Discover the best software and tools for website design and development. Build your website with the help of vetted, experienced software developers.
Building websites used to be only for people who were fluent in code. Thankfully, that's no longer the case.
In the past decade, web design and development tools have been popping up left and right. Some of these tools have a visual website builder and simplify the design process with drag-and-drop blocks. Other web design tools are more developer-centric, acting as advanced text editors where websites can be built with several lines of code. Most web design tools fall between the two ends of the spectrum: embracing the ease of drag-and-drop content blocks, and utilizing the flexibility of additional custom code.
The best web design software is the one that suits your needs. Here are some of the best and most popular tools that you can use to build and design your website.
WordPress is a popular and powerful tool to build and design websites. As a content management system (CMS), WordPress makes it easy for you to easily set up a website without HTML or CSS knowledge. There are also many plugins designed to enhance your WordPress experience. The magic of WordPress, however, lies in the unlimited potential that can be unlocked with lines of code. By editing the source code, WordPress websites can break free of the limited options and take shape as a website uniquely customized to the your needs. WordPress is free to use, but has various paid plans that are available depending on your needs.
"A creative tool designed for flexibility", Webflow is a web design, CMS, and hosting tool all in one. You can easily build a website with drag-and-drop content blocks and create responsive animations without coding. However, with the addition of custom code, you can enhance the look and functions of their website. Creating a website on Webflow is free, but a paid plan is required for the website to go live. You can also upgrade the account plan to unlock more features.
Bootstrap is one of the most popular front-end open source toolkits used to design responsive websites. In other words, Bootstrap is like a giant collection of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code snippets that you can reuse and edit to build and design your website. Bootstrap has a relatively steep learning curve and a complex syntax that takes time to get used to. But the benefits of this web design tool make it one of the most popular toolkits for a reason.
Have an idea of what you want your website to be, but feel overwhelmed by all the web design tools? Work with a web design expert to bring your vision to life.
“It was literally 6 minutes from Googling to signing up to talking with someone on video chat, then sharing my screen with a programmer who made the changes I needed on the site.”
Sam Parr
CEO of The Hustle
If you're looking to build an eCommerce website, then no doubt you've heard of Shopify. With many templates to choose from, you can quickly set up your website without using any code. There are a lot of existing plugins that can help your eCommerce experience run more smoothly. Of course, there's also the option of adding additional code to customize your shopfront and website design, add additional features, and connect the website to your existing systems. Shopify plans start at $29/month and can be upgraded for additional features.
With hundreds of free templates, Wix allows even complete beginners to quickly build and design a website with its drag and drop features. You can add non-standard features or customize the templates with additional code. Wix even has a free logo builder for anyone missing this crucial element to their brand. Wix is free to use, but has several paid plans if you want additional features or to connect your own domain.
Known for the elaborate and stunning built-in templates, Squarespace is a website builder that focuses heavily on website design. Using drag and drop content blocks and the built-in content management system, you can easily build a modern and professional looking website. You can also break free from the standard templates by using additional HTML and CSS to create a website that fits your need and brand. Squarespace offers a 14-day free trial (which can be extended once), but afterwards, pricing starts at $16/month.
Reach out to one of our web design experts who will be able to help you figure out which option is best for you and your needs.
Here are a couple of complementary tools that you might find helpful when building and designing a website.
Atom is a free code editor built by GitHub. It has a clean and easy to understand user interface with support for plug-ins to extend functionality. If you're just getting started with coding, this might be the perfect editor for you!
Figma is a design tool primarily used for UX and UI design. Teams can easily collaborate with this browser-based tool, and not be limited by different operation systems. Figma is free, but can be upgraded to unlock additional features.
Used by Google and Nintendo, Sketch is a vector-based digital design app. It focuses primarily on UX and UI design for mobile apps and websites. It's available for Mac and can be purchased for $99 after the 30-day free trial.
Canva is a graphics design platform that helps you easily create professional-looking images. You can use the thousands of templates and design elements to create visually stunning content. Canva is free but can be upgraded to unlock premium features.
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