10 best website builders

Review of the best according to the editorial board. On the selection criteria. This material is subjective and does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.

In the era of Web 1.0, in order to create a website, even a very simple one, one had to have remarkable knowledge and skills. Now there are a huge number of tools that allow you to create a decent modern website even without the slightest idea of ​​what HTML, PHP, Javascript, and so on. One type of such toolkit is online website builders. The best of them, to which today's rating with a review from, is dedicated, allow you to create web resources of the most varying degrees of complexity – from a business card site to an entire online store.

What are website builders

Let's clarify the very definition of a website builder just in case. Within the framework of this review, we are considering precisely the constructors 'in their pure form', which involve minimizing the requirements for knowledge and skills in web development.

There is another class of software systems that allow even beginners to create serious sites – these are the so-called content management systems (CMS). The most popular CMS in the world are WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, MODX and a number of others. These software suites also formally correspond to the term “website builder”, but are a completely separate topic for many reasons. Some of the presented designers base their functionality on certain CMS, but, nevertheless, they themselves are not.

All services that our experts have identified in the rating are paid – various tariff plans are offered with different options. Some online constructors also have free services, but they are extremely limited in capabilities and poorly applicable.

On a global scale, there are countless English-language online website builders, including powerful and multifunctional ones. The goal of the editorial office was to highlight the best Russian-language services as possible. Therefore, all the presented constructors are either originally created in Russian, or have a full-fledged localization.

And now, finally, on to a roundup of the best online website builders that are most in demand as of 2019.

Ranking of the best website builders

Nomination	a place	Website builder	rating
The best general site builders	1	uCoz	5.0
	2	uKit	4.9
	3	Nethouse	4.8
	4	Tilda	4.7
	5	Wix	4.6
	6	1C-UMI	4.5
	7	Webasyst	4.4
	8	Diafan.Cloud	4.3
	9	Ucraft	4.2
	10	Setup	4.1

The best general site builders

We present you the most capacious nomination of our rating, which will present the best, according to our experts, website builders on the Runet. Each such system has its own advantages and disadvantages, offers different possibilities at different prices. In the reviews, we will highlight the most important characteristics of each designer, which will help you choose the most suitable one for you personally.

uCoz

Rating: 5.0

Let's start with one of the most popular full-fledged website builders in Runet with a deep history, which can even be called a kind of legend. A rich set of tools and a very loyal pricing policy are important components of the success and steadily growing popularity of uCoz.

The uCoz project started in the early 2000s with minimal investment and was driven largely by the enthusiasm of the creators. However, it quickly gained a wide audience thanks to the wide range of tools at that time, mostly free. Until now, developers do not stop improving the engine, adding more and more tools, while maintaining a significant field of opportunities for free use. In the uCoz designer environment, you can create sites of various directions and scales: simple business card sites, landing pages, blogs, forums, information portals, corporate sites, online stores, and more.

The uCoz environment provides the developer with a convenient WYSIWYG editor, where the lion's share of all operations to create a site is carried out – placing modules, assigning attributes, layout, filling with content. All these operations are carried out without the need for manual editing of the HTML code, however, if necessary, make subtle changes to the code and the presence of appropriate knowledge, the system provides access to the code of each page of the site in full.

Actually, the presence of such an editor is a prerequisite for a full-fledged website builder, and each of those that got into the review provides such an editor. The only difference is in their functionality and individual nuances.

The uCoz environment has more than 20 ready-made functional modules that can be implemented into the website being developed literally 'in two clicks'. These are such modules as Users, Photo Album, Page Editor, Articles Directory, News, Statistics and others. Separate complex multifunctional modules are provided on a paid basis, for example, the online store module. But there are very few of them.

uCoz allows you to work flexibly with the source code, which is important for advanced users creating sites with increased requirements. Access to sources via FTP and built-in file manager, Javascript, PHP, shortcodes, API are supported. Provides 300 ready-made free templates and over 500 premium paid templates of high quality.

Advantages

• the broadest functionality;
• hundreds of free templates;
• the possibility of completely free use, including joining your own second-level domain (conditional 'fee' – the presence of an advertising banner);
• rich SEO tools;
• a lot of training materials;
• huge community;
• responsive, qualified round-the-clock technical support;
• affordable prices compared to many other website builders.

disadvantages

• sometimes complex and not quite intuitive interface.

uKit

Rating: 4.9

The second number in our rating is the online website builder, which has some relation to the above-described 'dinosaur' (in a good way) of the Runet uCoz. This is uKit, developed by the Russian company of the same name. The fact is that at the dawn of the 2000s, the uCoz system (owner – Yukoz Media LLC) was developed by the uKit Group company. Ten years later, it was probably decided to at least partially repeat the success of uCoz, and the uKit Group created a website builder of the same name. The project was more than successful.

The creators position their brainchild as a website builder for business, and identify individual entrepreneurs, self-employed people, owners of small firms, and specialized specialists as the target audience. The main areas of application of uKit are the creation of business card sites, landing pages, portfolios, and small-scale online stores.

The basis of this constructor, like any other, is a visual editor, in which you can easily and easily make up a site, adding ready-made functional blocks and widgets, and fill the resource with content. Knowledge and skills in programming are not required. The uKit toolkit allows you to create a simple yet fully complete and working website in just half an hour.

There are several hundred ready-made website templates for the developer to choose from, and on higher tariff plans the user gets access to an even more expanded range of templates and premium features. Each template has demo content so that the user of the designer can immediately visually appreciate how his own site will look.

Depending on the chosen tariff plan, the uKit user can get access to fine and convenient adjustment of the SEO component, tools for creating an online store, customer interaction system (CRM), a wide range of marketing and social tools.

At the moment it offers four tariff plans: Premium – satisfies most of the users' requests; Premium + – access to premium templates, powerful statistics, chat with support, Yandex.Direct promo code, you can turn off uKit copyright; Shop – all of the above plus access to tools for creating an online store; all of the above plus creating your own palettes and integrating your own code.

Advantages

• hundreds of templates with high-quality demo content;
• ease of learning, minimum entry threshold;
• professional round-the-clock technical support;
• large knowledge base;
• a wide range of marketing and social tools;
• 14 days of a test period with an honest money back;
• democratic prices.

disadvantages

• structural uniformity of templates due to a rather strict block system.

Nethouse

Rating: 4.8

The third number in the ranking of the best online website builders is a fairly young project that quickly gained popularity thanks to its wide range of tools, interesting ideas and a very democratic tariff policy.

Nethouse, with all its advantages, is not nearly as versatile as the previous two, but this is not a disadvantage, but rather a specialization. The main directions are the creation of landing pages, business card sites, small online stores. In addition to the standard service packages offered by the established tariff plans, you can choose from a variety of additional useful services and options for a fee. There is a small 'pitfall' in Nethouse – tariff packages look very inexpensive, and there is even a completely free one, but with the activation of additional options (inexpensive separately), the total amount of the monthly fee may increase significantly.

The service offers four tariff plans. 'Start' is a completely free package that allows you to create a simple website with a third-level domain on nethouse.ru, place up to 10 products in the catalog, up to 20 photos in the gallery, as well as unlimited hosting and SSL certificate.

The 'First' tariff plan is also practically free – it costs 1 ruble per month. Here you can already connect your own domain of any level, place up to 100 photos and up to 10 products. A conditional 3000 rubles are provided for advertising on Google. The site will have a Nethouse nameplate.

Plan 'Master' – they donate a domain, remove the Nethouse logo from the site, place up to 50 products and up to 200 photos, accept online payments.

Plan 'Business' – posting photos without restrictions, up to 1000 items for free, more – you need to pay extra. Access to CRM with distribution of rights is provided, full functionality of the store. If the store's turnover exceeds RUB 50,000 per month, which pass through Yandex.Checkout, the tariff plan is offered free of charge.

The process of creating a website here is extremely simple, so the service is quite suitable for beginners who have never had anything to do with web development before. This simplicity has a downside – you can edit templates (interesting and cute, but their number is quite limited) in a rather narrow range of design possibilities, so deep customization is not the strongest side of Nethouse.

Despite some limitations, the advantages of Nethouse far outweigh the disadvantages, and the service is steadily increasing its user base.

Advantages

• simple and intuitive interface available to beginners;
• cute templates;
• logical and intuitive visual editor;
• high detail of store settings;
• access to CRM;
• democratic tariff plans, there is a free one.

disadvantages

• many additional options and services are provided for a fee, which can significantly affect the final amount;
• limited options for editing templates.

Tilda

Rating: 4.7

Next in our ranking is another young website builder launched in 2014. This is the author's development of our compatriot Nikita Obukhov, who now remains the permanent manager of Tilda Publishing.

Initially, the goal of the startup was to create a service that makes it possible to create modern high-quality landing pages and simple websites in a matter of days or even hours with microscopic financial investments, without resorting to the help of third-party developers. Despite the fact that as of 2014 there were already a great many website builders on the Web, Tilda Publishing in some elusive way managed to implement some ideas that turned out to be unexpectedly in demand. In a very short time, this rather niche service has gained great popularity, and now not only landing pages are made on it, but also blogs, information sites and even online stores.

The basis of the working toolkit here is the visual editor Zero Block. Its structure, as well as the model for adding templates, are very non-standard, but this is not a drawback, but an inevitable consequence of a serious advantage – wide customization possibilities. In addition to ready-made functional blocks, in the Tilda environment you can create completely your own modules from scratch, as well as edit existing ones beyond recognition. Serious emphasis is placed on working with fonts, which allows for a filigree elaboration of styles.

Tilda also supports third-party integrations, provides access to a simple, but sufficient for small business CRM, allows you to integrate your own arbitrary code.

Three tariff plans are offered. Free – the name speaks for itself, the package is completely free. You can create a fully functional website using most of the available ready-made modules. You cannot connect your own domain. The Personal tariff plan is also one site, but you can already connect your domain, CRM, insert any module, your own code, etc. Business – all of the above, only not for a single site, but up to five, plus the function of exporting the source code.

Tilda's tariff plans are already significantly higher than those of its three closest competitors, but this does not repel the audience.

Advantages

• the richest set of ready-made functional modules;
• extreme flexibility in terms of customization;
• non-standard innovative ideas;
• connection to CRM;
• there is a free tariff plan;
• ease of use, informative reference;
• affordable rates.

disadvantages

• only one-page templates – a multi-page site literally needs to be assembled by hand.

Wix

Rating: 4.6

Now let's devote part of our ranking to one of the world's most popular website builders, Wix. This is the development of a team of Israeli specialists. The service was launched in 2006, and in record time gained incredible popularity in the world – the number of users is estimated at tens of millions.

The Wix builder is most in demand in the creation of such sites as landing pages, business card sites, portfolios, blogs and small online stores. Two methods of accepting payments are supported – PayPal and Yandex.Checkout.

A wide variety of thematic templates are offered for the implementation of large and small projects. The design can be changed as you like, it is also quite easy to achieve maximum adaptability. An interesting and innovative Wix ADI tool. It is an artificial intelligence capable of independently assembling a website for you, including design and content filling, based on the entered data.

A key tool in the Wix environment is the visual editor. Its functionality and flexibility will delight even the most sophisticated user. You can implement almost any idea, integrate with almost any third-party resources.

We should also separately praise the proprietary feature of the Wix website builder – the creation of databases and scripts of module behavior, depending on the conditions. In fact, this is writing scripts, only it does not require the slightest knowledge of programming.

Among other things, Wix allows you to use a large list of useful add-on applications, most of which are free. You can also add your own code without any problems, and not only HTML, but also JavaScript. There is a built-in CRM and rich tools for marketing and communication with contractors.

5 tariff plans are offered, your own domain can be connected already at the cheapest. The advertising link is removed on the second. On the VIP tariff plan, in addition to full access to all the tools, you can also organize mailing lists and, as a bonus, get a professional site audit.

We add that Wix is ​​extremely generous with discounts. It is useful to follow the news, and you can successfully get a discount of up to 50% on any tariff plan.

Advantages

• flexibility and ease of use;
• many spectacular and varied thematic templates;
• creating scripts without programming skills;
• advanced visual editor;
• many useful applications, most of them are free;
• you can add your own code;
• quite reasonable prices for tariff plans;
• frequent and generous discounts.

disadvantages

• not the lowest threshold of entry – it takes time to understand the nuances.

1C-UMI

Rating: 4.5

And again, in the ranking of the best website builders, we return to domestic developments. This time – a product of the legendary 1C company. The designer can synchronize with databases of accounting and management software systems 1C, and this is its main advantage.

The most adequate scope of 1C-UMI application is the creation of business card sites, simple landing pages, online stores without pretensions to intricate design. The main work is carried out in the visual editor. Its functionality is far from being as wide as that of the top designers in the current review.

What pleases in this product is that SeoPult is integrated, and from the very start it is fully functional and ready to sync with your account. The package also provides tools for collecting and analyzing statistics, promoting on social networks and even making an appointment right on the site. There is also a CRM, although very basic.

There are a huge number of templates for creating a website in design mode – about half a thousand. Of course, some of them are clearly outdated, some do not have a responsive design, but if you take the squeeze of the 'most' templates, then there will be more than enough high-quality, effective and convenient ones. You cannot significantly affect the structure of the template, but you can change its appearance by adding your own CSS styles.

This constructor is rather significantly inferior to the top products from our review. However, it still found a place in it due to one key advantage – direct and direct integration with other 1C products. So, for example, you can create an online store, where the tasks of the regulator of warehouse balances would be performed by the software package '1C: Trade Management'.

There are four tariff plans, the names of which speak for themselves: Specialist site, Landing page, Company site, Internet store. You can connect your domain already on the first, cheapest tariff plan.

The developer provides 14 days for testing, 'fitting' and determining if this website builder is suitable for your tasks with a clear condition of a full refund in case of refusal.

Advantages

• deep and direct integration with other 1C products;
• ease of learning and use;
• fairly affordable rates;
• integrated SeoPult;
• there is a CRM;
• half a thousand templates;
• there is a mobile application

disadvantages

• limited functionality and outdated tools in places.

Webasyst

Rating: 4.4

And now in our rating we will make a sharp turn from a rather simple and even somewhat limited site builder 1C-UMI to its almost complete opposite. In terms of functionality, Webasyst leaves far behind most of the solutions presented in the review, and in absolute terms it is comparable to full-fledged content management systems (CMS).

This is a powerful modular platform with a convenient, logical, but peculiar interface, which will not be easy for a beginner to understand right away. But I must say that this software package is not designed for beginners. All work is organized by adding and activating the necessary modules and plugins. You can connect CRM and even easily set up synchronization with 1C products. The system also allows you to manually edit the site code, including via FTP.

There are a lot of templates for website development in the system, and they are quite high quality, but there are only a few dozen free ones among them. The rest are provided at an additional cost, and very high. The visual tools for customizing the design are not very rich, but through manual editing of the code you can change almost anything.

In the basic sets of tariff plans, there are quite effective SEO tools. You can get much more, but for an additional fee, by connecting the appropriate plugins. The plugins themselves make no claims to quality and efficiency.

This website builder also features high-quality optimization, the speed of the constructed site, effective protection against external threats, and good scalability. But, we emphasize again, for a full-fledged work in the environment, the user must have a fairly decent experience in web development.

Advantages

• wide functionality at the level of top CMS;
• about 400 plugins;
• quality templates;
• effective SEO tools;
• there is a CRM;
• correct synchronization with 1C products;
• you can make corrections to the code manually;
• competent and professional technical support;

disadvantages

• high threshold of entry;
• high costs for full functionality.

Diafan.Cloud

Rating: 4.3

The rating of the best website builders according to the version of the complex continues, the functionality of which is based on the content management system of the same name (CMS). In fact, this is its full-fledged cloud version. The constructor took all the best from the convenient and functional CMS.

The main and most suitable areas of application of this constructor are the creation of high-quality business card sites, blogs, forums and online stores. The software package itself is characterized by high performance, effective SEO tools, and a rich set of electronic marketing tools.

With the help of Diafan.Cloud, you can create a website with almost no significant restrictions on scale and complexity. The system allows using the FTP protocol to work with files, supports the correct integration of 1C products, and can effectively interact with Yandex.Market and similar services. Allows you to create your own functional modules for any task.

Another important plus of Diafan.Cloud is the wide selection of quality templates, which, moreover, are continuously supported and updated. Visual customization tools make it possible to make quite significant adjustments to the template, and the provided code editing facility allows you to make radical changes altogether.

The Diafan.Cloud technical support deserves special praise. In addition to professional advice and responsiveness, the support team also often undertakes to perform even rather small tasks – attaching a domain, setting up a redirect, etc. That is, using this website builder, you will significantly unload yourself and free up time. It is also a huge plus for beginners. With the premium package, you get a personal manager. True, the premium package itself will cost a decent amount per month.

Advantages

• versatility;
• flexibility;
• quite easy to learn;
• many important integrations;
• many quality templates that are regularly improved;
• responsive and professional technical support, ready to take on even the smallest tasks of the user;
• full access to the source code;
• developed ecosystem;
• 21 days trial period.

disadvantages

• expensive premium package.

Ucraft

Rating: 4.2

Now, in our rating, we will consider an interesting website builder that can be a real boon for a beginner or a small business owner who has neither the time nor the desire to delve into web development, even at an amateur level. Ucraft is a project of a team of highly qualified specialists from Armenia. The default version of the site is English, but there is a full-fledged Russian localization.

This constructor features a simple and very clear interface. The main area of ​​application of Ucraft is the creation of modern business card sites with responsive design, portfolio sites, blogs, online stores. In fact, Ucraft stores are particularly successful thanks to the efficient and well-thought-out e-commerce functionality in the service.

The basis of the environment is, of course, the visual editor. It is quite convenient and flexible, allows customization of templates in a wide range, and provides a large selection of design tools. There is also a decent set of ready-made blocks, modules and widgets. According to user reviews, Ucraft implements perhaps the most convenient tools for creating multilingual sites.

Several dozen ready-made templates are provided for website development, and this set is constantly and regularly updated, the old templates are being improved. The user can also freely change the layout settings, fonts, display of individual elements. It even has a separate logo maker. Teamwork is supported. You are allowed to embed your own HTML, Javascript and CSS styles on the pages. Convenient and effective SEO tools and tools are concentrated in a separate section.

Advantages

• modern and progressive construction set;
• convenient and intuitive interface;
• flexibility in terms of customizing templates;
• allows you to insert your code;
• the most convenient tools for creating multilingual sites;
• 14 days trial period;
• on the minimum plan allows you to create a website on your domain for free;
• one of the most recommended website builders for beginners.

disadvantages

• very limited choice of templates (but their number is constantly growing).

Setup

Rating: 4.1

And at the end of this nomination of the rating, we will pay attention to the site builder with the funny in its immediacy name Setup. However, knowing who the 'next of kin' of Setup are, you inevitably have a sense of respect for the service. The developers of Setup are the creators of such legendary Runet online services as SeoPult and Sape.

The origin of Setup could not but affect its integration capabilities. SeoPult and Sape tools are integrated directly into the website builder control panel. The user is provided as a bonus site promotion for low-frequency queries.

In terms of web development, this builder is focused mostly on the creation of business card sites, blogs and not too large-scale online stores. There is no clearly identified priority area, but historically, Setup is most often used for sales. In any case, the marketing and 'selling' part of the Setup functionality is implemented in the most detail.

The system provides a huge amount of templates – several thousand. However, if we cut off the obvious substandard, obvious clones and aesthetic trash, then there will be a few hundred, which, however, is also good. There are almost no visual customization tools, but by manually editing the code, templates can be changed as desired.

The system also has a simple but fully functional built-in CRM, allows for integration with trading platforms, social networks and other services.

Advantages

• simple and convenient control panel;
• a huge number of templates (with a caveat – a lot of garbage);
• full access to the source code of templates;
• tight integration with SeoPult and Sape services;
• effective promotion of created sites;
• affordable cost (except for the 'Eternal' tariff plan).

disadvantages

• there are almost no visual tools for customizing templates – only manual editing of the code.

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Attention! This rating is subjective and does not constitute an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.