Answer a few questions and we will match you with the best platform. Every recommendation is based on our hands-on testing.
Website builders are all-in-one tools: hosting, security, and updates are bundled into your monthly subscription and handled automatically. You pick a template, add your content, and publish. There is nothing to install or maintain. The trade-off is that you are working within the platform's constraints, which suits most small business owners just fine.
Web hosting is the infrastructure layer. You rent server space and bring your own software, typically WordPress. You have more control and more flexibility, but you are also responsible for installation, updates, and security. It is a better fit if you are technically confident or want to run a self-hosted WordPress site.
Ecommerce platforms are built around selling. Inventory management, order tracking, shipping rules, and payment processing are at the core rather than bolted on as an add-on. If you are planning to run a serious online shop, a dedicated ecommerce platform will handle volume and complexity that a general website builder starts to struggle with.
The overlap worth knowing: Shopify sits in both the website builder and ecommerce space and handles either job well. WordPress.com is a hosted website builder, but WordPress.org (the self-hosted version) needs its own hosting account. If you are building a small shop alongside a brochure site, a builder with ecommerce features built in is often enough and cheaper.
A website builder bundles everything together: hosting, security, updates, and a drag-and-drop editor are all included in one monthly subscription. Web hosting gives you server space to run your own software on. With hosting you have more control but you are responsible for installing and maintaining whatever you build on it, typically WordPress.
It depends on the scale. Website builders like Wix, Squarespace, and Shopify all include ecommerce features, and for a smaller product range they work well. Dedicated ecommerce platforms become the better choice when you need serious inventory management, complex shipping rules, or you are processing significant order volume. If you are starting out with a small shop, a builder is usually the simpler and cheaper option.
If you are building a straightforward business website, a blog, a portfolio, or a small shop, a website builder is almost certainly the right starting point. If you want to run WordPress.org or any other self-hosted software and you are comfortable with a bit of technical setup, you need web hosting. If selling online is the primary purpose of what you are building and you expect real volume, go for a dedicated ecommerce platform.
Yes, and this is a common setup. You can run a WordPress site on a hosting account and use a separate payment processor or ecommerce plugin for selling. Some people also use a website builder for their main site and add Shopify's buy button to embed products. That said, for most small businesses, one all-in-one platform is simpler to manage.
Each quiz asks four to six questions and takes under two minutes. If you genuinely have no idea which category fits your situation, read the short explainer above the quiz tiles first. It covers the main differences and the overlap cases.
Each quiz takes under two minutes. The questions are straightforward and every one has a Not sure option if you get stuck.
