Search engine optimization (SEO) refers to tactics for ranking on Google search. While it sounds technical—and it is—the best website builders for SEO take some of the work off your plate. They have SEO automations, guides, and tools, and are built for mobile-friendly, fast site loading from anywhere. We ranked the top-scoring SEO website builders below to make it easy for you to decide which to choose.
- Wix: Most Features—Best Website Builder for SEO
- HubSpot CMS: Great Automated SEO Suggestions
- Duda: Easily Add Structured Schema for Local Businesses
- Squarespace: Great SEO Features for Content-heavy Sites
- Hostinger: Best Combo of Easy AI Builder, Content & Analytics
- DreamHost: BoldGrid WordPress Site Builder Included Free
- Web.com: For Low-cost Design Services
- Weebly: Best Free Ecommerce SEO Website Builder
- Webflow: Most Ways to Customize SEO Settings
- Dorik: For Membership & Subscription-based Sales
- Jimdo: Easiest SEO Site Builder for Creatives
Create a Lasting Impression with Squarespace: The Easy-to-Use, All-in-One Website Builder for Design Excellence |
|
Receive 10% off your subscription with the exclusive code FITSMALLBUSINESS10 |
Best Website Builders for SEO at a Glance
Providers | Pricing | Features | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|
 4.92 out of 5 |
|
| or |
 4.52 out of 5 |
|
| or |
 4.47 out of 5 |
|
| or |
 4.43 out of 5 |
|
| or |
 4.41 out of 5 |
|
| or |
 4.17 out of 5 |
|
| or |
 4.03 out of 5 |
|
| or |
 4.02 out of 5 |
|
| or |
 3.97 out of 5 |
|
| or |
 3.89 out of 5 |
|
| or |
 3.66 out of 5 |
|
| or |
*CDN stands for Content Delivery Network | |||
Pricing note: All pricing in the table above represents the monthly starting cost with annual billing as of the date of this writing. Some providers offer month-to-month contracts at a higher rate, or lower pricing with a longer-term contract. Pricing for Hostinger, DreamHost, and Web.com plans increase after the first year. Visit the providers’ sites to learn more.
Whereas most of our guides compare overall features offered by popular website builders, the comparison in this guide focuses specifically on SEO for ranking higher on Google. Below are some of the criteria we used and why it’s important for search engine optimization.
- Fast site loading: Site speed and loading time are ranking factors—and slow speeds can hurt your rankings. Features impacting site speed include bandwidth, content delivery networks (CDNs), and image optimization and compression.
- Mobile-friendliness: Your site must load fast and provide a good user experience (UX) on all device types. However, Google indexes sites on a mobile-first basis, so mobile UX is critical. We looked for site builders that have fully responsive templates and make it easy to view (and adjust) what your site will look like on desktop, tablet, and mobile screens.
- Guides and automations: There are hundreds of ways to optimize a site fully for search, which means a learning curve and time investment. The best website builders for SEO bridge the gap for you with built-in guides, wizards, and checklists, and automatically do some of the work for you with schema markup.
- SEO copywriting assistance: Site builders are starting to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) tools you can use for SEO copywriting and page engagement analysis. Some also offer keyword research tools to discover high search volume, low competition keywords you can leverage to rank on Google and other search engines.
- Integrations: Being able to integrate Google Analytics and Search Console provides the most accurate data on SEO performance for your site. Likewise, connecting tools like AdSense, social media, and third-party apps can increase your site’s functionality, capabilities, and ability to engage your audience with on-page features. We looked both at app marketplaces and the ability to embed code with each site builder.
- Basic must-haves: We only considered website builders that include SEO basics. All the providers below have free SSL (secure sockets layer) certificates to encrypt site visitor data, which is essential for ranking on Google. Each also allows title, URL, and meta description customization and the ability to add alt tags for images, which is important for accessibility (also a ranking factor). Finally, all platforms also generate XML sitemaps needed for Google Search Console and indexing.
To learn more about SEO before choosing a site builder, here are some additional resources:
- What is local SEO (and how to rank higher on Google)
- How to create an SEO content marketing plan
- Search engine marketing guide for small businesses
- Beginners guide to ecommerce SEO
Click open the section above to learn more about the search engine optimization features we looked for when testing and ranking providers. It offers a quick overview of SEO must-haves and nice-to-haves, as well as explains how these contribute to your brand’s visibility in online searches. Or, keep reading to see which of our top-rated SEO website builders would be best for your business.
Wix: Most SEO Features—Best Website Builder for SEO Overall
Pros
- SEO dashboard and checklists
- Semrush keyword research in the dashboard
- Google Analytics and Search Console
- AI content writer and new AI image generator
- Additional SEO apps in marketplace, including SE Ranking
- Automatic schema markup and widget to embed code
- Fast site speed via Site Booster, image compression, and CDN
Cons
- Low bandwidth limits on free and base plan
- Not fully responsive (test and tweak mobile and tablet versions of your site)
- The most SEO tools and features of all the site builders we compared
- Wix SEO Wiz, videos, guides, and checklists make it easy, even for beginners
- Wix SEO Hub knowledge base with video tutorials and how-to articles
- Wizard analyzes your site and tells you how to improve accessibility
- Built-in AI to write search-optimized copy and generate images
- Semrush keyword research in the dashboard
- Huge third-party app marketplace, including SEO apps like SE Ranking
- Embed code in page settings for tracking and third-party integrations
- Automatic image compression and global content delivery network (CDN) for a faster loading site
- Automatically adds schema markup for more accurate site indexing by search engines
- Connect Google Analytics, Search Console (NEW), Ads, AdSense, your Google Business Profile, social channels, and view metrics in the new SEO dashboard
- True drag-and-drop editor to offer a great site visitor user experience (UX)
Wix has the most impressive array of SEO features for all site builders, even in the free version. For most businesses, we recommend the Core plan. It comes with high storage, unlimited bandwidth, the SEO Site Booster, and all the features needed by nearly any type of business.
Plans/Features | Free | Lite | Core |
|---|---|---|---|
Cost per Month* | $0 | $16 | $27 |
Storage | 500MB | 2GB | 50GB |
Video Storage | None | 30 minutes | 5 hours |
CDN | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Semrush Keywords | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
App Marketplace | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Appointments | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
SEO Dashboard | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
Google Analytics & Search Console | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
Embed Code | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
SEO Site Booster | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
Ecommerce Stores, Memberships & Digital Goods | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
Online Ordering & Bookings | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
Event & Group Ticket Sales | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
Social & Marketplace Selling | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
*With annual billing; monthly billing is available at a higher rate. | |||
Wix scored near-perfect against our model, which included 16 basic-to-advanced SEO-specific criteria on top of general site builder comparisons like cost, support, and capabilities. With the most SEO-friendly features and tools overall, it’s our pick for the best website builder for SEO for any business. Wix will even analyze your site based on your industry and goals and provide you with an SEO checklist to better optimize your site.
Wix was one of the first website builders to include an artificial intelligence (AI) writing assistant. It automatically pops up whenever you add a new text-based section, enabling use at any time. AI writers can save you a lot of time in SEO copywriting for your site’s pages, blog posts, titles, and meta descriptions. This makes Wix ideal for businesses wanting to use SEO content marketing to grow leads and sales.
Wix also automatically compresses images. This is a great optimization feature not found in many site builders. Large images make for slow page load time, which equates to a less-than-ideal user experience (UX) for site visitors. UX is one of the most important ranking factors for any website—so knowing that you can upload high-quality images without making your site lag is ideal.
In addition, Wix is the only SEO website builder we know of that automatically adds schema markup to the code of your website for different types of pages. Structured markup makes it easier for search engines to index your site, and, in turn, making it more likely for your site to be displayed in relevant search results (HubSpot, Duda, Webflow, and Dorik all have options for adding schema, but don’t generate or add it automatically).
More articles featuring Wix:
- Top pick in our guide to the best website builders for small businesses
- Video tutorial and step-by-step on how to make a Wix website
- Learn more about its features and capabilities in our expert Wix review
- Find out which competitors are the best Wix alternatives
Our Expert Opinion
Wix is the best website builder for SEO for businesses and startups looking to jump-start and grow an online brand presence. Many different types of SEO features are built in, as are comprehensive how-to guides, checklists, and tools. Try it risk-free before committing to a long-term plan.
Many site builders offer free plans, including Wix. However, sites are hosted on a third-party subdomain (e.g., yoursite.wix.com) and display app branding, which isn’t credible for a professional website. It’s fine to use the free versions to test the apps, but plan to spring for a paid plan to host your site on a custom domain.
HubSpot: Best Site Builder for Automated SEO Suggestions
Pros
- SEO prompts display as you build, plus guides and checklists
- New AI content writing assistant and image generator
- Enterprise-grade security, CDN, and SEO
- Free-forever plan to build a website on a domain you own
- Free SEO video tutorials via HubSpot Academy
Cons
- Most expensive, especially after the base tier
- Free version limits of 25 pages, 20 landing pages, and 100 blog posts
- Free version on your domain still displays HubSpot branding
- No built-in tools for SEO keyword research
- Automatic SEO analysis and recommendations, even in the free plan
- Unlimited storage and bandwidth
- Large third-party app marketplace, including apps for SEO Google Page Speed and Analytics
- New AI content and image generators
- Schema helper app to generate structured markup
- Code embedding in headers and footers
- Advanced firewall and domain security, and 24/7 threat/malware protection
- Advanced SEO performance reports and dashboards
- Enterprise-level global CDN
- Device based image resizing (responsiveness) plus auto-image compression via plugin
HubSpot CMS is the only all-in-one site builder that allows businesses to build for free on a custom domain. However, ads are still displayed, so the paid Starter plan is a better option. It also provides higher limits for web pages and blog posts most businesses will need. Unlike most competitors, no plans include a free domain the first year (although free SSL is included).
Plans/Features | Free | Starter |
|---|---|---|
Cost per Month | $0 | $23* |
Connect a Domain | ✓ | ✓ |
Site Limits | 25 pages, 20 landing pages, 100 blog posts | 50 pages, 20 landing pages, 10,000 blog posts |
Advanced Security & SSL | ✓ | ✓ |
SEO Recommendations | ✓ | ✓ |
AI Writer & Images | ✓ | ✓ |
Ecommerce (via Apps) | ✕ | ✓ |
HubSpot Payments | ✕ | ✓ |
Email Marketing | ✓ | ✓ |
Chatbots | ✕ | ✓ |
Dashboards | ✕ | ✓ |
Ad-free | ✕ | ✓ |
*Billed annually, or pay $25 month-to-month | ||
Inbound marketing is the strategy of turning your website into a hub for web traffic and lead generation using organic content marketing, ads, email, social media, and SEO. And, HubSpot is arguably the world leader when it comes to inbound marketing.
The company has leveraged this expertise and infused automated suggestions for content and SEO into the HubSpot CMS site builder. This makes it easy for anyone to build a website that looks professional and has the content optimization needed to get found on Google and other search engines.
HubSpot is also the only website builder that offers the ability to build a free website on your own domain. These are the small business budget and beginner-friendly features that should pique your interest, whereas the fact that this is all backed by enterprise-grade security and infrastructure could seal the deal.
Use HubSpot’s recommendations to fully optimize your small business website.
As you build pages on your site, you can click on “Optimize” in the top menu bar and get instant access to a wide range of SEO recommendations. This includes things like the optimal length of your page’s title, the use of H1, H2, and H3 heading tags (and so on), and reminders to add meta tags and descriptions. If you simply follow the suggestions, you won’t miss anything when it comes to optimizing your small business website for online search.
Learn more about HubSpot CMS:
- HubSpot’s free plan put it onto our list of the best free website builders
- Learn how to build a website on HubSpot in a few simple steps
- Take a closer look at the platform’s features in our expert HubSpot CMS review
Our Expert Opinion
If you’ve ever lamented the fact that cost is an entry barrier keeping your small business from accessing advanced website building software, your day has come. You can now use industry-leading website-building software that is full of guidance for SEO, starting with a free-forever plan.
Duda: Best Website Builder for Local SEO
Pros
- Fields to add local schema (structured markup)
- Google Maps widget to make finding your business a breeze
- IndexNow instantly submits new content to Google
- Automatic Google PageSpeed optimization
- Amazon Web Services (AWS)-hosted Global CDN
- 100% responsive templates
Cons
- Ecommerce and SEO apps like WooRank, and the "Near Me" app require paid add-ons
- Comparable plans are more expensive than most rivals, especially for ecommerce
- Doesn’t automatically compress images
- Local business schema markup generator
- IndexNow to instantly submit new or revised content to Google for indexing
- Automatic local business schema to display your brand’s name in locale-based search results
- Google Map widget to embed your Google Maps location onto your site
- Automatically optimized for Google PageSpeed
- WooRank add-on to support keyword research and SEO efforts
- Worldwide CDN on reliable cloud-hosted AWS servers
- 100% responsive for a good site visitor user experience (UX) on any device
- Social sharing integrations
- Duda University with beginner and advanced SEO courses, including a Core Vital Optimization course
Duda doesn’t offer a free plan, but it has a budget-friendly starting cost. Your site will be cloud-hosted on AWS (Amazon Web Services), which is highly reliable, fast, and offers enterprise-level security, redundancy, and uptime. You can also add additional sites to each plan at a reduced cost per site. Add ecommerce to any plan starting from $7.25 more a month.
Plans/Features | Basic | Team | Agency |
|---|---|---|---|
Cost per Month* | $19 | $22 | $44 |
Websites | 1 | 1 | 4 |
Ecommerce Add-on | From $7.25/month | From $7.25/month | From $7.25 month/site |
SSL | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
100% Mobile-responsive | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Local Schema Markup Fields | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Google PageSpeed Optimizer | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Global CDN | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
IndexNow | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
AI Content Writer | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Third-party Apps | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Code Embedding | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
*With annual billing, or pay a higher rate month to month. | |||
Duda first made their name as a mobile site builder, so it’s not surprising that they’re a top choice for those who want a fully responsive website. It also stands out as the best SEO website builder for local businesses. For example, adding a Google Map to a page is as easy as dragging the Google Maps widget to where you want it embedded.
Plus, you can add local business schema to your site by enabling the feature and entering details about your business. In addition, third-party apps are available in the marketplace like AMP (boosts mobile SEO), Neustar Localeze for listings management, and the “Near Me” app.
Duda lets you add local business schema to your website for higher online visibility.
Some of these offer free plans, but for most, plan to spend a few dollars more each month. While this increases the cost of this site builder, it can more than pay off in helping you get found in local online searches. Like most other site builders, you can also easily connect Google Analytics and Search Console to check website traffic and get a robust view of how people are finding your site.
Another feature that makes Duda an excellent SEO website-building platform is the ability to get new or updated content indexed more quickly via IndexNow. You can also be assured your core vitals are taken care of, as Duda has a global CDN and optimizes your site automatically with Google PageSpeed.
Expert Opinion
While the final price tag for your website might be a bit higher with Duda, the search engine optimization features and tools available for local SEO, in particular, are ideal. Its editor is intuitive, templates are sleek, and there are premade content blocks and widgets with everything you need to build a search-friendly website and attract local customers.
Squarespace: Best SEO Website Builder for Content-heavy Sites
Pros
- Unlimited storage and bandwidth
- Fully mobile-responsive sites and ability to embed code
- New AI content writing assistant
- Good uptime and global CDN
- Video creator studio
- SEO guidance and suggestions, including keywords
Cons
- No auto-image compression or schema markup tools
- Few plugins (Wix and Duda have far more) and none for SEO
- Pricier than Weebly and Hostinger for comparable base plans
- Costs more for email marketing, membership features, and appointments
- High extra transaction fees (9%) for digital goods like online courses
- Unlimited bandwidth and global CDN to ensure fast site loading from anywhere and prevent lag
- New AI content writer to assist with comprehensive search-friendly topic writing
- Fully mobile-friendly and 100% responsive to support Google’s mobile-first indexing
- Unlimited storage (however, lacks automatic image compression)
- Built-in guides, checklists, and keyword research support
- Embed code and edit HTML (for those with SEO and coding knowledge)
- Integrated marketing tools to help you grow your business and get found online
Squarespace doesn’t offer a free plan, but there is a 14-day free trial, which is ample time for you to explore the platform—including its SEO tools. When you’re ready, sign up for one of the paid plans. All offer a discount when paid annually, as well as month-to-month billing options. All SEO features are included with all plans.
Plans/Features | Personal | Business | Commerce Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
Cost per Month* | $16 | $23 | $49 |
Unlimited Storage & Bandwidth | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Free Domain & SSL | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
SEO Guides & Checklists | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Embed Code | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Responsive Templates | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Connect Google Analytics | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Keyword Research | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Ecommerce | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
Automated Sales Tax | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
Sell Subscriptions | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
*On a 12-month contract, or pay a higher rate month to month | |||
Squarespace users get unlimited storage and bandwidth, making it our top pick for creatives and other businesses that will have content heavy websites. It’s also well-known for having visually impactful, modern templates that lend well to portfolios and galleries. See for yourself in our rundown of the best Squarespace templates for business websites.
In addition to offering unlimited storage for images, you’ll also have access to the Squarespace Video Studio to create branded video content for your site and social media, as well as 30 minutes of video storage. Website statistics show that site visitors spend 88% more time on pages with videos, and average session duration indicates engagement, so it can positively impact your rankings in search.
Access SEO features through Squarespace’s page settings.
All SEO features are included with all Squarespace plans, so you can rest assured your site has everything needed to be crawled and indexed by Google and other search engines. This includes a global CDN for fast site loading and 100% responsive templates to satisfy Google’s mobile-first indexing requirements.
You can embed code to extend SEO capabilities with Squarespace. However, there are no ready-made Squarespace extensions for SEO. If you’re not an SEO expert and don’t feel comfortable coding (but still want the benefits of strong site SEO), Wix is a better option for you. It automates some optimization tasks, like image compression and adding markup code for better search engine indexing.
Learn more about using Squarespace:
- Learn how to use Squarespace to build a website, including a new video tutorial
- Take a deeper dive into all Squarespace features in our expert Squarepace review
- See why it made the list of the best ecommerce platforms for small businesses
- Learn how to set up a Squarespace ecommerce store
Our Expert Opinion
Squarespace is one of the best SEO website builders for creatives and high-storage-need websites. Its templates are sleek and easy to customize, including full drag-and-drop editing for a completely custom design. Even complete beginners can build a professional site that looks like you hired a web designer to build it. Use the 14-day free trial to find out all you can do.
Hostinger: Best Easy AI Site Builder, Content & Analytics Combo
Pros
- Powerful, beginner-friendly AI website template generator creates your site and adds in content and imagery
- AI writer for content and SEO tags and heatmap to analyze engagement
- Global CDN, reliable hosting, and high uptime
- Product SEO for ecommerce
- $2.99 a month the first year for site builder, hosting, domain, SSL, and email—and no extra cost for ecommerce
Cons
- Fewer widgets and native apps than most others on the list
- Cost increases after the intro period (but remains under $10/month)
- No built-in SEO guides or automatic image optimization
- Doesn’t have keyword support or schema markup tools
- No free plan
- “Go live in 4 clicks” when you let Hostinger’s AI build a template for you based on how you describe your business (or choose from 40-plus templates)
- AI content writing assistant to help generate outlines, ideas, content, and write meta titles and descriptions
- AI heatmap analyzes how site visitors are engaging with your content for insights
- Global content delivery network, unlimited bandwidth, reliable hosting, and 99.9% uptime
- Product SEO for ecommerce sites
Hostinger’s one-size-fits-all website builder costs $2.99 a month the first year (with annual billing) and renews at $8.99 a month. Or, you can pay less with a longer-term contract or opt for month-to-month billing for $11.99.
All SEO features are included, as is ecommerce, so you don’t have to upgrade to get more. Your plan will come with:
- Build up to 100 sites with Hostinger’s website builder or managed WordPress in the same plan
- Unlimited bandwidth, free SSL, one free domain, free business email accounts (plus 50 aliases and five forwarders, plus webmail access)
- Enterprise SPAM filter
- Free weekly backups
- 24/7 support with fast response time (average resolution time of 20 minutes)
- If you build on WordPress: one-click install, WP-CLI, and WordPress acceleration
Hostinger’s website builder (aka Zyro, which Hostinger purchased in 2022) may well have been the first website builder with an integrated artificial intelligence (AI) writer. Since then Wix, HubSpot, Squarespace, and others have added AI content writers into the mix. Hostinger’s AI writer goes further, offering help not only with generating content but also with meta tags like descriptions. It will even generate content in a handful of languages besides English.
You can also use the AI in the Hostinger site builder to build a template by typing in a description of your business. I tested both updating the platform’s premade templates as well as the AI-built template, and would say that I liked the AI-generated template better.
It was clean and modern-looking, and it was easier to envision how to customize it quickly. It even offered three different variations to choose from. However, the templates are sleek, reminiscent of the visual impact you get from Squarespace’s template collection (so you can’t lose either way).
Hostinger’s website builder also has AI-powered content analysis tools, including a heatmap. You can use this to see where site visitors engage with your content most. Not only does this show you what’s most interesting to users, but also where to place essential elements like a call to action or web form.
Learn more about the Hostinger website builder:
- It’s one of the easiest and best AI website builders for small businesses
- See how to use the Hostinger website builder in our video tutorial
- Get a better understanding of all you can do by reading our Hostinger site builder review
Expert Opinion
For a relative newcomer to the world of all-in-one website builder plans, Hostinger offers impressive features at a relatively low cost. Those interested in leveraging AI for SEO with virtually no learning curve will get the best bang for their buck. While you can’t try it for free, the first-year cost is under $40, which makes it low-risk to try.
DreamHost: Best SEO Website Builder for WordPress Sites
Pros
- All plans including BoldGrid, a no-code WordPress page builder
- Through plugins and code, WordPress (WP) offers extensive SEO tools
- Plans come with hosting, domain, SSL, and business email
- Global CDN and backups included free
- WordPress pre-installed and core and security updates are managed for you
Cons
- No native SEO tools; in fact, virtually all website functionality requires users to research, install, and maintain plugins
- Costs increase after renewal period
- WordPress has a longer learning curve vs all-in-one SEO site builders, even with a page builder
- All-inclusive WordPress hosting with domain, SSL, email, and a WP page builder
- Almost limitless SEO enhancements—however, all require WordPress plugins (which took away from DreamHost’s overall score)
- Global CDN plus unlimited bandwidth for fast site speed
- Embed code easily through widgets and plugins
- WordPress AI writing and SEO analysis plugins available
- Unlimited sites, pages, and blogging in WordPress Unlimited, or fully managed WordPress in DreamPress or WooCommerce plans
- Free ecommerce by adding the WooCommerce plugin yourself, or opt for the fully managed WooCommerce plan
- Tens of thousands of one-click install third-party integrations, and even more through code
If you have some experience with WordPress, you’ll be able to get just about anything you need for your site with the WordPress Unlimited plan. If you need help managing WordPress, fully managed DreamPress or WooCommerce (for ecommerce) plans will fast-track your process. All plans come with the BoldGrid page builder for WordPress at no extra cost.
Plans/Features | WordPress Unlimited | DreamPress | WooCommerce |
|---|---|---|---|
Intro Cost per Month* | $2.95 | $16.95 | $16.95 |
Renews At | $12.99 | $19.95 | $19.95 |
Domain, SSL & Email | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Websites & Storage | Unlimited | 1 site, 30GB storage | 1 site, 30GB storage |
WordPress Page Builder & Editor | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Unlimited Blogging | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Global CDN | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
WP Core Updates | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Fully Managed WP | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
Ecommerce-ready | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
*Based on a 12-month billing cycle | |||
DreamHost is a popular name in the world of small business web hosting, especially for WordPress. Plans include everything you need to build and launch your business website, including WP installed and core updates, a free domain and SSL certificate, and free email addresses on your domain.
DreamHost plans also come with a no-code WordPress website builder preinstalled, called BoldGrid. This plugin allows you to forgo the learning curve and non-intuitive native building tools with easy, intuitive, drag-and-drop page building and premade templates. Your site will also load fast, as global CDN distribution is included free, as is ample bandwidth.
With any WordPress solution, you’ll also need an SEO plugin to analyze your content and provide recommendations. The free Yoast SEO plugin makes it easy to ensure that the content on your pages and articles are search-friendly. Or, you can go with the BoldGrid SEO plugin and avail its knowledge base to take full advantage of its tools.
The BoldGrid SEO plugin analyzes your content and offers SEO recommendations. (Source: BoldGrid)
It’s fairly easy to integrate Google Analytics and Search Console (using a tool like Yoast or by embedding code) to get a full picture of your site’s SEO performance. And, adding custom code to your header and footer (also via plugin) enables you to implement third-party apps to track your site’s metrics and further improve its SEO.
Learn more about using DreamHost and WordPress:
- See why DreamHost made our list of the best WordPress website builders
- Learn how to make a WordPress website
- See what else your WP site will need in our list of WordPress tips and tricks
- Find out what WordPress websites cost depending on the features you need
Our Expert Opinion
DreamHost is the best option for building a search-friendly WordPress website—and one of the easiest too. It includes everything you need, including SEO tools and guidance to help anyone from beginners to experienced users optimize their sites for search. Plus, WordPress has thousands of available SEO plugins to help you rank higher on Google.
Web.com: Cheapest Pro Services for an SEO-friendly Website
Pros
- Professional design services from $149
- On-going on and off-page SEO services available
- Monthly SEO audits and recommendations
- 100% responsive templates
- AI content writer with all plans
- Code embed
- Easily embed social feeds to increase engagement
Cons
- Cost for all plans increases steeply after the intro period
- More expensive for comparable plans vs most other providers
- No free plan or trial to get a feel for the site builder or SEO tools
- No third-party app marketplace, CDN, or image optimization
- Streamline search engine optimization out of the gate with low-cost professional design services
- One hour of expert design support with do-it-yourself plans
- Monthly SEO audits with specific recommendations to improve your site
- Native AI content writer and creative asset studio
- Add social feeds to your website (Google likes social-web integration)
- 100% responsive templates will look good on any type of device
- Easy Google site verification (Google Analytics and tag manager)
- Pay-per-click ad integration including keywords (second tier and up)
Web.com plans are more expensive than other platforms, but like Wix, they also pack in more features. In the long run, paying a little more to get everything your business needs to scale could be the smartest play. Here’s what you’ll need to build a basic website or ecommerce store with Web.com.
Plans/Features | Website | Online Store |
|---|---|---|
Cost per Month* | $4.95 | $13.95 |
Renews At | $15.99 | $29.99 |
Domain & SSL | ✓ | ✓ |
1 Hour of Design Support | ✓ | ✓ |
AI Content Writer | ✓ | ✓ |
Social Feed Embeds | ✓ | ✓ |
Social Scheduler | ✕ | ✓ |
Email Marketing | ✕ | ✓ |
Appointments | ✕ | ✓ |
Online Store (Unlimited) | ✕ | ✓ |
*With annual billing | ||
Without question, one of the biggest hurdles to starting and growing a business is actually building your website. Professional design services can run into the tens of thousands, while do-it-yourself efforts take time and entail a learning curve—and may still produce a less-than-professional online image for your brand.
Web.com solves that problem by offering low-cost design services to get your site up and running (including setting up its SEO correctly). From there, you may be able to manage it yourself or you might be so happy with professional services that you leave it in expert hands. Either way, you win when you fast-track website building for your brand or online store from $149 with Web.com.
Overview of what’s included with Web.com design services.
Nor does the list of SEO services you can get from Web.com stop with the design of your site. All plans include a monthly audit of your site along with recommendations for ways to improve its SEO. Or you can go all-in and get a proposal for professional on and off-page SEO services for your site to leave it to the experts.
Expert Opinion
If you want an all-in-one website solution packed with features and backed by professional services, Web.com is a great option for making a small business website or online store. Take the first step and reach out for a free, no-risk quote to find out if this is the best avenue for your company.
Weebly: Best Free Ecommerce Website Builder for SEO
Pros
- Robust ecommerce for stores and restaurants starting for free
- Ecommerce optimization via rich snippets and product-level SEO
- 100% mobile-responsive templates
- Ability to embed code
- Connect Google Analytics
- Ad-free plans from $12/month
Cons
- Few advanced SEO features
- Lacks built-in SEO guides and image optimization
- Though more expensive, Wix’s ecommerce plan is far more robust
- No content delivery network (CDN)
- All third-party SEO apps are locked behind paid plans
- Ecommerce product SEO in Weebly via rich snippets
- Unlimited ecommerce for online stores (physical goods) with all plans, including free
- AI-generated templates via Square Editor
- Unlimited blogging with the classic Weebly Editor
- Section-based editing keeps everything 100% responsive
- Site, page, blog, and product-level SEO settings
- Sitemap to submit to Search Console
- Integrate Google Analytics and Search Console through code
Starting for free, all Weebly plans include unlimited ecommerce. However, you’ll need one of the paid plans below for digital goods or to build a site on a custom domain. Here’s an overview of what each plan includes.
Plans/Features | Free | Professional | Performance |
|---|---|---|---|
Cost per Month* | $0 | $12 | $26 |
Domain & SSL | SSL only | ✓ | ✓ |
Remove Ads | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
Embed Code | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Unlimited Ecommerce | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Inventory Management | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Automatic Tax Calculator | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Online Ordering for Instore Pickup | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Digital Goods | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
Memberships | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
Shipping Calculator | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
Cart Abandonment | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
*Based on a 12-month contract; monthly billing is available at a higher cost. | |||
While there are a couple other site builders that include ecommerce starting for free, Weebly’s SEO features are better and sufficient to earn them a spot on our list. It doesn’t have the most advanced tools for SEO, but it covers all the basics.
Since it’s built for ecommerce, Weebly optimizes products using rich snippets. This is great for beginners as you won’t need to learn how to generate and implement schema markup to get your online store and its products to appear in search. Plus, section-based editing means that your site will be fully responsive, and there are no limits on bandwidth.
There are few advanced SEO features in Weebly. It lacks things like AI writing assistance, keyword research tools, and even site speed basics like a content delivery network. But for ecommerce stores just starting out, Weebly will work just fine. If you do find it’s not giving you all you wanted, however, reconsider using Wix. It costs a few dollars more for ecommerce but is so feature-rich and SEO-friendly that it’s probably worth it.
Learn more about the Weebly website builder:
- How to build a Weebly website step-by-step tutorial
- Find out more about its features in our expert Weebly review
- Learn how to set up a Weebly ecommerce store
- See the Square editor in action with our guide to building a restaurant website
Expert Opinion
Weebly doesn’t have the most advanced SEO, but it’s built for ecommerce and powered by parent company Square’s payment processing tools, starting for free. Use the free version to test both the Weebly and Square editors, keeping in mind that the Square editor doesn’t allow access to the third-party app marketplace like the Weebly editor does.
Webflow: Most Ways to Customize SEO Settings
Pros
- Ability to customize page, product, and social media (open graph) SEO settings
- Create unique titles and descriptions for site search settings
- Code embed and regional or global CDN, depending on your plan
- Auto image optimization and fields for schema markup
- Video tutorials pop-up with the setup checklist (and setup guides for everything)
- Free plan to test its capabilities, including for ecommerce
Cons
- Requires more technical know-how or learning curve than Wix and other all-in-ones
- Plans aren’t easy to understand without some web design experience
- Scalability comes at a cost (more expensive than others on this list)
- Bandwidth and blogging limits in lower tiers could be restrictive
- Add unique titles and descriptions to every page of your site with page-level SEO, social media (open graph), and site search
- Regional CDN (Starter, Basic, and CMS plans) or Global (Business, Enterprise, and Ecommerce) to ensure fast site speed for your customers
- Enterprise-grade tools
- Ability to embed custom code (any paid plan)
- Images are automatically optimized so large images don’t slow down your site
- Ability to add schema markup, including ecommerce schema
Webflow plans have designer jargon in them, but we’ve done our best to translate some of this in the pricing table below. Most businesses will need to start with the CMS or base ecommerce plan because of the blogging and bandwidth limits of lower plans. These range from $23 to $29 a month, which is comparable to other enterprise-grade SEO website builders (like Wix and HubSpot).
Plans/Features | Free | CMS | Ecommerce Standard |
|---|---|---|---|
Cost per Month* | $0 | $23 | $29 |
Static Pages | 2 | 150 | 150 |
Bandwidth/Month | 1GB (1,000 visitors) | 200GB (250,000 visitors) | 200GB (250,000 visitors) |
CMS Items (e.g., Blogs, Menu Item, Portfolio Item) | 50 | 2,000 | 2,000 |
Form Submissions/Month | 50 | 1,000 | 1,000 |
Custom Code | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
Site Search | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
Ecommerce | ✕ | ✕ | 500 items |
Transaction Fees | ✕ | ✕ | 2% (plus processing fee) |
Social Shopping | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
*Billed annually, or pay more month to month. | |||
I was initially a little hesitant at including Webflow in this comparison. Compared to the jargon-free language you’ll find on site builders like Wix, building an apples-to-apples features comparison was challenging. However, once I created my free account and started using Webflow to build a site (and, to be honest, geeking out a little over the SEO capabilities), I realized it was a perfect inclusion here.
If there’s a custom SEO setting available, Webflow has it. You can create individual entries for titles and meta descriptions for Google to see when they index your page, separate entries for social media platforms, and customize them for visitors that use your site’s Search bar to look for content.
If you get stuck along the way (and you might, because the Webflow interface is cluttered), don’t despair. There are checklists for everything and short videos for everything on the checklist. With this type of thoughtful design, you’ll have the app mastered and your website up in no time.
Like Wix, you also get automatic optimization of images so that large media doesn’t slow your site down, and you can add structured markup language (aka schema). Visitors will access your site via Webflow’s regional (e.g., North America) or global CDN for a quick and mobile-friendly experience anywhere they are.
The only big letdown we had with Webflow was the base paid plan limitations as it doesn’t include blog functionality. We also wish that bandwidth wasn’t limited, especially since plan prices jump fairly steeply if you need to upgrade.
Expert Opinion
Webflow is power-packed when it comes to your ability to customize SEO settings. This allows you to maximize your website’s visibility not only in Google search but also on social channels, and makes it easy for site visitors to quickly find and access the exact content they want to see. Try it out for free today.
Dorik: Best for Memberships or Subscription-based Sales
Pros
- Paid plan includes unlimited storage, blogging, and up to 3,000 paid members
- Embed code in headers and footers, or on-page to extend functionality
- Global CDN
- Schema markup fields
- Base paid plan costs just $79 (total) for the first two years
Cons
- Less visually intuitive so a bit longer learning curve to customize your site
- No ecommerce beyond digital products like memberships or subscriptions
- Free plan is very limited (5 pages, 20 blog posts)
- Base paid plan limit of 200 blog posts isn’t enough for content marketers
- Business essentials like appointments and social integrations require code embed
- Unlimited bandwidth and global CDN with paid plans
- Image optimizer
- Code embedding
- Connect Google Analytics and get a sitemap to submit to Search Console
- Responsive, but you’ll want to tweak for mobile/tablet, especially the more you customize settings
- Unlimited blogging in top two plans
- Input fields for schema markup
Dorik CMS has a free version with tiny limits and a paid plan for one website. However, the limits of these plans make them impractical for even small businesses long term (especially if you plan to blog much). We recommend you consider the Business plan to start with, which costs $199 total for the first two years and just $129 per year after that (which is still cheaper than most other platforms).
CMS Plans/Features | Free | Personal | Business |
|---|---|---|---|
Cost for First 2 Years | $0 | $79 | $199 |
Renews At | N/A | $48/year | $129/year |
Websites | Unlimited | 1 | 10 |
SSL & Unlimited Storage | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Site Limits | 5 pages, 20 blog posts | 25 pages, 200 blog posts | Unlimited |
Paid Memberships/Subscribers | ✕ | 3,000 | Unlimited |
Global CDN | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
Code Embed | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
Image Optimization | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
Schema Fields | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
Ecommerce | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
White Label | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
Dorik is one of our favorite finds this year. It’s maybe a bit more specific in terms of use cases, but what you get is solid and the site builder has room to grow. Its content management system (CMS) plans offer the cheapest website builder for SEO long term (excluding free plans, of course).
The paid CMS plan includes unlimited storage and bandwidth, a global content delivery network, and all the must-have features needed for basic SEO. It’s also a great solution for blogging, since the Business and Agency plans have no limits on how many blog articles you can publish and there are fields to input schema to make your site even more findable online.
There are a couple of drawbacks to using Dorik that could make it harder for beginners to use. The first is that the editor has a lot of customization capabilities, but much of this has to be done through settings vs visual drag-and-drop design tools (where what you see is what you get when editing). While you can create a very custom-looking website, the process is a bit more technical.
The second is that while there are a lot of widgets, there aren’t a lot of built-in apps. For example, you’ll need to integrate appointment booking through code embedding. Also, native ecommerce appears to be limited to memberships. You’ll need integrations for full online store capabilities as well.
Expert Opinion
If affordability is a top priority, Dorik is one of the best cheap website builders you can get. You can get everything you need to sell subscriptions or memberships for under $50 a year, forever. If you don’t have much web design experience, spending a little more on drag-and-drop and full-featured plans with Wix and Squarespace is probably worth the extra expense. Try Dorik’s free CMS plan to find out.
Jimdo: Best SEO Site Builder for Creatives
Pros
- Clean interface and AI-driven SEO and site-building
- 100% responsive templates (mobile-friendly)
- Page and product-level SEO
- Business listings add-on or included in top online store plan
- Social sales and integrations standard in online store plans
- Easy for artists to embed videos or music
- Embed Canva into your site (e.g., allow site visitors to create a custom design and purchase merch)
Cons
- Most plans have bandwidth limits (could slow down your site)
- No blog capabilities (a deal-breaker for SEO content marketing)
- Ecommerce plans are more affordable vs others on this list
- Can’t sell subscriptions (e.g., for music or streaming video access)
- Easy to find and add SEO settings at the page or product level
- Fast Google indexing (all paid plans)
- Online business directory listings can be added to any paid plan for $4/month, and it’s included in the $24/month Online Store plan
- 100% mobile-friendly
- Social selling and integrations with Online Store plans
- Send on-page engagement signals to search engines like Google by hosting video, music, or embedding Canva design tools on your site
- VIP Online Store plan has business listings and unlimited storage and bandwidth for maximum performance with Jimdo
Jimdo is one of the more affordable all-in-one website builders for SEO on the market. However, there are limits to pages, bandwidth, and storage with all but one plan. For that reason, we recommend that you purchase the VIP Online Store plan (or at least the Grow plan) to maximize the performance and visibility of your site online. (Also, keep in mind that you can’t blog on Jimdo.)
Plans/Features | Free | Grow | VIP |
|---|---|---|---|
Cost per Month* | $0 | $14 | $24 |
Pages | 5 | 50 | Unlimited |
Storage | 500MB | 15GB | Unlimited |
Bandwidth | 2GB | 20GB | Unlimited |
Mobile-optimized | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Free Domain | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
Fast Indexing | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ |
Ecommerce | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
Social Selling | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ |
Business Listings | ✕ | $4/month add-on | Included |
Support | ✕ | Within 4 hours | Within 1 hour |
*With annual billing; monthly billing is available at a higher rate. | |||
Jimdo is one of the easiest website builders for SEO you’ll ever use. Like Hostinger, AI site-building is baked in, which speeds up site design. Its templates are highly visual, and so are perfect for creatives like graphic designers, custom merch sellers, musicians, and video influencers. Likewise, it’s easy to host video, stream music, and even embed Canva’s graphic design tools right into your website.
If SEO is a top concern to you (and if you’re reading all the way to the bottom of this list, chances are it is) and you’ve fallen in love with Jimdo, spring for the VIP plan. Even if you don’t plan to sell products or services via your website, this is the only plan with the page, storage, and bandwidth limits to ensure your website offers the speed and online visibility you need to rank.
Expert Opinion
If you don’t need a blog, Jimdo could be a great choice for a search-friendly website. You can let your creative juices flow by embedding media from social channels, YouTube, Vimeo, Canva, and more right onto your site. Plus, with the VIP plan, local SEO citations are done for you, giving you more time to stay focused on your business.
How We Evaluated the Best Website Builders for SEO
There are dozens of site builders that make it easy to build a small business website, but not all are created equal when it comes to search engine optimization. So we put each to the test and analyzed them across 30 different data points, including 16 specific to SEO.
Click on the tabs for more information on how we analyzed the best SEO website builders.
25% of Overall Score
The cost is often one of the deciding factors when picking the best platform to build a small business website. We judged these site builders on what they offer and at what price point, so you can get the most out of your budget. We also gave extra consideration to providers offering a free plan or a free trial period.
25% of Overall Score
These features should help any business build a professional business site. Aside from general features like storage and bandwidth, we looked at whether site builders include a domain. We also rated each for general SEO features we expect to find in top platforms, like a global delivery system, built-in optimization guides, and the ability to embed code and analytics tools.
20% of Overall Score
Site builders have come a long way, and many are now offering highly advanced SEO tools, rivaling those you can get on WordPress and through code. We looked at any niche optimization tools that would make a provider stand out as well as those leading the way with artificial intelligence (AI) features.
10% of Overall Score
Top-notch customer service is always helpful, especially when you’re new to building websites. You’ll hopefully never have to contact support, but it’s a relief to know that it’s there should you ever need it. We’ve looked at each platform and judged them on the quality of their support services and what people say about them.
20% of Overall Score
All these platforms can list their features online, but you can’t truly judge something without hands-on experience. I tested each site builder hands-on, applying my two decades of site building and SEO expertise, for this analysis to see whether the hype lived up to our real-world experience using the platform.
Meet the Expert: Elizabeth Kraus
 | Like many small business owners who need a low-cost workaround, Elizabeth Kraus built and optimized her first website out of necessity, purchasing a box of Dreamweaver software in the early 2000s in order to build a website for a nonprofit for free. Since then, she’s built dozens of websites on WordPress, Wix, and other platforms and continuously evolved her knowledge of and skills around SEO content marketing. |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Website builders have a tremendous impact on SEO. Many have added advanced SEO features to their platforms and improved site speed and responsiveness to provide a great UX. Those without upgraded SEO capabilities can negatively affect your site’s search rankings, as your website could be slow to load and difficult for search engines to index.
Wix is arguably the best website builder for SEO. It offers automatic image optimization and schema markup, as well as built-in AI and keyword research for search-friendly content. It also has a global CDN for fast site speed.
While technical SEO gets into areas beginners might find challenging, it’s easy to learn the SEO basics you need to optimize your website and make sure search engines can find it. HubSpot Academy and Semrush both offer free video tutorials that walk you through what you need to know and how to do it. Plus, site builders like Wix are now automating a lot of the more technical aspects to make optimization easy for everyone.
Bottom Line
Based on our criteria, Wix is the best website builder for SEO. It edges out the competition both with advanced and general features for search engine optimization. Plus, the extent to which you can customize your site promises a good UX for your site visitors to increase engagement and help you grow your brand’s online presence. Get started for free.
