I have tested over 20 homepage building kits. Here the 6 best in the comparison. All 6 are recommendable, but each has its individual strengths.
WIX
Great freedom of design, all functions.
Squarespace
Easy to use, beautiful results.
1&1 IONOS
Best German language support.
Weebly
Easy to use.
Format
Suitable for portfolio websites.
Webflow
Ideal for designers.
Squarespace (squarespace.com)
Squarespace is a visual drag-and-drop website builder – and a very good one at that. Squarespace is intuitive to use, so even users with little prior knowledge can quickly create a presentable modern website.
Squarespace is known for its beautiful templates, but it also has everything you would expect from a homepage builder. Compared to all other website builders, Squarespace has the best blog feature, as well as the best features in terms of podcasting, scheduling, audio player and photo galleries.
To be clear, no other website builder can match Squarespace’s clean, modern templates. Some website builders advertise features they only "sort of" offer. Not Squarespace. All the features Squarespace advertises are thoughtfully implemented and just work.
If Wix is the Android among the homepage building kits, then Squarespace is the iPhone. Squarespace is completely intuitive and well-designed. Wix gives the user more freedom and can be customized down to the last detail.
Wix (wix.com)
The key unique selling point of Wix is that Wix is an unstructured editor. This leads to absolute freedom in designing your own site, because no fixed structure is given.
Most of the other homepage building kits are limited to the drag& Drop on a predefined grid. Wix is different. Wix’s unstructured editor lets you drag elements to any place you want, without restrictions.
The main advantage of Wix is also its only criticism. Without a predefined structure, you have to know how to use the freedom offered by the editor. Unlike the construction kits from Jimdo or even 1&1, Wix hardly sets any limits for the user. Although all elements can be moved to any position, you can mess up your own design if used inaccurately. A careful and controlled approach is therefore strongly recommended.
Thanks to a variety of modern designs, Wix allows you to get started quickly. Numerous illustrations and detailed video tutorials guide the user through the various functions of the homepage construction kit. Despite the almost unlimited possibilities, the handling of Wix is easy even for inexperienced users. The prefabricated designs are unparalleled and are visually on the highest level. All designs are responsive, d. h. which can be edited with Wix.com websites look good on both the PC and the smartphone. The only drawback with the designs is that you have to choose a template at the beginning, which you can’t change later on.
Wix is free in the basic version, but certain functions are reserved for the paid plans.
Jimdo (jimdo.de)
One of the best known providers is the German company Jimdo from Hamburg. Founded in 2007, Jimdo is continuously working on the further development of its homepage builder. For example, accessing and editing one’s own website is not only possible on a PC, but also via smartphone or tablet thanks to a corresponding app. New users are quickly introduced to the use of the construction kit with the help of an introductory video.
When creating a website with Jimdo, you stack elements on top of each other or next to each other. Quickly and easily edit color, font and content of the homepage and individual elements. It becomes problematic if the display and arrangement of certain elements are to be changed. So you are always limited to the prefabricated designs and have no possibility to implement your own ideas. Editing the footer, for example, is nearly impossible.
The pre-made designs that Jimdo offers are well structured. Some of the designs look a bit outdated. In the meantime, however, Jimdo has caught up and offers quite modern designs to choose from. In addition to the introductory video, a short tour helps the newcomer get to know all the functions.
Just like Wix, Jimdo is also free in the basic version. If you want to use your own domain and other features, you have to choose one of the paid plans.
1&1 IONOS (1and1.en)
Especially companies and self-employed people use the homepage construction kit of 1&1 IONOS. The MyWebsite called construction kit offers a variety of ready-made designs for all industries. Bicycle stores, locksmiths or painters can directly find a suitable template that represents their business appealingly. With just a few simple steps, the appropriate information about one’s own company can be added to the appropriate templates in an uncomplicated and intuitive way.
The editor is intuitively easy to use. 1&1 offers a balanced mix of free placement of elements via drag&drop when editing the design Drop and a given structure, into which the elements fit in. This allows you to get a usable result relatively quickly.
1&1 offers the full range of features, including integration of Youtube videos, maps from Google Maps and social media channels, statistics, the obligatory encryption and a backup function. Especially corporate customers appreciate the good German-speaking support, which can also be reached by phone.
Directly after the order, 1&1 offers the function "Go online immediately. An online business card is automatically generated, which contains a contact form and directions via Google Maps integration. Optionally, you can add your own background image, company logo, social media buttons, opening hours and a company description. This way, you literally have a presentable web presence within seconds and can then devote your time to working on the actual website, which will later replace the online business card.
The prefabricated designs are usable, but due to their conservative design, they are mainly suitable for just such industries. Industrial companies and classic service providers will quickly find a suitable template here.
Unlike competitors, 1&1 IONOS does not offer a free version, even on a trial basis. At least a money-back guarantee is offered within the first 30 days, but this does not apply if you have ordered your own domain as well.
Weebly (weebly.com)
Weebly impresses especially with its clear user interface. After selecting a design template, you can use drag&drop to create your own design Drop images, text sections and other elements to the desired position.
The editor feels simple and straightforward. The balanced mixture of Drag&Drop Drop and predefined structure reminiscent of 1&1. With Weebly, however, the work goes a little more smoothly from the hand.
A special feature is the possibility to edit the HTML and CSS source code directly by yourself. A live preview of the website is displayed in a two-pane window. Unfortunately the code editor is very sluggish and seems to hang often.
In addition, Weebly offers excellent e-commerce features and a usable user administration. Via the App Center you can add more features to your website z. B. Multilingualism, subscription models, tables and more.
Weebly offers only a few design templates, but they can be customized in the editor. At least this makes the decision easy, because depending on the industry often only one or two templates come into question at all.
With Weebly, you automatically start with the free plan and can upgrade later at any time if you need more functions.
Format (format.com)
Format is an easy-to-use homepage builder that focuses on portfolio websites. Especially photographers, designers, artists or fashion designers can quickly get a website on which they can exhibit their work. Not least thanks to the integration with Adobe Lightroom and Capture One, Format is perfect especially for photographers.
The editor gives the user a lot of control over how the website should look like. Unfortunately, it is far less intuitive than other homepage building kits and so you often sit a bit perplexed in front of the screen. To format.com you should first watch the offered video tutorials.
Format’s selection of pre-made design templates is very limited. However, this is not a problem, since portfolio pages are principally about your own works and the design of the page itself can be quite minimalist.
Format is also free to start with and can be upgraded at any time if you want to use additional features such as your own domain or an integrated online store.
Webflow (webflow.com)
Webflow is a mixture of homepage construction kit and CMS. The editor has a much steeper learning curve than bspw. Wix or Jimdo. The interface is reminiscent of Photoshop and offers a similar number of functions.
Webflow is mainly known for its design tool. In the editor, the user drag& drop HTML elements into the template Drop on the workspace and then adjust the CSS via a right side window. If you are familiar with HTML and CSS, you will also get along with Webflow.
The integrated CMS offers a similar range of functions as the design tool. Instead of directly starting to edit the content, one first creates one or more content types, called collections. To be able to use the CMS in a meaningful way, a longer training period is necessary.
Webflow is suitable for creating a design from scratch and is therefore primarily aimed at professional designers. Nevertheless, there are a large number of ready-made templates that you can use as a basis for your own design. However, most of them have to be purchased.
Registration with Webflow is initially free of charge. If you need more than two subpages, you have to switch to a paid plan. Pricing is comparatively confusing in the process. Webflow distinguishes between so-called "Site Plans" and "Account Plans", whereby one needs one or more Site Plans as well as an Account Plan to be able to use all features. In addition, one-time payments for the use of design templates.
Further construction kits
Strato Homepage Construction Kit Pro / LivePages: Step by Step
Another well-known tool for creating websites is LivePages from Strato. Particularly striking is the look of the backend, which is strongly reminiscent of programs from the field of engineering. For new users, getting started is a bit bumpy, although there are instructions and mostly video tutorials for all functions.
Like most builders, Strato LivePages starts with the selection of a sector. The templates can then be customized and filled with content. After initial familiarization, the tool is easy to use and allows for quick successes.
Webnode: basic functions
Like many homepage construction kits, Webnode also has an editor with which texts can be intuitively written and formatted. The editor of Webnode reminds strongly of the optics of Office programs and facilitates so also inexperienced users the entrance. By drag& Drop, individual elements such as photos can be simply dragged to the desired location with a mouse click. Multilingual pages can also be created with Webnode. The biggest drawback of the tool are the design templates, which are neither numerous nor meet the demands of modern aesthetics.
Alfahosting homepage construction kit: Also for professionals
The hosting provider Alfahosting offers since some time an own homepage construction kit with the apt name "Homepage", which is a further development of an earlier tool. The "Instant Setup Page" function creates the basic framework for a private homepage or the Internet presence of a company within a very short time. Prefabricated designs are available for various industries such as carpenters, car repair shops or bakers.
"Homepage" is not exclusively suitable for newcomers. Even experienced users can make use of the numerous templates. These can be individually adapted to your own ideas. For example, you can upload your own background images. The structure of menus and the navigation can be designed as you wish. With direct access to the HTML code of a page, the possibilities are unlimited. Interesting is that "Homepage" is not necessarily bound to the offer of Alfahosting, but also allows the user to link to his own web space.
Homepage construction kit.en: Tool for hobbyists
The Homepage Builder page.de advertises being able to create a website in just three minutes. The construction kit of the company webme GmbH already exists since 2007, which is the biggest disadvantage of the tool: prefabricated designs and the available editor seem somewhat old-fashioned nowadays.
There are no explanations for the individual functions in the tool itself. For example, the user is left on his own with the question why there are four different ways to include a text.
Homepage construction kit.de is rather a tool for hobbyists, who want to try for free how to create their own homepage. However, if you have serious or commercial ambitions, you should use a different supplier.
Web business card.en: Quick familiarization
In 2009 United Webdesign developed the homepage construction kit Webvisitenkarte.de. Without previous knowledge, attractive websites can be designed with the tool.
Immediately after registration, the own page appears in the standard layout. A practical menu bar provides an overview of all design templates, so that you can quickly change the appearance of your own website. In addition, the layout can be further customized: once the desired template is found, the structure of the page itself can be constructed. The number of columns as well as headers and footers can be quickly configured. background image, fonts and page logo are also individually adjustable. Those who are not completely satisfied with the prefabricated designs and have the necessary knowledge can also edit the CSS code of the page.
Web business card.de also makes it possible to add various modules with just a few clicks. If a guestbook or a blog is desired, select it in the toolbar and put it in the desired place on your page. To edit individual elements directly, simply click on them with the mouse and change the options in the menu that appears.
Web business card.de is a very accessible tool, which offers the user a quick learning curve as well as sufficient functionality.
Jux: A wide range of possibilities
Interesting about Jux is the focus on the community. With the help of a sharing function, the self-designed website can be made available to all users of Jux as a template. In this way, a large number of templates and design templates were created, which can be used by any user. If the community templates are too fancy for you, Jux naturally offers in-house templates that can serve as a solid foundation when creating a website.
With Jux websites can be created in different ways. While the inexperienced user may not be familiar with functions such as drag& Drop and visual editors are available, more experienced homepage tinkerers can also dig directly into the CSS and HTML code to make any desired changes there. The combination of templates and the option to edit the source code offers one of the best ways to customize a website down to the smallest detail.
Jux support is limited to the English language only.
Moonfruit: Limited possibilities
Moonfruit was one of the first tools that allowed users to easily design Flash-based websites. A free trial version gives you an insight into the functions of the construction kit.
Moonfruit’s operation is simple and quickly leads to the desired result. Nevertheless, the tool suffers from problems that can lead to frustrating moments. An example are the image galleries, which cannot be clearly labeled and categorized. Navigating through the image archive can get very confusing as a result. The access to the HTML and CSS code is very limited and therefore only of limited use. Nevertheless, with Moonfruit you can create nice Flash websites relatively fast.
If you care about optimizing your own homepage for search engines, you will not be happy with Moonfruit. The contents of flash-based websites are not indexed by Google.
SnapPages: Like with Office
Another homepage builder for Flash websites is SnapPages. At first glance SnapPages seems very limited in its scope due to a small number of templates and design templates. Nevertheless, SnapPages surprises with functions, such as the integration of a calendar, photo galleries or even your own blog.
If you start to create your own website with SnapPages, you will be guided through the first steps by a helpful assistant. In a few steps the basic framework of the homepage is built up, which can then be filled with content. Editing the content is strongly reminiscent of various office applications and is therefore easy for the inclined PC user to handle.
The web pages designed by SnapPages eventually show up as a combination of Flash and HTML blocks. While texts and menu bars are HTML content, images, videos and other graphical elements are displayed using Flash. This approach has the advantage that search engines do not have any problems to capture and evaluate the content of a website.
Edicy: Only the most necessary
The special feature of Edicy is the focus on multilingualism of a homepage. With 16 different integrated languages Edicy is the optimal homepage builder for all those who want to present their website in different languages.
The functions of Edicy are limited to basic elements. Edicy is very easy to use. Those who have the necessary know-how also have the possibility to edit the source code.
Webs: Under constant development
The integrated user management of the homepage builder from Webs.com is suitable for building a community or also for websites of associations. The calendar function can be used to plan dates and events and display them clearly to all members. A separate wiki to explain the most important functions makes it easier for newcomers to Webs to get started with website creation.
The construction kit of Webs is continuously developed. Consideration is given to suggestions and criticism from the community, which can make suggestions for improvement in the in-house forum. The result is an enormous range of functions, which should meet all user requirements. This makes the learning curve rather high.
A wizard helps to design the basic framework of a homepage, but the subsequent editing turns out to be a bit more complex. If you are willing to familiarize yourself with the numerous functions of the web, you have an extensive homepage construction kit with many possibilities at hand. However, Webs is only partly recommended for technical laymen.
Cabanova: Simple and easy
Cabanova’s homepage construction kit has been around since 2001, making it one of the oldest of its kind. Cabanova offers a solid system, which companies like Hyundai or Vodafone work with. Different pricing models and a choice of over 1.000 design templates meet all requirements.
The backend of Cabanova is based on Flash and therefore does not seem very contemporary. Due to the good structure, the user can find the desired functions quickly and intuitively. Text modules, images, galleries, videos and various plugins can be easily integrated as well as audio files. The website created in this way is also completely displayed in Flash, which brings the above-mentioned disadvantages in indexing by search engines with it. advantage of the German-speaking company is the excellent support, which also offers quick solutions to problems by phone.
Voog is one of the best construction kits for multilingual websites. For each page, versions in different languages can be created, which visitors can then access via a flag icon.
The own editor offers only a few functions and is easy to use. Pages are created by drag&drop Drop from elements assembled. There is also a design editor that allows customizing fonts, content width, background color, button styles and much more.
There are only two page layouts for the prefabricated designs: title page or standard page. The front page layout is rather inflexible and standard pages cannot be divided into columns.
Strikingly
The homepage construction kit of Strikingly is especially suitable to create so called one pagers. One pagers are long websites that consist of only one page, where you can scroll up and down by clicking on the navigation.
The creation of such One Pager succeeds with Strikingly with an intuitive editor, with which sections called sections can be added and removed.
While Strikingly already contains a selection of pre-built sections, you can also create your own sections at any time. In this, the user can add columns, headings, videos, features, images and more.
WordPress.com
WordPress.com is not the WordPress most people think of when they hear WordPress. Most people know WordPress as WordPress.org, the popular open source content management system (CMS). Although WordPress.com built on WordPress, it is not the same.
WordPress.com has a much simplified user interface compared to WordPress, reminiscent of other homepage building kits. However, WordPress.com no visual drag& Drop Editor. Instead, it is a form-based editor that separates content and design. For example, when you select a page template, you simply choose from a dropdown list. There is no preview.
Over the past decade, WordPress has built an ecosystem of third-party plugins and themes. With WordPress.com you can install these WordPress plugins and thus retrofit almost all the features you can imagine. However, you then no longer have an advantage over the open source WordPress, because plugins can not be managed through the simplified interface, but you are redirected to the normal WordPress view.
Ucraft
Ucraft is a block-based website builder. It means that you create pages by stacking blocks vertically on top of each other. Blocks are then composed of individual elements.
The blocks are fully customizable in the process: you can add elements, remove elements, or design your own blocks from scratch. Other block-based website builders don’t have this customizability.
When it comes to styling blocks and elements, you should enable the design mode, which unlocks a variety of customization options. In fact, you can’t resize a photo or adjust the padding and margins of blocks without having design mode turned on.
Ucraft is not suitable for quickly clicking together a website from a template. However, if you have enough time and patience, you can use Ucraft to achieve results that exactly match your own design ideas.
With XPRS, websites are also created by stacking sections. Examples of sections include photo galleries, forms, team listings, logos and maps.
Once you’ve selected a section, you can edit the elements, but you can’t move them around. Most sections look nice from the start and there is a wide selection of sections to choose from.
XPRS requires a little bit longer training than the other construction kits. Also, you occasionally run into shortcomings that can spoil your fun.
Conclusion: Do it yourself is the motto
The comparison shows: With almost any construction kit software, it is possible to design your own new website without any knowledge of HTML, CSS or programming languages and publish it within minutes. With some offers, a simple Internet presence is even free in the basic version; you only have to pay for professional website functions and your own Internet address (domain).
So you shouldn’t be afraid to design your own first website yourself with a do-it-yourself building service. You do not need to know programming to do this. A variety of tutorials and instructions help you with the first steps of creation. Once you’ve learned the art of website building, you’ll be amazed at how easy it is to build your own website and publish it on the Internet.
Tip: More important than the actual web design is the structure& the structure resp. the layout of a website. Therefore, you should first plan the structure offline in the classic way.