Jimmy ParkerGetting a website live used to be quite tricky, first you’d need to sign up to a decent Canadian web host, and then find a web developer to build you a website.
These days, however, we have website builders. They’re basically all-in-one platforms that can not only design and build your site or blog, but host it as well. It’s suuuuuuper handy.
We’ve been around the block a few times with website builders, so we’ve jotted down our thoughts about the best ones around.
Here are the 10 best website builders in Canada.
Best Website Builders for Canada in 2023
1. Wix – Best Website Builder Overall
Wix is the ideal website builder that gives you complete control over the creation process. It has simple drag and drop tools to ease website building. Furthermore, it has many themes, such as eCommerce apparel customizable to suit your website needs.
Additionally, you will receive more than 800 templates, but you cannot change the templates once your website is live.
Wix has a free plan, but you can get the combo plan at $23 per month or $16 per month, billed annually. They also have an unlimited plan for $22 per month for the one-time annual subscription.
Additionally, if you want access to all the features, you should choose one of the business plans, priced at $27 and $34 per month.
Pros
- User-friendly. The drag and drop editor makes it easy for people to drag various elements to different places on the website.
- It has many themes. Wix has more themes than many website builders, allowing you to create your theme based on your preferences.
- It has a template customization feature. You can customize the Wix templates to suit your website’s outlook.
- It has plugins & apps. You can access the Wix app store to get various widgets and plugins for your website.
Cons
- The drag and drop editor has bugs. While the drag and drop feature makes Wix user-friendly, it has several bugs that make it frustrating.
- One has to learn various elements. While Wix is not as challenging as other builders, it has many functionalities that require one to have some knowledge before using them.
2. Zyro – Best builder for small business
Zyro is ideal if you have a limited budget. It is a user-friendly builder with clean templates, but it does not have many features to make it a top builder.
As such, it is the right builder if you want a basic website without the search, commenting, and archive features.
Still, Zyro values quality, and they have a good UX feature for all your visitors, which you can easily edit. Furthermore, you should watch out for more updates because Zyro is still integrating new features to meet its customers’ demands.
Additionally, their pricing is pocket-friendly. You will pay $11.99 per month for the website, $14.99 per month for the business, and $39.99 monthly for the advanced store.
Pros
- It is easy to use. Zyro is user-friendly because it does not have many technical features. You will only use the provided templates to build your website.
- It is cheap. Zyro’s subscription fee is cheaper than other builders because it has limited features.
- It has a straightforward interface. Zyro has an easy drag-and-drop feature that makes it easy for people to create websites. You will only choose a template and drag various images and texts where you want them.
Cons
- It has limited features. The main disadvantage of using Zyro is that it has limited features. For instance, you cannot customize the UX feature on Zyro, preventing you from personalizing your brand.
- It does not allow template switching. You cannot switch your website’s templates with Zyro despite the numerous templates offered.
3. Squarespace – Best builder for photographers
Squarespace is a solid option if you are starting an online business. It has many eCommerce functionalities that will suit your online store.
However, one thing that makes Squarespace stand out is its template designs. These designs are ideal if you are looking for a creative website that gives customers an impeccable representation of their goods and services.
Squarespace is a solid option if you’re looking to create a unique website at a price you can afford. They divide their prices into four categories.
You will only pay $14 per month for the personal plan and $23 for the business package. The Online Store (Basic) plan will cost you $27 per month, and the advanced plan will cost you $49 per month.
Pros
- It has dynamic features. One thing that makes Squarespace better than its competitors is its powerful features. For instance, Squarespace has features that will help you with template customization, photo galleries, and blogging.
- No coding expertise is required. You do not need coding experience to build a website because Squarespace has a drag-and-drop editor feature.
- It has numerous templates. Squarespace’s templates allow you to make your website unique and mobile-friendly.
- It has various business and marketing tools. Squarespace has multiple business and marketing tools you can use in your online shop. For example, it has scheduling and email marketing software.
Cons
- You must understand the editor interface before using it. While Squarespace is easy to use, it requires one to learn and understand its powerful editor interface before using it. This is imperative if you want a customized website.
Read our Squarespace full review!
4. Shopify – Best website builder for eCommerce
Founded in 2006, Shopify is the go-to builder if you are now joining the online marketing scene. It has incredible sales tools that will help your online store to grow in the right direction.
Shopify can handle mobile traffic and has unique themes that are also responsive to mobile users. Furthermore, it has a search engine optimization tool that aids in marketing your website.
One thing that makes Shopify stand out is its social media integration feature. It allows you to market your products on various social media channels, such as Facebook and Amazon.
Shopify has three pricing categories. You can subscribe to the basic plan, which will cost you $29 per month, the Shopify plan costing $79 per month, or the advanced plan at $299 per month.
Pros
- It has an app store. You can get over 6,000 Shopify plugins from other developers. For instance, you can get the Floating Widgets plugin on the app store.
- Easy to use when starting an online store. Shopify has made it easy for people to start an online store. You do not have to find a payment processor because Shopify provides it.
- It has various eCommerce tools. Shopify has many marketing tools to help you advertise your products, such as product reviews, email marketing, and live chat.
Cons
- Not user-friendly. It is not the ideal builder for your page since it does not have the drag-and-drop feature.
- It is intimidating to first-time users. Some people may find it hard to use Shopify, especially if they lack basic tech knowledge.
5. Webflow – Best website builder for blogs
Webflow is best used if you have a thorough understanding of web design. With its fantastic customization feature, this builder helps professional web designers take their imagination to the next level.
It has a powerful Content Management System (CMS) with an excellent visual editor. One does not need coding skills since you can use the CMS features to create blogs and other page templates.
Webflow has several plans. For the Site Plan, you will pay $12 per month to acquire the basic plan and $29 per month to get the standard package. On the other hand, the workspace plan will cost you $19 per month to complete ten projects. However, they have a trial plan that allows you to create a maximum of two pages for free.
Pros
- It offers better customization options. Webflow is a user interface for HTML and CSS code. Thus, you will not have any problems using Webflow if you know how to use these two features.
- It has the CMS feature. The CMS feature allows you to create custom collections for your website, making your site unique.
- It gives you freedom for website design. You will get creative freedom with Webflow to design your website the way you want.
- It has good tutorials. Webflow has the best video tutorials if you do not know how to use this builder.
Cons
- You must learn before using it. Webflow is complicated since it uses the HTML and CSS interface. Thus, one must understand the fundamentals of web design before using it.
- It is costly. Webflow is expensive because you will pay for some templates.
6. Duda – Great website builder for business
Duda is an impeccable website builder that allows agencies, freelancers, and web designers to create a simple and polished website design.
If you don’t require as much creative freedom, its drag-and-drop functionality tools have stylish templates that ease your workload.
It has additional features, such as SEO tools that provide data on your website’s success and wellbeing. Furthermore, its’ personalization tools allow you to showcase real-time customizable content to your clients, allowing you to compete against other websites or businesses.
Additionally, with over 90 templates, creative web designers can focus on creating multiple websites for their varying clients from different races and ethnic societies. These templates encompass industries ranging from cosmetic, building, and lifestyle. Thus, you can choose one that suits you.
As such, if you are interested in Duda, consider trying their 14-day free trial. Later, you can enjoy their payment plan, starting with their lowest plan of $14 -$59 per month.
Pros
- It has numerous trendy templates. These templates give you a framework you can easily plug in all your site’s content.
- User-friendly editor tools. It has the drag-and-drop tools to move objects to different locations on the website page.
- Great for creating multilingual websites. Duda is a dominant system that allows designers to create websites that accommodate different languages.
- It has personalization tools, apps, and widgets. It allows web designers to send messages to their clients based on their specific location and time.
Cons
- High Costs. Their pricing plans are higher than other website builders.
7. Jimdo – Great website builder for portfolios
Jimdo is one of the cheapest builder platforms that allows designers to use website design tools without exceeding their budget.
It is an easy-to-use platform because of its ease in creating simple websites. Despite its simplicity, it contains basic design features, including editing and personalization tools.
However, you should know that some of these tools may be limited. For instance, designers can only choose one specific color for their customization themes.
Additionally, you cannot add new elements to your website.
Jimdo has a free plan so you can build an ad-free site without risking your finances. Although you can get two additional payment plans ranging from $9-15 a month.
Pros
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- It is easy to use and operate. Jimdo is suitable for beginner designers since its ADI functionality simplifies work.
- It is relatively cheap. Unlike other website builders, Jimdo contains a free subscription plan and two additional payments that are relatively cheaper than other websites.
- It saves time. Jimdo is great for users and designers needing fast services. Thus, due to its simple editing tools, Jimdo will ease your work, saving you time.
Cons
- It lacks creative support. Its rigid personalization features limit the designer’s creativity while developing their websites.
- Suitable for basic sites. Its simplicity is a downside for artistic designers who want to create modern and sleek-looking websites. Thus, it is more suited for personal bloggers.
8. Strikingly
Strikingly is an ideal beginner-friendly website builder for designers without much experience in website designs and development. The builder focuses on creating one-page websites without any background skills in programming.
This feature makes it ideal for small business ventures with a knack for creating landing pages. These landing pages may be suitable for event registrations, advertising blogs, or showcasing an online store with a maximum of 500 products.
By designing one-page websites, clients can ideally open and use them on their portable devices, including smartphones. Thus, it enhances a client’s mobile experience due to its ease of access.
Strikingly contains a free plan you can use when on a budget. However, you can upgrade and choose from its three premium plans: the limited plan at $8, the Pro plan at $16, and the VIP plan for $49 a month.
Pros
- It is easy to use. Strikingly is a simple builder website with beginner-friendly tools you can use to design a website without the required programming skills.
- It offers a one-page, focused website. Small businesses and personal bloggers looking for slick single-page layouts may benefit from Strikingly.
- It is affordable. Compared to other builder websites, Strikingly has affordable payment plans suitable for designers on a budget.
Cons
- It is not SEO- friendly. If your business uses the SEO tool, you may be required to pay their expensive payment plans to enjoy the feature.
- It has a limited free version. The free version only offers the editing option. Moreover, it limits you from adding a new web code essential for custom website designs.
Read our Strikingly full review!
9. Weebly
Weebly is a fantastic website builder primarily known for its efficiency. It is a top choice for anyone needing to sell their products or services online.
Weebly has a wide range of e-commerce features, including an inventory tracker, filtered search tool, a shopping cart, and checkout to assist online shoppers.
Additionally, it contains a drag-and-drop interface uniquely used in different business websites and social media platforms with a few clicks. Its SEO tools are also beginner-friendly.
Unfortunately, after Squarespace acquired Weebly, its features remained but were not as effective. That said, for anyone interested, Weebly has a great payment plan. Its users may subscribe for free or up to only $29 a month.
Pros
- SEO-friendly. Weebly’s search engine optimizations allow business owners to generate high-quality website traffic.
- It is affordable. Weebly has affordable premium packages allowing its users to stay within their budgets.
- It has built-in email-marketing features. They allow users to create email forms for their clients. You can use the forms as a marketing strategy for your products and services to subscribers.
- It eases launching an online business. It is suitable for developing e-commerce websites, thus allowing users to launch their online shops and businesses within short periods.
Cons
- The drag-and-drop interface is limited. Its editor interface is more restrictive and rigid. Many users find it frustrating to drag and drop elements within the website.
- It has obsolete designs: Weebly has outdated designs and templates, making it a less viable website builder.
10. Wordpress.com
Wordpress.com is a cutting-edge content management builder website suitable for bloggers and professional developers. It is flexible and allows clients to choose their preferred websites in any industry.
For instance, if you create a lifestyle blog involving cosmetics, makeup, and styling clothes, you may consider wordpress.com for your venture. This is because the website has relevant features such as the search feature, analytics, display categories, and social bookmarking to make your website versatile.
Additionally, the wordpress.com software comes with pre-installed plugins such as Akismet Anti-Spam, PageLayer, and Jetpack. These plugins allow developers to customize their site features to fit their functionality needs.
Wordpress.com may not be easy to learn and use because it requires one to have basic skills in programming and coding.
For anyone interested in using Wordpress.com, it has a free plan, and you can upgrade to the premium plans ranging from $4-45 a month, utilize host sites, or purchase a domain that you pay for annually.
Pros
- Best for blogging. Wordpress.com is suitable for creating blogs because it has specific features and templates that ease blog creation and management, making it a success for the user.
- It has affordable prices. Wordpress.com not only has a free plan, but its premium plans also start from $4 and allow users to upgrade to other plans without breaking the bank.
- It has pre-installed plugin features. These ease website customization, especially for beginners. You can also use them to save time.
Cons
- Not beginner-friendly. A developer must have basic coding skills to create a website with wordpress.com.
How To Choose a Reliable Website Builder in Canada
Choosing a website builder to use is not as easy as purchasing a carton of milk. There are various factors to consider, lest you end up with a substandard or low-quality website that does not serve its intended purpose:
- Your budget. Finances are always necessary when getting into any endeavor, including building a website. Depending on your needs, different website developers offer different monthly charges and rates to host your websites. You need to find a plan that fits your budget and caters to your needs.
- Purpose of your website. Websites should accomplish particular goals. You may wish to sell goods online, showcase your work, or solicit donations for a specific cause. No matter the case, you should always use a website builder with templates that develop an online platform that meets the intended purpose.
- Customization features. The flexibility of a website builder is an essential factor to consider if you want your website to have an authentic finish and incorporate unique ideas. You should look at the software’s SEO features to determine what parts of the website you can customize.
- Time. Building a website can be time-consuming, especially if you prefer customizing your online platform. Thus, you need to consider how much time you have to develop your website and have it up and running.
- Industry. Your website’s design should meet the requirements of the field you specialize in. As a result, different website builders have various templates and specs focused on meeting the needs of specific industries. Whether photography, IT, or marketing, use a website builder tailored for your enterprise.
- Performance. This refers to the speed and efficiency a website builder works. Use one with a robust performance infrastructure to avoid petty inconveniences. Renowned website builders such as Wix, which host millions of websites, present formidable options compared to others since they have good site speeds.
- Ease of use. Although all website builders present a more accessible avenue to develop a website than coding and programming, not all are easy to use. Research different website builders through user reviews to determine whether you may encounter challenges utilizing the platform, especially if you are building a website for the first time.
- The number of themes. Designing a website using a builder commences with choosing a theme that provides templates you can customize to your liking. Ensure the website builder you choose has a range of themes to pick from so you can find one that offers a good starting point to build your unique online platform.
Website Builder Questions
Creating a website is no easy feat even when using website builders that provide templates. You may encounter difficulties knowing where to start or which software would suit your needs.
To help smoothen the process, let’s look into some frequently asked questions on website builders.
What is the best website builder for small businesses in Canada?
Small business owners are the most significant customer base for website builders in Canada as they constantly create websites to market and operate their enterprises.
However, there is no best website builder for small businesses in Canada; there are only the best website builders like the ones listed in this article. Various companies have diverse needs that a single website builder cannot possibly cover.
If you are a small business owner, peruse the different website builders and their unique specs to find one that suits your venture.
Which is the best and most reliable website builder?
Several web builders on the market offer different specs, templates, and customizing options. Moreover, most of them are versatile and adaptive, making it challenging to select the best website builder overall.
Nonetheless, the most reliable website builder in the Canadian market is arguably Wix. The platform offers excellent functionality and performance, which allows you to create a website within a short period.
Wix is among the few versatile web builders with a range of top-tier features that allow you to customize your website to suit your requirements. Moreover, Wix caters to both beginners and expert website designers.
How much does it cost to make a website in Canada?
Most available website builders in the market have a similar pricing model. They offer different payment plans either on a monthly or annual basis.
The average cost of making a website in Canada is a monthly fee of $15 to develop an online presence and keep it running for the said period.
Nonetheless, some website builders may require an initial registration fee, contributing to higher costs.
That being said, you can definitely find a few free website builders as well.
Is Wix better than Squarespace?
Wix and Squarespace have exquisite features and are the most popular website-building platform. Nonetheless, Wix arguably has the edge over Squarespace.
While both platforms present the user with outstanding performance and efficiency with an array of templates to choose from, Wix gives users more editing freedom to customize their websites.
Which website builder is easiest to use?
An easy-to-use website builder is one of the core features to look for when creating a website using the various available platforms.
If you are a beginner looking to create a website, Weebly is an easy option. The platform gives you pre-designed sections and templates to build your website.
The only downside to Weebly is its limited customizing options, so you may not have the privilege of creating a unique website. Nonetheless, your online platform will be up and running in no time.
How can I create a website free of cost in Canada?
Most listed website builders offer a free trial period that allows you to create a website and enjoy the specs they offer. In most cases, all you have to do is withstand several ads as you use the platforms.
However, the website builders will eventually require you to pay the prescribed fee to continue enjoying the services after your free trial period elapses.
Some website builders such as Square, Wix, Webflow, and Google-sites offer free packages with limited features that are not ideal.
What are the pros and cons of using a website builder?
Using website builders to create an online presence is advantageous because it is generally straightforward. It is a fast way to create a website without having to go through the hassle of learning coding skills. All you need is a few dollars, and voila, you have a website up and running.
However, this shortcut has its downfalls. Website builders limit how you can customize your website, which impedes creating quality, unique, professional websites.