Wix
The flexible drag-and-drop all-rounder
Wix is the platform most people think of first — and for good reason. It's fast to set up, flexible enough for most small businesses, and you don't need to touch a line of code. If you've been putting off getting online because it all feels too complicated, Wix is often the easiest way to just get it done.
- True drag-and-drop — no coding needed
- Huge template library covering every industry
- Hosting, SSL and updates all included
- Wix ADI: AI builds a first version automatically
- Good app marketplace (booking, shop, blog)
- Free trial available, no credit card required
- Can't switch templates after publishing
- Page load times often slower than competitors
- SEO capabilities limited (heavy JavaScript code)
- Free plan displays Wix branding
- Complex projects can get messy quickly
- No way to export your website
Our verdict: Wix is ideal if you want to get online fast with no technical know-how. Great for local businesses, freelancers and simple portfolio sites. Once you need to scale or customise heavily, Wix starts to show its limits.
Squarespace
Design perfection for creative minds
If your first thought when someone visits your website is "I want them to think: this looks professional", Squarespace is probably your platform. It's built around design — and it shows. The tradeoff is less flexibility and a higher price tag, but for creatives, coaches, and anyone where first impressions really matter, that's usually worth it.
- Exceptionally beautiful, professional templates
- Outstanding for portfolios, photographers & creatives
- Built-in shop (Fluid Engine)
- Solid integrated blogging platform
- Reliable, fast hosting included
- Decent out-of-the-box SEO tools
- Less design freedom than Wix (restricted editor)
- Comparatively expensive, no permanent free plan
- App ecosystem far smaller than WordPress
- Advanced customisation often requires CSS/code
- Not the best choice for complex e-commerce
- No export of website content
Our verdict: Squarespace is the top pick when how your site looks really matters — for photographers, designers, coaches and restaurants. If you need more functionality or lower prices, look elsewhere.
WordPress
The powerful heavyweight — unlimited possibilities
WordPress powers over 40% of the web — and there's a reason for that. No other platform gives you the same level of control, SEO capability, and room to grow. The catch: it doesn't hold your hand. You'll need to manage hosting, updates, and security yourself — or have someone like aNewSite handle that side of things for you.
- Powers 43% of all websites worldwide
- Completely unlimited customisation possibilities
- Best SEO ecosystem (Yoast, RankMath etc.)
- You own all your data — no lock-in
- Massive developer community & support
- Ideal for blogs, magazines and complex projects
- Steep learning curve for non-technical users
- Hosting, domain and SSL need to be set up separately
- Updates (core, plugins) need ongoing maintenance
- Security requires attention and vigilance
- Plugin conflicts can take your site down
- Premium themes/plugins often cost extra
Our verdict: WordPress is the right choice for anyone who wants to scale long-term, maintain full control and make the most of SEO. For non-technical beginners without support it can feel overwhelming — which is exactly where aNewSite comes in.
IONOS MyWebsite
The straightforward option — affordable and uncomplicated
IONOS doesn't get talked about as much as Wix or Squarespace, but for certain businesses it's genuinely the right call. If you need a simple, professional online presence quickly — and you'd rather pick up the phone than trawl through help docs — IONOS delivers. Just watch the renewal pricing once that first year is up.
- Very affordable, especially in the first year
- Good phone & chat support
- Domain & hosting often bundled together
- AI assistant available for a quick start
- WordPress hosting also available via IONOS
- Simple enough for complete beginners
- Much less design freedom than Wix or Squarespace
- Templates can look generic and dated
- Introductory prices rise sharply after year one
- Very limited app ecosystem
- Full SEO features only in higher-priced plans
- Quickly becomes too limiting for ambitious projects
Our verdict: IONOS is a solid pick for small businesses that need a simple, affordable online presence and value good support. For growing or design-conscious projects, you're better off with WordPress or Squarespace.
Free AI Builders
Durable, 10Web, Jimdo AI & Co. — the future or just hype?
AI website builders are the newest option on the block — and they're genuinely impressive for what they are. Describe your business, and within minutes you've got a website. The problem is that everyone else using the same tool gets a very similar website. Great for a starting point, not yet ready to be your long-term home online.
- Website generated from a description in minutes
- No technical knowledge required whatsoever
- Great as a first draft & source of inspiration
- Free plans available for basic use
- Copy & images suggested automatically
- Rapid concept testing with zero effort
- Generic, interchangeable results — little personality
- Very limited customisation options
- AI-generated copy often needs significant editing
- SEO capabilities mostly rudimentary
- Free plans show ads or use a subdomain
- Long-term reliability of providers is uncertain
Our verdict: AI builders are fascinating for a first draft or if you want to start with zero budget. For a professional, long-term online presence they're not quite there yet — but the technology is moving fast. We're keeping a close eye on them for you.