As more and more creatives flock to the internet to showcase their work, having a polished and professional online portfolio has become essential. But with so many website builders on the market, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one. That’s where we come in.
Our team of experts has done the research and put the top website builders to the test to find the best one to help you create an impeccable portfolio that will attract clients and collaborators alike. From Squarespace to Wix to WordPress, we’ve got you covered. So sit back, relax, and let us guide you through the best website builders for portfolio creation.
Also read: Best website builders for coaching business
Squarespace
Shopify
Strikingly
Wix
Weebly
HostGator
Site123
Strikingly
Strikingly is a website builder that is gaining traction in the world of website creation, especially for portfolios. Built for those who want to showcase their work or a product, Strikingly’s focus is to provide users with a simple and intuitive platform to highlight their offerings. Today, we are testing it out to see if it matches the modern website builder.
Strikingly is the best website builder for a single-page portfolio. The platform has a range of mobile-responsive templates and allows you to build unlimited free sites. Plus, its paid plans range from $8 to $49 per month, making it affordable for all.
Though Strikingly is simple to use, it has limited website features. Its templates can be uninspiring, and it can be slow at times. This website builder is best for beginners who do not have much experience in creating websites. Its editor is user-friendly, and it offers helpful support resources. Plus, it comes with a free plan allowing users to build one-page websites.
One of the key features of Strikingly is that it offers simple SEO and blogging tools, which allow users to optimize their website for search engines. Furthermore, it has flexible designs that can be easily adapted to suit your style. Strikingly is also very beginner-friendly, and easy to use. It scored 3.4 out of 5 in ease of use, putting it in line with the likes of Jimdo and Weebly.
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Strikingly has three plans to choose from - Limited, Pro, VIP for $8, $16, and $49 per month. However, it scored a disappointing 2.9 out of 5 for value for money. Nevertheless, its ease of use is a significant plus, making it ideal for people who are creating their first website.
Overall, Strikingly is best for a single-page portfolio and has a host of features that make it a worthy option. Its simple SEO and blogging tools, flexible designs, and beginner-friendly nature make it ideal for people creating their first portfolio website. If you are looking for a website builder that is easy to use and comes with helpful resources, Strikingly is a perfect fit.
Squarespace
Squarespace is the top-rated portfolio builder on the market, according to independent research projects and impartial reviews. Its overall score in portfolio research is an impressive 4.8 out of 5. However, in value for money testing, it scored 4 out of 5, which is still respectable.
One of the reasons why Squarespace is so highly regarded is because of its powerful SEO tools. These tools help new clients find your portfolio and ensure that it ranks highly on search engines. Additionally, Squarespace is known for its beautiful, design-conscious templates. It has the best designs among all website builders and provides unlimited storage on all plans, which means you can upload plenty of media files to your portfolio.
Squarespace's ease of use has improved drastically over the years, making it accessible for everyone. Its drag-and-drop editors are incredibly easy to use, so you can design your site exactly the way you want it. Additionally, Squarespace offers a selection of beautifully designed templates to choose from, allowing you to create a professional-looking portfolio with ease.
Squarespace offers a free trial, so you can test out its features before committing to a paid plan. Paid plans range from $16 to $49 per month, depending on your needs. The Business plan, which allows you to sell online, costs $23 per month. Squarespace also offers email marketing software to expand your portfolio's reach, which starts from $5 per month.
Unfortunately, Squarespace is missing a key feature. It doesn't have inbuilt email marketing or third-party app connections. However, it does provide several marketing tools to help push your portfolio to the next level. It also offers Square Online Checkout links to add buttons and take direct payments from visitors.
Squarespace has the very best customer support, offering in-depth tutorial videos and help guides. It even offers 50% off your first year of Squarespace for students with a valid school email address. Additionally, a 14-day free trial is automatically provided on sign-up without entering payment details. If you're ready to take the plunge, you can get 10% off any Squarespace plan by using an exclusive discount code.
In conclusion, Squarespace is the best website builder for portfolio. It provides the convenience of pre-designed templates, powerful SEO tools, and unlimited storage. It may be missing a key feature, but it more than compensates with its ease of use, marketing tools, and customer support. Squarespace is scalable with plans that can accommodate long-term growth, and its affordable monthly premium plans make it accessible for everyone.
Zyro
If you're looking for an easy and cheap way to build your portfolio website, Zyro could be just what you need. This website builder offers a selection of templates that are straightforward to customize, making it a great option for those who don't have much experience with website building.
Zyro's paid plans range from $3.19 to $14.99 per month, making it an affordable choice for portfolio websites. With its innovative AI tools, Zyro offers a straightforward and easy-to-use platform that can help you create a sleek and modern portfolio.
Zyro offers a range of templates to choose from, all of which are customizable using their grid-based drag-and-drop editor. The templates are mobile-optimized and easy on the eyes, helping you create a visually appealing and professional-looking site.
In terms of design functionality, Zyro has scored a decent 3.1 out of 5. The basic set of features that come with Zyro can help your portfolio rank better in search engine results. You can edit and customize meta titles, meta descriptions, and alt-text, as well as take advantage of custom URLs and 301 redirects. However, Zyro lacks support for canonical tags, header codes, or keywords. Additionally, it offers limited social media support and no built-in email marketing functions.
One of Zyro's standout features is its AI branding tools, which can help you create a logo, slogan, and even a whole brand identity. These tools could be useful if you're just getting started with your portfolio and don't have the budget or design skills to create your own branding.
Zyro is also one of the easiest website builders to use, scoring 4 out of 5 in user testing. Its gallery of templates is easy to navigate, and the drag-and-drop editor is intuitive and beginner-friendly.
Zyro offers four pricing plans: Basic, Unleashed, eCommerce, and eCommerce Plus. Pricing starts at $8.90 per month and frequently runs special discounts, reducing the total cost by up to 69%. In terms of value for money, Zyro scores 4.2 out of 5, making it a good option for those just starting out or those who don't need all the bells and whistles of other website builders.
In conclusion, Zyro is a straightforward and affordable website builder that is perfect for those looking to build a basic portfolio. Its grid-based drag-and-drop editor and range of sleek templates make it easy to create a professional-looking site in no time. While it may lack some of the features of its more expensive competitors, Zyro's innovative AI branding tools and ease of use make it a great option for those just getting started.
Jimdo
For those looking to build a portfolio website, Jimdo may be a good option, especially for those who prefer a hands-off approach with ADI (Artificial Design Intelligence). This website builder offers AI designs and personalized websites in seconds, making it a great option for hobby portfolios that want clean and professional websites without the hassle of doing everything themselves.
With three paid plans ranging from $9 to $39 per month, Jimdo is affordable, and their top ADI builder provides a range of templates for users looking to create a polished website. However, it is important to note that Jimdo does provide limited website features, and the free plan only offers 500MB storage with limited website pages and ads.
Jimdo performed 61% worse than Wix in website features and has a weak website feature score of 2.3 out of 5. It also does not allow adding a blog or supporting a members area, and lacks an email marketing and app store like Squarespace, Wix, or Weebly. However, social media integration is one of its strengths.
In terms of ease of use, Jimdo scored 3.4 out of 5. It also offers two options for website design: Dolphin and Creator, with the option to create a website in three minutes. Despite its weaknesses in website features, Jimdo scored 4.8 out of 5 for value for money, making it worth considering for those who want a simple portfolio website without breaking the bank.
Overall, Jimdo may be a good option for those who prefer a hands-off approach to website design, but may not be suitable for those who require advanced website features such as email marketing or a members area. Its affordable pricing and ease of use make it a great option for hobby portfolios or those starting out in the creative industry.
Shopify
Are you in search of the best website builder for your portfolio? Look no further than Shopify. As we tested this platform, we were impressed with its user-friendly interface and impressive features that make it a formidable contender in the website builder industry.
Shopify offers a variety of pre-made templates that are fully customizable, including options specifically tailored for portfolio websites. With its mobile-responsive design, your portfolio will look stunning on any device. In addition, Shopify offers seamless integration with popular social media accounts, allowing you to easily showcase your work to potential clients.
But Shopify isn't just about aesthetics. It also offers an array of tools to help you market and optimize your website for search engines. Its built-in blogging platform allows you to create engaging content that can boost your search engine rankings and increase traffic to your site.
We also appreciate Shopify's pricing options, which range from affordable to enterprise-level plans. This allows you to choose the plan that best fits your budget and needs.
While Squarespace is often recommended as the best website builder for portfolios, we believe Shopify is a strong contender due to its flexibility and range of features. However, it's important to note that Squarespace does offer a wider variety of templates, and their Cami template is a popular choice for its clean and professional design.
FAQs are a key component of any website, and Shopify offers robust support resources to help you navigate any questions or issues you may encounter. Overall, Shopify's high-quality mobile-friendly templates, affordable pricing plans, and powerful marketing and SEO tools make it an excellent option for creating a stunning and effective portfolio website.
In conclusion, our tests have shown that Shopify is a top contender for the best website builder for portfolios. With its user-friendly interface, customizable templates, and powerful marketing tools, we believe it's a wise choice for anyone looking to showcase their work in a stunning and effective way.
Questions you might be asking
What is the best website to make a portfolio?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question as it depends on your specific needs and preferences. However, some popular portfolio website options include Squarespace, Behance, and Carbonmade.
How do I make a good portfolio website?
To make a good portfolio website, you should choose a website builder that is easy to use, select a template that showcases your work effectively, use high-quality images and media, clearly label and organize your projects, and keep the design simple and easy to navigate.
Can I make a website for my portfolio?
Yes, you can. Using a website builder or platform, you can create a custom website for showcasing your portfolio in a professional and effective manner.
Can Wix be used for portfolio?
Yes, Wix is a popular website builder that can be used to create a portfolio website. It offers a range of customizable templates and features that can help you showcase your work effectively.
Is Adobe portfolio free?
Adobe Portfolio is available to all Creative Cloud subscribers at no extra cost, and it includes a wide range of features and customization options. However, if you do not have a Creative Cloud subscription, you will need to pay to use the service.
Is Canva portfolio free?
Canva does offer a free portfolio template on its platform, but it comes with limited features and customization options. To access all of Canva's features, you will need to upgrade to a paid subscription.
What is the easiest portfolio website?
Again, this depends on your individual needs and preferences. However, some popular portfolio website builders that are known for their ease of use include Wix, Squarespace, and Behance.
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