Best Free Website Builders

[SimonK]

I want to get a simple website built. Some basic information on the courses that I teach, a few pictures, video perhaps, and basically I just want to get used to building a website...

Which free website builder do you recommend? I am looking at snappages and circlepad right now. Anyone have experience with these website builders, or others like bluevoda, webs, weebly or yola etc....?

So many out there - which to go for?

 

[Consultant]

iWeb, part of the iLife suite that comes free with new macs.

 

[angelwatt]

Depends on what you know how to do. What's your knowledge on web design and development? I like TextWrangler and KompoZer. Also be sure to hit the stickies up in this forum as people have posted a lot of good information and resources in there.

 

[SimonK]

Thanks for the replies. There is nothing on the stickies about free web builders that I can see, and nothing on any of the ones I have listed.... I also don't have a new Mac, so won't be using iWeb at this time (although I hope to in a few months).

My friend likes snappages, so maybe I will give that a whizz... I am starting from zero. Apparently, a builder like snappages allows you to get things going quite quickly - it is all click and drag. I know that it will be a 'low level' website, but I just want something to get me going. Then I will start learning iWeb/HTML/Dreamweaver later.

 

[angelwatt]

If you're actually wanting to learn HTML at some point applications like iWeb and SnapPages won't be teaching you anything at all. They are simply template-based web site creation tools. It's not much different than signing up for a WordPress account. The tools you've mentioned are tools web designers would never use, they're tools people who don't want to learn web design use.

Snappages doesn't create valid code so it has the potential issue of not showing up the same in all browsers. The code does look better than the iWeb created code though. It's a fine enough app if you just want a web site, but it'll only hold you back if you want to learn web design.

Circlepad creates worse code and very inaccessible from what I can see of the example sites and not geared toward SEO (Search Engine Optimization). I'd stay away from it completely.

The other tools mentioned are just as bad too. That's why you didn't find mention of them in the stickies, because we won't be using them and so don't recommend them to others who are looking to learn web design and development.

There's definitely option mentioned in the stickies, you just may not have realized they were. You can also use MRoogle to help you find threads here from people search for free editors and the like. I assure you they are there, apps like RapidWeaver.

 

[SimonK]

If you're actually wanting to learn HTML at some point applications like iWeb and SnapPages won't be teaching you anything at all. They are simply template-based web site creation tools. It's not much different than signing up for a WordPress account. The tools you've mentioned are tools web designers would never use, they're tools people who don't want to learn web design use.

Snappages doesn't create valid code so it has the potential issue of not showing up the same in all browsers. The code does look better than the iWeb created code though. It's a fine enough app if you just want a web site, but it'll only hold you back if you want to learn web design.

Circlepad creates worse code and very inaccessible from what I can see of the example sites and not geared toward SEO (Search Engine Optimization). I'd stay away from it completely.

The other tools mentioned are just as bad too. That's why you didn't find mention of them in the stickies, because we won't be using them and so don't recommend them to others who are looking to learn web design and development.

There's definitely option mentioned in the stickies, you just may not have realized they were. You can also use MRoogle to help you find threads here from people search for free editors and the like. I assure you they are there, apps like RapidWeaver.

Thanks very much for the details. Appreciate it.

I do think you are being a bit harsh on template web builders like iWeb or snappages. They serve a purpose, and not everyone has the time or inclination to learn HTML or Dreamweaver. Yes, the quality of the thing would improve IF you learnt HTML or Dreamweaver, but to get something reasonable up there, I think a product like iWeb is perfect for some people.

Saying that, I do want to try to get into more serious website building software. This is just to get something simple up in a short space of time (in the next week in fact).

 

[angelwatt]

I do think you are being a bit harsh on template web builders like iWeb or snappages. They serve a purpose, and not everyone has the time or inclination to learn HTML or Dreamweaver. Yes, the quality of the thing would improve IF you learnt HTML or Dreamweaver, but to get something reasonable up there, I think a product like iWeb is perfect for some people.

Like I said, those template-based apps are more for people who simply want a web site, not those who want to learn web design. Template-based apps are fine if that's all you want, but you said you wanted to learn, so you'll want to look beyond those.

 

[nfable]

Try wix

Try wix.com ; the best thing microsoft has put money into since the x-box; you can create a website with branding all over it; but it is quite sweet; very well laid out and intuitive for us right brainers out their; I have a Mac, I love Apple so you must appreciate how awesome wix.com, a M$ product, is for me to recommend it.

nf