⏳ Do you want to skip the read and get right to my top picks? The best website builder for artists for most people is Squarespace.
Introduction to our Best Website Builder for Artists Comparison Test.
What is the best website builder for artists? For those exploring and expressing themselves in visual media – the ideal way to be noticed was to mount an exhibition in a public place such as a gallery or a community centre.
However, many artists have been putting up websites to feature and sell their work online. A growing number of them uses website builders to create hubs where they can accept commissions or auction off specific pieces and collections. Given this demand, people need to know what are the best website builders for artists.
But is there such a thing as a free artist website builder? You’d be surprised to see the number of choices available. Besides regular site builders, which offer layouts and templates specifically for creatives, premium and free artist website builders were specifically created for the online community.
Of course, no two site builders are alike. We recognise that it can be challenging for artists to decide which artist website builder works best for them. In which case, we take the guesswork out of this and present a fairly comprehensive list of the best website builders for artists.
Our Pick List for the Best Website Builder for Artists:
We made a shortlist of the five best website builder for artists based on their capabilities, price line, and overall benefits to users. Rankings prioritise eCommerce capabilities, gallery options, and tools that can help artists showcase their work effectively.
- Squarespace – Balances stunning gallery features with good eCommerce options, great for showcasing and selling. (My Top Pick!)
- Shopify – Robust ecommerce features make it ideal for artists who primarily want to sell their work.
- Smugmug – Best artist website builder looking for bare-bones simplicity
- Pixpa – Built for artists and photographers with integrated eCommerce to sell prints and artworks.
- Weebly – Has good e-commerce options and is easy to use, though less specialised for artists.
- Wix – Versatile and customisable, but its e-commerce features aren’t as strong as Shopify or Squarespace.
- WordPress.com – Good for content, but requires plugins like WooCommerce for ecommerce.
- Zenfolio – Similar to SmugMug, but slightly less intuitive.
- Webflow – High customizability, but has a learning curve and ecommerce is not its primary focus.
- Format – More focused on portfolios, but does offer ecommerce functionality.
Before we go into more detail for each of these platforms you are probably wondering how we chose our top picks for best website builder for artists.
Quick Comparisons Table Of The Best Website Builder for Artists:
| Rank & Website Builder | Art-Focused Features | Monetization & Ecommerce | Pricing From | My View | Try for Free |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 Squarespace
(My Top Pick!) |
High-quality templates, image galleries | Good ecommerce features, Inventory management | $12/month | Great balance of gallery features and ecommerce options | Try for Free |
| 🥈 Shopify | Themes tailored for artists, integrated sales channels | Robust ecommerce, Sell digital products and physical goods | $29/month | Best for artists with a primary focus on selling their work | Try for Free |
| 🥉 SmugMug | Unlimited photo storage, Customizable galleries | Ecommerce for selling prints and licenses | $7/month | Best for photographers selling prints and licenses | Try for Free |
| 4. Pixpa | Portfolio-focused themes, Client galleries | Integrated ecommerce, Sell physical & digital products | $7/month | Best for artists and photographers who need integrated e-commerce | Try for Free |
| 5. Weebly | Drag-and-drop builder, Image editor | Integrated ecommerce with Square, Item options and variants | $6/month | Good ecommerce options but less specialized for artists | Try for Free |
| 6. Wix | Customizable templates, Wix Art Store app | Basic ecommerce features, Print-on-demand integration | $14/month | Versatile but e-commerce features not as strong as Shopify | Try for Free |
| 7. WordPress.com | Customizable themes, blogging | Requires WooCommerce plugin for ecommerce | $4/month | Good for content, requires plugin for e-commerce | Try for Free |
| 8. Zenfolio | Client access, Integrated galleries | Ecommerce for selling prints and products | $5/month | Similar to SmugMug but less intuitive | Try for Free |
| 9. Webflow | Highly customizable, CMS | Integrated ecommerce, custom shopping cart | $12/month | High customizability, learning curve, not primarily focused on artists | Try for Free |
| 10. Format | Portfolio-focused, Client proofing | Integrated ecommerce, Limited products | $12/month | More focused on portfolios with some ecommerce functionality | Try for Free |
Here's How to Choose the Best Website Builder for Artists:
Before selecting an artist website builder and/or host for your creative portfolio, ask yourself first:
- What do I intend to show on my website? For visual artists, will the portfolio include scanned prints, photos of freestanding or built-in-place sculptures, or collections of photography? Knowing exactly what you want to display helps determine the kind of layout that you will need for the site and the level of interaction for anyone visiting it.
- Which visitors do I want on my website? Is your site a place where fellow artists can come in and collaborate, or is it strictly a virtual exhibition hall for your work where you’d like art patrons, curators, and collectors to visit? This will figure in selecting the best website builder for artists.
- Am I planning to do anything beyond simply holding virtual exhibitions with my website? Some artists simply need a showplace for their work, and the best free website builder for artists should suffice. But, as mentioned above, many also need a place where clients and patrons can interact with them for commissions or the purchase of existing pieces. Ask yourself which one you’ll need.
- What criteria should I be looking at when choosing an artist website builder? As with any site builder, take into consideration the following:
Our Criteria:
- Ease of Use: Is the artist site builder tough or simple to use? Do you need to have coding knowledge to use it?
- Features and Flexibility: The best website builder for artists are packed with features such as themes and templates, hosting, backups, third-party apps integration, and migration.
- SEO and Mobility: What tools does the artist site builder have to improve your search engine rankings?
- eCommerce Tools: How powerful are its sales and marketing features if any?
- Support and Resources: If you need help or assistance using the artist site builder, is support available?
- Pricing: How affordable is it?
The Best Artist Website Builder In Detail:
1. Squarespace – My Top Pick Of The Best Website Builders For Artists
Squarespace ranks high among creatives because of its elegant, polished look of its templates that call to mind a brochure for a high-level artistic event like the Venice Biennale or a spectacularly well-produced arts culture magazine. The fact that Squarespace is eCommerce-ready (it is, after all, one of the favourite platforms of those building online stores) enables artists to make a living off their work or through commissions and virtual gallery walkthroughs.
We do, however, have a couple of issues regarding Squarespace: one, its site builder isn’t very intuitive, and users need time to learn how to use it; and two, it’s among the pricier site builder options.
Pros and Cons of Squarespace:
Pros:
- Exquisite selection of templates for artistic use;
- Ecommerce functionality enables users to sell both works and services (commissions);
- Easily swap templates for a custom look;
- Users have access to the source files
Cons:
- Definitely not for artists on a tight budget as it sets you back between $12-40 monthly;
- Not very user friendly as the builder isn’t very intuitive;
- No preview function, so it’s hard to review your site before going live;
- Layouts aren’t very flexible.
What is it best for?
As one of the best website builder for artists, Squarespace is ideal for artists selling their work online, but particularly those who want a clean, sophisticated, and minimalist look for their sites that don’t detract from their work.
Pricing
Raring to create your own website through Squarespace? Squarespace trial comes in 14 days of free testing of the Business Plan. Read through their terms of service page before you commit.
2. Format:
Need to build a portfolio with an art website builder fast? That’s where Format comes in. Created with artists and designers in mind, this contender for best website builder for artists offers responsive templates to create a stunning, attention-grabbing portfolio. Users are also spoilt for choice when choosing fonts and layouts, but Format tends to fall flat when it comes to options for building interactive forms, and it’s pretty challenging to arrange elements when you use one of their pre-built templates.
Pros and Cons of Format:
Pros:
- Wide choice of highly-intuitive web templates;
- Specifically created for creatives;
- Easy to use and has its own onboarding process and tutorials;
- Basic but effective functionality for blogs and eCommerce.
Cons:
- Layouts are fairly rigid, and it’s a challenge to place elements;
- No free plan for the budget-constrained;
- Limited options for building online forms and custom pages
What is it best for?
If you just need to make an artist website for portfolio-building, Format is an excellent choice among the best website builder for artists options.
Pricing
Still, it’s very reasonably priced for a premium product: just $6 to $12 a month, as a matter of fact! Format’s entry-level subscription plan allows users to create up to fifteen pages, display up to 100 images, and put three items up for sale.
The Pro plan – a great buy if you ask us – allows you to have an unlimited number of pages, store up to 1,000 images, and sell up to 20 products.
If you’re wondering what other Format pricing options exist, the company offers a free two-week trial. Concerning refunds, however, in this Format review, it needs to be clarified that only annual plans are subject to the 30-day money-back guarantee. As stated on their legal page it doesn’t apply to the monthly billing.
3. Smugmug:
Shutterbugs rejoice! Smugmug – what legacy photo-hosting platform Flickr eventually became – was specifically created for professional photographers and photography enthusiasts. The cool part about Smugmug is its photography-specific third-party app integrations, including Adobe Lightroom. Also, you get unlimited storage for both photos and videos and eCommerce functionality if you’re selling your work.
We aren’t keen on the fact that it doesn’t offer many options for displaying your wares for a photography site builder – its gallery layouts are somewhat limited in that context.
Smugmug Pros and Cons:
Pros:
- Specifically created for photographers;
- Extensive array of photography-specific apps;
- Enables users to sell their work online;
- Unlimited storage
Cons:
- No blogging function
- Can be challenging to use
- No free plan offered
- Layouts have limited flexibility
What is it best for?
If you want a photography website that is bare-bones simple, Smugmug would be the platform for you. However, it may not suit you if you want additional functionality such as a blog.
Pricing
Price-wise, it’s also reasonable with subscription prices starting at $7 monthly, but those who want the eCommerce feature have to spring $27 a month as it is part of the more advanced Portfolio plan.
There is a 14-day SmugMug free trial. Use this opportunity to test SmugMug and find out if it works for you. As shown on the terms of service page, the company also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
4. Pixpa:
Pixpa has been touted as a more flexible alternative to platforms like Smugmug, but it’s a platform that caters to a whole spectrum of creative types and not just photographers. While the layouts tend to be on the rigid side, the platform UI is actually straightforward to use once you get used to it.
Pixpa also offers some of the most visually stunning templates in the industry, along with a host of functions that include being able to add IPTC metadata to your images (a vital thing for SEO), image editing capabilities, image compression control, and templates for guest galleries.
Pixpa Pros and Cons:
Pros:
- Elegant-looking page templates;
- Allows for the inclusion of IPTC metadata;
- Varied functionality for image hosting and editing, blogging, and eCommerce;
Cons:
- Rigid layouts;
- No free plan;
- Editorial UI isn’t very intuitive
What is it best for?
Pixpa’s guest gallery function is great for photographers, artists, and creative agencies who need their clients to go over proofs without having to dig through their entire portfolio online.
Pricing
It doesn’t come for free, but you can try the platform out for fifteen days, then opt to pay $7 monthly for their Start subscription plan.
As per the terms of use page, the platform also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee but only for annual plans. This guarantee does not apply to monthly payments.
5. Zenfolio:
Like Smugmug and PhotoShelter, Zenfolio is a photography-centric site-building platform. However, the difference lies in the fact that Zenfolio is, essentially, easier to use with its more intuitive editor – and it’s quite an eCommerce-savvy platform, making it an ideal choice for agency work, particularly for professional photographers, graphic designers, and advertising agencies. However, we’re talking about basic functionality here; the issue we have with Zenfolio is that it’s great as an all-in photography tool, but it hardly ever goes beyond basic functionality.
Zenfolio Pros and Cons:
Pros:
- Guest galleries enable clients to see and comment on proofs before signing off;
- Extensive eCommerce functionality;
- Blogging function is built-in;
- Mid-tier plans offer extensive functionality
Cons:
- While the builder is easy enough to use, users do not get a proper onboarding process to show them all the capabilities of the platform;
- Limited flexibility in terms of templates;
- Tools are not optimised for eCommerce or design
What is it best for?
Zenfolio is great for photographers who want an extensive site but have little to no knowledge of coding. It’s easy enough to use and, if you’re not hankering for anything more advanced, it works fine.
Pricing
You have to admit that it does offer bang for your buck: the Pro plan offers payment processing, watermarking, as well as marketing functionality – not a bad deal, we think.
The terms of service page states no refunds however it does offer a free 14-day trial period.
Best Free Website Builders for Artists:
All of the programmes we presented in this review are premium services with free trials only. After trials some of which are beyond the budget of student artists and small-scale artistic endeavours. But some old standbys in the site-building scene offer free artist website builder options.
Note, however, that free artist website builders usually have minimal functionality, and in-site ads will be peppered throughout your pages. But if you feel that these won’t hamper your creative stride, then they are certainly worth considering.
- Webflow – Small ads
- Square Online – Small Ads
- Carrd – Small ads
Conclusion and Recommendation to the best website builder for Artists?
All five of the artist site builders discussed in this review have so much to offer creatives. Squarespace wins our test as Best artist website builder for fast sole portfolio building. While it isn’t the easiest platform to use, it’s actually the one that will enable users to show off their work to the very best level. Its eCommerce capabilities allow users to make a tidy living off their work.
Along with the programmes and apps featured in this review, there is a whole world of potential options for the best website builders for artists. We recommend that you keep an eye out and be sure to shop around to see what different platforms have to offer. We also invite you to try out the best free website builder for artists if your demands aren't that high.
>> Try Squarespace For Free <<
FAQ:
What free artist website builder do you recommend?
If you'd like to try the best free website builder for artists, choose Webflow. Aside from art-focused themes and templates, the platform offers a free forever plan. You will have zero expenses, but need to live with ads and limits on functionality.
Which would you recommend in terms of app integrations?
That would be a toss-up between Squarespace and Smugmug. The former offers a diverse 3,000 integrations through its Squarespace Extensions online marketplace, while the latter presents a veritable treasure trove of photography-specific applications to work with.
That’s all for now:
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