How we make this list: we compare vendor pricing pages, product documentation and plan limits, and print the month we checked each price. We don’t accept payment for rankings.
QUICK ANSWER
For artists in 2026, Squarespace is the best builder, with Basic at $19 a month billed annually for unlimited pages, full-bleed galleries and a store with a 2% fee. Framer is the best free option with 1,000 pages, and Shopify is the best pick for selling art at scale at $29 a month.
Key takeaways
6 of 8 tools in this list have a free plan, and the cheapest paid upgrade is Carrd Pro Lite at $9 a year (Nov 2026).
Squarespace leads for artists because its galleries show art at full size and its store sells it in the same place.
Shopify Basic at $29 a month billed annually is the pick for artists who sell prints and originals at volume.
Framer gives 1,000 pages free, with a design canvas built for visual work.
Square Online gives a free store with no monthly fee, only a per-sale processing fee.
An artist needs two things from a website builder: a gallery that does the work justice, and a store that sells without taking a big cut. This guide covers the 8 best website builders for artists in 2026, with the current price and fee of every pick, so you can compare the real cost of showing and selling your art. Start with our best website builders for small business guide if you want the wider picture.
Squarespace is the best website builder for artists because its galleries show art at full size and its store sells it in the same place. Basic at $19 a month billed annually gives unlimited pages, full-bleed galleries and a store with a 2% transaction fee, and Plus at $49 removes the fee. There is no free plan, only a 14-day trial.
The catch is the missing free tier and the Basic fee. Basic at $19 a month billed annually, or $25 month to month, covers a site with up to 2 contributors and a 2% transaction fee on store sales. Core at $29 removes the store fee and adds unlimited contributors and CSS control, and Plus at $49 cuts payment processing fees further.
What we like
Basic costs $19 a month billed annually with a free domain year (Nov 2026).
Templates are polished and consistent across the site.
Hosting, commerce and marketing sit in one bill.
Watch out for
No free plan, only a 14-day trial.
Basic adds a 2% transaction fee on online store sales.
Custom code needs Core at $29 a month billed annually.
Wix is the easiest website builder for an artist who wants a shop and a gallery without learning code. Light at $17 a month billed annually gives a custom domain, 2 GB of storage and a full template library, and Business at $39 adds online payments. The free plan keeps Wix ads and a Wix subdomain.
The catch is the lock-in and the Light limits. The free plan publishes on a Wix subdomain with ads and 500 MB of storage. Light at $17 a month billed annually, or $24 month to month, adds a custom domain, 2 GB of storage and no ads, but no payments. Core at $29 adds basic ecommerce, and Business at $39 adds standard ecommerce.
What we like
Light costs $17 a month billed annually with a custom domain (Nov 2026).
Free plan includes hosting, templates and the AI builder.
Drag-and-drop editing suits first-time site owners.
Watch out for
Free plan shows Wix ads and uses a Wix subdomain.
Light cannot accept payments; selling needs Core at $29 a month.
Starting priceFree software; WordPress.com Personal $9/m…
Free planYes
Free trialNot confirmed
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, API
WordPress.com is the cheapest website builder for an artist who wants a shop with full control. Business at $25 a month billed annually adds plugins and custom themes, so you can run WooCommerce with any payment gateway and add gallery plugins. Personal at $4 a month billed annually gives a custom domain and no ads, but no selling.
The catch is the two WordPresses. WordPress.com Personal at $4 a month billed annually, or $9 month to month, adds a custom domain, 6 GB of storage and plugin access, with Premium at $8 and Business at $25. Self-hosted WordPress.org is free software, but you pay for hosting, a domain and upkeep yourself, and plugin conflicts are yours to fix.
What we like
WordPress.com Personal costs $4 a month billed annually (Nov 2026).
Plugins and custom themes now work on every paid plan.
Self-hosted WordPress.org software is free and portable.
Watch out for
Self-hosted sites need updates, backups and security work.
Hosting and premium plugins add to the real cost.
The free plan shows WordPress.com ads and uses a subdomain.
Webflow is the best website builder for an artist who wants a site that looks like a gallery, not a template. Basic at $15 a month billed annually gives a custom domain and 300 pages, and Premium at $25 adds CMS collections for series and exhibitions. The free Starter plan gives 2 pages on a webflow.io domain.
The catch is the missing CMS on Basic. At $15 a month billed annually it covers a static site with a custom domain, but a blog or dynamic pages need Premium at $25 a month billed annually, which replaced the old CMS and Business plans in May 2026. Ecommerce is a separate add-on from $29 a month.
What we like
Basic costs $15 a month billed annually with a custom domain (Nov 2026).
Free Starter plan gives full access to the Designer.
Built-in CMS and fast managed hosting suit content sites.
Watch out for
Basic has no CMS, so no blog or dynamic content.
Pricing splits across site plans, workspaces and add-ons.
Free plan is limited to a webflow.io domain and 2 pages.
Framer is the best website builder for an artist who wants a beautiful portfolio for free. The free plan gives 1,000 pages, 10 CMS collections and a Framer subdomain, for non-commercial use, with a design canvas built for visual work. Basic at $10 a month billed annually adds a custom domain and commercial use.
The catch is the page cap and the editor seats. The free plan publishes on a Framer subdomain with a banner and is positioned for non-commercial use. Basic at $10 a month billed annually, or $15 month to month, covers 30 pages and 2 CMS collections, and each extra editor adds $20 a month. Pro at $30 adds 150 pages and 10 collections.
What we like
Basic costs $10 a month billed annually with a custom domain (Nov 2026).
Free plan includes 1,000 pages and 10 CMS collections.
Starting price$39/month (Basic), or $29/month billed ann…
Free planNo
Free trial3 days free, then $1/month for 3 months
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, API
Shopify is the best website builder for an artist who sells prints and originals at volume. Basic at $29 a month billed annually gives unlimited products, abandoned checkout recovery and a full app store, including print-on-demand apps. The 3-day trial runs into $1 a month for 3 months, and the online card rate is 2.9% plus $0.30 per sale.
The catch is the extras on top of the plan. Basic at $29 a month billed annually, or $39 month to month, includes the store, checkout and 2.9% plus 30 cents online card rates, but apps for reviews, email or loyalty are billed separately, and a third-party gateway adds a 2% fee. Grow is $89 a month billed annually and Advanced $359.
What we like
Basic costs $29 a month billed annually with hosted checkout (Nov 2026).
Payments, shipping and POS work in one system.
App and theme ecosystem is the largest in ecommerce.
Watch out for
No free plan, only a 3-day trial and $1 months.
App subscriptions can add a lot to the monthly cost.
A 2% fee applies when you use a third-party payment gateway.
Carrd is the cheapest website builder for an artist who only needs a simple page with images and links to a shop elsewhere. The free plan gives 3 sites on a carrd.co subdomain, and Pro Lite at $9 a year adds a custom domain, forms and Google Analytics. Pro Standard at $19 a year adds widgets and embeds.
The catch is the scope. Carrd builds one-page sites, and the free plan covers 3 of them on a carrd.co subdomain. Pro Lite at $9 a year removes branding and adds premium templates, but custom domains, forms and embeds need Pro Standard at $19 a year for 10 sites. Pro Plus at $49 a year adds advanced forms, redirects and password protection.
What we like
Pro Lite costs $9 a year for 3 sites (Nov 2026).
Free plan covers 3 sites on a carrd.co subdomain.
Pro Standard at $19 a year adds custom domains and forms.
Watch out for
Single-page sites only, no blog or full store.
Custom domains and forms need Pro Standard at $19 a year.
Starting price$0/month (Free); Plus is $49/month per loc…
Free planYes
Free trial30 days on Plus and Premium
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android
Square Online is the best website builder for an artist who wants a free shop. The free plan gives a store with no monthly fee, and Plus at $49 a month per location adds a custom domain and no Square branding. The card fee is per sale, so a slow month costs nothing.
The catch is the per-sale fee and the design ceiling. The free plan costs $0 a month with a Square subdomain, and you pay a processing fee on every sale. Plus at $49 a month per location adds a custom domain, QR ordering and SEO tools, and Premium at $149 a month per location cuts the online rate and adds abandoned cart recovery. The free plan is the cheapest way to start selling online.
What we like
Free plan has no monthly fee and unlimited products (Nov 2026).
Syncs natively with Square POS and inventory.
Pickup, delivery and QR ordering are built in.
Watch out for
Free plan charges a higher online card rate per sale.
Design flexibility is limited next to Squarespace or Webflow.
Sources used: vendor pricing pages, vendor product pages and vendor help pages, checked Nov 2026.
Criterion
Weight
What we looked at
Gallery quality
35%
We compared full-bleed layouts, image quality and loading speed, since an artist lives on the gallery.
Selling tools and fees
30%
We compared products, checkout and store transaction fees, since artists sell prints and originals.
Price
20%
We compared the cheapest paid plan and the free plan, since an artist should not pay a high price to show work.
Ease of use
15%
We weighed templates and the editor, since an artist has no time to learn a complex tool.
What is the best website builder for artists in 2026?
Squarespace is the best website builder for artists in 2026, with Basic at $19 a month billed annually for unlimited pages, full-bleed galleries and a store with a 2% fee. Framer is the best free option with 1,000 pages, and Shopify is the best pick for selling art at scale at $29 a month.
How much does an artist website cost?
An artist website costs from $9 a year on Carrd Pro Lite, which adds a custom domain and forms, or $4 a month on WordPress.com Personal billed annually. Framer Basic is $10 a month, Wix Light is $17, Squarespace Basic is $19, and Shopify Basic is $29 a month billed annually.
Can I build an artist website for free?
Yes, WordPress.com, Wix, Webflow, Framer, Square Online and Carrd all have free plans. Framer free gives 1,000 pages, WordPress.com free gives 1 GB of storage with a WordPress subdomain, and Square Online free gives a store with no monthly fee. A custom domain needs a paid plan.
Which website builder is best for selling art?
Shopify is best for selling art at scale, with unlimited products, abandoned checkout and print-on-demand apps at $29 a month for Basic. Squarespace Basic at $19 a month billed annually lets you sell with a 2% fee, and Square Online lets you sell on a free plan with no monthly fee, charging only a per-sale processing fee.
Should an artist use Squarespace or Wix?
Squarespace is better for an artist who sells on looks, with award-winning templates and full-bleed galleries at $19 a month for Basic. Wix is better for an artist who wants ease and choice, with 1,000+ templates and a free plan at $17 a month for Light. Pick Squarespace for design, and Wix for speed.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best website builder for artists?
Squarespace is the best website builder for artists because Basic at $19 a month billed annually gives unlimited pages, full-bleed galleries and a store with a 2% fee. Framer is the best free option with 1,000 pages, and Shopify is the best pick for selling art at scale at $29 a month.
What is the cheapest website builder for artists?
Carrd Pro Lite at $9 a year is the cheapest website builder for artists, adding a custom domain, forms and Google Analytics. WordPress.com Personal is $4 a month billed annually, and Hostinger Premium is from $2.49 a month on a 48-month term, renewing at $10.99 a month.
Is Squarespace good for artists?
Yes, Squarespace is good for artists, with full-bleed galleries, award-winning templates and a built-in store. Basic at $19 a month billed annually gives unlimited pages and a store with a 2% transaction fee, and Plus at $49 removes the fee. There is no free plan, only a 14-day trial.
Can I sell art on a website builder for free?
Yes, Square Online lets you sell art on a free plan with no monthly fee, charging only a per-sale processing fee. WordPress.com and Wix have free plans, but selling needs a paid plan. Wix Business at $39 a month and WordPress.com Business at $25 a month both add online payments.
How much does an artist website cost per month?
An artist website costs from $9 a year on Carrd Pro Lite, $4 a month on WordPress.com Personal billed annually, $10 on Framer Basic, $15 on Webflow Basic, $17 on Wix Light, and $19 on Squarespace Basic. Prices are billed annually unless stated.
Do I need a custom domain for an artist website?
Yes, a custom domain is included in most paid plans, including WordPress.com Personal at $4 a month, Wix Light at $17 a month and Squarespace Basic at $19 a month. Free plans give a subdomain, such as yourname.wixsite.com, which looks less professional to buyers.
What is the best free website builder for artists?
Framer is the best free website builder for artists, with 1,000 pages, 10 CMS collections and a Framer subdomain, for non-commercial use. WordPress.com is second, with a real site and a WordPress subdomain, and Carrd is third, with 3 free one-page sites.
Final verdict
Pick Squarespace if you want the best galleries for artists.
Pick Wix if you want the easiest artist site to build.
Pick WordPress.com if you want the lowest-cost artist site with a CMS.
Pick Webflow if you want design freedom for artists.
Pick Framer if you want the best free plan for artists.
Pick Shopify if you want to sell art at scale.
Pick Carrd if you want the cheapest simple artist site.
Pick Square Online if you want a free store for artists.
Looking for the best free website builders? We compared 8 options on pricing, free plans, key features and trade-offs so you can pick the right one fast.
