Best Website Builders UK — We Built This One, After All
We built this very website, so we have opinions about website builders. Whether you're starting an online store, a blog, or a portfolio, the platform you pick matters more than you think. Here's the honest take.
Shopify — When to Use It
Shopify is the undisputed king of e-commerce. If you're selling physical products — whether that's ten items or ten thousand — it's the right choice. The inventory management, payment processing, shipping integrations, and app ecosystem are unmatched.
You don't need to be technical; the themes are polished and the dashboard is genuinely intuitive. The catch: it's not cheap (plans start around £25/month plus transaction fees on lower tiers), and it's overkill if you're not selling things. If you're running a shop, though, there is genuinely no better option.
Weblium — The Lightweight Option
Weblium is for when you need a website but not an e-commerce platform. It's a drag-and-drop builder that's simpler than Shopify and cheaper than most competitors. Good for portfolios, small business sites, landing pages, and blogs.
The templates are clean, the editor is beginner-friendly, and the pricing is sensible. It won't handle a complex online store, but if you need a professional-looking site without hiring a developer, it's a solid pick. Think of it as the 'I just need a website' option.
Ecommerce vs Blog vs Portfolio — Which Tool?
The platform should match the purpose. Selling products: Shopify, no contest. Writing a blog or building a personal brand: Weblium or WordPress. Portfolio or simple business site: Weblium is the easiest, WordPress gives more control if you're technical.
The mistake people make is using Shopify for a blog (it can do it, but it's not designed for it) or WordPress for e-commerce (WooCommerce works, but it's fiddly compared to Shopify). Pick the tool built for what you're doing.
Costs Breakdown
Shopify: £25–£180/month depending on plan, plus transaction fees (0.5–2%) on non-Shopify Payments transactions. Weblium: around £8–15/month for a premium plan with a custom domain.
WordPress: the software is free, but hosting costs £3–20/month, plus themes and plugins if you want premium ones. Domain registration is £10–15/year regardless of platform. For a simple site, Weblium is the cheapest path. For a real shop, Shopify's costs are justified by what it does.
If you're selling anything physical, start with Shopify — it's the best e-commerce platform and worth every penny. If you just need a website (portfolio, blog, small business), Weblium is the easier, cheaper choice. Don't overcomplicate it: pick the tool built for what you're actually doing.