Report: Choosing the Right Website Building Tool

Written By Simon Moolman

Drag‑and‑drop builders, CMSs, e‑commerce suites, social commerce, and migration considerations

The Web Tools Landscape in 2025, Scene Setting

In 2025, building a website involves more choices than ever. The barrier to launch is lower, thanks to powerful hosted and no-code tools, but the decisions you make early on, about architecture, flexibility, and control, have long-term consequences. The tools you pick influence how fast you can go live, how you scale, and how easily you can move off the platform later.

The global website builder software market is forecasted to reach around USD 2.4 billion in 2025, growing at a CAGR of 6–7% through 2032. This reflects sustained demand for tools that let non‑developers launch and maintain web presences. Meanwhile, WordPress remains a central anchor, powering roughly 43% of all websites (and ~61% of those using a CMS). Shopify, Wix, Squarespace, and Webflow round out the top tier of hosted or visual builders.

In short: plenty of tools, many different trade‑offs, and a growing need for strategic selection.

Tool Categories, Strengths & Weaknesses

Category Examples Strengths Limitations Best Fit
Hosted drag-and-drop / visual builders Wix, Squarespace, Webflow, Framer Fast setup, hosting bundled, templates, AI design assistance Platform lock-in, limited deep customization, scaling costs Marketing sites, small portfolios, event pages
Traditional CMS / self-hosted WordPress, Drupal Maximum flexibility, plugin ecosystem, full control, portability Maintenance burden, security updates, hosting optimization Content-rich sites, blogs, large editorial systems
Hosted e-commerce suites Shopify, BigCommerce All-in-one commerce, payment gateways, app stores Transaction/app costs, limited flexibility Retail & DTC commerce
CMS e-commerce WooCommerce (on WordPress) Content + commerce unified Performance optimization required Content-rich stores, editorial + product blend
Landing-page / funnel tools Unbounce, Instapage, Leadpages, HubSpot Rapid deployment, testing, CRM ties Cost scales with traffic, layout limits Lead gen campaigns, microsites
Event / ticketing Eventbrite, RegFox, Ticket Tailor, InEvent Registration, ticketing workflows Fees, branding constraints Conferences, workshops, training
Social / messaging commerce Instagram/Facebook Shops, WhatsApp Business Low friction, native discovery Limited branding, algorithm risk Micro-merchants, chat-commerce

Data Portability / Migration

How easily can you move your site later?

  • Best portability: WordPress, Drupal, WooCommerce, open formats, full data exports.

  • Medium: Shopify/BigCommerce, CSV/API export of products/orders; theme & app logic must be rebuilt.

  • Limited: Wix, Squarespace, Framer, partial exports; layouts rarely portable.

  • Webflow: exports static HTML/CSS/JS; CMS collections and interactions need manual mapping.

  • Landing/Event tools: export leads/registrations but not test logic or automations.

  • Social storefronts: minimal portability; data tied to the platform.

Using Review Platforms (Capterra & G2)

Before committing, validate choices with Capterra and G2:

  • Capterra: broad coverage, category filters, verified user reviews.

  • G2: deeper B2B insights, ease-of-use scores, feature comparisons. Use them to:

  1. Filter by use case and budget.

  2. Compare feature ratings side-by-side.

  3. Read recent qualitative feedback.

  4. Verify integration support and regional availability.

Decision Framework

  1. Define the primary job — Sell, Inform, Capture Leads, Host Events.

  2. List must-have features — language, payments, CRM, etc.

  3. Decide speed vs. control — builders for speed, CMS for flexibility.

  4. Check portability & ownership — export options, backups, open formats.

  5. Estimate total cost of ownership (TCO) — hosting, apps, maintenance.

  6. Plan for scale & integration — traffic, content, new channels.

Regional Context

  • US / UK / EU: WordPress dominates; Shopify and Webflow strong among SMBs.

  • South Africa: e-commerce nearing 10% of retail; WhatsApp usage ~94% of social users; hybrid social + web strategies common.

Key Insights & Recommendations

  1. Three main paths: Hosted Builders / CMS / Commerce Suites.

  2. Match tool to the job — Marketing ≠ Commerce ≠ Events.

  3. Portability matters — control data & backups.

  4. TCO counts — subscriptions + plugins + hosting + time.

  5. Validate decisions — check Capterra & G2 reviews, pilot before committing.

Example Use-Cases

  • Startup: Webflow for rapid launch.

  • Nonprofit: WordPress for content depth.

  • Retailer: Shopify for scalable commerce.

  • Event Brand: Unbounce + HubSpot CRM for quick campaigns & automation.

Summary

There’s no one-size-fits-all website platform. The best choice depends on your goals, resources, and growth plan. Builders win on speed, CMSs on control, commerce suites on transactions. The smartest teams plan ahead for portability and evolve their stack as their business grows.

Sources

Simon Moolman
Previous

REPORT: The State of Artificial Intelligence Adoption
Next

Report: Modern-Day Branding for Startups