Is there a best website builder for food blogs and recipes worth using? Do you want to skip the read and get right to my top pick? The best website builder for recipes and food blogs is Squarespace.
Introduction to the Best Website Builder for Food Blog and Recipes:
Welcome to our best website builder for food blogs guide!
Back in the first decade of the 21st century, blogs (a contraction of the words “web” and “log”) became a way by which people could share their thoughts and ideas with others online in pretty much the same way as a journal one could let others read.
Food blogs, personal sites where foodies could share their restaurant reviews or recipes, first came into public knowledge around 2005 thanks to Clotilde Dusoulier’s Chocolate and Zucchini, Lori Baltazar’s Dessert Comes First, and Julie Powell’s Julie and Julia (which eventually became the basis of the book and feature film of the same name.) Today, practically everyone who loves food, cooking, and even dining out has their own take on the food blog.
In this article, we review the best website builder for food blogs and best website builder for recipes!
Our List of the Best Website Builders for Food Blogs:
Our top four choices for the best website builders for food blogs are as follows:
- Squarespace – overall best website builder for food blogs (My Top Pick!!)
- WordPress.com – most flexible website builder for recipes/food blogs with plenty of integrations
- Shopify – best for eCommerce
- Strikingly– simple but reliable, with great analytics
Quick Comparison Table for Best Website Builders for Food Blogs:
| Rank | Platform | Ease of Use | Key Features & Flexibility | Customer Support | Pricing | My View | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Squarespace (My Choice!) | User-friendly with professional templates | Great blogging features, SEO tools, beautiful designs | 24/7 customer support | Starts at $12/month | Best for visually appealing food blogs | Try Squarespace For Free |
| 2 | WordPress.com | Steep learning curve but powerful | Extensive customization, plugins for added functionality | Email and live chat support | Free plan available, paid plans start at $4/month | Best for highly customizable food blogs | Try WordPress.com For Free |
| 3 | Shopify | Easy to use, eCommerce focused | Strong eCommerce capabilities, SEO tools | 24/7 support | Starts at $29/month | Best for food blogs with eCommerce component | Try Shopify For Free |
| 4 | Strikingly | Simple and intuitive | One-page layouts, blogging features | 24/7 support | Free plan available, paid plans start at $8/month | Best for simple, one-page food blogs | Try Strikingly For Free |
Why Would a Food Writer or Foodie Need a Blog?
Most of the time, non-professional or freelance food writers need a site or blog to serve as their portfolio. Not only is their food blog meant for a general readership, but it also serves as a way of putting their slates out to get the attention of magazine or broadsheet editors who may be interested in engaging their services.
Likewise, food blogs serve as community hubs for people with shared interests. Recipe blogs, in particular, serve as a way to draw people together, enabling them to learn more about each other’s cultural heritage and family history through food.
That said, food blogs are also a way to teach others how to cook through video demonstrations, as well as a way to point public attention towards new products available at grocery stores, dining promotions for different establishments, and also reviews of both restaurants and specialised grocers.
How We Chose the Best Website Builders for Food Blogs:
To determine which are among the best website builder for food bloggers, we checked to see if these met our standards for the following:
How robust is the blogging platform?
In the best food blogs, you may have noticed that they aren't just about posts and pretty photos. There are video demonstrations and even interactive panels in a number of them. In which case, the site builder needs to have a blogging feature that allows bloggers to do more than just write and post, but to also add other functions to make the site unique and deliver a more engaging experience for their readers;
Can you post high-definition images and videos?
Epicures have long said that we eat with our eyes, so imagery is valuable when it comes to a food blog. The best website builder for food bloggers, especially those with premium services, need to be able to host and / or stream photos and videos in the best possible quality;
Can you link it to your social media networks?
One way by which food bloggers are able to grow their audiences organically is through social media, so being able to integrate social media widgets into their blogs is a serious plus;
How's the SEO?
Search engine optimisation ensures that your blog gets listed in the first ten entries on a search page. The best website builder for recipes and food blogs offer an array of tools that will help propel one's site into the top for maximum visibility; and
Will your platform let you make money off your site?
While many bloggers aren't in it for the money, writing about food and experimenting with recipes does cost over time, so monetisation helps. The best website builder for recipes and food blogs make this possible through easy integration with tools like Amazon's affiliate platform and Google AdSense.
Our Best Website Builder for Food Blogs in Detail:
1. Squarespace – My Choice For The Best Website Builder For Food Blogs
Overview:
Meet our top pick for the best website builder for recipes and food blogs- Squarespace!
Sleek, stylish, elegant: those are the three words we use for food blogs crafted using this particular building platform. Because Squarespace was specifically created for ecommerce, its features are helpful when it comes to monetising one’s writing and – especially in the case of home cooks who want to sell products online – allow users to expand their blogs to include online shopfronts where they can sample the author’s wares.
Food Blog Example – Made with Squarespace: My Name is Yeh
https://mynameisyeh.com/ – Many of us know Molly Yeh today as a cookbook author and television personality on the Food Network, but she got her start using Squarespace to create her blog several years ago. Aside from recipes and links to where one can buy her books online, Yeh also gives her readers a glimpse into her life on a farm in Minnesota along with pastiches from her Jewish-Chinese childhood in the Big Apple.
Features:
- Extensive range of templates and gallery tools;
- Ecommerce functionality;
- Scheduling and appointment function;
- Mailing list builder to keep clients abreast of developments; and
- Social media integration
Pricing:
Standard rates and pricing packages for this website builder for food blogs are as follows:
Raring to create your own website through Squarespace? Squarespace free trial comes in 14 days of free testing of the Business Plan. Read the service terms of this best website builder for food blogs before you commit.
>> TRY SQUARESPACE FOR FREE <<
2. Shopify
Overview:
As its name suggests, Shopify is more of an ecommerce builder. It's also one o the best website builder for recipes and food bloggers. But, much like Squarespace, it has an excellent blogging function that makes it an apt choice for food bloggers with so much more to offer in terms of online lessons, books, and even products. Equipped with shop creation and even payment management tools, it is something that business-minded food bloggers ought to consider.
Food Blog Example – Made with Shopify: Sweetapolita Recipes + Inspo
https://sweetapolita.com/ – This is a part of the website of baking ingredients manufacturer Sweetapolita, this blog is laid out like one’s Instagram feed, with photos serving as gateways into individual blog posts. Using a simple-to-navigate interface punctuated by high-resolution imagery and good writing, it draws readers into a sugary fantasy they can replicate in their home kitchens.
Features:
- Intuitive storefront builder possible with this best website builder for recipes/food blogs;
- Excellent selection of design templates;
- Text and visual blogging platform;
- Toolkit for international transaction;
- Extensive third-party integration with both applications and social media channels
Pricing:
Standard rates and pricing packages for this best website builder for recipes are as follows:
The platform offers a 14-day trial, letting you wade through Shopify first before committing. But before you commit to this best website builder for recipes, read their terms of service.
3. WordPress
Overview:
Whether you’re using it for free or sign up for a premium edition that lets you include a lot of engaging bells and whistles, WordPress has long been a favourite among food writers as it is as simple to use as their word processor of choice and opens up one’s blog to a variety of possibilities. The development and inclusion of WordPress’ ecommerce plugin WooCommerce have also made it easier for food bloggers to monetise their accounts.
Food Blog Example – Made with WordPress: Smitten Kitchen
https://smittenkitchen.com/ – Using a straightforward layout, cookbook author Deb Perelman’s food blog presents recipes with interesting backstories as well as ways by which one can eat healthier without scrimping on either taste or pleasure. Aside from retailing Perelman’s Smitten Kitchen series of cookbooks, the site’s online store also includes different pieces of kitchen equipment for home use.
Features:
- CMS site creator/editor;
- Integrated news and blogging function;
- WooCommerce plugin for creating online storefronts;
- Gallery feature [template-dependent] for hosting and displaying photos and videos; and
- Easy integration with social media
Pricing:
Standard rates and pricing packages for this best website builder for recipes/food blogs are as follows:
A 14-day money-back guarantee applies to all paid subscriptions! If you're raring to give WordPress a go, make sure you've read their service terms first.
>> try WordPress.com for free <<
4. Strikingly
Overview:
Strikingly is the best website builder for food blog platform we would recommend for beginners as it is one of the easiest to learn and use. While it is predominantly used to create single-page sites, landing pages, and portfolio pages for entrepreneurs and creatives, its fairly strong blogging platform may also appeal to aspiring food writers.
Food Blog Example – Made with Strikingly: Phoenix Vegan
https://www.phoenixvegan.com/ – This food blog features a dynamic home page and updates for vegans and vegetarians living in Arizona. Offering a mix of restaurant reviews, recipes, and event updates, it serves as a community-building hub that encourages visitors to consider giving up meat in the tastiest manner possible.
Features:
- Basic site creator for single-page sites or landing pages;
- Simple ecommerce toolkit for beginners;
- Stable blogging platform;
- Site analytics
Pricing:
Standard rates and pricing packages of this best website builder for food blogs are as follows:
The terms of service page states you can cancel your service contract and receive a full refund within 14 days of your initial purchase.
Conclusion and Recommendations for the Best Website Builder for Food Blog and Recipes:
Over the years, food blogging has become more than just a way of sharing recipes or restaurant reviews.
Indeed, today’s food blogs are a rich resource for those keen on food and drink, those who want to stay abreast of current events in the global culinary scene, and even those who want to learn more about different cultures by sampling various cuisines even virtually.
From our evaluations, we've determined that Squarespace is the best website builder for food bloggers. Still, now ecommerce-centric builders like Shopify, Strikingly, and WordPress are giving it a run for their money with the richness of the features they offer users.
Nevertheless, we recommend you trial around and see which of these best website builder for recipes best fit your writing style and the material you want to share online.
FAQ:
Why should I consider a best website builder for recipes rather than a conventional blogging platform for my food blog?
While conventional blogging platforms like Blogger and Tumblr may work well for beginners, they may not be enough for those who envision themselves expanding the scope of their blog/site over time. Using a site builder gives you access to additional features and spares you the trouble of needing to migrate your site as these are scalable. You may spend more when you use a site builder rather than a blogging platform, but the functionality and flexibility it will give you will be a great help.
Is there a best website builder for food bloggers I can use for free?
WordPress and Strikingly are your best bets for freeware that enables users to build fully-functional food blogs. Both Squarespace and Shopify offer free trials to let you get a feel for the platform but bear in mind that you will need to either terminate your blog/site or sign up for a paid subscription when the trial period ends.
Which is the best website builder for recipes when it comes to aesthetics?
That would be a toss-up between WordPress and Squarespace. Both platforms offer an extensive selection of design templates and elements specific to the food and beverage industry.
That's all for now:
If you've read all the way through this best website builder for food bloggers, we are thankful. We hope you can now answer the question of what is the best website builder for recipes! We have a large collection of articles, guides, and comparison reviews of eCommerce solutions, web hosting providers, website builders, and more! Feel free to check them out;
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