business
Advanced Store
£6.90 per month
£7.50 per month
£19.50
Shopify, although already a behemoth in the ecommerce space, is new to the web builder game. Despite this, its users find it relatively easy to use, which is why it scores an above-average 3.7 out of 5 for its ease of use.
One of the key reasons users find the platform easy to build a website with is that if you are building an online store. Shopify is able to preempt and predict what you might need next in terms of the elements and sales features you require.
This kind of automation is unmatched in the web builder space and streamlines the setup process for you, ensuring that your website is optimised for sales and tailored to the needs of your customers.
To find out more about the best ecommerce platforms to set up your online store on, visit our review.
Shopify’s interface is described by users as “clean and refreshingly intuitive”. Although it isn’t the simplest platform to use because of its complex terminology and themes, once you get the hang of it, you will find it easy to use.
Built with ecommerce businesses in mind, the platform makes it simple to add a number of sales-centric features to help your business improve conversions. This includes abandoned cart recovery, unlimited product pages, and the installation of apps to implement discounts and customer loyalty options.
In addition to this, users can benefit from the fact that Shopify is an entirely customisable platform so, should you require a bespoke feature, it can assist, directly within the builder, on the template you choose, or through its app market.
However, this ‘endless customisation’ can make Shopify a bit overwhelming for some users, and this is apparent in its interface, which is ladened with buttons, drop down options, and other feature elements.
You will also find that, like Wix, once you have selected your template with Shopify, you will need to reform your entire site if you decide to switch themes. This is a confusing and time consuming process and is far from what you want from an easy-to-use web builder.
Starter
Basic Shopify
Shopify
Advanced
Plus
£5 per month
£21 per month
£58 per month
£220 per month
From £1650 per month
“Once you become familiar with the platform it is relatively easy to amend any of the elements on the page.”
Although last on this list, Jimdo is still one of the easier web builders to use compared to other platforms.
It allows users to set up a website in just a few minutes with its ADI functionality, and its interface is very clean, clear, and smoother than many users were expecting during our testing phase.
Jimdo’s big strength is in the speed of the setup time. Many users can easily create a website in just three minutes if they use the Dolphin software, an AI-based builder that will create your website for you in only three minutes.
This is a great bonus for businesses that haven’t got the creative capacity, or design skills, to spend time setting up a website with the likes of Shopify or Squarespace.
Instead, they can answer a few questions, and choose one of the 15 templates that Jimdo has to offer. The minimal amount of templates is also a bonus, as users won’t be overwhelmed with choices and can make decisions quickly and easily based on what is at their disposal.
Our user testing also revealed that Jimdo’s editor is incredibly easy to use for beginners, and images can be uploaded simply and with minimal fuss. This is the primary reason it scored full marks in the aesthetical capabilities and image editor category of investigation.
What it offers in simplicity, it certainly lacks in flexibility. Although setting up your website is incredibly easy, it’s when you start delving into a more creative approach, and adding complex functions like integrations and features, that Jimdo falls short.
Many users found the platform ‘restrictive’ during our user testing phase, stating that this lack of flexibility when moving things around, and adding additional elements and features, actually makes the platform more difficult to use.
Start
Grow
Grow + Legal
Unlimited
£9 per month
£15 per month
£20 per month
£39 per month
“I didn’t like how restrictive it was in terms of moving things around. It was very much like ‘this is the template and this is how it’s going to look’.”
Not only are the above web builders all incredibly easy to use, but they also offer either a completely free plan or a free trial period to get you started.
This will certainly help you sample a web builder platform before making a decision on whether to go with that provider, which is great for ensuring you aren’t wasting your hard-earned money on a solution that isn’t going to deliver what you need.
However, you need to be aware that even the best free web builders have limitations, including the fact that you can’t sell on the platform (this includes Wix) and, in some cases, your site won’t even go live until you’ve upgraded to a premium plan (this is the case with Squarespace).
Your best bet is to select the plan that most suits your needs and gives you the capabilities you require. Select the free trial option to ensure it is the right fit for your business, and then upgrade to the paid version of the plan if you are happy!
In the meantime, check the table out below to see which web builders offer a free plan, free trial, or both.
Wix
GoDaddy
Squarespace
Zyro
Shopify
Jimdo
Connect Domain – £4 per month
Basic – £4.99 per month
Personal – £10 per month
10% off with code STARTUPS10£6.90 £1.98 per month
Up to 71% discounted with code STARTUPS!
Starter – £5 per month
Start – £9 per month
To recap, the best easy website builders are:
1. Wix: ease of use score 4.4 out of 5
2. GoDaddy: ease of use score 4.1 out of 5
3. Squarespace: ease of use score 4.0 out of 5
4. Zyro: ease of use score 4.0 out of 5
5. Shopify: ease of use score 3.7 out of 5
6. Jimdo: ease of use score 3.4 out of 5
As stated, Wix is, without a doubt, the best easy web builder to use. Not only is its ADI software the most efficient of all the options available compared to other builders, but its drag-and-drop interface and clear, extremely user-friendly design make it super easy for users to edit their website and navigate to other sections of the builder.
GoDaddy isn’t far behind, and its clear, simple-to-edit templates match Wix for sure. But it falls behind when it comes to setting up ecommerce functionality, so for those wanting to open an online store, things can get a bit tricky rather than easy.
Regardless of our opinion, you should always compare web builder platforms before signing up with a provider. The last thing you want is to be paying for a service that doesn’t fulfil the needs of your business, even if it is, generally speaking, a great product.
This is where our custom-built comparison page comes in. We’ve broken down four top web builders so you can easily work out which of our approved picks suits your needs. Simply click on the link to find out more. Or click on any of the links to our partners above to go directly to their website.
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Ross has been writing for Startups since 2021, specialising in telephone systems, digital marketing, payroll, and sustainable business. He also runs the successful entrepreneur section of the website.
Having graduated with a Masters in Journalism, Ross went on to write for Condé Nast Traveller and the NME, before moving in to the world of business journalism.
Ross has been involved in startups from a young age, and has a keen eye for exciting, innovative new businesses. Follow him on his Twitter – @startupsross for helpful business tips.
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