Choosing the Best Website Builder to Grow Your Small Business
Top Picks to Build a Professional, Affordable, and Hassle-Free Website in 2025
As a small business owner, I know how important it is to have a website that's easy to use, affordable and packed with the right features. When choosing a website builder, you want to consider things like design flexibility, e-commerce options, marketing tools and overall ease of setup. Based on my research (and a lot of trial & error), here’s my take on the best website builders for small businesses in 2025:
Wix
Why it’s great: Wix is super versatile, offering over 900 templates you can customize, a simple drag-and-drop editor, and AI features that make building a site fast & painless. It's perfect for small businesses that need an all-in-one solution with builtin e-commerce, SEO, and marketing tools.
Best for: Businesses that want a professional-looking website without any coding, think service providers, portfolios, or online shops.
Pricing: Starts at $17/month (Core plan, annual billing). A free plan is available if you just wanna test things out.
Standout feature: AI chatbot that helps you build a site based on your needs.
Shopify
Why it’s great: If you’re serious about selling online,
Shopify is hands down one of the best platforms out there. It comes with powerful inventory management, multi channel sales (like TikTok & Amazon), and abandoned cart recovery to boost conversions.
Best for: Retail and service businesses that wanna focus on online sales.
Pricing: Starts at $29/month (Basic plan, annual billing). There’s also a $1/month starter plan for the first three months.
Standout feature: Integrates easily with in-person POS systems.
Squarespace
Why it’s great: If you care about design, Squarespace is the go to. It has stunning, mobile friendly templates, plus built-in blogging and e-commerce features. Great for branding and visual storytelling.
Best for: Restaurants, photographers, artists, and any business that needs a sleek, high end look.
Pricing: Starts at $16/month (Personal plan, annual billing). Comes with a 14-day free trial to test it out.
Standout feature: Professionally designed templates that look amazing right out of the box.
Hostinger Website Builder
Why it’s great: This one's an affordable, AI powered website builder that actually builds your site for you based on a few simple inputs. Includes hosting and even supports small online stores (up to 500 products).
Best for: Startups or small businesses that want a low-cost, hassle-free website.
Pricing: Starts at $2.49/month (48-month plan), renews at about $14/month.
Standout feature: AI-driven site creation at an unbeatable price.
Weebly
Why it’s great: Now owned by Square, Weebly is a no frills website builder that’s easy to use and budget friendly. It’s perfect if you want a basic website with solid e-commerce features and seamless integration with Square’s payment tools.
Best for:
Businesses that do a lot of in-person sales and need a simple online presence.
Pricing: Free plan available; paid plans start at $10/month (Personal plan, annual billing).
Standout feature: Works seamlessly with Square’s ecosystem for payments & inventory.
Final Thoughts
Each of these platforms has its strengths depending on what your business needs. Wix is great for overall flexibility, Shopify is best for e-commerce, Squarespace wins on design, Hostinger is super budget friendly, and Weebly keeps things simple. Your choice really comes down to your goals, do you want a stunning site, an online store, or just something quick and affordable?
And hey, if you'd rather not deal with website builders at all, that’s where
Salt Creative comes in. We’re a full-service
web design agency that builds modern, mobile optimized websites for businesses of all sizes. Whether you're launching something new or your current site needs a serious refresh, we handle everything from custom design and branding to
SEO and
digital marketing so you don’t have to stress over the technical stuff. We’ve worked with businesses across multiple industries, so we know how to create a site that not only looks great but actually helps you attract customers and grow your business. If you want a professional website without the hassle, let’s chat!
FAQ: Choosing the Best Website Builder for Your Small Business
Q1: What should I look for when choosing a website builder?
A: Key factors include ease of use (drag-and-drop or no coding), design flexibility (templates and customization), e-commerce support (if you plan to sell), marketing and SEO tools, cost (monthly/annual fees), and scalability (ability to grow with your business).
Q2: Which website builder is the most versatile all-around option?
A: Wix is a top pick for versatility. It offers over 900 templates, a drag-and-drop builder, AI tools, built-in SEO/marketing, and e-commerce options.
Q3: Which builder is best for an online store?
A: Shopify is the leading choice if your priority is selling online. It includes features like inventory management, multiple sales channels (e.g. Amazon, TikTok), and abandoned cart recovery.
Q4: What about design-focused businesses (artists, photographers, restaurants)?
A: Squarespace is ideal for those who prioritize visual appeal. It offers high-quality, mobile-friendly templates, strong blogging features, and built-in e-commerce.
Q5: Can I get a decent website on a low budget?
A: Yes. The article highlights Hostinger Website Builder as a low-cost but powerful option. It includes hosting and supports small online stores at affordable pricing.
Q6: For a simple site, which builder is recommended?
A: Weebly is positioned as a straightforward, no-frills builder that integrates well with Square (useful if you accept in-person payments) and supports e-commerce.
Q7: Are there free plans available?
A: Yes, some of the builders offer free or trial versions. For example, Wix offers a free plan, and Weebly has free/low-cost tiers. But keep in mind free plans often have limitations (e.g. branding, limited features).
Q8: How do I decide which one fits my small business?
A: Match the builder’s strengths to your needs.
If you want maximum flexibility and overall features → Wix
If selling online is your main goal → Shopify
If design and branding are top priorities → Squarespace
If budget is tight → Hostinger
If you want simplicity and integration with in-person sales → Weebly
Q9: What if I don’t want to build it myself?
A: If you’d rather not deal with website builders, we suggest engaging a full-service web design agency (like Salt Creative) to handle everything from custom design to SEO and marketing.
Q10: Do these builders support mobile optimization?
A: Yes — all of the featured builders (Wix, Shopify, Squarespace, Hostinger, Weebly) offer mobile-friendly designs and responsive templates so your site looks good on phones and tablets.
