Best Website Builders for Small Business: Compared for 2025

We may receive a commission from our partners if you click on a link and purchase a product or service on their website. Learn more

If you want to set up a website for your small business, but are unsure which website builder best suits your store’s priorities and needs, Wix is the best small business website builder we’ve tested. Over 300 hours of research, analysis, and hands-on testing across 12 platforms went into our 2025 findings, so I can confidently say that Wix provides a great all-in-one platform, ideal for businesses looking to promote their brand and sell online.

Key Takeaways 🔍

  • Wix and Shopify are our top-rated builders in 2025, with Shopify excelling in sales features and Wix having plenty of high-quality SEO, marketing, and product management tools
  • Hostinger’s suite of AI tools will support your website building and content creation for a low cost
  • Squarespace is recommended for service-based businesses due to its Acuity Scheduling tool and modern design templates
  • If you want to sell across multiple channels, GoDaddy offers a social media calendar and content creation tools
  • Our rankings are based on a methodology that heavily weighted sales features, user experience, and help and support

I’ve recently updated our list of the best small business website builders to reflect our 2025 research. The most notable change is that Wix has now taken position one, with Shopify moving to second place. Hostinger and GoDaddy have also swapped positions in our rankings, and our scores and copy have been tweaked to cover the latest features and capabilities of each builder. I’ve also updated Squarespace’s pricing and plan names to match the builder’s recent change, and I’ve made a note of new features on Shopify, Wix, Hostinger, and GoDaddy.

Small Business Website Builders: Head-to-Head

Before I dive into each builder’s key features for small businesses, take a look at our quick comparison table:

Swipe right to see more
0 out of 0

Wix

Shopify

Squarespace

Hostinger

GoDaddy

Overall Rating
4.8
Overall Rating
4.8
Overall Rating
4.7
Overall Rating
4.2
Overall Rating
4.0
Today's best price
Today's best price
Today's best price
Today's best price
Today's best price
Free plan or free trial

Free plan

Free plan or free trial

3-day free trial

Free plan or free trial

14-day free trial

Free plan or free trial

7-day free trial

Free plan or free trial

Free plan

Number of templates

2,000+

Number of templates

800+

Number of templates

180+

Number of templates

150+

Number of templates

200+

Free custom domain
Free custom domain
Free custom domain
Free custom domain
Free custom domain
AI website builder
AI website builder
AI website builder
AI website builder
AI website builder
Try Wix Try Shopify Try Squarespace Try Hostinger Try GoDaddy

Why you can trust us 🤝

We’ve spent over 300 hours researching and analyzing the top small business website builders to bring you unbiased and data-backed recommendations. We also carry out hands-on testing with each builder to ensure our reviews are accurate and fair. Read more about our unique research methodology.

If you’d rather have someone talk you through the key pros, cons, features, and pricing of our top five small business website builders, watch our video:

1. Wix: All-in-One Builder To Manage Your Business

Editor's Choice

Wix

All-in-one builder to manage your business

Outstanding

4.8

out of 5
  • Easy marketing setup
  • Well-rounded features
  • Personalized SEO
dollar icon svg

Free plan available

Paid Plans: $17 - $159 / month

Pros

  • icon yes svg Email marketing with cheapest plan
  • icon yes svg Keyword support from Semrush
  • icon yes svg Great AI features

Cons

  • icon no svg 2.9% + $0.30 processing fee
  • icon no svg Interface can be overwhelming
  • icon no svg Slow loading times
Wix Review

Wix’s all-in-one platform provides the features you’ll need, from email marketing tools for business promotion to personalized SEO support for site optimization. A good website builder should support your small business journey from start to finish, and Wix has the best website features from our 2025 testing.

Wix's SEO setup checklist
Wix gave my test website a personalized SEO checklist which made it so easy for me to see where I could improve my site's SEO. Source: Website Builder Expert

Why Wix Ranks As Our Top Small Business Website Builder

  • 📨 Marketing features – Wix’s email marketing tool helps you set up automated workflows, use brand assets from your site, coordinate communications with Wix’s Mailchimp partnership, and generate personalized messages to speak directly with your customers. This isn’t something all builders provide either (Hostinger lacks any email marketing tools).
  • 🔍 SEO – You can utilize Wix’s SEO Learning Hub and other tools, such as its AI meta tag creator and keyword research tool (powered by Semrush), to help your website appear in search engine results. That’s why Wix is our top SEO website builder for 2025.
  • 🤖 AI toolsWix’s AI features can help you build your website quickly, generate website copy (such as product descriptions), offer design suggestions, and more.
Wix's AI Theme Assistant offering support for designing my test site
I asked Wix's new AI Theme Assistant for help when choosing my site's color scheme. Source: Website Builder Expert

Should You Use Wix?

You should use Wix if you want a well-rounded website builder, with a huge range of built-in tools and AI features available to support your small business. While Wix offers a free forever plan, businesses should upgrade to a premium plan as soon as possible to remove ads and ensure your site looks professional.

Latest Wix news ⬇️

This month, Wix has announced new financial services for businesses: Wix Capital and Wix Checking. Wix stores can also promote and sell products on Pinterest now. These integrations can all be managed from your Wix dashboard.

2. Shopify: Best Builder for Selling Online

Shopify

Best builder for selling online

Outstanding

4.8

out of 5
  • Intuitive product backend
  • Extensive app store
  • Great scalability
dollar icon svg

Free trial available

Paid Plans: $29 - $299 / month

Pros

  • icon yes svg Sell on socials like TikTok
  • icon yes svg Ideal for complex inventories
  • icon yes svg Manage business bills easily

Cons

  • icon no svg Not the best for beginners
  • icon no svg Limited store customization
  • icon no svg Heavy reliance on apps
Shopify Review

Based on our 2025 testing, Shopify has the best sales features on the market, making it a powerful ecommerce website builder for businesses to choose. The range and quality of Shopify’s ecommerce tools, including abandoned cart recovery, tax calculation, and the option for discount codes, are suitable for small businesses of all sizes.

Shopify POS settings in backend
Shopify supports online and offline integration through its POS system, which I could easily find within my website’s backend dashboard. Source: Website Builder Expert

Why Shopify Is a Good Small Business Website Builder

  • 🛒 Multichannel selling – Connect Shopify with a range of online marketplaces, social media platforms including TikTok and Instagram, or with its POS system for offline selling. Shopify merchants can download the Shopify Marketplace Connect app to gain access to platforms like eBay and Amazon.
  • 💳 Payment options – Shopify supports over 100 payment gateways, as well as Shopify Payments, which you don’t have to pay transaction fees on.
  • 🔒 Website security – Shopify provides a built-in SSL certificate, two-step verification, and customer logins, and ensures your website is PCI compliant. You can also depend on Shopify’s fraud analysis tool, which helps small businesses recognize fraudulent orders.

You can watch our video below to learn more about Shopify’s features:

Should You Use Shopify?

You should use Shopify if your small business is growing or if you have a large inventory, since Shopify’s product management tools are unmatched. Your store won’t be hit by product limits, and you can access advanced sales features, such as the ability to sell via marketplaces and currency conversion, from the cheapest Shopify plan.

What the researchers think...

I’d recommend Shopify as a great option for small businesses because of its simple backend tools that let you add products easily, as well as its huge app store which is great for helping small businesses grow and adapt. You’ve got apps like TikTok that can help grow your audience or Klaviyo which is great for setting up email and SMS marketing!

Headshot of Ollie Simpson
Ollie Simpson Senior Research Executive

Latest Shopify news ⬇️

Shopify has updated its shipping tools in August. Stores can access global carriers with exclusive rates, such as DHL, USPS, UPS, and FedEx, and bulk process up to 250 orders at once to ship products faster. Plus, merchants on Shopify’s Grow plan or above will now have up to $200 insurance per label, if they’re using Shopify Payments.

3. Squarespace: Manage Online Bookings Seamlessly

Squarespace

Manage online bookings seamlessly

Excellent

4.7

out of 5
  • Built-in booking tools
  • Stylish templates
  • Easy-to-use editor
dollar icon svg

Free trial available

Paid Plans: $16 - $99 / month

Pros

  • icon yes svg Ideal for creative businesses
  • icon yes svg Offer services and appointments
  • icon yes svg Unique content tools

Cons

  • icon no svg Not suitable for complex inventories
  • icon no svg Less creative freedom than Wix
  • icon no svg No POS integration
Squarespace Review

Squarespace is the best small business website builder to use if you want to offer services or take appointments online. First impressions make all the difference, especially if you’re trying to get people to book services with you, and Squarespace’s template variety, sleek design elements, and quality content tools are the best for small businesses looking to make a stylish online store.

Squarespace's editor showing the grid line structure when moving a text block
I found it so easy to tweak my site's design thanks to Squarespace's drag-and-drop editor and grid structure. Source: Website Builder Expert

Why Squarespace Is a Good Small Business Website Builder

  • 🗓️ Booking tools – If your business needs to offer services or appointments, you can use Squarespace’s Acuity Scheduling tool to take bookings online. This is a premium add-on, with plans starting from $16 per month.
  • 🎨 Template qualitySquarespace’s 150+ templates cover a wide range of industries, including “Fashion,” “Media & Podcasts,” “Real Estate & Properties,” and “Travel.” It’s a far cry from Wix’s 2,000+, but Squarespace focuses on quality over quantity. Alternatively, you can use Squarespace’s AI builder, Blueprint AI. It’s easy to use and creates a custom theme for you in less than 10 minutes.
  • ✏️ Content tools – Squarespace provides dozens of professionally designed elements to place on your pages, meaning you can display your content in a variety of ways. For example, an accordion is great if you want to hide additional content so visitors aren’t overwhelmed, or you could add a map to make your small business’s location easy to find.
Pop up box of content elements in Squarespace's website editor
When testing, I added an accordion to my page without a hitch. I could then edit the text and drag it around my homepage until I found the perfect spot. Source: Website Builder Expert

Should You Use Squarespace?

Squarespace targets creatives and service-based businesses with its high-quality templates and built-in scheduling tool. But, its easy-to-use editor and affordable pricing makes Squarespace a great option for beginners and smaller businesses finding their feet online as well.

Latest Squarespace news ⬇️

Squarespace has launched Squarespace Capital, helping small businesses find funding quickly. Whether your business is eligible or not will depend on transaction volume, your history with Squarespace, and your business must be US-based and using Squarespace Payments.

4. Hostinger: Easiest Builder for Small Businesses

Hostinger

Easiest builder for small businesses

Very Good

4.2

out of 5
  • Impressive AI tools
  • Easy-to-use editor
  • Affordable plans
dollar icon svg

Free trial available

Paid Plans: $2.99 - $19.99 / month

Pros

  • icon yes svg 24/7 help and support
  • icon yes svg Fast loading times
  • icon yes svg Quick way to get online

Cons

  • icon no svg No email marketing
  • icon no svg Limited scalability for businesses
  • icon no svg No app market
Hostinger Review

Hostinger offers brilliant AI tools and a beginner-friendly editor to help small businesses start selling online. Because of this, Hostinger is the best choice for side hustles or entrepreneurs testing out a new business idea.

To sell online with Hostinger, you’ll need the $3.99 Business Website Builder plan to unlock the builder’s ecommerce features and AI tools. But, for such a low price, the upgrade doesn’t seem as big a leap as with other website builders.

Hostinger's section library for its website builder, showing a range of product section options
I loved the variety of styles when adding a new section to my Hostinger website, and I could even use AI to generate a section from scratch. Source: Website Builder Expert

Why Hostinger Is a Good Small Business Website Builder

  • ⚙️ Beginner-friendly editor – Hostinger is the easiest website builder for small businesses to use. Its drag-and-drop editor gives you total creative freedom while also keeping things simplified so you don’t get overwhelmed, which can happen with Wix. Not only are the designs really modern-looking and polished, but it’s easy to add brand assets, such as a logo.
  • ⏰ Time-saving AI tools – Hostinger relies heavily on its suite of AI tools, including an AI-powered website builder, but this makes it ideal for beginners and businesses looking to get online fast. If you’re on the Business Website Builder plan ($3.99 per month), you’ll have access to Hostinger’s full range of AI features.
  • 💰 Budget-friendly plans – Hostinger is the cheapest website builder for small businesses, without sacrificing quality for cost. While Hostinger’s functionality is limited in comparison to other builders, like Wix, you get a good range of features for the small price you pay.
Hostinger AI heatmap tool in action over an "about us" section of a Hostinger test website
I used Hostinger's AI Heatmap tool to see where visitors engage with the site. Source: Website Builder Expert

Should You Use Hostinger?

You should use Hostinger if you’re a beginner to website building or need a cheap website builder. Its sales tools aren’t as advanced as other website builders and there’s a product limit of 600, so it’s only really suitable for budget-conscious small businesses in the early stage of life. When your business is ready to grow, it’s worth looking at other platforms, such as Wix or Shopify.

What our editor thinks...

I think busy entrepreneurs would really benefit from Hostinger’s suite of time-saving AI tools. This is what makes Hostinger a smart choice for small businesses – it gives you a helping hand with things like website creation, content generation, and tracking customer engagement.

With no app market and limited plans, it’s not the most scalable option, but when you’re a new business owner juggling all the tasks that come with those early days of building and running a website, these AI tools can make a real difference and help you set up fast!

lucy carney
Lucy Carney Editor

Latest Hostinger news ⬇️

In June, Hostinger announced a new AI-powered email marketing tool, Hostinger Reach. After not providing built-in email marketing support before, this is a welcome addition for small businesses. Use the tool to generate newsletter templates, manage campaigns, and boost engagement.

5. GoDaddy: Great Social Tools for Promoting Your Store

GoDaddy

Great social tools for promoting your store

Very Good

4

out of 5
  • Built-in social tools
  • Simple editor
  • Quick onboarding
dollar icon svg

Free plan available

Paid Plans: $9.99 - $20.99 / month

Pros

  • icon yes svg Great for beginners
  • icon yes svg Budget-friendly plans
  • icon yes svg Mobile app management

Cons

  • icon no svg Lacks quality designs
  • icon no svg Limited functionality
  • icon no svg Basic SEO support
GoDaddy Review

GoDaddy offers an impressive suite of social tools to promote your store and its products across social media channels, including a social media calendar. Based on our testing, GoDaddy’s editor and features are quite simplistic, but the speedy onboarding gets your business online quickly.

GoDaddy's website editor
I found it harder to design and customize my store with GoDaddy's limited editor. Source: Website Builder Expert

Why GoDaddy Is a Good Small Business Website Builder

  • 📷 Social media tools – In our recent testing, GoDaddy’s social media tools became a standout feature. You can populate the social media calendar with GoDaddy’s AI Social Post Creator, review your scheduled content, and identify the right days to post.
  • 🏃 Quick onboarding – GoDaddy asks a few questions about your business needs during the setup process before generating a custom template, so it’s a great builder for beginners and tech novices.
  • 🤳 Mobile management – Small businesses are juggling a million tasks at once, so make the most out of GoDaddy’s mobile app to create and manage your online store anywhere, anytime. You can make tweaks in the mobile editor, but also monitor your sales and traffic on the go, which is incredibly convenient.
GoDaddy social calendar for April
I loved GoDaddy's social calendar feature, since I could check for important events and plan content ahead of time. Source: Website Builder Expert

Should You Use GoDaddy?

Choose GoDaddy as your small business website builder if you’re looking for a platform that’s simple and budget-friendly. You get standard built-in features, such as SEO and marketing, to promote your business online. And, with pricing starting from $9.99 per month (billed annually), GoDaddy is a very cheap option for small businesses.

Latest GoDaddy news ⬇️

For small businesses working with clients, GoDaddy has launched GoDaddy Agency. The partner program specifically supports digital agencies as they grow businesses, run campaigns, and manage new projects.

How To Choose Your Small Business Website Builder

There are plenty of website builders out there to choose from, but how do you know which one is right for your business? Here’s a reminder of why I recommend our top five small business website builders:

  1. Wix is the best small business website builder overall, helping small businesses manage and promote their website with high-quality built-in features
  2. Shopify offers the best sales tools, making it ideal for small businesses looking to sell online and grow an online store
  3. Squarespace is best for service-based businesses thanks to its built-in booking tool, Acuity Scheduling
  4. Hostinger’s drag-and-drop editor and AI tools make it easy for tech novices and very small businesses to get online
  5. GoDaddy has great social media tools, helping small businesses to showcase their products across channels and engage with customers

Should I use a free plan or free trial? 💡

You should make the most of a builder’s free plan or free trial to test out its features and suitability for your small business. This allows you to build a website without spending a cent.

That said, it’s best to upgrade to a premium plan once you’re ready to share your website publicly. And, you won’t be able to sell products online with any of our top five small business website builders without subscribing to a paid ecommerce plan.

How We Test Small Business Website Builders

Our research team have spent over 300 hours conducting in-depth analysis to find the best website builders for small businesses, and I’ve built websites with each of our top choices to share genuine insights and examples with you. Our goal is to deliver data-led recommendations – we cover the good, the bad, and everything in between, so you have all of the facts.

Graphic breaking down Website Builder Expert's ecommerce website builder testing into three steps: conducting business surveys to build a methodology, testing website builders, and finalizing scores
For 2025, we focused on seven core areas of investigation:
  • Sales Features: 30%

We look at the ecommerce features on offer to support your online store, from payment options to abandoned cart recovery.

  • Help and Support: 15%

We test a builder’s contact options and knowledge centers because we know every small business might need a helping hand now and then.

  • User Experience: 15%

We look at a website builder’s ease of use and accessibility by testing the builders ourselves.

  • Website Functionality: 15%

We look at the quality and quantity of a builder’s features, such as SEO, AI, and email marketing.

  • Design Features: 10%

We cover a website builder’s aesthetic capabilities and design options, such as templates and mobile editors.

  • Pricing: 10%

We review a website builder’s pricing plans and what you can get for your money.

  • Reputation: 5%

We see how a website builder performs in the market and against competitors.

Final Verdict: Which Is the Best Small Business Website Builder?

Based on our 2025 testing, Wix is the best choice for small businesses. The builder offers a powerful all-in-one platform, providing essential website features and sales tools that cater to a range of industries, such as hotels and restaurants.

Of course, the builder you choose will depend on your small business needs and priorities. You can see how Wix compares head-to-head with our other recommended choices: Wix vs Shopify, Wix vs Squarespace, Wix vs Hostinger, and Wix vs GoDaddy.

Written by:
Headshot of Emma Ryan
Emma is Lead Writer at Website Builder Expert, having first joined the team in 2022. She manages the website's topical content strategy to help website owners navigate the highs and lows of being online. Emma also specializes in following the development of leading website builders Wix, Squarespace, and Shopify, through hands-on testing and research. Her work and expertise have been featured in Startups.co.uk, Digiday, TechRound, Industry Today, and Digital Information World.
Researched by:
Headshot of Ollie Simpson
Oliver Simpson is a Senior Research Executive at Website Builder Expert, providing objective, in-depth research and ratings on website builders and ecommerce platforms that underpins the recommendations we make across the website. Every website builder review and recommendation you read on Website Builder Expert has been informed using Oliver’s unique research methodology. Whether running first-hand testing with writers or conducting in-depth research into audience needs, industry trends, and product features, Oliver is driven by a relentless pursuit of improvement and results.

43 comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *