TL;DR: Find the Best Software to Make a Website
Building a website for your business shouldn't feel like a high-stakes gamble. This guide cuts through the marketing hype surrounding platforms like WordPress, Wix, and Shopify to help you make a strategic choice based on your specific business model and long-term goals.
Key Takeaways for Skimmers:
- Control vs. Convenience: Hosted builders (Wix, Squarespace) offer speed and simplicity but limit your growth options. Self-hosted WordPress requires more setup but gives you maximum flexibility and ownership for scaling.
- Match the Tool to the Job: If you sell physical products, Shopify is excellent for logistics. If you rely on content marketing and complex funnels, WordPress (with WooCommerce) is the strategic choice.
- Think Two Years Ahead: Choosing the platform that handles your future growth—not just your current needs—prevents painful, expensive migrations down the road. If you plan to scale, start with WordPress.
If you’re serious about turning your website into a revenue-generating asset, you’ll want to read the full breakdown below.
You know you need the best software to make a website that actually converts, but the moment you start searching, you’re hit with a wall of options: WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, Shopify, and a growing army of AI builders promising instant perfection.
It’s exhausting. It’s analysis paralysis dressed up as progress.
I’ve spent the last decade building and improving sites for conversion, and I can tell you the secret: the right software isn't the one with the prettiest templates or the biggest marketing budget. It’s the one that aligns perfectly with your business model, your growth goals, and—importantly—your tolerance for technical complexity.
My goal here isn't to list tools; it’s to help you make a strategic decision. We’re going to cut through the marketing noise and look closely at what these platforms actually do for your bottom line, whether that means generating leads, selling products, or building long-term authority.
If you’re building a serious online asset that relies on content, conversion funnels, and long-term flexibility, WordPress remains the most powerful choice. If simplicity is your absolute priority for a small service business, a hosted builder like Wix or Squarespace might be the smarter starting point.
Let’s figure out which path is right for you.
If you're looking for more options beyond these, we've also compiled a list of the Best Web Building Sites for Small Businesses: Find Your Perfect Match to help you find your perfect match.
Quick Picks: Strategic Platform Selection at a Glance
If you’re skimming (I get it), this table breaks down the core trade-offs. Notice the inverse relationship: the easier a platform is to start with, the more limited your control becomes later on.
Platform | Best For | Total Cost of Ownership (Year 1 Est.) | Key Limitation | Flexibility & Control |
|---|---|---|---|---|
WordPress + Thrive | Authority sites, funnels, complex digital products, SEO | $300 – $600 | Steeper initial setup/learning curve | Maximum (Full code access, unlimited plugins) |
Shopify | Dedicated e-commerce, high product volume | $450 – $1,200+ | Transaction fees (unless using Shopify Payments) | Moderate (Excellent for sales, poor for content marketing) |
Wix | Simple service sites, local businesses, absolute beginners | $200 – $400 | Limited advanced SEO control; migration is difficult | Low (Tied to Wix ecosystem) |
Squarespace | Creatives, portfolios, design-led businesses | $250 – $500 | Weakest app store/integration options | Low (Design focus over functionality) |
Framer/Webflow | Modern designers, fast portfolio sites, agencies | $300 – $700 | Requires design expertise; poor content management | High (Excellent for design, moderate for CMS) |
Note on TCO (Total Cost of Ownership):
This estimate includes the domain, basic hosting/platform subscription, and necessary premium features (e.g., email marketing integration, basic security, or essential plugins/apps) for a functioning small business site.
The Central Decision: Control vs. Convenience
Before we explore specific tools, we have to address the fundamental choice every business owner faces when building online: Do you prioritize immediate convenience or long-term control?
This choice determines whether you go with a hosted builder (like Wix or Squarespace) or a self-hosted Content Management System (like WordPress).
Hosted Builders (Wix, Squarespace, Shopify)
These platforms are like renting an apartment in a well-managed building. Everything is handled for you: the security, the maintenance, the updates. You pay a predictable monthly fee, and you can move in quickly.
The trade-off? You can’t knock down walls. You are limited to the features, integrations, and code structures the landlord (the platform) allows. This is perfect if you know your needs will remain simple and straightforward.
Self-Hosted CMS (WordPress)
WordPress is like owning your own land and building your own house. You have to buy the land (hosting) and manage the construction (setup and maintenance), but you have infinite flexibility. You can add a new wing, change the foundation, or completely redesign the interior at any time.
The trade-off here is the initial effort. It requires a slightly steeper learning curve and you are responsible for maintenance (though quality managed hosting handles most of the boring stuff). The payoff is complete ownership and unparalleled scalability.
If you plan to rely on your website to generate significant revenue through SEO, complex funnels, or specialized integrations, you need the control WordPress offers.
This choice between self-hosted WordPress and other solutions is often framed as SaaS vs. WordPress, and understanding the differences is key to picking the right platform for your business: SaaS vs. WordPress: How to Choose the Right Platform for Your Business
How to Choose: Matching Software to Your Business Model
The biggest mistake I see people make is choosing a platform based on a friend’s recommendation or a TV ad. You wouldn’t use a portfolio builder to run a complex membership site, just like you wouldn’t use a hammer to tighten a screw.
Start with your primary conversion goal.
1. Best Website Software for E-commerce (Shopify vs. WooCommerce)
If selling physical products is your main business, your website is essentially a digital cash register. You need industrial-strength inventory management, flexible shipping calculations, and a very reliable checkout process.
Feature | Shopify (Hosted) | WooCommerce (WordPress Plugin) |
|---|---|---|
Setup Speed | Extremely fast. Built purely for commerce. | Moderate. Requires WordPress setup first. |
Core Strength | Inventory management, payment processing, POS integration. | Customization, content marketing, low transaction fees. |
Transaction Fees | 2.9% + 30¢ (unless using Shopify Payments) | None (You choose your own payment gateway provider) |
Scalability | Excellent, but can get expensive quickly with apps. | Excellent, handles massive catalogs and traffic. |
Best For | Retailers who need speed, simplicity, and physical POS integration. | Businesses that combine content marketing (blogging) with product sales. |
My Take:
If you are a pure-play retailer whose only goal is to move product, Shopify is the path of least resistance. It’s simple, reliable, and handles the logistics beautifully. However, if you plan to use content marketing (SEO, blogging, authority building) to drive traffic to your store, WooCommerce on WordPress gives you far more power to build those funnels and manage that content effectively.
2. Best Website Software for Small Service Businesses (Wix vs. Squarespace)
If you are a consultant, coach, or local service provider, your website needs to look professional, establish authority, and capture leads (contact forms, bookings). You prioritize ease of use and design polish over deep technical customization.
My Take:
For most small service businesses, I recommend looking at Wix if you are non-technical and want maximum simplicity, or Squarespace if design is your main selling point. Just know that if you decide to pivot into selling courses or running complex funnels later, you will likely need to migrate.
If you're ready to dive in, we have a step-by-step guide on how to Install WordPress and Set Up Your Website without needing to know how to code. How to Install WordPress and Set Up Your Website (Step-By-Step)
3. Best No-Code/AI Website Builders (Framer, Webflow, Hostinger AI)
These tools represent the middle ground between the absolute control of WordPress and the rigid simplicity of Wix. They are aimed at designers and agencies who want to build highly customized, fast-loading sites without writing code.
My Take:
These tools are excellent if you are a designer or if your primary goal is a lightning-fast, visually unique site that doesn't rely on a high volume of blog posts or complex integrations. If you are building a content-driven machine, the CMS (Content Management System) capabilities of WordPress still win out. If you are non-technical, the learning curve on Webflow and Framer can be surprisingly high.
If building those powerful funnels is your jam, you'll love our insights on how to Build WordPress Funnels: How to Set Yourself Up for Lasting Success and set yourself up for lasting success.
The WordPress Ecosystem: Why It Remains the Strategic Choice
If your business relies on generating leads, building authority through content, and scaling without platform limits, WordPress is still the strategic choice. It powers over 40% of the internet for a reason.
The power of WordPress isn't just the core software; it's the ecosystem that surrounds it.
The Key Role of Hosting
When you choose WordPress, you have to select and pay for hosting separately—this is where many people get tripped up. Choosing the wrong host is the fastest way to make WordPress feel slow, complicated, and insecure.
Don't skimp on this. Investing in quality hosting is the single best way to reduce the technical complexity of running a WordPress site.
Hosting Comparison: Where Your Money Should Go
Hosting Type | Typical Cost (Monthly) | Best For | Main Trade-Offs / Risks |
|---|---|---|---|
Shared Hosting | $5 – $15 | Brand-new, low-traffic sites | Slow performance during traffic spikes; security risks are higher. |
Managed WordPress | $25 – $50 | Most serious small–mid sized businesses | Higher monthly cost, but the provider handles security, updates, and speed improvement. |
VPS / Dedicated | $50+ | High-traffic, complex membership sites | Maximum power, but requires more technical expertise to manage. |
My Recommendation: For any business serious about conversion and speed, Managed WordPress Hosting (from providers like Kinsta or WP Engine) is the sweet spot. It gives you the power of WordPress without the headache of constant maintenance.
The Conversion Layer: Why Plugins Matter
The core WordPress software is just the foundation. You add functionality via plugins. This is where you gain the ability to build advanced funnels, membership areas, and sophisticated lead generation tools that hosted builders can't touch.
This is why I always recommend pairing WordPress with a conversion-focused suite like Thrive Suite. You need tools designed specifically to turn traffic into revenue—not just pretty themes.
You'll want plugins for:
This is where the Total Cost of Ownership calculation gets tricky for WordPress. The core software is free, but you will need premium tools to make it competitive and secure.
Think 24 Months Ahead (The Migration Trap)
A common, expensive mistake is choosing a platform that works perfectly for your current needs but completely fails when you want to launch your next product.
Imagine you start with a simple portfolio on Wix. Six months later, you decide to sell a sophisticated online course with drip content and recurring billing. You’ll hit a wall. You’ll end up paying for a separate Learning Management System (LMS) and trying to awkwardly glue it to your Wix site, or worse, you’ll have to migrate your entire site to WordPress.
Platform migrations are painful, expensive, and stressful. They are the digital equivalent of moving house while running a business.
The rule of thumb: Choose the platform that can comfortably handle the business you plan to have two years from now, not just the one you have today. If your future involves complex funnels, high traffic, or deep integration with specialized software, start with WordPress.
Frequently Asked Questions About Website Software
When people are deciding on the best software to make a website, they often get stuck on a few key practical questions. Here are the direct answers you need to move forward.
Which website builder is truly the easiest for beginners?
Wix is generally the easiest website builder for absolute beginners. Its drag-and-drop interface is highly intuitive, allowing users with zero technical skill to publish a professional-looking site in a single afternoon. However, this ease comes at the cost of long-term flexibility and advanced SEO control.
How much does it cost to build a professional website?
For a professional small business website, you should budget between $300 and $600 for the first year. This covers the domain name, hosting or platform subscription, and essential premium tools (like a conversion-focused page builder or e-commerce features). While you can launch a site for less, investing in quality hosting and conversion tools is necessary if you intend to generate revenue.
Can I switch platforms later if my business grows?
Yes, you can switch platforms, but it is rarely easy or cheap. Migrating from a hosted builder (like Wix or Squarespace) to a self-hosted platform (like WordPress) is particularly difficult because you cannot easily export the underlying code or content structure. This process often requires hiring a developer and can take weeks, which is why I strongly advise choosing a scalable platform like WordPress from the start if you anticipate significant growth.
Is WordPress still the best choice for SEO?
Yes, WordPress remains the industry standard for SEO (Search Engine Optimization). The core WordPress software is built with clean code, and the vast ecosystem of dedicated SEO plugins (like Yoast or Rank Math) gives you granular control over every technical SEO element, including sitemaps, schema markup, and content optimization. Hosted builders like Wix and Squarespace have improved their SEO capabilities, but they cannot match the depth of control that WordPress provides.
Do I need coding knowledge to use website software?
No, not anymore. Modern website builders (Wix, Squarespace) and visual page builders within WordPress (like Thrive Architect or Elementor) are true drag-and-drop editors. You can build a professional, high-converting website without ever touching a line of code. If you choose WordPress, though, knowing a little bit about file structure and basic troubleshooting will save you time and money.
What is the cheapest way to build a website?
The cheapest way to build a website is usually Shared Hosting + WordPress. You can get shared hosting for under $10 a month, and the WordPress software is free. You can use a free theme and free plugins to get started. Be warned: Cheap is not the same as smart. That $10 site will be slow, require more manual maintenance, and likely won't have the conversion tools you need.
How long does it take to build a website using this software?
This depends entirely on the complexity and the platform:
The initial build is fast; the ongoing improvement and content creation is where the real work happens.
Final Thoughts: The Goal Is Clarity, Not Perfection
Choosing the platform is just the first step. The real work is in the strategy: understanding your audience, writing compelling copy, and improving your pages to convert.
The right platform simply gets out of your way and lets you focus on that strategy.
If you value simplicity, speed of launch, and don't anticipate complex needs, pick a hosted builder like Wix or Squarespace. You’ll be up and running fast.
If you value long-term ownership, superior SEO performance, and the ability to build any kind of funnel or integration you can imagine, WordPress paired with the right conversion tools is the only strategic choice. It requires a bit more effort upfront, but it pays dividends for years to come.
Don't let the noise confuse you. Pick the tool that matches your future business goals, not just your current budget, and start building.
