Are no-code web builders a good solution for designers? Absolutely! Web builders are excellent tools for designers who have limited coding skills. With intuitive drag-and-drop interfaces and prebuilt solutions, web builders allow designers to focus on creativity rather than technical implementation.
No-code builders help to save a lot of time and make it possible to create a functional live website in a couple of days. Besides, websites built on no-code platforms are perfect for small businesses or those that have limited resources because the owners can easily update their website and make changes to it without the help of a designer.
By the end of this article, you will know the pros and cons of the most popular website builders, their pricing, functionality, and understand which no-code web builder works best for your next project.
No-code website builders are user friendly, easy-to-use platforms that enable you to build fully functional websites without coding. Designers, individuals, and business owners choose them because they are intuitive and don’t require a high level of technical skills.
Most website builders have a variety of visually appealing templates as a starting point and drag-and-drop tools to easily edit or create designs from scratch.
Let’s explore the most popular no-code web builders and how you can benefit from using them, starting with how you even begin to choose one.
Firstly, you have to think about your project and the problems you’re going to solve. Do you need a highly customizable site for a niche industry? No-code is probably a no. But if you’re looking for a site that seems familiar and easily navigable to users, that follows a lot of web design best practices, no-code may be an option.
The next step is to explore the functionality and features of the web builders you are going to use for your project. Let’s define the key characteristics that differentiate the most popular website builders. We’ll use them to evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of each platform.
Some platforms are simple, with drag-and-drop tools that require minimal time and technical skills to study their functionality, while others require more time and effort to get familiar with.
No website builder has the same features. Some focus on simple website building, while others offer more advanced options like ecommerce, SEO tools, analytics, plugins, and app integrations.
Some website builders allow users a lot of customization, give a diverse range of design elements, and allow users to create sophisticated designs. The others limit users to predesigned templates or layouts and have basic design tools and elements.
Most platforms offer different plans depending on the website size and functionality. Some of them offer trials and basic features for free. The prices and conditions for each platform are unique, so you have to analyze the value proposition and find the one that meets your goals.
One more important aspect of a website builder is customer support. Some builders offer quick and user friendly support through different channels, while others may have limited or less responsive customer service. It’s important to test customer service before you need it!
Squarespace is the best choice for beginners and those who appreciate simple, minimalist, and visually appealing design. It is the most intuitive, and easy-to-use platform.
Squarespace’s new editor, Fluid Engine, launched in July 2022, and it enables you to drag and drop blocks anywhere in a section.
Squarespace requires minimum time to understand the functionality and tools. It suggests starting your website from scratch or using creative and design-centric Squarespace templates as a starting point.
Besides its user friendly editor, Squarespace offers an all-in-one solution for website creation, hosting, and management. In addition, a supportive creative community and 24-hour customer support in case you have issues.
Wix is a flexible and visually appealing website builder. This platform allows you to move any element to any spot on a page, giving you plenty of freedom in your design. On the one hand, you can control everything, but on the other hand, there is room for a lot of mistakes if you are new to Wix.
Wix has lots of templates to use, but they aren’t all fully responsive. If the basic designs don’t work for you, Wix also provides a variety of blank layouts. They have no images, industry-specific titles, or text, so you’re free to create whatever design you like.
Webflow is one of the most appreciated platforms for designers seeking maximum freedom and customization. It’s probably the only no-code builder that features a level of customization similar to writing code but without the necessity to write it.
Webflow allows you to create cool trending effects such as parallax scrolling, multi-step animations, and microinteractions.
However, Webflow is not an intuitive, easy-to-use website builder, and it can be complicated for beginners. Compared to other platforms, it requires more time to study, but you definitely have the benefits of full control over your design using Webflow. It would be great for designers who have previously used simpler platforms and now need more control over design.
Framer is one of the best AI-generated website builders. It began as a prototyping tool, but in 2022, they launched a significant update, transforming Framer into an all-in-one solution for constructing and launching websites.
Framer is easier to learn than Webflow and has a lot of unique inbuilt features, such as Framer motion and live collaboration that enables designers to create advanced microinteractions and animations. Using the power of AI, it generates code from your text instructions, making website creation accessible and easy no matter which technical skills you have.
You’ve probably heard the name. Shopify is the all-in-one ecommerce platform that helps you not only build a website but also run and grow a business. It combines sales integrations with simple and intuitive web design.
Shopify has drag-and-drop functionality that allows you to easily move website elements, such as images, text blocks, buttons, and videos, by simply dragging and dropping them into place. It gives you a lot of freedom with customization — you can change colors, fonts, page layouts, and more. This website builder prioritizes responsiveness, so webpages automatically adapt to different screen sizes.
Shopify is the top choice for ecommerce projects because its functionality allows you to create a website and also sell, ship products, and accept payments online. It also integrates with social media, and all changes you make to your Shopify store will automatically reflect on your social media.
This is another no-code platform that needs no introduction. According to Hostinger, 43 percent of existing websites were built using WordPress. It’s not an all-in-one solution but rather a content management system. It’s highly flexible, easy to customize, and scalable.
WordPress allows you to create almost any type of website, from a small personal blog to a large corporate website. It offers a huge number of free templates and provides plugins to add functionality. To create a website on WordPress without coding, you can use drag-and-drop page builders — for example, Elementor.
Most no-code website builders can significantly save you time. When choosing a website builder for your project, it’s important to consider your project goals, your skills, and the functionality of the website builder. Think about the problems you are going to solve, and you’ll find the best tool created for your specific needs. With the right choice, you can build a professional, visually appealing, and functional website.
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