The best website builders for designers need to do more than publish a basic portfolio. They should give you strong templates, flexible design options, clean image galleries, client-friendly contact tools, and enough business features to collect enquiries, sell services, invoice clients, or monetise your content when needed.
For most graphic designers, portfolio designers, brand designers, and creative freelancers, Squarespace is the best overall choice. It has the strongest balance of polished templates, portfolio layouts, ecommerce, scheduling, blogging, and client-facing tools. Webflow is better if you want deeper visual control, but Squarespace is the safer first choice for most design portfolios.
TL;DR: The best website builder for designers is Squarespace because it combines high-quality design templates, portfolio presentation, ecommerce, scheduling, and client tools without requiring custom development.
Best Website Builders For Designers: Quick Picks
These are the website builders I would shortlist first if you are a designer, graphic designer, creative freelancer, portfolio designer, visual artist, or agency looking for a strong online presence.
- Squarespace: best overall website builder for designers and creative portfolios.
- Webflow: best for professional designers who want advanced visual control.
- Framer: best modern no-code builder for UI, product, and design-led websites.
- Format: best dedicated portfolio builder for visual creatives.
- Pixpa: best portfolio builder for designers who also need client galleries and ecommerce.
- Wix: best beginner-friendly designer portfolio builder.
- Adobe Portfolio: best for designers already using Adobe Creative Cloud.
- Carrd: best for one-page designer portfolios and personal profile sites.
- Cargo: best for art, design, and experimental creative portfolios.
- Semplice: best WordPress-based portfolio builder for designers.
Quick Comparison table
Compare the best website builders for designers, graphic designers, portfolio creators, visual artists, and creative freelancers. This table focuses on design flexibility, portfolio presentation, client-facing features, pricing access, and review availability so you can quickly shortlist the strongest platforms for building a professional design portfolio or creative business website.
| Platform | Price / Basic Plan + CTA | Best For | Key Features | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 Squarespace | Free trial / Paid plans vary | Check Pricing | Best overall website builder for designers | Polished templates, portfolio layouts, galleries, ecommerce, scheduling, blogging, memberships, donations, invoicing, email tools | Squarespace Review |
| 🥈 Webflow | Free starter option / Paid site plans vary | Visit Official Site | Best for professional designers and agencies | Advanced visual design control, CMS, responsive layouts, animations, interactions, custom code options, client-ready builds | Webflow Review |
| 🥉 Framer | Free plan / Paid site plans vary | Check Pricing | Best modern no-code builder for design-led websites | Visual builder, CMS, SEO tools, analytics, localisation, AI tools, fast publishing for portfolios and product-style sites | Review Coming Soon |
| 4. Format | Free trial / Paid plans vary | Check Pricing | Best dedicated portfolio builder for visual creatives | Portfolio templates, gallery pages, client galleries, proofing, file transfer, ecommerce, contracts, creative workflow tools | Format Review |
| 5. Pixpa | Free trial / Paid plans vary | Check Pricing | Best for portfolios, client galleries and ecommerce | Portfolio builder, client galleries, proofing, ecommerce, blogging, responsive templates, creative business tools | Pixpa Review |
| 6. Wix | Free plan / Paid plans vary | Check Pricing | Best beginner-friendly designer portfolio builder | Drag-and-drop editor, AI builder, large template library, galleries, bookings, ecommerce, marketing tools, app marketplace | Wix Review |
| 7. Adobe Portfolio | Included with eligible Creative Cloud plans | Visit Official Site | Best for designers already using Creative Cloud | Simple creative portfolio publishing, Adobe ecosystem fit, clean showcase pages, suitable for photographers and visual designers | Review Coming Soon |
| 8. Carrd | Free plan / Pro options vary | Check Pricing | Best for one-page designer portfolios | Responsive one-page sites, personal profiles, landing pages, link pages, forms and custom domains on Pro plans | Carrd Review |
| 9. Cargo | Paid plans vary | Visit Official Site | Best for art, design and experimental portfolios | Site builder for designers and artists, portfolios, presentations, shops, creative templates, multi-site creative workflows | Cargo Collective Review |
| 10. Semplice | One-time WordPress-based licence / Pricing varies | Visit Official Site | Best WordPress-based portfolio builder for designers | WordPress portfolio tool, custom case studies, visual editor, no-template portfolio design, designer-focused layout control | Review Coming Soon |
How I Compared The Main Features, Design Options, Pros And Cons
For this guide, I ranked each platform by how well it serves designers who need a portfolio or client-facing website. The biggest factors were visual flexibility, template quality, image presentation, ease of use, mobile responsiveness, ecommerce options, booking or enquiry tools, pricing transparency, and long-term scalability.
I did not rank the tools by commission alone. For this article, trust matters more than short-term EPC because designers are likely to compare the recommendations carefully before choosing a platform.
Best Website Builders For Designers In Detail
#1 Squarespace: Best Overall Website Builder For Designers
Best for: designers, graphic designers, creative freelancers, studios, photographers, illustrators and agencies that want a polished portfolio website with business tools included.
Squarespace is the best overall choice because it balances visual quality, portfolio presentation and business functionality better than most website builders. It is especially strong if your website needs to show creative work, explain services, collect enquiries, sell products, invoice clients, schedule appointments or publish content.
Main Features
- Professionally designed templates for portfolios, service pages, blogs and online stores.
- Portfolio and gallery layouts for visual work.
- Ecommerce, scheduling, invoicing, donations, memberships and email marketing tools.
- SEO settings, analytics, domains and responsive design.
Pros
- Best balance of design quality and business features.
- Strong fit for designers who want a professional portfolio and client-facing website.
- More polished out of the box than most beginner website builders.
Cons
- Less advanced visual control than Webflow or Framer.
- Not the cheapest option once ecommerce or advanced features are needed.
Pricing, Trial, Guarantee, Or Refund Policy
Squarespace offers a free trial, then paid plans. Pricing varies by plan and promotion.
Choose Squarespace If…
- You want the safest all-round website builder for a serious designer portfolio.
- You want portfolio pages, ecommerce, scheduling, blogging and client tools in one platform.
Avoid Squarespace If…
- You want full visual control over every layout and interaction.
- You prefer a WordPress-based portfolio system.
#2 Webflow: Best For Advanced Visual Control
Best for: web designers, agencies, UX/UI designers and advanced creatives who want more design control than a standard template builder provides.
Webflow is the strongest option for designers who want to build custom, responsive, CMS-driven websites without using a traditional developer workflow. It is more powerful than Squarespace, but it is also harder to learn.
Main Features
- Advanced visual design canvas with responsive layout controls.
- CMS for portfolios, case studies, blogs and dynamic content.
- Animations and interactions for high-end creative presentation.
- Hosting, SEO settings and collaboration features.
Pros
- Excellent for professional designers and client-ready builds.
- Much deeper design control than most hosted website builders.
- Strong fit for case studies, agency sites and dynamic portfolios.
Cons
- Steeper learning curve for beginners.
- Overkill for a simple personal portfolio.
Pricing, Trial, Guarantee, Or Refund Policy
Webflow has a free starter option and paid site plans. Pricing varies by site type and workspace needs.
Choose Webflow If…
- You want advanced design control without building everything from code.
- You are comfortable learning a more technical visual builder.
Avoid Webflow If…
- You want the fastest possible way to publish a simple designer portfolio.
- You prefer a more guided, template-led builder.
#3 Framer: Best Modern No-Code Builder For Design-Led Websites
Best for: UI designers, product designers, startup designers, SaaS teams and creatives who want a fast, modern, visually polished website builder.
Framer deserves a high ranking for this keyword because it is built around a designer-friendly workflow. It is a strong choice for modern portfolios, product-style websites, landing pages and design-led business websites.
Main Features
- No-code visual website builder.
- CMS, SEO, analytics and localisation tools.
- AI-assisted site creation and design workflow features.
- Fast publishing for modern portfolio and landing page sites.
Pros
- Very strong fit for modern designers and product-led websites.
- Faster and more design-native than many traditional website builders.
- Good option for portfolios, landing pages and startup-style websites.
Cons
- Less mature than Squarespace for broad small-business website use.
- May be less suitable for ecommerce-heavy designer businesses.
Pricing, Trial, Guarantee, Or Refund Policy
Framer has a free plan and paid site plans. Pricing varies by site requirements and plan level.
Choose Framer If…
- You want a modern, design-led no-code builder.
- You build landing pages, product sites, startup websites or polished personal portfolios.
Avoid Framer If…
- You need mature ecommerce, scheduling or client invoicing tools.
- You want the safest general-purpose portfolio and business website builder.
#4 Format: Best Dedicated Portfolio Builder For Visual Creatives
Best for: photographers, graphic designers, artists, illustrators and visual creatives who want a portfolio-first website builder.
Format is more focused than Squarespace or Wix. It is not the broadest website builder, but it is highly relevant for designers who mainly need portfolio presentation, gallery pages, client proofing and creative business tools.
Main Features
- Portfolio-focused templates and gallery pages.
- Client galleries, proofing, file transfer and contracts.
- Ecommerce for selling products, services and digital downloads.
- Blogging and creative portfolio management tools.
Pros
- Purpose-built for portfolio websites.
- Good fit for visual creatives and photographers.
- Includes client workflow features that generic builders may lack.
Cons
- Less flexible as a general business website builder.
- Not as powerful as Webflow for advanced layout control.
Pricing, Trial, Guarantee, Or Refund Policy
Format offers paid plans and may offer trial access depending on current promotion. Pricing varies by plan.
Choose Format If…
- Your main priority is a clean creative portfolio.
- You want portfolio-specific tools rather than a broad website builder.
Avoid Format If…
- You need broader website, ecommerce or marketing functionality.
- You want advanced visual control similar to Webflow or Framer.
#5 Pixpa: Best For Portfolios, Client Galleries And Ecommerce
Best for: designers, photographers and visual creatives who need a portfolio site with client galleries, proofing, ecommerce and business features.
Pixpa is a strong addition because it is closer to designer and creative portfolio intent than generic beginner builders. It works well for creatives who want to showcase work and manage client-facing portfolio workflows from one place.
Main Features
- Portfolio website builder for creatives.
- Client galleries and proofing tools.
- Ecommerce, blogging and website management features.
- Responsive templates and drag-and-drop editing.
Pros
- Strong creative portfolio focus.
- Useful client gallery and ecommerce tools.
- Good middle ground between portfolio presentation and business features.
Cons
- Less advanced visual control than Webflow or Framer.
- Less broadly recognised than Squarespace, Wix or Webflow.
Pricing, Trial, Guarantee, Or Refund Policy
Pixpa pricing varies by plan and promotion. Check the current plans before publishing exact prices.
Choose Pixpa If…
- You want a portfolio builder with client proofing and ecommerce features.
- You are a visual creative rather than a general business owner.
Avoid Pixpa If…
- You want the most polished mainstream website builder.
- You need advanced custom layout control.
#6 Wix: Best Beginner-Friendly Designer Portfolio Builder
Best for: beginner designers, students, freelancers and small creative businesses that want fast setup, many templates and a gentle learning curve.
Wix remains useful for designer portfolios, but it should not sit above Webflow, Framer, Format or Pixpa for this specific keyword. It is strongest when ease of use matters more than portfolio sophistication.
Main Features
- Beginner-friendly drag-and-drop editor.
- Large template library and AI site builder.
- Gallery, booking, ecommerce and marketing tools.
- Free plan for testing before upgrading.
Pros
- Easy for beginners.
- Wide template choice.
- Useful app ecosystem and business features.
Cons
- Less refined for high-end portfolios than Squarespace or Format.
- Less advanced for professional design control than Webflow or Framer.
Pricing, Trial, Guarantee, Or Refund Policy
Wix has a free plan and paid plans. Pricing varies by plan and promotion.
Choose Wix If…
- You want a simple, beginner-friendly designer portfolio.
- You value speed and template choice over advanced design control.
Avoid Wix If…
- You want a premium portfolio look with less tweaking.
- You are a professional web designer building advanced layouts.
#7 Adobe Portfolio: Best For Creative Cloud Users
Best for: designers, photographers and creatives who already pay for an eligible Adobe Creative Cloud plan and want a simple portfolio site.
Adobe Portfolio is not the best standalone website builder, but it is very relevant for designers already inside the Adobe ecosystem. It is best treated as a simple portfolio publishing option rather than a full business website platform.
Main Features
- Portfolio website publishing for eligible Adobe Creative Cloud users.
- Simple showcase pages for creative work.
- Natural fit for photographers, graphic designers and visual creatives.
- Good option for a clean portfolio without adding another subscription.
Pros
- Strong relevance for existing Adobe users.
- Simple way to publish a creative portfolio.
- Good credibility fit for designers and photographers.
Cons
- Not a full business website builder.
- Limited compared with Squarespace, Webflow, Wix or Framer.
Pricing, Trial, Guarantee, Or Refund Policy
Adobe Portfolio is included with eligible Creative Cloud plans. Check your specific Adobe plan details before assuming access.
Choose Adobe Portfolio If…
- You already use an eligible Creative Cloud plan.
- You only need a simple portfolio showcase.
Avoid Adobe Portfolio If…
- You need ecommerce, booking, blogging or advanced marketing features.
- You want a full website builder for a design business.
#8 Carrd: Best For One-Page Designer Portfolios
Best for: designers who need a simple one-page portfolio, personal profile, freelance landing page or link-in-bio style site.
Carrd is not the right choice for a deep portfolio site, but it is excellent for a lightweight designer presence. It works well when you only need a clean page with selected work, a bio, contact links and a strong CTA.
Main Features
- One-page website builder.
- Responsive templates.
- Free plan and low-cost Pro options.
- Simple forms, embeds and custom domain options on paid plans.
Pros
- Very fast to launch.
- Low-cost compared with full website builders.
- Good for simple personal portfolios and landing pages.
Cons
- Not suitable for large portfolio websites.
- Limited business functionality compared with Squarespace or Wix.
Pricing, Trial, Guarantee, Or Refund Policy
Carrd has a free plan and paid Pro options. Pricing varies by Pro tier.
Choose Carrd If…
- You only need a one-page portfolio.
- You want something simple, fast and low-cost.
Avoid Carrd If…
- You need multiple portfolio projects, case studies or service pages.
- You want built-in ecommerce, scheduling or blogging.
#9 Cargo: Best For Art, Design And Experimental Creative Portfolios
Best for: artists, designers, studios and creatives who want a distinctive portfolio builder with a more experimental design culture.
Cargo is highly relevant to this keyword because it is specifically positioned for designers and artists. It is not the safest mainstream recommendation, but it adds credibility to the list because serious creative users may already be comparing it.
Main Features
- Site builder for designers and artists.
- Portfolio, presentation, profile and shop-style site options.
- Distinctive visual templates and creative community positioning.
- Useful for showcasing work and securing creative opportunities.
Pros
- Very relevant to design and art portfolio intent.
- More distinctive than generic website builders.
- Good fit for creatives who want a less corporate portfolio style.
Cons
- Less mainstream than Squarespace, Wix or Webflow.
- Less suitable for conventional business websites.
Pricing, Trial, Guarantee, Or Refund Policy
Cargo pricing and access options can vary. Check the current official pricing before publishing exact claims.
Choose Cargo If…
- You want a portfolio builder made for designers and artists.
- You prefer a more experimental creative aesthetic.
Avoid Cargo If…
- You want the safest all-round business website builder.
- You need broad ecommerce, booking or marketing tools.
#10 Semplice: Best WordPress-Based Portfolio Builder For Designers
Best for: designers who prefer WordPress but want a more custom portfolio-building experience than a standard WordPress theme.
Semplice is the best fit if the reader wants a portfolio builder that still sits on WordPress. It should rank below the hosted options because it is less beginner-friendly, but it is highly relevant for designers who want ownership, custom case studies and a WordPress-based setup.
Main Features
- WordPress-based portfolio system.
- Custom portfolio design without relying on fixed templates.
- Strong fit for designer case studies and visual portfolios.
- More ownership and flexibility than many hosted portfolio builders.
Pros
- Best WordPress-based option for designers in this list.
- Good for custom-feeling portfolios and case studies.
- Strong credibility with design-led users.
Cons
- Requires more WordPress comfort than hosted builders.
- Not as simple as Squarespace, Format, Wix or Carrd.
Pricing, Trial, Guarantee, Or Refund Policy
Semplice pricing varies by edition. Check the current official pricing before publishing exact claims.
Choose Semplice If…
- You want a designer portfolio system built on WordPress.
- You want more ownership and customisation than a hosted builder.
Avoid Semplice If…
- You want a fully hosted beginner-friendly website builder.
- You do not want to manage a WordPress-based setup.
Also Considered
I would not put these in the main ranking for this keyword, but they may still be useful in narrower cases:
- Hostinger Website Builder: good budget AI builder, but less designer-specific than Framer, Format, Pixpa, Cargo or Semplice.
- Readymag: strong for design-led pages and editorial-style creative websites, but less obvious as the main commercial recommendation.
- Simvoly: useful for funnels and service-selling workflows, but not portfolio-first enough for the main ranking.
- SITE123: simple for beginners, but too limited for serious designer portfolios.
- Zyro: remove as a standalone ranked entry because the product direction has been absorbed into Hostinger’s website builder ecosystem.
Why Designers Need A Website
A designer website is more than an online gallery. It gives potential clients a controlled place to review your work, understand your style, read case studies, check your services, and contact you without being distracted by social media feeds or marketplace competitors.
The right website builder should help designers do five things well: present visual work clearly, explain services, capture enquiries, prove credibility, and support future monetisation through bookings, products, templates, courses, memberships, or digital downloads.
How I Chose The Best Website Builders For Designers
I ranked these platforms by how well they match designer-specific needs rather than general website builder popularity alone. The main factors were portfolio presentation, visual control, template quality, gallery tools, case study layouts, mobile responsiveness, ease of use, client-facing features, ecommerce options, SEO settings, pricing clarity and long-term scalability.
That is why Squarespace ranks first overall, Webflow and Framer rank high for advanced design control, and Format, Pixpa, Cargo and Semplice are included for portfolio-specific accuracy. Simvoly, SITE123 and Hostinger can still be useful, but they are weaker matches for the core designer portfolio intent.
Conclusion: Which Website Builder Should Designers Choose?
For most designers, Squarespace is the best overall choice. It gives you a polished portfolio, strong templates, ecommerce, scheduling, blogging and enough business tools to turn a creative portfolio into a proper client-facing website.
Choose Webflow if you are a professional designer or agency and want deeper control over layouts, CMS content and interactions. Choose Framer if you want a modern no-code builder for product-style pages, design-led websites and fast visual publishing.
Choose Format or Pixpa if your priority is a creative portfolio with client galleries or proofing. Choose Adobe Portfolio if you already have eligible Creative Cloud access and only need a simple showcase. Choose Carrd for a one-page portfolio, Cargo for a more experimental creative portfolio, and Semplice if you want a WordPress-based portfolio system.
FAQs:
What's the best website builder for designers?
Squarespace is the best website builder for most designers because it combines polished templates, portfolio layouts, ecommerce, scheduling, blogging and client-facing business tools. Webflow is better for advanced design control, while Framer is stronger for modern no-code, product-style websites.
What website builders do graphic designers use?
Graphic designers often use Squarespace, Webflow, Framer, Format, Pixpa, Wix, Adobe Portfolio, Carrd, Cargo or Semplice. The right choice depends on whether they need a simple portfolio, an advanced design-controlled website, or a full client-facing business site.
Is Webflow or Framer better for designers?
Webflow is better for advanced CMS-driven websites, client projects and more structured professional builds. Framer is better for fast, modern, design-led websites, product pages and portfolios where visual polish and speed matter most.
Is Adobe Portfolio good for designers?
Adobe Portfolio is useful for designers who already have access through an eligible Creative Cloud plan and only need a simple portfolio showcase. It is not the best choice if you need ecommerce, booking, blogging or broader business website features.
How much does a web designer charge to build a website?
A web designer may charge a few hundred to several thousand pounds or dollars depending on page count, branding, copy, custom layouts, ecommerce, integrations and ongoing support. A website builder is usually cheaper, but it still requires time, design judgement and content preparation.
That's All For Now
If you are still comparing website platforms, these related guides may help you narrow the decision further:
- Best website builders for small business
- Squarespace review
- Webflow review
- Wix review
- Format vs Squarespace
- Webflow vs Wix
Hi, I’m Stuart Kerr Spindlow; the publisher behind StuartKerrs.com.
I review and evaluate digital marketing software used by businesses, marketers, and website owners; including hosting platforms, website builders, email marketing tools, SEO software, analytics, and automation systems.
I hold a degree in Computer Science from The Open University and began my career working in financial technology, developing and supporting production software systems, banking intranets, and web platforms. Over the past 20+ years, I’ve tested, implemented, and analysed a wide range of digital tools across real-world business environments.
Today, this site focuses on independent, experience-led software reviews. Tools are assessed based on usability, performance, pricing transparency, long-term value, and suitability for real businesses; not vendor claims or sponsorships.
I don’t run an agency and I don’t sell services through this site. The goal is simple: publish honest, practical software reviews that help people choose the right tools with confidence.
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