Best Website Builder for Small Business (2026 Guide)
Post updated January 2026
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When it comes to building a website, it can feel like trying to read ancient hieroglyphics. Open source, closed platform, CMS, hosting, integrations…it’s a lot.
You just want a beautiful, functional site that reflects your essence and supports your business, without having to get a tech degree. That’s why I put this post together. To help you cut through the noise and choose the best website builder for your small business in 2026. Not the one that gets recommended the most in online forums. Not the one your friend’s cousin used back in 2014. The one that meets your needs now, and grows with you from here.
We'll walk through the three platforms I recommend most often (Squarespace, Shopify, and WordPress), with a few quick notes on others you might be curious about. Let’s begin.
Before We Explore Platforms, Let’s Take a Breath and Tune In
You don’t need to become a web expert, not now, not ever. But you do need to get clear on what you want your website to be and do. That way, you can choose the best website platform for your small business's long-term growth and move forward, confident in your decision.
Because the goal here isn’t just to build a website. It’s to build a website that works for you, both now and in the future.
To help clarify what "working for you" looks like, consider journaling on these questions:
Am I selling products, services, or something else?
How important is visual design and creative freedom?
Do I want something I can manage on my own, or will I have help?
What’s my budget for setup, hosting, and long-term maintenance?
Do I need bookings, memberships, digital products, a blog, or eCommerce?
This part is like choosing the right vessel for your magic. The right container makes everything else easier. It holds what you’re creating without making you question everything along the way.
Keep these reflections in mind as we move through each option. There’s no perfect platform, just the one that lets you do your best work.
Is Squarespace Right for You?
I recommend Squarespace to 99% of my clients. It’s the most well-rounded, intuitive, and accessible platform I’ve worked with, and it’s only improved over time.
A lot of the advice floating around about Squarespace is outdated. But since its shift into Fluid Engine, Squarespace has become even more intuitive and flexible. And after attending the Squarespace Circle event last year, I can confidently say they’re doubling down on tools and updates for designers, which means more powerful features for you, the end user, too.
Squarespace is a closed platform, which means everything from hosting to design to updates is handled in one place. You don’t need to worry about plugins breaking or managing your own servers. Billing is clear. Security is built in. Tech overwhelm? Minimal.
Yes, it can cost a little more than most DIY platforms. But in return, you get peace of mind knowing your site is stable, secure, and supported. Plus, you won’t need to hire a developer every time something shifts.
And despite being a contained system, Squarespace still offers tons of design freedom. Whether you want a simple setup or a fully custom feel, the platform makes it possible. I use code on most of my builds to bring my clients’ visions to life and Squarespace makes that possible. New updates are making advanced customization even easier for designers.
Squarespace Now Includes:
Built-in scheduling with Acuity
Email marketing that integrates seamlessly with your site
Member areas for gated content or communities
Invoicing, courses, and donations (depending on your plan)
Simple eCommerce for selling digital or physical products
Landing pages and blogs with clean, customizable design
Robust integrations with a variety of other tech platforms (think CRMS, calendar integrations, etc.)
It’s a beautifully all-in-one system that keeps things streamlined without sacrificing possibility.
Squarespace Is Ideal For You If:
You’re a service-based or creative business
You want a site that’s easy to manage (and beautiful to look at)
You want to sell a few products or digital offers without going full eCommerce
You want powerful features without a complicated backend
You want to launch and grow without worrying about tech breaking
Think of Squarespace as a serene, sunlit studio space. It may not be infinite, but it gives you just what you need to create something beautiful, with a lot less stress.
Is Shopify Right for You?
If you’re building a larger online store (think 20+ products) or have more complex eCommerce needs—like custom product builds, advanced shipping logic, or international sales—Squarespace probably isn’t going to cut it. At that point, I recommend Shopify.
It’s the best website builder for small businesses focused on product-based growth in 2026.
Shopify makes it easy to sell physical or digital products and grow your shop with confidence. Whether you’re shipping globally or running a local pop-up, it’s designed to support eCommerce from every angle.
Features That Make Shopify Shine:
Accept payments in multiple currencies
Upload and manage inventory in bulk with CSVs
Built-in shipping tools and dropshipping integrations
In-person POS system for markets or retail shops
Support for over 100+ global payment gateways
Advanced tax, inventory, and checkout options
Shopify is also a carbon-neutral platform, powered by Google Cloud. So if sustainability matters to you, that’s another point in its favor.
You can start with a theme and customize it yourself, or work with a designer (like me) to create a semi-custom shop that feels aligned with your brand. The key to a good Shopify store is starting with a strong, flexible theme because how much design freedom you have depends on the one you choose.
Want help figuring out how to pick the right Shopify theme? Let me know in the comments if you'd like me to outline that in a future post.
Shopify uses its own coding language, Liquid, which is a derivative of PHP. It can be tricky to work with, especially if you’re not a developer. That’s why I typically recommend working with a designer if you want a more bespoke experience on Shopify, even for semi-custom builds. It’s the best way to ensure your site feels polished, on-brand, and easy to navigate.
Shopify Is Ideal For You If:
You run a product-based business with 20+ items
You have complex inventory or custom product needs
You want advanced shipping, tax, and checkout options
You’re planning to scale internationally or run multiple sales channels
You want your store to be your main source of income
Think of Shopify as a powerful, well-organized warehouse that can grow with you. It might take a little more setup and customization, but the trade-off is stability, strength, and sales tools that actually support your expansion.
Is WordPress Right for You?
WordPress was one of the first open-source website platforms built on the internet. It was conceived in the early 2000s and, for a long time, it reigned as the go-to option for building a website. It has a longstanding reputation, and for many developers, it’s still a favorite because it offers full control and complete ownership of your site.
But for most small business owners today, that level of control comes with a lot of unnecessary faff.
Here’s the thing: a lot of the internet still claims WordPress is the best, and that’s largely because it’s been around the longest. But that doesn’t mean it’s the best option in 2026. Platforms like Squarespace and Shopify have proven they can offer just as much power, with far less complexity.
Being open source, in my opinion, is what makes WordPress both brilliant and burdensome. Yes, you can build almost anything. Yes, you own it all. You even get to choose your own hosting which means you can prioritize sustainability, speed, or cost depending on your values.
But that level of control also means you're the one responsible for making sure everything stays running. Every WordPress site is completely unique, built with its own mix of themes, plugins, and hosting environments. Which sounds great in theory…until something breaks, and you realize how hard it is to find someone who knows how to fix it.
And even when you do choose a reputable host, things can still shift unexpectedly. WordPress recently stopped supporting sites hosted on WPEngine, one of the most widely trusted WordPress hosting platforms up until 2024, without much notice or guidance. (Yes, there was a lot of drama.) For anyone using that setup, it created confusion and extra work just to keep things online. That’s the kind of stress most business owners just don’t have time for.
Plus, the truth is, many WordPress developers intentionally build in a way that keeps clients dependent on them. The backend is often complex, unintuitive, and hard to maintain on your own. For example, maintenance is required. WordPress won’t update itself: you have to manually update the core software, plugins, themes, and security settings. Skip this step, and you risk breaking your site (or leaving it vulnerable to hackers). That ongoing upkeep is just more energy than most business owners want to spend.
WordPress Might Be the Right Fit If:
You want total ownership and portability
You need deeply custom functionality
You're publishing a lot of content or media
You're comfortable with tech or have a dev team
You want to optimize for sustainability at every layer
Think of WordPress like a piece of raw land. You can build anything on it, but you’ll need tools, a blueprint, and probably a contractor or two. For some businesses, that freedom is worth the complexity. But for most, there’s a simpler path.
Curious About Other Platforms?
There are plenty of other website builders out there, like Webflow, Showit, Wix, Framer, and others. You might be wondering why they aren’t covered in depth here.
The truth is: most of them have trade-offs I don’t feel confident recommending to the majority of my clients. Some struggle with accessibility. Others have mobile optimization issues, messy editors, or limited design freedom that becomes frustrating as your brand evolves.
That’s not to say you can’t build a great site on one of these platforms, you totally can. But based on my experience, they’re rarely the best fit for intuitive, service-based, or product-based businesses without a deeper 1:1 exploration.
If you’re seriously considering one of these platforms and want support, reach out. I’d be happy to guide you through the decision in a more tailored way.
Final Thoughts
Choosing a website platform can feel like deciphering hieroglyphics. The process is full of unfamiliar terms, conflicting advice, and hidden tech traps. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
You don’t need to be a designer or a developer. You just need to be clear on what your website needs to do and how you want to feel while managing it.
Whether you’re sharing your story, selling your work, or building a home for your offerings, the right platform should support your vision, not complicate it.
For most of my clients, that means Squarespace. For growing product-based businesses, Shopify is often the way to go. And for edge cases or highly custom builds, WordPress still has its place. Every platform has its own energy and it’s all about finding the one that matches yours.
Still not sure what’s right for you? My Website Prep Guide is a great next step. It’ll help you map out what you need and gather everything in one place, so no matter which platform you choose, you’ll be ready to begin.
And if you want support sorting it all out, I’m just a message away.
Ready to birth your website in 2026?
Let’s collaborate on something that feels like you, is on the right platform and resonates deeply.
🌈 Book a call if you’re ready for 1:1 support.
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