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GoDaddy
Overview
Need to get your e-commerce store up quickly? Then GoDaddy is the e-commerce solution for you, mainly because of its use of ADI (Artificial Design Intelligence), which helps steer your design based on a few questions.
Themes
GoDaddy has over 100 templates. it’s ADI means it can support over 1,500 different types of businesses. That said, its ADI also prevents you from fiddling too much with its templates. However, unlike Wix and Site123, you can junk your existing theme for a new one, and GoDaddy will import all your elements.
Overall
Probably the simplest to use, given its ADI support which takes website building out of your hands, based on a few questions.
However, if you’re selling more than a few product lines, you might be better off with a more scalable platform, such as Shopify.
Pros
- ADI makes website creation easy.
- Strong email campaigns.
- In-depth reporting tools.
Cons
- ADI limits your options when it comes to customising your website.
- Some of its features are clunky compared to rivals.
- Unlike Shopify and Squarespace, you cannot sell directly to social channels such as Facebook or Instagram.
Pricing
7-day free trial.
| Starter | £5 per month | Sell instantly through social media and messaging apps or a simple online store |
| Basic | £7.99 per month | Custom domain, editing tools, AI writing and content creation, site analytics, free professional email, live chat and contact forms, SSL, remove “Powered by GoDaddy” branding |
| Personal | £9.99 per month | SEO tools, create and schedule 20 social media posts per month and send email marketing campaigns to 500 users per month, create content with GoDaddy Studio |
| Professional | £11.99 per month | Book appointments and events booking system, unlimited social media posts per month, email marketing campaigns to 25,000 users per month |
| Performance | £13.99 per month | List products and services, multiple payment options, flexible shipping options, create discounts and promotions |
Shopify
Overview
A big differentiator between Shopify and rival website builders is that Shopify has its own physical point-of-sale hardware you buy with barcode readers, tills and receipt printers. It’s an all-in-one system for anyone with a physical shop.
The first thing you see on Shopify is an easy-to-understand dashboard overview.
Uploading products is easy for anybody used to a WordPress-style CMS.
You can add new plugins for your site, including a range of apps which sync offering shipping, accounting, social media and advanced reporting. However, the sheer number of apps can be overwhelming and a black mark in Shopify’s book for not including more basic functionality in its packages.
Themes
Shopify offers 268 themes, just 23 of which are free. Like Squarespace, the themes are beautifully designed and offer whizzy features like parallax scrolling and video backgrounds.
One niggle is that Shopify does not automatically resize uploaded photographs, so if you have product shots in different aspect ratios, you must edit in Photoshop before uploading to your website.
E-commerce
Shopify integrates with Snapchat, Facebook, Pinterest and Manager for easy sales though social media.
The platform recently unveiled an “impressive array of product launches” to enhance e-commerce, according to US analyst Josh Beck of KeyBanc, including “complex” shipping automation capabilities, multi-currency features and improved developer tools.
One downside with Shopify is that, unlike Wix, Weebly and Squarespace, Shopify does charge 2.2pc on each credit card transaction plus an additional 20p.
Overall
Shopify is the best website builder for businesses that have a physical shop but also want to sell online.
Pros
- Best for shops with a physical outlet who also want to sell online.
- Well-designed themes.
- Easy to use.
Cons
- Transaction fees for those using a third-party payment gateway can get pricy.
- Number of bolt-on plugins can be overwhelming.
- Often you have to download an app to add basic functionality that is bundled with other e-commerce offers.
Pricing
3-day free trial. 3 months of Shopify for £ per month on select plans
| Basic | £19 per month | 2% + 25p GBP online 1.7% + 0p GBP in person 2% 3rd-party payment providers |
| Grow | £49 per month | 1.7% + 25p GBP online 1.6% + 0p GBP in person 1% 3rd-party payment providers |
| Advanced | £259 per month | 1.5% + 25p GBP online 1.5% + 0p GBP in person 0.6% 3rd-party payment providers |
Ionos
Overview
IONOS has its own easy-to-use website builder with affordable plans for creating basic websites and online e-commerce stores. All sites are mobile friendly with SEO and analytics functionality.
Themes
The IONOS website builder has you choose from pre-designed templates and insert text and images where you want. What this means is that there are no individual elements you can move around, but rather, full-width page sections you can move up and down.
There are around 40 templates to choose from, including:
- Wedding
- CV
- Restaurant
- Business
- Travel
- Real estate
- Photography
- Children’s hospital
- NGO
- Bakery
- Interior design
- Law firm
- Tattoo artist
- Digital agency
Still, templates can be useful, especially if you want to launch your site quickly.
IONOS also makes it easy to set up an ecommerce store – all you have to do is add a store page to your site. If you already have your products listed in a spreadsheet, you can import a CSV to populate your storefront.
Overall
Overall, this website builder is a decent option if you want to launch a professional-looking website quickly and cheaply, and don’t mind giving up some creative control along the way.
Pros
- Inexpensive ecommerce plans
- Sites look very professional
- Sell across multiple channels
- Builder comes with AI assistant
Cons
- Only 18 templates
- Limited customisation options
Pricing
Ionos is currently offering discounts ranging from 40% to 97% for between 6 and 12 months, depending on the plan.
| Plan | Website only / online store (not including discount | Website only features | Online store features |
| Starter | £10 / £22 per month | AI Website Builder, domain included for 1 year, professional email address with 2 GB storage, 10 GB webspace & 10 pages, competitor tracking with marketingRadar | Up to 500 physical products, integrated payment and shipping methods, sell directly on Facebook and Instagram, advertise on TikTok |
| Plus | £16 / 30 per month | Professional email address with 12 GB storage, 50 GB webspace & 200 pages, site analytics, online booking tool, AI Text Generator & AI Text Improver, professional design with the AI Image Generator, AI SEO Text Generator | 5,000 items and digital products up to 1 GB each, mobile app for shop management, Google Ads, Google Ads remarketing and Google Shopping, Online booking tool, AI text generator |
| Pro | £30 / £65 per month | Professional email address with active syncing on all devices and 50 GB storage, unlimited webspace & pages, SEO with rankingCoach Standard | 10,000 items and digital products up to 1 GB each, sell directly on Facebook and Instagram, advanced product SEO |
| Expert | £92 per month | N/A | Unlimited number of items and digital products up to 10 GB each, sell on external marketplaces, B2B features like volume discounts and customer groups |
Further reading
Top five online businesses you can start today – Ground-breaking companies have been founded in garages, dorm rooms and home offices. Here are five online business ideas for inspiration
Your guide to starting an online business – A survey of small and micro-businesses found businesses with a website were 51 per cent more likely to grow than those without
Advantages of a merchant account for your e-commerce business – A merchant account acts as the buffer between your customer and your business account. Think of it as a holding pen where your money is parked while your e-commerce sale is validated
Webador
Overview
Webador is a user-friendly website builder that allows you to create a professional site in minutes. Designed for small business owners, it offers a straightforward editor, e-commerce support, and AI tools that make getting online quick and hassle-free.
Like Wix, GoDaddy, and Site123, Webador also includes artificial intelligence to help you get started — simply describe your business, and the AI builds a site tailored to your needs.
Themes
Webador offers a range of modern, mobile-optimised templates. While not as extensive as Wix’s 2,000+ options, the selection is curated for clarity and ease of use. Once you’ve selected a theme, you can customise the colour scheme, layout, and content to fit your brand.
All site pages are fully responsive, meaning they’ll look great on smartphones, tablets, and desktops.
Overall
Webador is ideal for users who want a fast, uncomplicated way to build a website or online shop. Its AI builder gets your site online quickly, and the drag-and-drop editor is intuitive enough for beginners. If you’re a small business owner or individual seeking a polished online presence, Webador is a strong option.
However, those needing more advanced e-commerce tools or deep design flexibility may find limitations compared to platforms like Shopify or WordPress.
Pros
- Quick setup with AI-assisted website creation
- Responsive design across all devices
- Built-in SEO tools for better search rankings
- Affordable, especially for small businesses and individuals
- No commission fees on sales from your online store
- Free domain for the first year on paid plans
Cons
- Template selection is limited compared to competitors like Wix
- Less flexibility for design-heavy users
- No live chat support — help is via email or support tickets
- Advanced e-commerce functions are basic compared to platforms like Shopify
Pricing
Webador offers a free plan, ideal for individuals and hobbyists. Paid plans include a free domain for the first year and more professional features, such as online stores and custom email addresses.
| Free | £0 per month | Essential features only, no domain, includes Webador branding |
| Lite | £4.50 per month | Basic features with domain name, ads shown on site |
| Pro | £8.50 per month | Online store (10 products), 1 mailbox, free domain (1 year) |
| Business | £17 per month | Unlimited online store, 1 XL mailbox, free domain (1 year), no start-up costs |
Webador is currently offering a 50% discount for your first year.
GoDaddy
Overview
Need to get your e-commerce store up quickly? Then GoDaddy is the e-commerce solution for you, mainly because of its use of ADI (Artificial Design Intelligence), which helps steer your design based on a few questions.
Themes
GoDaddy has over 100 templates. it’s ADI means it can support over 1,500 different types of businesses. That said, its ADI also prevents you from fiddling too much with its templates. However, unlike Wix and Site123, you can junk your existing theme for a new one, and GoDaddy will import all your elements.
Overall
Probably the simplest to use, given its ADI support which takes website building out of your hands, based on a few questions.
However, if you’re selling more than a few product lines, you might be better off with a more scalable platform, such as Shopify.
Pros
- ADI makes website creation easy.
- Strong email campaigns.
- In-depth reporting tools.
Cons
- ADI limits your options when it comes to customising your website.
- Some of its features are clunky compared to rivals.
- Unlike Shopify and Squarespace, you cannot sell directly to social channels such as Facebook or Instagram.
Pricing
7-day free trial.
| Starter | £5 per month | Sell instantly through social media and messaging apps or a simple online store |
| Basic | £7.99 per month | Custom domain, editing tools, AI writing and content creation, site analytics, free professional email, live chat and contact forms, SSL, remove “Powered by GoDaddy” branding |
| Personal | £9.99 per month | SEO tools, create and schedule 20 social media posts per month and send email marketing campaigns to 500 users per month, create content with GoDaddy Studio |
| Professional | £11.99 per month | Book appointments and events booking system, unlimited social media posts per month, email marketing campaigns to 25,000 users per month |
| Performance | £13.99 per month | List products and services, multiple payment options, flexible shipping options, create discounts and promotions |
Shopify
Overview
A big differentiator between Shopify and rival website builders is that Shopify has its own physical point-of-sale hardware you buy with barcode readers, tills and receipt printers. It’s an all-in-one system for anyone with a physical shop.
The first thing you see on Shopify is an easy-to-understand dashboard overview.
Uploading products is easy for anybody used to a WordPress-style CMS.
You can add new plugins for your site, including a range of apps which sync offering shipping, accounting, social media and advanced reporting. However, the sheer number of apps can be overwhelming and a black mark in Shopify’s book for not including more basic functionality in its packages.
Themes
Shopify offers 268 themes, just 23 of which are free. Like Squarespace, the themes are beautifully designed and offer whizzy features like parallax scrolling and video backgrounds.
One niggle is that Shopify does not automatically resize uploaded photographs, so if you have product shots in different aspect ratios, you must edit in Photoshop before uploading to your website.
E-commerce
Shopify integrates with Snapchat, Facebook, Pinterest and Manager for easy sales though social media.
The platform recently unveiled an “impressive array of product launches” to enhance e-commerce, according to US analyst Josh Beck of KeyBanc, including “complex” shipping automation capabilities, multi-currency features and improved developer tools.
One downside with Shopify is that, unlike Wix, Weebly and Squarespace, Shopify does charge 2.2pc on each credit card transaction plus an additional 20p.
Overall
Shopify is the best website builder for businesses that have a physical shop but also want to sell online.
Pros
- Best for shops with a physical outlet who also want to sell online.
- Well-designed themes.
- Easy to use.
Cons
- Transaction fees for those using a third-party payment gateway can get pricy.
- Number of bolt-on plugins can be overwhelming.
- Often you have to download an app to add basic functionality that is bundled with other e-commerce offers.
Pricing
3-day free trial. 3 months of Shopify for £ per month on select plans
| Basic | £19 per month | 2% + 25p GBP online 1.7% + 0p GBP in person 2% 3rd-party payment providers |
| Grow | £49 per month | 1.7% + 25p GBP online 1.6% + 0p GBP in person 1% 3rd-party payment providers |
| Advanced | £259 per month | 1.5% + 25p GBP online 1.5% + 0p GBP in person 0.6% 3rd-party payment providers |
Ionos
Overview
IONOS has its own easy-to-use website builder with affordable plans for creating basic websites and online e-commerce stores. All sites are mobile friendly with SEO and analytics functionality.
Themes
The IONOS website builder has you choose from pre-designed templates and insert text and images where you want. What this means is that there are no individual elements you can move around, but rather, full-width page sections you can move up and down.
There are around 40 templates to choose from, including:
- Wedding
- CV
- Restaurant
- Business
- Travel
- Real estate
- Photography
- Children’s hospital
- NGO
- Bakery
- Interior design
- Law firm
- Tattoo artist
- Digital agency
Still, templates can be useful, especially if you want to launch your site quickly.
IONOS also makes it easy to set up an ecommerce store – all you have to do is add a store page to your site. If you already have your products listed in a spreadsheet, you can import a CSV to populate your storefront.
Overall
Overall, this website builder is a decent option if you want to launch a professional-looking website quickly and cheaply, and don’t mind giving up some creative control along the way.
Pros
- Inexpensive ecommerce plans
- Sites look very professional
- Sell across multiple channels
- Builder comes with AI assistant
Cons
- Only 18 templates
- Limited customisation options
Pricing
Ionos is currently offering discounts ranging from 40% to 97% for between 6 and 12 months, depending on the plan.
| Plan | Website only / online store (not including discount | Website only features | Online store features |
| Starter | £10 / £22 per month | AI Website Builder, domain included for 1 year, professional email address with 2 GB storage, 10 GB webspace & 10 pages, competitor tracking with marketingRadar | Up to 500 physical products, integrated payment and shipping methods, sell directly on Facebook and Instagram, advertise on TikTok |
| Plus | £16 / 30 per month | Professional email address with 12 GB storage, 50 GB webspace & 200 pages, site analytics, online booking tool, AI Text Generator & AI Text Improver, professional design with the AI Image Generator, AI SEO Text Generator | 5,000 items and digital products up to 1 GB each, mobile app for shop management, Google Ads, Google Ads remarketing and Google Shopping, Online booking tool, AI text generator |
| Pro | £30 / £65 per month | Professional email address with active syncing on all devices and 50 GB storage, unlimited webspace & pages, SEO with rankingCoach Standard | 10,000 items and digital products up to 1 GB each, sell directly on Facebook and Instagram, advanced product SEO |
| Expert | £92 per month | N/A | Unlimited number of items and digital products up to 10 GB each, sell on external marketplaces, B2B features like volume discounts and customer groups |
Further reading
Top five online businesses you can start today – Ground-breaking companies have been founded in garages, dorm rooms and home offices. Here are five online business ideas for inspiration
Your guide to starting an online business – A survey of small and micro-businesses found businesses with a website were 51 per cent more likely to grow than those without
Advantages of a merchant account for your e-commerce business – A merchant account acts as the buffer between your customer and your business account. Think of it as a holding pen where your money is parked while your e-commerce sale is validated
