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You’ve poured your heart into your art, and now it’s time to let the world see it. A professional website gives you the platform to showcase your work exactly how you envision it.
But how do you build a website from scratch, especially if you don’t have any technical expertise? That’s where a website builder comes in. With intuitive design tools and professional creative arts website templates, you can create a stunning portfolio without any hassle. And if you want to speed up the process, an AI website builder can generate a site tailored to your needs in minutes.
With that in mind, we’ll explore five top website builders for creatives to help you find the perfect fit for your business. We’ll also show you how to build your site.
Learn more: What is a website builder?
When choosing a website builder, you want one that’s flexible, powerful and easy-to-use. Wix is the go-to platform for millions of users looking to create a stunning website effortlessly. See what makes Wix stand out from the crowd and why it’s the right fit for you.
What features should you look for in a website builder for creatives?
The best website builder for creatives should have the following features:
Customization options
Your website should reflect your personal style. That’s why customization options should be at the top of your list when choosing a website builder.
Look for a website creator that offers a user-friendly interface and a drag-and-drop builder so you can design your website with ease. Customizable templates also give you a great starting point while allowing room for personal touches so your site feels unique to you.
eCommerce functionality
If you plan to sell products like digital downloads or merch, you need an eCommerce website builder with powerful features.
Consider a platform that offers a built-in store functionality so you don’t have to rely on third-party plugins to handle payments and inventory.
Mobile responsiveness
A 2024 report by DataReportal found that nearly 96% of adults access the internet using their mobile phones. That means if your site isn’t optimized for smaller screens, you could be missing out on a huge audience.
To ensure a seamless experience for every visitor, choose a website builder that offers responsive designs so anyone can access your website on any device.
Check out our article on how to make a website mobile-friendly to help you design a site that operates well on smartphones.
SEO and marketing tools
Having a beautiful website is great, but what's the point if no one can find it?
Look for a builder with built-in SEO features to improve your search engine rankings and bring in more organic traffic.
Marketing tools are just as important. Integrations with email marketing platforms, social media accounts and blogging tools can help you connect with your audience and keep them engaged.
Learn more: How to start a blog
"Leveraging SEO and integrating it into the website creation process is vital. Various studies have shown that organic search is the single greatest provider of traffic to websites, which is even more pronounced in the B2B context. Additionally, traffic from organic search, when done correctly, is essentially built to last (with proper maintenance over time, of course) and forms a crucial part of a site’s long-term growth." - Mordy Oberstein, head of SEO branding at Wix
Scalability and reliability
Your website might be a simple portfolio now, but what happens when your business takes off? You don’t want to be stuck with a platform that can’t keep up. That’s why scalability and site reliability matter when choosing a website builder.
An ideal platform should let you start small and add features as your audience grows. Look for one that guarantees strong uptime and great website performance so your site stays reliable and accessible.
Learn more:
Best website builders for creatives
01. Wix
Wix is the ultimate platform for creatives who want a simple yet powerful builder to bring their ideas to life.
With its intuitive drag-and-drop website builder, you can tweak layouts and add images, videos and text to create a site that reflects your brand. You can also choose a design from the massive library of website templates and make it your own.
Want to get online even faster? Wix’s AI builder can design a fully functional website for you in minutes. Just answer a few quick questions about your creative project, and the AI will handle the rest.
If you plan on selling products or digital downloads, Wix’s powerful eCommerce platform has you covered. You can manage up to 50,000 products, giving you the flexibility to grow your business with ease.
Moreover, built-in SEO tools help boost your search engine rankings, while seamless marketing integrations with tools like Google Ads, Facebook Catalog and Google Tag Manager make it easy to drive traffic and sales and track your online campaigns.
Pricing: Free plan is available with limited features. Paid plans start at $17 per month.
Check out this article on the different types of websites you can create with Wix for more inspiration.
02. Wix Studio
Wix Studio takes every feature from Wix and elevates it with advanced capabilities. This makes it an ideal website creator for agencies and enterprises looking to grow their online presence.
You can pick a website template or work with pixels or custom CSS to incorporate complex elements like animated cursors, no-code animations and stunning visual effects. If you love building interactive experiences, the Blocks workspace lets you create custom widgets and interactive elements and sell them on the Wix app market.
Wix Studio also offers other advanced features, including:
Wix Studio AI to speed up your workflow.
Wix Studio eCommerce to set up and scale your online store.
Wix Studio SEO tools to boost your search engine rankings and drive more traffic.
Pricing: Plans start at $19 per month.
03. Squarespace
Squarespace strikes a balance between flexibility, design and ease of use, making it a good choice for creatives.
With a wide range of modern templates, you can build a visually appealing website without a hassle. Simply pick a design and customize it using the drag-and-drop editor. Squarespace’s Blueprint AI can also generate a personalized website for you in minutes.
For those looking to sell online, the built-in eCommerce tools make it easy to set up a store, manage inventory and accept payments from one platform. Squarespace also offers advanced SEO tools and marketing features to help you reach more customers and grow your business.
Pricing: 14-day free trial. Paid plans start at $25 per month.
Learn more:
04. Format
Format is a website builder made for creative professionals, photographers and videographers who want to build an online portfolio. It offers a variety of beautiful templates that make it easy to create your site by choosing a design and customizing it with the intuitive editor.
The Format Store helps you sell digital downloads, services or physical products directly from your site. And to help people find your site, the platform includes built-in SEO tools that improve your website’s visibility.
That said, Format doesn’t offer AI-powered tools beyond its website builder. So, if you’re looking for AI-assisted design, you might want to consider other platforms like Wix.
Pricing: 14-day free trial. Paid plans start at $12 per month.
05. Pixpa
Pixpa is a website builder for creatives who want a simple platform to showcase their work online. It offers a variety of responsive templates designed for different creative fields. You can choose a template and customize it easily using the drag-and-drop editor.
While Pixpa doesn’t have a full AI website builder, it does include an AI Text Writer to help you generate website content quickly.
Beyond design, Pixpa provides eCommerce capabilities so you can sell products, services and digital downloads on your website. It also comes with a suite of SEO and marketing tools to improve your site’s visibility, attract more visitors and increase engagement and sales.
Pricing: 15-day free trial. Paid plans start at $8 per month.
What is the best website builder for creatives?
Wix is considered the best website builder for creatives due to its drag-and-drop editor, customizable templates and robust features like Wix Analytics, which help you design a professional website that looks great and works seamlessly.
Learn more:
How to build a creative website
Here’s a simple website launch checklist to help get your site up and running quickly:
01. Register a domain name
Before building your portfolio website, you need to lock in your domain name, which is basically your online address. It should be memorable and reflect your creative profession.
If you already have a name in mind, do a quick domain name search to see if it’s available. If it’s already taken (which happens a lot), don’t stress. A domain name generator can help you brainstorm creative alternatives that align with your brand.
Learn more: What is a domain name?
02. Choose a web hosting provider
Think of a web host as the home for your website. It’s where all your files, images and content are stored so people can access them anytime.
If you’re just starting out, free website hosting can be a great way to get your site online without spending money upfront. But as your business grows, you can invest in premium hosting plans for more control, faster site speeds and better website security.
Check out these articles on what is web hosting and how to host a website to make an informed decision when choosing a web hosting service.
03. Create your website
Set up key web pages like your homepage, portfolio, about page and contact page. Each page should be clear, visually appealing and easy to navigate.
Consider adding a logo to add a professional touch. If you don’t have one yet, a logo maker can help you design something unique without needing design skills.
Want to provide more value? Start a blog. Writing about your creative process or offering industry insights can help you showcase your expertise and attract potential clients.
Read on how to make a website accessible so you can make it easy for everyone to navigate your site easily.
Best website builders for creatives FAQ
What is the best website builder for creatives?
The best website builder for creatives depends on your specific needs, but top choices include:
Wix – Offers highly customizable templates, intuitive drag-and-drop editing and robust portfolio features.
Squarespace – Known for its sleek, designer-friendly templates and built-in marketing tools.
Format – Tailored for photographers, artists and designers, with strong portfolio and client-proofing tools.
If you want full creative control with ease of use, Wix is a top pick due to its flexibility, stunning design options and built-in eCommerce and SEO features. Learn more about why you should use a website builder.