Although the name might not suggest it, subdomains are actually part of your main domain name. They are designed to categorize and organize your website, allowing visitors to navigate easily to different areas of your site.
For example, your main domain might be www.yoursite.com and you might have a subdomain which is www.support.yoursite.com.
In the example above, “support” is the subdomain, with “your site” being the main domain, or top-level domain (TLD). You can call your subdomain anything you like, but it’s recommended to name it something that’s easy to remember, much like your primary domain.
However, I often get asked why you’d need a subdomain.
Why You Might Need A Subdomain
Subdomains are commonly used by developers to create a test version of a website. Here a developer can test new features, plugins, and so on, without them affecting the main website. Subdomains are free domains, so you won’t have to purchase a new domain to use one.
Another example of why you might need a subdomain is when you are creating an online store. eCommerce stores often fall under subdomains as it’s easier to track and handle transactions separately to the main website.
There are many different reasons why a subdomain is used, including for mobile websites, specific location websites, and creating sub-sections of a website like a forum.
Can I Still Use WordPress For My Subdomain?
Whether you’re using your main domain or a subdomain, you can still use WordPress. It will work as a separate installation from your primary domain, so there’s no confusion to be had.
If you have specific groups of users for your website, you can create different areas for them under a subdomain, like blog.yoursite.com or guests.yoursite.com.
Subdomains are really useful in organizing your website. Best of all, if you use them correctly, subdomains won’t affect your main website’s SEO.
To help you with the process, I’ll show you how you can do this via your hosting account. Although you may be using a different web host, the method is generally the same across all platforms.
First, log in to your Bluehost control panel and navigate to the Domains section located in the left-hand panel.
Once you’ve clicked on Domains you’ll see the Subdomains section within the list. Select this to start creating a subdomain.
If you have more than one domain within your hosting account, make sure you select the correct domain from the drop-down list.
Now you can type in the name for your new subdomain, e.g. blog, forum, store, etc.
When you’ve entered the name for your subdomain, you can click Create to start the process.
Your subdomain will instantly appear at the bottom of the screen, displaying at the front of your domain name.
How To Install WordPress On Your Subdomain
Using the example above, create your subdomain via your hosting account.
With Bluehost, you can choose to Create a new WordPress site. From here, fill in the relevant fields your like site name and site tagline.
The next step in the process will allow you to select your domain from a drop-down list. Here you can select your subdomain.
The process is that simple! Now your subdomain has been installed with WordPress, and you can create your subdomain’s website separate from your main domain.
WordPress has plenty of features and plugins that can help you with this, including blogs, forums, and so on.
What’s The Difference Between Subdomains And Subdirectories?
Subdomains can be found on Google and other search engines. If a user performs a search and your subdomain appears in the results, they can click on it like any other normal website.
Google crawls and indexes subdomains separately, therefore you need to consider how this will affect your website’s SEO.
Backlinks from your main website are not shared between your subdomain and main domain, so you’ll need to build up the ranking for your subdomain just like you would any other website.
Therefore, it’s recommended not to create subdomains without good reason. If you want your subdomain to rank for different keywords, then it’s a good idea, but not if you want to rank for the same keywords. If this is the case, you’ll be competing against yourself.
Subdirectories, on the other hand, are files and folders located under your main domain. Search engines don’t recognise subdirectories as separate websites, so any SEO work you’ve done on your website won’t be affected by subdirectories.
Who Should Use Subdirectories?
If you’re creating your first website, running a startup business, or you don’t have much time on your hands, creating a subdirectory is a better way to organize your website as opposed to creating a subdomain.
It will allow you to work on your SEO without doubling up on your time and efforts and will enable you to rank much faster than using a subdomain.
Subdomains Roundup
Now that you know what subdomains are used for and how to create one, it’s time to decide whether you should create one for your website.
Adding a subdomain to your website isn’t a hard task, and if you’re using a web host like Bluehost, the process is simpler than ever. However, you’ll need to consider whether creating a subdomain is worth the time and effort to maintain.
Remember, subdomains are treated by search engines like your main website. People can search for your subdomain, navigate to it, and it can rank on sites like Google.
Subdomains are great for:
Developers
Website owners who want to test new features
Large businesses
eCommerce stores
However, if you’re a small business or blogger, it’s probably not worth investing the time into creating a subdomain, unless you don’t currently rank for any of your keywords.
If you’ve ever used the internet (which I’m assuming you have), typed in a URL, or visited a website, you’re probably familiar with seeing HTTPS.
HTTPS can be found at the beginning of most URLs. If you come across a website that doesn’t have HTTPS in front of the URL, it means that the website isn’t using an SSL certificate, and therefore may not be secure.
HTTPS is a secure version of HTTP. HTTP sends information and data between your internet browser and the website you’re viewing. It secures information like your address, credit card details, and more.
As you might have figured out, the ‘S’ in HTTPS stands for secure. Sensitive data is encrypted, meaning hackers and people who are trying to steal your data are going to have an almost impossible task in doing so.
Switching your website to HTTPS is very important for security. This is especially the case if you’re running an eCommerce store – keeping yours and your customer’s details safe is essential.
Why Is HTTPS Important?
If you’re strapped for time, we’ll give you a quick overview as to why HTTPS is so important for your website:
Your website will rank higher on search engines
Instills trust in your customers
Protects sensitive data
Time to stick around? Let’s take a look at each of those points in more details.
SEO
If you want your website to be successful, SEO is key. While your website’s design is important, it’s no good having a beautiful website that no one can find.
Improving your site’s rankings can happen in various different ways. These include keyword research, Google Analytics, ensuring your content is meaningful and relevant, and lots more.
However, HTTPS can also affect SEO. Google, one of the most popular search engines, now ranks websites by whether they have HTTPS or not. In 2014 it became a ranking factor, so if your website is protected with HTTPS, it will rank higher on search engines.
Google said that HTTPS would be a ‘tie-breaker, meaning if there were two identical sites, one had HTTPS and the other didn’t, the one with HTTPS would rank higher. Safety comes first.
Trust
For your business or brand to be successful over time, you need to please your customers. After all, they’re the people you need to look after as they will keep your business going.
If your customers are using Google Chrome and come across an HTTP website, Google now labels these websites as ‘not secure’. First impressions count, so if your website visitors see this red flag, chances are they’ll go elsewhere.
Nonsecure websites have a much higher bounce rate than secure ones. Whether you’re building your own website or using a website builder, making sure your website is HTTPS is a must-have.
Protecting Data
HTTPS secures data sent between a web browser and a website. It encrypts the data using an SSL certificate. eCommerce stores should always use HTTPS as sensitive information like your customer’s credit card details will be sent across.
HTTPS and Website Builders
Now you know why HTTPS is so important, how do you actually get this on your website? If you’re using a website builder to create your website, make sure they offer a free SSL certificate.
Most popular website builders include a free SSL certificate, including:
You’ll need to make sure that an SSL certificate is included. Some website builders like Weebly only include one for free if you use their Business and Performance plans. However, you can purchase an SSL certificate via your web hosting provider or domain registrar.
eCommerce Platforms and HTTPS
Online stores must have an SSL certificate to take customer information and payment details. The following eCommerce platforms come with a free SSL certificate:
With Weebly’s eCommerce plan, you’ll need to turn the security function on manually.
If you’re using a platform like 3dcart, all of their plans include a shared SSL certificate. If you want to install a dedicated SSL certificate, this will cost and can be more expensive depending on the features you require.
Summary
I hope by the end of this article you now have a good understanding of how HTTPS can help your website. Remember, having HTTPS can have a positive impact on different areas of your site including SEO, trust, and sensitive data.
In fact, there are no downsides to having HTTPS.
Making sure your website is secure is easy and in most cases free to do. If your web hosting provider doesn’t offer a free SSL certificate, you can purchase one.
When choosing a web host or website builder, security should be one of your number one priorities. Keep an eye out for a free SSL certificate when deciding, and if you’re not sure, contact the company you’re purchasing from to see if they can give you an SSL certificate.
Here at UK Web Host Review, we often get asked “how do I login to WordPress?” or “how do I reset my WordPress login details?”. When you sign up for WordPress.org, you’re required to seek out your own reliable web hosting – that’s why it’s called a self-hosted solution.
Some WordPress web hosts will automatically install WordPress for you, thus generating WordPress login details that you may have trouble finding. Alternatively, if you install WordPress yourself via your web host’s control panel, you may have missed your login details.
Trust me, you’re not the only ones who get stuck in this pickle! I’m here to help you how to find your WordPress login details and reset your WordPress credentials if needed.
What Is My WordPress Login Link?
When you install WordPress, you’ll be provided with a login URL. This will often look something like this: www.yoursite.com/admin
With your own login URL, you’ll be able to access the WordPress login page for your website.
Alternative Login URLs
Sometimes your WordPress URL might not work and so you’ll need to try other variations to access your WordPress login page. Alternatively, you may have installed your WordPress site in a different directory, or you’re using a subdomain, in which case you’ll need to enter a slightly different URL like the ones below:
Alternative login page: www.yoursite.com/wp-login.php
Subdirectory: www.yoursite.com/wordpress/login or www.yoursite.com/wordpress/wp-login.php
Subdomain: www.subdomain.yoursite.com/login or www.subdomain.yoursite.com/wp-login.php
Remember to replace the yoursite part of the URL with your website name. If you were previously logged into your WordPress website, the URLs will take you to your WordPress dashboard. If your session has expired, then you’ll be taken back to the WordPress login page.
How To Login To WordPress From Your Web Host
Decent WordPress web hosts will offer an easy way to login to your WordPress admin area directly from your host’s control panel. We’re going to look at ways you can log in to your WordPress site from some popular WordPress hosts.
1. Logging into WordPress from BlueHost
BlueHost is one of the few recommended WordPress web hosts from WordPress itself. BlueHost offers cheap WordPress hosting alongside an easy-to-use dashboard which is ideal for beginners.
Once you’ve logged into your BlueHost account, simply click on My Sites from the left-hand side panel on your BlueHost dashboard.
Select the website you want to login to and click the button that says Log In.
SiteGround’s control panel has recently been updated, making it even easier to access and manage your websites and domains. Simply log in to your SiteGround dashboard and click Websites from the tabs at the top.
Once you see your website from the list below, select WordPress Kit next to the website you want to log in to.
The WordPress Kit popup will appear showing a variety of options. Select the option that says WordPress Admin to login to your WordPress website.
How To Remember Your WordPress Login Page
If you struggle to remember your WordPress login link then it’s a good idea to add a bookmark to your browser. This makes it easy to click on the bookmark without having to remember the login URL as the bookmark will do the hard work for you.
You can also add your website’s WordPress link to your website footer, sidebar, or menu, so all you’d need to do is visit your website to gain access to the login page – handy right?
Adding Your WordPress Link to Menu
To add your WordPress login URL to your website’s menu, login to your WordPress admin area then click on Appearance >Menus.
Click on the Custom Links option to expand it. Here you’ll need to input your WordPress login page URL and the link text you want to display. Once you’re finished, click on Add to Menu and remember to select Save Menu to ensure your new menu has been added successfully. See, that wasn’t too painful, was it?
Use Remember Me
When you land on the WordPress login page, you’ll see a checkbox at the bottom of the username/password boxes labelled Remember Me. If you check this box before logging in, your login details will be remembered for the following 14 days, or until your browser’s cookies are cleared.
This will allow you to log in directly to your WordPress dashboard without having to remember or input your username and password each time you log in.
How To Reset Your WordPress Password
If you want to reset your WordPress password, there is more than one way to do this. The simplest way is to click Lost Your Password?on the login page for your website, but if you don’t receive an email or you can’t access your email, you may need to consider another method.
Change Your Password via WordPress
From the WordPress dashboard, select Users > All Users
Select your username from the list to edit it
Once you reach the Edit User screen, scroll down until you see the New Password section
Click Generate Password
To change the automatically-generated password, type your new password in the box provided to overwrite it
Click Update User button to complete the process
Change Your Password via phpMyAdmin
If your emails aren’t working or if WordPress doesn’t send you an email if you’re trying to reset your password through the Lost Your Password link, you can reset your WordPress password via the database.
Login to your control panel from your WordPress hosting account, e.g. SiteGround or BlueHost
Under databases (if you’re using cPanel) select phpMyAdmin
Select your WordPress database from the phpMyAdmin app
Find the table in your database called {table prefix]_users and click Browse
Click Edit next to the username of the person you want to change the password
Delete the value in the user_pass field and update it with your new password
Under the Function column, select MD5 from the dropdown and select Go
Ironically, one of the few things to remain the same in the digital world is the ever-evolving nature of UX and UI design. Staying relevant and up to date on the latest trends is essential for a designers’ survival.
Design trends sprout from both users and competitors. Whilst some are only passing trends, others may stick around for some time. They may even change the core principles and practices of UX/UI design.
Regardless of how new trends are born or how long they grace us with their presence, it means designers and businesses must be at the top of their game when it comes to design best practices.
This kind of information tells us that users are spending a lot of time online. But businesses will have to grab the user’s attention pretty quickly if they’re in with any chance of converting them. It only takes around 2.6 seconds for a user to decide if they like or dislike a website. Therefore it’s essential to offer the best and most current UX/UI designs to ensure you have the upper hand.
To ensure your brand identity sticks out from the rest of the crowd, we’ve put together some of the leading UX and UI design trends from around the world.
1. Dark Mode
Dark mode was one of the hottest UX/UI trends in 2020. Some of the world’s leading brands like Apple, Google, and Instagram are offering dark mode in their options.
Here are the main reasons why dark mode is so popular:
Modern/sleek look
Easy to highlight eye-popping elements
When enabled, dark mode can save battery power on a device
Eye strain is reduced in low-light conditions
Devices like the Apple iPhone allow their users to choose when to activate dark mode. For example, during sunset and sunrise. iOS users can schedule times for their device to automatically change its appearance.
2. 3D Elements
Realistic 3D visuals are becoming increasingly popular, alongside VR and AR technologies. 3D elements and graphics offer stunning visuals for a website, encouraging customers to increase their website session time.
However, it is essential your website’s platform and web hosting is fast-performing and well optimised. If not, 3D elements will fail to load and will cause huge delays in your website’s loading time (which we know is a big no-no for UI/UX best practices).
3D elements offer a unique and seamless experience between realism and digital realism, pushing the boundaries for users to enjoy a website journey like no other. 94% of first impressions are related to website design, so it’s essential to follow the latest UI/UX trends to increase your CTR.
3. Voice User Interface
Voice technology has surged in recent years, with voice assistants like Google Assistant becoming part of our everyday lives. According to Adobe, 91% of brands are making huge investments in voice technologies as they understand voice will improve the overall user experience, transforming them with voice.
Around 94% of users say they prefer using voice technology because it’s easy and saves time. From driving instructions to checking the weather, playing your favourite tunes to making phone calls, voice technology has made huge headway and strives to continue its expansion.
Bold fonts are stealing the show in when it comes to UX/UI design. Whilst they aren’t a new innovation, they are extremely popular, especially when grabbing the user’s attention is concerned.
Titles and headings tend to be in a larger font than other content on your website, so naturally, this is where your visitors are going to look first. Using bold fonts will attract their attention to where it’s needed, highlighting elements like your products, services, etc.
5. Login Without Passwords
Strong passwords are a common request when it comes to registering and logging into user accounts. Whether it be to access an eCommerce order, retrieve the latest job alerts, or sign up for an online subscription, users are required to remember a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters.
It can quickly become frustrating to users when they inevitably forget their passwords, so one of the latest UI trends is to offer alternative options other than passwords. This includes facial recognition, touch passwords, PIN codes, and more.
Are you thinking of creating a website using a website builder for your wedding?
The big day is an important one. Nonetheless, it can be stressful too. Among planning a wedding, writing a guest list, choosing a venue, and more, building your dream wedding website can be a headache.
Many people turn to web developers and web designers to create the perfect website, but this can be a huge additional cost you may not want to swallow before the big day. There are themes available that web developers have created for a small premium (usually up to £50), but again, this is a costly outlay that you might not be able to budget for.
That’s why a website builder for your wedding website could be the answer! Website builders are much cheaper than hiring a web developer and believe it or not, they’re easy to use, even for a beginner! Most of them like Wix offer free plans, or free trials, so you might not have to spend a penny.
“Why would you want a wedding website?” I hear you ask.
Well, lots of people like to showcase their big day. It’s a great way to store memories as well as share them with those that couldn’t be there. It’s also a handy place to make announcements, share important dates and events, and make sure the day runs smoothly.
From our list of the best website builders, we know there’s plenty of choice. That’s why we’re here to narrow down the best website builders for wedding websites.
Making a website doesn’t have to be stressful. Website builders are the perfect tool if you have no coding knowledge and you don’t have much time to spare. They’re also very affordable, and some even have free plans or free trials which may suit a one-off wedding website down to the ground.
Overview: Best Wedding Website Builders
Website Builder
Free Plan?
Price
Wedding Specific?
Wix
Yes
£3/mo
No
SquareSpace
No
£10/mo
No
Weebly
Yes
£4/mo
No
TheKnot
Yes
£0
Yes
WeddingWire
Yes
£0
Yes
Appy Couple
No
£45
Yes
Wedding websites come in two sizes, as such. There are your non-specific website builders like Wix and SquareSpace which you can use for a range of website types. For example, you can create a wedding website, a personal portfolio or even a restaurant website.
Alternatively, there are wedding-specific website builders. These are designed with weddings in mind and thus are catered specifically for weddings and no other industries.
Both have their pros and cons and there’s no real right or wrong selection when making your decision, it’s really down to your personal wants and needs.
All-round website builders tend to have drag and drop functionality and are very easy to use. They cater to a large audience and therefore tend to be beginner-friendly. On the other hand, wedding-specific builders may have more features that you require like wedding-specific templates and themes, guest management, etc, but might not be as simple to use.
Wix is a drag and drop builder meaning you can literally design your website how you like it. They also have a handy tool called Wix ADI which uses intelligent technology to create your website from scratch based on a few questions and answers.
If you want to ensure your wedding website is mobile friendly so your guests can keep up-to-date with your latest news on the go, Wix’s mobile editor will be your new best friend. What’s great about Wix’s mobile editor is that it’s separate from the desktop editor. If you want to make changes specifically to the mobile version of your website, you can do this without affecting desktop.
Wix Templates
Wix’s wedding templates are guaranteed to put a smile on your face and wow your guests. There are so many templates to choose from, and you don’t have to choose a wedding-specific template if you don’t want to, however, they are great for inspiration.
Once you’ve chosen a template, Wix’s editor offers a lot in the way of features and elements for you to use. However, if you can’t find the app you want for your website, you can head over to Wix’s App Market where there’s a wealth of apps at your disposal.
Some of my favourite apps include a wedding day countdown timer, the latest weather forecast for your big day, and photo albums to add and share memories to. If you want everything to be digital, you can use Wix’s wedding website builder to send e-invites. Guests can send RSVPs straight back to you without the long wait.
Wix has a free plan to get you started, but it will contain Wix branded ads and you won’t be able to connect your own domain to it. When it comes to wedding websites, this may not be too detrimental, but it is a nicer touch if you can give a personal URL to your guests.
SquareSpace is all about the design, so if you want to show off your wedding website in style, this website builder is sure to meet the mark.
The templates on offer at SquareSpace are simply incredible. Whether you’re building a wedding website or another type of website, there’s nothing else out there that matches SquareSpace’s template design. The best part is, you don’t need any coding knowledge to get started.
Squarespace Templates
There aren’t as many templates to choose from compared to Wix, but the ones that are available are simply stunning. Each template has been designed to be mobile-responsive which is a great feature if your guests want to be kept updated whilst on the go.
SquareSpace currently offers 6 stunning wedding website templates for you to use. Whilst the templates are a great place to gain some inspiration, you can jump into SquareSpace’s editor to make them entirely your own.
A lot of customers using SquareSpace do so to showcase videos and photos. The templates and features ooze creativity, so what better place to show off your big day with your collection of outstanding photos.
As well as having a space to help you with your wedding, wedding websites with SquareSpace can be a real stress-reliever for guests too. Their wedding registry app known as Zola is the perfect integration tool. It highlights gift ideas, wish lists, and you can even accept donations if you’d prefer.
✖ Designs aren’t as stunning as Wix and SquareSpace
✔ Simple to use
✖ Free plan is limited
✔ Free plan available
Weebly is an easy to use website builder where you can build a great looking wedding website without any coding skills required. Weebly’s platform is so easy to use, you can get your wedding website up and running in a matter of hours. From sign up to going live, every bit of using Weebly’s platform is a breeze.
Drag and drop builders like Weebly mean you can create your website just how you like it. If you want text or images in a certain place, simply drag the element onto your template and away you go, it really couldn’t be easier.
In terms of wedding websites, you can showcase your special venue, add an RSVP form, or search Weebly’s App Center for more inspiration. If time is of the essence and you don’t have much in the way of budget, I highly recommend Weebly.
Weebly Templates
Unlike Wix and SquareSpace, Weebly doesn’t have a specific section in their themes/templates for weddings. However, if you go to the events tab, you will find a couple of wedding-specific themes to cast your eye upon. All of Weebly’s themes are mobile responsive and their wedding themes come as one-page designs, making the whole process even simpler.
Wedding websites should be a place to get information to your guests, and to generally make life easier. Weebly’s App Center has plenty of apps to get your hands on, including nearby accommodation, venue location, logistics, and even a guestbook. If you wish, you can integrate your wedding website with your social media account, making sharing your big day that little bit simpler.
Weebly’s free pricing plan means you can create a stunning wedding website for free. Whilst you can’t use a custom URL or have access to all of their apps, it is at least a starting point for those on a tight budget.
The Knot is an all-in-one wedding planning and inspiration service. As well as offering plenty of planning tools and other wedding extras, it also offers a free wedding-specific website builder.
When you’re planning a wedding, freebies are always a bonus (even when you’re not planning a wedding). However, free doesn’t always mean it’s the best option. The Knot, whilst a great free concept, doesn’t offer much in the way of creative freedom when designing a website.
The Knot Templates
Unsurprisingly, The Knot has plenty of wedding themes to wow you and your guests. You can change your theme design at any point which is a great feature even some big website builders like Wix don’t offer.
The editor is part of a dashboard which makes it very easy to use, but there are some frustrating aspects too. If you want to view the changes you’ve made to your website, you’ll have to preview your site every single time, which can be quite tiresome.
Saying this, The Knot is a brilliant website builder in it’s own right, offering a large selection of wedding themes, photo albums, logistics and registry integration. When you’re building a wedding website, ease and simplicity is what makes sense.
Because of the nature of The Knot, building your wedding website feels quite similar to creating a checklist. This is super handy if you’re struggling for ideas or feeling a little overwhelmed. The Knot guides you in the right direction, but because of this, it means there isn’t much in the way of diverting from the plan and expressing your own creativity.
WeddingWire is actually a sister company of The Knot, so it has a lot of similarities in terms of its all-in-one service. The company was established in 2007 and has over 16 million users each month – pretty impressive!
Although WeddingWire does offer a website builder, I want to talk about their other tools first. They have some awesome planning tools which include an online checklist, guest list, seating chart, budget calculator, supplier manager, dresses, and of course their wedding website builder.
WeddingWire Templates
The templates available from WeddingWire for your wedding website are pretty decent. They’re nothing to shout about for too long, but they’ll certainly do the job and they are all mobile friendly.
The website builder is pretty much no frills, it’s simple to use and easy to get your wedding website up and running in a few hours. There are also some pretty cool apps that you can use like WedShoots, which allows you to download your guest’s photos in one place.
WeddingWire is free to use, so it’s no wonder they don’t offer a many features or spectacular themes compared to Wix and SquareSpace. However, if you’re looking for a simple solution where you can plan and share news and information about your big day, WeddingWire is a great choice.
Appy Couple is an interactive wedding planning and organising website and app. The selling point to Appy Couple is notably their personalised wedding app, which you and your guests can download and interact with.
If you’re on a budget or you simply want your friends and family to share their point of view of your big day, they can upload photos and record the day, minute by minute. If anyone gets lost, they can access directions on the app and be guided to the main event.
Unlike a lot of other wedding website builders, Appy Couple does not offer a free plan or free trial. You’ll have to pay upfront and pay for your subscription immediately, so there’s no testing the waters with this one.
It can be quite overwhelming signing up to something that you can’t try, but I can assure you that Appy Couple is definitely worth the money. It’s a one-off cost with no monthly subscriptions, with plans starting from £45.
Appy Couple Templates
All of Appy Couple’s customer’s will be able to use the wedding website builder which comes with some pretty stunning designs. You’ll also have access to the app, invites, guest management and much more.
If you’re not much of a designer or developer, creating a website with the Appy Couple is easy to do. You don’t have complete freedom, but this is a suitable option if you don’t have much time to spare. Beware, however, there are a lot of apps that you can use and integrate with your wedding website, so spend some time deciding what you really need before you can’t get your head out of the sand.
IM Creator was actually founded by a former Wix employee. However, it’s not been met with quite the same popularity as Wix, nor has it competed very well with other website builders.
I hadn’t heard much about IM Creator, and nor had many others, to be honest. It’s for this reason I wanted to investigate it in more detail. I quickly learned that IM Creator isn’t for beginners, which is why perhaps it’s not widely known.
If you have a lot of web design or development experience, IM Creator may be a suitable platform for you. However, if you’re just starting out, I’d definitely stay away from it before you give yourself a headache.
As with most things though, it’s not all doom and gloom. I signed up to IM Creator so that I could give you an honest low-down on its templates, features, design tools, customer support, pricing, and pros and cons.
#1: Pros and Cons
Pros
Cons
✔ Beautifully designed templates with lots of design elements
✔ Lots of customisation options which is ideal for creative users
✖ Not ideal for beginners, only for advanced users
✔ Separate desktop and mobile editor
#2: Ease of Use
Signing up to IM Creator is pretty simple, you just need to enter your email address, username and password to get started. You’re taken straight to the template selector where you can choose the template you want to begin with.
Following this, you’re pretty much thrown in at the deep end with no guidance and no toolbar to select elements from. I actually found it difficult to create a website with IM Creator’s website builder, which makes little sense to me.
If you want to change a design element, you’ll have to click it on the template. So, if I want to change the background image of the header, you have to locate it and update the existing image.
Because there’s no drag and drop editor, IM Creator feels the complete opposite to intuitive. Unlike Wix, you have to feel around in the dark to try and find what you want to change and add.
In comparison to the big names in the website builder world like Wix, Squarespace, and Weebly, IM Creator feels like it falls very short in terms of ease of use. If you’ve never created a website before, don’t start your journey here, as you’ll likely get very frustrated and lost.
#3: Templates
IM Creator’s templates are pretty decent. They’re professional, modern and they are all mobile responsive, which is a must when designing a website. Finding a template is quite easy, simply use the categories on the left-hand side to filter your selection.
There’s a wide range of industries to choose from including photography, services, business, restaurants, eCommerce, music, and film. Each template shows a mobile and desktop version, giving you an idea of what your site will look like across multiple devices.
When you select an IM Creator template, it will be pre-populated with content. Once you launch the editor, you’ll need to click on the content you want to change or remove, but there’s not much in the way of creative freedom.
As we already know, there’s no drag and drop functionality, so you’re quite limited to what you can actually do. However, if you’re feeling particularly creative, you can ditch the template idea altogether and create your own design from scratch.
This is actually a feature that’s quite interesting to me. Whilst I wouldn’t recommend this for beginners or people with no web design experience, it could be quite a fun little task for someone who wants to show off their creative flair.
#4: Tools and Features
For me, IM Creator seems to lack certain tools and features that make it easy to create a website. After all, a website builder should be simple to use, because the idea behind them is that they help people without web development experience, to create a website.
There are a few good features, like having a free plan, being able to connect your domain name, and allowing donation buttons on your website. However, these simple features feel very few and far between when you consider what else is available on the market.
IM Creator doesn’t offer an app store or any kind of plugins. These kinds of features are essential to creating a unique website, which is something almost every other website builder offers.
Let’s take a look at some of the good features that IM Creator offers:
Free Hosting: As with most website builders, IM Creator offers free web hosting and the ability to connect your domain. Servers are hosted using Google and Amazon’s secure servers with unlimited bandwidth and storage on premium plans.
eCommerce: If you want to sell products via your website, you won’t need a specific pricing plan to access the eCommerce features. You’ll have access to store analytics, checkout services, and orders.
Blogging: You can easily add a blog to your website with IM Creator. There’s a blue + icon in the editor that allows you to integrate a blog with your site, however, the tools are very basic.
#5: Customer Support
IM Creator claims they offer 24/7 support, which is a must when you’re dealing with websites. If your website goes down or encounters an issue, you’ll need to access support immediately.
IM Creator’s support center gives you access to their how-to guides, step-by-step tutorials, FAQs, and customer support. The average response time on their ticket system is 12 hours.
If you want premium 24/7 support, you’ll need to pay for IM Creator’s premium pricing plan. Every customer has access to basic customer support, and the ticket system, but if you want something more hands-on, you’ll need to pay the price.
Overall, I felt IM Creator’s customer support was pretty good. Whilst it may seem like a long time, a 12 hours response time when they’re hosting millions of websites is actually pretty fast.
#6: Pricing
Free
Premium
Pro & Whitelable
Bandwidth
Up to 50mb hosting
Unlimited
Unlimited
URL
Free branded URL
Connect your domain
Connect your domain
Email addresses
0
10
Unlimited
Templates
✔
✔
✔
Support
Basic
Premium
Pro
Branding
✔
✔
Remove XPRS branding
Price
£0
£6.30/mo (annually)
£277/year
To be honest, I find IM Creator’s pricing a little confusing, simply because there are two pricing models on their website, with no clear definition between them.
If you look on the homepage of their website, IM Creator outlines their free plan is only available to students, artists, and non-profits, whereas their pricing page doesn’t specify this.
Also, on the homepage, each plan offers unlimited hosting and are all ad-free, whereas the pricing page claims the free plan only offers 50mb hosting, and XPRS branding is removed on the Pro & Whitelable plan.
If you want to pay for the premium plan, you can do so in multiple ways:
£7.88/mo (biannually)
£6.30/mo (annually)
£5.51/mo (2-yearly)
£4.72/mo (3-yearly)
#7: Summary
After signing up for IM Creator and reviewing each aspect of it, I can’t say that I’m particularly impressed. I tried really hard to be open-minded about their website builder, but I just felt at every level, there was always someone else doing it better.
In terms of ease of use, IM Creator is not for beginners. If you’re skilled in web design or web development, you may find it easier to work with, but to be honest, I doubt you’d want to explore the restrictions they put on creative freedom.
If you want to start building your first ever website, I’d honestly recommend Wix or Weebly. They are both much easier to use, are intuitive, and the difference in price is barely noticeable.
IM Creator does offer a free plan, but we think this is only available to students, artists, and non-profits (though this isn’t really clear from their website). Creating a free website with eCommerce features is a bonus, however, I still wouldn’t recommend it for beginners.
It’s not all terrible though. IM Creator does have a selection of beautiful templates that are all mobile responsive. If you’re looking for a simple website that looks good, with blog integration features, then it may be worth your time.
All-in-all though, there are so many other website builders out there who do things better, in each area, every time.
Other Website Builder Resources:
Best Free Website Builders: A look at 2024‘s collection of awesome free website builders to start your new website
BlueHost is known for being affordable, offering plans to suit a variety of budgets, but do their plans really work for you? We’re here to find out.
Web hosting can be a bit confusing when you’re presented with multiple pricing plans all claiming to offer awesome features. Different types of hosting will suit different types of websites and individuals, so we’re going to explore the differences to make your life easier.
As many other web hosting providers do, BlueHost advertises promotional prices for new customers. These are considered reduced rates for your first term. Once your term has expired, the hosting plan will renew at the regular rate (we’ll look at these rates in more detail later).
The prices that are on BlueHost’s website, and listed below, are based on a 36-month contract. You can either choose to pay on a 12-month basis, 24-month basis, or 36-month basis. Whichever one you decide is considered your term.
The whole point of my reviews is to be as open and honest as possible with you. That’s why I’ll be showing the prices for all terms, as well as their renewal prices. BlueHost isn’t the cheapest web hosting provider, but it does offer some awesome features, and it is recommended by WordPress.
Type of Hosting
Cheapest Price
Top-end Price
WordPress
£2.30/mo
£4.25/mo
Shared
£2.30/mo
£10.88/mo
VPS
£14.81/mo
£46.79/mo
Dedicated
£62.39/mo
£93.59/mo
2. WordPress Hosting
WordPress hosting is designed for customers who have or will have, a WordPress website. All of BlueHost’s WordPress hosting plans include 1-click installation of WordPress, automatic WordPress updates, WordPress staging environment, and a free domain name for 1 year.
Basic
Plus
Choice Plus
Websites
1
Unlimited
Unlimited
SSL
Free
Free
Free
Storage
50GB SSD
Unmetered
Unmetered
Domain
Free for 1 year
Free for 1 year
Free for 1 year
Parked Domains
5
Unlimited
Unlimited
Subdomains
25
Unlimited
Unlimited
Marketing Credits
£150
£150
£150
Office 365 Mailbox
✖
Free for 30 days
Free for 30 days
CodeGuard Basic
✖
✖
✔
Price
£2.30/mo
£4.25/mo
£4.25/mo
I mentioned earlier that when your term is over, your plan will renew at the regular rate. Like the promotional prices, BlueHost’s regular rates are cheaper if you sign up for longer. According to BlueHost’s renewal rates page, here are the current figures:
Basic
Plus
Choice Plus
12-month Term
£7.01/mo
£10.13/mo
£13.25/mo
24-month Term
£6.62/mo
£9.35/mo
£12.47/mo
36-month Term
£6.23/mo
£8.57/mo
£11.69/mo
As you can see, the prices hike up a lot compared to their promotional prices. This is true of many web hosts, which is why the market is so competitive. Lots of web hosts offer free transfers so that when your renewal is due, you can switch to another provider who is cheaper without having to worry about the cost of transferring your website files.
3. Shared Hosting
Shared hosting is ideal for people who are starting on their first website, or who know what resources they need. Shared hosting isn’t as scalable as VPS or dedicated hosting as you are sharing resources and server space with other customers.
The renewal rates for shared hosting are the same as WordPress hosting, with the added Pro plan.
Basic
Plus
Choice Plus
Pro
12-month Term
£7.01/mo
£10.13/mo
£13.25/mo
£20.27/mo
24-month Term
£6.62/mo
£9.35/mo
£12.47/mo
£19.49/mo
36-month Term
£6.23/mo
£8.57/mo
£11.69/mo
£18.71/mo
When you sign up to BlueHost’s web hosting, you’ll need to pay for the term up front, in full. Although the rates advertised are monthly rates, this is the monthly equivalent. If you’re not happy with your service with BlueHost, you can cancel anytime within the first 30 days for a full refund.
If you cancel your account before the end of the term, you won’t be able to get a refund for your free domain name. £12.47 will be deducted from your overall refund amount as the domain is registered for one year. However, you do get to keep your domain.
4. VPS Hosting
VPS hosting is recommended if you require more power, control, and flexibility over your web hosting. VPS hosting is often more expensive than shared hosting and does have similar features. However, you are sharing much less resources on a server compared to shared hosting.
Standard
Enhanced
Ultimate
CPU (Cores)
Dual
Dual
Quad
CPU (Ghz)
2.2
2.2
2.2
RAM (GB)
2
4
8
RAM (ECC)
✔
✔
✔
Ram (Mhz)
1600
1600
1600
SAN Storage
30GB
60GB
120GB
Bandwidth
1TB
2TB
3TB
Free Domains
1
1
1
cPanel & WHM with Root
✔
✔
✔
Dedicated IP
1
2
2
SSL
✔
✔
✔
Price
£14.81/mo
£23.39/mo
£46.79/mo
All VPS plans include a free domain for the first year, a 30-day money-back guarantee and 24/7 support. On top of these standard features, you’ll get multi-server management, access control and file management.
Standard
Enhanced
Ultimate
Monthly
£23.39/mo
£46.79/mo
£93.59/mo
3-month Term
£23.39/mo
£46.79/mo
£93.59/mo
6-month Term
£23.39/mo
£46.79/mo
£93.59/mo
12-month Term
£23.39/mo
£46.79/mo
£93.59/mo
24-month Term
£23.39/mo
£46.79/mo
£93.59/mo
36-month Term
£23.39/mo
£46.79/mo
£93.59/mo
VPS hosting can be renewed on a monthly basis, 3-monthly, 6-monthly, 12-monthly, 24-monthly, and 36-monthly, offering more flexibility. We’ll discuss which type of hosting is most suited to you later, but I would definitely recommend VPS hosting if you need more control over your hosting server.
5. Dedicated Hosting
Dedicated hosting is the beast of all hosting plans. If you want full control over your server with your own resources that aren’t shared by others, you’re essentially renting out a server to yourself. For this reason, dedicated hosting is more expensive than shared or VPS hosting.
Standard
Enhanced
Premium
CPU (Cores)
2
4
4
CPU (Ghz)
2.3
2.5
3.3
CPU (Threads)
4
8
8
CPU (Cache)
3MB
8MB
8MB
RAM (GB)
4
8
16
RAID Level 1 Storage (GB)
2 x 500
2 x 1000
2 x 1000
Bandwidth
5TB
10TB
15TB
Free Domains
1
1
1
cPanel & WHM with Root
✔
✔
✔
Dedicated IP
3
4
5
SSL
✔
✔
✔
Price
£62.39/mo
£77.99/mo
£93.59/mo
Dedicated hosting customers will have 24/7 access to BlueHost’s “elite” support agents. All servers are unmanaged, so you’re in complete control with full root access and improved cPanel. Dedicated hosting is really only recommended for people who know what they’re doing.
Standard
Enhanced
Premium
Monthly
£116.99/mo
£155.99/mo
£194.99/mo
3-month Term
£113.09/mo
£148.19/mo
£187.19/mo
6-month Term
£105.29/mo
£140.39/mo
£175.49/mo
12-month Term
£97.49/mo
£132.59/mo
£163.79/mo
24-month Term
£93.59/mo
£124.79/mo
£155.99/mo
36-month Term
£85.79/mo
£124.79/mo
£163.79/mo
You really start to see the differences with BlueHost’s renewal rates when we get to dedicated hosting. Because the plans are more expensive, so are the regular rates which seem steep compared to other hosting providers.
6. Which BlueHost Plan Should you Choose?
Many people struggle to know which hosting plan is best suited for their website. There’s not really a general rule, but I do have some recommendations if you’re not that experienced in the world of hosting.
A lot of my recommendations take into account how much traffic your site is expected to receive, how much storage you need if you need scalability to grow, or whether you run an online store.
Below is an outline of each type of hosting along with which hosting is most suited to specific needs.
✔ Great if you want to scale your website as it grows
✖ WordPress websites
✖ People on a tight budget
✖ Beginners
£14.81/mo
Dedicated Hosting
✔ High-traffic websites
✔ Large websites and online stores
✔ People who want complete control
✔ Enhanced security
✖ Small websites
✖ Low-traffic websites
✖People on a tight budget
✖ Beginners or people with no technical experience
£62.39/mo
7. BlueHost Vs Competitors
BlueHost is a popular host for good reason. However, there are other hosts out there who are also great, as you can see from our best web hosting services.
I’ve signed up for the big names in the industry, reviewing each host individually. I’ve taken into account their features, uptime and performance, customer support, and lots more. BlueHost has been ranked #2 under the best web hosting category.
My top 5 web hosts are:
SiteGround
BlueHost
Hostinger
iPage
HostGator
Let’s find out how BlueHost’s pricing stacked up against the competition. The table below will cover the hosting types I’ve mentioned in this article, as well as their lowest price available.
BlueHost isn’t the cheapest provider on the market but it’s no means the most expensive either. It’s pretty middle of the road in my opinion. However, their plans do offer a lot of features like a free domain and SSL certificate that some other providers don’t offer.
8. BlueHost Hidden Costs
After choosing your pricing plan, you’ll be taken to BlueHost’s checkout page. There’s a number of options here for you to select, like your contract length, as well as personal and payment details. Before proceeding to payment I highly recommend double checking everything beforehand.
Web hosts have a tendency to add optional extras to your package, hoping you won’t notice, thus ending up with you spending more money. A lot of these boxes are automatically ticked for you, so it’s important to read everything carefully.
Package Extras
Saying that there may be extras that you do want to include, but it’s best to be aware of what they are.
For example, if I select the shared hosting plan at £2.30 per month, over a 36-month term, I’d expect this to total £82.80. My actual total when checking out amounted to £195.57. Quite a difference isn’t it? That’s because the following extras were automatically added on for me:
Domain Privacy + Protection: £0.77 per month
CodeGuard Basic: £2.33 per month
SiteLock Security Essential: £1.62 per month
Whilst these extras may be things you want to include, it can be a bit of a shock to see the total balance when you’re not expecting it.
Package Information
If you’re happy to sign up for a 36-month term, you can leave the package information how it is. However, if you wish to sign up for a shorter term like 12 months or 24 months, you’ll need to change this in the dropdown.
As I mentioned earlier, it’s cheaper to sign up for longer with BlueHost and most other hosting providers. The monthly prices are as follows:
Basic 12-month price – £3.86/mo
Basic 24-month price – £3.08/mo
Basic 36-month price – £2.30/mo
9. BlueHost Pricing Conclusion
BlueHost is recommended by WordPress and offers a wide range of web hosting plans including WordPress hosting, shared hosting, VPS hosting and dedicated hosting. Whilst BlueHost isn’t the cheapest web host on the market, it’s not the most expensive either.
Let’s take a quick recap of BlueHost’s promotional prices and their renewal rates:
Promotional Price
Renewal Price
WordPress Hosting
£2.30/mo
£6.23/mo
Shared Hosting
£2.30/mo
£6.23/mo
VPS Hosting
£14.81/mo
£23.39/mo
Dedicated Hosting
£62.39/mo
£85.79/mo
Each type of hosting offers a variety of pricing plans, as well as optional extras and add ons. We talked about being aware of your final price before proceeding to payment, as hosts (especially BlueHost) do like to automatically include extras for you.
Promotional prices are designed to entice customers. They’re often a lot cheaper than the renewal rates, so it’s important to be aware of the regular rates of hosting. Similarly, if you sign up to BlueHost for a longer term like 36-months, you’re going to get a better deal.
I’d recommend assessing each plan individually and deciding which one fits your website needs the most. If you’re starting on a new or small website, then I recommend shared web hosting. If you have a WordPress website with low traffic, WordPress hosting should suit you down to the ground. For people who want more control of their hosting, or even complete control, it’s worth thinking about VPS or dedicated hosting if you can afford it.
Choosing the best eCommerce themes for your online store can be time-consuming. There are hundreds out there, so narrowing the best ones down can be somewhat of a chore.
Luckily for you, we’ve spent the time testing each one…
1. Brooklyn (Best Free Shopify eCommerce Theme)
Brooklyn is a free Shopify theme. It’s the most popular and top-rated free eCommerce theme in the Shopify marketplace with 74% positive feedback.
I absolutely love it! If I’m honest, I was a bit reluctant to use a free theme but I couldn’t afford to purchase a premium theme upfront. I’m so glad I chose Brooklyn! It’s really easy to customise and it’s so clean and minimal – in line with my branding. Now I just have to work out how to link my Instagram feed to my homepage!
The theme is officially supported by Shopify and includes the following features:
The beauty of the variation of Shopify themes is that they are tailored to different business solutions. For example, some will include specific features and apps for portfolios, menu apps for restaurants, and hr software for small businesses.
The theme offers a very simple yet effective homepage layout. Following the header slideshow, customers are presented with Brooklyn’s featured collection and featured products. These are designed to show off the very best of what’s available and grab the user’s attention.
The simple tone to this theme runs throughout, however, it’s extremely on-point to what it is designed to do. Products are made obvious and links are in the right places to make navigation and the user journey a pleasant one.
2. The North Pole (Best Free Wix eCommerce Theme)
The North Pole is a free Wix online store template. It’s specifically designed for online stores, outdoor and adventurer retailers, and accessory boutiques.
Rugged and sleek with a bold layout, this eCommerce template is tailor-made for stores selling more than just products: they sell a lifestyle. And with Wix stores, managing your inventory is easy! Upload images of your product, add descriptions and prices, and start selling
This theme is all about grabbing your website visitor’s attention with imagery. It uses bold visuals to make simple statements and call-to-actions like “shop now”, “new arrivals”, and “on-sale”.
The theme displays just how easy it is to take this template and run with it. For example, there are obvious points that can be updated to make them your own, like the about and contact sections. Of course, with Wix’s drag and drop editor, you can do whatever you like to make your site unique.
If you want to change the entire design of your template, with Wix you can do this. However, their templates are designed to make your life easier and this really shows throughout their selection of industry-specific designs.
3. Vault (Best Free BigCommerce eCommerce Theme)
Vault is a popular free BigCommerce theme for online stores. It has much more of a classic and typical eCommerce feel than the other templates we’ve mentioned so far. The theme comes with 3 styles: Bright, Cool, and Natural.
It boasts the following features:
Responsive template
Homepage slideshow
Product comparisons
Search filtering
Cart suggested products
Advanced quick view
Product showcase
Mega navigation
Google AMP
Customised checkout
Vault can get your online journey started straight away. With three different styles, you’re already set up with your website’s dominant colour, showing through on clear call-to-action buttons and colour highlights.
With the built in color pickers, you can quickly change the look of nearly every element within the theme. Vault offers a built-in mega menu that is the perfect choice for large menus and is versatile enough to handle both small and large catalogs alike, all while keeping a sleek and modern design.
Vault has been designed so that it’s well optimised for almost every industry. Its modern feel and wide range of features means you can use it for any eCommerce store. Products can be highlighted as featured products, on sale, and can be filtered with a range of options on the product selection page.
4. Thorne (Best Free SquareSpace eCommerce Theme)
Thorne offers a very simplistic, minimalistic and modern view on eCommerce themes. Its monochromatic look makes it very easy for customers to spot CTAs and links to other areas of the online store.
There are plenty of people using the Thorne theme, including:
Whilst all of these websites are using the same theme, it’s clear to see just how unique and different they all are.
Thorne may not be the most suitable template for every type of online store, but it certainly offers a simple solution. I’d recommend using Thorne if you have a small selection of products that you want to sell, perhaps more individual products or high-end brands.
SquareSpace suggests that you should choose a design that you like the look of, rather than one that provides the features you need. That’s because you can use any of SquareSpace’s features across their library of templates.
Weebly’s Dusk theme offers a classic yet modern eCommerce feel, with all of the essential features for you to set up a shop. The theme uses surfwear to show off what it can do, offering an image-heavy banner with a call-to-action to get customers to start shopping.
Some of the features that Dusk boasts include:
Fully responsive
CSS buttons
Vector social icons
Full-width header image
Colour palettes
I am really keen on this themes simple feel. Everything makes sense, from the static menu bar to featured collection items and new arrivals. The slick and crisp attention to detail makes images stand out, which is exactly what an eCommerce theme is supposed to do.
Even down to the newsletter sign up on the homepage, Weebly’s Dusk theme keeps on giving. There are obvious call-to-actions and a high level of consistency throughout the theme. However, one frustrating thing about Weebly’s theme previews is that there’s only so much on offer.
For example, the homepage draws you in with lots to explore, but the moment you start to try and discover the shop, there’s no content to view. If you do want to see the rest of the theme, you can sign up for Weebly for free and start building your website.
Whether you’re a developer, website owner, business owner, or individual, website hacking statistics are alarming. Pretty much every kind of technology can be hacked in one form or another, so it’s important to understand the data behind these threats.
Cybercrime is the greatest threat to every company in the world.
Cybersecurity seems to be a daily struggle for a lot of businesses. Shockingly, statistics show that many companies have unprotected data, or don’t have anywhere near the level of security required.
Workplaces, mobile phones, and other technologies are seeing an increase in hacking and breached data. In order to join the fight against hackers and cybercrime, it’s imperative people are cybersecurity aware and understand how to prevent it.
General Hacking Statistics
In the first half of 2019, data breaches exposed 4.1 billion records (RiskBased)
68% of businesses feel their risk of being hacked or a victim of cybercrime is increasing (Accenture)
In a world where it’s possible (and easy) to build your own online store, you may be wondering which platform to use. Shopify and Volusion are both excellent eCommerce platforms with some big differences.
If your focus heavily surrounds sales, Shopify offers some very advanced sales functionality that you won’t find with Volusion. On the other hand, if you’re a keen marketer who wants to nail analytics and data, Volusion has some pretty neat tools.
Things to consider…
Which is more affordable?
Who offers the best tools and features?
Which platform is easier to use?
Where can you find the best designs?
Ultimately, the decision is yours. However, in order to make that decision, I’ve signed up for both online store builders to save you the stress of doing so.
Undoubtedly, Shopify is hard to compete with. It’s powerful tools and features mean you can build a professional online store that you can market worldwide. However, it isn’t for everyone. That’s why we’ve put it up against Volusion who offers a different side to the coin that some may appreciate more than Shopify.
I’ve put both eCommerce platforms to the test. Let’s get started with Volusion Vs Shopify (exploring the key differences)…
1. Shopify Vs Volusion: Pros and Cons
I think it’s important to establish each platforms’ pros and cons before we begin. This should give you a good overview of whether Shopify or Volusion offers the right characteristics that you are after.
Pros
Cons
Shopify
✔ Has over 1.2 million users worldwide
✖ Shopify can work out expensive after you add up pricing and apps
✔ Shopify’s App store is large and offers lots of variety
✖ If you want to use certain payment gateways there are transaction fees
✔ 24/7 customer support
✖ Not able to switch themes without redesigning the whole store
Volusion
✔ Offers excellent analytics and data tools
✖ No ability to sell digital products
✔ Has its own mobile app to make changes on the go
✖ Cannot add a blog to your online store
✔ There’s plenty of payment gateways to choose from
✖ Could be considered difficult to use or get to grips with
2. Shopify Vs Volusion: Ease of Use
Both eCommerce builders offer a free trial. I thought it would be best to show you from the start how easy each one is to use. So, let’s start with the sign-up process and go from there!
Sign-up
Shopify Sign-up
Volusion Sign-up
When signing up for Shopify’s free trial, I was asked for my email address, password, and store name. In comparison, with Volusion I had to enter my name, phone number, and country. On top of this, Volusion had a pre-ticked box to sign up for special offers via text message, which I wasn’t keen on.
Shopify Information Capture
Volusion Store Creation
On the next step, Shopify asked to capture some information to default as my business address to create my online store. As Volusion didn’t ask any more questions, I’m going to assume for now that the original form capture would be enough. In terms of loading time, Volusion took a lot longer to go to the store.
Shopify Dashboard
Volusion Store Editor
After clicking next, I was taken straight to the Shopify dashboard. Here I could start adding products immediately and locate all the tools I needed to get started straight away. Volusion took me into the store editor where I could pick different designs from the offset, and start building my store. Both platforms sent through confirmation emails, but I didn’t have to divert from the smooth user journey I was already on, ensuring I could get on with the task at hand.
Themes
Shopify Theme Dashboard
Volusion Theme Picker
It was easy to see where to go to look for Shopify themes from the dashboard. After clicking themes, I could choose to customise the existing theme, explore free and premium themes from Shopify, or upload a third-party theme.
Shopify has 8 free themes to choose from and lots of premium themes. The free theme explorer was easy enough to use, opening up a lightbox within the dashboard. However, when I clicked on the theme store, this opened up a separate window where a bunch of themes were thrown in my face to peruse.
In comparison, Volusion’s 11 free themes were visible in the storefront editor straight away. They also have 34 premium themes which aren’t shown in the toolbar to the left. However, when switching themes with Volusion, it took at least 10 seconds for the changes to be visible.
Editor
Shopify Storefront Editor
Volusion Storefront Editor
Shopify’s storefront editor is fairly simple to use. On the lefthand panel, there are ‘Sections’ and ‘Theme Settings’. Sections allow you to select individual sections on your site, like the slideshow at the top, collections list, images, etc. Of course, this may differ depending on the theme you’re using and what features it offers.
Theme settings enable you to customise the colours of your chosen theme as well as fonts, social media, favicon, etc. It’s as simple as clicking on a feature and adjusting it using the settings that appear. You can also switch pages by clicking on the bar at the top, as well as viewing on mobile or desktop.
Volusion, on the other hand, was a little more difficult to get to grips with. Their style editor appears to be in a separate place to the customisation itself. You can adjust the theme’s colours and fonts from the style editor, but not much else.
When I finally found the option to customise my site, the functionality seemed very clunky and often wouldn’t appear unless I clicked it multiple times. Although it was nice to have the theme example visible (so I could see what my store could look like), I found myself getting very frustrated.
Products
Adding a product to Shopify was really easy. I was a little dubious about this as I know products can be complicated. However, Shopify offered plenty of options and they were all clearly categorised. You could even preview how your product would look on a search engine listing.
Volusion’s add product page was a little less appealing. Although it wasn’t hard to use, it didn’t have the same flow as Shopify did. All of the options were tucked away amongst multiple sub-menus, which then led to even more menus.
Verdict
So far we’ve looked at the sign-up process, theme selection, storefront editor, and product options for both Shopify and Volusion. Without a doubt, based on the experience I’ve had, my vote goes to Shopify.
The winner is… Shopify!
Sign-up was easy
Theme selection was obvious
Editing was simple
Plenty of product options
2. Shopify Vs Volusion: Sales
If you’re looking at building an online store, chances are it’s because you want to sell something. Otherwise, I’m not sure what you would be doing! eCommerce builders can be a little tricky to get to grips with, they’re not the friendliest platforms to use because often the proof is in the pudding (or the sales features in this case).
Shopify
One platform that lets you sell wherever your customers are—online, in‑person, and everywhere in‑between.
The above quote is from Shopify’s website and it encompasses everything I would have said about Shopify’s sales features. You can pretty much do what you like with Shopify’s platform. In terms of selling, you can integrate your online shop with popular social media platforms, sell in person, or simply add a ‘buy’ button to any website.
Some of the sales features that stand out for me with Shopify are:
A huge app store with thousands of choices to enhance your store
Get it all: a store builder, ecommerce software and a marketing hub, all in one.
Although I have so far found Volusion to be less than inviting when it comes to usability, I feel this is where it really shines. Volusion’s analytic tools are seriously top-notch. For example, you can find out exactly what your customers are searching for. This makes it a lot easier to target your audience and offer your customers what they actually want.
Volusion’s sales features include:
Mobile app to manage your store from anywhere
No transaction fees
Advanced tracking and analytics, including ad campaigns
Integration with Facebook, eBay, and Amazon
Newsletter creation
Easy SEO management
Verdict
Until now, Volusion hasn’t received the best reception from me. However, it’s powerful sales features are something to be admired. With advanced analytics, tracking and no transaction fees, selling with Volusion seems to be a breeze.
Although Shopify does charge transaction fees, I feel it offers very similar features to Volusion as well as an enormous app store where you can find pretty much anything you need to sell your products online and offline.
Although we had a brief look into Shopify and Volusion’s themes earlier during the sign-up process, I thought it would be wise to explore this in a little more detail.
eCommerce builders, unfortunately, aren’t very well known for beautiful designs. However, this seems to have changed of later and more of them are competing to show off their creative flair.
Shopify
Shopify has 8 free themes are 64 premium themes. Their premium themes range between £108 to £139. Themes are categorised based on industry, so you can pretty much find what you’re looking for, for any business.
As you’d expect, all of Shopify’s themes are mobile responsive, so you won’t have to worry about designing a different storefront for mobile users. Because a lot of retailers use Shopify, there’s a handy product feature built within many of their themes called ‘Product Zoom’.
Volusion
Volusion has 11 free themes are 34 premium themes. Their premium themes are all £139, so it doesn’t matter which one you choose, you’ll pay the same price. Like Shopify, all of Volusion’s themes are mobile responsive.
You can view each theme in demo mode, so you can essentially try before you buy. Volusion’s theme preview shows you all of the features a theme offers, as well as any extras like product image zoom and newsletter sign up.
Verdict
Both Shopify and Volusion’s themes are mobile responsive. In terms of design, they are both very similar and personally I think they all look great. Volusion has fewer themes to choose from and all-in-all they are more expensive. There are also more third-party websites offering Shopify themes, again offering greater choice.
The winner is… Shopify!
Beautifully designed themes
Wide range of industries
Mobile responsive
Free and paid options
4. Shopify Vs Volusion: Pricing
Shopify and Volusion both offer three main pricing plans. In fact, they are the same price as each other at £22.43, £61.11 and £231.29 per month. At first glance, these prices may seem high, but it’s worth considering the tools and features we’ve explored so far.
Shopify
Basic Shopify
Shopify
Advanced Shopify
✔ Ideal for starting a new business
✔ Includes abandoned cart recovery
✔ Perfect for a growing business
✔ Includes professional reports
✔ Offers advanced features for scalability
✔ Includes all features and advanced metrics
£22.43/mo
£61.11/mo
£231.29/mo
Volusion
Personal
Pro
Business
✔ Great for new businesses with a max of 100 products
✔ Social media integration and no transaction fees
✔ Ideal for larger businesses with up to 5,000 products
✔ Offers import/export and abandoned cart recovery
✔ Great for enterprises with no product limitations
✔ Access to third-party gateways and advanced reports
£22.43/mo
£20.18 (annual discount)
£61.11/mo
£54.90 (annual discount)
£231.29/mo
£208.16 (annual discount)
Verdict
Both platforms offer good value for money, considering the powerful tools and features they offer. Whilst they may not seem affordable against other competitors, they do offer a lot more in the way of selling and analytical data. The only real difference between Shopify and Volusion’s pricing is that Shopify includes an SSL certificate, whereas with Volusion you’ll have to buy that separately.
The winner is… Shopify!
Competitive pricing
Includes lots of features and tools
SSL certificate included for free
Scalable options
5. Shopify Vs Volusion: Conclusion
Now that we’ve explored both eCommerce builders, it’s time to crown the king. Who will the winner be? Shopify or Volusion. Before we reveal the winner, let’s summarise what we’ve concluded so far.
Shopify is a brilliant option if you’re looking for a lot of powerful sales features. Realistically, you could use Shopify for any kind of business. They offer a wide range of themes to suit most industries, as well as tools to take your store to the next level.
Their interface isn’t as easy as the likes of Wix, however, it is much easier than Volusion. Creating your online store and adding products is simple, once you’ve got the hang of it.
Volusion is a great competitor, offering a lot of payment options and analytical tools that would be ideal for data-driven store owners. However, it definitely lacks in certain areas compared to Shopify.
For example, Volusion doesn’t offer a blog feature, it doesn’t include a free SSL, and I found it much harder to use. In fact, there were times that I felt Volusion wasn’t really usable with themes taking ages to load and functionality simply not working.
All-in-all, there’s one clear winner for me, and that is Shopify.
