The best website builders for photographers in 2022
In this guide to the best website builders for photographers, we'll help you narrow down exactly what you should be looking for. Whether you simply want a place to show off your portfolio, or you want to start selling your prints and services, there's a website builder that will suit your needs.
The idea of building a website from scratch can feel incredibly daunting - especially if you're not particularly computer savvy. But fear not, website building sites make it incredibly easy and often operate a 'drag and drop system so you can start adding content blocks to your site. If you've ever eyed up another photographer's site and thought how beautiful it is, chances are they've started off with a simple template and expanded on it to make it their own. You no longer have to worry about knowing how to code as these website builders do that all behind the scenes for you.
Lots of these website-building platforms offer a free trial so you can have a play on different sites before deciding which one is best for you. Creating a website gives your images a more permanent home and is a great way of coming across as a professional. Using social media is a great tool for sharing imagery when you're starting out but building a website will allow you to have more control over your brand.
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In this guide, we've rounded up the best website builders for photographers to help you get the most out of your images. But first, let's look at some of the criteria for choosing your website builder.
Top website builder for creatives | Currently 50% off
Format is a website builder that we love and that keeps adding new features to its armory. Digital Camera World has an exclusive code to help you save 50% off any annual plan using the code SUMMER50.View Deal
Budget website builder for just $3.54 / £3 per month
Wix makes it quick and easy to get your site up and running. Choose from 500+ templates, add your own content, and you'll have your own site online, at a bargain monthly price.
View Deal
Top website builder for pro photographers
Zenfolio is one of the favorite solutions for pro photographers around the globe - and its appeal is it supreme ease of use. Pricing from $5/month.View Deal
Best website builders for photographers in 2022
1. Format
Save yourself 50% with the code SUMMER50
14 day free trial
Online store option
Easy to use
Could be cheaper
You get a lot for your money when you sign up to Format, especially when you opt for the annual plan and use the code DCW15 to save 15%. It's a little more pricey than other platforms starting at $12 a month for an annual plan but it does include a wide range of useful services. However, it is currently 50% off with the code SUMMER50 for a short period only.
I found the website builder really to use, there is an option to build each page entirely from scratch or you can choose from one of the templates provided. You'll be recommended certain themes that are more geared towards photography portfolios but even these can be customized. Format offers a 14-day free trial so you'll have plenty of opportunities to test it out and decide if you like it or not.
There is also an option to include a shop on your website should you want to sell prints. Format isn't the cheapest but it has a lot of features that are worth paying for and is especially good for anyone who wants a lot of control over how the site looks.
Since 2021, Format is also able to host videos but you'll need to pay a higher monthly fee starting at $18.
2. Zenfolio
Voted the #1 website builder by pro photographers
Affordable
Sell prints immediately
Great experience for user and client
Easier options for beginners
The Zenfolio site states its the number one website builder, as voted by professional photographers. And the deeper we delve into its offerings, we can understand why. One of the biggest pulls for Zenfolio is its clearly well-considered toolset, which looks to really help photography businesses grow. Its features focus not only on the user but their clients too – something other website builders on the market might not.
Zenfolio offers a variety of templates that can be easily customized to suit your brand and make you stand out. It's quick and easy to upload photo galleries and there is an option to password protect them - which is great if you're a wedding photographer. There's a built-in payment system that makes selling your prints a breeze, and unlimited storage, image protection and image security are guaranteed.
In addition to all that, Zenfolio automatically adjusts image sizes to suit a device and features auto-dim effects and image optimization to make browsing photo collections the best experience they can be. Price plans start at as little as just $5 a month, making this quality website builder an absolute steal.
3. Squarespace
If you need a website fast but want it to look beautiful Squarespace is the obvious choice
Designing is easy
Loads of functionality
Good image display options
No free tier
Popularity makes it hard to be original
Squarespace is one of the most popular website builders around - but it's especially good for image-driven photography websites. Once you've chosen your desired template you can start filling it in and building on it to make it more unique. Using a 'block' system you can add sections of text, image, galleries or quotes either from a template or you can create your own. There are templates for anything from contact sheets and price lists to reviews and portfolios which help to put a site together quickly.
Unfortunately, there is no free tier with Squarespace so if you're just looking to make a website for fun there are better options out there. However, if you are looking to create a website to take your business to the next level, Squarespace offers a user-friendly design interface, competitive pricing and the ability to add an e-commerce section to your site. Squarespace also offers students 50% off their first full year when they sign up with an educational email address.
Squarespace's strength is also perhaps is weakness in that sites can start to look quite similar if you're not careful. You can sign up for a two-week free trial so if you start building a website and decide it's not the platform for you, you can change your mind without spending a penny.
4. Editor X
Sleek templates, an easy-to-use web builder and a free SSL certificate - shame there isn't a plan with unlimited storage
Looks slick and modern
Very customizable
Free SSL certificate
Even the "Ultra" package doesn't have unlimited storage
Editor X is the new website builder from Wix that promises advanced web design layouts without having to know CSS. The drag and drop builder allows you to control the position, size and design elements when it comes to text, photos, graphics and headers. Choose the font, font color and font size, add containers, galleries, grid layouts and embed your social media news feed.
It offers a wide range of integrated business solutions including eCommerce should you want to sell prints and professional marketing and SEO tools. Price plans start at £15 a month for the most basic package which includes 10GB storage, a free domain for a year and 24/7 help. The Ultra package is for those after the "VIP" experience and it includes 35GB of storage space, visitor analytics for one year and up to 10 hours of video content. With Editor X you can create complex, unique websites with ease and without having to know any coding at all.
5. Wix
With a free option to choose from it's ideal for anyone just starting out who can't spend lots on a site
Easy to use
Free version
Limited storage (with free version)
Extra cost for ecommerce
Fixed designs
While not aimed specifically at photographers, we couldn't not Wix in a list of the best website builders. One of the most popular website creators around, Wix offers photographers an easy way in to creating an online home.
Wix's services have been built with the novice in mind, providing everything you need to get started in a simple and accessible way. There's library of over 500 templates to choose from, 30 of which have been designed for photographers. A simple-to-use drag-and-drop editor enables easy placement of text and images on a page, and in just two clicks, you can access the image upload manager to upload, review, edit and manage photos as you see fit.
Wix offers all the functions a photographer might want, but if you want your website to operate more than just a bog standard online portfolio, with ecommerce functionality and unlimited storage for example, you'll have to pay more. And if that's the case, one of the other more dedicated photography services on this list might be better suited. Wix's design options are also slightly limited, for example, there's no option to change templates at a later date (unless you want to start from scratch).
6. Weebly
Unlimited storage and a huge variety of apps makes Weebly a top choice for photographers
Unlimited storage
Huge variety of apps
Advanced features cost more
Reduced image quality
Another popular name in the website building world, Weebly is a powerful editor that offers a wide range of features. Weebly's free version is adequate if you are simply looking to quickly get your images online, but it limits space to 500MB and imposes (usually unwanted) ads on your site. If you need and want more from your website, its premium plans offer unlimited storage, custom domain connections and access to many other hugely useful tools to help fully customise your web design
One of Weebly's biggest draws for photographers, in particular, is the above mentioned unlimited storage. There's also its impressive Weebly App Center, which offers incredible scope to drive your site's functionality. However this is only available to premium access subscribers, which doesn't come cheap.
Like Wix, Weebly operates as a simple drag & drop builder and takes just two clicks to add a gallery and start uploading images, so it's a good option those new to creating their very own corner of the internet. However it's worth noting Weebly's auto-optimise function when uploading, which can result in a slight loss in image quality.
7. SmugMug
Sell prints and upload unlimited photos with the photo focussed SmugMug
Easy to use
Sell prints immediately
Images fully protected
Unlimited photo uploads
Cheaper options available
Labelled as the 'home for photographers', website builder SmugMug has been developed from the ground up to specifically accommodate the needs of photographers.
At a very base level, SmugMug provides a quick and easy way to showcase and sell your images online. But what sets the platform apart from other website builders is its photography-focussed features. This includes unlimited photo uploads, backed up by cloud storage, ecommerce optimisation, the ability to sync a photo library with Lightroom, add custom watermarks to fully protect your work and an in-built printing service so visitors can order images directly from the website. SmugMug also supports connection with users own domain names.
Unlike some of the other options on this list, there's no free version of SmugMug available, however there is the option to trial the software for 14 days to see if it suits. If you decide in that time that SmugMug is the website builder for you, there's four different price plans, which meet a range of skill level and needs, to choose from.
7. Photoshelter
It's not the cheapest option but it's highly customisable and has a shop section
Highly customisable templates
Full image protection
Integrated shopping cart
Pricey
Limited storage options
The clue is in the name: Photoshelter is a dedicated website builder for photographers. It doesn't have the scope of many of the other website builders on this list when it comes to templates, offering just nine in total, but each of those offer the functionality a photographer might want. Highly customisable, you can add your logo, fonts and colour palette, and you can access everything on the go with a dedicated mobile app too.
Photoshelter offers an integrated shopping cart, with transaction fees of 8-10 percent. It also boasts over 100 features developed specifically for professional photographers, including sophisticated image protection and file back ups. However you'll have to pay for the privilege. There are three different pricing plans to choose from, with only the pro version (which will cost you at least $45 a month) offering unlimited storage. Cheaper pricing options also limits the monthly bandwidth allotment for client downloads too, with the basic subscription offering just 5GB.
There's no doubt about it, Photoshelter has a lot to offer, you just need to be prepared slightly more for it than some of the other dedicated photography website builders on the market.
8. GoDaddy
This no thrills and frills website builder is perfect for beginners
Highly affordable
Easy to use
Limited functionality
Rigid design options
The GoDaddy website builder homepage likens using the platform to being as 'simple as updating your Facebook page'. Best known for its web hosting services, GoDaddy's beginner-friendly website builder incorporates Artificial Design Intelligence (ADI) to help make the process of creating your own website easier than ever before.
The technology takes information provided by the user to create a customised site quickly, making it perfect for beginners. This and the option to integrate ecommerce functionality makes GoDaddy a great choice for anyone who wants an online presence immediately.
In terms of templates, there's thousands to choose from, many of which would be well suited to a photography portfolio. However, GoDaddy is somewhat lacking in specific photography features, which means limited storage for your photos and nothing in the way of image protection. GoDaddy is also quite rigid in its design options, which makes having any kind of creative freedom quite limiting. Plus, if you decide at any point you want to switch templates, like Wix, it means starting from scratch.
But GoDaddy's lack of certain features and functionality is reflected in the price. There are four cost options to choose from, all of which are significantly cheaper than many other website builders on this list. GoDaddy is a good website builder for photographers who are on a bit of a budget but want to get online quickly and without any fuss.
9. Pixpa
Simple and easy to use with professional looking results
Easy to use
Highly affordable
Ecommerce optimised
Lacks advanced features
Pixpa is not only a great website builder for photographers but for creatives in general. It offers integrated eCommerce, blogging, client proofing tools and best of all, without having to understand coding. Like many of the other services on the list, it uses a drag and drop website builder so that the whole website creation process is very visual. For the price, it still has lots of features and useful tools that you can use to create a unique-looking website. Price plans start at just $6 a month though it's worth bearing in mind with the cheapest plan you can only upload 200 images. Upgrade to the 'Grow' package for an extra $3 a month and you will get a free domain name, the ability to sell up to 10 products plus extra images.
If you're looking for a highly affordable option to set up a simple but professional-looking site, you'd be hard pushed to find a better website builder than Pixpa.
10. Adobe Portfolio
If you already have Adobe Creative Cloud it does the job
Comes free with Creative Cloud's Photography & All Apps plans
Stylish designs
Simple to use
You need a Creative Cloud subscription
No ability to host a shop
Limited design options
If you already have a Creative Cloud subscription Adobe Portfolio will do the job but I wouldn't pay for it as a website builder. While it is easy to use you are limited by how much you can customize it. There's no way of making a Home page for example and you can't change the layouts of the templates. You can't be particularly creative with the design either so if you want to build a website with a bit of oomph, definitely look elsewhere.
That being said, if you are simply looking for a website that you can use as a portfolio it is very easy to use and you can quickly upload a lot of content. You can also import images directly from Lightroom and add photos into grids. There is no option to add a store on the website so if you have any plans to sell prints or services, a different web-building site would be better.
If you take out the Adobe Creative Cloud Photography plan (for around £10 / $10) or the Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps plan (for around £50 / $50), then you'll get free access to Adobe Portfolio.
How to choose the best website builder for photographers
Choosing the best website builder to show off your photography portfolio may feel a little daunting - especially if you've never done it before. There are so many different options to choose from so it's a good idea to spend some time thinking about what you want your site to include before you start paying for a service. If you just want to show off your images then you can get away with a much simpler and less expensive website builder. However, if you want to sell prints or services, upload videos or sync your social media you'll have to look for a site with commercial capabilities.
Storage is also a big consideration - if you have lots of images you want to upload and you want to update it regularly, you'll need a website builder that offers unlimited storage or at least the option to upgrade your storage at a later date. Many of the cheaper plans will give you a set amount of storage which is fine if you just have a few choice images to upload. If you're worried about your images being downloaded and used without your permission, some sites will give you the option to add a watermark or even password protect certain galleries.
What you call your website is completely down to you but you'll want it to reflect your brand and the photography you offer. You will look a lot more professional if you have a unique domain rather than yourname.wix.com and luckily, most plans include a free domain. If it doesn't you can buy a domain separately from one of the best web hosting sites for photographers and import it. A lot of sites will offers a free domain for the first year but after that will charge so it's best to make sure it won't cost you an arm and a leg.
On this note, it's always worth determining how much you're willing to spend before you start seriously looking for a website builder. While there are free website builders out there, most will require you to invest a little cash for hosting and maintaining your website (which is fair enough). Many offer flexible pricing plans so you can determine the level that's right for you, so if money's tight, do shop around to see which one is most suitable.
Whatever your photography website needs to be, here you'll find everything you need to make an informed decision on which is the best website builder for you.
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