How To Choose The Right Website Builder
Let’s take a look at How To Choose The Right Website Builder. Building your online presence starts with a simple yet vital question—which website builder should you use?
With dozens of platforms fighting for your attention, the pressure to choose the right one can be overwhelming. Your choice will shape not just your website’s look, but how easily you can manage, update, and grow it over time.
At PlanetHippo, we know a thing or two about websites and what makes them work. This guide will walk you through what really matters when picking a website builder.
Read on for the 12 key things to look for, and get expert recommendations to match your needs.
Know Exactly What You Need Before You Build
Jumping straight into a website builder without knowing your goals is a common trap. To avoid wasting time (and money), start by getting clear on a few things:
- Define Your Website’s Purpose: Are you starting a blog, displaying a portfolio, launching an online store, or setting up a landing page for your local business?
- Consider Your Must-Have Features: Do you need a contact form, online booking, multilingual support, or password-protected pages?
- Growth Expectations: Planning for a small website today, but hoping to expand to sell products or accept bookings later? Your builder should support that evolution.
Sketch out your essential requirements and desired extra features. This short exercise will save hours of frustration down the line.
12 Features To Check Before Choosing Any Website Builder
The market is crowded, but not all builders are created equal. Here’s your must-have checklist:
1. Ease of Use
Look for a drag-and-drop interface that makes designing pages intuitive—even with zero coding knowledge. The editor should be clean, uncluttered, and responsive.
Try out demos to get a feel. If you spend more time searching for buttons than building your site, consider moving on.
2. Customization Options
Do you want your site to stand out or blend in? Choose builders with a variety of templates and the flexibility to tweak layouts, fonts, and colors.
The ability to add custom code or widgets is a bonus for those who want even more control.
3. SEO Capabilities
Search engine visibility is everything. Make sure your builder lets you:
- Edit meta titles and descriptions
- Customize image alt attributes
- Generate sitemaps
- Integrate tools like Google Analytics and Search Console
Strong SEO settings will set your site up for steady traffic growth from day one.
4. E-Commerce Functionality
If you plan to sell products or services, your builder must support:
- Secure payment gateways (Stripe, PayPal, etc.)
- Easy product management
- Inventory tracking
- Order notification and management
Extras like cart abandonment recovery, digital product delivery, and discount codes are a plus.
5. Mobile Responsiveness
Over half of internet traffic today comes from mobile devices. Every theme and template should adapt seamlessly to different screen sizes. Preview your site on mobile and tablet before you finalize!
6. Customer Support
Problems will pop up. Look for:
- 24/7 live chat or phone support
- Helpful knowledge bases and guides
- Active user forums or communities
Quick, friendly support can mean the difference between a site that’s offline for an hour and one that’s down for days.
7. Pricing and Plans
Watch for hidden fees. Compare:
- Upfront monthly or annual costs
- Included features vs paid add-ons
- The number of sites, bandwidth, and storage allowed
Choose a plan that fits your current needs with room to grow as your site scales.
8. Integration With Third-Party Tools
Does your builder work well with your favorite marketing and analytics tools (like Mailchimp, HubSpot, or Zapier)? The more plugins and integrations, the more powerful your site becomes.
9. Security Features
A secure site builds trust and protects your data. At minimum, your builder should provide:
- Free SSL certificates
- Regular backups
- Malware scanning
- GDPR compliance tools
This is essential if you’re collecting user info or running an online store.
10. Scalability
Will your website perform as traffic increases? Opt for builders that handle growth without hiccups. Some offer features designed for higher traffic, like CDN integration or advanced caching.
11. Community and Genuine Reviews
Check out user reviews and active community forums. They can provide real-world insight into strengths and weaknesses.
Popular platforms often have vibrant support communities, with FAQs, tutorials, and troubleshooting tips.
12. Specific Needs and Niche Features
Some website builders are tailored to specialized needs:
- Photographers may need built-in galleries with watermarking.
- Restaurants can benefit from online reservation modules.
- Nonprofits might look for donation-facilitation tools.
Don’t compromise on features that matter most to your profession or industry.
Planet Hippo’s Top Website Builder Picks
Not sure which builder matches your wish list? Here are our recommendations, honed by years of experience helping UK businesses and creators get online:
For Ease and Simplicity
Wix offers tremendous flexibility and a beginner-friendly interface. Its drag-and-drop builder, hundreds of templates, and robust app market suit everything from blogs to portfolio sites.
For Full Control and Customization
WordPress.org is the gold standard for customization and third-party integrations. With thousands of plugins, you can create nearly anything—but be ready for a steeper learning curve than drag-and-drop editors.
For E-Commerce Power
Shopify is purpose-built for online stores of all sizes, with seamless payment integrations, inventory tools, and marketing automation. Its clean dashboard lets you manage sales and customer inquiries without a hitch.
For Portfolio and Creative Sites
Squarespace shines for creatives thanks to stunning templates, built-in image management, and flexible launch options. Its all-in-one approach means less stress about updates or hosting.
Exclusive Perks With PlanetHippo
Working with PlanetHippo unlocks extra benefits:
- Our website builder offers all of that above in one place, easy to use, simple and creative. You could get your website online today.
- Free domain names
- Ecommerce websites, ready to go!
- Starting from £10 per month
- No contracts
Take Charge of Your Website Journey
Choosing the right website builder isn’t about picking the tool with the loudest marketing. Instead, focus on the features that truly match your business, brand, and budget.
Start by clarifying your goals, then use our 12-point checklist as your roadmap.
If you’re feeling unsure, reach out to PlanetHippo. Our team specializes in web solutions tailored for your needs, and we’re backed by years of experience helping hundreds of small businesses succeed online.
The right website builder is just the start. With careful selection and the right support, your site can grow, adapt, and help your business thrive for years to come.
