Compare beginner-friendly website options including Wix, Squarespace, WordPress.com and Canva, plus a done-for-you alternative if you don't want to build it yourself.
Reviewed for 2026
Website builders are much easier to use than they used to be. Wix, Squarespace, WordPress.com, Canva and other platforms can all help beginners create websites without coding. But there's another question worth asking: do you actually want to build the website yourself, or do you simply want an easy way to get a professional website?
There is no single best website builder for every beginner. Wix is a strong choice for people who want a flexible visual editor, Squarespace can suit users who value structured design and polished templates, WordPress.com can suit users who want greater content and publishing flexibility, and Canva can work well for very simple visually led websites. If you do not actually want to build a website yourself, a done-for-you service such as ArrowSite may be easier because the website is built for you.
We use qualitative recommendations by use case rather than artificial numeric scores.
The easiest website builder and the easiest way to get a website are not necessarily the same thing. A beginner-friendly website builder can make software easier to use, but the customer may still need to choose a template, decide the page structure, write or edit the content, choose imagery, configure navigation, adjust layout, review mobile presentation, configure a domain, learn the editing interface and maintain the site after launch.
A done-for-you service changes the problem entirely: instead of making website building easier, it removes website building from the customer's job.
A DIY website builder may be ideal. You get direct editing access, more control, the ability to make changes yourself and a reusable platform skill — but you also accept setup, design decisions, content decisions, learning the editor and ongoing management.
A done-for-you service may be more appropriate. You provide information and feedback, while someone else handles structure, build, layout, technical implementation and platform management.
The choice is DIY vs done-for-you — not easy builder vs difficult builder.
| Option | Beginner model | Coding needed? | Who builds it? | Ongoing control | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wix | Visual / AI DIY | No for normal use | You | High | Flexible DIY |
| Squarespace | Structured visual DIY | No for normal use | You | High | Design-led DIY |
| WordPress.com | Visual / AI / content-focused DIY | No for normal use | You | High | Content growth |
| Canva | Simple visual DIY | No | You | High | Simple visual sites |
| Google Sites | Basic DIY | No | You | High | Very simple sites |
| ArrowSite | Done-for-you | No | ArrowSite | Managed | NZ small businesses that don't want to build |
Platform terms and features change, so check each provider's current plan conditions before choosing.
Beginner advantages
Considerations
Beginner advantages
Considerations
Beginner advantages
Considerations
Beginner advantages
Considerations
Beginner advantages
Considerations
Beginner advantages
Considerations
All of these solutions can avoid coding for ordinary use, so "coding needed?" isn't the only useful definition of difficulty. The more useful question for a beginner is where the work actually sits.
| Task | DIY Builder | ArrowSite |
|---|---|---|
| Choose and build structure | You | ArrowSite |
| Create layouts | You / AI assistance | ArrowSite |
| Add and edit content | You | ArrowSite uses supplied or existing content |
| Design decisions | You | ArrowSite |
| Learn the builder | Yes | No |
| Technical website management | Usually customer / platform mix | ArrowSite |
| Routine self-editing | Yes | No — changes requested from ArrowSite |
| Initial review and feedback | You | You |
Website builders remove coding. Done-for-you services remove building.
For someone who wants to build the website themselves, visual platforms such as Wix, Squarespace and Canva are designed to reduce technical complexity and do not require coding for normal use. Which feels easiest will depend on how much design flexibility the user wants. If the person does not want to build the website at all, the easiest route may be a done-for-you service rather than a website builder.
Most modern website builders require little or no coding knowledge, but they still require the user to learn an editing interface and make website decisions. A done-for-you service requires less website-building knowledge because the provider handles the build, although the customer still needs to supply business information and review the result.
No. Most mainstream website builders now allow beginners to create websites without writing code using templates, visual editors, blocks or AI-assisted generation. Coding may provide additional flexibility on some platforms, but it is not required for ordinary small-business website creation.
WordPress.com can be suitable for beginners, particularly users who value blogging, content publishing and the ability to grow into a broader website platform. It now includes visual editing and AI-assisted website creation, so coding is not required for normal use. However, users wanting the simplest possible brochure website may find that they do not need the breadth of WordPress functionality. WordPress.com (the hosted service) is distinct from self-hosted WordPress.org.
Yes. Wix is designed for non-technical users and provides templates, visual editing and AI-assisted creation. It can be a strong choice for beginners who want to build and manage the website themselves while retaining substantial design flexibility. That flexibility still means the user is responsible for making the website.
Yes. Squarespace is designed to let users create websites without coding and provides professional layouts, visual editing and guided setup. It can suit beginners who value strong design conventions and want to build and manage the site themselves. Squarespace does not currently offer a permanent free website plan — it uses a free trial before a paid subscription.
Yes. Canva's visual website builder is designed to work without coding or previous design experience, making it accessible to existing Canva users and beginners creating relatively simple websites. More sophisticated business requirements may justify a more specialised website platform.
Use a website builder if you want direct control, enjoy learning software, want to make your own changes and have time to work on the site. Consider a done-for-you service if you mainly want the result, do not want to learn website software, and want technical management handled. Consider custom web design if your requirements are complex, such as substantial ecommerce, integrations or bespoke functionality.
Modern website builders can make the technical act of creating pages relatively straightforward, but the user still has to decide what the website should say, how pages should be structured, which images to use and when the site is ready to publish. For some users that creative control is a benefit; for others it is precisely the work they want to avoid.
AI-assisted website builders can reduce the amount of manual setup by generating initial layouts, content suggestions and designs from prompts. However, the user normally still needs to review the generated website, provide accurate business information, choose what to keep, make changes and manage the website after launch. ArrowSite also uses AI-assisted production internally, but AI is not the customer product — ArrowSite performs the build for the customer.
The biggest factor. If you want to build and edit the site, a DIY builder fits. If you want the result without the building, a done-for-you service may be better.
Some free plans use a provider-branded address. Check whether a custom domain (like yourbusiness.co.nz) requires a paid plan.
Look at the actual editor. Visual drag-and-drop, AI generation and templates all reduce friction, but the feel varies between platforms.
Check what support is available — help articles, chat, email or a real person — and whether it's included or paid.
A simple brochure site has very different needs to ecommerce, bookings or member logins. Match the platform to the requirement.
Many builders start free or on trial. Understand the ongoing subscription cost before committing.
With a DIY builder, that's usually you. With a done-for-you service, the provider manages the technical side.
Many comparison guides begin by asking "Wix or Squarespace?" But there is a prior decision: do you actually want to build and manage the website yourself? If yes, compare builders. If no, compare done-for-you services.
The first website decision for a beginner isn't which builder to use. It's whether you want to build the website yourself at all.
| If you… | Consider… |
|---|---|
| Want lots of DIY design control | Wix |
| Want design guardrails and polished templates | Squarespace |
| Expect content or blogging to be important | WordPress.com |
| Already use Canva and need something simple | Canva |
| Need an extremely simple information site | Google Sites |
| Don't want to build the website yourself | ArrowSite if suitable |
| Need ecommerce or custom functionality | More advanced platform / custom website |
| Want to edit everything yourself after launch | DIY builder rather than ArrowSite |
ArrowSite can be particularly simple for a New Zealand small-business owner who mainly needs a professional brochure website and does not want to build or technically manage it. If enough useful business information already exists online, the business may qualify for a $0 design and build, followed by $40/month Website Hosting if the website is activated. See if you qualify or read about how it works.
Choose a DIY builder if you want direct backend access, expect to make frequent changes yourself or enjoy controlling the design and website setup. ArrowSite is deliberately a managed, done-for-you service, so it is better suited to businesses that want the website handled for them.
If you're a New Zealand small-business owner who wants a professional website without learning website software, ArrowSite may be a better fit than a DIY builder. If there's enough existing business information online, we may be able to build it for $0.
Free Website: $0 design & build if eligible. No obligation to activate the preview. If you launch: $40/month Website Hosting, 12-month minimum.
New Website: From $995 + $40/month Website Hosting. 12-month minimum.
If you already have enough useful business information online, you may qualify for a $0 ArrowSite build. If you're starting from scratch, New Websites start from $995.
$0 design & build if eligible. No obligation to activate the preview. If you launch: $40/month Website Hosting, 12-month minimum.
New Website from $995 + $40/month Website Hosting. 12-month minimum.