Google Sites is a no-cost website creation tool provided by Google, optimized for desktop and mobile devices, with easy integration features and collaboration options. It offers attractive site creation without the need for programming skills but may lack flexibility in features. External visitors can access sites without a Google Workspace account.
For those exploring options beyond Google Sites, alternatives include Wix, Weebly, Squarespace, WordPress, GoDaddy, Shopify, Editor X, and Wix XP.
Wix
An eCommerce game-changer, Wix offers a platform so flexible that it turns novices into web design pros and online sellers into market giants. It’s more than a “drag-and-drop” editor; it’s a global business enabler!
Wix Top Features
- Global eCommerce tools: SEO, site analytics, multichannel sales on Amazon, eBay, Wish, Facebook, and more are within reach.
- Experience 500+ designer-made templates to make your brand truly stand out.
- Secure and reliable eCommerce infrastructure, capable of handling high-volume sales, up to 750 transactions per second.
- Expand with dropshipping and print on demand options.
| Velo | Deploy web apps rapidly with Velo, enhancing your eCommerce functions. |
| Wix Mobile POS | Sync online and in-person sales, all manageable via the Wix Owner app. |
| Wix App Market | Expand with third-party apps and integrations for scalable growing businesses. |
Wix Limitations
- Although Wix offers a vast range of templates, customizability could be limited.
- The user-friendliness might become overwhelming for individuals seeking complex functionalities.
Wix Pricing
Wix offers a cost-effective solution with various pricing plans to suit businesses of all sizes. Specific details can be found on their site.
Wix Use Cases
Use Case 1: Global Online Store
Whether you’re managing a startup or a global sales business, Wix lets you create your online store, manage a catalog of up to 50,000 products, and handle orders, fulfillments, and shipping like a true business mogul.
Use Case 2: Brick-and-Mortar Store Going Digital
Transition smoothly with Wix’s retail solutions, syncing your online and in-person sales and managing them through the Wix Owner app. Boost your brand presence locally and globally without missing a single sale!
Use Case 3: Online Marketing Drive
Step up your online promotion game. Leverage Wix’s email marketing, Facebook ads, discount coupons, and more to entice customers and earn conversions. With Wix, your marketing drive goes from zero to a hundred real quick!
Weebly
Introducing Weebly, a user-friendly website builder that has powered more than 50 million sites globally! Despite its current 6th ranking with a 3.4 out of 5 scores, Weebly’s app store has seen an impressive 66.67{66f7997927a862c9f57ec7dffc6a2fe6d405caee7001dff533b976d48fe118b1} leap!
Weebly’s Top Features
- Beginner-Friendly with generous free plan
- SEO guides to improve your site rankings
- Excellent blogging platform with a perfect 5 out of 5 score
- Distinct features such as built-in image editor, parallax effects, custom fonts, video backgrounds, newsletters, and social media marketing
| Selling points | Notes |
|---|---|
| eCommerce functionality | Powered by Square online. Allows selling through the free plan. |
| Business-Favors | Offers business-specific themes, logo maker, eCommerce, marketing tools, and analytics |
Weebly’s Limitations
- Limited drag-and-drop customization
- Outdated template designs
- Poor mobile optimization
- No multilingual support
- Editor tends to be restrictive and customization is limited
Weebly Pricing
Not only does it come with a generous free plan, but Weebly’s pricing options are also reasonably affordable. Nonetheless, its value may be diminished due to the lack of feature updates.
Weebly Use Cases
Use Case 1 – Blogging
Weebly shines as a blogging platform, scoring a full 5 out of 5 in this category. Thanks to its unique features like built-in image editors, custom fonts, and newsletters, you’re going to enjoy a seamless blogging experience.
Use Case 2 – Small Business
If you’re a small business owner, Weebly can be a treasure trove. With the availability of business-specific themes, logo maker, SEO guides, eCommerce functionalities, marketing tools, and analytics, you can carve a strong online presence.
Use Case 3 – Social Media Marketing
For social media marketers, Weebly can facilitate efficient marketing campaigns with its in-built social media marketing tools.
Squarespace
A power-packed platform, Squarespace is designed for tech-lovers who aim to create visually stunning, SEO optimized websites. With its neatly-curated templates and ecommerce capabilities, you’re looking at a distinguished player in the website builder space.
Squarespace Top Features
- Squarespace Blueprint: The go-to tool for individualistic template designs.
- Ecommerce tools: Enables creation and seamless management of unlimited products, both physical and digital.
- Integrated shopping cart: Compatible with multiple payment gateways to simplify transactions.
- Robust Analytic tools: Keeps you updated about visitor behavior and sales tracking.
- Squarespace Commerce: An exclusive platform for turbo-charging online stores with no transaction limit.
| Scheduling appointments | Opens new digital avenues for selling classes and memberships. |
| Squarespace Extensions | Reveals a world of advanced features, though with limited apps. |
Squarespace Downsides
- While Squarespace Extensions widen feature-curb, they offer limited apps.
- Limited shipping carriers, affecting international shipping options.
- Customer support via email or Twitter might not cater to immediate assistance requirements.
Squarespace Pricing
Despite its comprehensive features, Squarespace lacks clarity on explicit pricing provisions.
Squarespace Use Cases
eCommerce Entrepreneurs
Intricate online store creation, coupled with unlimited product management, makes Squarespace a fitting choice for ecommerce entrepreneurs.
Local Retailers
With Square integration for offline inventory management and selling, Squarespace serves well for local retailers.
Blogging Enthusiasts
Squarespace’s blogging platform, boosted by social media tie-ins and Mailchimp integration, enhances digital presence for bloggers.
WordPress
Powering 40{66f7997927a862c9f57ec7dffc6a2fe6d405caee7001dff533b976d48fe118b1} of global websites, WordPress is a titan in the world of web design, controlling a significant 64{66f7997927a862c9f57ec7dffc6a2fe6d405caee7001dff533b976d48fe118b1} CMS market share. An open-source CMS, WordPress offers cost-effective solutions for both ecommerce and general web design needs.
WordPress Top Features
- Domain registration, SSL, and other essentials available for $15-$50 monthly.
- WooCommerce: A free, highly customizable plugin, essential for ecommerce operations.
- Over 1,200 ecommerce-focused WordPress themes available for deep customization.
- Multiple payment gateways supported, including Stripe, PayPal, and Amazon Pay.
- Yoast SEO: A powerful plugin for optimizing SEO.
- Automated updates and staging: Ensures your site is always up-to-date while minimizing downtime.
- Secured high-performance DNS with SSL.
| Auto-restoration | Ensures site integrity and content protection. |
| Uptime monitoring | Provides real-time site availability info. |
| Ads-free browsing experience | Assures a clean browsing experience for your visitors. |
WordPress Downsides
- Not primarily an ecommerce CMS.
- Occasional plugin compatibility troubles.
- Potentially high costs for custom design and development services.
WordPress Pricing
Pricing varies based on specific needs. Domain and other essentials range from $15-$50 monthly, while additional costs can include plug-ins (price varies), marketing services ($250-$5000 per month), and hosting ($9-$119 per month). Transaction fees from WooCommerce and PayPal are typically 2.9{66f7997927a862c9f57ec7dffc6a2fe6d405caee7001dff533b976d48fe118b1} + $0.30 per transaction.
WordPress Use Cases
Use case 1: Ecommerce Stores
With WooCommerce, WordPress handles ecommerce effectively, powering over 30{66f7997927a862c9f57ec7dffc6a2fe6d405caee7001dff533b976d48fe118b1} of online stores.
Use case 2: SEO Optimization
With Yoast SEO and built-in SEO tools, WordPress websites can secure optimal search engine rankings.
Use case 3: Small Business Websites
WordPress’s affordable and customizable nature makes it viable for small businesses aiming for a professional web presence.
GoDaddy
Presenting GoDaddy, a rapid website building platform lauded by entrepreneurs and small businesses. With a friendly interface and robust onboarding process, beginners find it an easy entry-point into the domain of eCommerce.
GoDaddy Top Features
- Fastest website building with ADI for easy layout creation and product management.
- Marketing suite for business growth encompassing GoDaddy Insight for insightful business actions.
- E-commerce site management offering wide-range tools.
- Smart learning system, GoDaddy Insight, provides detailed metrics.
| Feature | Description |
| Email Marketing | Pre-built templates and analytics for effective campaign tracking. |
| SEO Spotlight tool | Optimizing your site’s search visibility. |
| Product Integration | Sell products across multiple channels like Amazon, Etsy, Google, Instagram, Facebook. |
GoDaddy Limitations
- Lacks some powerful features compared to Shopify, BigCommerce.
- Cost of renewal is higher after first term discount.
- SEO managed for additional $4.99/mo.
GoDaddy Pricing
GoDaddy offers two distinct plans: A Commerce plan at $14.99/mo, tailored for nascent stores with fewer than 50 orders per month and a Commerce Plus plan at $29.99/mo, suited to larger orders with automated sales tax calculations. Both plans incorporate POS and GoDaddy Payments, with no additional transaction fees.
GoDaddy Use Cases
Use case 1
For beginners venturing into online business, GoDaddy’s powerful onboarding process makes the journey easy and fuss-free.
Use case 2
Small to medium businesses will find GoDaddy’s marketing suite and multi-channel integration a potent tool for growth.
Use case 3
Entrepreneurs seeking efficient inventory management can exploit GoDaddy’s ability to manage orders and keep inventory synced across multiple platforms.
Shopify
Meet Shopify, a leading name in eCommerce website design. With affordable, pre-made templates, this platform enables businesses to create sleek online stores. However, for more brand-specific designs, it requires reaching out to third-party designers or agencies.
Shopify’s Top Features
- Offers a wide collection of pre-designed templates, fast-tracking your store setup
- Empowers your store with unique page templates for product pages, blog pages, category pages, etc
- Sporting features for user engagement and retention, including search functionality, promotion and discount tools, carousel slides, mega menus, newsletter sign-ups, related items, wishlist creation, and product reviews
- Supports headless builds, allowing separation of content storage from the front-end display
| Features | Description |
|---|---|
| SEO Optimization | With nearly 43{66f7997927a862c9f57ec7dffc6a2fe6d405caee7001dff533b976d48fe118b1} of e-commerce sales coming from search engines, Shopify acknowledges the importance of SEO and incorporates it into its core functionality. |
| Custom Functionality | Individual designs, functionality, and integration with ERP or CRM systems add to the uniqueness of your Shopify store. |
| Accelerator Programme | A service by Eastside Co, this programme allow merchants to launch stores on their framework in under 4 weeks. |
Shopify Downsides
- Limited uniqueness in the aesthetics of free templates
- Doesn’t offer custom website design services
- Costs increase with custom designs and additional functionalities
Shopify Pricing
Shopify website cost includes a monthly subscription ($29.99-$299.99), theme/template costs, custom Shopify website design costs, and additional functionality development costs. The price for full store design can range between $5,000 and $20,000. Some extensive projects may touch the $100,000+ mark.
Shopify Use Cases
Use case 1: SMEs looking for a robust eCommerce solution
Boost your small or medium business with a powerful and easy to use Shopify website. The platform offers affordable pre-designed templates perfect for SMEs.
Use Case 2: Enterprises needing a custom-built eCommerce store
Leverage Shopify’s comprehensive customization options and scalability to build a unique, large-scale eCommerce store. Although more expensive, it’s worth the investment for brand-specific aesthetics and functionality.
Use Case 3: Brands requiring a quick-launch eCommerce solution
Launch your online store in less than four weeks with the Accelerator Programme by Eastside Co. Perfect for brands that need to speed up their time to market.
Editor X
Borne out of the Wix stable in 2020, Editor X comes across as a robust creation platform earmarked for designers, and web professionals. With a superior Trustpilot rating of 4.6/5 and focussing on the needs of entrepreneurs for building a potent online presence, Editor X stands out in its class.
Editor X Top Features
- Output-ready customisable website enhanced by responsive design
- Easy-to-operate drag-and-drop tool
- Variety of design templates
- Unique collaboration feature enables teamwork on projects
- Powerful coding, debugging options that support multiple languages
- Diverse eCommerce solutions covering integrated payment processing and online store creation.
- Enhances growth with superior business solutions like invoicing and lead generation
| Unique Feature | Collects valuable User Generated Content |
| Recent Update | Advanced functionality for restaurants |
| Strength | Marketing and SEO capabilities |
| Security Assurance | Compliant with international privacy laws, SSL-certified |
Editor X Limitations
- Transitioning to Wix Studio
- Limited number of design templates
Editor X Use Cases
Use case 1
Editor X serves as a practical tool for web professionals seeking to extend their creative capabilities with a structured and manageable development environment.
Use case 2
Entrepreneurs looking to establish a functional online presence will find Editor X’s user-friendliness ideal for their needs.
Use case 3
Restaurant owners can leverage the new advanced functionality feature to facilitate online reservations, subscriptions, and package sales.
Wix XP
Born in the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Israel in 2006, Wix XP has since grown into a global entity. With a worldwide presence and an impressive user count of 220 million, Wix XP is a frontrunner in the domain of web design and eCommerce.
Wix XP Top Features
- Secure Data Transfer: With HTTPS and SSL protocols, Wix XP keeps your site and visitor information secure, while promoting better SEO.
- Pre-existing SSL Certificate: Wix XP doesn’t require users to obtain an SSL certificate separately, providing it by default.
- Easy-to-use CMS Platform: Perfect for beginners, Wix XP hosts a user-friendly CMS platform with a myriad of templates and step-by-step guides for setup.
- Effective Social Media Integration: Wix XP comes with inbuilt social media marketing and blogging components that are perfect for small businesses.
- Drag-and-drop Functionality: With easy page selection and designing, Wix XP makes web design intuitive.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Wix App Market | Access to a variety of apps/plugins. |
| Wix’s “freemium” policy | Upgrade the basic free plan for a cost as per your needs. |
| Integration with Salesforce | Contrary to the misconception, you can integrate your organization’s Salesforce data. |
Wix XP Limitations
- Browser Compatibility issues: Older browsers may not support the security standards of SSL.
- No Content Migration: Wix keeps content tied to the platform hindering operation migration.
- Limited Bandwidth and Storage: Even on the more expensive Wix plans, storage and bandwidth are limited.
- Robust Functionality: Wix’s “App Store” could offer more robust functionality for professional website developers.
Wix XP Pricing
The cost of Wix XP ranges from the Combo plan at $16/month to VIP at $45/month. The free offering comes with a Wix-branded domain name and hosts ads.
Wix XP Use Cases
Use Case 1 – Small Businesses
Small business owners can leverage this platform’s simplicity, affordability, and the excellent suite of marketing tools to promote their products or services efficiently.
Use Case 2 – Bloggers
A platform offering numerous templates with a user-friendly CMS and secure protocols, Wix XP is an ideal choice for bloggers to voice their ideas online.
Use Case 3 – Non-Technical Personnel
For end-users with limited technical skills, Wix’s drag-and-drop functionality simplifies the website design process, allowing anyone to create visually appealing and functional websites effortlessly.
