Anyway, that whole disaster made me obsessively test every website builder that promises to fix small business problems. Here’s what I found after burning a few weekends and maybe $200 on trials I forgot to cancel.
Wix
Wix is like that friend who says they’ll help you move but shows up with one hand and a bag of chips. It’s easy to start. Drag, drop, done. But then you realize you’ve hit a wall with customization, and suddenly you’re digging through forums at 1am because the mobile version looks like a toddler threw up HTML. The worst part? Their app marketplace feels like a flea market. You buy a $10 plugin and it does one specific thing badly. Also, their “AI” builder suggested I use a salmon pink background with lime green buttons. No, Wix. No.
Squarespace
Squarespace is the popular kid who actually has their life together. Their templates are gorgeous. No debate. But editing them is like trying to rearrange furniture through a keyhole. You want to move that image 2 pixels left? Too bad. Also, they charge $16/mo for the basic plan but sneak in transaction fees if you sell anything. For a bakery? That’s a few cents per loaf, but it adds up and it feels petty. The thing I hate most is how smug the interface looks. Like it knows it’s beautiful and you’re just renting it.
Webflow
Webflow is what you use when you want to build a website and also learn to code by osmosis. It’s powerful. Really powerful. But for a small business owner who just wants to show their menu and take bookings? It’s overkill. I once spent an hour trying to center a button. An hour. The free plan puts a Webflow badge on your site that looks like a designer got paid per logo. And the pricing jumps from $14 to $29 to “call us” real fast. Honestly, the worst part is that you can’t blame the tool—it’s just not made for normal people. It’s made for people who say “semantic HTML” in casual conversation.
WordPress.com (not .org)
I’m lumping this in because every client’s cousin has a WordPress horror story. The .com version is like living in a gated community where the HOA decides your font. You get limited plugins, weird monthly caps on traffic, and your site loads slower than my patience on a Monday morning. I built one for a friend’s dog grooming business and realized too late that the SEO plugin I wanted costs extra—and you need the business plan for that, which is $25/mo. For what? To maybe rank for “goldendoodle haircut.” The worst thing? Every update feels like a gamble. You wake up and your footer is just… gone. WordPress.com: owning a digital asset but never quite possessing it.
Shopify
Shopify is great if you actually sell things online. Not a brochure site. Not a menu. Actual products with inventory and shipping. Then it’s a powerhouse. But for a small business that only needs a “contact us” page? You’re paying $29/mo for a lot of features you’ll never use. And their transaction fees feel like a tax on existence. The thing I despise is the templates. They all look like a generic online store—unless you pay extra for a premium one, which makes it feel like a car dealership selling you “special” floor mats. Also, their app store is full of overpriced junk. I accidentally installed a “reviews” app that charged me $15/mo just to display text. On the plus side, it’s reliable. Boringly reliable. Like a Toyota Corolla in a world of flashy Teslas.
Carrd
Carrd is for when you need a single page that doesn’t suck and costs less than a burrito. I love it for landing pages or “here’s my business info” sites. It’s $9/year. Not per month. Year. But it’s incredibly limited. You can’t add a blog, you can’t do ecommerce, and if you want a multi-page site you’re fighting the design like it’s a game of Jenga. I used it for my own portfolio and it works perfectly until I need to add a third section, then I’m googling “Carrd column alignment hack” at midnight. The worst part? It’s so minimalist that you feel like you’re cheating—but sometimes that’s exactly what you need, you know? Just a page. No drama.
A brief intermission about coffee
I write these reviews mostly from a coffee shop that plays indie covers of Taylor Swift songs. I order a flat white every time because I’m basic and consistent. Today the barista spelled my name as “Brey.” I didn’t correct him. I’m Brey now. Anyway, back to the pain.
Comparison, off-table style
Here’s the thing about pricing. Squarespace wants $16/mo for basic, Wix is around $14, but their “Combo” plan is $14 and the “Unlimited” is $23. Webflow starts at $14 but feels like you’re paying for the privilege of frustration. Shopify wants $29 and honestly, you’re mostly paying for the logo and the fact that they handle payments. Carrd is $9 a year. That’s a latte. A single latte. I think about that every time I see someone recommend Wix for a one-page site. You could buy Carrd and still have change for a croissant.
What I actually use now
I use Squarespace for clients who need something pretty and don’t want to touch it ever again. I use Carrd for myself and for anyone who just needs a page. I use Shopify only when someone literally sells physical products and has inventory. And I never touch Wix unless someone pays me triple and promises not to complain. That’s it. Go build something. Don’t publish “LOL” by accident.
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