No artist can afford to be offline. A website is as vital to an artist as a paintbrush is to a painter. But what sort of website should you have and which is the best website builder?

Chances are you don’t really need or want to know how they work. The whole point of using a web-building platform for your art website is that the letters HTML never have to cross your keyboard.

Generally, using a CMS (content management system) or web builder—free or paid—means you can avoid paying a web developer to do it. Instead you can build a site from a choice of designs and then simply drag and drop or click to create boxes to fill with text and pictures.

What’s the difference between a CMS and web builder?

The main difference is that a web builder is usually an all-in-one site that will include hosting (making it accessible online) and offer a domain (web address) as well as all the templates to create pages.

A content management system will provide the building bit—the creating, storing and publishing of the website—but the hosting and domain is up to you to purchase separately. A CMS is usually more sophisticated and requires more web knowledge.

The code is still there somewhere, but someone has already done it for you, so all you see is a menu to insert text boxes, images and other web content.

Examples of CMS and web builder platforms include WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, Magento, Squarespace and Wix. All have a slightly different way of working, with some more technically minded and requiring a web address (domain) and a hosting service (this is the bit that gets you onto the web).  

Learn more about the differences between a CMS and a web builder from the geeksperts at digital.com.

How difficult is it to build an art website?

Back in the land of the non-expert artist who just wants a good-looking website and quickly, web builder sites are the way to go. Whichever one you choose, most will start with a dashboard created with simplicity in mind that makes it easy to start building.

Like many software programs, there are a lot of menu items you don’t need or might want to use later down the line when you want to do something sophisticated, like add a shop or buy a plug-in (more on that later).

How much does an art website cost?

Many website builders, including yours truly at Artweb.com, offer a free basic website design to get you started on your internet adventure. As you become adept at creating your site, you will want to graduate to a more professional site with lots of added extras, like a dedicated email addresses, better design templates and proper domain names. These elements are all designed to help your site look more professional.

What are plug-ins?

Plug-ins are the bells and whistles of websites and generally become available with paid subscriptions or individual fees. These include add-ons to sell your work, allowing payment options or link the website to your social media accounts. There are thousands to choose from, but the chances are you will only use a few.

The CMS/website builder you choose will generally sit on the web, leaving you to use clever SEO tricks to gain views. But hosted sites like Artweb have the added extra of being part of a community. Your website sits within an online gallery offering free marketing and promotion due to the sheer numbers it attracts.

So what are the biggest (and best) CMS and web builders for artists?

WordPress

WordPress sites make up 43% of the web, so it’s pretty safe to say it’s designed for pretty much everything and everyone.

• Free version: Yes
• Free themes and templates: Yes
• Ease of use: Easy
• Shopping options: Yes
• Domain included: Yes
• Social media links: Yes

Squarespace

Squarespace is a ready-to-use general web builder for everyone.

• Free version: No, there is a subscription fee
• Free themes and templates: Yes
• Ease of use: Easy
• Shopping options: Yes
• Domain included: Yes, this is a hosted website builder, so it’s all together in one place
• Added extras: A drag-and-drop builder
• Social media links: Yes

Wix

Wix is an all-round all-in-one web-builder suitable for beginners.

• Free version: Yes, but with a Wix subdomain
• Free themes and templates: Yes
• Ease of use: Easy
• Shopping options: Yes
• Domain included: Yes, but it will be a Wix-branded website unless you’re willing to pay to remove the branding
• Social media links: Yes
• Added extras: A step-by-step web-building wizard

Shopify

As the name suggests, Shopify is aimed at online stores.  It can be used by small boutiques and big brands alike.  

• Free version: No, there’s a monthly fee for all the functions, including website builder and e-commerce
• Free themes and templates: Yes
• Ease of use: Easy
• Shopping options: Yes
• Domain included: Yes
• Added extras: An App store

Magento

Magento is designed for setting up online stores. There is a community (free) version and a subscription service (paid) through Adobe.

• Free version: Yes, a community version or you can go premium through Adobe
• Free themes and templates: Yes
• Ease of use: Medium – will require some knowledge of web development
• Shopping options: Its sole purpose is as an online store
• Domain included: No

Joomla

Joomla is a content management system designed for more complex websites.

• Free version: Yes
• Free themes and templates: Yes
• Ease of use: Hard
• Shopping options: Yes
• Domain included: No

Should I use Drupal for my art website?

Drupal is for the tech-savvy, money-conscious CMS builders.

• Free version: Yes
• Free themes and templates: Yes
• Ease of use: Advanced users
• Shopping options: Yes
• Domain included: No, you will need to purchase hosting and domain separately
• Added extras: Templates come designed for different industries

Ghost

Ghost is designed for newsletters, publishing, membership and subscription services and bloggers.

• Free version: Yes
• Free themes and templates: Yes
• Ease of use: Easy, but this is designed for writing, rather than shopping or galleries
• Shopping options: No
• Sharing on social channels: Yes
• Domain included: No
• Added extras: Email newsletters, memberships and SEO

Artweb

Artweb is an all-in-one web builder designed for artists and makers to create visually stunning websites.

• Free version: Yes
• Templates: Yes
• Ease of use: Easy
• Shopping options: Yes
• Sharing on social channels: Yes
• Domain included: Yes
• Added extras: Hosted by an art-specific umbrella website with marketing and promotion

What to look for in a CMS or web builder for artists

• Ease of use, both in setting it up and then managing it
• Is there a free version
• What do you get with paid subscriptions
• Good content editing that’s simple but has plenty of options (drag-and-drop builders are ideal)
• Access to third-party themes, plug-ins, and integrations for improving your site
• Easy-to-read dashboard for developing all aspects of your site
• Marketing and social media features for things like email marketing, social media, and coupons
• Shopping options to potentially sell products
• Flexibility to grow