If you have a business, you need a good website. The good news is that building a website today no longer requires any coding or web design expertise. Many website platforms allow you to build a fully functioning and well-designed website in just a few clicks—and some even have AI site builders. I looked at and tested several platforms, and my overall best small business website builder is Hostinger, thanks to its robust feature set, good designs, and overall usability.
Aside from Hostinger, some of the other best website builders for small businesses are Squarespace, GoDaddy, and HubSpot.
- Hostinger: Overall best website builder for small businesses
- GoDaddy: Best for appointment-booking features
- IONOS: Best website security
- Squarespace: Best for modern website designs
- DreamHost: Best for building WordPress websites using AI
- Wix: Best free and beginner-friendly website builder
- HubSpot Content Hub: Best for blogging
Having come from the startup marketing industry, I know what it’s like to be a one-person marketing team trying to build your brand presence and get noticed in the online world. I have first-hand experience building and maintaining startup websites and continually test various website platforms to find the best ones in the industry.
Best Website Builders for Small Businesses at a Glance
Hostinger: Overall Best Website Builder for Small Businesses
Pros
- Build up to 100 websites from $2.49 a month
- Easily build websites using AI or a website template
- Has tools to build an online store and allow client appointments
- Unlimited bandwidth on all plans
Cons
- No free plan or free trial
- All plans are locked into four-year contracts
- No built-in email or social media marketing tools
- Only allows up to 200GB storage on the highest plan
Read Our Hostinger Review
- AI and drag-and-drop website builder
- 150 website templates
- AI content writer, heat map page analyzer, and logo creator
- Free domain
- Ecommerce for physical and digital products
- Appointment-booking tools
- Built-in business email
- Integrations with Google and Facebook Ads
- Messenger and WhatsApp integrations to communicate with customers
- Unlimited bandwidth
I’ve known about Hostinger for a few years now, and it’s always been a reliable website builder platform. In fact, in 2025, it’s my overall best website builder for small businesses because it has all the essential features, including ecommerce and blogging tools, and it’s super easy for even beginners to build a website.
There are two ways you can build your website on Hostinger: through its AI website builder or using a template. Both are reliable and let you make a fully functional and well-designed website. It all comes down to preference. If you need a website quickly and easily, use the AI generator—you’ll only need to type a prompt about the site you need. But if you prefer more design control, Hostinger has over 100 templates you can customize.
Use Hostinger’s AI website builder to instantly generate a website draft.
(Source: Hostinger)
There’s also the drag-and-drop website builder that lets you start with a template. (Source: Hostinger)
The biggest drawback with Hostinger, however, is it doesn’t have a free plan or free trial, unlike other platforms. And once you subscribe to a plan, you’re locked into a four-year term. So far, however, Hostinger is everything it says on the tin and you can even build up to 100 websites from the first plan at $2.49 a month.
Another drawback is it doesn’t have any built-in social media or email marketing tools, so it’s not the best all-in-one marketing platform. What it can do, however, is build you a solid, fully functional website where you can set up your online store, build your content marketing strategy, and even get a free business email address thrown in.
Hostinger User Reviews
- G2: 4.4 out of 5. Users praise its user-friendly interface and helpful customer support. However, some users had negative experiences with pricing renewals and domain transfers.
- Trustpilot: 4.7 out of 5. Many users also praise Hostinger’s customer support and reliable website hosting. Negative reviews also mentioned Hostinger’s high renewal prices after the initial four-year contract.
My Expert Opinion
Hostinger is one of my most tried-and-true website builders, and its features have remained steady and reliable over the years. It has everything you need to build and grow your business website that’s a little more advanced than just your basic beginner-level website. If you’re looking for a website platform for the long term, Hostinger is the best small business website builder I recommend.
GoDaddy: Best for Appointment-booking Features
Pros
- Free website builder with appointment-booking tools
- Has a content studio for building email and social media campaigns
- Selling online is supported on all paid plans
Cons
- Website designs are not as modern or eye-catching
- Not a drag-and-drop website builder, so there’s less design freedom
- Setting up events and recurring appointments cost extra
- AI website generator
- 100-plus website templates
- Appointment-booking tools
- GoDaddy Studio to create content
- Email and social media marketing tools
- Built-in SEO
- Ecommerce with flexible payment and shipping options
- Google and Yelp business profile management
GoDaddy is best known as a website host, but it’s also one of the top website builders for small businesses. It’s easy to use, has a free-forever plan, and even has built-in content creation and marketing tools. But what it’s best for is appointments. All GoDaddy’s website plans—including the free one—come with appointment-booking features, making it ideal if you have a service-based business like a salon or a workshop.
Like the other platforms on this list, GoDaddy also now has an AI website builder, along with its classic section-based website editor. Setting up appointments is also easy—you just need to enable the appointments feature inside your dashboard and it’ll automatically appear on your site.
Since our last update: GoDaddy’s since introduced its suite of AI tools, including its AI website builder, logo designer, and domain name generator.
As mentioned, another handy feature when building a website on GoDaddy is its content studio for building social media and email campaigns, which I found especially helpful if you’re a one-person marketing team. Unfortunately though, while you can set appointments and make social media campaigns on the free plan, you’ll need a paid plan if you want to build an online store, which starts at $9.99 a month.
GoDaddy uses AI to generate a website, which you can customize further in the section-based editor. (Source: GoDaddy)
Appointment-booking tools are also available on the free plan. (Source: GoDaddy)
GoDaddy User Reviews
- G2: 3.9 out of 5 stars. Many clients like how resourceful and easy to use the platform is. On the negative side, some were dissatisfied with GoDaddy’s customer service.
- Trustpilot: 4.6 out of 5 stars. Unlike on G2, many reviews on Trustpilot noted GoDaddy for having good customer service. However, some mentioned issues with contract renewals and payments.
My Expert Opinion
I found GoDaddy one of the most cost-effective website builders on this list simply because of how many features it has on the free plan. Coupled with its impressive appointment-booking system and marketing tools, it’s an excellent choice for small marketing teams. Overall, it’s a good starting point for any business building an online presence.
IONOS: Best Website Security
Pros
- Advanced website security: SSL certificates, antivirus, malware protections, and server security modules
- All websites come with a business email matching your site domain
- AI website builder lets you generate a website with an online store in minutes
Cons
- Editor is not as intuitive as other platforms, and templates aren’t as stylish
- SEO text generator is only available on the highest plan, and there are no other marketing tools
- No free plan or free trial (although plans start at $1 per month)
- AI website generator and drag-and-drop builder
- 35 website templates
- Built-in business email accounts
- SSL certificate, malware and virus protection, and server security
- Appointment-booking features
- AI text generator
- Ecommerce tools
When it comes to website security, the best platform I always recommend to small businesses is IONOS. While best known as an email and website host, IONOS has its own website builder that also has an AI and a drag-and-drop editor. Both are also simple enough for beginners to navigate.
However, IONOS’s biggest standout feature by far is its security. Security is baked right into the IONOS platform and is one of its biggest priorities as a website and email platform. Aside from the usual SSL website certificate, IONOS also has antivirus scanners and malware protection for all its sites, so it’s my top recommendation if privacy is a major concern for your business, say if you handle sensitive client info.
Plus, all this comes at a starting price of $1 a month, which is one of the least expensive options on this list by far. My main drawback with IONOS is its website builder isn’t as intuitive as others like Hostinger and Wix, so its website designs aren’t of the same standard. If you want a more custom website design, you’ll need to do a little more tweaking in the editor.
IONOS has both an AI site generator and a drag-and-drop editor. (Source: IONOS)
There are also various website templates choose from. (Source: IONOS)
IONOS User Reviews
- G2: 3.9 out of 5. Users like its low costs and easy-to-use platform. However, some users had issues with domain registration.
- Trustpilot: 4.7 out of 5. Many users were happy with IONOS’s customer support, especially with setting up their accounts. Negative reviews mentioned issues with the platform itself having unreliable servers.
My Expert Opinion
With IONOS, it’s functionality over form. If you’re looking for a secure website where you can sell your products or services and grow your online presence, IONOS is more than capable, especially if security is a major area of concern for your business. IONOS has some of the most advanced security measures from a website platform at its price point.
Squarespace: Best for Modern Website Designs
Pros
- Stylish and eye-catching website templates
- AI website builder incorporates your brand identity into your website design
- Unlimited storage and bandwidth—add as much media as you like
- Also has content creation tools for social media and email campaigns
Cons
- No free plan (only a free trial)
- Online transactions are only available starting from the $23 Business plan
- Appointment-booking feature (Acuity Scheduling) requires an additional cost
Read Our Squarespace Review
- AI site generator and drag-and-drop website builder
- 185 stylish website templates
- SEO tools
- Ecommerce and memberships
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Social media and email marketing
- Appointments
- Link in bio site creator
If you want your website to look stylish and modern, Squarespace is the best small business website builder I recommend. Squarespace has the most well-designed website templates by far out of the other platforms on this list, and they’re a great option if you’re a creative business or freelancer or you want your brand identity to stand out.
Squarespace is also one of the easiest platforms to navigate, almost as easy as Wix. Also like Wix, you can build your Squarespace website using its AI site generator or one of its designer templates. What’s different about its AI site builder is it takes your brand identity into account when building your website, so it automatically comes out with your logo, brand colors, and even your brand voice.
Squarespace also allows memberships on all its plans, although with a $16 starting price, it’s an above-average price point compared to other platforms. To build an online store, you’ll need the $23 Business plan. However, your site will also come with SEO and social media marketing tools, plus email marketing and appointment-booking at an additional cost.
Squarespace User Reviews
- G2: 4.4 out of 5 based on over 1,000 reviews. Most users like how easy it is to design a modern, professional-looking website. However, some users found some templates restrictive.
- Capterra: 4.6 out of 5 based on ovrt 2,000 reviews. Many users also praise Squarespace’s templates and design tools. However, some were also dissatisfied with its customer service.
My Expert Opinion
No one does website design like Squarespace, and it’s still its biggest edge over its competitors. If you want an eye-catching, well-designed, and modern website, Squarespace should definitely be on top of your list. I also find it a good fit for creatives or if you’re building a personal brand—Squarespace has all the right tools to help you make an impression.
DreamHost: Best for Building WordPress Websites Using AI
Pros
- Uses AI to build a WordPress website instantly
- All plans have daily backups of your site
- Has every website feature you need via WordPress plugins
- Best way to build a completely custom, non-generic website
Cons
- Not a beginner-friendly platform—you’ll need to know exactly what you need
- No free plan or free trial
- Only 50GB storage on the first Shared Starter plan
- AI WordPress website builder
- Ecommerce tools
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Daily website backups
- All WordPress plugins
- Business email on higher plans
WordPress is unparalleled as a content management system, but it isn’t the most beginner-friendly platform. That’s where a DreamHost comes in—it lets you build a WordPress website with all the WordPress functionalities, but in a much simpler way using AI. All you need to do is answer a few prompts from its AI about your website and it’ll automatically be generated.
Another feature I like about DreamHost is it has automatic daily backups for your website, so you never have to worry about your site data getting lost, especially if you handle lots of information. Plus, functionality-wise, you’ll have pretty much everything you need from WordPress’s plugin library—far more than beginner-level platforms like Wix or GoDaddy.
However, on the flip side, DreamHost doesn’t have any built-in ecommerce, marketing, or SEO features. They’re only available as plug-ins, which can be tricky if you’re unfamiliar with them. Unfortunately, DreamHost also doesn’t have a free plan or free trial, although plans start at just $2.95 a month.
DreamHost’s lets you build WordPress websites using AI. (Source: DreamHost)
DreamHost User Reviews
- G2: 4.0 out of 5 stars. Many customers praised DreamHost’s WordPress migration services and found its customer support helpful. However, some customers noted that websites sometimes went down without notice, and would stay down for a few hours.
- Trustpilot: 4.7 out of 5 stars Many customers also found DreamHost’s customer service supportive. Negative reviews were mostly unhappy with DreamHost’s pricing scheme.
My Expert Opinion
This is a website builder for people who want something a little more advanced and custom than beginner-level platforms like Wix. If you’re looking for a website that’s beyond the basic, or there are specific features you’re looking for that aren’t offered by the usual platforms, DreamHost is the best website builder for small businesses. I recommend it most, however, if you already have some website-building experience and already know exactly what you need.
Wix: Best Free & Beginner-friendly Website Builder
Pros
- Super easy to navigate—perfect for beginners (also has a free-forever plan)
- Has both an AI website generator and over 800 well-designed templates
- Marketing suite includes SEO, social media, email marketing, and appointment-booking tools
- Easy design customization with the drag-and-drop editor
Cons
- Unlimited website storage is only available on the Business Elite plan ($159)
- Free plan has a Wix domain and logo, not ideal for building your brand
- Can’t build an online store until the Core plan at $29 per month
- No way to code your own website design if you want a completely custom website
- AI website generator and drag-and-drop editor
- Ovee 800 website templates
- SEO checklist
- Appointment-booking calendar
- Social media and email marketing
- Google and Facebook ads management
- Ecommerce for digital and physical products
- Content management system
- Gift cards and discounts
- Link in bio site builder
If you’re a complete beginner to building websites and want an easy and free way to get started, there is no better website maker for small businesses than Wix. Wix has always been one of our top website builder platforms, but its biggest standout point is its ease of use. Building a website with Wix is a simple matter of answering a few questions about your business and then customizing the template it generates.
There’s also the option to build your site from scratch using one of over 800 templates. Either way, building a basic website takes about 10 minutes in total. You’ll also still be able to customize its design and add or remove features before publishing your site.
Another of Wix’s best features as a site builder is its built-in SEO checklist that lets you set up your site’s titles, meta descriptions, and keywords. It’s one of the most comprehensive SEO features from a site builder by far (and the reason why Wix is one of our top website builders for SEO).
Aside from SEO tools, Wix also has email and social media marketing tools, so it’s helpful as an all-around digital marketing platform. There’s also a free-forever plan with all these features, however, you can only build an online store through its paid plans, which start at $17 a month.
Wix User Reviews
- G2: 4.2 out of 5 stars. Users like how easy it is to use, and that it has many helpful features like SEO and ecommerce that are helpful for their businesses. However, some report that customer service can be difficult to contact and that the site builder can sometimes be slow.
- Trustpilot: 4.6 out of 5 stars. Positive reviews highlight Wix’s versatility, affordability, and customer support. However, some also report issues with Wix’s payment arrangements.
My Expert Opinion
If ease of use is what you’re looking for, Wix is your best bet. No other platform has the same dedication towards a beginner-friendly user experience, and it has one of the best free plans—perfect if you’re only getting started. Wix has long been a popular choice for many first-timers and small business owners, and it’s still one of the best platforms for website-building beginners.
HubSpot Content Hub: Best for Blogging
Pros
- Can publish up to 100 blog posts on the free plan
- You can also connect your own domain to your website for free
- Over 500 diverse website templates via the HubSpot Marketplace
- Also has social media and email marketing tools (although not all are free)
Cons
- No tools for building an online store into your website
- Content memberships are only available on the Professional plan at ($500)
- Not as much design freedom vs other platforms
- Drag-and-drop website builder
- Over 500 website templates in the HubSpot Marketplace
- Blog publishing tool
- AI blogging assistant
- Ability to connect your own domain
- Automated SEO recommendations
- Multilanguage websites
- Integrations with HubSpot’s sales and marketing tools
If you’re looking specifically to publish blogs, the website builder I recommend most is HubSpot Content Hub. Formerly known as HubSpot CMS, HubSpot’s new update to its website builder puts more focus on publishing content, so it’s a great fit if you want to build a blog specifically. On the free plan, you get up to 30 web pages and 100 blog posts. There’s even an AI blogging assistant and a content library.
Plus, HubSpot has built-in SEO tools to help your blogs get discovered and support for multiple languages (even unlimited languages in the highest plan). You can also add forms to generate leads from your blog and then integrate them with HubSpot’s customer relationship management (CRM) platform.
Building a website on HubSpot is also simple, although there is no AI website generator unlike other platforms. You’ll have to start with a template or completely from scratch, although the editor itself is a drag-and-drop, so it’s an easy enough process. Aside from the content publishing platform, HubSpot has an AI blog draft generator, which generated a very workable blog draft (although of course, it isn’t perfect and will still need editing).
HubSpot Content Hub lets you build a website for free, and even connect your own domain. (Source: HubSpot)
HubSpot also specializes in publishing blogs, and it even has an AI blog draft generator that creates a very workable draft. (Source: HubSpot)
The biggest drawback with HubSpot is it gets expensive quickly if you plan to monetize your content. Creating a website and publishing blogs is free, but if you want to start offering memberships and gated content, you’ll need to pay a hefty $500 a month, although this also comes with HubSpot’s podcasts and content remixing tools.
HubSpot Content Hub User Reviews
- G2: 4.4 out of 5 stars. Customers like HubSpot’s many marketing and customer service features that make it easy to track leads. However, some were dissatisfied with HubSpot’s customer service and pricing contracts.
- Capterra: 4.6 out of 5 stars. Many users found HubSpot an affordable and user-friendly platform to connect with customers. Some found the platform difficult to navigate and lacking in design features.
My Expert Opinion
HubSpot is well-loved by marketing and sales teams around the world, so there’s no questioning the credibility of its tools. And if you’re specifically looking to publish content, it’s definitely my best blogging platform, especially if you’re starting small, want something free, and already have your own domain.
How I Evaluated the Best Website Builders for Small Businesses
With several website builders available, finding the best one to suit your business’s objectives needs careful evaluation. To help you choose, we narrowed your choices down to the best of the best based on cost, general and niche features, customer support, and their overall value to help your small business grow.
30% of Overall Score
I analyzed and compared providers by their entry-level pricing, the cost to sell online, the availability of contract-free plans, free trial lengths, and money-back guarantees.
20% of Overall Score
Though site builders are generally all-in-one solutions, each offers different features. I specifically chose platforms with ample storage and bandwidth, reliable security, SEO features, and ecommerce tools.
20% of Overall Score
I also looked at each provider’s niche features and capabilities, like appointment bookings and reservations, blogging tools, and other email and social media marketing features.
10% of Overall Score
This includes each platform’s available support hours and channels, such as live chat, phone, email, and ticketing systems. Additionally, I factored in each platform’s support quality, as well as their online help centers, guides, and documentation.
20% of Overall Score
I also evaluated each platform based on my experience with it, including its intuitiveness, feature set, design tools, and overall value for money.
*Percentages of overall score
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The average starting cost of a small business website builder is $7.98 per month, or anywhere between $1 and $20 per month. However, this also varies based on the features offered in each platform’s starting plan. For instance, IONOS’s starting plan includes ecommerce, while Hostinger’s doesn’t. Most plans also come with a free domain but you’ll need to pay to renew it after one year. Some platforms also have 100% free plans, although with limitations.
Yes, having a website for your small business is definitely important. A website grows your online presence and increases your reach so more customers can find you. It also makes your brand more legitimate and acts as a resource for prospects who want to learn more about your business. It also allows you build an online store so you can enable transactions or reservations online.
The overall most beginner-friendly website builder is Wix. Wix has a super easy-to-navigate platform that lets you build a website using its AI tools or through using one of its templates. Then, you’ll be able to customize your site further inside its drag-and-drop website editor, and then publish it once you’re done. Other similar beginner-friendly website builders I tested are Squarespace and GoDaddy.
Bottom Line
The best website builder for small businesses ultimately comes down to your own priorities and needs. For instance, if you want highly polished website designs, Squarespace is probably your best bet. If you want something completely for beginners, Wix is a good option. My advice is to outline what your business needs the most out of your website and then trying the options above to see what fits best.