Hiring an expert team for website creation could be an expensive and time-consuming process. But, what if you could simply create your website without going through all these complexities? And, that too, within seconds. Yes, you heard that right.
As more companies are relying on such simple solutions, you might be scratching your head on how to choose the best website builder site. Well, it’s quite common. Web.com is a popular choice for website building that you might have heard of.
But, is Web.com worth it? Or, is it yet another scam? Let’s check it out.
What is Web.com?
Web.com is a simple and straightforward website builder site with a wide range of services. It comes up with pre-designed templates and a drag-and-drop editor so that even beginners without any technical knowledge can build a website easily.
The service is budget-friendly and targeted at small businesses. At a glance, Web.com provides all the essential tools for individuals with limited coding knowledge to create a basic website. Now, let’s check out how it helps your business.
Features of Web.com
Web.com comes up with a set of features to stand apart from its competitors. The online website builder has features specifically designed for e-commerce websites that facilitate selling, appointment scheduling and even shipping. Here’s a closer look at its features:
1. Website Builder
When you get started with Web.com, you will have two options. Either you can just answer some questions so that the site automatically builds a website for your company, or you can choose a template and design it yourself. There is a Get Started tutorial video that guides you through the basics of website building.
Web.com has over 200 mobile-friendly templates so that your website is optimized for any device. Although you have a variety of templates to choose from, the sad part is that most of them look like each other with a standard tone. Yet another alarming thing is that if you decide to switch templates while working, you will lose all of your content. So, choose your template carefully!
The rest of the part is quite easy. You can use simple drag-and-drop features to modify the website. Also, the website builder site has an auto-saver so that you can continue without any disruptions.
2. Stock Photo Library
Like any other website building site, Web.com offers a stock photo library. Unsplash is the stock image partner. It gives access to over 1 million stock images. You can find the desired images by simply searching through the website and building it to the site editor. It’s as simple as that.
3. Hosting
As you sign up for the Web.com plan, you will get website hosting. This includes a free domain name and a free SSL Certificate for one year. If you wish to renew the domain, you need to pay $38 per year which is comparatively more expensive.
The SSL certificate gives your website ‘s’ in ‘https’ at the beginning of the website URL and adds basic security to the domain. If you are an e-commerce owner, you must upgrade SSL to premium to protect your transaction data. The renewal costs roughly $27.96 for a year.
However, Web.com offers free offers for LLC Formation, in partnership with 1-800Accountant.com. You just need to pay the state filing fees for that.
4. Logo Builder
If you are interested in kickstarting branding from scratch, Web.Com gives you a hand with a dedicated logo builder. You just need to type in the brand and the industry. The AI-assisted free logo maker covers you for the rest and comes up with a logo with the appropriate colour pattern for your industry.
In case you don’t like the output, you can select the one that aligns your needs most closely and modify what you don’t like in that. You can modify anything in the selected logo including the colour pattern, font, and so on. Th best part about the logo maker is that you don’t need to be a great designer to use that. All you need is colour sense and branding awareness.
5. Writing Tools
One thing that keeps Web.com unique from other website-building sites is its blogging tools and features. You can type in industry-related keywords and generate content based on that. This way, you can drive organic traffic to your website. You have also the option to optimize the heading, images, and so on for better visibility. The website also gives you the option to tag an author profile.
Well, that’s not the end. The AI-powered writing tool works pretty well for penning website copies, too.
6. SEO Tools
Web.com offers features to guide you through the SEO process. To get started, you just need to type in the industry-related keywords, as mentioned before. The SEO tool will provide you with the keyword ranking. Moreover, it gives you a hand with site verification for Google.
However, if you have a better plan, Web.com will run audits and give an SEO health score. Then, it gives recommendations to improve your website ranking to increase search engine visibility.
Moreover, if you are an SEO-conscious professional, Web.com would be a nice tool in your array. It provides a list of on-page SEO features. For example, you can change the alt text or overlay colour of an image with this tool.
7. Marketing Tools
Even though limited, Web.com provides you with some marketing tools. These tools are mainly specified in search engine site submissions and local directory listings. They are specifically helpful if you are new to marketing.
However, the tools do not have any integration features for complex functioning. So, it is better to keep in mind that Web.com is not an all-in-one marketing tool and misses out on many crucial features like email marketing. It’s just an add-on tool. That’s all.
8. Appointment Scheduling
Web.com provides an appointment scheduling feature for its two e-commerce plans, specifically designed for online learning academies, beauty services, and so on. This could be really helpful for your customers to book appointments directly from your website. You can see the meeting dates and times in your calendar, for better planning. The customers will get notifications for confirmation or timing updates if they agree to receive text messages.
9. E-commerce Store
Web.com is specifically popular among e-commerce owners due to its specific features. You always have the option to upgrade the website builder site to an online store starting at just $9.95 per month. It helps you with most e-commerce functions like online payment, product listing, inventory management, and so on. On top of that, you can also provide customers with real-time shipping rates.
You do not need a separate inventory management software if you are using Web.com. It includes an in-built stock management feature that syncs automatically along with each sale.
10. Reporting and Analytics
Web.com just like any other website-building platform offers you basic website analytic data. You can view Key Performance Indicators(KPI) of the website such as page views, sources, and so on. For this, either you can use AWStats through Web.com or just paste the Google Analytics code to the website. It is to be noted that website analytics are available for any plan.
Pricing of Web.com
Web.com has an easy-to-follow pricing structure with standard monthly or annual rates. Each plan comes up with a free domain and hosting. Here’s how much you need to pay for each plan:
First Year Offer
Website
Get your business or blog started with a websiteOnline Store
Sell products and accept online paymentsWebsite + Marketing
Take online appointments and boost your marketingOnline Marketplaces
Sell anywhere and save time with automated features1. Website
This plan costs just $4.95 per month and is suitable for professionals who want to create a personal website. Even though the pack includes professional mail for 3 months, there are no additional marketing or sales features.
2. Website and marketing
A website and marketing plan is apt for small businesses who are waiting to get started with a basic website. With this plan, you will get marketing features and the option to sell your services. It costs $7.95 for a month.
3. Online Store
The official website states this one is the best-value plan and starts at $13.95 per month. An online store plan is better for e-commerce start-ups for better operations.
4. Online marketplaces
This is the highest plan of Web.com with $19.95 per month. It offers a wide range of bulk editing and automation tools. Therefore, the online marketplace plan works perfectly for established e-commerce businesses.
Is Web.com easy to use?
You might have probably come across complaints that Web.com is not as simple as it seems and it’s a bit complicated. However, currently that is not the truth. Web.com has introduced a simple drag-and-drop editor and made recent improvements to improve the User Experience(UX) of customers. You just need to type in the requirements so that it takes you to a set of such templates so that you can edit it conveniently. Simple, isn’t it?
As far as security is concerned, Web.com is not a bad option. As mentioned earlier, it provides a free one-year SSL certificate for basic website security. So, you can receive payments securely. However, the website builder site does not have an in-built payment processing security for making a payment. You need to connect with payment gateways like PayPal.
One of the biggest advantages of Web.com is its 24×7 customer care service. However, many have raised complaints that it is difficult to get access to the right team through these live chats. For example, if you want to share any SEO-related issues, the employee at the chat support may not be able to help with that. You will need to wait for a phone call or email from a specialised team member.
Pros and Cons
Every tool has its own set of negatives just like a coin having two sides. Let’s have an overview of the pros and cons of Web.com.
PROS
- Attractive Offers - Web.com gives an attractive introduction offer to grab the attention of small businesses. Your first-month subscription costs just $1.95 and it includes a domain name and SSL certificate, too.
- Convenience - Traditionally, website development is a time-consuming process involving hiring, copywriting, image creation, and so on. Web.com seems to address this problem by lending out hands on each section from AI content creation to stock photo library. This way, you can save a lot of cost, time, and effort associated with website development.
- Customer support - As said earlier, the 24x7 customer care service is a big positive factor of Web.com. No matter what time zone you are in, you can expect someone to address your problems within minutes
- Customization - Web.com provides you with a wide list of design templates as per your requirements. You can choose one among them and select the block editor for maximum customization.
CONS
- No Free Plan - The worst thing about Web.com is that it does not provide any free plan to test the services. So, if you want to try Web.com, you should choose a plan and pay for it.
- Budget Concerns - The introductory offers are just a trap for small businesses working under budget constraints. In fact, the renewal rates are costly which is beyond the reach of small businesses.
- Lack of advanced tools - Web.com does not provide you with sophisticated features such as adding a promotional pop-up, booking calendar, and so on.
- Limited Uniqueness - You cannot create a website without a template and most of the templates are criticized to be similar with a professional tone. Moreover, the row-based editor can restrict your creativity to create a unique website.
Alternatives to Web.com
We all know that website building is a dynamic field marked by many competitors. The ability to choose the right one that fits in with your requirements determines the website’s success. See how Web.com performs in comparison with its competitors.
Web.Com VS Wix
- Wix is better known for its user-friendly interface with over 800 design templates. On the other hand, even though Web.com also claims a similar easy drag-and-drop interface, it is often criticised as an outdated editor.
- Comparatively, Wix offers more in-built features and integrations. Web.com has to rely mostly on third-party apps, which may cost extra for you.
Web.com VS Squarespace
- The main point to be considered here is the templates. Web.com has a clear-cut majority in the number of templates. But, the catch over here is that Squarespace is known for better professional templates. So, the question of quality VS quantity plays a major role in the choice between Web.com and Squarespace.
- Squarespace gives access to SEO tools from its basic plan. However, for Web.com, SEO features are available only from the Website + Marketing plan.
Web.com VS WordPress
- When it comes to customization, WordPress has a competitive edge. It enables you to alter the code and install plug-ins. Web.com does not support plug-ins and is often criticised for limited customization options.
- WordPress is an advanced website builder and therefore, beginners might find it difficult to access the sophisticated options. On the other hand, Web.com is known for a user-friendly approach that anyone with just basic technical knowledge can easily follow.
Web.com VS Shopify
- Shopify is a dedicated website development platform with a set of features and tools targeting e-commerce businesses. Even though Web.com has many e-commerce-friendly features, it is more considered as a general website builder. So, if you are an e-commerce entrepreneur, Shopify might be a better option.
- Web.com comes with an attractive introductory offer, but the renewal costs are quite high. While Shopify has higher pricing plans compared to this, it provides a wide range of features to make it a value-for-money option.
Web.com Customer Reviews
The overall customer response to Web.com seems to be mixed with some praise and some complaints. It is widely considered a basic website builder that offers templates, hosting, domains, and e-commerce features.
Most users praise the 24×7 customer care service support of the company and share how it was helpful in solving their concerns. Some specifically mention the website editor as beginner-friendly.
However, some users have posted negative reviews. Most criticisms are regarding the pricing structure which is blamed for misleading, with higher renewal charges. The number of users who raised complaints against technical issues such as slow loading time, frequent downtime, and so on, also, are not too less.
Is Web.com right for your business?
Web.com works best for small businesses and professionals. If you are looking for an option to create an attractive website within an hour, Web.com is an option that you can consider. It helps to add a professional website to your current website, too.
However, if you are a person who is seriously concerned about the company website, Web.com might be a disappointment. It does not provide you with additional features to create an advanced website. Here’s what you can expect from Web.com:
- An easy interface that helps you to build a website without coding. You can do basic things like adding content, design, images, and so on.
- You can create an online store with unlimited products and categories, secure checkout, and shipping options.
- You will have a 24×7 customer care service with an instant response so that you can get solutions without the need to wait for mail.
- You can choose from a wide range of 150 professional templates.
FAQs
1. Is Web.com reliable?
The official website claims that Web.com has a 99.9% uptime without scheduled maintenance, which is industry standard. Considering that claim, Web.com is a reliable website builder.
2. Does Web.com offer a free trial?
No. You must choose a plan and pay for it to get started with Web.com. So, you do not have the option to test it before purchase.
3. Is coding knowledge required to use Web.com?
No, it is a no-code website development platform. Web.com offers a simple drag-and-drop editor and user-friendly interface that can be easily followed by anyone even without any coding knowledge.
4. Is Web.com suitable for e-commerce businesses?
Yes, Web.com offers two plans for e-commerce owners. It offers a free SSL certificate for website security and offers many features such as inventory management, marketplace selling, and so on.
5. How much does Web.com cost?
Web.com has four pricing plans, ranging from $4.95 to $19.95 per month for the first year, and then $15.99 to $44.99 per month afterward. The plans differ in the features and it’s up to you to choose the right one that fits in with your needs.
Final Verdict
Undoubtedly, Web.com is a popular option for those who are seeking a simple and convenient website development solution. If you are looking for a straightforward option to create a basic website, it is a good option.
However, it is important to keep in mind that Web.com is not an all-in-one solution. It would not be useful to create an advanced website with sophisticated features.
So, is Web.com worth a try? Yes, of course. But, it does not provide you with a free trial. So, you must pay to try Web.com. That means that you need to do proper research on the platform to confirm whether it fits in with your requirements. That’s all!
