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Creating a website used to require learning complex languages or hiring an expensive developer. Today, the best WYSIWYG website builders allow you to design visually, letting you see exactly how your site will look as you build it. You simply move elements around the screen, add your content and hit publish.

These website builders put website design fully into your hands, regardless of your experience level. By removing the barrier of code, you can focus entirely on your vision and your brand. This guide covers the top website builders to help you pick the perfect one for your website and business.

TL;DR: Best WYSIWYG builders for website creation

If you want to skip straight to the recommendations, here's a quick summary of the best website builders.

Builder name	Best for	Price
Wix	Complete creative freedom and versatility	Free plan available; Premium starts at $17/mo
Webflow	Designers who want granular control	Free starter plan; Basic starts at $14/mo
Shopify	Dedicated online stores	Starts at $29/mo
GoDaddy	Speed and simplicity	Starts at $9.99/mo
Weebly	Basic, functional sites	Free plan available; Personal starts at $10/mo
Duda	Agencies and client management	Starts at $14/mo

What is a WYSIWYG builder?

WYSIWYG stands for What You See Is What You Get. In website building, it refers to an editor that lets you work directly on the visual interface of the website rather than editing the underlying code. When you change a font, move an image or adjust a layout, you see that change happen instantly.

This type of website builder bridges the gap between idea and reality. Instead of guessing how a line of HTML will render on the screen, you work with the actual elements. It makes the design process intuitive and fast, allowing anyone to build a professional site without needing a computer science degree.

Best 6 WYSIWYG builders for effortless website creation

Choosing the right website builder depends on your specific goals. Here's a breakdown of the top builders on the market, what makes them special, and who they are best for.

1. Wix

2. Webflow

3. Shopify

4. GoDaddy

5. Weebly

6. Duda

01. Wix

Wix is a leading website builder that empowers you to create professional websites with total creative freedom. It offers a true drag-and-drop editor, meaning you can place elements anywhere on the screen without being restricted to a rigid grid. You start with a blank canvas or choose from over 2000 designer-made website templates that are fully customizable.

Wix's website builder handles all the heavy lifting in the background, including secure web hosting and security updates. It also includes a large app market, built-in SEO tool and powerful business features like booking systems and online stores. For those who want to get online fast, the AI website builder can generate a unique site for you in minutes based on your answers to a few simple questions.

Best for: Anyone looking for complete design freedom and a comprehensive set of business tools in one place.

Pricing: Wix offers a free plan. Paid plans start at approx. $17 per month.

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02. Webflow

Webflow sits somewhere between a traditional builder and a professional design tool. It is a visual canvas but it's built to mirror the way code works. You are essentially writing HTML and CSS visually. This gives you incredible power over animations and interactions but it comes with a steeper learning curve than the others on this list.

It's a good option for those who understand web design principles but want to speed up their workflow.

Best for: Web designers and developers who want code-level control without writing the code manually.

Pricing: Free to start building. Site plans start at $14 per month.

03. Shopify

If your main goal is to move inventory, Shopify is a contender. It's a dedicated eCommerce platform rather than a general-purpose website builder. The editor allows you to customize your storefront visually to an extent.

It also has robust tools for inventory management, shipping and taxes. If the visual design is secondary to powerful retail features, this is a solid option.

Best for: Online stores and retail businesses focused purely on sales volume.

Pricing: Basic plans start at $29 per month.

04. GoDaddy

GoDaddy's builder uses Artificial Design Intelligence (ADI) to put together a site for you based on the industry you select. The editing options are limited but that's by design. The goal is to prevent you from breaking the layout too much.

You can swipe through different themes and color palettes quickly. It's not the tool for pixel-perfect custom designs but it's efficient if you need a basic informational site up by lunchtime.

Best for: Small business owners who need a simple site immediately and don't care about deep customization.

Pricing: Starts around $9.99 per month.

05. Weebly

Weebly has been around for a long time and remains a reliable option for simple sites. It uses a block-based editor where you drag elements like text boxes and images into designated areas. It's very hard to mess up a Weebly site because the structure keeps everything tidy.

While it hasn't released as many new design features as competitors recently, it's very user-friendly.

Best for: Beginners who want a simple, no-frills website builder.

Pricing: Free plan available. Personal plans start at $10 per month.

06. Duda

Duda is built primarily for agencies and freelancers who build sites for others. Its WYSIWYG editor is fast and includes unique features like dynamic personalization, which lets you show different content to visitors based on their location or time of day.

It has solid team collaboration tools, allowing you to collect client feedback directly on the site draft. The design capabilities are good, offering a good balance between structure and flexibility.

Best for: Agencies and web professionals managing multiple client sites.

Pricing: Starts at $14 per month.

What to look for when choosing a WYSIWYG builder

Not all visual editors are created equal. When choosing a website builder, keep these factors in mind to ensure you pick the one that fits your needs.

• True design freedom: Some builders claim to be drag-and-drop but force you into rigid boxes. If you have a specific vision, look for a WYSIWYG website builder like Wix that lets you move elements pixel-by-pixel. This ensures your site looks exactly how you imagined it, not just like a generic template.

• Scalability: You might start with a blog but what if you want to sell merch later? Or add a booking calendar? Choose a WYSIWYG builder with a large app market and built-in business features. You don't want to have to migrate your site to a new platform just because you outgrew the old one.

• Mobile responsiveness: A huge chunk of web traffic comes from phones and the best website builders automatically optimize your site for mobile screens but also let you tweak the mobile view independently. Check that you can edit the mobile version of your site without messing up the desktop version.

• Support and resources: Even with an easy tool, you might get stuck. Look for platforms that offer 24/7 customer support and have a large library of tutorials or a community forum. Being able to get help quickly allows you to keep your website and business moving forward.

Best WYSIWYG builders FAQ

Are WYSIWYG website builders bad for SEO?

Current WYSIWYG builders are great for SEO. Website builders like Wix generate clean code that search engines can crawl easily. The best website builders for SEO provide built-in SEO tools that guide you through optimizing your meta tags, descriptions and URL structures, giving you a great chance of ranking well.

Do professional designers use WYSIWYG builders?

Yes, many professionals use them. They speed up the workflow significantly. Instead of spending hours coding basic structures, designers can focus on the user experience and visual impact. Tools like Wix Studio are specifically designed for agencies and freelancers to build high-end sites for clients efficiently.