Top 7 Web Developer Tools of 2025

Introduction

2025 has been a great year for technology, more specifically artificial intelligence. AI is now used as a primary tool for web developers and designers worldwide where they previously would depend more on Google searches, YouTube tutorials, and countless numbers of e-books.

Learning web design and development has never been easier than it is right now. What was once a career only for those with certifications in UI/UX Design and Software Development is now a career that can be enjoyed by people who have never learned a single line of code or UI/UX software.

That said, over the last 10+ years, I have used many, many tools for website building and, in this article, I want to layout what I believe are the top 7 you can use today with most costing little to nothing to get started.

Disclaimer: Before you tell me, “What about *this* or *that*? That’s way better than what you recommended!” understand that I’m only making this list using tools that I have at least some experience with. If I’ve never used the platform, I do not want to provide an opinion on it.

7. Wix

Wix is one of the best website tools to use for those who are just getting started in web design and want an easy, plug-and-play feel. Wix was the first builder I ever used, in fact.

Wix is free to begin, and you can have a website up in minutes, especially with it’s upgraded AI Website Builder. This builder can generate layouts, text, images, and even business tools based solely on a prompt that you give to it.

It also comes with the Wix Studio environment, which brings advanced responsiveness, real-time collaboration, and Figma integration. Add to that its built in SEO tools, content personalization, and an app marketplace.

One of the most significant shifts this year is how Wix is embracing AI personalization and adaptive content. With its new Adaptive Content app, for example, you can customize headlines, CTAs, or layouts depending on user behavior or location without writing custom scripts.

For those who want to juggle multiple clients in their workflow, Wix has a multi-site dashboard and branded access tools making it easy to scale your work across different projects.

The Downside

Despite all of the automation and tools listed, it still has pretty serious limitations for those who want control (I’m talking to you coders).

The AI-generated designs can feel very generic without manually tweaking it, and performance optimization (aka page speed) often requires custom adjustments or premium plans. Along with all of this, the pricing structure can climb very quickly when adding advanced features, apps, or ecommerce tools.

That all to say, Wix isn’t for everyone. If you are a developer who wants things like version control, dense backend logic, or deep design control, you’ll find Wix way too limiting even with it’s developer platform.

It’s also worth noting that, for those who like SEO control, Wix has improved over the years, but sites still tend to load more slowly than most alternatives due to the packed animations, videos, or third-party apps and with those slower speeds comes less than ideal SEO for your (or your client’s) website.

Don’t get me wrong, Wix is a great tool, but it is a tool that trades a lot for ease of use and automation.

Verdict

If you aren’t as interested in the heavy personalization and just want to have a site that you can have up quickly to get business rolling, then Wix might be a great choice for you!

6. Squarespace

I’m about to get in trouble for having this so low on the list, because I know Squarespace is one of the most used site builders on the market.

However, just because it’s number six does not mean that it doesn’t have great features and could possibly be a solid choice for many.

Squarespace is a great option for individuals, small businesses, creatives, or really anyone who wants a sleek website without dealing with code at all. The drag-and-drop editor is very user-friendly and polished, making it easy to create professional looking pages, blogs, online stores, etc.

Squarespace also includes built-in hosting, security, analytics, mobile optimization, some SEO tools, domain registration, and much more.

If you are an e-commerce user, Squarespace offers tools for e-commerce all-in-one. You can sell products or services directly from the site using the built-in tools for inventory, payment processing, and email marketing. Squarespace also offers appointment scheduling and member areas for subscriptions all without needing external plugins.

Along with all of this, there is great customer service with a 24/7 chat and detailed help center for those who might need it.

The Downside

While the design tools are nice, they can also be very restrictive. You are locked into a structured layout system meaning that any deep customization you want to do is considerably harder compared to other site builders.

Along with that, many users find that performance can lag significantly with image-heavy pages. Now, while I mentioned that Squarespace has some SEO tools, I also want to be clear that it’s not the most SEO-flexible.

What might be a huge let down to many is the fact that there is no free plan with Squarespace. Either you pay or your site is taken down.

Verdict

Would I recommend Squarespace? Maybe! I personally think this is a perfect transitional website tool.

What I mean by that is that I believe that while you save up for or wait for a fully custom and immersive website, you use a Squarespace site as a filler or a launchpad.

Overall, many users will be happy with it, but if you are a developer or designer looking for customization, Squarespace is going to be difficult for you to be sold on.

5. Subsplash

I went back and forth on whether to put Subsplash higher than Squarespace or vice versa, but ultimately, as you can see here, chose to put Subsplash higher because there are some features that Subsplash offers that I think are just better than Squarespace for many people.

For those that don’t know, Subsplash is a website builder used primarily by churches, ministries, and nonprofits, but not exclusively. As someone who has worked with church websites, Subsplash was a great tool.

What makes Subsplash stand out is that they offer tools for building custom mobile apps, streaming sermons, managing donations, and engaging congregations online.

One of its biggest strengths is the way it centralizes features in a single ecosystem such as live streaming, event management, push notifications, and donation tools.

This allows the church or nonprofit to stay connected with their communities without juggling multiple platforms. This is why it has such a strong pull in the church niche.

As far as customization, it is very similar to Squarespace with its drag-and-drop editor, but what Squarespace does not offer is the ability to have a custom app built just for you with custom branding options to match the nonprofit’s look and feel.

The Downside

One of the biggest criticisms is its cost. Pricing isn’t publicly transparent, and packages can be expensive, especially for smaller churches and nonprofits.

Many features are locked behind higher-tier plans, so it’s easy to outgrow the base offerings. Additionally the customization options for websites and apps can feel, like Squarespace, somewhat limited compared to more flexible web builders or CMS platforms.

Churches looking for fine-tuned design control or more complex site features may find the Subsplash system too rigid or templated.

Another downside is that Subsplash is very much tailored to churches and nonprofits. Small businesses can use it to build their site, but will find that it has tools that you don’t need that you are likely paying for with the plan you signed up for.

Verdict

If you are looking for an all-in-one platform for your church or nonprofit and have a decently high budget, Subsplash could be a great option for you.

If you are looking for something more affordable or something where you have more control, choosing another platform may be best.

4. Raw Coding (HTML, CSS, & JavaScript)

This section might seem like it’s just for developers, but really it’s for everyone and here’s why.

Not only am I offering suggestions to and for those building sites, but also for those exploring the kind of developer/designer they want to hire.

That said, let’s talk about raw coded sites for a moment.

Raw coded websites offer the highest level of control and customization for building a website.

When you code everything from scratch (or even close to it), you are not limited by templates, design systems, or platform restrictions. You have full creative freedom to build (or have built) the site exactly as you envision it— both in terms of layout and functionality.

This is especially valuable for projects that require unique design elements, advanced interactivity, or optimized performance.

Without the bloat of page builders, drag-and-drop systems, or unnecessary plugins, hard-coded sites are often faster, more lightweight, and SEO-friendly by default—assuming things are developed using best practices.

You can also choose any backend language or framework and integrate with any service, database, or API as needed. This makes raw coding ideal for custom web apps, startups, or businesses that need complex features that no site builder can offer.

The Downside

While all of this is AMAZING, there are two reasons I don’t have this at number 1 and those reasons are significant.

One is time and the other is complexity.

Raw coding takes so much time. When I learned HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, I challenged myself to hardcode a web application where users could just track golf scores using a cool UI with some user-friendly UX features.

It took what could’ve been a couple of hours of work on a site builder tens of hours to complete raw-coded.

Imagine you want a 20 page website raw-coded. It’s a site that could take weeks or even months to complete depending on the amount of features you want implemented on it. That’s time that could’ve been spent elsewhere more productively.

Raw coding requires a solid understanding of web development principles while requiring you to be responsible for absolutely everything: layout, responsiveness, accessibility, browser compatibility, security, hosting, deployment, and ongoing updates.

Without a team of developers, this can be overwhelming to most individuals or small businesses.

There is also a higher chance of bugs or broken features unless you have strong QA processes.

Verdict

If you are the developer reading this, then you have to take into account the fact that you’ll need to be fluent in at least HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, but even if you already are, there is a high likelihood that you’ll need to research how to do certain things which takes time and a lot of energy.

If you are able to look past these downsides and accommodate for them, then your website will likely be everything you had ever hoped it would be.

If these downsides are just a bit too much, then I think the upcoming tools will be worth exploring.

3. WordPress

I’ll admit, out of everything on the list, I have the least amount of experience with WordPress, but I couldn’t NOT include it on the list considering it powers over 40% of all websites globally.

My lack of experience is due to me focusing on the tools I list at number one & two, but I want to give WordPress some clout, because it is a pretty amazing tool.

WordPress is open-source and highly customizable, which essentially means you can use it for almost anything—blogs, portfolios, business sites, e-commerce stores, church websites, and more.

Its biggest advantage is its MASSIVE ecosystem, thousands of free and premium themes, and over 50,000 plugins allowing users to add functionality without writing any code (but also allowing for writing code in many cases should you choose to).

This makes WordPress accessible to both beginners and advanced users alike.

Another benefit of WordPress is its scalability and freedom. You own your site and data (especially when you self-host it), and you’re not tied to a closed platform.

You can switch themes, move to different hosting providers, or customize literally every line of your site if you choose. It also integrates well with third-party tools such as Mailchimp, PayPal, Stripe, all social media platforms, and SEO plugins like Yoast, making it a strong choice for content-heavy sites and businesses that want long-term flexibility and success.

The Downside

WordPress comes with its own challenges.

Because it’s so open and customizable, it also requires more hands-on management (which many of you may like).

You’ll need to handle updates, backups, security, and performance optimization— especially if you’re not using managed WordPress hosting. Themes and plugins can sometimes conflict with one another, and site speed can severely suffer if your site becomes to bloated.

For beginners, the dashboard can also feel overwhelming at first, particularly when compared to previous platforms mentioned that had drag-and-drop functionality.

Verdict

If you are willing to take the time to learn WordPress, how it’s structured, how to use it, and how to make it function the best it can, then using it could be a no brainer.

There is a reason it’s so popular.

They have mastered what they do and provide effective results globally. If you are looking for something that’s simpler, then WordPress might not be a great fit.

2. Webflow

We are almost there! These next two tools are tools that I use every single day depending on the use case and the client.

Let’s talk about Webflow. Webflow is a powerful visual design platform that combines the ease of a no-code builder with the flexibility of advanced front-end development.

It allows designers and developers to build fully responsive, custom websites using a visual interface—without writing traditional code—while still generating clean HTML, CSS, and JavaScript in the background.

For users who want more creative freedom than the drag-and-drop website builders, but don’t want to hard-code everything, Webflow strikes a very strong balance.

One of Webflow’s biggest strengths is design precision.

It gives users near-complete control over layout, spacing, typography, animations, and interactions—down to the pixel—making it ideal for creatives, agencies, or brands with specific visual standards.

Unlike many visual builders, Webflow doesn’t rely on rigid templates, so you’re not boxed in.

It also includes built-in CMS functionality, e-commerce capabilities, and integrations with tools like Zapier, making it a scalable solution for more dynamic or content-heavy sites.

"For users who want more creative freedom than the drag-and-drop website builders, but don’t want to hard-code everything, Webflow strikes a very strong balance."

Webflow also recently begun beta testing AI built sites with its users where you give the AI a prompt of what the business does and it creates a site for you that you can then go back and customize. It also has fully customizable templates if that’s your cup of tea.

The Downside

While these features are great, you should know that Webflow has a pretty steep learning curve, especially for beginners.

While no coding is technically required, it does assume a basic understanding of HTML and CSS principles. Users unfamiliar with the box model, class naming, or responsiveness might feel overwhelmed.

Additionally, Webflow’s pricing is higher than some of the previously mentioned platforms, especially if you need multiple CMS collections, collaborators, or e-commerce features.

Perhaps the biggest downside, in my opinion, is that it is a closed system meaning you can export static code, but you can’t run a full Webflow CMS site on another host.

Verdict

To conclude this section, I’ll say that I don’t believe there is a better paid platform for web design than Webflow.

If you have knowledge of basic development practices, then you will love this tool and pick it up relatively quickly. If you are a beginner or don’t want the HTML/CSS/JavaScript jargon, then you might want to find another tool.

1. Framework Coding (Next.js w/ Vercel)

Allow me to geek out for this last one.

I don’t believe there is a better all-around way to build a website than building it using a framework like Next.js coupled with Vercel’s hosting platform.

Next.js, paired with Vercel, offers a modern, performance-focused way to build high-quality websites and web apps.

Next.js is a React-based framework that supports features like server-side rendering (SSR), static site generation (SSG), and API routes out of the box, making it incredibly powerful for developers who want incredibly fast, scalable, and SEO-optimized websites.

When deployed on Vercel (created by the makers of Next.js) the setup is streamlined—offering instant global deployments, automatic scaling, and a built-in CDN, all with very little configuration required.

One of the biggest advantages of using Next.js with Vercel is developer productivity without sacrificing flexibility. You can build custom components, dynamic routes, and interactive user interfaces with the full power of React.

You also get advanced features like edge functions, image optimization, analytics, and preview deployments automatically integrated into your workflow.

For teams or solo developers who care about performance, maintainability, and developer experience, this setup is presently unbeatable, in my humble opinion.

Plus, Vercel’s UI and Git integration make continuous deployment very intuitive.

It is worth noting that framework coding isn’t limited to React/Next.js. There are other frameworks out there that do the same thing. I’m specifically mentioning Next.js as it’s my favorite and I also don’t have much experience with other frameworks out there, so I don’t want to lump in tools that I’ve not used before.

The Downside

There is one major downside that many will see as a reason not to choose it and that’s that using Next.js with Vercel requires and assumes a high level of technical knowledge. To use these tools, you’ll need to be very comfortable with JavaScript/Typescript, React, and Git workflows.

Unlike drag-and-drop builders, there is no visual editor, so everything must be coded manually. It’s not raw coded considering it’s built within a framework, but it’s still coding. The difference is that Next.js adds simplicity by using structured tools, prewritten code, conventions, and abstractions.

As far as Vercel goes, the free tier is generous, but advanced usage (like team collaboration, high traffic volumes, or enterprise features) may require a paid, but generally affordable, plan.

Additionally, if you need backend features beyond simple API routes in your project, you might need to connect external services (like a database or headless CMS), which adds complexity.

To give you an example, I built a site recently for a customer who decided he wanted to add a CMS to his project after I had already built the content on the site. Adding a CMS required me to build the CMS itself, but also modify the content to accept changes from the CMS. This takes a bit of time and adds a large level of complexity.

Verdict

For developers who want control or for customers looking for sites that perform better than most sites, I recommend this tool. Just know that there are levels of complexity that can be intimidating to many, but once you learn it, you’ll never want to use other tools again to build websites. If this is too daunting of a task, using Webflow or one of these other tools could prove useful to you.

Conclusion

While everyone can argue up and down what is the best tool for web design and development, just know that everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

Use whatever tool is best for your needs, but also use a tool that you enjoy using. If you use framework coding, but hate every minute of it, it won’t last because you’ll either quit or want to quit. If you find the most fulfillment and enjoyment in using Wordpress, then use that to your heart’s content.

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