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iolo System Mechanic review
5:52 am | June 9, 2021

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro Software & Services | Comments: Off

Keeping your PC running at its optimum is not easy. The more you use it, the more data it accumulates. Windows gathers files as you install software, but doesn’t always delete them. Background apps interfere with the performance of foreground apps, unwanted preinstalled software runs without you knowing, and various accumulated clutter – personal and collected while browsing – also has an impact.

Whether you’re using a Windows PC or laptop, a tool like Iolo System Mechanic is a good solution. 

Iolo is a California-based company, founded in 1998, that has developed a collection of PC security and maintenance tools. Iolo System Mechanic (and its variants) is among the most popular. 

We’ve assessed this software by looking at factors like price, features, usability, customer support, and how it stacks up against competing tools.

Iolo system mechanic: Plans and pricing

IoIo System Mechanic Review

(Image credit: IoIo)

Three versions of Iolo System Mechanic are available, each at different price points and with an expanding focus and feature set as the price increases.

Iolo System Mechanic includes ActiveCare and DeepClean features, and 24/7 support, all for $39.95.

With Iolo System Mechanic Pro, you also get antivirus software with Real-Time Protection, System Shield, and Malware Killer. This costs $54.95.

Finally, there is the Iolo System Mechanic Ultimate Defense option. With this package, add Privacy and Password Manager tools to everything found in the other selections, totaling $63.94.

Note that all three options are essentially 1-year licenses, with annual auto-renewal.

A free trial of Iolo System Mechanic is available, which includes the ActiveCare and DeepClean options.

Payment is via credit card or PayPal, and Iolo System Mechanic has a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Iola system mechanic: Features

Features

(Image credit: Iolo)

Iolo System Mechanic boasts several features to help you keep your PC tuned and optimized. However, note that we found the user interface lacked natural intuition, with features hidden behind a non-obvious drop-down menu.

The Performance section of the tool is free to use in the trial version, whereas the Privacy, AntiVirus, and Password Manager tools are only available by upgrading the software. 

Deepclean

Included in the Iolo System Mechanic is a cleanup tool that is designed to handle network, browser, operating system, registry, security, and RAM issues. These are grouped under the Deepclean heading in the Performance section and can be worked through, one task at a time.

One feature of this we found particularly useful was the NetBooster for dealing with issues with the PC’s network setup. In this case, the software detected some particularly concerning issues, such as the TCP keep-alive setting and NetBIOS release.

Elsewhere, Iolo System Mechanic can detect and handle 50 different types of junk data and scans your PC relatively quickly. Other tools include a speed booster, which should increase RAM availability and CPU speed. Hard drive checking tools are also included for ensuring smooth gaming and media production.

Repair issues and remove bloatware

Iolo System Mechanic has an ActiveCare feature that can handle 30,000 different issues, aiming to keep your PC fast and performance stable. Meanwhile, the startup programs tool will help you find software that is running without your knowledge – those apps and services that launch with Windows but you don’t know about. Think cloud drives, gaming services, and even weather apps – you can delay when these applications run.

System requirements

Iolo System Mechanic is intended for Windows 11 and will also run on Windows versions 7 to 10. On older systems, ensure your hardware has at least 512MB of RAM (2GB is optimal) and 100MB of hard disk space available.

After installing the software, you will need to submit your email address to access the free trial.

Iola system mechanic: Interface and in use

IoIo System Mechanic Review

(Image credit: IoIo)

The user interface is clear, uncluttered, and easy to navigate using the icons. However, it’s a bit annoying that one of the constant recommendations is to upgrade to System Mechanic Ultimate Defense—this also appears on the paid-for version of the software.

Downloading the trial version from iolo's website was fast, and installation only took a few minutes. One unexpected feature of the installation was a popup asking if I wanted to download and use Opera as my default internet browser as an optional offer from iolo.

Iolo system mechanic: Support

IoIo System Mechanic Review

(Image credit: IoIo)

While Iolo System Mechanic has enough features to ensure your PC performance gets a boost, there may be occasions when you need help. This might be with the software, or with your subscription. 

Iolo maintains a good support page, which greets you with a pleasant “How can we help?” message and search box. There is also a telephone number for 24/7 premium support, although this requires an active license.

On top of this, a knowledge base answers questions on various Iolo-related issues, and there is a dedicated section dealing with Iolo System Mechanics.

Iolo has built a good reputation for customer service and has accumulated a 4.2 score on Trustpilot.

Iola system mechanic: Competition

Plenty of tools are currently on the market that are designed to get the best performance from a Windows PC. They include CCleaner, Ashampoo WinOptimizer, Nero TuneItUp PRO, and AVG TuneUp. How does Iolo System Mechanic compare with these tools?

The most obvious difference is the price. Even the cheapest Iolo System Mechanic option is more expensive than some of these tools. Keeping in mind that CCleaner has a popular free version, you would need a good reason for choosing a paid tool that does the same job. Avoiding this means opting for one of the more expensive Iolo System Mechanic variants if you’re planning to justify an outlay.

While the software is perfectly good at cleaning up PCs and delivering a boost to performance, its price when compared to competing tools offering the same basic functionality is a disadvantage.

Iola system mechanic: Final verdict

Although we were really impressed by the NetBooster feature, overall Iolo System Mechanic is a pretty standard collection of PC optimization tools. There is little else in this collection to set it apart from the competition unless you’re prepared to pay an extra $15. That’s where the password manager, privacy, and anti-virus tools are activated, but they’re not necessary to use the software effectively.

Then there is the issue with the user interface, which feels as though a menu has been moved for design reasons rather than usability. This, and the need to submit an email address to use a trial (very few similar tools require this) count against the suite.

Overall, Iolo System Mechanic cannot offer a decent alternative to CCleaner and the other competition.

Duda website builder review 2025
8:17 am | June 8, 2021

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro Website Building | Comments: Off

Our latest Duda review takes a deep dive into a new yet unique website builder offering, offering you insight into all the pros, cons, features, and tools, helping you make an informed choice.

Duda comes with a wide range of features including drag-and-drop editing capabilities, access to hundreds of templates and widgets, and an advanced AI. This makes it easier to build attractive websites and manage them at scale without any of the usual hassle.

Wix remains our pick for the top website builder of 2025. But this website builder has been built specifically with professionals in mind, offering agency-level functionality and white labeled tools. This makes it one of the best website builders for agencies and freelancers who want to build great websites for their clients.

Duda: 2-minute review

Duda positions itself as a premium website builder designed specifically for agencies, freelancers, and professional web developers. The platform excels at creating responsive websites that look great across all devices, with particularly strong mobile optimization tools that set it apart from competitors like Wix or Squarespace. Its drag-and-drop editor is intuitive yet powerful, allowing users to create professional websites without coding knowledge while still offering advanced customization options for those who need them.

What makes Duda so appealing to agencies is its comprehensive white-label capabilities and client management features. You can customize the platform with your own branding, give clients controlled access to their sites, and manage multiple projects efficiently. The platform runs on Amazon Web Services hosting, ensuring fast loading times and reliable performance. However, Duda's focus on professional users means it comes with a higher price tag than many competitors, and it lacks the free tier that makes other builders accessible to beginners.

What is Duda?

Duda is a cloud-based website building platform that lets you create professional websites without needing to write code. It provides everything you need to build a website — templates, design tools, hosting, and management features, all in one place.

Instead of hiring a team of web developers who specialize in complex programming, you can use the visual editor to drag and drop elements like text, images, and buttons exactly where you want them.

Duda adjusts your website's layout to look great on any screen size, but it also gives you granular control to customize how your site appears on each device type. It also includes built-in features for online stores, contact forms, photo galleries, and other common website functions.

Features

screenshot of Duda app store

The Duda App Store lets you easily install apps from over 25 different categories. (Image credit: Duda)

The Duda App Store lets you easily install apps from over 25 different categories. Whether you’re looking for ecommerce tools, membership options, or website personalization options, there's plenty of options to choose from.

In more recent updates Duda has focused on rolling out better connectivity. Connectors are a new category available within the Duda App Store. They allow data transfer between Duda and other platforms such as ERPs, the best CRM software, and more. This allows agencies and freelancers to drastically expand the platforms to which they can connect client sites. Since launch Duda has released integrations with ActiveCampaign, MailChimp, Hubspot, Slack, and Facebook Conversions.

Duda has also added Blog APIs to its library. This addition will help agencies boost productivity by allowing the automatic import and push of blog content not created on the Duda platform to the sites they build. This will be especially useful to agencies using external writers or AI for blog writing.

If you’re running an online store, then you need an ecommerce solution. With Duda, we were able to easily set up an online store with its built-in ecommerce tools. We also took advantage of additional features such as payment processing integration and customer management tools.

Duda also provides membership options so that your customers can access exclusive content on your site. Whether it’s videos or podcasts, your site visitor can register for a paid membership to access this content without needing to leave your site. This is a great way to generate additional revenue for your business while offering your visitors more value.

Creating a website from scratch can take a lot of time and effort – but not with Duda. We were able to create a professional-looking website with Duda’s templates. These templates have been carefully crafted by industry experts so that they look great on any device or browser – regardless of size or resolution. Plus, all templates are fully customizable so that you can make them look exactly how you want them to be.

Mobile devices are becoming increasingly popular among web users – and if your site isn't optimized for mobile devices then it won't be seen by these potential customers. Fortunately, with Duda's mobile-friendly sites feature, creating mobile websites is easier than ever before. Not only does this feature allow visitors to view your site on any device or browser – but it also allows them to take advantage of features such as click-to-call buttons which give visitors direct access to contact information such as phone numbers and addresses right from their phones.

Widgets are small pieces of code snippets that add extra functionality and features to websites without needing any coding knowledge whatsoever. During our test, we were able to create custom widgets with drag-and-drop functionality. This can also be used by beginners to customize their sites in no time at all.

Keeping track of client payments is essential if you're offering services through your website - and luckily with the client billing feature in Duda, we were able to keep track of payments with ease. This feature allows you to easily set up invoicing systems through which you can keep track of clients' payments seamlessly - ensuring that all payments are made promptly and accurately every time.

Tools

Options

Click on an object to be presented with numerous customising options… (Image credit: Duda)

Despite being an AI website builder, Duda offers to its credit a powerful platform that has everything that a small-to-medium design or development agency would need. Here are some standout features that we thought were worth highlighting:

Accessibility

Everyone deserves to experience an accessible website regardless of their disability or technology. With the AudioEye tool, businesses get peace of mind knowing the product they are providing meets WCAG 2.0 AA standards for website accessibility in just a few clicks. Duda’s AudioEye tool allows visitors with visual impairments to access your site’s content in Audio format.

Ecommerce

With the Omni-channel ecommerce tool, you can easily drive sales from both your online stores as well as across the web. All products are synced with the store catalog and managed from one convenient platform.

This feature enables customers to shop from anywhere; whether it’s on a computer or mobile device and pay for purchases seamlessly without ever having to leave your site. This helps create a seamless shopping experience that customers will appreciate and come back for again and again.

Member management

The Simple Member Management & Reporting tool makes it easy for you to manage members directly from the Site Overview tab or the side panel of the editor. You can add, edit or remove members quickly while also keeping track of user interactions such as past purchases and more in one convenient place. This simplifies member management while also giving you valuable insight into how people are interacting with your website so you can adjust accordingly.

White labelling

If you are a web developer or web designer working with clients, then hiding your platform is essential for maintaining credibility and professionalism. With Duda’s white-label website builder & preview tools, you can place your client’s entire site-building process under your brand. That way your customers will never know that you are using Duda until you tell them yourself. This tool also includes preview tools so that your customers can get an accurate view of how their site will look before it goes live.

Dynamic pages

The Dynamic Pages tool is one of Duda’s most powerful tools as it allows you to design a single page once and then use it over and over again for different purposes without having to manually enter new information each time. This tool uses collections of text, images, business information, video, and more to automatically populate pages with relevant data based on user input or preferences. You can even sync these collections with Google Sheets or Airtable for even faster results.

Search engine optimization

Duda also leverages AI to help make creating and growing your website easier. All plans come with access to their AI content assistant, which will automatically generate and edit site content for you. Those on the Team plan and higher also get access to the AI SEO assistant. This tool makes following SEO best practices easy by generating metadata for all site pages in just one click.

Along with AI tools, Duda offers users a powerful SEO overview. This tool provides, at a glance, an overview of your site’s search engine optimization, helping you find and fix issues quickly. It also provides insight into optimization opportunities and delivers a simple way to give clients an up-to-date SEO snapshot. Working behind the scenes, this tool will identify and alert you of any issues with essential SEO requirements including external and internal links, page meta tags, image alt text, etc.

Ease of use

Templates

It’s incredibly easy to locate the theme you’d like from Duda’s long list. (Image credit: Duda)

When you start your trial, and after you’ve verified your email address (par for the course these days), you’ll be asked about your business — are you a freelancer, a design agency, are you a web designer, or developer, that sort of thing. You’re then promptly sent to Duda’s template selection.

It’s incredibly easy to locate the theme you’d like from Duda’s long list. It’s even possible to preview its look on any type of device with just a click. Once you’ve found the template that’s right for you business, Duda will start setting it all up for you.

Duda has several features that make it easier for you to build the website you want without having to go through a complex process. For instance, you can drag and drop elements wherever you need them on your site. This makes it easy if you don’t have coding knowledge to add images, videos, and text boxes wherever you need them.

The dashboard is also designed in such a way that makes it easier for you to manage and edit your sites. The tools are all clearly labeled and easy to access – which means you don’t have to waste time figuring out how each tool works or where they’re located in the dashboard. This makes it possible for anyone with no web design experience at all to quickly and easily create a beautiful website that looks professionally done.

All of these features combine in such a way that makes Duda an incredibly user-friendly platform that anyone can use.

Pricing

Duda pricing

Duda's pricing structure reflects its positioning as a professional-grade platform. (Image credit: Duda)

Plan

Starting rate (paid annually)

Renewal rate (paid annually)

Basic

$25/month

$12.50/month

Team

$39/month

$19.50/month

Agency

$69/month

$34.50/month

White Label

$199/month

$99.50/month

Custom

Contact for pricing

Contact for pricing

Duda's pricing structure reflects its positioning as a professional-grade platform. It has no free tier but a 14-day free trial to test the service. The Basic plan at $12.50 monthly covers single users building one website, while the Team plan at $19.50 monthly adds collaboration features and white-label client access.

The Agency plan at $34.50 monthly includes four websites and advanced features like widget building, making it ideal for growing web development businesses. For larger agencies, the White Label plan at $99.50 monthly provides enhanced branding options and priority support.

Ecommerce functionality requires separate add-ons regardless of your main plan, with three tiers ranging from $8 to $49 monthly per site. While this initially seems expensive, it actually makes Duda more competitive since you only pay for eCommerce features when you need them. Additional websites beyond your plan's allocation cost extra too.

Support

Duda resources

Duda offers comprehensive and up-to-date information through its Knowledge Base & Documentation section. (Image credit: Duda)

Duda offers comprehensive and up-to-date information through its Knowledge Base & Documentation section. This section contains detailed step-by-step instructions on how to use various features on Duda, as well as frequently asked questions (FAQ) about common issues that may arise when using the platform. Additionally, this page also contains links to other helpful resources such as user guides, tutorials, and videos that can help you get started quickly with your website.

If you require more personal help with your website or need assistance troubleshooting something specific, Duda has you covered in this area too. With live chat, you can get quick answers from knowledgeable customer service representatives when needed. Plus, Duda even offers priority support for businesses that need immediate solutions or have urgent requests for their websites.

In addition to having access to direct customer service representatives via live chat or phone calls, Duda also provides users with access to its online forum and community support networks. This is great for users who are looking for advice from fellow web developers or want to learn from others who may have encountered similar challenges as they work on their websites.

However, it is important to note that the level of support you receive depends on the package you choose. Those on Basic or Team plans can only access support via email, whereas those on the more expensive Agency and White Label plans get full access to priority email, live chat, and phone support.

Security

Duda security features

Duda offers an optional SSL certificate for all websites hosted on its platform. (Image credit: Duda)

Duda offers an optional SSL certificate for all websites hosted on its platform. An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate is a security protocol that encrypts data sent between a web server and a browser. This ensures that any personal information entered into your website is kept secure and protected from any potential hackers or malicious actors. The SSL certificate also adds an extra layer of protection against data breaches and other cyberattacks.

Finally, Duda also provides a Password Manager feature which allows you to store their passwords securely within the platform itself. This means that even if someone does get access to your account, they won't be able to view or use your passwords unless they have the correct login credentials for the Password Manager. This added layer of security further protects your account from malicious actors looking to gain access without authorization.

Alternatives

Squarespace has an intuitive drag-and-drop interface that makes it simple to design a beautiful website from scratch. Squarespace also offers dozens of templates that can help you get started quickly if you don’t have time to build your site from scratch.

If ease of use is what you're looking for in a website builder, then Wix might be the solution for you. Wix doesn't require any coding knowledge - just point and click. It has hundreds of templates available so you can easily create a stunning website in minutes without having any prior design experience. Additionally, Wix offers powerful features like customizable forms and ecommerce solutions so you can easily manage customer orders on your site.

Duda: Summary

Duda offers a complete package of features that make it easy to build and maintain a website. It includes everything from template designer tools, customization capabilities, content management tools, e-commerce integrations, SEO optimization options, and more. All of these features work together to give you control over how your website looks and functions.

In addition to having lots of features that make it easy to customize your website, Duda also offers several helpful support resources. From getting started tutorials to detailed user guides and FAQs, there are plenty of resources available that can help you design the perfect site for your business or organization in no time.

FAQs

Can I try out Duda before purchasing?

Yes. Duda offers a 14-day free trial with all the features available in the Team plan so that you can play around with the platform and make sure it fits your needs before making any commitment.

Does my website have to be hosted with Duda?

All websites built on the Duda platform are hosted on servers via Amazon Web Services (AWS). This guarantees your sites maintain a 99.999% uptime. However, if you’re on an Agency or Custom plan, you can export code from Duda - but importing code from an external source isn’t allowed.

What CDN does Duda use?

All websites created with Duda are served via Amazon's Cloudfront CDN for lightning-fast loading speeds. This makes sure visitors have quick access to your website no matter where they are located and that your content is delivered quickly and reliably across all devices.

FC2 free hosting review
9:13 am | May 26, 2021

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro Website Building | Comments: Off

Although not known as a global best web hosting provider FC2 is still a pretty popular blogging host from Japan (think of it as the Japanese version of GeoCities). The company is registered in the US but supposedly run by brothers (Rihiro and Takahashi Takahiro. While it is US based it's clear that this is made for Japanese (or people that can read Japanese) users as even when the language is set to English, Japanese characters still appear making usability somewhat difficult for users not proficient in Japanese.

In November 2024 Rihiro was arrested in Japan for allowing obscene content to be published on the site and together with user decline part of the blogging site was shut down. More information about the shutdown can be found on FC2's post. Websites and web pages without fc2web in the URL should still be operating as expected.

Controversy has followed FC2 through the years, primarily for allowing hosting without putting any restrictions on the content including pornography, piracy and defamation. Fortunately, from 2012 onwards stricter rules have been enforced and the changes in Japanese law regarding the foreign entities operating in Japan have helped the injured parties seek justice.  

For those growing up in the early 2000s, FC2’s main website may feel like a walk down the memory lane with its old-school style and somewhat puzzling user experience. Everything seems straightforward at the beginning, but soon enough you might feel like being lost in a maze, faced with dead ends and some pages popping up in Japanese just to confuse you even further.

Blog

FC2's blogging site is much more modern than its website page (Image credit: FC2)

Besides English and Japanese, FC2’s website is available in eleven additional languages, although the translation doesn’t appear to be total in some parts.  If you click on “Blog” (next to a cute rubber duck), you’ll proceed to FC2 BLOG’s website which is more modern, easier to use and available in all the same languages. 

The “About” section of FC2’s website provides a brief overview of FC2’s history that ends in 2013 and fails to mention anything about their servers or data center locations. 

Plans and pricing

Although there is truth in the words that you get what you pay for, since FC2 provides services that are completely free of charge, we’ll have to judge them by other means. With FC2 there aren't multiple web hosting plans to choose from, but rather one plan to rule them all for those looking for a way to create their dream blog without lightening their wallets.

As one would expect, this plan doesn’t provide much, but it does include up to 1GB of web space, one subdomain, unlimited bandwidth, a file manager and editor, support for Java and Flash file types as well for CGI, PHP and SSI. Besides shared hosting, FC2 provides its own website builder, which is (again) absolutely free.

Despite the fact that FC2’s services are free, you can make some pocket money by allowing ads on your blog, although (as of late) you can decide not to allow any advertisements on it.

Registration

You'll have to register with FC2 before you begin writing a blog or building a website (Image credit: FC2)

Ease of use

FC2’s site may not be the most intuitive one we’ve seen, but with a little patience you’ll find everything you need to know before creating your website. To start this journey into the unknown, click on the “Free Website” key and proceed to “FC2ID registration” to create your account. Before this, you would probably want to check out the features, read terms of use, some of the beginner-friendly manuals or contact the team behind FC2. However, the latter can be done to make inquiries about three types of issues only: questions about payments, bug reports and special feature requests.

To sign up you’ll be required to enter your e-mail address, pass an image verification and agree to all terms of use. After this, to activate your FC2 account, you’ll have to do a verification via e-mail and (unless a part of your URL broke off, like ours did) you should have no trouble proceeding with the creation of your new account. The next step is to produce a password (by using letters and numbers only), pick out a gender (male or female), choose a security question to which you’ll provide an answer, add your birth date (or any birthday you’ll remember) and a zip code.

FC2

This is the FC2 dashboard where you'll manage all of your services (Image credit: FC2)

In a matter of minutes you’ll get another email form FC2 and proceed to their dashboard where you can add some of the free services they provide besides web hosting. These include FC2 Blog (where you’ll find a website builder), FC2 Video (video hosting), FC2 Live, FC2 Analyzer, FC2 Content Market and the list goes on. These and all other aspects of your website can be monitored and managed from your dashboard.

If you would rather use a website builder to create content for your new website, FC2 will provide you with one together with 5000 colorful templates, a photo album feature and an ability to create pay-to-view content. If you already have a blog, you can transfer it from a broad range of sites (WordPress included) to FC2.

If you are wondering about the ads, apart from “Powered by FC2”credited at the bottom end of each page, you won’t be seeing any, unless you chose to add them to make extra money along the way.

Performance

We used GTmetrix to measure the uptime and response time of our FC2 site (Image credit: GTmetrix)

Speed and experience

Even though FC2 makes no promises when it comes to speed or performance, after testing their main website we were blown away by the results we received. The latest performance report by GTmetrix (which is our tool of choice) shows first-grade performance of an A (100%), with all of the vital metrics dramatically above the average values. The time it took to fully load the page amounted to 1.5 seconds which looks even better when compared with the average result of 8.2 seconds.

Since FC2 offers no uptime guarantee, we didn’t expect much when we decided to monitor the uptime of their main website via UptimeRobot. One month later we got a report indicating a spotless uptime of 100%. During this period we failed to record any downtime at all and response time, although not ideally fast, was fairly stable. All in all, it appears that neither speed nor uptime should be on your “worry list” when hosting with FC2.

Support

You can find answers to some common questions in FC2's Website Manual (Image credit: FC2)

Support

Having dedicated customer support is definitely not something FC2 can brag about which is understandable considering that their services come at no cost. Since direct channels of support (such as telephone number or live chat) are not an option, you’ll have to find your way using some of the self-help alternatives. The most obvious one is FC2’s “Website Manual” which contains several novice-friendly guides summarizing basic knowledge on how to create your first website. This section functions as the knowledgbase comprising of 26 articles at the time of writing.

A FAQ section is available as well and it features separate sections on various issues (such as registration, file manager, FTP, images, files and so forth) covering most of the essential questions and concerns. There is a comment section at the bottom of the page, however, since some comments have been pending an approval from 2017, we wouldn’t waste our time on that.

The competition

A good alternative to FC2 for those who are looking for free hosting is FreeHostingNoAds, an experienced host with a name that sums it all up.  For a free service, FreeHostingNoAds earns a credit for providing a decent range of features (free domain registration, auto-installs for WordPress, Joomla and the CMS Grav, and a simple website builder). However, the bandwidth is limited to 5GB (while with FC2 it’s unlimited), disc space to 1GB (same as with FC2) and the upload file limit is a mere 15MB (it’s 250 KB with FC2), so if you want anything more than a very simple website, look elsewhere.

Infinity Free is considered to be one of the best providers of free hosting and for good reasons. It puts no restrictions on storage space and the number of monthly visits and subdomains. However, in terms of speed and uptime performance, FC2 wins the prize by a long shot. At any rate, since both services are entirely free, you have nothing to lose but your time.

Although HostGator doesn’t offer free hosting in itself, with their generous 45-days money-back guarantee you are free to try out what they have to offer without worrying about your budget. In addition to this, HostGator is very user-friendly (especially towards beginners), while FC2 users are primarily left to fend for themselves.

Another good beginner-friendly choice is Bluehost which (much like HostGator) doesn’t offer free hosting but still provides user-friendly experience with 24/7 customer support, a myriad of options and features, and a 30-day money-back guarantee. FC2, although quite suitable for those who are just learning how to build their online presence, won’t give your website much space to grow and prosper.  

Final verdict

As a rule, even the best free web hosting comes with a certain number of limitations. Such is the case with FC2, although they can supply everything that is essential for a personal blog, and a website builder with which you can build your website without much hassle. It is even possible to earn a bit of cash on the side, that is, if you don’t have an aversion to ads.

With all that said, if you are a first-timer who wants a helping hand, or a veteran webmaster wanting more than an absolute minimum, you’ll be better off choosing HostGator or Bluehost as your hosting provider. Their services don’t come free-of-charge, but will provide you with much more.

I reviewed the espresso Display 15 – a premium portable monitor that’s so good it’s always out of stock
6:38 pm | May 25, 2021

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Tags: | Comments: Off

espresso Display 15: 30-second review

Those using a laptop as their primary computing platform can sometimes need more screen space, and bringing a monitor from the office isn’t always a practical exercise.

The espresso Display 15 is, as the name implies, a 15-inch display that’s designed to work with a single USB-C cable connection to a laptop or mini PC.

It has a magnetically attached stand and a 1m USB-C cable but no power supply. The makers also sell a range of accessories, including a battery power pack, a Pro stand, case, mount, and screen protectors. The makers also make an HDMI to USB-C adapter cable for those who don’t have Thunderbolt or USB-C, which supports DisplayPort Alt Mode.

The caveat of a thin and elegantly engineered display is that, for a 15-inch 1080p resolution display, it isn’t especially cheap, and to keep it so svelte, the designer left out lots of features, like speakers.

It also has no on-screen menu, no power button, or brightness controls. The only external features are two USB-C ports, enabling the espresso Display 15 to be externally powered or take power from the connected computer.

The minimalist approach of this design will either be exactly what you want or a major hindrance, depending on how you intend to use the screen. For those who need a portable monitor for presenting on the road or more display space, the espresso Display 15 has some potential if the price isn’t a showstopper.

espresso Display 15: Price and availability

espresso 15

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)
  • How much does it cost? $299/£259/€299
  • When is it out? It available now, but can be out of stock
  • Where can you get it? Direct from espresso

Before we get into the pricing, it’s worth noting that espresso Display 15 was out of stock for US, UK, EU, and Australian customers directly from espresso when I last looked.

Hopefully, it will come back into stock soon since it’s evidently a popular choice.

When that happens, it might also be available on Amazon.

Also not currently available is a bundle where the monitor comes with a cover.

The snag for espresso is that much cheaper options exist for those who don’t specifically want a display with aerospace engineering and a magnetically attached stand.

As an example, Arzopa has a 15.6-inch 1080p portable monitor with HDMI and USB-C inputs for only $65 on Amazon.com. It might not be made to the same exacting standards as the espresso model, but at 20% of the price, it’s certainly an option.

Even better-known brands like Lenovo and its L15 portable display are only asking $170 for a similarly specified portable display. Asus also has a ZenScreen 16” option that’s only $109.

Therefore, the espresso Display 15 is pitched at those who are happy to pay a steep premium to have something of exceptional quality.

  • Value: 2.5 / 5

espresso Display 15: Specs

espresso Display 15: Design

espresso 15

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)
  • Simple design
  • Magnetic stand
  • No speakers

The espresso Display 15 is an exercise in minimalism. But, and this is much of the pleasure of this hardware, it does make you question why monitors are festooned with buttons and controls.

Being only 5.3mm thick, this sandwich of 6H hardness glass, LCD electronics and anodised aluminium projects the level of engineering that went into its design and manufacturing.

The front has a 34mm deep metal tide line on the bottom edge with the espresso logo on the left corner. While such a thick border on most monitors might be considered less ergonomic, it provides a layer that should raise the screen slightly if it rests on a desktop.

The rear of the panel is entirely metal, and it needs to be for the Stand+ component that comes with the espresso 15 to work. This curious structure has a hinged mechanism that can be used in a number of ways, and in its most expanded form, it can raise the screen to 245mm from the desk surface.

The connection between the two parts is via neodymium magnets, enabling the display to be repositioned easily and quickly reoriented to portrait mode. My only reservation about this connection method is that the 765g of the display can cause some sliding if the panel is knocked, mostly due to how smooth the rear surface is.

It’s interesting to note that espresso makes a Pro stand that is not jointed, and its extra rigidity might help prevent the screen from being accidentally moved. It also makes a magnetic mount for VESA attachment to a conventional display arm, but espresso didn’t include either of these accessories with our monitor.

Having a magnetically attached support is a slight departure from the norm, but this monitor doesn’t have any external controls whatsoever, and the only edge-mounted features are two USB-C ports.

espresso 15

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

The logic behind the two USB-C ports is to allow either the PSU of a laptop to power both the espresso 15 and the laptop that’s connected by one port. Or, to provide a means to independently power the monitor and still attach it, something that would be necessary if the optional HDMI to USB-C cable were used.

There is no power button, as it’s assumed that if you connect the screen to a system, it will be used. I’m fine with that, but I’m less convinced that this monitor has no OSD and no manual means to adjust the brightness. It can be adjusted using a free-to-download application, but that’s not very useful if you don’t use Windows or Mac OS.

Another gotcha is that the screen doesn’t have any speakers, not even the horrible small ones that sound like they’ve been made from tiny foil pie tins.

I’d accept that if speakers had been included, they probably wouldn’t be any better than those in a laptop, but if you use this screen with a TV streaming box, you may be forced to use headphones to hear anything.

Even if espresso mentions that this screen will work with computers, phones and tablets, the omission of speakers does hint that it was made specifically for laptop use, even if I found it ideal for mini-computers that typically don’t have speakers.

Putting aside some odd design choices and idiosyncrasies, the espresso 15 is still a desirable portable display, and the quality of the engineering in it is impressive.

  • Design: 4 / 5

espresso 15

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

espresso Display 15: Performance

  • Great contrast
  • 98% sRGB

Before discussing the results of a display analysis, I should mention that testing this monitor proved truly annoying, mostly because it doesn’t have an OSD, and the only way to adjust screen brightness was via the espressoFlow application.

Given that the Datacolor Spyder X2 Elite calibration application we used is designed to be full screen, and the espressoFlow application doesn’t show brightness percentages, the display analysis proved to be an absolute nightmare to perform.

Windows 11 didn’t help much either. If you use the brightness controls of the laptop, they only apply to the built-in screen and not an external one, even if the external display is the only one in use.

The quoted specifications for the display are that it is 300 nits, is 100% RGB, and has a contrast ratio of 1000:1. While the maximum brightness was slightly less than expected, the contrast was better than predicted, and the gamut representation was almost exactly right.

It’s not nearly colourful enough for a professional designer, but for a portable monitor, the gamut range is decent, and the colour is reasonably accurate.

One area that might have been better was the luminance uniformity, where it was distinctly darker at the bottom of the display than at the top. However, this might have been the direct result of some of the brightness control issues I’ve mentioned, as colour uniformity was good.

Overall, this is a good quality display for IPS technology. It might have been brighter, and the screen less glossy to reduce reflections, but compared with many portable monitors, it delivered on more of its maker’s promises than were flunked.

espresso 15

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)
  • Performance: 4 / 5

espresso Display 15: Final verdict

Testing this hardware revealed that the extra cost over a lesser brand option might be worth it if you want image clarity and punchy colours. However, the cost difference is substantial, and with portable items, long-term durability might also be worth considering.

While I found the lack of brightness controls an issue for testing, for others who can use the provided application to make adjustments more easily, its omission isn’t a showstopper.

The omission of speakers might be more of a problem in some contexts, but again, you can get external speakers that use the audio jack or Bluetooth inexpensively.

Given that the Stand+ is half a kilogram of metal, you might also want to budget for the display cover to keep the two items from moving against each other in transit.

That increases an already high price, possibly pushing it beyond what some customers might consider reasonable. That said, the touch version of this display is another $200, so in the greater scheme of espresso displays, this hardware is as inexpensive as it goes.

I’m saying it’s worth that price, but getting the expense through accounts might be an entirely different problem for those who want one- when it eventually comes back into stock.

espresso 15

(Image credit: Mark Pickavance)

espresso Display 15: Report card

Should you buy a espresso Display 15?

espresso 15

(Image credit: espresso)

Buy it if...

You need different orientations
Due to the magnetically connected support, it is easy to switch from landscape to portrait and back again with this display. If you load the espressoFlow software, the computer should sense the change in orientation from the monitor.

You need colour accuracy
This monitor offers decent colour accuracy for a portable display, although it’s not at the level that a professional working with colour would want. But, if you can avoid direct sunlight, this is a good screen for doing close-up presentations, delivering punchy colours and excellent contrast.

Don’t buy if...

You travel light and need a second screen
When the weight of the display and Stand+ are combined, the total weight is 1330g, excluding the cable or a cover. That’s an extra weight above whatever the laptop mass is to be lugging around. Portable monitors that don’t use glass and metal weigh less, but lack the resilience of this one.

You have a laptop without USB-C or HDMI
It is possible to drive the espresso 15 directly with USB-C from the PC without other cables, but if you use HDMI, you need to have a USB port that can deliver 15W or an external power source. Connecting this monitor without an HDMI or USB-C port (or Thunderbolt 3/4) is impossible.


We tested the best business monitors - and these are our top choices.

Jimdo website builder review 2025
6:49 am | May 20, 2021

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro Website Building | Tags: , | Comments: Off

This Jimdo review examines an AI website builder that's designed specifically for people who've never built a site before. The Hamburg-based company has been helping users create websites since 2007, focusing on simplicity over advanced features. While our best website builders guide features more powerful options, Jimdo carves out its own niche in the beginner market.

TechRadar reviewers have spent thousands of hours testing 140+ website builders, giving us deep insight into what works and what doesn't. Jimdo stands out to our team for its straightforward approach, though it can't match the versatility of our top pick Wix, which offers far more templates and advanced features. Jimdo's new AI-driven setup process makes it incredibly accessible, but this simplicity comes with trade-offs in customization and scalability.

Our testing reveals that Jimdo works best for solo entrepreneurs and very small businesses who need something online fast. The platform's "paint-by-numbers" approach keeps things simple but may frustrate users as their needs grow.

Jimdo: 2-minute review

Jimdo earns a solid 3.5 out of 5 rating as a beginner-focused website builder that prioritizes ease of use over advanced functionality. The platform's standout feature is its AI-powered setup process, which can build a basic website by asking you a few simple questions about your business or personal needs. This makes it incredibly accessible for first-time website creators who might feel overwhelmed by more complex builders.

Still, Jimdo's simplicity comes with significant limitations as your needs grow. With only 16 templates available and no way to preview them before committing, design options feel more restrictive than most competitors. The platform caps e-commerce stores at just 100 products and supports only Stripe and PayPal for payments, making it unsuitable for larger online businesses. Founded in 2007 by three German entrepreneurs, Jimdo has built a reputation for helping over 25 million users get online, but it hasn't kept pace with more feature-rich competitors in the website building space.

What is Jimdo?

Jimdo is a no-code builder that lets you create professional-looking websites without writing code or having technical skills. It comes with pre-made website templates and an easy drag-and-drop system, kind of like how you might arrange furniture in a room with a floor planning app. The platform is known for its acessible AI assistant, which can build a basic website for you by asking simple questions.

This company offers two main ways to build your site: AI-powered generation that does most of the work for you, and a hands-on editor where you can customize things yourself within certain limits. Instead of overwhelming beginners with hundreds of options, Jimdo keeps things simple by giving you fewer choices but making those choices very easy to implement. This works well if you want to get online quickly without fussing over every design detail.

Features

Setting Up

Answer a few question and Jimdo will create a template website for you (Image credit: Jimdo)

With Jimdo’s professional domain feature, I was able to get my own domain name for my website all in minutes. Having a custom domain name helps build trust with my customers, making them feel more comfortable when they visit my website.

The multiple pages feature of Jimdo let me create a lot pages on my site so that visitors can learn more about the products and services I offer on my test site. This helps me make sure that visitors see all the best parts of my business at once instead of having to search around for various pieces of information. This also means they’re more likely to stay on the page longer and take action - like signing up for a newsletter or buying something from my site. Jimdo makes it easy for me to optimize my website for Google searches so that more people can find me online. It provides step-by-step instructions on how to improve my ranking on Google so that I can drive even more traffic to the site.

Jimdo also offer GDPR-compliant legal pages feature. With this feature, all of my legal pages like imprint, privacy policy, terms & conditions are now covered by trusted shops guarantee - giving me peace of mind knowing everything is taken care of properly.

Tools

Editing

Your editing options are quite rudimentary (Image credit: Jimdo)

Jimdo provides a focused set of tools designed to get beginners online without overwhelming them with options. The platform emphasizes simplicity over comprehensive functionality, making it easy to understand what each tool does.

AI website builder

Jimdo's standout feature is its AI-powered website creation tool that builds sites automatically based on your answers to simple questions. The system asks about your business type, goals, and preferences, then creates a customized website complete with relevant content and design elements. You can even connect your social media profiles to help the AI better understand your brand and populate your site with appropriate content.

Drag-and-drop editor

The platform offers a visual editor that lets you modify your website by dragging elements around the page, though within the constraints of your chosen template. You can add new sections, change colors and fonts, and rearrange content blocks, but you're limited to the structure and elements provided by Jimdo. This "paint-by-numbers" approach prevents design mistakes but restricts creative freedom.

Ecommerce tools

Jimdo includes basic online store functionality that supports up to 100 products with features like product variants and manual stock updates. The platform handles essential e-commerce needs including flat-rate shipping calculations and integrates with Stripe and PayPal for payment processing. However, the limited product capacity and basic shipping tools make it suitable only for very small online stores.

SEO and analytics

The platform provides beginner-friendly SEO tools that help optimize your site for search engines without requiring technical knowledge. Basic analytics features let you track website performance and visitor engagement, while mobile optimization ensures your site works well on all devices. The SEO guidance is straightforward but lacks the advanced features needed for competitive markets.

Ease of use

Blocks

Build your website using blocks (Image credit: Jimdo)

Jimdo has a very straightforward approach to website building. As we mentioned before, it offers two options: an AI-powered setup that builds your site for you, and a traditional drag-and-drop editor for those who need more hands-on control.

If you opt for the AI assistant, it begins by asking simple questions about your business type, goals, and industry, then automatically generates a website with content and design elements. This takes minutes and eliminates the intimidation factor that often scares beginners away.

But even the drag-and-drop UI maintains this simplicity throughout the editing process. You can smoothly transition between editing specific pages and adjusting overall site design — without getting lost in complex menus. Everything's clean and intuitive, though you're working within the constraints of your chosen template rather than with complete creative freedom.

While this "paint-by-numbers" approach prevents mistakes, it also means you can't break free from predetermined layouts and structures. With only about 16 dated templates available, that can be limiting. But the platform does include features like mobile responsiveness built into all templates, free SSL certificates ,and 24/7 backups for enhanced security.

Pricing

Jimdo pricing

Jimdo offers a free plan to get you started. (Image credit: Jimdo)

Plan

Starting rate (paid annually)

Renewal rate (paid annually)

Free

$0

$0

Start

$11.00

$11.00

Grow

$18.00

$18.00

Unlimited

$45.00

$45.00

Basic (Ecommerce)

$18.00

$18.00

Business (Ecommerce)

$22.00

$22.00

VIP (Ecommerce)

$45.00

$45.00

Jimdo offers a free plan to get you started. Unsurprisingly, this plan is pretty limited and requires you to use a .jimdosite.com domain. However, this is a great option if you are just creating a hobby website or looking to test some of the Jimdo features before committing to pay.

To get rid of on-site ads and connect a custom domain, you will need to go for the Start plan. This plan is still a little simplistic but does offer you everything you need to create a professional website, so it is ideal for startups, freelancers, and more serious hobbyists.

If you want to really grow your website, the aptly named Grow plan could be for you. You get everything from the Start plan along with tools for Search Engine Optimization (SEO), visitor statistics, and personalized support (within 4 hours).

Online stores have three plans to pick from: Basicm, Business, or VIP. Business gives you all the ecommerce basics such as the ability to add product variants, social media marketing, and social selling tools. VIP takes this one step further, offering unlimited storage and professional design review.

Security

Jimdo security notice

Jimdo takes security seriously with measures that protect both website owners and their visitors (Image credit: Jimdo)

Jimdo takes security seriously with measures that protect both website owners and their visitors. The platform automatically provides SSL certificates for all websites, ensuring data transmission is encrypted using HTTPS protocols. All financial transactions are secured through PCI DSS certification from the international PCI Security Standards Council, guaranteeing that payment processing meets the highest industry standards.

The company hosts its services on AWS Cloud data centers in Ireland that maintain ISO 27001 and SOC2 certifications, with strict access controls requiring multi-factor authentication and encrypted VPN connections for internal system access.

Beyond basic encryption, Jimdo employs multiple layers of protection including AES-256 encryption for data storage and communication, automated DDoS attack mitigation through Cloudflare partnership, and regular penetration testing to identify vulnerabilities.

The platform participates in a Vulnerability Disclosure Program that allows security researchers to safely test and report potential weaknesses. Daily automated backups ensure data recovery capabilities, while malware protection helps prevent security breaches.

Jimdo's professional security team also continuously monitors systems and updates security patches, backed by comprehensive emergency and recovery plans that are tested periodically.

Support

Help

Need help? This knowledgebase could sort you out (Image credit: Jimdo)

The first method for getting assistance from Jimdo is submitting a ticket. This can be done directly on the website, under the “Help” tab located in the navigation bar at the top right side of every page.

Once you click this tab, you will see an option that says “Submit A Ticket” which allows you to fill out a form with all of your relevant information including your name, e-mail address, type of inquiry (such as technical issue or billing question), and additional comments if needed. Once this form has been completed and submitted, you will be able to track your ticket status online in order to find out when it has been answered.

The second method for getting assistance from Jimdo is accessing its help center which can also be found under the “Help” tab.

In the help center you will find helpful guides on topics such as setting up your website, managing content, design features, SEO optimization, ecommerce features, and much more. The help center also contains frequently asked questions along with step-by-step tutorials in order to make sure that you are getting answers quickly and accurately. It should be noted that only paid plans have access to priority support from Jimdo’s customer service team via email; free plans must rely on submitting tickets or accessing the help center for assistance.

Alternatives

One of the main competitors of Jimdo is Wix. Wix offers a comprehensive set of tools to help you build and manage your website quickly and easily. Its drag-and-drop editor makes it easy to customize your site and add media, while its range of themes allows you to create a professional-looking site without having any coding skills.

Weebly is another popular website builder that is often compared with Jimdo. Weebly has an intuitive drag-and-drop editor and hundreds of templates that make it easy to customize your site. It also offers features like built-in analytics, ecommerce tools, and support for multiple languages.

Squarespace is another great alternative to Jimdo if you want an easy way to build and manage a beautiful website. It has a modern interface with plenty of features designed for businesses who want their sites look professional and polished. Squarespace also offers powerful blogging tools, as well as integrated ecommerce features if you plan on selling products or services online.

Jimdo: Summary

Jimdo is a good choice for businesses looking for an easy-to-use platform with plenty of powerful features at an affordable price point. With its intuitive drag-and-drop interface and comprehensive suite of tools and services, it was the perfect fit for my business - and could be just right for yours too! So if you’re looking for a website platform that will give your business a leg up without breaking the bank, then definitely consider checking out Jimdo.

All these factors add up to make it one of the best small business website builders on the market - although with some more advanced tools, businesses of any size could benefit from using the Jimdo website builder.

FAQs

What are the disadvantages of using Jimdo?

One of the first things I found out about Jimdo was the priority email support is only available to paid plan users. This could be a problem if you have questions or issues and need help from customer service quickly.

Another downside of using Jimdo is that it is limited in customization, which could be an issue if you want to get creative with your website design.

Is Jimdo free to use?

Yes, Jimdo offers you a free plan that you can use to build a website without any cost. However, this plan is limited, for example you cannot connect a custom domain, you only get 500 MB of storage, 2 GB of bandwidth, and you don’t get access to customer support. You will also have ads displayed on your website.

A free website builder can be a great way to test a platform or get a hobby online, but it will rarely offer the level of functionality needed to create a professional presence online.

Can I use my own domain name on a Jimdo website?

Yes, Jimdo allows you to connect a custom domain to your website on all plans. You can also purchase your domain directly through the Jimdo platform, making the process quick and easy.

However, if you opt for the free plan, you will not be able to connect your own domain. Instead, you will be allocated a ‘.jimdosite.com’ for your site.

Is Jimdo reliable?

After building my website on Jimdo, I can confidently say that it is reliable. The user-interface was intuitive and easy-to-use, making the entire process smooth and straightforward. The templates were also visually appealing and had useful features like galleries and contact forms integrated into them.

Moonfruit website builder review
5:36 am | May 17, 2021

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro Website Building | Comments: Off

Moonfruit is a popular website builder service, whose options are a little more basic than some of the competition, with the company offering only a small number of responsive templates. Still, these can be customised by tweaking individual details or dragging and dropping full content blocks. Your pages can include image galleries, forms, maps, social feeds, embedded videos and more.

Moonfruit's Basic plan gets you a single site with 500MB of storage, unlimited pages, but no specific bandwidth limits. Even though it costs £6.38 ($9.59) a month, this still includes Moonfruit branding.

Moonfruit's Professional plan loses the ads, thankfully. It supports up to five sites, a maximum of 10GB storage, and gives you a free domain voucher. As we write, the Professional plan looks to be good value at £5.39 ($6.99) a month, but this is a "limited offer". Normally it's a more average £10.79 ($13.99). It must be noted however that this “limited offer” has been available for nearly three years as far as we can tell.

Back in January 2018, two further plans, Ecommerce Lite and Ecommerce Pro, were listed as "coming soon". Neither of these are present since at least January 2020.

Moonfruit offers a free 14-day trial, and even if you sign up after that, the company says it will refund your money if you cancel within 14 days. This isn't automatic – you must ask the support team via live chat – and if you've registered a domain through the plan, that cost will be deducted. But overall, the Moonfruit policy is much like any other, and you should have no difficulty getting a refund, if you need one.

Getting started

Creating your Moonfruit account is easy, and works much like most other services: enter your email, a username and password, or sign up directly using your Facebook or Google accounts. Follow up by choosing your preferred Moonfruit subdomain (yourname.moonfruit.com) and once you’ve verified your email address, you're taken directly to the editor, which almost looks like a blank page.

There’s a section for the Header, one for the Footer, and a middle section to design your page. But where are all the elements you need to start building? If you're hoping for an instant site you can modify and use right away, there's a good chance you'll be disappointed.

There’s a sidebar to the left which reveals options to add more pages to your site, insert new sections to an existing page, and an upload feature to include files to your site.

In the Settings section, you can add a favicon (the small icon that represents your site in a browser tab), and images that would appear on Facebook when your site is shared there. There are also built-in options to connect your site with Google Analytics and Google Search Console, potentially giving you much more information about your website and its visibility on Google.

Sections

Drag a template section to your page and you’re ready to start customising (Image credit: Moonfruit)

Editor

The closest to templates we could find were in the sidebar’s ‘Sections’. From there you’re offered a long list of thumbnails. Being tiny, they’re not that easy to see and don’t even zoom in when you click on one to offer you a better idea of what you’re choosing.

There are eye-catching Hero sections (an important element to highlight a key feature of the site), page bodies in various styles, navigation tools, and layout sections which organise your content in various column formats.

Drag one you like to the main section of your blank site. It’s then ready for you to customise.

Elements

There’s a good number of elements you can add to your page (Image credit: Moonfruit)

Some website builders impress you immediately with their flashy visuals and depth of features. Moonfruit, well – not so much. We’ve already explored the left sidebar, but now that you’ve added a template to your page, clicking on any element reveals a contextual menu on the right, as well as a few buttons at the top of your selected element.

These buttons are there for quick edits and shortcuts: Copy, Duplicate, Delete, and a Help button which opens the support page for that object type. There are undo and redo buttons top right of the page, and you can save the project whenever you like.

The contextual menu on the right changes its options depending on what’s selected. Click on a text box for instance and you get Text, Position, Background, Links, Outline, and Animation. Select an image instead, and those are replaced by Link, Settings, Position and Animation.

Animations

The animation options can be fun (Image credit: Moonfruit)

Clicking on any of these menus reveals the parameters that can be changed. We particularly liked the Animation options as they give your page a bit of visual flair which can be fun.

Prior to adding a template to your page, the left Sidebar’s Elements section was greyed out. But now, you can select it and see all options available to you.

You’re able to drag new objects to your page via that menu: text, images, galleries, buttons, video (YouTube, Vimeo), music (Spotify, SoundCloud), Google services (Maps, Search, Calendar), social media elements (Facebook pages, comments and likes, Twitter feeds, Instagram, Pinterest and more), and a good range of form-related services that includes Wufoo, Google Forms and Moonfruit's own form objects.

Some basic edits are still very straightforward. Not happy with that button caption? Double-click it, type a new one, press Enter. You can edit the contents of text boxes in much the same way, including changing text styles and colours, inserting lists and adding links.

Moonfruit limits the customisations you can apply to many page objects. You can't manually resize, or drag-and-drop a button, for instance. The most you can do is set it to align to the left, right or centre of the page, and to size it automatically, or to set the width to a percentage of the page.

But on the plus side, the editor does have many integrated ways to tweak each object. Even a simple button allows customising text style, size, colour, hover colour, button shape, border style, link type and destination (new or same window).

Whatever changes you make can be previewed at any time in desktop, tablet or mobile views. 

Image Editing

Image editing capabilities are extremely poor (Image credit: Moonfruit)

Media

Moonfruit's media handling abilities are much like the rest of the service – they cover the basics, but don't have quite the power or customisation options you're likely to want.

Add a single image, for instance, and you can't precisely resize or position it. Image editing features are restricted to settings for brightness, contrast and saturation. Even those are only available in limited 25% increments from 0% to 200%, 

Gallery

You can add an image gallery to your page and have a few basic options at your disposal (Image credit: Moonfruit)

An Image Gallery control supports filmstrip, gallery and slideshow views. There are a few tweaks – enable or disable autoplay, set various arrow styles – but nothing to set your design world alight.

Video support is limited to embedding single YouTube or Vimeo clips. There's no video wall or anything more complex, although we did find one interesting option in the menus: you can set the background of any element to a stock or YouTube video.

Audio support is a little more capable, with the ability to embed Spotify playlists or SoundCloud content.

Bonus options include the ability to embed Instagram and Pinterest content, as well as PhotoSnack slideshows, and an HTML Snippet option may allow you to use content from some other sites.

While this will cover simple websites, other builders give you much more. Moonfruit does provide a decent file manager for managing your content. Upload website images and you can organise them into folders, view them as grids or lists, and sort your media by name, size, or age (the newest first, or oldest). Files can then be added directly to images boxes or galleries without having to re-upload them every time.

Blogging and e-commerce

Moonfruit doesn’t offer any type of blogging features. There is an Element designed to integrate a WordPress.com blog though. Essentially, you must create and manage your blog on WordPress.com (which you can do for free), and the Moonfruit widget simply displays the URL of that blog in a box on your site.

This approach works in the most basic of ways, but it doesn't look great, and not being able to manage the blog and website together could make your life more complicated. Even something as basic as coordinating the images and colour schemes of both sites will take some time and thought.

Moonfruit also has no e-commerce solution. Not even a PayPal button.

Support

Moonfruit provides a web knowledgebase where you can search for details on any part of the service. It's always accessible from a Help icon within the editor, or you can browse it at any time from help.moonfruit.com.

We moved on to explore Moonfruit's knowledgebase, anyway. This has a reasonable number of articles, but they're generally short and lacking in detail.

Confusingly, the knowledgebase covers the same topics for both Moonfruit's old editor and the new one, so most keywords will return a lot of articles that won't help you. Worse still, the site doesn't clearly explain which is which, beginning some titles with 'V6', others with 'Responsive Editor', and hoping users will guess correctly.

('Responsive Editor' is the latest of the two, and yes, that would have been our first guess, too. But we shouldn't have to guess at all, and at the very least, all V6 articles should now have a top line explaining that they refer to the old editor, not the current one, making it clear to everyone what's going on.)

It can be confusing since the older ‘V6’ editor had blogging features, and even years after upgrading to ‘responsive’, those instructions are still there even though blogging is no longer supported. Talk about confusing your customers.

Final verdict

Moonfruit is a basic website builder which currently lags well behind the competition in terms of power, features, ease of use, support, visual appeal and just about everything else.

You might also want to check out our other web hosting buying guides:

GoDaddy website builder review 2026
9:33 am | May 13, 2021

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro Website Building | Comments: Off

GoDaddy's website builder offers a clean interface, making it incredibly fast to build a website. It took me just 52 minutes to go from a blank canvas to a professional-looking website, making it perfect for small business owners who need a website, like yesterday.

However, its convenience comes at a cost. Its restrictions on creativity can be a blessing or a curse, depending on what you want — you get a polished website with zero fuss, but if you want pixel-perfect control, you'll be left frustrated.

We've spent hundreds of hours testing over 80 of the best website builder platforms on the market, giving us deep insight into what works for different users. For this GoDaddy Website Builder review, I created multiple test sites to evaluate its features, tools, ease of use, and value proposition.​

Below you will find everything you need to know to make an informed decision if GoDaddy is the right website builder for you.

GoDaddy website builder pricing and plans

Pricing feels competitive for what you get. For me, GoDaddy hits a sweet spot between budget and business-focused features. All paid plans include hosting and SSL certificates, which eliminates the hidden costs that could turn away new entrepreneurs.

Plan

Starting rate /mo (paid monthly)

Starting rate /mo (paid annually)

Renewal rate /mo (paid annually)

Basic

$21.99

$9.99

$16.99

Premium

$39.99

$14.99

$29.99

Commerce

$44.99

$20.99

$34.99

Pricing last verified: 16/02/2026

GoDaddy website builder plans: Explained

Best for personal websites
Starting at: $9.99/mo

With the Basic plan you'll get unlimited storage and pages, but you're missing critical features like SEO tools and the ability to remove GoDaddy branding.

It's adequate for simple personal sites or testing the waters.​View Deal

Best for small businesses
Starting at: $14.99/mo

Premium unlocks the real power. You get SEO tools, social media integration, and email marketing capabilities. I found this tier offers the strongest feature-to-price ratio for serious small business owners, but lacks the features needed for serious online stores.​View Deal

Best for online stores
Starting at: $20.99/mo

This unlocks full ecommerce functionality—payment processing, up to 5,000 product listings, inventory management, and abandoned cart recovery.

If you're selling products, this is your only option.View Deal

Reviewer's experience: Getting started

Although most of the top website builders pride themselves on ease of use, GoDaddy is by far one of the easiest platforms to get going with.

Step 1: Signing up

screenshot of GoDaddy website builder sign up page with login options and an image of a website being shown on a phone and tablet.

Signing up for GoDaddy's website builder is simple, with three popular login options to pick from. (Image credit: GoDaddy)

You can sign up for GoDaddy using your email, Facebook, or Google account.

Step 2: Define your goals

Screenshot of GoDaddy website builder in use, including black text on a white background

Picking your goal will help GoDaddy tailor your website building experience. (Image credit: GoDaddy)

After I had signed up I was immediately asked about my business type and goals. GoDaddy's AI then generated a partially completed website within minutes. This eliminated the intimidating blank canvas that usually stares you down with other builders.​

Onboarding felt refreshingly quick. No complex menus to navigate. GoDaddy presented me with a functional site structure based on my answers, complete with suggested layouts and placeholder content. It cut down on decision fatigue right from the start.

Step 3: Edit your site

Screenshot of GoDaddy website builder's editor, including a website example with a rocket on and dark grey side panel.

GoDaddy's website editor is minimalist and intuitive. (Image credit: GoDaddy)

Navigating the editor felt intuitive. I worked with the section-based system, which lets you add, remove, or reorder entire content blocks. It's easy, but restrictive. The controls were clearly labeled and I never felt lost, although I was quickly frustrated by the lack of an undo button.​

Customizing my test site involved choosing from pre-designed sections. I could toggle elements on or off, but couldn't break free from the preset structures.

Want to move a button somewhere specific? Too bad. This "guided freedom" approach works well for beginners but felt problematic when I wanted more control.​

GoDaddy website builder's business tools

GoDaddy's website builder offers the following business tools:

  • Full ecommerce functionality
  • Online appointment scheduling
  • Payment processing with GoDaddy Payments
  • Inventory management across channels
  • AI-powered conversations inbox
  • Client management tools

GoDaddy packs in practical features for running a business. I found the ecommerce and appointment booking particularly useful. Some tools felt basic, but they covered the essentials well enough.

Read more about GoDaddy's business tools ▼

Ecommerce functionality

Screenshot of GoDaddy website builder product upload page with a form on.

Adding products, downloads, and services to your website is simple (Image credit: GoDaddy)

I set up a test store on the Commerce plan in about 15 minutes. You can list up to 5,000 products, which is more than most small businesses need. The platform lets you sell physical products, digital goods, and services all from one dashboard.​

Payment processing with GoDaddy Payments

Screenshot of GoDaddy payments dashboard, it shows your balance and last transfer amount.

GoDaddy offers plenty of payment options, making it easy for customers to buy from you. (Image credit: GoDaddy)

GoDaddy Payments is integrated directly into the platform. The transaction fee is 2.7% + 30¢ per transaction, which beats many of the best ecommerce platforms. Payouts arrive as soon as the next business day, and all transactions appear in one unified dashboard.​

I found the setup process quite simple. You can also choose alternative processors like Square, Stripe, or PayPal if you prefer. However, other users have warned about poor support experiences with GoDaddy Payments.

Inventory management

Screenshot of GoDaddy online store set up page, it offers four ways to start selling with icons to highlight each.

GoDaddy makes it easy for small businesses to sell online. (Image credit: GoDaddy)

The inventory syncing impressed me. When you sell a product on your website, the stock levels automatically update on Amazon, eBay, and Etsy. This prevents overselling, a common nightmare for multi-channel sellers.​

Managing everything from one dashboard saved considerable time during testing. The system tracks online orders and inventory levels in real time. But I noticed the marketplace integrations are only available in select regions, so verify availability for your market.​

Online appointment scheduling

Screenshot of GoDaddy services page, it gives options for adding appointments, one time events and reoccurring events.

GoDaddy's appointment scheduling tool is ideal for service based businesses that want to take bookings online. (Image credit: GoDaddy)

Clients can schedule appointments 24/7 directly through your site, while the system sends automatic reminders via email and text.

I tested the calendar syncing feature, which keeps your business calendar aligned with your website calendar in real time.​ You can also accept deposits when customers book services.

AI conversations inbox

Screenshot of GoDaddy's AI communications tool, it offers the option to set up various communication channels including website chat and email.

GoDaddy's conversations tool makes it easy for small businesses to monitor and manage all communications in one space. (Image credit: GoDaddy)

Conversations act as your all-in-one business inbox. It includes an optional second phone line, so customers can call without using your personal number. AI chatbots handle initial customer inquiries automatically, giving quick responses that stay on-brand.​

I tested the unified inbox feature. It consolidates messages from multiple channels into one app. You'll never miss a potential sale because calls go to voicemail with your custom greeting. The AI reply suggestions work well for common questions, though you'll need to intervene for complex inquiries.​

Client management tools

Screenshot of GoDaddy's built in CRM with a form to input customer information.

GoDaddy's built in CRM not only helps small businesses build better relationships with customers, but also integrates seamlessly with their website, saving them significant time. (Image credit: GoDaddy)

The built-in CRM stores contact information, appointment history, and payment records. This makes customer interactions smoother and more personalized. I used it to upload test clients and found the interface straightforward.​

You can view customer purchase patterns and use that data for targeted email promotions. But the CRM functionality is quite basic, don't expect advanced features like sales pipeline management or detailed reporting.

GoDaddy website builder's marketing tools

GoDaddy offers the following marketing tools:

  • SEO optimization wizard
  • Email marketing campaigns
  • Social media scheduling and management
  • GoDaddy Studio content creator
  • Digital ads on Meta and Google
  • Social commerce integrations
  • Website analytics
  • Marketing planner with AI

GoDaddy's marketing suite is quite expansive for a basic website builder. It bundles email, social media, paid ads, and SEO tools into one dashboard. Again, some features felt limited compared to standalone marketing platforms, but the integrations usually made up for it.

Read more about GoDaddy's marketing tools ▼

SEO optimization wizard

Screenshot of GoDaddy website builder's SEO tool page, it offers suggestions for improving the search engine rankings of the website.

GoDaddy's SEO tools can help you increase your businesses visibility in search engine results pages. (Image credit: GoDaddy)

The SEO Wizard walks you through optimizing each page step-by-step. It suggests relevant keywords and helps you write meta descriptions, headings, or alt text.

I didn't need to waste any time figuring out what to optimize.​ You can even connect Google Analytics and Search Console for deeper tracking.​ However, the SEO tools are only available on Premium and Commerce plans.

Email marketing

Screenshot of GoDaddy's email marketing dashboard, it provides a checklist to help get you started.

Email marketing features can help you drive traffic and profits. (Image credit: GoDaddy)

Email marketing is included in all paid plans, with different subscriber limits. Basic lets you email 100 contacts monthly, Premium bumps that to 25,000, and Commerce allows 100,000. GoDaddy's AI uses your website design to create branded email templates automatically.​

Creating a test campaign took about 10 minutes from start to send. One limitation: you can't create advanced automation sequences like abandoned cart emails or behavior-triggered campaigns. The email builder also felt restrictive, I found that I couldn't customize layouts beyond the preset templates.

Social media management

Screenshot of GoDaddy website builder's social media management dashboard, it offers suggested posts created by AI.

Managing your social media accounts from one central dashboard can save time and help improve consistent publishing. (Image credit: GoDaddy)

You can schedule and publish posts to publish on multiple social networks from the dashboard. GoDaddy supports Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and more.

I tested scheduling content across three platforms simultaneously, which worked without issue.​

GoDaddy Studio content creator

Screenshot of GoDaddy Studio dashboard, it includes examples social post templates and color palettes.

Although it doesn't offer the feature set of dedicated platforms like Canva, GoDaddy's Studio platform can be a simple way to create quick, high impact designs. (Image credit: GoDaddy)

Studio provides professional templates for creating branded visuals. I used it to design some basic social media graphics and promo images. Their customizable templates saved time — without compromising brand authenticity.​

You can create content for your website, social media channels, and advertising campaigns all in one place. I really liked how it suggested image layouts based on the content type.​

However, serious graphic designers will find the customization options limiting. Think Canva Lite rather than Photoshop.​

Ads on Meta and Google

Screenshot of GoDaddy's built in ads platform, it gives options for building ads on Google, Instagram and Facebook.

Running digital ads can get you near immediate traffic, making it ideal for small businesses that want quick results. (Image credit: GoDaddy)

Premium and Commerce plans let you create, schedule, and manage unlimited digital ads. The interface simplifies the typically complex process of running paid campaigns. You can set up a test Facebook ad in under five minutes.​

Social commerce integrations

Screenshot of GoDaddy website builder's social media management dashboard, it offers suggested posts created by AI.

Social commerce integration helps reduce friction by letting customers buy from you directly through social media platforms. (Image credit: GoDaddy)

GoDaddy connects your online store to Facebook Marketplace, Instagram Creator, Amazon, eBay, and Etsy. Inventory syncs happen automatically. When someone buys on Amazon, your website stock updates instantly.​

You can also list products for free on Google Shopping. But keep in mind that marketplace integrations are only available in select regions. Check whether your location has access before planning a multi-channel strategy. My setup process varied by marketplace, some connected instantly, others required additional verification steps.​

Web analytics

Screenshot of GoDaddy analytics dashboard, giving an overview of marketing activities.

Analytics give excellent insight into what is and isn't working for your business. (Image credit: GoDaddy)

GoDaddy InSight Score gives you performance benchmarks against similar businesses.

The analytics dashboard shows SEO performance, website traffic, and campaign results all in one place. I found the consolidated view well-designed for quick decision-making.​

AI marketing planner

Screenshot of GoDaddy's AI marketing scheduler with a calendar view.

Staying on top of marketing activities can be tricky for resource-strapped small businesses. GoDaddy helps with an AI tool for planning your marketing activities. (Image credit: GoDaddy)

The AI-powered marketing planner creates custom action plans. It analyzes your business and suggests what to work on next. It's helpful for beginners when deciding where to focus efforts.​

The planner draws from data across millions of GoDaddy customers to make industry-specific recommendations. You get step-by-step guidance rather than vague suggestions.​ However, the recommendations still felt generic. Advanced marketers will likely ignore most suggestions.

Reviewer's experience: Support

Screenshot of GoDaddy support chat box.

GoDaddy offers comprehensive support, although I found it a little slow to get to an eventual solution. (Image credit: GoDaddy)

GoDaddy offers 24/7 support through live chat and phone, plus a comprehensive help center. On paper, the coverage looks solid. You can reach a human agent anytime, which beats many competitors.​

I tested the live chat with a technical question about domain mapping. The initial bot interaction lasted about a minute before connecting me to an agent. The representative was friendly but couldn't fully answer my question without escalating to someone else. The back-and-forth messaging took longer than expected, I waited several minutes between responses.​

User sentiment varies significantly across review platforms. GoDaddy maintains a 4.5/5 rating on Trustpilot, with customers praising phone support and quick onboarding. However, G2 and Reddit paint a slightly different picture. Common complaints include contradictory answers, aggressive upselling, and poor technical support for complex issues. Reddit threads specifically warn against using GoDaddy Payments due to unresolved support problems.

Test results: GoDaddy website builder

Attribute

Notes

Rating

Value for money

Competitive pricing with bundled features. Premium plan offers the best bang for your buck​.

★★★★☆

Ease of use

Fastest setup I've experienced. Intuitive section-based editor makes building effortless​.

★★★★★

Design

Limited customization and generic templates. You sacrifice creative control for speed​.

★★★☆☆

Business tools

Solid ecommerce and appointment booking. CRM feels basic but covers essentials​.

★★★★☆

Marketing tools

Strong integrated suite with SEO, email, and social tools. Lacks advanced features​.

★★★☆☆

Support

24/7 availability with mixed results. Great for basic questions, struggles with technical issues​.

★★★☆☆

Competitor comparison

Below we show you how GoDaddy stacks up against two of its closest competitors:

Platform

Best for

Our overall rating

Free plan

Paid plans start at

Ease of use

Support

GoDaddy Website Builder

Speed and simplicity

★★★½☆

Yes

$9.99/month

★★★★★

Live chat, phone (24/7)

Squarespace

Design-focused creatives

★★★★☆

Trial only

$16.00/month

★★★★☆

Email, community forum, expert hire

Wix

Maximum flexibility

★★★★½

Yes

$17.00/month

★★★★☆

Live chat, phone (fee-based), community forum

How we tested the GoDaddy website builder

At TechRadar Pro, we rigorously test website builders over several days. I spent considerable time with GoDaddy Website Builder for this review, creating test sites to evaluate each feature and performance metric.

Everything gets scrutinized, from the first login experience to advanced features like ecommerce and SEO.

You can read our full guide to how we test website builders to learn more.

GoDaddy website builder review: FAQs

Is GoDaddy Website Builder really free?

GoDaddy offers a limited free plan with basic features and GoDaddy branding. You get one page, limited storage, and no custom domain. For serious business use, you'll need a paid plan starting at $10.99/month. All paid plans include hosting and SSL certificates.​​

Can I switch from GoDaddy to another platform later?

Unfortunately, migrating away from GoDaddy Website Builder is difficult. The platform doesn't allow you to export your site or move content easily to another builder. You'll essentially need to rebuild from scratch on a new platform, which is a major consideration before committing.​

Does GoDaddy Website Builder work for ecommerce?

Yes, but only on the Commerce plan ($23.99/month annually). You can list up to 5,000 products and accept payments through multiple processors. The platform includes inventory management, abandoned cart recovery, and marketplace integrations. However, customization options remain limited compared to dedicated ecommerce platforms.​

How long does it take to build a website with GoDaddy?

You can launch a functional site in under an hour. The AI builder creates a partially completed website in minutes based on your answers to setup questions. From there, you customize sections, add content, and publish. More complex sites with ecommerce will take longer.

Weebly website builder review 2025
6:50 am | May 10, 2021

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro Website Building | Tags: | Comments: Off

Weebly happens to be one of the earliest drag-and-drop website builders still standing today. It promises simplicity for beginners and no upfront costs to get started. It even maintains its affordable pricing structure, starting at just $10 monthly.​

While there have been no major platform updates since the Square acquisition in 2018, Weebly still makes it onto our list of the best website builders, thanks largely to the fact that it lets you sell online with its free plan.

It’s still a great choice for those looking for simplicity and affordability. Others will find aspects of Weebly outdated and frustrating. This review will help you discover if it is the right platform for you.

Weebly pricing and plans

I found Weebly’s pricing extremely competitive, despite (or perhaps because of) the limited feature set.

It’s most competitive at its lower pricing tiers, though abandoned cart emails and product review support do cost more. Annual billing gets you a discount of 20%+ depending on the plan. Weebly is also the only website builder currently offering a free plan with full ecommerce access.

Plan

Starting rate /mo (paid monthly)

Starting rate /mo (paid yearly)

Renewal rate /mo (paid yearly)

Free

$0

$0

$0

Personal

$13

$10

$10

Professional

$16

$12

$12

Performance

$29

$26

$26

Weebly plans: Explained

Best for selling online for free
Starting at $0/mo

Like all free plans, Weebly’s comes with limitations including on site Square branding, inability to connect a custom domain, and limited bandwidth and storage.

However, Weebly makes it onto our list of the best free website builders thanks to the ability to sell online with its free plan. View Deal

Best for simple websites
Starting at $10/mo

I'd recommend this plan if you're just starting out and need basic functionality. You get custom domain connection and unlimited storage but you'll see Square ads on your site.View Deal

Best for growing businesses
Starting at $12/mo

This plan removes Square ads, gets you a free domain, and lets you use advanced site analytics to track visitor and customer behavior.

You can also put a password lock on certain pages of your website, which is useful for membership sites and online courses.View Deal

Best for established stores
Starting at $26/mo

I found this tier most suited for serious ecommerce operations, since the price jump is relatively significant.

It costs as much as Shopify’s basic plan, but you get abandoned cart emails, product reviews, shipping labels, and advanced ecommerce stats.View Deal

Reviewer's experience: Getting started with Weebly

I decided to build a photography portfolio site to test out Weebly from scratch. The entire process took me about 45 minutes from signup to a publishable website. Here's exactly how my experience unfolded.​

Step 1: Creating my account

Screenshot of Weebly sign up page

Creating an account with Weebly is easy, but lacks sign up options you find elsewhere sich as using your Facebook or Google account. (Image credit: Weebly)

I navigated to Weebly.com and clicked the "Sign Up" button on the landing page. It immediately asked me to sign up for a Square account with an email address and password. I didn’t see any option for signing up with my Facebook, Google, or Apple account, all of which are common on other website builders.

Then, I had to choose between a personal website or online store. I wanted to build a portfolio, so I selected the "I just need a website" option.

Step 2: Selecting a template

Screenshot of Weebly website template options on a white background

Weebly offers several clean, free to use templates to pick from. (Image credit: Weebly)

Instead of confusing upsells or onboarding screens, I was directed straight to the template library from here.

Weebly presented me with approximately 50 templates organized by category. I browsed through portfolio, business, event, and blog options to find something suitable. Each theme was minimal, but decent. I'll note here that there was an odd bug where I kept encountering a 404 error when trying to preview some themes on a bigger screen.

I eventually chose a photography-focused template called Modus Operandi.

Step 3: Using the editor

Screenshot of Weebly website editor with a sample website and tools dashboard to the left of the screen.

Weebly's editor is super simple, making it easy to use, but also restrictive. (Image credit: Weebly)

I clicked "Start Editing" on the top left, which led me to Weebly's drag-and-drop WYSIWYG editor in an instant. The editing interface hasn't changed a lot since I last visited, which made it a bit underwhelming..

There was a left sidebar full of components and my template in the center. I could drag text boxes, images, buttons, etc. directly onto the page. Clicking on any element on the site opened a pop-up contextual menu that let me adjust style settings and other attributes. Changes could be previewed live.

There was also a top bar with tabs that led me to options like adding new pages, changing the theme, or accessing the Weebly App Center.

Overall, the editor is simple to navigate and easy to get to grips with.

Step 4: Adding content and pages

Screenshot of Weebly editor with some written content being edited on it.

You can click on and edit content directly as you go. (Image credit: Weebly)

I created new pages by clicking the "Pages" tab and selecting "Add Page". Weebly automatically added them to my navigation menu, which saved time.

While the positioning and customization tools felt basic, they were easy to use and good enough for most personal websites and basic online stores. There was a simple image editor with a collection of basic filters I could choose from, I could upload videos and add forms, and so on.

Step 5: Connecting my domain

Screenshot of Weebly dashboard for connecting a domain.

You'll need to upgrade to a paid plan to add a custom domain to your website. (Image credit: Weebly)

Weebly prompted me to either register a new domain or connect an existing one. I tested the domain connection feature, which walked me through updating nameservers. The instructions were clear, but there was no automatic option like with Wix or Webflow.

Once completed, the domain setup is finalized within minutes, though it can take a while for some due to the way DNS propagation works through no fault of Weebly's.​ For those on the Professional or Performance plans, you get a free domain for the first year.

Step 6: Publishing the site

Screenshot of a sample website built on Weebly with a white background and several bright images in a grid

You can hit 'Publish' once your site is ready to launch. (Image credit: Weebly)

The final step was simply clicking the large "Publish" button at the top of the editor.

Weebly business tools

Weebly offers the following business tool:

  • Inventory tracking​
  • Order management dashboard​
  • Square integration​
  • App Center for third-party tools​
  • Form builder for lead capture

Weebly covers the essentials but feels sparse compared to modern competitors. Still, I found the inventory management useful for small stores. But the Square integration added unnecessary complexity. I think this platform needs more sophisticated analytics and automation features to compete.​

Read more about Weebly's business tools ▼

Inventory tracking

Screenshot of Weebly stock management dashboard.

Now owned by Square, it is unsurprising that Weebly has strong stock management features. (Image credit: Weebly)

I tested Weebly's inventory tools by adding multiple products with size and color variations. The system let me track stock levels easily and display low stock alerts to create urgency. It's very easy to learn for someone managing their first online store.​

However, I noticed the Square integration made things unnecessarily confusing. Weebly's gradual merger into Square's Item Library means you're sometimes working across two platforms instead of one. For businesses already using Square POS, this is good. But for anyone who would rather not add yet another platform to their stack, it's a letdown.

Order management dashboard

Screenshot of Weebly order management system

You can keep on top of incoming orders with Weebly's dedicated order management system. (Image credit: Weebly)

Order management is clean and functional. I could search products by name, SKU, category, or description, then filter by stock status.

Managing a handful of orders felt effortless.​ Sadly, the system shows its limitations once you scale beyond simple operations.

If you want bulk order processing, automated fulfillment, or sophisticated shipping rules, you will need to upgrade to Square Dashboard. You can also export your order management data as a CSV file to analyze with third-party tools, but that’s about it.

Square payment processing integration

Screenshot of Weebly payment processor options

Easily take payments for online orders with the Square payment integration. (Image credit: Weebly)

Square integration is Weebly's standout business feature.

I could process credit cards online and sync inventory between my Weebly site and a Square point-of-sale system. Any inventory change in Square is automatically updated on Weebly.​

App Center

Screenshot of Weebly Aoo center with some available apps on display

Although Weebly's business and marketing tools are limited, you can expand site capability through Weebly'a App Center. (Image credit: Weebly)

App Center lets you expand your website builder beyond Weebly's core features.

I browsed through apps for shipping, marketing, calendars, and social media integration. Most of them could be installed in just a couple clicks.​

That said, I found the selection noticeably smaller than Wix's App Market at just over 200. But, you can use Automate.io to connect Weebly to services not supported by the App Center.

Form builder

Screenshot of Weebly form builder

Collect helpful data from site visitors with built in forms. (Image credit: Weebly)

Weebly's form element lets you collect customer information without coding. I created contact forms, newsletter signups, and surveys by dragging the form element onto pages. It can also be connected to third-party services like Google Sheets or MailChimp through automation apps.​

The form builder handles basic needs adequately, but lacks sophisticated tools like conditional logic, multi-step forms, or built-in CRM integration. For complex lead capture needs, you'll need third-party form apps from the App Center.​

Weebly marketing tools

Weebly offers the following marketing tools:

  • Site statistics and analytics
  • Email marketing via Weebly Promote​
  • Built-in SEO optimization tools​
  • Blog functionality for content marketing​
  • Social media integration options​
  • Coupon and gift card features​

Weebly's marketing capabilities feel dated compared to what competitors offer today. The email marketing platform (Weebly Promote) worked well for basic campaigns, but I found the SEO tools disappointingly basic. You'll find yourself relying on third-party integrations a lot.

Read more about Weebly's marketing tools ▼

Site statistics and analytics

Screenshot of Weebly site analytics page

Site analytics can help you make informed decisions about your business. (Image credit: Weebly)

Weebly provides basic analytics directly in your dashboard. I could see visitor counts, popular pages, search terms, and referral sources without leaving the platform.

The built-in stats felt limiting for serious businesses. I ended up adding Google Analytics code for deeper insights. Or you can upgrade to a higher-tier plan for access to Square analytics.

Email marketing via Weebly Promote

Screenshot of Weebly email marketing platform

Built in email marketing can help streamline processes and drive traffic back to your site. (Image credit: Weebly)

Weebly Promote integrates directly with your site, making email campaigns straightforward.

I selected pre-made templates, customized messages with a drag-and-drop editor, and emailed contacts without leaving Weebly. However, Weebly Promote requires an additional subscription beyond your website plan.

SEO tools

Screenshot of Weebly SEO tools page

You get some helpful SEO tools on Weebly, but they are a little basic. (Image credit: Weebly)

Every Weebly page includes basic SEO fields.

I was able to edit meta titles or descriptions and customize URLs for each page. Product pages let me add more metadata fields to signal Google what I was selling.

Unfortunately, I couldn't implement advanced structured data, create complex redirect rules, or optimize for rich snippets effectively without third-party tools.

This is fine for basic websites, but doesn’t offer enough to those that really want to compete in SERPs.

Blogging tools

Screenshot of Weebly blogging tools page.

Engage your website audience with helpful blogging tools. (Image credit: Weebly)

Weebly’s blogging tools are adequate but uninspired.

I organized content using categories, tags, and sidebar customizations.

A comment system lets readers engage, with options for Disqus or Facebook login.​ You can set comments to open, closed, or moderated on a blog-wide basis, then override settings for individual posts. ​

Social media integration

Screenshot of Weebly app center

Automate social media posting via Weebly's App Center. (Image credit: Weebly)

Weebly connects to social platforms through the App Center. Weebly Promote also creates dynamic Facebook Ads automatically.​

But the social media tools felt fragmented. Rather than cohesive native features, you're piecing together functionality through multiple apps. I could easily spend more time configuring integrations than actually marketing my site.​

Coupon and gift card features

Screenshot of Weebly discount code creation tool.

Discounts can help drive more sales. (Image credit: Weebly)

Weebly's ecommerce plans include coupon codes and gift cards. I could create percentage discounts, dollar-off coupons, and digital gift certificates to support store promotions.

The gift card functionality improves significantly on higher-tier plans, but the lower plans make it seem too restrictive. Advanced features like tiered loyalty programs and reward points only appear on the Performance plan.​

Weebly support

Screenshot of Weebly support center

You'll need to upgrade to a premium level plan to unlock phone support. (Image credit: Weebly)

Weebly's support structure varies dramatically based on your plan level.

Paid plan users get phone support at 1-844-493-3259 and live chat through their dashboard. Free users are limited to email tickets via the Help Center and Weebly’s community forums.​

I tested the live chat on a paid plan and got connected within 5 minutes. The representative answered my technical question adequately, but didn't seem to have deep product expertise.

However, Trustpilot reviews show customer dissatisfaction with the platform overall. Reddit users also warn against Weebly, with the overall consensus suggesting Weebly's reputation has deteriorated since its Square acquisition.​

Test results: Weebly

Attribute

Notes

Rating

Value for money

Affordable pricing starts at $10/month annually, but limited features and outdated templates reduce overall value.

★★★★☆

Ease of use

Extremely easy drag-and-drop editor requires no tutorial, though template restrictions limit creative freedom.

★★★★☆

Design

50+ templates with clean and minimal yet basic designs, ranging from business to personal to ecommerce.

★★☆☆☆

Business tools

Basic inventory management features. Square integration works well. Abandoned cart notifications require the Performance plan.

★★★☆☆

Marketing tools

SEO tools are basic but functional. Email marketing requires add-on subscription. Basic blogging and social functionality.

★★☆☆☆

Support

Live chat and phone for paid plans, but user reviews indicate unhelpful responses and long delays.

★★☆☆☆

Competitor comparison: Weebly

Below we show you how Weebly stacks up against Wix and Squarespace:

Platform

Best for

Our overall rating

Free plan

Paid plans start at

Ease of use

Support

Weebly

Budget-conscious beginners

★★★☆☆

Yes

$10/month

★★★★☆

Live chat, phone, email (paid plans) ​

Wix

Feature-rich customization

★★★★☆

Yes

$17/month

★★★★☆

24/7 live chat, callback, help center ​

Squarespace

Design-focused creatives

★★★★☆

No

$16/month

★★★★☆

Live chat, email, extensive guides

How we tested the Weebly website builder

Every website builder review on Techradar Pro is based on hands-on testing. I start from scratch, building test websites for every platform. Then I select templates, customize designs, add content, and test all major features hands-on.

We've been reviewing software vendors like Weebly since 2012 at TechRadar Pro. Our team has so far tested and reviewed over 80 website builders. For complete details on our evaluation process, see our guide to how we test website builders.

Weebly review: FAQs

Is Weebly really free?

Yes, Weebly offers a free plan indefinitely. You get 500MB storage and can even sell products for free — unlike Wix or Squarespace. But your site displays Square ads, uses a Weebly subdomain, and has limited features. For serious businesses, paid plans remove these restrictions.​

Can I switch Weebly templates after publishing?

Yes, Weebly lets you change templates anytime without losing content. However, content may require repositioning after switching since templates have different layouts.​

Does Weebly work for ecommerce?

Weebly handles basic ecommerce adequately, especially for small stores. You can sell unlimited products on all paid plans, manage inventory, and accept payments through Square. However, advanced features like abandoned cart emails and shipping labels require the $26/month Performance plan. Serious retailers may outgrow Weebly's capabilities quickly.​

How does Weebly compare to Wix?

Wix offers significantly more templates (2,000+ vs 50), better customization freedom, and more advanced features. Weebly costs less and is simpler to use, making it better for absolute beginners and store owners on tight budgets. However, Wix's superior design flexibility and feature depth make it worth the extra cost for most businesses.​ You can read our full guide to Wix vs Weebly to learn more about how they stack up.

Is Weebly good for SEO?

Weebly provides basic SEO tools like editable meta tags, custom URLs, and sitemap generation. Every page is optimized for search engines by default. However, SEO capabilities remain basic compared to competitors, lacking advanced structured data and optimization options. Serious SEO requires third-party tools like MarketGoo.​

What happened to Weebly after Square bought it?

Square acquired Weebly in 2018 and has since integrated it into the Square ecosystem. Weebly has received very few major updates since then, leading to outdated templates and features. Many users report confusion with the Square/Weebly inventory sync, declining support, and difficulties accessing their sites after the merger.

Backblaze cloud backup review
1:30 am | May 4, 2021

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro | Comments: Off

Backblaze is one of the best cloud backup services that we've tested, providing unlimited storage with no file size limits for a very reasonable price. The company started in 2007 as a way for a developer to backup a friend’s computer online. Fast forward to the present, and it is used by over 500,000 customers.

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If you're just looking for an ultra-simple high capacity backup service, then Backblaze is a must-see, especially as with only a single payment tier and unlimited storage, you're always paying just the same amount, not matter how much you upload.

Backblaze is entirely focused on backups, which means there's no file syncing, no clever collaboration tools, and only the simplest of file sharing options. This can be a positive or negative, depending on your requirements. 

Alternatively, if you need a VPN to protect yourself online, you can get Backblaze completely free for a year when you sign up to our #1 favorite, ExpressVPN (and you get three extra months of ExpressVPN protection, too).

Backblaze: Plans and pricing

You can try Backblaze for free for 15 days without providing any payment card information. As expected, there's no free tier since you get unlimited cloud backup. Personal plans cost $9 monthly, $99 a year, or $189 every two years. There is also a $2 monthly charge to upgrade file version history from 30 days to one year, which, in our opinion, is a must.

Business customers get similar pricing. However, you should contact Backblaze directly for quotes for backing up multiple computers and servers and storing more data in the cloud for long-term storage. This is especially useful if you're replacing tape backups. It's refreshing to see this sort of flexible pricing, but it does make it more challenging to compare Backblaze against competing services.

Backblaze cloud storage backup service showing the encryption key process

(Image credit: Backblaze)

Backblaze cloud storage backup service showing the file recovery process

(Image credit: Backblaze)

Backblaze: Features

Backblaze doesn’t bother you with the details of your backup plan, just that it is occurring: when you initially install the desktop client, it doesn’t require you to select files and folders, but rather just grabs all the files and folders it considers important and starts transferring them to your Backblaze cloud backup.

By default, Backblaze copies all data except ISOs, DMGs (Mac disk image), virtual drives, system files or executables. Backblaze also won't backup files created by other backup utilities like Time Machine.

You have the option to exclude other file types if you wish, but unless exclusively told to ignore them, it will include everything except the file types listed. During our testing, we found it very simple and straightforward, and you can rest easy that your entire computer can be recovered if needed.

Backblaze cloud storage backup service interface running on a computer

(Image credit: Backblaze)

The tool is a "set-it-and-forget-it" solution. It's there to help you recover data such as if your hard drive catastrophically fails or your laptop fails to boot.

However, Backblaze is not designed for syncing files between computers, or getting at your music and video files in the cloud. You can include external hard drives and portable SSDs and, on a business plan, servers in your backups, although networked drives can't be included. While file sharing is possible, the feature can only be accessed through the web interface.

Backups can be continuous and this is a default option. They can also be configured to occur once a day, or just when you initiate them manually. Some extra variety with those timescales would be nice, but we expect the majority of users will leave it set to continuous backup mode. Although you can backup an unlimited amount of data, you are restricted to one computer for each Backblaze account, and mobile devices aren't included.

The fact that you can't select files or folders to backup individually can be an inconvenience if you only want to back up certain files. For instance, your Documents folder may contain irreplaceable data but your Pictures might not. You also can't fine-tune which folders within these directories are backed up. On the plus side, there's little chance of anything valuable being missed during backup.

Backblaze's cloud backup interface on a Mac

(Image credit: Backblaze)

As standard, unlimited versions of files are kept, though only for a period of 30 days. This can be somewhat restrictive, especially as weeks can pass before you realize that you are missing an important document. Given the reasonable price for the standard plan, combined with the fact that an unlimited amount of storage could hold thousands of folders filled with documents, images and videos, we think the extra $2 a month (or $14 a year) for extended file history is a no-brainer. This extends it to one year. For an extra $2 per month and $0.005/GB per file, Backblaze can also store file versions forever.

While only one computer is supported per license, totally unlimited data storage with no file size limits means that Backblaze should never be the restricting element to your backing-up needs. This makes it a hugely valuable tool that is also affordable compared to rivals such as Polarbackup, LiveDrive, and Carbonite, all of which offer unlimited storage plans that are currently more expensive.

Because there are no subscription tiers, every account benefits from otherwise premium features. Uploading and downloading when using the desktop client is unthrottled, which means superquick backups up to the maximum speed of your ISP and router.

Backblaze has built-in safeguards to limit the amount of bandwidth consumed. The Control Panel settings list the latest upload speed and the amount of data backed up per day on average. In order to give users more control, manual throttling can limit the amount of bandwidth used by the app in order to prioritize other tasks. This can be useful for workers who often find themselves on video calls, as it allows backups to continue automatically in the background while providing optimal speeds for your workload.

Backblaze: Interface and use

The Backblaze desktop client targets simplicity over power. The options of the Backblaze package are limited, so the software doesn't have to do much except focus on the job at hand - to make sure that your files are getting continuously backed up in the background.

There is an option to exclude certain files and folders from a Backblaze backup, but we found it could be more straightforward. Considering you get an unlimited amount of space in the cloud, it's easier to just let Backblaze backup everything, just in case. 

Transferring data from an entire computer to the web is potentially a lengthy process, but the speeds Backblaze managed were impressive. You can also choose to pause or throttle the upload process if you think Backblaze is taking up too much bandwidth to override the automatic throttling.

Backblaze cloud backup running in a browser on a Mac

(Image credit: Backblaze)

We like its integration within the operating system that helps to simplify the backup process - or at least, for those rare events that users need to modify controls. In this case, Backblaze sits neatly in System Preferences within macOS for instance. The Backblaze control panel can also be launched via a handy system tray icon in Windows.

Like the desktop client, the web interface is also cut down and minimal, letting you review backed up files and restore them if needed. There's also a mechanism for sharing stored files to others that is exclusive to the web interface. Unfortunately, in terms of web functionality, Backblaze falls short of Dropbox, Google Drive, or Apple iCloud when it comes to sharing files. However, it is ultimately a different proposition so this comparison is, perhaps, slightly unfair.

In the event of a system failure or loss, files can be downloaded for free, or Backblaze will put them on a USB hard drive for $189 and ship your data to your door. While it may not do much beyond suck up all the files on a computer and let you restore them, Backblaze does these core jobs very well. The almost $200 spent on backing up your files should be seen more as a holding fee for the value of the large hard drive (up to 8TB), as when the restore is complete you can return it by mail and receive a full refund.

Backups are limited to PCs and Macs, however alongside the web interface there are iOS and Android apps that allow you to access your data from anywhere. Backblaze Mobile 6.0, released in December 2022, has a new feel to it with authentication improvements for both platforms plus many tweaks and updates.

Backblaze: Security

Backblaze gets high marks from a security perspective: as you can enable two-step authentication on your account. 

The company behind the tool also claims that backed up files on your machine are protected with AES 128-bit encryption, the key for which is generated randomly for each backup session. Also worth noting is that users can pick between EU and US data centers.

The data is sent securely via an SSL connection to avoid your data being intercepted as it travels through the internet. Backblaze also says it uses OpenSSL for generating the necessary encryption keys to do this. While it's not full end-to-end encryption, it's certainly safe enough for most users. But if you do want end-to-end encryption, you can also set up a private encryption key, known only to you, which adds an extra layer of protection to your data. 

The downside of this is that Backblaze can’t help you if you forget the key, and you need to share it with Backblaze if you ever need to restore your data.

Backblaze: How we tested

We performed three primary tests for Backblaze, focusing on sync speed, file recovery, and versioning.

These tests were carried out on a Windows 11 virtual machine using the Backblaze desktop client. The virtual machine was connected to the internet via a fiber broadband connection with a VPN server. Throughout our speed tests, we consistently recorded an average upload speed of 70 Mbps.

Test 1 - Sync speed 

Our typical approach for evaluating cloud storage providers involves copying a 589MB folder containing various file types, such as PDFs, JPGs, Microsoft Word documents, and more, and then assessing the desktop client's synchronization speed. However, Backblaze primarily functions as an all-or-nothing backup solution. Therefore, for this particular test, we were compelled to allow the utility to back up everything in the home folder, including the test files.

Although Backblaze is designed for backups rather than traditional cloud storage, it is possible to use backed-up files for cloud storage purposes indirectly. Nevertheless, there is no straightforward method to selectively back up only a specific folder as we usually do for our standard cloud storage service tests. Consequently, we allowed Backblaze to back up all the folders in the test machine's home directory, including our test files.

This resulted in a data volume slightly exceeding 6GB, and the upload to Backblaze's servers was completed in less than 10 minutes. Therefore, our test files took just over a minute to upload. This performance is commendable, especially when considering that our average upload speed was 70Mbps, significantly faster than what many other cloud storage providers offer.

Backblaze speed

(Image credit: Future)

Test 1 - File Recovery

During our second test, we purposefully placed the test folder containing our files in the Recycle Bin and then manually triggered another backup. Once the backup was complete, we accessed the online Backblaze Control Panel through the desktop client and selected the Restore Options. Locating the test folder was straightforward, and upon choosing to Restore, we received a message stating that further instructions would be sent to us via email. 

Upon checking our inbox, we found an email containing a link to download a ZIP file of the folder. We were also given the option to install the Backblaze Downloader app. Upon extraction, we discovered that the folder was organized within a directory structure mirroring our device. For example, the main folder was 'C,' and we found another folder named 'Users,' and so forth. Despite this multi-step process, we successfully recovered all the files.

Test 3 - Versioning

Versioning is an important feature when working on documents as it allows you to revert back to previous versions of the file. When Backblaze backed up all the files in the home directory, it included the original version of our test document. We opened this in Wordpad, deleted all the text except the intro, saved and closed the file, and then ran another backup. 

After selecting "Restore Options" from the desktop client, we were able to recover the file from the first backup in the same way as we did for the deleted test folder. We chose to download the document as a ZIP file. Once extracted, the document opened without any issues.

Backblaze: Final verdict

Backblaze should be near the top of your shortlist if you want a comprehensive, unlimited, secure backup of all of the data from your home or business computers.

Backblaze isn't a simple cloud storage solution so much as a comprehensive cloud backup solution-rather than allow for some files and folders to be backed up it will simply grab everything. This means if you only want to sync individual files and folders this could prove tricky. 

Additionally, when it comes to restoring deleted/modified data, we can't see any logic in offering a separate downloader app when this code could be integrated into Backblaze itself.  

Still, Backblaze has a large user base, and it’s easy to see why – if you want to back up everything from one computer and its external drives, simply and securely and without spending too much, then the service is hard to beat. We appreciate, too, that there are no limits on file sizes and no limits on the amount of data you can send to the cloud.

Just be certain you know exactly what Backblaze is before you sign up. It's not for syncing files between computers or getting easy access to your files through a web browser. It's a comprehensive, set-and-forget cloud backup solution for protecting your data should the worst happen, and at that task it provides a great solution. With stellar performance in that regard, Backblaze is one of the best backup software solutions thanks to its unlimited storage at a reasonable cost, aided by its array of restoration methods and ease of use. 

We've featured the best free cloud storage.

Elementor website builder review 2025
5:27 am | April 26, 2021

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Pro Website Building | Comments: Off

Elementor has become a go-to website builder for many WordPress users. It offers a drag-and-drop interface that lets you build WordPress sites visually. It powers over 16 million websites worldwide, from small blogs to enterprise ecommerce stores.​

We’ve tested all of the best WordPress website builders and Elementor consistently comes out on or near the top. This Elementor review draws from our reviewers' years of WordPress experience to help you make an informed decision.​

Elementor pricing and plans

I found Elementor's pricing competitive but potentially confusing.

The free plugin offers basic functionality, but you'll need Pro for serious WordPress design work. Elementor Pro comes in four variants, with prices ranging from $4.99 to $16.99 a month when billed yearly. They also offer WordPress hosting, ecommerce bundles, and custom rates for enterprises.

Plan

Starting rate /mo (paid yearly)

Starting rate /mo (paid every 2 years)

Starting rate /mo (paid every 3 years)

Free

$0.00

$0.00

$0.00

Essential

$4.99

$4.69

$4.49

Advanced Solo

$6.99

$5.99

$5.79

Advanced

$8.25

$7.09

$6.79

Expert (25 sites)

$16.99

$14.99

$13.99

Expert (1,000 sites)

$33.25

$29.99

$27.99

Elementor plans: Explained

Best for trying Elementor out
Starting at: $0.00/mo

Like all of the best free website builders, Elementor’s free plan comes with limitations. It lacks many advanced features such as the Theme Builder, WooCommerce Builder, and premium widgets.

It’s a great way to test Elementor out, but serious users will need to upgrade to a paid plan. View Deal

Best for single websites
Starting at: $4.49/mo

You get one website license with 50+ Pro widgets and the Theme Builder. This plan lacks advanced marketing tools and ecommerce features, making it suitable only for basic sites.View Deal

Best for single stores
Starting at: $5.79/mo

This includes 86 Pro widgets, WooCommerce Builder, and popup builder. I appreciated the form integrations and ACF/CPT support for dynamic content. If you want to sell online, this unlocks the advanced tools you’ll need. View Deal

Best for freelancers
Starting at: $6.79/mo

Three website licenses make this ideal for freelancers. You get all Advanced Solo features plus priority support. I found this the sweet spot for most users.View Deal

Best for agencies and businesses
Starting at: $13.99/mo

25-1,000 site activations to suit growing agencies. You get all Pro features included with premium support. The price jump is significant, though.View Deal

Getting started with Elementor: Reviewer's experience

Step 1: Installation

screenshot of elementor installation page

Go to the WordPress plugin store to download Elementor. (Image credit: Elementor)

I installed Elementor from the WordPress plugin directory.

Once I activated the Elementor plugin, I found a setup wizard with helpful tooltips guiding me through initial configuration. I created an Elementor account and installed the default “Hello Biz” theme as part of the setup process.

After activating the plugin, I also had the option to purchase the Pro version and upload the Pro zip file through the WordPress admin panel.​

Step 2: Choosing a template

screenshot of elementor template options

You can start with a blank canvas or pick from one of Elementor's clean templates. (Image credit: Elementor)

Next, I wanted to switch up my starting template.

I navigated to Templates > Website Templates in the WordPress admin. Elementor presented me with 100+ pre-made design kits. I could filter by category or search specific designs. A preview function also let me see layouts before importing.​

I selected a simple business template by clicking the Apply button. I had the option to import either the entire template with all placeholder content, or only certain parts of it. It loaded instantly into my editor.

Step 3: Customizing a page

screenshot of elementor website editor

The website editor is intuitive and easy to navigate. (Image credit: Elementor)

To customize my landing page, I navigated to the Pages tab in my WordPress dashboard and clicked on the “Edit with Elementor” option under the page I wanted to customize. This opened the page builder.

For each page, I could add sections and columns to create layouts. The drag-and-drop system felt seamless, with every change appearing instantly on screen.​

Step 4: Adding widgets

screenshot of elementor widget selector

Widgets make it easy to add functionality to your website. (Image credit: Elementor)

Elementor's widget panel was nested on my left.

I could drag a widget onto the page and drop it exactly where I wanted it.​ Clicking the widget opened customization options. Three tabs — Content, Style, and Advanced — organized all settings.

Elementor’s contextual settings adapted to whatever element I clicked. I adjusted fonts, colors, and spacing without touching any code.

Step 5: Publishing the site

screenshot of elementor website ready to launch.

When you're ready you can launch your website. (Image credit: Elementor)

I clicked "Publish" when satisfied with my design. My site went live immediately. Elementor's revision history was a nice addition, since it could revert to earlier designs anytime if something felt off.​

A built-in caching system optimized my pages automatically. My test site loaded quickly, especially without installing many other plugins.​

Elementor business tools

Elementor gives users access to the following business tools:

  • Flexible landing page editor
  • WooCommerce store builder
  • Advanced form builder with integrations​
  • Roll-based access manager

Elementor delivers solid business functionality for ecommerce and lead generation. I liked the deep WooCommerce integration in particular. However, the CRM features felt underdeveloped compared to dedicated platforms.​

Read more about Elementor's business tools ▼

Landing page editor

screenshot of elementor landing page creator

Landing pages can help you clearly communicate key marketing message. (Image credit: Elementor)

Building landing pages with Elementor felt straightforward. The template library provided conversion-focused designs ready for customization. I modified headlines, images, and call-to-action buttons within minutes.​

The landing page templates integrated seamlessly with form widgets. I connected forms to email marketing platforms for automatic list building. Each template prioritized mobile responsiveness, which saved design time.​

WooCommerce integration

screenshot of WooCommerce landing page

WooCommerce is one of the most popular ecommerce platforms in the world. (Image credit: Elementor)

Elementor's premium WooCommerce integration lets you customize every aspect of your store, from product pages to checkout flows. Its visual editor made styling product grids and single product layouts effortless.​

I could add WooCommerce-specific widgets like product meta, add-to-cart buttons, and customer ratings. It also integrates with popular payment gateways like Stripe and PayPal for direct purchases.

Form builder

screenshot of elementor's form builder

Elementor's built in form builder makes it easy to collect essential visitor data. (Image credit: Elementor)

Creating forms felt easy with Elementor's form widget. I built contact, lead capture, and multi-step forms without any additional plugins. The form builder offered unlimited fields with full styling control.​

I could also connect forms directly to Mailchimp, HubSpot, and ActiveCampaign. And the HoneyPot spam protection added security without any extra setup.​

Role-based access settings

screenshot of elementor access controls

Access settings can help larger teams and agencies better manage website workflows. (Image credit: Elementor)

Elementor lets you control who accesses the editor and what they can modify. You navigate to Elementor > Role Manager in WordPress and configure permissions for each user role.​

There are three main permission levels. "No access to editor" completely blocks users from opening Elementor. "Access to edit content only" allows users to modify existing content without adding or removing elements. Full access grants unlimited editing capabilities.

Version 3.19 has also added Element Manager integration, letting me customize which widgets appear for specific roles.​​

Elementor marketing tools

You can promote your business and website with Elementor’s marketing tools:

  • Popup design with triggers​
  • CRM integrations for HubSpot, ActiveCampaign​, etc.
  • Email marketing integrations
  • Call-to-action widgets

Elementor's marketing toolkit covers essential lead generation and conversion optimization. The popup builder and landing page features stood out during testing. Email marketing felt limited without third-party integrations, though.​

Read more about Elementor's marketing tools ▼

Popups and notifications

screenshot of elementor pop up builder

Pop ups are a great way to get key marketing messages in front of potential customers. (Image credit: Elementor)

I could create several popup types using Elementor's Popup Builder. It supports email capture popups, notification bars, and two-step opt-ins. I enjoyed the visual editing experience, which matches the main page builder.​

With display conditions, Elementor lets you have impressive targeting flexibility. I could design popups to trigger based on scroll depth, exit intent, inactivity, and specific page elements. I also tested a two-step opt-in popup combining a yes/no prompt with a follow-up form. It worked exactly as described.

CRM automation

screenshot of elementor

You can use other plugins to massively extend the functionality of your website. (Image credit: Elementor)

I was able to set up connections to HubSpot and ActiveCampaign. Elementor's form submissions triggered automated workflows in both these platforms.

That said, setting up automation required technical knowledge. I had to look up their API documentation and learn Elementor’s webhook configurations. This might challenge non-technical users.​

Email marketing

screenshot of elementor mailchimp plugin

Although Elementor doesn't offer built in email marketing, you can use plugins from the top email marketing providers. (Image credit: Elementor)

Elementor doesn't include built-in email marketing functionality.

Instead, it integrates with popular platforms like Mailchimp, SEND, and ActiveCampaign. I connected Mailchimp through the form widget settings.​

Integration required API keys from Mailchimp. Once configured, captured leads automatically synced to my email lists. I also used Elementor's design tools to create branded signup forms matching my email campaigns.

CTA widgets

screenshot of elementor CTA widget

A strong call to action can massively increase website conversions. (Image credit: Elementor)

Elementor offered dedicated CTA widgets for marketing campaigns. I customized button styles, added icons, and set hover effects. The widgets supported internal links, external URLs, and popup triggers.​

The pixel-perfect placement flexibility helps with conversion optimization. But if you want A/B testing, you'll need a third-party plugin for that.

Elementor support

screenshot of elementor support page

Your support package depends on the plan you choose. (Image credit: Elementor)

Elementor Pro users access official support through ticket submission and live chat. Free version users rely on community forums and documentation. Support operates Monday through Friday with varying response times based on plan tier.​

I submitted a test support ticket during my review. The response came within 24 hours with a detailed troubleshooting guide. But the AI chatbot could answer basic questions instantly before escalating complex issues.​

However, user sentiment reveals mixed experiences.

Reddit threads show frustration with renewal price increases and slow support responses. One user reported opening six tickets with minimal resolution. G2 reviews praise ease of use but note the learning curve. Capterra users appreciate constant updates but mention WooCommerce plugin compatibility issues.​

Test results: Elementor

Attribute

Notes

Rating

Value for money

Competitive pricing initially, but renewal rates increase significantly over time. Pro features justify the cost for agencies.

★★★⯪☆

Ease of use

Intuitive drag-and-drop interface with visual editing. Learning curve exists due to extensive options.

★★★★☆

Design

100+ design kits provide exceptional design flexibility. Responsive controls offer granular customization.

★★★★★

Business tools

Solid WooCommerce integration and form builder. Limited native analytics and CRM capabilities.

★★★★☆

Marketing tools

Excellent popup builder and landing pages. Email marketing requires third-party integrations.

★★★★☆

Support

Responsive ticket system for Pro users. Community sentiment reveals inconsistent experiences and price frustration.

★★★☆☆

Competitor comparison: Elementor

Below we show you how Elementor stacks up against Divi and Beaver Builder:

Platform

Best for

Our overall rating

Free plan

Paid plans start at

Ease of use

Support

Elementor

WordPress flexibility

★★★★☆

Yes

$4.92/month

★★★★☆

Live chat, tickets, community

Divi Builder

Design variety

★★★★☆

No

$19.00/month

★★★★☆

Email, community forum

Beaver Builder

Performance optimization

★★★★☆

Yes

$9.92/month

★★★⯪☆

Email, forums

How we tested the Elementor website builder

Every website builder review on Techradar is based on hands-on testing. I installed Elementor on multiple WordPress sites, built test pages across different niches, and measured performance metrics. Each feature was scrutinized through practical application, not just documentation review.​

We've been reviewing business software since 2012 at TechRadar Pro. For complete details on our evaluation process, read about how we test website builders.

Elementor review: FAQs

Is Elementor free to use?

Yes, Elementor offers a free version with basic page-building capabilities.

You get 40+ widgets, 30+ templates, and the drag-and-drop editor. However, advanced features like Theme Builder, WooCommerce Builder, and popup builder require Elementor Pro. The free version limits you to content editing within existing theme structures.​

How do I install Elementor on WordPress?

Navigate to your WordPress Dashboard, click Plugins > Add New, search for "Elementor," then click Install and Activate. For Elementor Pro, download the plugin zip file from your Elementor account at my.elementor.com, upload it through WordPress Dashboard > Plugins > Upload Plugin, then activate your license key.​

What's the difference between Elementor and Elementor Pro?

Elementor Pro includes 100+ widgets and templates versus 40+ in the free version, plus Theme Builder for headers/footers, WooCommerce Builder, popup builder, form integrations, and priority support. The free version limits customization to page content only, while Pro controls every site element including 404 pages.​

Can I speed up my Elementor website?

Yes, activate Elementor's performance experiments including Optimized DOM Output, Improved Asset Loading, and Improved CSS Loading under Settings > Features.

You can also optimize images, enable caching plugins like WP Rocket, minimize unnecessary plugins, and consider a CDN. Reduce sections, widgets, and columns in your designs.​

Does Elementor work with all WordPress themes?

Elementor works with most WordPress themes, though compatibility varies.For best results, use themes specifically built for Elementor or the Elementor Hello theme.

The Theme Builder feature in Elementor Pro lets you override theme templates entirely, reducing compatibility issues. Some themes may conflict with Elementor's styling.​

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