CodeDesign.ai is an AI-powered web development platform that can build a fully-functional website from a single prompt. All you have to do is provide it with a brief description of the kind of website you’re looking to build — AI algorithms do everything else for you.
Once the AI website builder creates your website, you have the option to customize and fine-tune it to your liking. From layouts and color schemes to typography and images, CodeDesign offers a wide range of customization options to ensure your website aligns perfectly with your brand identity.
The no-code editor uses a simple drag-and-drop interface, making customization easy for non-programmers. We really liked CodeDesign’s mobile-first approach, which ensures that your site looks good on every screen size. Plus, it comes with SEO optimization features and the ability to generate AI-powered UI elements.
While CodeDesign excels in many areas, there are a few aspects that could be improved. You may find the AI-generated designs to be somewhat generic. Although it offers a wide range of customization options, users with more advanced design requirements may find CodeDesign limiting compared to no-code web development tools like Webflow.
If you’re a small business owner, freelancer, or solopreneur who’s just starting to build an online presence, CodeDesign could be the best website builder for you. You get professional-looking websites with almost zero effort, even if the initial results are somewhat lacking in uniqueness.
CodeDesign plans and pricing
CodeDesign offers monthly, yearly, as well as lifetime subscription plans to suit the needs of individuals, small businesses, and agencies. Each plan comes with incremental features, including more website visitors and design regenerations.
The entry-level plan, known as the Basic Plan, starts at just $15/website/month. This plan is suitable for individuals or small businesses with simple website requirements. It allows for up to 10 website pages and includes 20 AI design regenerations per month. Additionally, the Basic Plan offers basic customer support and access to SEO optimization tools to help improve the website's visibility in search engine results.
For users with more extensive website needs, CodeDesign.ai offers the Standard Plan at $29/website/month. This plan removes the limit on the number of pages that can be created and increases the number of AI design regenerations to 100 per month. It’s an ideal choice for businesses looking to build more comprehensive websites.
The Growth Plan, priced at $49/website/month, is designed for users building complex websites. It includes all the features of the Standard Plan, along with advanced functionalities like code export and an increased limit of 200 AI design regenerations per month.
For users who prefer a one-time payment option, CodeDesign.ai offers a Lifetime Subscription starting at $97 for one website all the way up to $999 for unlimited websites. This deal provides access to all of CodeDesign's features, including the ability to use "smart components" and logic for website creation.
CodeDesign website builder features
CodeDesign is a feature-rich AI website builder with a focus on mobile optimization, intuitiveness, and ease of use. It can use AI to generate individual UI elements based on your instructions, build layouts that look good on every screen, and even help with things like search engine optimization.
AI website generation
AI technology enables users to generate fully functional websites from simple prompts. Armed with a brief description of your website preferences, CodeDesign’s intelligent algorithms create a complete site with optimized layouts, designs, content, and images in mere seconds.
Customizable design
While it’s great for automated website generation, CodeDesign also offers plenty of customization options. Users have the flexibility to fine-tune every aspect of their AI-generated website, from layouts and color schemes to typography and images.
Mobile optimization
CodeDesign.ai ensures that every site generated through its platform is fully optimized for mobile devices. Whether viewed on smartphones, tablets, or desktops, your website will adapt seamlessly to different screen sizes, providing an exceptional user experience everywhere.
Magic copywriting
CodeDesign takes content creation to the next level with its AI Magic Copywriting feature. Using proprietary language models, this powerful tool assists users in crafting SEO-friendly marketing copy for their websites.
Publishing and export
With CodeDesign, publishing your website is a breeze. You can choose to host your site directly on the CodeDesign platform or seamlessly integrate it with your WordPress website. Additionally, CodeDesign also offers the flexibility to export your website as developer-friendly code, so that you can host it on the platform of your choice.
CodeDesign website builder: Setup
Getting started with CodeDesign.ai is a breeze, even for those new to website building. The first step is to create an account by clicking the login button on the top right corner of the CodeDesign.ai homepage. You can sign up using your email address or opt for a convenient login through your Google account.
When you're ready to dive in and create your first AI-powered website, simply click on the "Build with AI" button on the dashboard. CodeDesign.ai will prompt you to provide a detailed description of your desired website, including the industry, layout preferences, color scheme, and any specific elements you want to include. The more information you provide, the better the AI can understand and bring your vision to life.
After submitting your prompt, CodeDesign.ai's powerful AI algorithms will generate a fully functional website tailored to your specifications in a matter of seconds. Being a responsive website built using mobile-first principles, it will look good on any screen size.
Once your AI-generated website is ready, you can fine-tune and customize every aspect of it using the platform's drag-and-drop interface and extensive design options. CodeDesign.ai allows you to modify layouts, colors, fonts, images, and content to ensure your website perfectly aligns with your brand identity.
If you choose to host your website with CodeDesign, the platform handles all the technical aspects, such as security updates, ensuring your site remains safe and up-to-date without any manual intervention. But, you also have the option to export the code so that you can host your website on an independent server.
CodeDesign help and support
CodeDesign offers multiple support channels, including phone, email, and live chat, making it easy for customers to reach out for assistance. With a dedicated support team available 24/7, it ensures that help is always just a click or call away.
The company prides itself on quick and efficient service, with an impressive average response time of 7 minutes and 55 seconds. Support agents are efficient and knowledgeable, equipped to handle a wide range of questions and concerns.
Apart from one-on-one support, CodeDesign also provides comprehensive documentation featuring FAQs, tutorials, and guides. There are plenty of resources for users getting started with the platform, ranging from articles to graphics to videos.
CodeDesign website builder review: Final verdict
Despite having an impressive list of features in its roster, CodeDesign is one of the most underrated platforms we’ve reviewed so far. But while it may not be as popular as some other AI website builders, it impressed us with its customer-centric approach and ease of use. We think this tool has great potential, even if the designs lack a certain distinctiveness without some customization.
If you’re looking for an advanced no-code platform that allows for complex and layered website development, this isn’t the platform for you. But by offering a very simple and user-friendly experience, CodeDesign is arguably one of the best website builders for small businesses and solopreneurs.
Founded in 2015 and based in Noida, India, Appy Pie offers a platform that empowers individuals and businesses to create apps and websites without the need for traditional coding expertise. Their services span app building, website creation, chatbot development, live chat software, and business process automation tools — including an AI website builder launched in 2023.
AI automates routine tasks, analyzes user data, and delivers personalized experiences to keep visitors engaged. Appy Pie lets you “turn your text into a website in seconds”, automatically generating a custom website with its own design and content, based on your inputted instructions.
What we liked about Appy Pie's AI website builder is its ease of use. Even if you lack coding skills, you can create a website that looks great on any device. The platform offers a wide range of customizable templates, themes, and design elements. Plus, AI optimization and analytics features allow you to tweak your website's performance.
However, there are quite a few aspects we didn’t like as much. For example, the user experience could stand to improve quite a bit, with certain templates looking a bit dated. Also, while the platform offers a free tier for its app builder, the website builder is locked behind paid plans only.
Overall, we liked Appy Pie for its powerful text-to-website AI platform. But free website builder plans are non-existent and the UX can stand to improve, not to mention that prices can add up quickly when you’re looking to build something complex. You should also know that Appy Pie’s support team is divided into web and mobile, with one team directing you to the other if your query doesn’t line up with their expertise.
Appy Pie plans and pricing
Appy Pie provides both monthly and annual billing options, with the latter offering discounts of up to 30%. Its plans are essentially divided into two categories, depending on whether you wish to build web apps or mobile apps. For the AI website builder, Appy Pie offers two plans: Start and Grow.
Start, which costs $18/month, is “perfect for a personal project.” It comes with unlimited bandwidth, SSL security, and 50 GB of online storage space. However, it forces you to display ads on your website and does not come with instant live chat support.
Grow, which is priced at $36/month, is the true “premium plan.” It comes with unlimited storage, premium support, and completely ad-free experience for your website visitors. It also offers advanced analytics and SEO features for web developers looking for a bit more freedom. There’s contact forms for collecting data, promotional pop-ups for displaying offers, and the ability to send push notifications to devices.
Appy Pie’s app builder, which is separate from the website builder, follows its own distinct pricing structure. It comes with three plans: Basic ($16/app/month), Gold ($36/app/month), and Platinum ($60/app/month). Prices are on a per-app basis, with additional charges for publishing your apps to different app stores. There’s no hosting available with these plans. There’s also live chat and a chatbot solution available as paid add-ons.
These prices are hardly the most competitive, but they won’t break the bank unless you’re looking to build something really complex. We think that the forced advertisements in the Start plan are a little unfair, especially given that the entry-level plan is already pretty barebones to begin with. While the Grow plan is more feature-rich, it still displays the company branding unless you sign up for a paid add-on to remove it. Ultimately, this is a major downside to Appy Pie, as the majority of the best website builders remove all or most branding and ads for paying customers.
Appy Pie website builder features
While it lacks the polish of some of the more established AI website builders, Appy Pie still offers a comprehensive list of features for individuals and businesses looking to build an online presence. Here are some that stood out to us:
AI-powered design
Appy Pie's AI algorithms analyze user preferences and provide intelligent design suggestions, helping users create visually appealing websites effortlessly. From color schemes to layout options, AI guides users in making informed design decisions that align with their brand and target audience.
Drag-and-drop functionality
The platform's drag-and-drop functionality allows users to easily customize their websites by adding, removing, or rearranging elements with just a few clicks. This intuitive approach eliminates the need for coding skills, making website creation accessible to everyone.
Responsive layouts
All websites created using Appy Pie's website builder are automatically optimized for various devices, ensuring a seamless user experience across desktops, tablets, and mobile phones. This responsive design feature helps businesses reach a wider audience and improve their online presence.
Ecommerce capabilities
Appy Pie's website builder offers powerful e-commerce features, enabling businesses to create online stores, manage inventory, process payments, and handle shipping. With built-in SEO tools and marketing integrations, users can effectively promote their products and drive sales.
Multilingual support
The platform supports the creation of multilingual websites, allowing businesses to expand their reach and cater to a global audience. Users can easily add and manage content in multiple languages, enhancing their website's accessibility and user engagement.
Appy Pie website builder: Setup
Appy Pie has a simple registration process that has you entering your name, email address, and password to sign up for an account. After that, a brief onboarding sequence guides you through the platform’s key features and functionalities. Once done, there are two ways to start building your first website with Appy Pie.
The first option is to use Appy Pie’s text-to-website tool. All you have to do is enter a prompt describing the kind of website you’d like to build into the ChatGPT-like interface. Appy Pie then creates a fully-featured website tailored to your instructions within a matter of seconds. You can further customize your website using the recommendations from the AI-powered design assistant, which can suggest colors, fonts, layout options, and much more.
Your second option is to use one of Appy Pie’s pre-existing templates to build a website similar to any other website builder. There are more than 10,000 free templates available on Appy Pie’s database, all of which have been generated using AI. Pick one that feels closest to your requirements, then customize it using the AI design assistant that Appy Pie offers.
The platform provides a range of settings and options to help you fine-tune your site's appearance and functionality. You can easily adjust colors, fonts, and layouts, as well as integrate various features such as contact forms, social media links, and e-commerce capabilities. AI-powered tools offer intelligent suggestions and automations to enhance your website's performance and user experience throughout the website building process.
Appy Pie handles all technical aspects such as hosting, security, and software updates, allowing you to focus on creating and managing your content. It also provides built-in analytics and SEO tools to help you gauge the performance of your website. The platform undergoes regular updates to keep up with current design trends, with new features being added every now and then.
Appy Pie help and support
Appy Pie provides multiple support channels for its AI website builder, including live chat, email, and phone support, which are available 24/7. Users can also access an extensive library of FAQs, video tutorials, and help center articles to find solutions to common issues.
Appy Pie's support team is known for its quick response times and efficient problem-solving. Many online reviews praise the company's customer service, highlighting the support team's helpfulness and knowledgeability. Customers appreciate the support agents' friendliness and willingness to go above and beyond to resolve issues and provide guidance.
We found Appy Pie’s dedicated customer service to be a pleasant surprise, especially compared to other parts of the platform like user experience or pricing. Still, you should know that the support team is divided into two camps: web and mobile. If you don’t contact the right department the first time around, they may have to redirect you to get your issue resolved.
Appy Pie website builder review: Final verdict
As far as AI website builders go, you could do worse than Appy Pie. We especially liked its text-to-website tool and AI-powered design assistant, but felt that the user experience could still stand to improve a bit. Our most significant gripe with the platform is its pricing structure, with no free plan to speak of and forced advertisements and branding even with paid subscriptions.
Still, we liked how responsive and helpful the support team is. This is also one of the few AI website generators with multilingual support, which is a major plus. Ultimately, the choice depends on your own priorities as a developer, as well as your overall budget.
TeleportHQ is a low-code front-end development platform that simplifies the process of creating, maintaining and publishing user interfaces for desktop and mobile devices. Founded in 2017 by Paul Brie, this open-source project aims to centralize the whole process of creating websites while leveraging the power of AI to improve data visualization and code generation.
With TeleportHQ's AI website builder, you can go from a simple description to a fully functional website in minutes. The platform uses advanced ChatGPT technology to generate unique code for your website based on your prompts. What's really exciting is that you can even create websites from hand-drawn plans — simply create a basic sketch of your website layout on the TeleportHQ platform and the vision API will generate your design in minutes using AI-generated code.
We liked that TeleportHQ offers a flexible, collaborative solution for front-end development teams. It enables seamless collaboration between designers and developers, with features like a built-in Figma integration that lets you export frames as HTML. The ability to export your final code in nine different JavaScript frameworks is also a huge plus, allowing you to share your website code via React, Next, Gatsby, Vue, Nuxt, Gridsome, Angular, Preact, or HTML.
However, we also found that TeleportHQ has a steeper learning curve compared to some of the best website builders. The editor and user interface can be challenging to get a grasp of, and once you have generated your AI website pages, it's complicated to customize specific page elements.
TeleportHQ is an advanced AI website builder best suited for users with intermediate to advanced web development experience, especially agencies looking to leverage AI to bring their clients' website ideas from concept to reality. While it offers cutting-edge AI-driven web development capabilities, the complexity of the platform may be overwhelming for complete beginners.
TeleportHQ plans and pricing
TeleportHQ offers a flexible pricing structure divided into three separate tiers — Free, Professional, and Agency. Each tier comes with incremental benefits and features, with a few limitations imposed on the entry-level plans.
First comes the free website builder plan, which is ideal for those just starting out or looking to explore the capabilities of TeleportHQ. With this plan, users can create up to 3 projects, access 10 code views or downloads, and collaborate with an unlimited number of team members. The Free plan also includes access to real-time collaboration features, free ready-made templates, community support, and basic hosting under the TeleportHQ domain.
For teams and individuals requiring more advanced features and collaboration tools for complex projects, TeleportHQ offers the Professional plan at $18 per editor per month (or $9 per editor per month with an annual subscription). This plan includes all the features of the Free plan, plus unlimited projects, unlimited code views or downloads, unlimited view-only collaborators, the ability to upload videos, private projects, and dedicated customer support.
Agencies and brands dealing with a high number of projects, more domains, or unique hosting needs can opt for the Agency plan, which offers custom pricing tailored to their specific requirements. This plan includes all the features of the Professional plan, along with publishing on 10+ custom domains, custom storage options, custom bandwidth on demand, and integration with Vercel.
TeleportHQ also provides dedicated support and training from their specialists via video call for users who need technical assistance with their projects. The pricing for this service ranges from $80 for a 1-hour session to $480 for an 8-hour session, depending on the level of support required. It also offers sizable discounts from time to time, making the upgrade from a free plan much easier.
TeleportHQ website builder features
With its AI-powered tools, no-code interface, and seamless integrations, TeleportHQ empowers designers and developers to collaborate on web apps ranging from simple to advanced. Here’s a look at some of its best features:
ChatGPT website builder
TeleportHQ's AI website builder leverages the power of OpenAI-generated code to revolutionize the way websites are created. Simply input a description of your desired website, and the AI will generate a responsive layout within seconds, allowing you to customize and refine the design to perfection.
Figma integration
Seamlessly convert your Figma designs into functional code with TeleportHQ's Figma plugin. Export frames as HTML and CSS, and import them directly into TeleportHQ for further customization and development, streamlining your workflow and ensuring consistency between design and code.
Collaborative workspace
You can foster seamless collaboration between designers and developers with TeleportHQ's shared workspace. Work together in real-time, leave comments, and manage version control effortlessly, ensuring that everyone stays on the same page throughout the project lifecycle.
Flexible code export
TeleportHQ allows you to export your final code in nine different JavaScript frameworks, including React, Next, Gatsby, Vue, Nuxt, Gridsome, Angular, Preact, and HTML. This flexibility ensures that you can integrate your work seamlessly with your preferred tech stack and deploy your site instantly.
Advanced customization
Take full control over your website's design with TeleportHQ's advanced customization features. Modify layouts, adjust padding and margins, set background images, and fine-tune text styles using the intuitive Style Inspector Panel and CSS Classes, ensuring pixel-perfect results across all devices.
TeleportHQ website builder: Setup
New users can sign up for a free account directly on the TeleportHQ website by providing their email address and creating a password. Upon registration, you are guided through an intuitive onboarding process that introduces the platform's key features and capabilities. This includes an overview of the drag-and-drop editor, design tools, and the collaboration features that enable seamless teamwork between designers and developers.
For first-time users, TeleportHQ offers a library of professionally designed templates that serve as a starting point for creating stunning websites. These templates can be easily customized using the visual editor, allowing users to adjust layouts, colors, fonts, and other design elements to match their brand or personal style. The platform also provides a range of pre-built UI components, such as buttons, forms, and navigation menus, which can be dragged and dropped onto the canvas to quickly build out pages.
Configuring a project in TeleportHQ is equally user-friendly. The platform lets you set up your project settings, including domain configuration, hosting options, and code export preferences. TeleportHQ offers free hosting on its own domain, as well as the ability to connect custom domains for a more professional look. You can also choose to export your code in one of nine different JavaScript frameworks, ensuring compatibility with their preferred tech stack.
As you continue to work with TeleportHQ, you'll find that the platform is designed with a focus on ease of use. The visual editor provides a real-time preview of the website, allowing users to see changes as they make them. The platform also offers advanced features like custom code scripting, which enables you to add interactive elements and dynamic functionality to sites.
TeleportHQ takes care of code minification, image compression, and CDN integration through its AI-generated code, ensuring that websites load quickly and perform well across all devices. The platform also makes it easy to collaborate with team members, with features like real-time editing and commenting, version control, and granular permissions.
TeleportHQ help and support
TeleportHQ offers a comprehensive Help Center with frequently read articles, tutorials, and guides covering various topics, from getting started with AI website generation to advanced features like CMS integrations. For more personalized assistance, you can reach out to the support team via live chat and email whenever you want.
The company also has an active community on Discord where users can ask questions, share tips, and get help from both the support team and other users. However, some users suggest that support responsiveness could be improved, with a few queries going unanswered for days.
While the documentation is extensive, navigating it to find specific answers can be challenging at times. Dedicated customer support and an account manager are available for paying customers on higher-tier plans, which can help ensure more timely and efficient resolution of issues.
TeleportHQ website builder: Final verdict
Unlike most AI-powered website builders, TeleportHQ takes a strong low-code approach to web development, using OpenAI algorithms and ChatGPT to generate the code powering your website. This allows for more in-depth customization, since you have the option to customize the code however you like.
Of course, TeleportHQ is not just for professional developers. With features like Figma integration, it’s meant to serve as a collaborative hub where both designers and developers can interact with each other to create the perfect website. We especially like how this platform balances a more developer-friendly approach while still remaining accessible for non-technical users.
B12 is a powerful AI platform with a focus on speed and support, blending the power of artificial intelligence with a human touch to help professional service providers create polished websites. Founded in 2015, the company's mission is to be one of the best AI website builders, alongside being an all-in-one platform that enables professionals and businesses to attract, win, and serve clients online.
In just 60 seconds, B12's AI engine generates a personalized website draft tailored to your industry, complete with relevant copy, images, and page layouts. This gives you a solid foundation to build upon. From there, you can customize your site using the drag-and-drop editor, or lean on their team of design and copywriting consultants to refine your site to perfection.
We were impressed by the quality of the AI-generated website drafts and how B12 equips you with an array of tools to engage visitors and run your business. Contact forms, online scheduling, invoicing, and email marketing features are seamlessly integrated. It also offers free hosting, a custom domain, and built-in SEO. The level of support offered by B12 is on par with a professional web design agency, unlike most no-code website building software.
On the downside, B12 comes off as a bit more expensive than some of the best website builders. While comprehensive, the sheer number of features could overwhelm some users. The platform is also geared towards service-based small businesses, so it may not be the best fit for every type of website. For example, there is no support for the best ecommerce platform integrations like Shopify.
We found B12 to be a compelling option for service providers and small businesses that want a full-featured website without spending countless hours building one from scratch. The level of support it offers, complete with consultants to help design and write your website content, is a true differentiator. Though it may not be for everyone, B12's a platform worth considering if you’re a service provider looking for a premium service and don’t mind the higher price point.
B12 plans and pricing
B12 follows a straightforward pricing structure with a focus on transparency, eliminating the need for add-ons or tacked-on hidden fees. While it may seem more expensive compared to some competitors, it’s worth remembering that this is a focused solution for service providers that also comes with the added benefit of human consultants, which is not very common in the website builder space.
The entry-level plan, called Starter, is free and allows users to build their own website, intake clients, and receive online payments. But, like most free website builder plans, this option includes B12 branded banners on the site and invoices. Basic, priced at $49 per month or $42 per month when billed annually, includes features like a custom domain, online scheduling, and client intake forms, without any platform branding.
For more established businesses, the Professional package at $199 per month or $169 per month when billed annually, offers additional features such as email marketing, contact management, contracts, and eSignatures. It also provides a higher level of support.
The most comprehensive plan is the Advanced package, priced at $399 per month or $339 per month when billed annually. This plan is best suited for businesses with staff or regular collaborators, as it includes access for up to 5 team members and premium features to ensure efficient operations.
B12 also offers a limited-time promotion allowing users to try the platform for $1 per month for the first three months. All plans also include online scheduling, invoicing, and payments, which are often add-ons charged separately by other website builders.
B12 website builder features
With its bevy of tools and expert support, B12 simplifies the process of creating, launching, and managing a website. It has a range of specific offerings that cater specifically to service-based businesses. Here’s a look at some of its standout features.
AI-generated website draft
B12's AI technology instantly generates a personalized website draft tailored to your industry in just 60 seconds. This draft includes relevant content, images, and a layout optimized for your business, providing a solid foundation to build upon.
Customizable design
Using the user-friendly B12 Editor, you can easily customize your website's design, color scheme, and content to match your brand. Alternatively, you can collaborate with B12's team of professional designers and copywriters to refine your site further.
Client engagement tools
B12 offers a suite of integrated tools to help you engage with clients and manage your business more efficiently. These include contact forms, online appointment scheduling, invoicing, and email marketing features, all seamlessly integrated into your website.
SEO optimization
From the start, B12 websites are search engine optimized to improve your online visibility. The platform also provides website analytics, allowing you to track your site's performance and make data-driven decisions to enhance your online presence.
Expert support and maintenance
B12's team of web design, copywriting, and SEO experts are available to help you create, launch, and maintain your website. This ongoing support ensures that your site remains up-to-date and optimized for the best chance of success.
B12 AI website builder: Setup
To begin, you'll need to register for an account on the B12 website. The registration process is quick and easy, requiring only your basic information and a valid email address. Once your account is created, B12's onboarding process will guide you through the initial setup, helping you familiarize yourself with the platform's features and capabilities.
When using B12 for the first time, AI-powered systems will generate a personalized website draft based on your industry and preferences. This draft serves as a starting point for your website, which you can then customize using the B12 Editor. The editor allows you to modify your site's design, color scheme, and content to align with your brand and vision. If you need assistance during this process, B12's team of design and copywriting experts is available to help you refine your website.
Configuring your B12 website is simple, thanks to the platform's user-friendly interface. You can easily add and manage pages, integrate your social media accounts, and set up essential features like contact forms and online scheduling. B12 also offers a range of built-in tools to help you engage with your audience and run your business more efficiently, such as email marketing and invoicing.
The platform is designed to grow with your business. You can easily update your website's content, add new features, and expand your online presence as needed. B12's team of experts is always available to provide support and guidance, ensuring that your website remains up-to-date and optimized for success.
Maintaining your website is a breeze, thanks to the automatic software updates and security measures. B12 takes care of the technical aspects of running your website, allowing you to focus on growing your business. With its comprehensive suite of tools and dedicated support team, B12 can help you create and manage your AI-powered website with ease.
B12 help and support
Customers can reach B12's dedicated Customer Success team through multiple channels, including chat, email, and scheduled phone calls. The support team is available Monday through Friday, from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm ET, and strives to respond to inquiries within one business day.
B12's support team is known for its efficiency and customer-friendly approach. They take the time to understand each customer's unique needs and provide personalized assistance. When scheduling a call, the support team member reviews the customer's site beforehand to identify potential issues and formulate solutions, resulting in faster resolution and more thorough answers. Many reviews highlight the excellent work of individual team members, citing their expertise and dedication.
In addition to direct support, B12 offers a comprehensive Help Center with articles and guides covering various topics, from getting started with the platform to advanced features like email marketing and integrations. The self-service resource allows customers to find answers to common questions and learn the best practices for using B12's website builder.
B12 AI website builder: Final verdict
B12 is a premium AI-powered website builder designed specifically for service providers. While it isn’t a good fit for professionals or businesses outside this demographic, it still manages to carve out a niche for itself with its feature-rich platform and excellent support.
We really like the level of support on offer here, with the option to consult with dedicated design, copy, and marketing experts to help take your website to the next level. The level of dedication towards customers really is on par with a professional web design firm rather than a software-as-a-service company. However, if you’re looking for strong ecommerce features or just something at a lower price point, this may not be the platform for you.
Founded by Tibor Madjar and Meir Amzallag in 2020, Hocoos is a London-based company that has quickly made a name for itself in the world of AI-powered web design. It’s a cutting-edge AI website builder with a focus on speed and efficiency, although the lackluster free plan is nothing to write home about.
When you dive into the Hocoos AI website builder, you'll be impressed by its user-friendly interface and the speed at which it generates stunning, personalized websites. By answering just 8 simple questions about your business, Hocoos' AI algorithms get to work, crafting a unique site complete with relevant text, images, and design elements.
The platform also offers a wide range of customization options, allowing you to fine-tune your site's appearance with custom color palettes, font pairings, and image filters. Another standout feature is the AI-powered content creation tools. The AI Writer can help you overcome writer's block by generating relevant content for your website. The AI Image Completion tool automatically enhances and completes images, ensuring that your site is visually captivating.
While it excels in many areas, Hocoos has a few caveats you should also consider. Its free plan, for one, is extremely limited — without the ability to even customize your subdomain URL. Moreover, the platform's customization options, while extensive, may not provide the level of control that some developers and designers have come to expect.
Overall, Hocoos is an impressive AI website builder that offers a quick, easy, and efficient way to create professional-looking websites. We like that it also includes an AI-driven blog builder and an AI store builder, making it a comprehensive solution for businesses looking to establish a strong online presence. However, it does not offer the same level of customizability as a full-fledged web design tool like Webflow, Editor X, or Framer.
Hocoos plans and pricing
Hocoos offers a straightforward and transparent pricing model that caters to different user needs. The platform provides both a free plan and a premium plan, making it accessible to a wide range of users.
The free plan is ideal for personal projects or for those who want to try out the platform before committing to a paid subscription. It includes free website hosting, a limited booking system, a blog (without AI blogging capabilities), 15 image uploads, and 20 uses of AI content generation. While the free plan has some limitations, it still allows users to create a basic website and explore the platform's features.
For those who require more advanced features and functionality, Hocoos offers a premium plan at $15 per month (billed monthly) or $150 per year (which includes two bonus months). The premium plan includes a comprehensive set of features, such as a free custom domain name, free website hosting, online payments, access to over 600,000 stock images, unlimited image uploads, unlimited AI features, a custom email address, and email marketing capabilities.
Unlike many other website builders that offer tiered pricing with varying levels of features, Hocoos provides access to all of its features under an affordable premium plan. This eliminates confusion and ensures that users have access to the full range of tools and capabilities without any hidden costs or upgrade requirements.
Hocoos's pricing is highly competitive when compared to other AI website builders in the market. We think that the platform's combination of advanced AI features, user-friendly interface, and comprehensive set of tools at a pocket-friendly price point makes it an attractive option for small businesses, entrepreneurs, and individuals looking to establish a professional presence.
Hocoos website builder features
Hocoos is a powerful AI website builder that simplifies the process of creating professional websites. With its user-friendly interface, extensive customization options, and AI-powered tools, Hocoos empowers users to build stunning websites tailored to their unique needs.
AI website creation
Hocoos' AI wizard creates custom websites in minutes by asking users a series of simple questions. The AI generates a unique website complete with content, design, and images based on the user's answers, streamlining the website creation process and saving time.
Drag-and-drop editor
The Hocoos AI Website Builder features an intuitive drag-and-drop editor that allows users to easily modify text, swap photos, add new sections, and customize their website's appearance. The editor provides a wide range of customization options, including unique color palettes, custom fonts, and an extensive image library.
AI content creation
Hocoos offers a suite of AI-powered tools to enhance the website building experience. The AI Image Completion tool automatically enhances and completes images, while the AI Content Creator generates engaging, relevant content for pages, widgets, and blog posts.
Ecommerce and booking
Hocoos enables users to set up online stores and booking systems with ease. The platform provides features such as product pages, inventory management, multiple payment methods, and a unified app to control every aspect of the business.
Blogging and marketing
Hocoos offers a powerful AI-driven blog builder that creates engaging blog posts designed to captivate readers. The platform also provides marketing features, such as email marketing, SEO tools, and analytics, to help users grow their online presence and make data-driven decisions.
Hocoos AI website builder: Setup
Getting started with Hocoos AI Website Builder is a breeze, thanks to its user-friendly interface and streamlined setup process. To begin, simply visit the Hocoos website and click on the "Create My Website" button. You'll be prompted to enter your email address, which will serve as your login credential for future access to your account.
Once registered, Hocoos' AI-powered onboarding wizard will guide you through a series of eight simple questions about your business, such as its name, location, purpose, and unique aspects. Your answers will help the AI generate a tailored website that aligns with your brand and goals. After completing the onboarding process, Hocoos will create your unique website in a matter of seconds.
The platform's intuitive drag-and-drop editor allows you to customize your website's layout, colors, fonts, and content to your liking. You can also take advantage of Hocoos's extensive image library and AI-powered tools, such as the AI Image Completion and AI Content Creator, to enhance your website's visual appeal and engage your audience.
You can easily connect your custom domain, enable online payments through popular gateways like PayPal and Stripe, and access marketing tools to promote your website. The platform also offers a range of features and integrations to help you grow your business, such as setting up an online store, creating a blog, and managing bookings.
Hocoos handles all the technical aspects, such as hosting, security, and updates, allowing you to focus on growing your business. You can easily make changes to your website's content and design using the user-friendly editor, ensuring that your site remains fresh and up-to-date.
Hocoos support
While it does not provide detailed information about support hours, Hocoos emphasizes that its customer support team is 100% human. Unfortunately, the only way to contact the support team is through a form on the company website, with no other options for real-time support like phone or chat. While that’s hardly a perfect situation, this isn’t uncommon among web development startups working with small teams.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t get much better from there. Due to the platform's rapid growth and the unexpected volume of support requests, users have reported issues with response times, particularly after upgrading to premium plans. While there are instances where the CEO reached out directly to resolve persistent customer issues, the support infrastructure is a bit of a hit and miss overall.
While there is room for improvement in terms of response times and transparency about support availability, Hocoos seems to display a customer-centric approach, actively implementing feedback to enhance its current support services. Per company responses to user reviews, it's also in the process of expanding its support team and improving help documentation.
Hocoos AI website builder: Final verdict
As far as AI website builders go, Hocoos presents as a feature-rich solution with a lot working in its favor. Its arsenal of tools for creating, maintaining, and expanding your online presence, coupled with the extremely reasonable price point, makes it a great choice for users who haven’t created a website before.
However, power users may not find a lot to love here. Not only is the free plan extremely limited, but manual customization is a bit of a challenge even on the premium plans. This, along with the lack of proper support infrastructure for diagnosing and fixing technical issues, makes it a tough sell for complex websites and large organizations.
In our detailed Visual Composer review we explore this top website builder tailored specifically for WordPress users. Visual Composer stands out as a versatile and powerful plugin that lets businesses and creative individuals build stunning and highly functional websites without any coding knowledge. As a WordPress plugin, it seamlessly integrates with the platform, offering a simple drag-and-drop interface for building and customizing web pages.
Our expertise in site building and WordPress plugins allows us to provide trustworthy advice on Visual Composer's capabilities and features. With years of experience in evaluating website builders and design tools, our insights aim to guide readers like yourself in making smart decisions about their online presence.
Throughout our review, we explore the features and functionalities of Visual Composer, including its drag-and-drop interface, templates, and integration with WordPress features. We also highlight the benefits of using Visual Composer for businesses of all sizes, especially for small startups. Whether you're a web wizard or a business beginner, our review reveals how Visual Composer can take your site to the next level.
Visual Composer: Features and tools
From drag-and-drop functionality to customizable templates, we'll cover everything you need to know to make the most of this powerful WordPress plugin. Let’s start with the editor.
Drag-and-drop editor
Visual Composer proudly touts its drag-and-drop editor as the pinnacle of site creation tools, providing a user-friendly experience for all. With over 500 content elements ready for use, including text, buttons, maps, images, videos, galleries, and grids, crafting visually stunning web pages becomes almost effortless.
We've found that the editor's flexibility makes it easy to organize elements within rows, allowing you to create layouts that look good on any device, whether it's a desktop or a smartphone. The best part is that you don't need to be a coding whiz to make it happen. Thanks to drag-and-drop functionality, designing your dream site is easier than ever.
This site builder also impressed us with its live frontend editor, giving us the power to tweak our site in real-time and see the changes immediately. This eliminated the hassle of constantly switching between editing and preview modes, making the process much smoother. Plus, seeing how our changes would appear to visitors helped us fine-tune our site in any way we wanted.
When it comes to making quick text tweaks and edits, Visual Composer has got you covered with its inline editor. We liked how easy it was to activate the editor - just a simple double-click on any text element and boom, you're ready to make changes right on the page. No more digging through endless menus or settings.
Meanwhile, Visual Composer's Theme Builder, available with premium/paid plans, puts you in the driver's seat of your site's design. With it, you can craft custom layouts for every part of your site, from individual pages to archive displays. Once you activate one of the premium plans, the addon seamlessly integrates into your dashboard menu for easy access. Within the Theme Builder, you can unleash your creativity, designing unique headers, footers, and sidebars. Starting with pre-designed content, you can tweak and polish your layout until it's just right. Plus, you can incorporate various elements to add dynamic flair to your design.
Visual Composer's tree view editor felt a bit like working with the layer panels in design software like Photoshop. This hierarchical view gave us a clear picture of our site's structure, making it super easy to manage elements and layouts. Whether we were tinkering with a simple portfolio or a massive e-commerce site, the tree view editor gave us a bird's-eye perspective that made handling even the most complex projects pretty painless.
All in all, we found Visual Composer to be a trusted ally for crafting WordPress sites. Its robust feature set has streamlined everything, from simple tweaks to complex projects. While newcomers might find the UI overwhelming at first, its intuitive design ensures that users quickly become proficient. Being able to effortlessly create and customize rows, along with simple content editing, has changed how we work.
Templates
When exploring Visual Composer's templates, we found tons of options tailored to different sites, available in both the free and paid versions. We enjoyed the convenience of the free version's basic page builder templates, perfect for single posts and pages. However, upgrading to a paid version unlocks a whole world of possibilities, including theme and popup builders, font and role managers, and an extensive library of industry-specific templates.
With a collection of over 200 templates, Visual Composer has something for everyone. While some templates may take a bit longer to load, they’re all customizable so you can make your site uniquely yours.
Another feature we enjoyed was the Global Templates add-on, which allowed us to seamlessly integrate pre-built templates across multiple pages. This saved us countless hours of manual updates, ensuring consistency and coherence across our site. The Visual Composer Hub - a cloud library of elements - served as our gateway to a rock-solid collection of templates, including pages, headers, footers, sidebars, and blocks.
You can boost your customization options with premium features like global templates, template widgets, block templates, site layouts, and export/import functionality. This allows you to create a site that perfectly matches your vision.
Integrations
Visual Composer works smoothly with different WordPress plugins and web design tools, allowing you to add smart features and functions to your site easily. Whether you need to manage custom field data with Advanced Custom Fields (ACF), optimize your site for search engines with Yoast SEO, or create dynamic content with Toolset, Visual Composer has got you covered.
The plugin also works without problems with popular e-commerce platforms like WooCommerce, making it easy for you to set up and manage online stores directly from your WordPress dashboard. Plus, with support for translation plugins like TranslatePress, you can effortlessly translate your site into multiple languages and reach a worldwide audience.
If you're a developer looking to extend Visual Composer's capabilities even further, the plugin's comprehensive public application programming interface (API) provides you with the tools you need to create custom elements and integrations for your specific requirements. Whether you're building a custom theme or developing bespoke tools for your clients, Visual Composer's API empowers you to take your projects to the next level.
Insights and analytics
Visual Composer Insights acts like having a personal analyzer for your site's content, offering much-needed feedback on SEO, performance, and accessibility. It checks multiple aspects of your content, such as title length, content length, paragraph size, and more, helping you create content that ranks higher, loads faster, and is more accessible to users. With Insights, you can easily spot errors, warnings, and success indicators, ensuring your site meets the highest standards.
On top of this, Visual Composer’s Notification Center provides curated links to useful articles and tutorials, offering helpful resources to upgrade your site-building experience.
When it comes to tracking your site's performance, integrating Google Analytics is a smart move. We've found it invaluable for gaining insights into our site visitors' behavior, tracking their interactions, and identifying the most valuable content. While connecting Google Analytics to WordPress can be challenging - there are two main methods: using a plugin or adding the code manually - it’s worth the effort.
Visual Composer pricing and plans
To kick things off, let's begin with a brief look at the pricing structure before we explore the details of each plan.
It’s time to explore what Visual Composer's site builder packages have in store for you.
Free
If you're just starting out or want to explore the platform, you can begin with the forever-free plan. No credit card is required, and you'll have access to essential features like ten templates, 30 content elements, a user-friendly page builder, some customization options, Insights analytics, API access, and an archive page editor for creating custom archive page templates.
Single
For individuals or businesses with one site, the “Single” plan is a superb option. It includes all the features of the free plan, plus over 300 content elements, more than 200 templates, a font manager, theme builder, popup builder, free stock images, and premium customer support.
Plus
If you’re planning to manage multiple sites, the “Plus” plan might be the right fit. Supporting up to five sites, it offers the same features as the “Single” plan but with the convenience of managing multiple sites from one dashboard.
Accelerate
If you need to manage even more sites, consider the “Accelerate” plan. It supports up to 20 sites and includes all the features of the “Plus” plan.
Agency
For agencies or businesses with extensive site management needs, there's the “Agency” plan. With support for up to 1000 sites, it offers the same features as the “Accelerate” plan but at a new, lower price.
Lifetime
If you prefer simplicity and value long-term solutions, the “Lifetime” plan offers a compelling option. Ideal for managing projects without the hassle of recurring subscriptions, this plan provides a single-site license with lifetime updates and two years of support. With a comprehensive suite of features including a drag-and-drop builder, diverse content elements, and premium support, this life-long plan ensures that your site remains up-to-date and fully functional in the long run.
Hosted
On the other hand, if you're seeking a hassle-free solution that takes the complexity out of site hosting and management, the “Hosted” plan might be the perfect fit. It comes with advanced features like high-performance setup, auto-healing technology, free SSL and CDN, and more. With this hosted solution, you can focus on growing your online presence without getting bogged down by technical stuff.
While Visual Composer doesn't offer a trial, they do provide a free version to get started. Plus, there's a 30-day refund policy for premium subscription purchases, so you can try it out risk-free.
Visual Composer: Help and support
When it comes to support, Visual Composer has your back with a solid range of options. With paid plans, you receive premium customer support, ensuring prompt assistance whenever you encounter a snag.
Their dedicated help center is like a goldmine of resources, packed with step-by-step guides covering everything from downloading the site builder to mastering templates and pop-ups. Whether you're new or experienced, their expert team is there to tackle any questions or concerns you might have.
They've got options like email support, forums, and ticket systems ready for you to reach out to (unfortunately, no phone support for real-time assistance). Plus, they've loaded up tutorial videos and detailed how-tos to walk you through every nook and cranny of the platform. No matter which package you go for, Visual Composer is all about making sure you're never left hanging when you need a hand.
Visual Composer: What’s not included? What could be better?
As we near the end of this Visual Composer review, it's important to point out areas where the platform may fall short and improvements could be made. While this WordPress site builder boasts an impressive range of features, there are certain tools and functionalities that some users might find lacking.
For instance, despite its user-friendly interface, we've noticed occasional sluggishness in the editor interface, which can impact workflow efficiency. Meanwhile, the absence of a free trial option may put off potential users who prefer to test a platform before committing to a subscription.
If you’re in search of a robust free website builder, Elementor emerges as a compelling alternative to Visual Composer. It offers a comprehensive free version packed with powerful features and flexibility, making it an attractive choice without the need for a premium subscription. Elementor offers a free plan that includes over 40 widgets, more than 30 templates, and essential add-ons like video, text editor, headings, and image boxes. In contrast, Visual Composer's free plan provides only basic features.
On the other hand, Divi presents an attractive alternative for users prioritizing front-end visual editing and seamless design customization. It boasts an intuitive front-end visual editor, allowing users to edit their sites in real-time. Its extensive library of over 800 pre-designed layouts, along with new layouts added weekly, caters to various themes and industries, making it a popular choice among WordPress users.
Another noteworthy competitor is Oxygen, which offers a unique blend of user-friendly features and developer-friendly elements. With a drag-and-drop editor, flexible layouts, and a custom header builder, Oxygen caters to both non-programmers and developers proficient in HTML, CSS, PHP, and JS. Unlike other builders, Oxygen's one-off price starting at $129 includes lifetime support and updates, making it a cost-effective choice for long-term use.
While Visual Composer is one of the best WordPress website builders out there, trying out other options can help you find what works best for you and your online project.
Visual Composer review: Final thoughts
To wrap things up, Visual Composer’s site builder offers a robust toolkit for creating stunning, dynamic, and engaging sites. Throughout our review, we delved into its user-friendly interface, colorful collection of content elements and templates, and powerful customization options. We highlighted its strengths, such as the drag-and-drop editor, theme builder features, and premium customer support. However, we also addressed some potential drawbacks, including occasional interface lag and a slight learning curve for some newcomers.
If you’re intrigued by Visual Composer, we suggest delving into its features and capabilities to see if it meets your needs. Even though it has its flaws, Visual Composer provides a powerful platform for crafting polished sites without any coding know-how. Don’t forget to check out the free version as well - it's a great way to get a feel for what Visual Composer has to offer.
In summary, Visual Composer holds its ground in the world of site builders, striking a superb balance between ease of use, versatility, and features. While it may not be flawless, its wide range of tools and options empowers you to design and personalize your sites to your liking
If you're on the lookout for the best website builders to craft a captivating website for your entrepreneurial endeavor, Sitejet is a platform worth exploring. In this dynamic landscape, it has emerged as a robust platform catering to the needs of solo entrepreneurs and small business owners striving to establish a prominent online presence. So, If you're on the hunt for a website builderthat strikes the right balance between functionality and simplicity, Sitejet could be the game-changer you've been looking for.
At TechRadar, we understand the challenges entrepreneurs face when choosing the right tools for their digital journey. Our commitment to providing tried-and-tested tips has earned the trust of our readers, and in this hands-on review, we'll unravel the intricacies of Sitejet to help you make a smart choice.
Throughout this exploration, we'll delve into Sitejet's core features, its usability for first-time website creators, and its potential to upgrade the online presence of small businesses. From design flexibility to ease of use, we'll guide you through our hands-on experience with Sitejet, ensuring you have the information and insights needed to make use of this powerful builder.
Whether you're stepping into the digital world for the first time or on the hunt for an improved solution for your current website, Sitejet could be the perfect platform for advancing your goals.
Is Sitejet the right website builder for me?
Choosing the perfect website builder is crucial for your online success. So, let's dissect who Sitejet caters to best and who might discover it to be a less fitting solution.
Sitejet is solid for solo entrepreneurs, small business owners, and marketers looking for a user-centric website builder that combines project management and client collaboration. The "Business Center" provides an excellent dashboard, offering a swift snapshot of various website projects, client input, and revenue insights presented in user-friendly graphics. So, if you want features like to-do lists and project management tools, Sitejet is your go-to solution.
Although Sitejet is designed for ease of use, those who appreciate in-depth guidance in using the dashboard might find it a bit less hand-holding compared to a simpler website builder. While powerful, the builder can sometimes feel like navigating a maze, with a lot of options and levels to explore.
This level of complexity might be overwhelming for users who prefer a more straightforward setup. So, if you're on the lookout for a builder who holds your hand every step of the way, you might want to consider alternative choices such as Wix or Weebly.
Sitejet features and tools
Getting started with Sitejet is simple. You can kick off the registration process straight from the homepage by clicking on "Get Started" or "Free 14-Day Trial." Simply enter the email address you want to use for your Sitejet login, and you're on your way.
Within minutes, you'll receive a confirmation email at the provided address. Don't forget to check your spam folder if you don't see it. Click on the confirmation link in the email, and you'll be redirected to Sitejet to add some details about your business and set up your password.
Once you’re all done, you’ll arrive at Sitejet’s dashboard.
Templates
Sitejet has a cool collection over 90 templates that come free with any plan you choose. While this number might not match the extensive libraries of some competitors, Sitejet promises more templates in the pipeline, so you can expect fresh choices now and then.
Though you can't import third-party templates, we found that Sitejet's existing templates cover a wide variety of industries, including IT and media, travel, education, culture, art, and so forth.
Customization is simple with Sitejet's drag-and-drop editor, allowing you to start from scratch or modify existing templates. While the designs may not stun with complexity, Sitejet prioritizes simplicity, making the templates easy to personalize. Each template captures distinct moods with high-quality demo content, adding animations, hover effects, and other design elements.
The customization process revolves around a straightforward grid layout, offering lots of options for playing around with text, images, animations, and sizes. And if you're feeling particularly adventurous, you can even add custom code to spice things up. All templates are fully responsive to various mobile screen sizes, and users can preview designs on multiple Apple or Android display dimensions.
Sitejet website editor
Sitejet's drag-and-drop editor strikes a nice balance between simplicity and functionality. It allows you to modify designs and themes even after creating a website, offering access to a solid collection of customizable designs. The editor supports unlimited page creation and covers essential content elements like text, images, forms, and much more.
With robust SEO integration, each page's settings, including name and SEO details, can be customized for optimal search engine visibility. The platform also automates Google indexing, which will boost your online presence.
With mobile editor you can preview your website on various devices, adjusting it to look stunning in both landscape and portrait mode. Plus, there are presets and a plethora of customizable features, from headers and footers to forms, making the design process a joy.
Through your dashboard, you gain an overview of multiple websites, each with detailed status information. There, the customer view provides insights into customer interactions for simpler management.
However, while Sitejet's editor provides some powerful customization, it might pose a challenge for newcomers. The complexity of the builder, with all its features and choices, may require a learning curve for those new to website creation.
Sitejet's AI-powered text generator, currently in Beta, introduces a way to create content without a hitch. Accessible through the editor, this feature allows you to specify input and output language, provide a text description, and adjust additional settings such as word count, target group, author, and tone. With a simple click on "Generate text," ChatGPT will work its magic, crafting content shaped by your preferences.
Domains on Sitejet
With all Sitejet plans, you can connect external domains or register new ones directly through Sitejet. It's a worthwhile feature for web designers who want to showcase live websites to clients, allowing for quick feedback and collaboration.
For added convenience, domain management is centralized, meaning you’ll get an oversight of multiple websites. So, no need to worry about your domain name suddenly expiring.
The Team and Agency plans go a step further, allowing full branding of the Sitejet platform, including the customer portal, with your corporate identity. Moreover, you can operate the system under your custom domain for a more polished, professional touch.
To register a domain within Sitejet, access the domain manager, click "+ Domain," follow the simple steps to check availability and complete the registration process. The pricing is transparent, with options like .com at $8.99, .biz at $18.53, and .app at $31.20 per year. Should you need a specific top-level domain (TDL) not listed, Sitejet's support team will try to find a solution for you upon request.
Sitejet ecommerce
Sitejet simplifies the ecommerce experience by seamlessly integrating Ecwid, one of the top ecommerce solutions. This built-in store functionality enables you to effortlessly set up and manage your web stores directly within Sitejet's dashboard.
With Sitejet's integrated ecommerce solution, you can establish your online store and embed it into their website with ease. The platform supports a wide range of products and allows for external management through its robust backend. You can showcase up to five products for free, making it a solid choice for small businesses and startups.
To create an Ecwid shop, access the "Shop" category in Sitejet’s website editor and follow the step-by-step instructions provided in Sitejet's help articles. There are no setup or transaction fees associated with Ecwid, regardless of the plan chosen. This makes it an attractive choice for those looking to build an online store without any additional costs.
Sitejet marketing integrations
While Sitejet lacks built-in marketing tools, it compensates with seamless integrations to boost your online presence and marketing efforts. For SEO enhancement, Sitejet provides essential integrations (Webflow, AgencyAnalytics, Wistia, and more) giving you the tools to optimize your websites for search engines.
In terms of email marketing, Sitejet supports integrations with popular platforms such as Campaign Monitor, MailChimp, ConvertKit, and AWeber. This lets you connect your email marketing campaigns with your Sitejet-powered websites, ensuring effective communication with your target audience.
Social media plays a crucial role in modern marketing and Sitejet acknowledges this by offering integrations with various social media platforms. You can easily link your X, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social media accounts.
Beyond email marketing and social media, Sitejet provides a wide variety of in-app integrations designed to elevate your business's visibility and popularity. So, while this platform may not have native marketing tools, its integrations can empower you to leverage third-party solutions to upgrade your marketing strategies.
Website security
Through our experience, we've found that incorporating SSL into your website with Sitejet is surprisingly straightforward. A simple click in the Domain Manager activates SSL, creating a secure HTTPS connection for your website. The SSL certificate is automatically generated for the website and extends to all connected subdomains.
Sitejet strengthens website performance and protection through the integration of a content delivery network (CDN) and distributed denial of service (DDoS) mitigation. These not only make your pages load faster but also provide a protective shield against potential cyber threats.
Sitejet takes the trouble out of website backups with an integrated snapshot feature. The system automatically saves backups of your websites, providing a safety net in case of unexpected troubles.
Sitejet pricing: Is Sitejet good value for money?
When it comes to Sitejet pricing, you'll discover a tiered system tailored to your needs. Let's dive into the details:
Ideal for individual users looking to publish a single website, the single-user plan comes at $15 per month (on annual billing). Keep in mind that this is the cost for each published site, and you can have multiple projects in the works.
If you're craving collaboration and additional features, the Team plan at $29 per month (on annual billing) is a step up. It's a solid choice for web designers managing multiple projects.
Taking it to the next level, the Agency plan, priced at $69 per month (on annual billing), caters to agencies and teams. With it, you'll get extra perks like website export, multi-user permissions, white-label tools, and API access. However, it's a significant spike in price.
Thinking about adding additional websites? Solo users can add extra websites for $15 each month, Teams pay $8 monthly per additional website with an annual plan, and Agencies enjoy the most cost-effective solution at just $5 per month per additional website with an annual commitment.
All Sitejet plans come with an array of features, covering essentials like web hosting, SSL encryption, CDN and DDoS protection, and automated backups. Benefit from continuous CMS updates, seamless domain connection or registration, unlimited email accounts, and generous allowances for website analytics and storage per project.
To explore Sitejet's features, you can take advantage of the 14-day free trial which gives you access to the mid-tier "Team" plan's functionalities. When the trial runs out, you'll be downgraded to the Solo version, which you can continue to use for free. No credit card info is required, and you won't be charged until you decide to publish or export your website.
To delve deeper into Sitejet's pricing details and explore which plan matches your needs best, check out Sitejet's pricing page.
Sitejet help and support
Sitejet has got your back with a blend of email and live chat support, all aimed at making your experience smooth. While their support hours are a bit mysterious, they try to respond even beyond working hours. Also, online chat availability can be a bit elusive.
If you’re planning to send them an email, anticipate a reasonable two to three-hour response time, which isn’t that bad. The support team, although occasionally fashionably late, is known for being friendly and helpful. Convenient links to their help desk are sprinkled across the dashboard, and a chat widget pops up when the live chat stars align.
For those who prefer a hands-on approach, Sitejet offers an array of resources, including user-friendly step-by-step guides and straight-to-the-point video tutorials. Don't miss their comprehensive demo video - a crash course in mastering Sitejet. While live support may face occasional challenges due to popularity, Sitejet’s support team compensates with a Slack group for user-to-user support and the option to schedule a one-on-one demo whenever you like.
It's worth noting that the Solo package includes regular chat and email support, while the upper-tier plans feature priority email support. Additionally, Sitejet offers so-called “success support" for their partners, covering tech, sales, and web design.
Sitejet: What’s not included? What could be better?
While Sitejet offers an excellent website-building experience, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. Firstly, there aren't built-in marketing tools, so if you're looking for an all-in-one solution for SEO, social media, and email marketing, you‘ll need to explore additional third-party tools.
Another consideration is the complexity of the drag-and-drop builder, especially for beginners. While powerful, the learning curve might be steeper compared to more beginner-friendly alternatives.
Also, while the template library is growing, it's not the largest out there. You've got some superb options, but it might not have the sheer variety you'd find with other builders.
Sitejet review: Final thoughts
To conclude, Sitejet offers a robust website-building platform tailored for web designers, agencies, and solo entrepreneurs. While it may not be the most intuitive for beginners, its drag-and-drop editor and extensive feature set make it a powerful tool for professionals. The collaboration features, like the customer portal, enable seamless interactions with clients, enhancing the overall workflow.
Although Sitejet isn’t the most budget-friendly choice, it provides superb value for money. If you’re also willing to invest time in mastering its features, Sitejet can be a powerful ally in crafting stunning and professional websites.
Sitejet website builder FAQs
Is Sitejet free?
Sitejet is not free but they offer a 14-day trial period during which you can explore all the features of the Team plan, aside from the export feature. After the trial, your account moves to the Solo plan. However, to publish or export a website, you'll need to pick out a paid plan.
Can I host a website with Sitejet?
Yes, Sitejet provides built-in, high-speed hosting, and each plan includes hosting for one website. You can publish your website on any domain, either registered through Sitejet or externally connected. The Team and Agency plans offer the flexibility to export websites, and additional websites can be published at additional cost, including essential features like SSL encryption, CDN, and DDoS protection.
Where does Sitejet host my website?
If you choose to host with Sitejet, your websites will be hosted on their robust GDPR-compliant server infrastructure powered by Hetzner. There are no limits on storage or bandwidth, which should provide an efficient hosting environment for your websites.
If you're in search of the best website builder to create an eye-catching website for your startup or side hustle, HubSpot website builder is certainly worth a look. In our hands-on review, we’ll dive deep into HubSpot’s offering and decide whether it’s a game-changer for solo entrepreneurs and small business owners looking to make their mark online.
After all, HubSpot is more than just a free CMS website builder - it's the heart of HubSpot's comprehensive content management system (CMS) suite. Whether you're launching a side hustle or rebuilding your current site, this tool streamlines website creation. Despite a slight learning curve associated with advanced tools, HubSpot provides a powerful tool to support your online efforts.
To help you make the right choice, we've rolled up our sleeves and delved into the nitty-gritty of the HubSpot website builder. Our team of experts has rigorously tested this builder, creating multiple websites to assess its user interface, design flexibility, and integration with HubSpot's ecosystem.
So, whether you're a first-time website creator or want to level up your game, our Hubspot website builder review can serve as your roadmap to navigating this tricky tool.
Is HubSpot the right website builder for me?
Choosing the right site builder is crucial for the success of your online presence. Let's break down who HubSpot is best for and who might find it less suitable.
Who is HubSpot best for?
HubSpot drag-and-drop website builder is an excellent choice for solo entrepreneurs entering the online realm, especially those prioritizing inbound marketing. It provides tools to create and promote content that resonates with the target audience.
Additionally, small business owners and marketers without a website can benefit from HubSpot's all-in-one solution, particularly due to its strong integration capabilities. If you're seeking a platform where your website, CRM, live chat, email marketing, and automation are interconnected, HubSpot is a solid choice. It also supports up to three languages with automatic connections between language variations.
Who might find HubSpot less suitable?
HubSpot's pricing structure can be confusing and costs significantly increase with advanced features. If you're on a tight budget, the leap from the entry-level plan to more advanced tiers might be limiting.
The user interface of HubSpot's builder can also be overwhelming, which might not be suitable for those who prefer a simpler, more straightforward dashboard. In such cases, a site builder like Wix, with a more intuitive design, could be a better fit.
HubSpot's website builder integrates with their CRM and other marketing tools. With a generous free plan, it makes HubSpot a great option for small, start up, and growing businesses. View Deal
HubSpot features and tools
Templates
HubSpot boasts a collection of over 170 themes, covering a diverse range of categories and you're invited to preview themes before installation. And if that's not enough, you can even spice things up by adding themes purchased from ThemeForest, expanding your design options.
When it comes to customization and adding a personal touch, the theme editor is your creative playground. You can easily tweak colors, fonts, and spacing to match your brand's vibe. What's best, these changes ripple across all your pages, saving you time and effort.
One advantage that sets HubSpot and Wix apart is HubSpot's ability to switch themes without bidding farewell to your content - it's really a rare gem in the website-building realm.
HubSpot website editor
Now, the heart of the matter - HubSpot's drag-and-drop editor takes center stage, offering an array of content elements and modules to elegantly populate your pages.
From dynamic galleries and testimonials to structured columns and vibrant videos, the editor is there to empower your creative choices. Tweak the finer details of your website's appearance effortlessly, from global fonts and spacing to typography, buttons, forms, and tables, ensuring a polished and cohesive design throughout.
However, despite the decent creative potential, HubSpot's website editor is far from being a champion of flexibility. Precise placement can sometimes feel like orchestrating a dance routine without mastering all the moves. Text editing takes a brief detour into a separate pane, introducing a slight interruption to the flow. For those meticulous about the alignment of elements like text and images, you might find yourself desiring a bit more control.
Domain
HubSpot offers a free subdomain, providing a starting point for your online presence. If you're seeking a personalized touch, HubSpot simplifies the domain registration process right within its platform. However, you don't need to upgrade to a paid plan right away.
Unlike many other free website builders, with HubSpot, you have the benefit of connecting your own domain name for free - and it offers a simple step-by-step guide to help you do it.
If you don't own a domain, registering one usually falls in the range of $10-20, though it can vary based on factors such as popularity and the registrar you choose.
HubSpot ecommerce
When it comes to ecommerce functionality, HubSpot CMS doesn't provide native features for selling products. Still, the platform allows you to receive payments through your site, primarily suitable for processes like donations or simple payments, but this functionality is limited to users based in the US.
Despite this limitation, HubSpot extends its ecommerce potential through its app marketplace. Here, you'll find plenty of free ecommerce Apps compatible with HubSpot, such as WooCommerce, BigCommerce, PrestaShop, Magento, and more.
As for transaction fees, HubSpot adopts a transparent approach with no setup fees, monthly fees, minimums, or hidden charges. The cost structure is based on a percentage of each transaction, ensuring you only pay for the service when it's actively utilized.
The specific fees, however, depend on the payment processing option you choose within HubSpot. If you opt for HubSpot Payments, expect to incur a 2.9% charge on all credit card transactions and a 0.5% fee (capped at $10) on ACH payments. Alternatively, if you integrate your Stripe account as the payment processor, HubSpot applies a platform fee of 0.5% per transaction, alongside the processing fee agreed upon with Stripe.
HubSpot marketing integrations
HubSpot shines in the realm of marketing integrations, providing powerful SEO tools to boost your online presence. With features like personalized content, email marketing, and seamless integration with CRM and automation tools, HubSpot provides an all-in-one suite for managing various marketing aspects.
The platform's Marketing Hub is aimed at experienced marketers, offering capabilities like email campaigns, SEO strategy development, ad management, automated campaigns, content uploading, and detailed reporting. This makes it an attractive choice for businesses seeking streamlined lead generation and nurturing processes.
HubSpot doesn't stop there – it also integrates seamlessly with various social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, further enhancing your ability to reach and engage with your audience.
Website security
As soon as you connect your domain, HubSpot will automatically set you up with a standard SSL certificate through Google Trust Services, giving your site a secure foundation.
Behind the scenes, HubSpot entrusts your website's security to top-tier cloud providers like Google Cloud Platform and Amazon Web Services. These providers adhere to strict security standards like ISO 27001 and SOC 2 compliance, ensuring your website is in good hands.
HubSpot employs a web application firewall (WAF) to safeguard against attacks, including DDoS threats. Real-time monitoring keeps an eye on traffic, promptly identifying and thwarting any malicious activity.
And when it comes to data protection, HubSpot has it covered. Your information is securely replicated and backed up across multiple storage locations ensuring your data's safety and quick recovery if needed.
To keep a pulse on your website's security, HubSpot's Security Health is your go-to tool. It provides a comprehensive overview of your security measures, pointing out areas for improvement. You just need to follow the links to address any concerns and strengthen your account’s security.
HubSpot pricing: Is HubSpot good value for money?
To start your journey with HubSpot, you'll have to choose from their CMS Hub plans, each tailored to cater to specific business needs.
There's a forever-free plan and it comes packed with essential tools for marketing, sales, service, content management, operations, and commerce. They're perfect for small businesses looking for budget-friendly yet impactful solutions that can be simply upgraded as their business grows. However, keep in mind that this fee plan comes with certain limitations, such as up to 25 website pages, no dynamic content, and includes HubSpot branding with a non-customizable favicon.
The next in line, the Starter plan ($20/month paid yearly) is likely enough for most small-to-medium businesses, but if you crave advanced features, the Professional plan ($360/month paid yearly) offers personalization, A/B testing, custom reporting, and more.
The Enterprise plan ($1,200 /month paid yearly) goes further with advanced development-focused features such as additional root domains, memberships, adaptive testing, web apps, and custom objects - everything needed to build a robust foundation for wide-ranging business growth.
HubSpot lets you create custom bundles for your business. The four key products - HubSpot CRM (free), Marketing Hub, Sales Hub, and Service Hub - come in Free, Starter, Professional, and Enterprise plans. For an all-inclusive approach, the Growth Suite bundles them together at a discounted price.
You have the option to optimize your HubSpot experience with expert assistance, ensuring you make the most of the platform's capabilities. To dive deeper into specifics about HubSpot's plans and pricing, check out their pricing page.
HubSpot help and support
Even on the Starter plan, you've got the backup of both email and live chat support, and the team is quick to respond and genuinely helpful when you're facing challenges. Also, if you're ever curious or need quick updates, hit up HubSpot support on X (Twitter) – they even encourage their users to do so.
The knowledge base is like a gold mine, covering a ton of topics. It might seem a bit overpacked at first glance, but think of it as your go-to resource, helping you through common issues and diving into advanced features.
There's also a community forum where you can chat with fellow users, tap into their collective wisdom, and pick up strategies to grow better with HubSpot. Plus, HubSpot keeps you in the loop with real-time updates on system status and security – just visit their status page.
However, to get round-the-clock phone support, you'll have to go with the Professional or Enterprise plans. For a pretty penny, this will add that extra layer of assistance for a smooth website-building journey.
HubSpot: What’s not included? What could be better?
While HubSpot CMS Hub offers an extensive array of business-focused, particularly marketing features, the platform could benefit from increased flexibility within its editor. Design flexibility is limited, requiring potential reliance on developers for precise customization, making it more akin to a comprehensive content management system like WordPress than other DIY website builders such as Wix and Squarespace.
One notable downside is the platform's learning curve, attributed to the multitude of features available. Less tech-savvy users may find it challenging to familiarize themselves with the different interfaces and editors for various tasks. The editor's rigidity, despite offering drag-and-drop functionality, might make it a bit challenging to customize the design exactly as you want.
Still, if you're willing to invest time in navigating the learning curve, HubSpot website builder can be a powerful choice, particularly if you're already using HubSpot's CRM or marketing tools.
HubSpot Review: Final thoughts
In summary, HubSpot’s website builder comes as a compelling all-in-one solution, especially when integrated with HubSpot's CRM or email marketing tools. It might not be the most beginner-friendly choice out there and isn't as flexible as some of its competitors, even free website builders. Nevertheless, HubSpot is a marketing powerhouse that excels with robust tools for SEO, blogging, and lead generation.
If you've decided on HubSpot but are looking for superior customization or lack the time to navigate the learning curve, consider collaborating with a developer. When understood and utilized effectively, this comprehensive solution can empower your online presence and marketing endeavors.
The bottom line is, if you are a small or growing business that wants an all-in solution for CRM, marketing tools, and website building, there is little out there that can beat HubSpot’s offering. However, if you want more flexibility in your website design, assessing other options will be worthwhile.
HubSpot website builder FAQs
Is HubSpot really free?
Yes, HubSpot offers a forever-free version but with basic features, including CRM tools. For more advanced features and capabilities, you'll want to check out their paid plans.
Is it hard to learn HubSpot?
HubSpot can have a steep learning curve due to its extensive feature set. While it provides user-friendly interfaces, the diverse range of tools may require some time to master. Fortunately, HubSpot offers training resources and solid customer support to help you navigate the platform effectively.
Is HubSpot good for SEO?
Yes, HubSpot is in high demand for its SEO capabilities. The CMS Hub, in particular, provides robust tools for optimizing content, managing keywords, and enhancing website visibility on search engines. It is considered a powerful option for businesses focused on inbound marketing and SEO strategies.
In the dynamic realm of web development, where coding often stands as a barrier to entry, Hatch emerges as a game-changer. Although it positions itself alongside some of the best website builders, it differentiates itself by focusing on the empowerment of tech-curious creators, helping create their online projects without much effort or technical know-how.
Hatch's ecosystem encompasses a user-friendly publishing platform, intuitive design tools, and a colorful community of creators exploring the realms of interactivity, animation, and generative AI. At the core of its philosophy is the belief that a webpage is not merely a digital canvas but a limitless creative medium that should be accessible to all.
Since its creation in 2021, Hatch has been dedicated to making software for creative expression. Through drag-and-drop functionality, it opens doors for both casual and technical creators to craft websites, portfolios, interactive stories, and all sorts of creative experiments.
Enjoying the benefits of an account on Hatch, creators can set up and share pages publicly or opt for project privacy for a more intimate touch.
Hatch plans and pricing
With two plans, Hatch makes sure both casual creators and dedicated developers can find a suitable option.
The “Hatch Free” plan comes at no cost and includes hosting with a subdomain (yourname.hatch.one), a Hatch watermark, limits of three published projects, three pages per project, unlimited community projects, 2GB of media storage, and standard customer support.
For those ready to take their creative journey a step further, the “Hatch Pro” plan, priced at $9 per month, offers an array of advanced features. This includes Hatch hosting, a free custom domain name (with the option to bring your own domain), a removable Hatch watermark, expanded project and page limits with 20 published projects and unlimited pages per project, unlimited community projects, 10GB media storage, and priority customer support.
Offering a cost-free option and a pocket-friendly paid plan, it is clear that Hatch strives to make its platform accessible and appealing to a broad audience. You can also opt for either monthly or yearly billing options, although unlike the majority of website builders, there appears to be no benefit (financial or otherwise) to paying annually.
You can end your subscription whenever you want by logging into your account or reaching out to Hatch. Your cancellation will be effective after your current paid term. However, unfortunately, Hatch does not offer a money-back guarantee or a free trial for its paid plan.
As for payment methods, Hatch accepts credit/debit cards (including Visa, Mastercard, and American Express) and PayPal.
Hatch features and functionality
By combining a user-friendly approach with a dedicated web environment, Hatch can support the creation of diverse projects such as games, events, messaging platforms, maps, and various creative experiments, regardless of your technical abilities and prowess.
Within Hatch’s creative haven, designers, whether casual or seasoned, can explore interactivity, animation, physics, and generative AI using intuitive drag-and-drop kits. As part of the creator community, you can make your projects “remixable”, which means your fellow members can duplicate and modify content in any way they want.
At Hatch, kickstarting your website is as easy as it gets. You can start from one of Hatch’s pretty-looking templates or a completely blank canvas, offering you total freedom for your creative endeavor. You can also easily import your personal graphics or delve into the extensive library for inspiration. Once started, you’re free to manipulate, reposition, and modify elements effortlessly without the confines of a grid, which gives you the flexibility to design your webpage exactly how you envision it.
We must also mention Hatchbot AI, the star feature here. This generative web builder can transform your descriptions into webpage elements without any coding know-how. Perfect for AI enthusiasts, Hatchbot AI harnesses the power of GPT, allowing you to describe the design and functionality you want, and then brings it to life within your online project. The creative possibilities are impressive - you can experiment with various options like grabbing, bouncing, sinking, or floating elements across your webpage.
As the AI Hatchbot evolves, occasional unpredictability might arise in its output. While adept at fulfilling specific functional requests, Hatchbot can't craft entire web pages at once, requiring a step-by-step approach. To get the best results, you’ll have to be pretty specific, particularly when providing image sources such as Pixabay, Pexels, or Unsplash.
Additionally, Hatch enables the integration of diverse media, including thousands of gifs, stickers, photos, videos, animated text, emojis, and content from popular platforms like YouTube, SoundCloud, and Spotify. With the allowance of up to 20 published projects, unlimited pages per project, and the ability to contribute to the community with unlimited community projects, Hatch provides a playground for endless creative expression.
Taking everything into account, while Hatch can be a perfect pick for a beautiful personal blog or a small business site, it's important to note that its strengths may not extend to managing high-traffic business websites.
Hatch offers only two pricing plans, both with rigorous restrictions, such as a 10GB cap on media storage. Notably absent from these plans is information on available resources or the type of hosting provided. Advanced e-commerce tools, performance enhancements like CDNs, SEO features, web analytics, robust security with SSL certificates, scalability options, server reliability details, and uptime guarantees are all missing with Hatch.
While useful for business promotion - such as creating engaging storefronts to boost online sales - it falls short when it comes to building comprehensive business websites. Hatch caters to the tech-curious creative crowd, particularly artists, rather than targeting enterprise solutions.
Also, besides blank statements about caring about your security and privacy, Hatch’s official site doesn’t share any in-depth details about the security features it utilizes to keep your site and all its precious data on the safe side. This is concerning.
Hatch interface and ease of use
To kick things off with Hatch, go to its official site and choose to sign up for a free plan or tap into the “get started for free” button, which will take you straight to the template gallery. To sign up you’ll be asked to surrender your email address and come up with a password - so, just the usual stuff.
Once you’re done, you’ll arrive at Hatch’s template gallery where you can choose from over 50 eye-catching templates (including the one Hatch’s official site is using). You can browse by category (personal, storefront, portfolio, business, surprise me, and so forth). If you find one you fancy, click on it. However, if you prefer to start from scratch, that's an option too.
Whichever option you pick, you’ll land on Hatch’s easy-to-use dashboard where you can tweak the template to your heart’s content. On the left side, you can see all the things you can add to your site (such as elements, pictures, gifs, vectors, and videos), and even check out getting-started kits for curated content. If something catches your eye, just drag and drop it onto your page and adjust it on the right panel. Here, you can apply effects to enhance interactivity and make your site more fun for your audience.
At any point, you can effortlessly preview your work and share it with the Hatch community for feedback or to inspire others. However, if you’re the one who lacks inspiration, you can check out the sites created by the Hatch community and see if something lights your creative spark.
Some of these online projects are “remixable”, which means you can duplicate and customize the content in any way you want. Likewise, you can make your own projects “remixable” for others. So, while Hatch’s builder isn’t open-source, it feels very much like it is.
Overall, Hatch’s no-code site builder is super simple to use and it’s a perfect pick for personal blogs and creative, community-centered online projects.
Hatch web hosting and performance
Hatch site builder works as a one-in-all solution for small-scale, creative online projects, which means you get domain/subdomain hosting, web hosting, and site builder. With the free plan, you can create up to three published projects (and countless community projects), but you’ll be stuck with Hatch’s subdomain which gives it a less polished look. To get custom domain hosting, you’ll have to subscribe to a paid plan.
We tested our Hatch site's performance with our trusted tool, GTmetrix, which helps us assess loading speed, page optimization, and other crucial performance metrics. The performance was rated with a rock-solid B (82%), which isn’t perfect but still a presentable performance. Although the site took some time to fully load (11 seconds in total), it didn't significantly impact our user experience.
Hatch customer support
Hatch's customer support primarily revolves around self-help guides. Of course, this isn’t bad news if you’re a do-it-yourself type of person. However, it doesn't provide direct support channels like phone lines or live chat, which is bad news for beginners who prefer real-time support options.
So, as far as support goes, there's an array of short yet handy YouTube video tutorials designed to guide you through Hatch's main features and functionalities. While there aren’t many tutorials (as we write, there are 20 of them), we find these guides great for visual learners who prefer step-by-step instructions.
If you have a question or need some basic guidance, there's a short FAQ section available on the website, covering common queries and offering quick solutions. To get more in-depth insight, you can seek advice and answers to your questions on Hatch’s community forum. This is also a superb place for creators to connect, share experiences, and exchange ideas.
The only way you can get in touch directly with Hatch's customer support staff is via contact form. There, you can choose a reason for contact (billing, sign-in, account, publishing, sharing, etc.) and add details about the questions or problems you’re having. After you submit the form, you should expect a response within a day.
It's important to note that the level of support you receive depends on your subscription plan. With the free plan, you'll have access to standard support. However, if you've opted for a paid subscription, you'll benefit from priority support, ensuring quicker assistance.
Hatch competition & alternatives
Wix, one of Hatch’s strongest competitors, stands out for its extensive customization options and user-friendly drag-and-drop editor, catering to beginners and veteran webmasters alike.
It also boasts a wider array of website templates tailored to diverse industries, which surpasses Hatch's offerings. On top of this, Wix provides multiple support channels, including live chat, phone, and email, a feature that Hatch doesn't currently offer.
However, if you're a creative spirit wanting to break out of the confines of a traditional website builder, Hatch's innovative AI-driven features could spark your creativity in unique ways.
Similarly, Weebly, another strong competitor, excels in user-friendliness, making it an excellent choice for beginners and those seeking a balanced feature set.
Similar to Hatch, Weebly presents a free website builder plan but extends slightly more advanced functionalities in its paid subscriptions, serving as an ideal platform for scaling up.
While Weebly offers a more robust feature set than Hatch, it doesn't include the unique Hatchbot AI feature, which can be so much fun. For individuals looking for a departure from standard website creation methods, Hatch's AI-driven builder offers a unique creative avenue.
Squarespace boasts beautiful and customizable templates akin to Hatch, catering to all sorts of creative individuals. In fact, it boasts over 100 templates, a more extensive collection compared to Hatch.
It also stands out with stronger e-commerce capabilities, especially suited for small to medium-sized enterprises. Unlike Hatch's forever-free plan, Squarespace opts for a 14-day trial, aiming for a more professional site-building approach. Yet, if you're seeking a creative escape from conventional designs, Hatch's AI tools are a fresh alternative.
Hatch website builder review: Summary
In summary, Hatch seems like a fantastic choice for aspiring creators eager to explore web development without breaking the bank. With a solid collection of customizable templates, a charming (and helpful) Hatchbot AI, and a forever-free plan, it's an ideal starting point for those venturing into site-building.
Yet, its limitations for high-traffic sites and the absence of real-time support might not suit larger-scale businesses seeking robust performance and advanced features. For personal projects and small businesses seeking an accessible and creative platform, Hatch could be the perfect match.
Bluehost is best known for website hosting, but also offers one of the best website builders on the market. Unlike its top competitors such as Wix and Squarespace, Bluehost provides a dedicated tool for building websites on WordPress. In fact, it currently tops our list of the best WordPress website builders.
The drag-and-drop website builder offers a simplified, intuitive, and streamlined interface. You have the freedom to switch to WordPress’ builder as well, which is an incredibly useful feature, and necessary. That’s because while the website builder will help novices, and new users, those familiar with WordPress’s malleability will find its offerings rather basic.
Thanks to the integration between the two, you can set up parts of your website using Bluehost’s website builder, and other elements using WordPress. But there’s a downside to this approach as well. WordPress is almost infinitely customizable thanks to the availability of myriad plugins. But if a function is added to a website using a plugin that’s not natively offered with the Bluehost website builder, such as an ecommerce store, you must use WordPress to customize this feature.
In this review, our experts get hands-on testing the tools, features, and ease of use of Bluehost's website builder - helping you understand if this might be the best website builder for you.
Bluehost website builder pricing and plans
Apart from all the other hosting plans on offer, Bluehost offers four plans for its website builder. You must consider each plan carefully before settling on one as they have distinct capabilities.
By its own admission, the Basic plan is intended for personal websites and blogs, while the other plans are aimed at businesses and store owners. It includes a bevy of useful hosting essentials such as free SSL and domain name, albeit for the first year only. You also get 10GB of SSD storage and chat support.
The Choice Plus plan gives you everything from the Basic plan, along with the ability to build up to 3 websites, 40GB of SSD storage, chat/phone support, malware scanning, daily backups (for the first year only), and a permanently free SSL.
The Pro plan is the same as the Choice Plus plan, but bumps up the number of websites you can build to 5 and your SSD storage to 100GB.
If you want to sell via your website, you will need to go for the Online Store plan. This plan gives you everything from the Choice Plus plan along with advanced ecommerce tools such as exclusive store themes, unlimited products, secure online payments, and shipping labels.
Note: Although Bluehost offers some generous introductory rates, you will see big jumps in price when it comes to renewals (see table above). These sometimes reach over double the initial rate, so they are worth noting before deciding whether to buy.
Wix also offers website builder services coupled with hosting. There are seven plans on offer, split into Website Plans and Business & ecommerce Plans. The cheapest plan starts at $4.50 per month but will add ads to your website. The other costlier plans let you remove Wix ads. You can try Wix for free for a 14 day period.
HostGator’s offer a choice of three plans for its Gator Website Builder. The plans start at $3.84 per month and include most hosting essentials, as well as email marketing tools and also a $200 credit for search engine marketing. Further, all plans allow the user to build and host an online store.
Squarespace too includes the domain in all the plans, which are expensive compared to the competition. The cheapest plan starts at $12 per month for a one-year term, and comes with unlimited bandwidth and storage, subject to acceptable usage policy. There are 4 plans in all with specialized ones for online stores.
While one might be attracted by the $1.95 per month introductory price, note that this is only for the first month. After that you get charged at the renewal rates, which is $10 per month. Web.com distinguishes itself from others by also providing you the option of having experts make the site for you, instead of mucking about with the builder yourself.
Bluehost website builder features
The four website builder plans on offer all come with ‘hosting included’.
The Bluehost website builder is built on top of WordPress, and serves to provide a more streamlined and straightforward interface for building websites using WordPress.
Novice users will appreciate the drag-and-drop website builder which lets you assemble robust websites with any technical know-how, coding skills, or even familiarity with WordPress.
The interface is minimalist in design and you can create pages and add different components to them by dragging the required elements from the sections menu.
Creating a website
Once you’ve completed the sign-up formalities and the domain registration, you’re ready to create your website with Bluehost. Click the Create website button to get started.
You’re presented with three options - ‘No Help needed’, ‘Little Help Needed’, and ‘Built for you’. The names are self-explanatory, and describe the level of skill and familiarity you have working with WordPress. Opt for ‘Little Help Needed’ if you’d like to use the Smart AI driven system to create your website.
You’ll be asked to answer a few basic questions, and then asked whether you wish to install WordPress or Bluehost website builder. Choosing the latter option will still automatically install WordPress, but additionally grants you access to the new website builder.
You’ll then be asked questions to help identify the nature of your business and type of website you wish to deploy. This is important because a website for a restaurant or coffee shop will look nothing like the website for a tech startup, which is altogether different from a photo gallery.
You’ll be sent to the website builder interface after you’ve answered these handful of questions.
This interface is divided into three panels. The panel at the top allows you to toggle between the desktop view and the mobile view of your website. The left panel gives you access to the overall website and the pages, whereas the right panel gives you flexibility to edit properties/elements of the selected page.
All the website builder plans include various features that are aimed at businesses, such as landing pages, social post buttons to help visitors share content on their favorite social media platforms, social review templates to help visitors see reviews from Yelp, Google, etc. You can conveniently use the website builder to add any or all of these disparate elements to your website without any hassle.
About Bluehost
Headquartered in Utah, USA, Bluehost is one of the most popular web hosting providers, and hosts over two million websites. Unlike some of it’s peers, such as HostGator which revel in sharing statistics such as starting with only three servers and growing to 12,000, Bluehost is stingy with such details.
Despite being a global behemoth, Bluehost.com stands apart from it’s peers as its data centers are located only in Utah, USA.
Started in 2003, the company began offering WordPress-focused solutions in 2005. It reached 500,000 domain registrations in August 2007 and by June 2008 was home to over a million domains.
Bluehost was acquired by Endurance International Group (EIG) in November 2010 and started offering VPS and dedicated hosting solutions in April 2013.
Early this year, investment firm Clearlake Capital Group completed a $3bn acquisition of the Endurance International Group, and in partnership with the Siris Captial Group spun a new company called Newfold Digital, a SMB-focused provider of web presence solutions. Newfold Digital is now home to some of the most popular hosting providers including HostGator, BlueHost, Domain.com, iPage, etc.
By its own admission, Bluehost has been recommended by WordPress because of their customer service and expertise. Since 2014, Bluehost has offered hosting plans optimized for WordPress.
While our experience with billing and the customer support was satisfactory, a quick look at Trustpilot reveals a different story. At present, Bluehost scores a rating of 3.2 out of 5. Most of the reviews are from dissatisfied customers expressing frustration at their interaction with the technical support and questions about billing.
Only 37% of users reported their experience with Bluehost as 'Excellent', while an even 50% voted it as 'Bad'. Thankfully, Bluehost has responded to each of the negative comments and even escalated the issue with respective teams to provide a meaningful solution to their customers.
Bluehost website builder support
The mere knowledge that expert advice is only a mouse-click or phone call away is quite a reassuring safety net.
Bluehost used to offer a ticket-based support system but that’s been discontinued. Your only options are phone support, live chat, or scavenging for a solution on the Knowledge Base.
The Knowledge Base is home to a vast collection of guides, tutorials, articles and more discussing all hosting. You’ll find a series of FAQ’s on billing, domain registration, configuring email accounts, and all other basic aspects of website setup and management.
The content on the Knowledge Base is split across eight broad categories, FAQ, WordPress, email, domains, account and control panel. You can also use the search bar at the top to quickly find relevant answers. All guides and how-tos provide detailed step-by-step instructions, supported by screenshots.
You can also call for support, which is available 24x7. Dial 888-401-4678 if you’re in the USA but international users must call +1 801-765-9400.
We also tried the live chat service, and a representative connected to the chat almost instantly. The support staff are all well versed with all aspects of Bluehost’s operations, and are determined to address your queries to your satisfaction. The only downside is that it’s not possible to access the chat history, or a previous chat session.
If you want to go over a previous chat session, maybe because of a solution that was discussed, your only option is to start a new chat session, and request the representative/advisor to share the previous chat session with you. This is a bizarre process, but thankfully there’s a quick remedy.
At the end of the chat session, request the representative/advisor to email you a transcript of the chat session. This way, you can easily refer to the discussion at a later date, if needed.
Bluehost website builder speed and experience
Our web host speed tests are generally based on the cheapest shared hosting plan available from a provider. If instead we use a free hosting plan, we’ll spell that out in the review.
We then upload a basic static site to our web space and configure Uptime.com to check the availability and server response time of our site at five-minute intervals. One week later, we note the site uptime (the percentage of checks where the server returned HTTP code 200, meaning 'OK') and average, minimum and maximum response time. We save the seven-day response time chart, too, as it's a useful indicator of consistency.
These results are handy as a way of spotting hosts with significant reliability or performance issues, but note that this testing also has significant limits.
We only test the cheapest shared hosting plans so these results can’t be used to measure the response for the VPS or dedicated plans, or any other plan with more resources.
The tests also take no account of page load time, and give us little or no indication of available CPU time, database setup, PHP configuration and more.
We’re happy to report that our Bluehost website reported no outages during the test duration. This is to be expected for such a short period but it’s still good to know.
Response times averaged 1.95ms, which is incredibly fast, as most providers average between 200-400ms on their shared hosting plans.
For comparison, consider that for the same duration and identical plans, HostGator and Hostinger averaged between 400ms - 700ms. In fact, the only provider slower was GoDaddy, which is home to this author’s website.
Apart from Uptime.com, you can also utilise the Dotcom-Tools website speed test to benchmark the performance of a website.
Bluehost website builder review: Summary
If you are using or want to use WordPress it is clear that Bluehost could be a smart option that is well worth considering. Its simple to use interface and powerful AI tools make creating a site with the platform a breeze.
It also offers you great flexibility, allowing you to switch between the dedicated Bluehost website builder and the tools offered by WordPress. This can help turn your website dreams into reality.
Investment firm Clearlake Capital Group completed a $3 billion all-cash takeover of the Endurance International Group, and spun a web hosting company called Newfold Digital in partnership with Siris Capital Group.
The new organization serves around 6.7 million customers around the world and owns some of the most popular hosting providers such as Bluehost, HostGator, Domain.com and others.
How is Bluehost different from WordPress?
When it comes to the difference between WordPress and Bluehost, the answer is pretty simple. Bluehost is a web hosting provider that offers website builder capabilities, while WordPress is a fully hosted content management system (CMS).
Is Bluehost website builder any good?
We found Bluehost to be a very useful website builder for those looking to create a WordPress website and have no clue where to begin or how to do it. You can create any type of website with Bluehost, from a portfolio site to an ecommerce store.
Is Bluehost good for beginners?
The short answer is yes. Bluehost is a popular choice for beginnings starting out their online journey. The tool includes 24/7 customer support, promises 99.9% uptime and has 1-click WordPress install, which will enable beginners to build their website with ease.
Is Bluehost billed monthly or annually?
Unfortunately, Bluehost doesn't offer monthly payment options for its cheap shared hosting or managed WordPress hosting. However, you can choose month-to-month billing with Bluehost's VPS or dedicated hosting plans.
For Bluehost's website builder plans, you have the option to commit to 12 months or 36 months.
What email does Bluehost use?
Bluehost offers the same three individual webmail clients you will see on most mainstream web hosting providers: Roundcube, Horde, and SquirrelMail.
Is Bluehost good for blogging?
Bluehost is great for bloggers because of its simplicity, great support and excellent interface. You can quite literally have your blog up and running in minutes. Bluehost is also the recommended web hosting provider by WordPress, a top quality blogging platform.
Does Bluehost offer refunds?
You can cancel your hosting plan within the first 30 days for a full refund, and if you cancel within 30 days, you receive a full refund on your hosting service only. The money-back guarantee does not apply to most add-on products, such as domains, given the unique nature of their costs.
Do I own my domain name with Bluehost?
You can register new domain names and transfer domains you already own right inside your Bluehost account. Please note that once you have registered a domain name with Bluehost, it cannot be cancelled for a refund.
Which one is better: Bluehost or Hostinger?
Both Bluehost and Hostinger have plenty to offer, and are top quality hosting providers. It mostly boils down to your individual needs. Luckily, we've written a deep analysis of both providers, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses.
While both Hostinger and Bluehost are particularly popular choices, the latter has been around for almost two decades, establishing itself as one of the biggest names in the web hosting industry and home to more than two million domain names.