MethodThe Same-Site Build Test: one 5-page site, every builder
Pick the right website builder — and know what it costs after year one.
We’re setting out to build the same 5-page small-business site on each website builder we review, starting with Wix. For each one, we’ll record how long it took, how it looks on a phone, how fast it loads, and what you’ll actually pay over 24 months, domain and email included. Results go live as each test is finished.
Independent. No builder pays for placement. How we make money
Review · layout preview
Wix: Same-Site Build Test
- Build time
- No value yet.Time to publish 5 pages
- Steps
- No value yet.Screens and settings
- Mobile speed
- No value yet.PageSpeed, mobile
- 12-month cost
- No value yet.Incl. domain & email
- 24-month cost
- No value yet.After renewal
- Lock-in
- No value yet.What you can export
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
One test site. Every builder. Same checklist.
Feature lists don’t tell you what it actually takes to get a small business online.
So we wrote one test to run on every builder we review hands-on. We build the same 5-page site: home, about, services, a contact form and a blog post. Then we record:
Build time and steps
How long it takes us to publish, and how many screens and settings it takes.
Mobile result
How the site looks and works on a real phone.
Mobile speed
The Google PageSpeed (mobile) score of the published test site.
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 export if you leave, and what you can’t.
Our first test, on Wix, is up next. No results are published yet. Each result appears with its test date once it’s logged.
True-cost calculator
See the price after the intro deal ends.
Enter the figures from any builder’s pricing page. The chart shows what you pay each month for 24 months, and the bill below adds it up line by line.
Chart view
Sample values. Replace them with the builder’s current prices. Not a quote.
24-month total
$572
Intro price × 24 would be $288. The real total is $284 more.
| Intro: 12 × $12 | $144 |
|---|---|
| Renewal: 12 × $22 | $264 |
| Domain, year two | $20 |
| Email: 24 × $6 | $144 |
| Total | $572 |
Explore
Start where your question is
Best Builders
Our top picks by need: easiest, cheapest over 24 months, best for SEO, best for design.
See the best buildersCompare
Two builders, the same test site, side by side. Wix vs Squarespace, WordPress vs Wix and more.
Compare buildersBy Business
Builders matched to what your business actually needs, from photographers to plumbers.
Find your business typeOnline Stores
Selling products? Which builders handle a small store well, and what the fees add up to.
See store buildersHosting & Domains
Going the WordPress route, or just need a domain and email? Start here.
See hosting and domainsGuides
Step-by-step help: connect a domain, set up email, move builders, get found on Google.
Browse guides
Test status
On the bench
No results are published yet. Each one appears with its test date once it’s logged.
| Builder | Status | Build test | Pricing check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wix | Up next | Not done yet | Not done yet |
| Squarespace | Planned | Not done yet | Not done yet |
| WordPress.com | Planned | Not done yet | Not done yet |
| Hostinger | Planned | Not done yet | Not done yet |
Latest tests and guides
Nothing is published yet: our first test, on Wix, is up next. We only publish a page when it meets our editorial policy. Our newsletter isn’t open yet; once it is, it will announce the first results.
Website builders for small businesses, solo pros and creators
Who this is for
Small business owners, solo professionals and creators who need a website and don’t want to become web developers to get one.
You might be a photographer who needs a portfolio, a consultant who needs a clean services page, or a local business that needs people to find your phone number. You want a site that looks right on a phone, shows up on Google and doesn’t cost twice what you expected in year two.
We’re an independent publisher, not a web agency or a builder. We don’t build sites for clients. Some links earn us a commission. Here’s how that works, and why it doesn’t decide our picks.