How we research website builders

Where our facts come from

We use official sources first, in this order:

1. The vendor’s pricing page.
2. The vendor’s help center and developer docs.
3. The vendor’s changelog, blog or press releases, for dates and recent changes.

We use third-party sources only when the vendor publishes nothing on a point, and we label them as third-party. Market figures, such as how many sites run on WordPress, come from named data sources like W3Techs.

If we can’t confirm a number, we don’t guess. The page says it is not published, or leaves it out.

What we don’t do

We do not hold test accounts on every builder. So we don’t claim test results we don’t have, and we don’t give star ratings. We write “according to Squarespace’s pricing page” or “Wix’s help center says”, so you can see where each claim comes from and check it yourself.

Self-hosted WordPress is the exception. We build on WordPress every week, and our owner runs 150+ WordPress sites, so we write about it from first-hand use.

Dates and re-checks

Each page shows the month its facts were checked. The current round was checked in October 2026, and we re-check every platform every three months.

Prices are list prices from the vendor’s page. They don’t include sales tax, coupon codes or short-term promo deals. If we learn of a change between checks, we update the page and note the date.

The exit score

The exit score shows how much of your site you can take with you if you leave a platform. It runs from 0 to 10. We score five parts, each from 0 to 2:

Each score also gets a “skill to leave” rating, such as Medium or High. A platform can score well and still need a developer to move. v0 scores 10 because the code sits in your own GitHub repo, but you need a developer to run the Next.js app it produces.

Scores are based on what each vendor’s export docs say. When the docs leave a gap, that part scores lower and we say why. GoDaddy’s score is marked provisional for this reason.

See every score side by side in the exit score table, and read how to leave your website builder for the steps.

How we work out the 3-year cost

The monthly price on a builder’s homepage is rarely what you end up paying. We add up five things over three years:

1. The plan. We use the price billed yearly, times three. A plan at $29 a month billed yearly comes to $1,044 over three years. For hosts sold on long prepaid terms, like Hostinger, we use the intro price, the term it requires and the renewal price.
2. The domain. Many builders include a free domain for the first year on yearly plans. We add the renewal for years two and three. If the builder doesn’t publish its renewal price, we say so and compare with an independent registrar. For example, Porkbun lists .com renewal at $11.08 a year.
3. Email. Most builders don’t include a business inbox, or include one only for the first year. We price it with Google Workspace Business Starter at $7.00 per user a month on the annual plan, which is $84 per user a year.
4. Apps and plugins. Paid add-ons for things like bookings, forms or reviews, when that type of site usually needs them.
5. Transaction fees. If you sell online, we add the platform’s own cut of each sale, such as the 2% Squarespace charges on store sales on its Basic plan. Card processing is listed separately, since you pay it on nearly every platform. See transaction fees.

The result is an estimate, not a quote. Your numbers will differ, so the cost calculator lets you enter your own plan, mailboxes, apps and sales. The website cost guide walks through full examples.

Fairness and corrections

Every review says who the platform is right for, not only where it falls short. Affiliate commissions never change a score or the order of a list. Our editorial policy has the full rules.

If you find an error, email connect@webbuilding.net. We fix it and note the date on the page.