SITE123 isn’t the most powerful website builder we’ve used, but it makes it easy for beginners to get online quickly. Its section-based editor is extremely simple yet intuitive, and you can base your design on hundreds of templates. The built-in e-commerce, marketing, and blogging tools are functional, but don’t expect them to be overly powerful. The pricing is affordable, and the free forever plan lets you try out most of the features.
PROS
- Very easy to use
- Excellent technical support
- Competitive pricing
CONS
- The editor is somewhat limited.
- You can’t add custom code.
SITE123 Video Review
Overview
SITE123 is a simple website builder that has been around since 2015. It has quickly become a top choice and is known for its easy-to-use and fast website building solutions.
Creating a website with SITE123 is a simple process, and it offers plenty of video tutorials and articles to help you get started. Consider this platform if you’re looking for a simple and intuitive website builder for beginners, but look elsewhere if you need design flexibility, advanced e-commerce tools, or powerful marketing integrations.
How SITE123 Works
Getting started with SITE123 is easy. You’ll be asked what type of website you want to create, its name, your name, email, and a password to create an account. You can also sign in with Google or Facebook.
The admin panel is a bit clunky, and the overall design feels a bit dated. However, the expected tools are available, and the navigation is intuitive. The editor is fast and responsive, and we didn’t have any issues using it.
SITE123 Features and tools
Site123 offers several unique features that you can take advantage of when creating your new website, whether for personal use or building your online store.
Plugins
There are a number of modules that you can use to integrate with third-party platforms or add additional features to your site. Most of them are free, but some require payment.
Free domain name
All premium subscriptions of 12 months or more include a free domain for the first year.
Multilingual support
All SITE123 websites include multilingual support. Hundreds of languages are supported, and you can display your website in any combination of up to five languages.
How to Create a Website with SITE123
To create a new website, log in to your SITE123 account and click the “New Website” button in the top right corner of the screen. Follow the instructions and wait a few seconds to be redirected to the editor. So far, so good.
There are 189 templates to base your site on, and you can switch between them by clicking the “Templates” button in the top right corner of the editor. All designs are fully responsive and mobile-friendly, but you won’t be able to change themes once your site is live.
SITE123 uses a basic section-based editor.
You can add or remove pre-designed blocks from each page, allowing you to add the elements you need. Different layouts are available for each block, but you can’t create your own.
As a result, the editor is very easy to use and perfect for beginners, but the design flexibility is definitely below the standard we would have liked. You can preview the mobile, desktop, and tablet versions of your site, although editing is only possible in desktop mode.
Despite its reputation for building beginner-friendly websites, SITE123 doesn’t offer any specific guidance on the creation process. We would have liked to have seen some tips or an editor guide after our first visit, but we didn’t find any. Additionally, there are no keyboard shortcuts or a design assistant.
A final note:
SITE123 doesn’t let you export sites. This means you can’t leave the platform and move your site (or at least its code) to another site.
Overall, SITE123 met our expectations. It’s billed as a beginner-friendly website builder, and it is. You won’t have access to advanced editing tools or a precise drag-and-drop builder, but you’ll have everything you need to create an attractive site with minimal effort.
Adding Multimedia to Your SITE123 website
SITE123 lets you add all the most common image and video types to your website. Add files to your media library by uploading them directly from your computer. You can also connect to Facebook, Instagram, Google Photos, Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, or Flickr. You can also take photos directly with your device’s camera.
However, you can only upload one media file at a time, and the maximum upload size is 100MB. It integrates with the Unsplash media library, but there doesn’t seem to be an easy way to add videos hosted on YouTube or other video hosting platforms.
It also includes a basic image editor, but it’s disappointing and overly simplistic. Overall, SITE123’s media management tools are good, but we’ve certainly seen better.
Marketing Functionality with SITE123 Websites
SITE123 includes email. There are templates, but they are basic, and customization is very limited.
There is also a blog section that you can add to any page on your site. The blog manager is very basic, and you will have very limited options for designing and personalizing posts. You can add links to your site, but there are no other social media tools worth mentioning.
Both blogging and email marketing include basic reporting tools.
SEO Functionality and Add-Ons with SITE123 Websites
SITE123 offers basic SEO tools that you can use to improve your search engine rankings. You can access the SEO Advisor via the “Settings” menu in the main control panel. It allows you to add meta tags to the homepage, a sitemap, a favicon, and a custom domain name. You can also set up 301 redirects if necessary.
The built-in SEO audit tool can be used to detect simple issues, such as a lack of a page description or effective title tags. Integration with Google Analytics is available, but the built-in analytics tools are quite limited.
Ecommerce
SITE123’s ecommerce website builder is ideal for those who want to sell online and want a tool that will do it all. SITE123 lets you create template-based websites, create 301 redirects to ensure that old URLs point to new ones, and even includes options to optimize mobile versions.
Currency Support & Payment Processing
Currency Support and Payment Processing
SITE123’s e-commerce capabilities support over 80 currencies.
SITE123 integrates with three payment gateways:
- Pay
- the Brain
- Strip
Users can connect PayPal and bank accounts to receive funds.
SITE123 doesn’t charge transaction fees, but payment gateways do.
SITE123 Customer Support
Offers 24/7 live chat support, but email and phone options are significantly limited. SITE123’s support center offers a selection of self-help resources, including detailed video tutorials, well-written instructions, and other informative articles. We would have liked to see more integrated advice, but the available support resources are generally excellent.
SITE123 Pricing
Pricing & Special Offers
In addition to the free unlimited plan, there are four subscription options, ranging from $12.80 per month to $34.80 for a 12-month term. Monthly payments are not offered, and prices are significantly higher for a minimum of 3 months. Upfront discounts are sometimes offered, and you can take advantage of even bigger discounts for 24, 36, 60, and 120 months.
Bottom Line
SITE123 offers excellent website building solutions for those with little experience in the industry. Its intuitive and easy-to-use editor allows users to get started right away. Design flexibility is limited, but there is a good selection of attractive templates and designs to get your site off the ground.
The built-in blogging, e-commerce, and marketing tools are fairly basic, but they have the essentials. Pricing is in the industry average, and customer service is decent. In summary, we recommend trying SITE123 if you want to develop an online presence with minimal hassle.
