WordPress is a mainstay of the ‘net; in fact, some estimates suggest that as many as a quarter of all current websites might rely on the wordpress framework. But the truth is that sometimes WordPress doesn’t fit the bill, and especially with the release of the most recent wordpress version and notable incompatibility issues cropping up, businesses and web developers are seeking out other solutions. Cheaper ones.

And compatibility issues caused by constant upgrades to the WordPress framework, but rarely to popular WordPress themes and plugins, isn’t the only reason why. As more and more novice web designers hit the market, they shy away from WordPress’ steep learning curve, the need for frequent backups, and the security dangers of open source coding.

So many are heading towards more straightforward and holistic solutions: website builders. Often with a small startup cost compared to one’s own hosting package and domain, these are pretty appealing. They don’t require a large investment of time, and there’s absolutely no need to know or understand the more technical aspects of how a website is built.

Once the anathema of anyone with eyes, because their design options were often so basic as to be outdated and with very few options, website builders are absolutely a segment of the market which has matured. So, for those building a website who’d prefer a suite of features as broad as those belonging to WordPress without the constant updating or compatibility issues, this list is for you.

Each offers simple website creation platforms which don’t require any coding knowledge, take the onus of upgrades and backups off of consumers, and are either free or offer free trials.

A La Carte Website Builders

Is your website more likely to be a jack of all trades? Are you wanting to build a website which incorporates a strong blogging platform or broad ecommerce options? Want to start a forum or portfolio? How about all of it at once? WebsiteBuilder.com has over 10,000 templates that has various combinations of these a la carte solutions without focusing on one specific website niche.

Wix

Wix is quickly gaining a great deal of headway, and has been partnering with a significant amount of third party companies to add still more options to its users. As a perk, it has a stellar logo creator for individuals who use its website builder service.

Jimdo

Jimdo is a smaller-scale website builder, and offers a great deal of easy-to-use options. Its templates and themes are all quite sharp looking, and offers custom apps so that users can manage their websites from their phone.

Squarespace

If you’re concerned about stepping away from WordPress because you want a good looking website, try out Squarespace. It has a limited number of website themes, but those it does offer are incredibly well-designed. They’ve also got a partnership with Getty so that you can easily snag stock photos on-the-go, making website building that much easier.

eCommerce Website Builders

If you know you’re wanting to open an online store, however, your considerations are already slightly different, say, than if you were wanting to host a portfolio. You’ll need a bunch of great features tailored to managing a store, such as inventory tracking or shipping calculators. Don’t worry: these cheap ecommerce website builders supply all the bells and whistles.

Bigcommerce

One of the most popular and widely used store-focused website builders is Bigcommerce. Bigcommerce integrates seamlessly with dozens of third party applications and software, and help guide novice business owners through the process of owning and operating an online store.

Volusion

If you know enough html and css to be dangerous and would like the opportunity to tinker more with your site if you feel the urge, Volusion is the website builder for you. It allows users to modify the coding of their website, and offers fantastic responsive website solutions. For beginners, this may have a rather higher learning curve.

Shopify

Shopify was once just a secure shopping cart plugin. These days, it’s a robust online shop website builder, which offers some of the most in-depth and useful shop plugins and options out there. Shopify is rounded out with an absolutely phenomenal support network and database of helpful articles.