Best Website Builders for Small Business & Freelancers (2026)
Updated October 21, 2026 · Website builders
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1. Wix — Owners who want a clear plan ladder with bookings and payments built in
Wix publishes a clear tier structure: a free plan, then Light, Core and Business. Core and Business add payments, eCommerce and scheduling, which suits service businesses that take bookings. All plans list a custom domain, hosting, AI creation tools, 24/7 customer care and a 14-day money-back guarantee.
Pros
- Free plan with no credit card required, so you can build before committing
- Listed paid plans (Light, Core, Business) show free domain for 1 year, with storage of 2 GB, 50 GB and 100 GB respectively
- Core and Business include accept payments, eCommerce and scheduling and services
- Drag-and-drop editor, no-code design features and thousands of templates
- Site collaborator seats: 2 on Light, 5 on Core, 10 on Business
Cons
- Listed monthly prices (Light $17.77, Core $29.77, Business $39.77) include GST, and the billing term isn't clear from the plan summary, so check current pricing and commitment length
- Light has no payments or eCommerce listed, so selling online means moving up a tier
- Business Elite pricing: check current pricing
2. Squarespace — Creatives and service professionals who want a polished all-in-one platform
Squarespace organises its offering around business types, including creative services, professional services, beauty, fitness, home services and personal sites. Its feature set covers templates, an AI website builder, portfolios, blogs, scheduling, invoicing, memberships, donations, email and SMS campaigns, and SEO tools. It also has a Squarespace for Pros offering and a partner program for freelancers and agencies, which is relevant if you build sites for clients.
Pros
- Wide feature set under one roof: online stores, scheduling, invoicing, email campaigns, SEO tools and analytics
- Industry-specific starting points for photographers, designers, consultants, coaches, trainers and more
- Squarespace for Pros and the Circle partner program are aimed at freelancers and agencies
- 24/7 support, plus a Help Center and a forum
- Business email and domain tools available from the same provider
Cons
- Plan prices and plan-by-plan limits: check current pricing
- Some tools (for example SMS campaigns, memberships, invoicing) may depend on your plan, so check what your tier includes
- Many features can mean more to learn than a simple one-page site needs
3. Webflow — Designers, developers and freelancers who want fine control and a real CMS
Webflow is built around visual design, a CMS, hosting, SEO and collaboration, and it speaks directly to designers, developers, marketers, agencies and freelancers. Site plans start with a free Starter and move to Basic (about $15/mo billed yearly, for simple sites without a CMS) and Premium (about $25/mo billed yearly, adding the CMS and higher bandwidth). That makes it a strong fit when you want a custom-feeling site or a content-driven one.
Pros
- Free Starter plan to experiment (webflow.io domain, 2 static pages, 1 GB bandwidth, 50 form submissions)
- Basic adds a custom domain, 300 static pages, 10 GB bandwidth, unlimited form submissions and password protection
- Premium adds Webflow CMS, a range of bandwidth tiers from 50 GB up to 2.5 TB, code components, site search and form file upload
- Yearly billing is advertised as saving up to 40% versus monthly
- Aimed at freelancers and agencies, with templates and certified partners to hire
Cons
- The free Starter plan is very limited and uses a webflow.io domain
- The CMS is only on Premium, so content-heavy sites need the higher plan; confirm which bandwidth tier applies to your price
- The advertised prices are for yearly billing, so check current pricing for monthly rates
- Its design-and-CMS approach is likely a steeper learning curve for non-designers (our judgement, not a test result)
- Team platform plan is listed at $2500/mo on an annual contract, which is far beyond most solo needs
4. Hostinger Website Builder — Budget-minded owners who want to launch quickly with AI help
Hostinger pitches a drag-and-drop builder plus an AI Builder where you describe what you need and it builds the site. It also lists options to rebuild an existing site with AI, start from a template and take bookings online. It advertises a 30-day money-back guarantee, 24/7 support and promotional discounts of up to 82%.
Pros
- AI Builder aimed at people without technical skills
- Options for templates, rebuilding an existing site with AI, and online bookings
- 30-day money-back guarantee and 24/7 support
- Hosting, domains, email and marketing available from the same company
Cons
- Plan names, specific prices and renewal rates: check current pricing, since the headline discounts are promotional
- Features included in each plan (store, bookings, storage limits): check current plan details
- Hostinger also sells many developer and AI-agent products, so the website builder is one of many offerings to sort through
How to choose
Start with what the site must do. If you mainly need a credible presence with bookings or a small store, compare Wix's Core and Business tiers, Squarespace's business-type features, and Hostinger's booking and AI options. If you're a designer or developer, or you plan a content-rich site, Webflow's CMS and design control are the draw, though they come with more complexity. Then compare total cost, not the headline price. Check the billing term, what's included in your tier, the domain cost after any free first year, and the renewal price. Use the free plans or money-back windows (Wix 14 days, Hostinger 30 days) to build a real page before you commit. Prices and features change, so verify current details on each provider's site.
FAQ
Which website builder has a free plan?
Wix lists a free plan with no credit card required, and Webflow has a free Starter plan with tight limits (2 static pages, 1 GB bandwidth, 50 form submissions). For Squarespace and Hostinger, check current pricing and trial terms.
Which is best for a freelancer portfolio?
Squarespace has dedicated portfolio and freelancer pages, and Wix lists an online portfolio option. Webflow is a good fit if you want more design control and are comfortable with a more design-focused tool.
Can I take bookings and payments?
Wix's Core and Business plans list accept payments, scheduling and services. Squarespace lists scheduling, invoicing and online stores, and Hostinger lists taking bookings online. Check which plan unlocks each feature.
Do these plans include a domain?
Wix's Light, Core and Business plans list a free domain for 1 year. Webflow's Basic plan lists a custom domain. For Squarespace and Hostinger, check current pricing and what is included.
Is there a money-back guarantee?
Wix advertises a 14-day money-back guarantee and Hostinger advertises 30 days. For Squarespace and Webflow, check current refund and trial terms.
Which is cheapest?
Based on listed figures, Webflow's Basic plan is about $15/mo billed yearly and Wix's Light plan is $17.77/mo including GST. Hostinger advertises up to 82% off in promotions, but check current pricing for actual plan rates and renewals. Comparing like for like on features is more useful than comparing prices alone.
Prices and features change — always confirm on each vendor's site.