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As a graphic designer, you know how much the fine details matter. Not all website builders can give you everything you need to create a site that reflects your skills and shows your work in the best light.
In addition to sufficient storage space, you’ll want a builder that offers professionally designed templates and gives you the creative freedom to customize the chosen template and make it your own. You might even want to start with a blank template to design your site from scratch.
During my extensive research of the top website builders, I discovered that Wix stands out as the best choice for graphic designers. Its user-friendly interface is perfect for beginners, yet it doesn’t skimp on powerful features. With a range of built-in and third-party tools, plus a free trial, it offers everything you need to create a stunning online presence.
Keep reading to learn more about Wix and the other website builders I evaluated.
What We Look For in the Best Website Builders for Graphic Designers
To provide you with the most helpful, relevant list, I tested dozens of builders to see which ones can offer the best features for your graphic design website.
Plenty of storage space. You might want to upload many hi-res images to share your work with potential clients. Why leave stuff out? The top website builders listed here offer enough storage to include everything.
Customizable templates. As an expert in visuals and layout, you need to be able to create a beautiful website that you can easily adjust to reflect your unique style. If templates aren’t your thing, some of these builders will let you start from scratch with a blank template.
Advanced gallery features. To help your portfolio shine, your website builder should provide various gallery layout options, with the ability to view images in full size and scroll between them easily.
Mobile friendliness. Potential clients may come across your website on a mobile device. You want to make sure your site and galleries look their best, no matter the screen size.
Effective SEO tools. All the website builders I included here offer robust SEO tools and easy guides on how to rank higher with Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) like Google. Better SEO improves visibility and increases the chances of clients landing on your website and reaching out to you.
Wix has over 800 free templates1. They all look great and are easy to customize, but those aimed at designers even feature built-in galleries to showcase your work in its best light. It also offers nine blank templates, including one built around a gallery and another around a portfolio.
With Wix’s intuitive drag-and-drop editor, all templates are fully customizable, so you can choose your own fonts and color schemes. You can also add and move around text blocks, images, and other elements until everything is just right. The editor gives you automatic guides (like in Photoshop), making it easy to align elements perfectly.
Just be aware that once you choose a template, you can’t switch it later. You can, however, customize it to make it look completely different.
Excellent SEO tools. Wix offers great SEO support for beginners, making it easier to get your work out there. The Wix SEO Wiz feature creates a personalized SEO plan for your business.
Affordable options with ample storage. Wix’s free plan will give you up to 500 MB of storage. There are several premium plans that will get you up to 100 GB of storage for a great price.
Extensive app market. With over 500 free and paid apps, it’s easy to take your website to the next level with advanced features, including social media integration and many image galleries.
Parallax scrolling. This feature creates an immersive 3D effect as you scroll, with the background moving slower than the foreground. It adds depth and dynamism to your graphic design portfolio, helping your work stand out.
SITE123 offers 80+ fully responsive templates1, including a variety specifically tailored for artists. While the builder’s editing options aren’t extensive, you can still change quite a lot with the intuitive block-based editor. This balance provides just enough flexibility without overwhelming you with too many choices.
These templates adapt well to mobile devices, and you can customize how your site looks on phones and tablets. This is especially beneficial for ensuring your graphic designs look great on all devices.
If you want to get your site up and running as fast as possible, SITE123 is an excellent choice. The simple interface, ready-made portfolios, and easy-to-use tools will help you create a unique website in record time.
24/7 live chat support. You’ll find the real-time help invaluable, ensuring you never hit a roadblock in your creative process. A representative is always available to answer your questions. You’ll spend more time polishing your designs and less time fixing bugs on your website.
Testimonial page. I love the idea of a dedicated page to flaunt your client feedback and ratings. It’s like having your own little hall of fame, showcasing your design prowess.
Website password. Do you need privacy for your projects? SITE123 lets you set a password for your site. It’s a neat way to control who gets a sneak peek into your creative world.
Multiple payment gateway integrations. If you sell your services directly on your website, you’ll appreciate SITE123’s integrated card processing options, such as Braintree and Stripe. They’re easy to set up, simplifying transactions for you and your clients.
Squarespace’s templates are right on trend, making them a solid choice for graphic designers aiming to create eye-catching portfolios. There’s actually an entire section of templates dedicated to portfolios. But it’s not all about looks – these templates are also super functional and easy to customize.
The thing with Squarespace is it keeps you within a certain design grid. For some designers, this might feel like a creativity cap. But if you’re worried about code and formatting issues, this can actually be a lifesaver as it’ll prevent major layout mess-ups.
And if you’re new to all this, Squarespace has your back. It’s packed with beginner-friendly guides1, videos, and webinars, making it super easy to learn the ropes and get your graphic design portfolio online without a hitch.
Unlimited storage. All of Squarespace’s plans offer unlimited storage, so you don’t have to think twice about uploading your work in whatever size and resolution you want.
Social media integration. Squarespace allows you to link multiple social media profiles to your site, enabling you to share your work with your followers and potential customers with the click of a button.
Advanced e-commerce. It is easy and fast to set up an online store on Squarespace, where you can sell both digital and physical products directly from the site and through social media.
Complete customization capabilities. If you’re tech-savvy, Squarespace allows for deeper customization using CSS and Javascript. This feature lets you tailor your website more precisely to your personal style and professional needs.
With its streamlined and efficient approach to website building, Webador appeals to designers who value simplicity in establishing their online presence. While its straightforward nature ensures an effortless setup and editing process, this simplicity can be a limitation for those seeking a more complex or feature-rich website.
The platform offers over 55 diverse and mobile-friendly templates. These templates are customizable, and you can change them later, adapting as your needs or style evolves.
There’s also a free option with basic features, although it comes with a Webador domain address. This can be a good starting point for new designers or those wanting to test the platform before fully committing to a more professional setup.
Features
Collaboration tools. Webador makes it easy to create or edit a website seamlessly when working with others. If you work in teams or want to collaborate in real time with clients, these tools will significantly streamline the design process.
Categorization. I like how easy Webador makes organizing your graphic design work. You can easily categorize different designs or projects, making your portfolio neat and easy to navigate.
Customer accounts. Accounts and a login portal can make your website feel more professional. If you sell designs or services directly from your website, customer accounts can help you better manage sales and client interactions.
Multi-language. For graphic designers catering to an international audience, Webador’s multi-language capabilities are invaluable. You can expand your reach and increase sales by offering your website in different languages.
IONOS provides around 25 templates for website creation. Even though the templates look good, there isn’t enough variety to help you find a really good one that requires just a few tweaks. Adding and editing elements feels intuitive, butyou don’t have nearly as much freedom as you do with a top pick like Wix.
Even so, the grid system in IONOS allows for quite a bit of customization. It features a well-built drag-and-drop editor that makes it easy to bring your design ideas to life.
I appreciate IONOS for providing many essential functionalities without overcomplicating things. It’s straightforward, letting you focus on your design work rather than getting bogged down by complex website mechanics. Plus, it has one of the cheapest e-commerce solutions, which is fantastic if you’re looking to set up a basic online store without spending a lot.
Features
AI Website Generator. With the click of a button, IONOS can generate high-quality images and text to fill your pages. It can even smooth out the edges of your design, which can be a real time-saver.
Dynamic content. This refers to content that can change based on user interactions or preferences. For example, if someone has visited your portfolio more than once, you can reveal a special services offer or a discount on one of your artworks.
Automatic image optimization. It’s a feature that fine-tunes your images for swift loading and optimal display across all devices. Effectively, your designs will look sharp everywhere without having to tweak a thing yourself.
AI Integration. IONOS has a neat built-in AI tool to speed up website creation. It can also help generate copy and images, but as you’d expect – it doesn’t always hit the mark.
If you’ve got some time and technical experience, WordPress.com can help you bring your creative vision to life. With over 280 themes, plenty of built-in features, and an extensive library of plugins, you can customize your site to look and function however you want.
Even though it’s aimed primarily at bloggers, WordPress.com has an entire section devoted to specialized portfolio themes, all of which are mobile-friendly.
However, what you gain in advanced options, you lose in simplicity. WordPress.com is more complicated than its competitors, lacking a straightforward drag-and-drop interface. You must be willing to edit and design your content separately and be ready to do some coding to get the most out of this platform.
Features
VideoPress. With the built-in VideoPress player, you can make your graphic design portfolio pop by displaying your work in 4k. It’s got cool stuff like picture-in-picture and subtitles, and it’s unbranded and ad-free.
Advanced SEO. Even with a free plan, every site built on WordPress.com has essential SEO mechanics. For a more comprehensive option, you can use the Yoast SEO plugin, getting your work to even more potential clients.
Social media integration. With built-in social sharing buttons that you can put on each post, WordPress.com allows you to easily share your work with your followers and potential clients.
WordPress mobile app. The official app lets you manage your site from your phone or tablet. It’s updated with a new visual design, making it more user-friendly, and is available for both Android and iOS.
Each website builder on my list lets you craft a professional website for graphic design, offering rich features that attract clients and effectively showcase your work. However, the right choice ultimately depends on your specific needs.
If you want a website with a personalized touch, I highly recommend Wix. With over 800 templates and limitless design freedom, Wix empowers you to bring any creative idea to life1, ensuring your website stands out.
For those looking to establish an online presence as effortlessly as possible, SITE123 is the way to go1. It offers diverse layouts and round-the-clock live chat support, streamlining the website creation process.
On the other hand, Squarespace is ideal for crafting a professional-looking design1 and offers a robust e-commerce platform. With its easy setup for online payments and secure transaction processing, it’s perfect for artists looking to sell their work online.
To quickly compare these builders, glance at the comparison table below.
How much does a graphic design website builder cost?
The cost varies, but you can start for free with platforms like Wix. Wix offers a free plan that’s quite comprehensive for basic needs. However, if you’re looking for more advanced features, such as e-commerce capabilities to sell your designs, it offers affordable premium plans starting from $17.00.
What is the best website builder for artists?
Wix is the best all-round choice for artists because of its extensive app market and built-in galleries, making it highly suitable for all artistic needs. Its drag-and-drop editor makes customization straightforward and user-friendly. Meanwhile, Squarespace is renowned for its impressive templates and limitless storage, ideal for artists wanting to make as big of an impact with their portfolios as possible.
What is the best website builder for a portfolio site?
For a portfolio site, I recommend Webador. It offers unlimited storage even on its free plan – a significant advantage for showcasing a large portfolio. The platform’s ease of use and the flexibility of changing templates means you can quickly change styles and adjust elements.
Which web builder should I choose to sell my designs?
SITE123 is an excellent choice for selling your designs. It stands out with features like affordable e-commerce plans and multiple payment gateway integrations. If you want to monetize your work directly through your website, SITE123 facilitates smooth transactions.
Oliwia specializes in writing about web builder software. Before joining Website Planet, she worked for three years as an IT recruiter and employer branding specialist. A graduate in User Experience Design from Collegium Da Vinci, her background provides a deep understanding of users’ needs, enabling her to write articles that resonate with a diverse audience. When not conducting vendor performance tests, Oliwia dedicates time to her small arts and craft business.
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