What DIY Website Platform Is Right For My Business?
When it comes to launching your website (or maybe giving your current one a fresh start), finding the right platform can feel like a big decision. Each platform has its own strengths, depending on your business needs, whether you’re a service provider, an ecommerce shop, or a creative. This guide breaks down some popular DIY website builders and the types of businesses they’re best suited for, so you can pick the right fit for you.
Shopify: Made for Ecommerce
BEST FOR: E-commerce businesses or anyone primarily focused on selling products online.
THE GIST: When it comes to running an online store, Shopify is the go-to platform for a reason. It’s made specifically for e-commerce, which means it’s packed with features designed to make selling products online as easy as possible. With Shopify, you get everything from product management to payment processing, all under one roof. If you’re looking to launch a full-fledged online store with ease, Shopify is your best bet.
KEY FEATURES:
Powerful E-Commerce Tools: Shopify offers all the tools you need for managing an online store, including product pages, inventory management, payment gateways, and even integration with major shipping carriers. It also offers advanced features like abandoned cart recovery to help boost conversions.
A Huge App Marketplace: Shopify has a massive library of apps that can extend your store’s functionality. Whether you need a more advanced inventory system, a loyalty program, or detailed reporting, there’s an app for almost everything.
Mobile-Optimized: With more people shopping on their phones than ever, Shopify makes sure your online store is optimized for mobile right out of the box, meaning no extra effort is needed on your part.
CONS:
Monthly Fees Can Add Up: Shopify’s base plan is fairly affordable, but once you start adding apps or need additional features, the costs can get high. Be prepared to budget for ongoing fees.
Limited Customization Without Code: While Shopify does offer some design flexibility, it’s not as customizable as Squarespace unless you’re comfortable working with code. If you need something specific that Shopify’s themes can’t do, you’ll likely need to hire a developer.
IDEAL FOR: E-commerce businesses looking to scale quickly. If selling products online is your primary focus and you need a platform built specifically for that, Shopify is a solid choice.
Squarespace: Sleek and Simple for Service-Based Businesses
BEST FOR: Service providers, small business owners, and creatives.
THE GIST: Squarespace is a favorite among service-based businesses and creatives thanks to its clean, modern templates and straightforward user experience. It’s perfect for business owners who want a polished, easy-to-manage website without having to worry about complicated setups or constant maintenance. With hosting, domain, and security all wrapped up in one neat package, it’s a true all-in-one solution—perfect for those who don’t have time for tech issues.
KEY FEATURES:
Customisable Templates (Plus the Option to Code): Squarespace gives you beautifully designed templates to start with, but the customisation doesn’t stop there. Whether you’re adjusting colours, fonts, or layout, you can make your site uniquely yours. And if you know some basic code (or want to learn), Squarespace lets you take it a step further. You can add custom code to really make your site stand out, but the beauty of it is, you don’t have to know how to code to create a stunning site. The platform’s drag-and-drop tools and design options allow for a lot of flexibility, even for beginners.
Built-In Blogging and Marketing Tools: Squarespace doesn’t just stop at design—it’s packed with blogging, email marketing, and SEO tools that make content marketing and connecting with clients easy. The SEO settings are also user-friendly, so you don’t need to be an expert to get noticed online. Squarespace’s automatic sitemaps, built-in metadata controls, and customisable URL structures help your content rank better with little extra effort. It’s SEO-friendly straight out of the box.
All-In-One Platform: Hosting, domains, security... it’s all included. That means less maintenance, fewer moving parts, and a lot less stress. For small business owners who need a reliable site that runs itself, this is a huge plus.
CONS:
Limited Integrations: Squarespace doesn’t offer as many integrations as some other platforms, so if you rely heavily on specialised tools, it might be a limitation. That said, there are some handy workarounds, like using Zapier for automation, embedded scripts, and extensions that can make Squarespace a surprisingly flexible tool.
Ecommerce Features are Basic: While Squarespace does offer ecommerce, it’s best suited for small online stores, not extensive product lines or high-volume sales.
IDEAL FOR: Service-based businesses, personal brands, freelancers, and creatives who want a professional, easy-to-manage website.
Wix: Flexible and Feature-Packed for Small Businesses
BEST FOR: Small businesses, personal brands, and beginners who want a simple but customizable website.
THE GIST: Wix is one of the most well-known DIY website builders, and for good reason. It’s highly flexible, with tons of templates, a drag-and-drop editor, and a lot of customization options. Whether you want a blog, portfolio, or a small business website, Wix can do it all. The platform is great for those who want a bit more control over the design process but don’t want to dive into complex coding.
KEY FEATURES:
Drag-and-Drop Editor: Wix's drag-and-drop functionality allows you to design your site just the way you want without any coding. It’s perfect for beginners or those who want to build something quickly without a learning curve.
App Market: Similar to Shopify, Wix has an app market where you can install third-party apps to extend your site’s features—whether it’s adding a contact form, booking system, or live chat.
Flexible Design Options: Wix gives you the freedom to design your site exactly how you want, with a large library of templates that can be customised to fit your business’s needs.
CONS:
Overwhelming Options: With so many design and customisation options, it can be easy to get lost in the weeds. While this is great for flexibility, it can be overwhelming for those who want to get their site up and running quickly.
SEO Can Be Tricky: While Wix has improved its SEO features over the years, it can still be a little trickier to optimise your site for search engines compared to platforms like Squarespace or WordPress.
IDEAL FOR: Small business owners and beginners who want flexibility and control but don't need the advanced features of more specialized platforms.
WordPress: The Customizable Workhorse
BEST FOR: Tech-savvy users, bloggers, and businesses with specific customization needs.
THE GIST:
WordPress is the granddaddy of website builders, offering almost endless possibilities for customization. It’s the go-to for users who want complete control over their site’s design and functionality. With thousands of plugins and themes, WordPress is perfect for businesses with unique needs or those that require a highly customizable site. But, it’s definitely not the easiest platform for beginners.
KEY FEATURES:
Endless Customization: WordPress offers complete control over your site’s design and functionality. Whether you want a blog, portfolio, or a full-fledged ecommerce site, there’s a plugin or theme to make it happen.
Content Management System (CMS): WordPress started as a blogging platform, and its CMS is still one of the best for managing content-heavy sites. It allows you to easily organize, update, and display content, which is perfect for businesses focused on content marketing.
SEO Flexibility: WordPress gives you tons of SEO tools and customization options. With plugins like Yoast, you can control your SEO settings down to the smallest detail, giving you the flexibility to get your site ranking exactly how you want.
CONS:
Steeper Learning Curve: WordPress is not as beginner-friendly as some other platforms. It requires more technical know-how to manage, especially if you want to customize things beyond the basic setup.
Maintenance: With so many plugins and themes, WordPress can require a lot of ongoing maintenance to keep everything updated and running smoothly. It’s also more vulnerable to security issues if not properly managed.
IDEAL FOR: Tech-savvy businesses or bloggers who want total control over their site, and are willing to put in the time to learn how to use the platform.
Showit: Perfect for Creative Entrepreneurs Who Want Visual Control
BEST FOR: Creatives, photographers, and small business owners who want a highly customizable, visual website.
THE GIST: Showit is a unique website builder that combines the ease of drag-and-drop design with a high level of customization. It’s perfect for creative entrepreneurs who want their website to reflect their artistic vision without having to hire a developer. If you're someone who values complete control over your design, Showit allows you to create highly detailed, visually-driven sites with minimal effort.
KEY FEATURES:
Complete Visual Design Control: Showit’s drag-and-drop editor gives you total freedom to design your site from scratch. You can move any element around the page and fully customize every detail. It’s perfect for creatives who want to design a website that stands out visually.
Integration with WordPress: While Showit handles the design, it uses WordPress for its blog and back-end. This gives you the best of both worlds—Showit’s visual design capabilities and WordPress’s powerful blogging platform.
Responsive Design: Showit ensures your design works well on all screen sizes without extra effort. It automatically adjusts elements so they look great on both desktop and mobile.
CONS:
Not Ideal for E-Commerce: Showit doesn’t offer a built-in e-commerce solution. While you can integrate third-party platforms like Shopify, it’s not always a smooth experience for users who need a robust online store.
Learning Curve: Showit’s design interface is powerful, but it can take some time to get used to, especially if you’re new to web design.
IDEAL FOR: Creative professionals, photographers, and small business owners who want a highly personalised website with a lot of design freedom but don't need heavy e-commerce functionality.
Free DIY Platforms: Budget-Friendly but Limited
BEST FOR: Personal projects, hobby sites, or businesses just getting started with minimal upfront costs.
THE GIST: Free DIY website builders are appealing for anyone wanting a quick, cost-effective way to get online without committing to a paid plan. Many of these platforms offer drag-and-drop builders and templates, making it easy for beginners to set up a simple site. While free plans are great for personal projects or low-stakes ventures, they tend to come with limitations that might not work as well for businesses with higher expectations or customisation needs.
KEY FEATURES:
No Upfront Cost: Free plans mean no monthly fees, which is a huge plus if you’re on a tight budget or testing the waters before investing in a website. This makes them great for hobbyists or anyone just starting out who doesn’t need a lot of extras.
Basic Templates and Drag-and-Drop Editing: Most free platforms offer some level of customization, with templates and drag-and-drop editors that make creating a basic website straightforward. The tools are generally easy to use, making these platforms perfect for beginners with limited technical skills.
Integrated Hosting and Basic SEO Tools: Free platforms usually include hosting and some basic SEO tools, so you don’t have to worry about managing technical details. However, the SEO features tend to be more limited than what you’d find on paid platforms, which may restrict your site’s search visibility.
CONS:
Limited Customization and Features: Free plans often come with restrictions on customization, storage, and bandwidth, so your design options and site performance can feel limited. If you want more control over your site’s look and functionality, you may find the free version too restrictive.
Ads and Branding: Most free platforms display ads or brand logos on your site. This can look unprofessional and may distract visitors from your content. To remove ads or access additional features, you’ll often need to upgrade to a paid plan.
IDEAL FOR: Personal projects, hobby sites, or early-stage businesses that need a simple online presence without committing to a full website investment.
Choosing the Right Platform for Your Business
Ultimately, the “right” website platform is the one that feels like a natural fit for your business. Whether you prioritise design, ease of use, flexibility, or e-commerce, each platform has its strengths. Consider what will best support your business goals now and grow with you over time.
And while there’s plenty of buzz about which platforms Google “prefers,” the truth is, Google doesn’t play favorites. No matter which platform you use, SEO success comes down to how well you optimize your content, images, and overall setup. If SEO is a priority, choose a platform with easy-to-use settings for things like page titles, meta descriptions, and mobile-friendly designs.
Remember, your website should be working as hard as you do—making it easy for potential clients to connect with you and take action.
