Creating a website isn’t as difficult as it used to be, but it still comes with its own set of challenges. Websites require a lot of information, photos, and organization, which can take hours to put together, even with the best tools. It would be amazing to build a website from scratch in no time at all, and that’s exactly what an AI website builder claims to do.
AI website builders promise to streamline the entire process, from conceptualization to implementation, by using AI to create and organize your content into the right pages. While this is an ambitious claim, some applications manage to deliver, albeit with varying degrees of success.
With twenty years of experience in web development, I’ve worked with everything from hard-coded HTML to WordPress and countless site builders, including Drupal. Over the years, it has become much easier and simpler to get a site live. What once took an entire month can now be done in a matter of hours with today’s top theme-based site-building tools.
Naturally, I was curious to see how AI website generators perform. I’ve conducted extensive research and testing to identify the best AI website builders available.
The best AI website builders 2024
- Wix – for most people
- Jimdo – for a free AI website builder with affordable upgrades
- CodeWP – for an AI tool for complex WordPress sites
- Framer – for an example of where AI website builders are going
Evaluation Process
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The term “artificial intelligence” has dominated the marketing lexicon for the last several years. So it’s not surprising that a bewildering array of technologies have emerged, all claiming to employ AI in website development. Sadly, I only found a few of decent tools out of over fifty that I tested.
Parrot Talk
Unfortunately, it’s not hard to make something that mimics an AI website builder these days. You can get pretty much there by connecting OpenAI’s GPT API to an open source website builder or white label service. Using a simple, prompt-taking front-end, you can instruct GPT to generate text using artificial intelligence and fill out a standard, editable website template. It may not be top-notch, but it will make website creation a breeze—something that sounds fantastic in ads and looks fantastic in demo videos.
This is, maybe, the most important part of the problem. Instead of being nothing more than a glorified tech demo that fills the same template with dull, AI-generated text, an AI website builder should be an excellent website builder that happens to employ AI, in my opinion.
Their are primarily two methods in which AI website builders function. “Create a website for Glenn Cars, a local car dealer in Tulsa Oklahoma.” was one of the type of prompts I was given by some of the applications, while others required me to include personal information and the purpose of my site. No matter if it was a form or a prompt, I was pleased to consider it AI-powered if my input actually made a difference to the end-product. I would have been content to dismiss my suggestions as an AI website builder’s clumsy attempt to cash in on the current AI boom if they simply copied and pasted my words into their ubiquitous generic theme.
Criteria for an AI Website Builder
In addition to wanting to experience life as an artificial intelligence, I was on the hunt for an AI website builder that met certain criteria:
- Facilitate the creation of an aesthetically pleasing website. No longer is it necessary for a website to appear as though it was created using Dreamweaver in 2005, thanks to the extremely high standards set by theme-based website builders. Some of the most AI-powered builders I looked at failed miserably at this condition; they were able to take a written cue and produce something terrible.
- Simplify the process of achieving your goals. It is not hard to choose a WordPress theme. Apps that require a lot of manual editing in a subpar site builder or those that require a lot of time spent generating prompts to provide decent, relevant results, regardless of how much AI they contain, did not make the cut.
- Create one-of-a-kind websites. A cynical approach to developing an AI website builder would be to provide it a set of instructions and then have it fit all of that data into a single, generic theme. Altering the prompt has no effect on the site’s structure; all it does is alter the headers and, perhaps, the graphics. Countless tools similar to this one were found, however I will not provide links to them. This section only features apps that let you create truly unique websites. Although it should be an AI-generated website, it should manage to avoid coming off as such.
- Provide an enjoyable excursion in general. The fundamental idea of AI tools is to simplify things; if an app’s user interface is clumsy or its AI is awkward, there’s no use in utilizing it. Also, make sure there is good documentation in case something goes wrong.
In addition, I found a handful of things that I had not anticipated.
Common website builders that utilize artificial intelligence to generate content. The websites in this list were created using AI-powered website builders. While I did explore a few apps that utilized AI to generate material, I didn’t give much thought to those that simply had GPT integrated to assist with copywriting.
Artificial intelligence design tools. A plethora of new apps are appearing to assist designers with artificial intelligence mockups of websites; however, these apps do not generate fully functional websites with code. Website creation and launch AI tools were the exclusive focus of this list.
Could a website builder powered by AI be necessary?
With their intuitive interfaces and vast libraries of premade designs, website builders make it easy to find a template that suits your needs. I remain unconvinced that artificial intelligence is necessary to create an excellent website, and this list is currently undergoing its second update. Plus, I still don’t think the ability to construct a website in 30 seconds using only text is much more than a spammer’s tool or a party trick.
I seriously doubt that the majority of individuals could create a genuine website without making some personal adjustments. For this reason, it is my recommendation that you look for an AI website builder that is supported by a reliable non-AI website builder. It’s a win-win situation.
Why You Should Not Use AI Website Builders
Using an AI website builder is like hiring a skilled contractor to construct your dream home. Sure, it gets the job done, and you get that pristine, fresh-from-the-factory feel. But a house only becomes a home with the touch of human life – the pencil marks tracking kids’ heights on door frames, the cracked window from a wayward baseball, the squeaky door that everyone ignores. Similarly, a business truly thrives because of the people behind it, infusing it with personality, passion, and character.
Let’s try another comparison. An AI-built website is like the difference between a cubic zirconia and a natural diamond. Even if they’re not experts, people can tell the difference. A plug-and-play website often lacks that special something. Once again, the key lies in the people behind it. Sometimes, it’s not the perfection that makes something shine, but the flaws that reveal the touch of humanity.
At Glenn Website Design, you won’t find flashy tricks or unrealistic perfection. What you will find is a dedicated designer ready to work with you one-on-one, like a skilled contractor who truly listens to their client. We build websites that reflect who you are. Our sites capture your unique style, shining with the authenticity of a natural diamond.
That being said, we don’t ignore the benefits of leveraging AI tools. Just like a savvy contractor knows that an excavator is more efficient than a shovel, we begin with the best tools available. Today, that means using AI to enhance our website-building process.
This is the step-by-step process we follow here at Glenn:
- Research: The first step is understanding your competition and your market. No AI can tell you how to compete with Joe’s 20 years of friendly service.
In the end, the real key is people. Building relationships and making your customers feel like friends is what truly sets your business apart.
2. Register domain: Moniker is our choice.
3. Hosting: We use Blue Host but there are many choices. Just be careful about limits to website size, price for hosting renewal second year.
4. Install WordPress: WordPress is the best tool for the base of your website. It then includes all the tools you need to build.
5. Choose a theme: You want a them that is fast and nice. We use Neve Pro as it is considered the fastest.
5. Install Plugins: We use Otter page builder blocks, Yoast for SEO, Jetpack for security, Akismet Anti-spam.
That is it, simplified, you are ready to start creating web pages. Very simple and in the end you have much more control over how the website develops than you would with an AI complete package deal. There are a few other details I will not into here but you can find more details here Design A Business Website In WordPress. We use AI as a proofreader and advisor.
