How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Rankite is independent; if a vendor ever pays for a featured spot, that listing is clearly labeled Partner.
Key takeaways
- Squarespace subscriptions start at $19/month after a free 14-day trial, and GoDaddy's featured AI Builder plan runs $24.99/month billed annually.
- Wix, Weebly, GoDaddy, Jimdo and WordPress.com all offer free tiers, but with ads, subdomains or feature limits.
- Duda and Webflow target professionals and agencies rather than DIY users, with pricing that reflects it.
- No vendor in this roundup publishes full pricing on the homepage, so plan on opening each pricing page before you commit.
Why pricing is the hardest part of picking a website builder
Every website builder advertises a starting price, but the number that matters is what you actually pay once you add a custom domain, drop the platform branding, open up ecommerce or install the apps you need. Free plans are real on most platforms here, yet they carry limits that push growing businesses to paid tiers quickly.
The eight builders below were verified live in October 2026. I note what each vendor states on its own homepage about price and free plans, and mark the rest honestly.
#1
Wix
Best for: Small businesses and creators that want AI-assisted building with 2,000+ templates
Visit wix.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planYes
Wix remains the volume leader: over 300 million sites built, with sites created daily in the tens of thousands. The 2026 platform centers on Wix Harmony, an AI website builder that flows between instant generation and hand-crafted design, plus 2,000+ business-ready templates. The vendor confirms you can start free with no credit card.
The catch is the usual one: the free tier gets you started, but a custom domain, removed ads and full ecommerce need a Premium plan. A custom domain comes free for one year with the initial purchase of an annual Premium plan. Check the pricing page for current numbers, which change with promotions.
What we like- Start for free with no credit card required
- 300M+ sites built
- AI website builder plus drag-and-drop
- Built-in ecommerce, bookings, payments and marketing
Watch out for- No pricing on the homepage
- Free plan keeps Wix branding and ads
- Premium plans are needed for a custom domain
#2
Squarespace
Best for: Design-conscious businesses, portfolios and stores that want polished templates
Visit squarespace.com
Starting priceFrom $19/month
Free planNo
Squarespace is one of the few builders that states its price on the homepage: after a free 14-day trial, subscriptions start at $19/month. Blueprint AI, one of TIME's Best Inventions of 2025, generates a bespoke site from a few answers, and the platform bundles selling tools, Acuity Scheduling, invoicing and marketing in one place.
The pricing honesty is welcome, but note the direction of travel: Squarespace raised prices in July 2026, and its cheapest paid plan carries transaction fees. There is no free tier, so you are paying from day one after the trial. Domains start at $14/year, with one free year on new annual website subscriptions.
What we like- Vendor-confirmed starting price
- Blueprint AI website generation
- Integrated ecommerce, scheduling and invoicing
- Free custom domain for one year on annual plans
Watch out for- No free plan, only a 14-day trial
- The July 2026 Core plan price increase drew complaints
- Transaction fees apply on lower tiers
#3
Weebly
Best for: Small businesses that want a genuinely free starter site with ecommerce basics
Visit weebly.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planYes
Weebly's pitch is simplicity: build a free website that grows with your business. Now part of Square, it pairs the free builder with payments, order management and marketing tools, which makes it a natural fit for businesses that also sell in person.
The free plan is real, but the platform shows its age against newer rivals, and the homepage gives no pricing for paid tiers. It remains a solid choice for a straightforward business site or small store on a tight budget.
What we like- Free website builder confirmed on homepage
- Part of the Square product suite
- Integrated payments and marketing tools
- Simple guided setup
Watch out for- No pricing on the homepage
- Feature development has slowed since the Square acquisition
- Less design flexibility than Wix or Squarespace
#4
GoDaddy
Best for: Small businesses that want an AI-built site fast with domain and marketing bundled
Visit godaddy.com
Starting priceFrom $24.99/month
Free planYes
GoDaddy's 2026 homepage leads with Airo, its AI website builder: describe your business and get a site in minutes, starting free with 50 AI credits a month and no credit card required. The vendor is unusually direct about price positioning, stating the Airo AI builder costs less than Wix, Squarespace, Lovable and Base44.
The featured AI Builder Professional plan is $24.99/month billed annually, aimed at bookings and payments with up to 10 sites. For a business that wants a domain, website, email and marketing from one vendor, GoDaddy's bundle is hard to beat on convenience, though designers will find the AI approach limiting.
What we like- Start free with 50 AI credits/month and no credit card
- Vendor confirms the AI builder costs less than Wix and Squarespace
- 82M+ domains and 20M+ customers
Watch out for- The $24.99/month featured plan is billed annually
- AI-first approach gives less design control
- Upsells are part of the experience
#5
WordPress.com
Best for: Bloggers and businesses that want WordPress power without managing hosting
Visit wordpress.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planYes
WordPress.com is the hosted version of WordPress from Automattic: managed hosting, global CDN, security and updates handled for you. The platform offers a free tier (widely documented at $0 with a wordpress.com subdomain), though the homepage itself does not state plan prices.
The free tier is genuinely limited: 1GB storage, WordPress.com ads and no plugin installs. Paid tiers open up custom domains, more storage and plugins. The homepage confirms enterprise pricing only, WordPress VIP starting at $25,000/year. Check wordpress.com/pricing for current consumer plan prices.
What we like- Free tier with hosting, CDN, SSL and security included
- Unmatched theme and plugin ecosystem
- Scales from hobby blog to enterprise via WordPress VIP
Watch out for- No pricing on the homepage
- Free tier has 1GB storage, ads and no plugins
- Paid tiers needed for plugins and custom domains
#6
Webflow
Best for: Designers, agencies and marketing teams that want pixel-level control without developers
Visit webflow.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Webflow has repositioned as an agentic web platform for modern businesses: visual design and development side by side, a CMS, page branching, A/B testing and AI-powered personalization, plus agency features like client billing handoff. Enterprise-grade hosting processes tens of billions of page views monthly.
The homepage states no pricing and no free tier, which reflects the professional positioning. Webflow is the choice when design quality and CMS power matter more than the lowest monthly price, but budget shoppers should open the pricing page before falling in love with the canvas.
What we like- Visual canvas with professional-grade design control
- CMS, branching and client billing for agencies
- Enterprise hosting with SOC 2
- AI and AEO tooling
Watch out for- No pricing or free tier stated on the homepage
- Steeper learning curve than drag-and-drop builders
- Costs scale with sites and CMS items
#7
Duda
Best for: Agencies and SaaS platforms building sites for clients at scale
Visit duda.co
Starting priceSee website
Free planNo
Duda is explicit about who it serves: not individual DIY users, but the 23,000+ agencies, hosts and SaaS platforms building client sites. The pitch is speed and scale, a fast visual editor, reusable templates, white labeling, granular client permissions and automation via APIs.
The homepage offers no pricing and no free tier, which is consistent with an agency tool sold on value rather than entry price. If you build sites for others, Duda's client management and white-label features are worth a demo; if you need one site for yourself, look elsewhere on this list.
What we like- Built for professionals managing hundreds of client sites
- White-label branding
- Client permissions and billing
- APIs and AI site generation
Watch out for- Not built for DIY users
- No free plan or pricing on the homepage
- Agency-focused feature set
#8
Jimdo
Best for: European solopreneurs and small businesses that want an AI-built site with bookings and payments
Visit jimdo.com
Starting priceSee website
Free planYes
Jimdo targets solopreneurs with a simple promise: no credit card, free forever. Tell the AI what you do and get a website in under 5 minutes, with bookings, an online shop, invoices and payment links connected to one customer database. GDPR compliance and European hosting are built in from day one.
The free tier is the real deal for a basic business site, though growing businesses will hit paid-tier needs for domains and advanced features. It is a particularly strong option for EU-based businesses that care about data protection.
What we like- Free forever plan with no credit card
- AI-generated website in under 5 minutes
- Bookings, shop, invoices and payment links built in
- GDPR-ready, made in Germany
Watch out for- No pricing on the homepage
- Smaller template and app ecosystem
- Strongest in Europe
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
| Wix | Small businesses and creators that want AI-assisted building with 2,000+ templates | See website | Yes |
| Squarespace | Design-conscious businesses, portfolios and stores that want polished templates | From $19/month | No |
| Weebly | Small businesses that want a genuinely free starter site with ecommerce basics | See website | Yes |
| GoDaddy | Small businesses that want an AI-built site fast with domain and marketing bundled | From $24.99/month | Yes |
| WordPress.com | Bloggers and businesses that want WordPress power without managing hosting | See website | Yes |
| Webflow | Designers, agencies and marketing teams that want pixel-level control without developers | See website | No |
| Duda | Agencies and SaaS platforms building sites for clients at scale | See website | No |
| Jimdo | European solopreneurs and small businesses that want an AI-built site with bookings and payments | See website | Yes |
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
How we chose these eight
We picked the eight website builders buyers most often compare on price, covering DIY, agency and ecommerce use cases. Every vendor homepage was opened and verified in October 2026. We recorded only what each vendor stated on its own homepage: starting prices appear only where the vendor published them (Squarespace, GoDaddy), and free plans are marked Yes only where the vendor confirms one.
What to check before you buy
First, price the plan you will actually use, not the headline. Add the custom domain, the removal of platform branding and ads, ecommerce or booking features, and any transaction fees. The cheapest starting price rarely survives contact with a real business.
Next, test the free tier or trial with your actual content. Upload your images, write your real pages and connect your domain flow if possible. Builders feel very different with your material in them than in a demo template.
Finally, check renewal pricing and exit costs. Introductory annual rates often renew higher, and moving a site off a proprietary builder usually means rebuilding. Ask what renewals cost and how you export your content before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
Sources we checked (0)
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has spent more than a decade helping SaaS and e-commerce brands grow through search. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.