The best website builder in the UK for most people is Wix. It is the fastest way from nothing to a live, good-looking site, with drag and drop, built-in hosting and no code. If you want to sell online, pick Shopify. It is an all-in-one platform built to run an online shop.
Our picks link to the brands through their affiliate programmes. Buy through them and we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Our picks are our own: no brand pays to be listed. How this works
designing WordPress pagesDesign WordPress pages by drag and drop
Design WordPress pages by drag and drop
This guide is for UK small businesses, freelancers and side hustlers getting their first or next website live. Start with what you are building. It might be a smart site for your business, an online shop, a WordPress site on your own hosting, or WordPress pages you want to design yourself. Then check what you get in the first year and what the plan costs when it renews.
Pick 1 · WixWix website builder
Wix website builder
Best for a good-looking site, no code
Wix is a drag-and-drop website builder with hosting built in. You can get a polished site live without writing a line of code.
Who it's for: Anyone who wants a good-looking website up fast, from a café owner to a freelance photographer.
The facts that matter
Wix is a drag-and-drop website builder with built-in hosting, so you can build without writing code.
You can start on the Free plan with no credit card, then build with Wix's AI or a designer-made template.
Yearly Premium plans include a free domain for 1 year and a 14-day money-back guarantee.
Why it made the list: You can start on the Free plan with no credit card, then build with Wix's AI or a designer-made template. Hosting comes built in, so you have nothing else to set up. Yearly Premium plans add a free domain for the first year, as long as it's a new domain bought from Wix.
Worth knowing: The free domain is for a new domain bought from Wix, and it cannot renew or extend a domain you already own.
The deal: Build a Wix website free with no credit card. Premium plans start from £9 a month on yearly billing, with a free domain for 1 year.As shown on the brand's site on 16 October 2026. Offers change: check the final price before you pay.
Shopify is an all-in-one platform for running an online shop. Payments, hosting, themes and an AI assistant all come in the box.
Who it's for: Makers, sellers and growing brands who want to sell online, and maybe at markets or in a shop too.
The facts that matter
Shopify is an all-in-one platform for running an online store, with payments, hosting, themes and an AI assistant.
It also supports point-of-sale selling, so one platform can cover your shop and in-person sales.
Shopify's pricing page says you can earn credits back at 1% of sales, up to £3,500 on Basic, £5,500 on Grow and £7,000 on Advanced.
Why it made the list: Point-of-sale selling (taking payments in person) is supported, so one platform covers your website and your counter. Shopify's pricing page also says you can earn credits back on your sales. Know the catch before you start: after the intro offer the standard price applies, and card rates are extra.
Worth knowing: After the £1-a-month intro, the standard price applies (Basic is £25 a month, or £19 a month paid yearly), and card rates are extra.
The deal: Try Shopify 3 days free, then £1 a month for your first 3 months.As shown on the brand's site on 16 October 2026. Offers change: check the final price before you pay.
Bluehost is WordPress hosting, meaning the space online where your site lives. You can build with its AI website builder or with WordPress.
Who it's for: People who want a WordPress site on their own hosting, or who want to move an existing site across.
The facts that matter
Every Bluehost plan on the UK partner page includes a free domain for the first year, free SSL, a CDN and 24/7 support.
You can build with the AI website builder or WordPress, or ask Bluehost to migrate an existing site for free.
Bluehost offers four plans, from One Site to eCommerce Essentials with WooCommerce, Stripe and PayPal.
Why it made the list: Every plan on the UK partner page includes a free domain for the first year, free SSL (the padlock that keeps visitors' data secure), a CDN (a network that helps pages load fast) and 24/7 support. Bluehost will also migrate your existing site for free. There are four plans, up to eCommerce Essentials with WooCommerce (WordPress's shop add-on), Stripe and PayPal. Just note that the headline prices need a 36-month term and renew higher.
Worth knowing: The headline prices need a 36-month term and renew higher; One Site renews at £6.78 a month.
The deal: WordPress hosting from £1.50 a month (78% off) on a 36-month term, with a free domain for the first year and a 30-day money-back guarantee.As shown on the brand's site on 16 October 2026. Offers change: check the final price before you pay.
Elementor is a drag-and-drop builder for WordPress. You can design pages, popups and forms without writing code.
Who it's for: WordPress users who want full control over how every page looks, with no developer needed.
The facts that matter
Elementor is a drag-and-drop builder for WordPress, so you can design pages, popups and forms without writing code.
Advanced Solo adds a Popup Builder, custom code and CSS, and eCommerce features.
Paid plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee on new annual subscriptions.
Why it made the list: You get visual, click-and-drag design on top of WordPress, the platform you already use. Advanced Solo adds a Popup Builder, custom code and CSS (the code that styles a page), and eCommerce features. Plans are billed yearly and renew at list price, so plan for the second year.
Worth knowing: Plans are billed annually and renew at list price. Elementor One is £12 a month for the first year, then renews at £192 a year.
The deal: Elementor plans from £4 a month, billed annually, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.As shown on the brand's site on 16 October 2026. Offers change: check the final price before you pay.
We shortlisted the website builders and hosting services UK readers search for most. Then we picked on each brand's own published features, plans and terms, read on 16 October 2026. We chose one clear winner for each kind of site you might build. We also give you one honest catch per pick, so you know what happens after the intro offer.
Before you buy, check:
What you're building. Is it a simple site, an online shop or a WordPress site?
The renewal price. Intro offers end, and the standard or list price takes over.
The term. Some headline prices need you to commit for a year or several years.
Your domain. Is a free domain included, and does it cover one you already own?
Frequently asked questions
What is the best website builder in the UK for beginners?
Wix. It is drag and drop with built-in hosting, so you don't need any code. You can start on the Free plan with no credit card.
Which is the best website builder for an online shop?
Shopify. It is an all-in-one platform for running an online store, with payments, hosting and themes. It also covers in-person sales through point of sale.
Can I build a website for free?
Yes, with Wix. You can start on the Free plan with no credit card, then build with Wix's AI or a template.
Does Wix give me a free domain?
Yearly Premium plans include a free domain for one year. It must be a new domain bought from Wix. It cannot renew or extend a domain you already own.
Is Bluehost or Elementor better for WordPress?
They do different jobs. Bluehost is the hosting your WordPress site lives on, and it will migrate an existing site for free. Elementor is the drag-and-drop tool for designing your WordPress pages.
Can I get my money back if a plan isn't right for me?
Wix yearly Premium plans come with a 14-day money-back guarantee. Elementor paid plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee on new annual subscriptions.