Let’s be honest: there’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to website builders. It all depends on who you are, what you want to build, and how far you plan to scale your brand. But after over six years of working with clients across Europe and North America, we can say with confidence: Webflow is our favorite. Why? Because it lets us design with flair and precision, without compromising on structure, SEO or performance.
In this article, we share our personal-yet thoroughly reasoned-ranking of the best no-code website builders we've tested in real-world projects. We'll walk you through what works, what doesn't, and when it might make sense to choose something other than Webflow (yes, that happens too).
Webflow — our daily work tool
For years we have been creating websites in Webflow — for startups, technology companies, manufacturers. And every time we feel that it is an environment that matures together with the market. Thanks to Webflow, we can not only design attractive interfaces, but also implement them ourselves — without compromising on code, SEO structure or performance.
Webflow allows you to export static HTML, CSS and JS code (without CMS and e-commerce), offers integrations with Make, Zapier, Airtable or Memberstack, and allows you to design responsive interfaces compatible with WCAG. This is a tool for designers who want to have control over every pixel.
It's our number one, but...
Not everyone needs Webflow. And that's OK.
Sometimes Webflow is too much. Too many possibilities. Too much learning. Too much for a person or company who just wants to have a nice side over the weekend and get down to business. In such cases, they are better suited:
Wix — When Time Matters, Not Perfection
Wix AI allows you to generate a page in minutes based on a simple brief. Hundreds of templates, a built-in store and low prices are good arguments to start. Performances may require manual optimization (especially on older templates), but the UX of the tool remains one of the best in its class.
Read more: Webflow vs Wix Comparison
Squarespace — if design is to play first fiddle
Squarespace is like Apple among creators: everything is polished, aesthetic and intuitive. Fluid Engine allows you to freely edit the grid of elements, and Blueprint AI will help you design a page from scratch. Squarespace does well with branding, content, and e-commerce. It also offers modern templates and better performance than Wix.
A big plus is the built-in marketing tools and subscription options, making Squarespace a good choice for people building personal brands.
Shopify — an e-commerce that scales on its own
With Shopify we have worked with several larger stores and we know one thing: if you plan to sell more than a few products, this platform gives you an advantage. Checkout 2.0 and Shopify Magic (AI for content creation) make the store grow with you. It is not a tool for image pages, but if you sell products — Shopify is the guide. SEO, CMS, analytics and a huge ecosystem of applications support development in the long term.
The downside can be limited front-end flexibility, but for many users this is the price of stability and scalability.
Framer — when you want to stand out
Framer is a wizard for designers who love movement. Literally. Modern design, micro-interactions and the export of components to React (with the help of external tools) make Framer a favorite of creative designers. It's a tool for those who know what they want — and can go against the grain.
Note: Code export is not available by default. I can only use external tools (e.g. Framer a React plugin) and need a premium plan — not to confuse this feature with native HTML/CSS support like Webflow.
It works well in MVP, pre-launch or portfolio projects — especially where you need a modern look and visual experience.
Other tools that are worth knowing
- Elementor Cloud — for those who want WordPress without frustration. Hosting, SSL, backup and wizard — all in one place.
- Hostinger Website Builder — very cheap start with AI-support. A good choice for microbusinesses or freelancers.
- Figma Sites (beta) — an experiment that can revolutionize the design process. Currently without CMS, but it is developing promisingly.
- Weebly — the simplest possible solution. It works. So much. Sometimes that's enough.
Do AI wizards really save time?
Depends on expectations. In 2025, almost every major website builder offers features supported by artificial intelligence. The question is: do these tools actually reduce the time it takes to create a professional site? The short answer: yes, but with caveats.
The new AI wizards in Wix, Squarespace or Hostinger allow the user to start a project with a dialogue - instead of a blank template, AI suggests structure, text, images and layout. Within minutes, a working site is created, ready for further modifications. This is especially helpful for freelancers, small businesses or startups testing MVPs.
However, in practice, AI-generated pages often require manual correction — layout adjustment, language improvement, SEO adjustment. Some tools (like Webflow AI Assistant) help speed up specific steps, like writing texts, but they don't replace the entire design process. In premium projects — for example for technology companies — AI is more partner for the designer, not a replacement.
Conclusions? AI in wizards can save 30-50% of time, especially at the startup stage. But still the key remains the knowledge and eye of the designer. Otherwise, the site will “work”, but not necessarily convert.
Is it worth it? Depends on expectations. Wix AI, Squarespace Blueprint or Hostinger AI can indeed generate a working website in minutes — but they often require tweaks, additions, SEO optimization. They work best as a starting point — they save 30-50% of the designer's time, but they won't replace the entire process. If you care about a polished effect, AI is more of a helper, not a final wizard.
Price list and real costs
Price is often the first question customers ask - and rightly so. The cost of using a wizard can vary dramatically, depending on the plan, the billing period, and whether you need an e-commerce, CMS, or just a business card site.
Webflow — Basic plan starts at $14/mo (with annual payment), CMS $23/mo, Business $39. Code export available now on the cheapest plans.
Wix — Light plan from ~$17/mo per year, Business eCommerce plans from $27/mo. Wix also offers a free plan with ads.
Squarespace — from $16/mo (Basic) to $49/mo (Advanced Commerce) with annual payment. In 2025, Squarespace simplified plans by offering more features already at lower thresholds.
Shopify — Basic plan: $29/mo (per year), Shopify: $79/mo, Advanced: $299/mo. A $5 Starter plan exists, but it mainly serves as a “Buy Button” on the external site.
Framer — free plan with subdomain, Basic plan $15/mo (1 page), Pro: $30/mo. Exporting components to React only in enterprise versions.
Elementor Cloud — package hosting + Elementor Pro for $99/year (~$8,25/mo). For more complex projects, you need to add the cost of additional WordPress plugins.
Hostinger Website Builder — Business plan from approx. $3.99/mo (per year). Een van de beste feature-to-prijs ratio, alleen met minder flexibiliteit van Webflow.
Weebly — still offers a free plan. Personal Plan ~$6/mo, Business Plan ~$25/mo. But beware: the platform will be extinguished in 2025.
Conclusions? Webflow, Hostinger, and Elementor offer the most “pure value” for the price, but the choice is up to your needs. Shopify is the e-commerce leader, Squarespace and Wix focus on convenience, and Framer on modern design.
Comparison of the features of the most popular wizards (2025)
Choosing a wizard is not only a matter of design and function. In practice, aspects that are often overlooked in the first stage of the decision are equally important — and which can affect the success of the entire project. Here are some key areas to take under a magnifying glass before choosing a tool for yourself:
Performance and SEO optimization
Good performance in Google today is not only a matter of content, but also of site speed and stability. Google places a premium on sites that score high in so-called Core Web Vitals - that is, LCP (time to largest rendered element), CLS (layout stability) and FID/INP (interactivity).
In independent tests (Cybernews 2025):
- Wix a LCP de ~6,8s — a result below standards, requires optimization of images and code,
- Squarespace — LCP ~3,6s — still average, but much better
- Hostinger Website Builder — GTmetrix score 99%, very light code and fast hosting,
- Webflow and Framer — often achieve >90 points in Lighthouse without additional optimization
- Shopify — good TTFB and stability, but sometimes loaded by applications,
- Elementor (WordPress) — performance depends on widgets/plugins used and cache configuration.
For people who are not familiar with optimization, choosing a platform with a “fast by default” architecture (like Webflow, Hostinger or Framer) can make a big difference in the visibility of a page on Google.Core Web Vitals are hard indicators. Wix — LCP ~6.8s, Squarespace ~3.6s (test: Cybernews 2025). Hostinger — 99% GTmetrix. Webflow and Framer — well optimized. When choosing a wizard, make sure that it gives you control over technical optimization.
Security and reliability of website operation
Security is one of the most often ignored, yet key issues when choosing a wizard. In the case of SaaS tools (Webflow, Shopify, Wix, Hostinger), the user benefits from managed hosting - built-in SSL certificates, protection against DDoS attacks, regular backups and updates are the order of the day.
In WordPress-based tools (like Elementor Cloud), the situation is sometimes more complicated - the user has to take care of security himself, configuring anti-virus, backup and cache plugins, among other things. The same applies to possible manual implementations of Framer (e.g. on Vercel) or sites on Weebly, which no longer actively develops security.
When choosing a wizard, it is worth asking:
- Is the SSL certificate included?
- Are backups performed automatically?
- What security is available without configuration?
These questions are answered in the affirmative by Webflow, Shopify and Hostinger. Therefore, for most companies, a wizard with full infrastructure support will be a better choice than a CMS that requires manual support.Is hosting covered by SSL, CDN and monitoring? Webflow, Shopify, Wix, and Hostinger provide managed infrastructure. In WordPress, security depends on the configuration — remember about backups, updates and anti-DDoS protection.
Scalability and development of the project
A tool that works well today could prove to be a barrier in half a year — if it doesn't support your pace of growth. Scalability in the context of wizards means, among others:
- possibility to implement a blog or CMS,
- adding a login area or paid subscription,
- language versions,
- integrations with business tools (CRM, marketing automation, e-mailing).
In this context, Webflow and Shopify are the best — they allow for advanced integrations (e.g. with Make, Hubspot, Zapier), implementing your own APIs, custom animations and user zones. WordPress (Elementor) gives you the most freedom, but requires technical support.
Wix, Squarespace, and Hostinger offer ever-better capabilities, but with some limitations — such as no support for custom code, API limitations, lack of deep control over the CMS. Framer (no backend) and Weebly (no development) will work better for one-sided projects or business cards.
If you plan to develop: bet on a tool that will not limit your ideas in 6 months. Will the wizard handle multilingualism? Does it allow blog, user zone, extensive forms? Webflow, Shopify and WordPress give you the biggest opportunities here. Hostinger and Wix have limitations in the development of large structures.
Accessibility and UX
RWD is an absolute must, but more and more companies are also focusing on digital accessibility — that is, WCAG compliance. Webflow gives you full control over the HTML structure, and Squarespace offers ready-made templates with a good header hierarchy. Bawer bikin ku amûra bijartî dihêle hûn ne tenê xweş, lê di heman demê de rûpelên gihîştî jî biafirînin.
Community and support
It sounds trite, but quick help in a difficult moment can save the project. Webflow has a well-developed forum and documentation, Shopify offers 24/7 support, and Elementor has a huge community in FB and Discord groups. If you plan to work independently — choose a platform where you can easily find answers.
Which builder does best with SEO?
If SEO is key to you — choose a tool that gives you control over your page structure, meta tags, URLs, and technical performance.
- Webflow A leader in this category. It gives you full control over H1-H6 headers, URL structure, meta tags, Open Graph descriptions, and 301 redirects. Webflow-built pages can achieve Lighthouse scores >90 without additional optimization. Webflow generates clean HTML/CSS code and allows you to manually manage SEO attributes. An excellent choice for professionals and agencies.
- Shopify — although it is an e-commerce platform, it offers advanced SEO functions: editing title/description for each product and page, automatic generation of sitemap.xml and robots.txt file, the ability to create a blog and integrate with tools such as Yoast. Additionally, Shopify Magic (AI) can generate SEO-optimized content.
- Elementor (WordPress) — great flexibility thanks to plugins (e.g. Rank Math, Yoast SEO). You have influence on every technical and content aspect, but you have to take care of the performance of the site yourself (cache, lazy loading, hosting). Powerful, but more technical.
- Squarespace — friendly SEO interface, ability to edit meta tags and ALT texts, integrated blog, automatic redirects. However, the default templates sometimes have a weaker Hx structure and CLS requires manual optimization.
- Wix — very good SEO tools (SEO Setup Checklist panel, automatic sitemaps, possibility of integration with Google Search Console), but technical performance can be a barrier (LCP > 6s). Stencils often require refinement.
- Hostinger Website Builder — surprisingly good performance results (GTmetrix 99%, Lighthouse 90+). It has an AI SEO Assistant that suggests optimizations at the level of titles, descriptions and keywords. Simple but effective.
- Framer SEO is still evolving. You can edit title, meta description, ALT, and canonicale, but the lack of advanced header structure and dynamic URLs can limit extensive projects. Better choice for one-pagers and portfolios.
- Weebly — the simplest SEO functions (title, description, ALT), but without AI support and without the possibility of in-depth optimization. In addition, the planned termination of support makes investing in long-term SEO on this platform risky.
The most common mistakes when choosing a website builder
Choosing a wizard may seem like a simple decision — just a few clicks, price comparison, quick test and you're done. In practice, however, many companies and freelancers make the same mistakes that cost them time, money, and sometimes even image. Here are the most common of them:
- A quick decision based on an ad or a friend's opinion
Just because someone else recommends a tool doesn't mean it will be good for you as well. Each project has different needs. It is worth taking a moment to analyze features, pricing plans, and limitations. - Ignoring long-term costs and scalability limitations
A wizard, which seems the cheapest today, can turn out to be very expensive once you start growing. Low prices often mean less expandability or lack of integration support you'll need in a year. - Absence of SEO analysis and performance
A nice website design is not everything. If a page loads slowly or does not meet Google's basic guidelines, it will be difficult to position it. When choosing a wizard, check its capabilities in terms of technical optimization. - Assuming that everything can be done by yourself
No code does not mean zero effort. Often, even with the best tool, you need knowledge of UX, content structure or accessibility. If you don't have time to learn it — consider working with an agency or an expert. - No site development plan
Many users choose the wizard for the needs of the first version of the site, without thinking about what will happen next. Will the wizard support multilingualism? Will it allow you to create a blog or user zone? Think strategically — this will save you from migration.
Conclusions at the end
It's not about choosing the “best wizard.” The point is to choose The right tool for your stage of development. We choose Webflow — because it combines design, performance and code control. But if your goal is a quick start or a portfolio without complications — you have alternatives.
And that's beautiful in the no-code 2025 ecosystem: you can build something worthwhile, whether you're a designer, marketer, entrepreneur or artist.
Good luck — and let me know if you want to talk about it!
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