MethodThe Same-Site Build Test: one 5-page site, every builder
Pick the right website builder. Know what it costs after year one.
We build the same 5-page business site on every builder we review. We’ll publish build time, phone results and the real 24-month cost.
Independent. No builder pays for placement. How we make money
True-cost calculator
See the price after the intro deal ends.
Enter any builder’s prices. See what you’ll pay over 24 months, line by line.
Sample values, not a quote. Use the builder’s current prices.
On top of the intro price
$284 more
than intro price × 24 ($288) suggests.
24-month total: $572
See the line-by-line bill
| Intro: 12 × $12 | $144 |
|---|---|
| Renewal: 12 × $22 | $264 |
| Domain, year two | $20 |
| Email: 24 × $6 | $144 |
| Total | $572 |
Same test, every builder
One 5-page site, one checklist.
Renewal prices, not just intro prices
12- and 24-month costs, dated.
Our own dated screenshots
Evidence for every test result we publish.
Untested means labelled
If we haven’t built on it, we say so.
How we test
What we record on every builder
We build the same 5-page site on each builder: home, about, services, a contact form and a blog post. Then we record 6 things:
Build time and steps
Minutes and steps to publish all 5 pages.
Mobile result
How the site works on a real phone.
Mobile speed
Google PageSpeed score on mobile.
SEO controls
Page titles, URLs, redirects, sitemap and more.
Real cost
12 and 24 months, including renewal, domain and email.
Lock-in
What you can take with you if you leave.
No results yet. Each result will appear with its test date.
Website builders for small businesses, solo pros and creators
Who this is for
Small business owners, solo pros and creators who need a website but aren’t web developers.
You want a site that works on a phone, shows up on Google and doesn’t cost twice as much in year two.
We’re independent: not a web agency, not a builder. Some links earn us a commission. How that works, and why it doesn’t decide our picks.