You run a small business and want to own your online website. But you don’t have the time to learn how to code just to build a website, nor the budget to outsource it.
Here’re 8 no-code website builders will help you get your website up and running in less than an hour.
1. WordPress
The OG in the space, WordPress offers the most flexibility out of all the options in this list. It offers a wide library of plugins that’ll let you customise features on your website. However, with that flexibility comes a slightly steeper learning curve as each theme and plugin may operate differently.
WordPress offers a free service. However your free domain will end with “.wordpress.com” which isn’t very professional nor trustworthy as a business website.
Hence, you can choose to get your own domain and hosting service before linking them up to a free WordPress CMS and start building. Or simply sign up for WordPress’ subscription (starts from $7 monthly) which comes with a custom domain (free for 1st year) and everything else you need to launch your website, right out of the box. Simply pick a free theme and start building.
Personally, I’m using the former as I have multiple sites being hosted on my SiteGround hosting account.
If you plan to set up an online store, you may need to purchase additional plugins that’ll give you the option to process orders and collect payments.
An easier option for e-commerce businesses would be:
2. Shopify (for e-commerce)
If you’re running an e-commerce business, you might want to consider Shopify.
A big player in the e-commerce space, Shopify helps small businesses and solopreneurs to build their own e-commerce platform, without having to deal with all the technical issues of connecting different service providers together.
Its web builder is simple to use with drag and drop elements and a “what you see if what you get” (WYSIWYG) interface. Plus it is mobile responsive.
Shopify comes with a 14-day free trial and several price plans for you to choose from, starting at US$29/month for the basic plan which lets you list unlimited products and collect payments through credit cards directly (with a 3.2% +$0.50 SGD transaction fee).
You might bulk at the transaction fee, but that’s lower than eNETs, Paypal (3.9% +SGD$0.5), Stripe (3.4%+SGD0$.5) and even the banks (which charge a hefty set up fee).
3. Wix
Wix which offers an interactive web builder. It was a gamechanger when Wix was first launched but many have since followed in its footsteps.
Wix is fairly easy to use and you can probably pick it up in a couple of minutes if you are used to browsing websites. If not, there are tons of tutorials on YouTube that’ll guide you through the process.
Like WordPress, you can set up a free Wix account and start getting your hands dirty anytime with their free hosting. You’ll find a good library of free templates within the platform.
They offer paid plans for businesses starting from US$8.50 per month for an ad-free website that comes with a custom domain (free for the 1st year). You have the option to point to your own custom domain as well.
And if you wish to launch an e-commerce arm, Wix offers e-commerce plans that allows you to start accepting payments with a just a few clicks. E-commerce plans start from US$17/month.
4. Squarespace
Another seasoned player in the scene is Squarespace which also offers an interactive web builder that lets you view your website as you build it. If squarespace sounds familiar, you’d probably heard or seen it being recommended by many YouTubers.
You can get started for free with Squarespace and choose from a range of website templates in the platform. It is also highly customisable, so you can make most templates work for your brand.
Squarespace has a couple of price plans, starting from US$14/month, which includes a custom domain (free for the first year), hosting and basic web analytics.
They offer an e-commerce focused price plan from US$27 per month that allows you to sell unlimited products with zero transaction fees (payment processer fees may still apply).
5. Duda
Duda markets itself as the professional website builder that agencies use (to help their clients build websites). And you can see why, its interactive interface is easy to pick up and you can customise your website easily.
Built for agencies, Duda focus on allowing users to build websites fast, focuses on uptime as well as Page speed which will help with SEO.
You can get a 14-days free trial on Duda, thereafter, there’s a range of paid plans to choose from, starting from US$14 per month, with the option to add on ecommerce capbabilities from US$7.25 per month.
The main downside is that you’ll need to purchase your custom domain separately and link it to Duda. Tutorials are provided within Duda and this shouldn’t take more than a couple of minutes.
6. Webflow
Webflow is making waves as a no-code web builder lately. Its interface is somewhat like photoshop, giving you the full flexibility to build whatever you can imagine. However, on the flip side that means it does take some time to learn and get used to the interface.
That said, it comes with a library of free templates that you can choose to work off from which will allow you to launch your website quickly. If you wish to improve your website in the future, there are tons of tutorials available on YouTube too.
Webflow has a free option that comes with a webflow.io domain and allows you to give the platform a test drive. They also have a range of price plans starting from $12/month for a simple website, you can choose to link your custom domain or purchase it separately via Webflow. If you plan to carry out a content marketing in future, you can upgrade to their CMS plan at $16/month. And if you need multiple landing pages to drive sales or lead generation, you’ll need to upgrade to their business plan at $36/month.
7. Weebly
Weebly lets you build a website using a drag and drop interface. It comes with a range of designs that you can use immediately or customise to suit your brand.
Weebly offers a free plan that comes with Weebly branded domain as well as a couple of paid plans starting from US$12 / month which comes with a free custom domain and the ability to accept payments through Square.
8. Bubble
Bubble is the most versatile option that lets you build any web application without code.
You can build anything from a simple website to a web app for specific purposes. It works off a visual programming interface which is basically a drag and drop interface, making it easily to use.
Of course, with the range of capabilities that Bubble offers, there are more advanced features like workflows that allow you to customise user interactions and plugins would give you additional functions. There are tutorials available on Bubble’s YouTube channel if you wish to customise your website in the future.
It comes with a Free plan that has the Bubble branding. There are several paid plans from US$29/month that lets you use a custom domain without Bubble’s branding on your website.
Bonus: Universe
Here’s an extra bonus if you prefer to build your website on your mobile phone.
Universe is a no-code website builder that runs on your mobile phone. It’s currently only available for Apple users but it could change the game in the future.
With Universe, you can build a full fledge website with analytics, email list features, e-commerce capabilities and more, all from your phone. Premium features are chargeable, starting at about US$25 per month.
Note on custom .sg domains
Many of these no-code website builders simplify the process of launching a website by removing the need to look for your own hosting service or buy your own custom domain.
However, if you’re a local business and want to own a .sg domain, you may not be able to get those via these website builders.
.sg domains can only be registered by Singaporean companies or business, or entities with a local presence or agent in Singapore. They can only be register with registrars accredited by SGNIC.
Personally, I’ve been using Exabyte to purchase my .sg domains. Their support is responsive and they have tutorials that’ll make it easy for you to link your .sg domains to your web host or web builders.
Upon registering your .sg domain, you’ll be required to verify your identity via CorpPass or SingPass. You should receive instructions from the registrar after you have bought your custom domain.
Start building!
I’ve listed 8 no-code website builders here and there are many more out there. Most of them are pretty similar. But there are some that serve a more specific purpose. For example, Ghost which is better for audience building or Outseta which is an add on that gives you the power to build membership sites.
Many offer a free trial or free plan that lets you test drive their platform; you should make good use of that. However, I would urge you to go for a paid plan when you’re ready so as to own your custom domain. It’s not the best idea to direct potential customers to a website URL that reads “mybusiness.nocodebuilder.com” as that doesn’t help to build trust nor grant your website any authority.
Bottom line, don’t waste too much time choosing the perfect website builder. Just pick 1 and start building!