You’ve set yourself up as a photographer, and you’re looking to bring in business.
How do you go about it? Post the photos on Facebook and Instagram? Pay money to join a directory or even sign up for a free one? Or maybe you’ve been in the photography business for a while, but you’re looking to expand beyond just clients you find through word of mouth.
You can do it several ways, but building a website is one of the most effective channels to bring in more photography clients — and we’ll share why below.
Table Of Contents
Why your photography business needs a website
While many photographers start with online portfolios, consumers today expect an integrated business — with the option to book sessions, view galleries of their images, and order prints all from the comfort of their homes. That’s why photographers are increasingly looking for these extra capabilities when they decide to upgrade from a portfolio to a website. Beautiful images alone just don’t cut it anymore.
Some photographers feel they can engage with potential clients on social media channels like Instagram and Facebook and find potential new clients there, but research tells a different story. 91% of people who discover a business on a social media platform go to check out their website or app. Your website is where you get the opportunity to shine and showcase your work and services with complete creative control.
Can you build your own website?
Do you need to spend a fortune on a website? Not necessarily. While some people prefer to hire a developer to help them create their site, the rise of photography website builders has led more and more small businesses to consider the DIY route. And it’s remarkably easy to build your website from scratch.
A website builder allows you to create a website without understanding coding. And instead of building it offline by a developer, you can build it online, which means it’s easy to update and make changes over time.
Also, website builder software providers have made it easy to use their products. From an increasing number of templates and plugins to the invention of AI website builders that use minimal input from the owner, it’s simpler than ever to create a professional and visually appealing website.
Here are 18 of the best photography website builders we’ve seen
1. Great for integrating your marketing – GetResponse
GetResponse (yep, this is us) excels at helping businesses with their marketing. Creating a photography website takes less than 15 minutes if you’ve already signed up with us. And if you’re new to GetResponse, setting up your website and marketing simultaneously couldn’t be easier.
Related read: How to Promote Your Photography Business: 11 Proven Tactics
Why is this a good website builder to use?
While you can spend time customizing your website from the many photography website templates available, you can also use our AI feature to do the heavy lifting for you.
When you use the AI builder, GetResponse leads you through a series of questions to help customize the options and features that will be most relevant to you. The AI builder will create the website based on the information about your business and goals; you can also include various forms, video sections, pricing tables, testimonials, and chat options.
GetResponse’s AI Builder needs some basic information from you, including:
- the type of your business and what kind of website you need,
- the features you want to include on your website,
- the design style you’d prefer (providing you with some color/font combos to choose from, or you can upload your logo, and the AI builder will create a custom color theme based on that),
- your company details.
From your input, our website builder prepares three design options, which you can preview and pick your favorite. Each option is created with your color/font choices, but obviously, all can be customized further if you wish.
Our complete online marketing suite makes it easy to do all your marketing and client engagement in one place. You can add popups with forms, email marketing, live chats, and much more. And we’ve ensured that your site will look great on every kind of device.
Pricing
GetResponse has a Free Forever account option, which is perfect if you want to build your first website.
2. Great for starting free – Wix
When it comes to free website builders, Wix is well known as a great option.
Why is this a good website builder to use?
Even though Wix is a general site builder, it does have a large selection of templates, including over 40 that are photography-specific. It has lots of app choices and built-in contact and booking pages. It also integrates with Etsy, which is a nice feature if you already sell photography products there.
The downsides
The storage is on the lower side compared to other website builders, and many photography businesses find this an essential factor. And while ecommerce features are available, you need to move up to the more expensive payment plans to get them.
Pricing
They offer a free 14-day trial, and you can stay on the free plan or move up to payment plans starting from $18 a month.
3. Great for beginners – GoDaddy
GoDaddy is a well-known website builder and is an excellent choice for beginners. If you’re looking for something cheap to get your photography business up and running, this is ideal.
Why is this a good website builder to use?
With 24/7 customer support and artificial design intelligence, setting up your website is fast and easy. You can also set up appointments, meaning you can easily run your photography business directly from one site. They also have integrated contact forms and email marketing tools that let you connect with potential clients and showcase your photography portfolio.
The downsides
Not everyone finds the look of the GoDaddy templates visually appealing, and there is less customization available generally, which means you may be unable to make your photography site look exactly as you would like. In a business that depends on aesthetics, this could be off-putting for photographers.
Pricing
GoDaddy offers a free option and plans starting at $6.99 a month. But if you wish to include ecommerce options to allow you to sell physical products, you need to be on a more expensive plan.
4. Great for all-inclusive – Squarespace
Squarespace is a heavy hitter when it comes to the best website builders out there. It was designed specifically for creatives, has a great selection of templates, and heavily focuses on portfolios that photographers will love.
Why is this a good website builder to use?
Squarespace is designed with images in mind, so if you’re looking to add a lot of visuals to your website, you’ll be in the right place.
There are many templates available that are photographer-friendly, and there are other third-party vendors who sell high-end templates if you want to stand out even further. Like WordPress, Squarespace is set up well for those who like to blog, and the ecommerce features are well integrated.
The downsides
As Squarespace is a block builder, you don’t have complete creative control of your site, although you can still customize beyond the basic templates. And while Squarespace has a better blogging option than many website builders, it doesn’t optimize for SEO as well as WordPress, for example.
Like several of the website builders listed here, customer service includes live chat and email, but not phone support.
Pricing
Squarespace offers a free trial of 14 days, and then plans start at $12 per month.
5. Great for showing off your gallery pages – Pixieset
Pixieset is used by many photographers as a way to host their client galleries. Now you can create a photography website with them and integrate both in one place.
Why is this a good website builder to use?
Depending on which plan you use, Pixieset has online store options that are explicitly geared toward photographers. And they are about to offer a studio manager, which includes booking and invoice payment options.
The downsides
Their free option only allows for limited photos, so you’ll likely need to upgrade to a different plan quickly. And their marketing tools seem to be non-existent at the moment.
Pricing
Pixieset is free for a limited number of photos, with paid plans starting at $12 a month for just your website, with more expensive plans available if you combine this with password protection on gallery pages for clients.
Related read: 11 Tips to Create a Photographer About Me Page (With Examples)
6. Great for Adobe users – Adobe Portfolio
If you already have an Adobe subscription, it’s worth considering Adobe portfolio as your photography website builder.
Why is this a good website builder to use?
As with the other dedicated photography options here, the main focus is on your images, so this is a fantastic online portfolio if your main focus is on highlighting your work. Also, the themes available are all specifically designed for photographers. And all or some of your photography portfolios can be password protected if you want to use them as gallery pages for specific clients.
The downsides
Because Adobe Portfolio stems from the Adobe suite and isn’t one of the traditional website builders, many of the other website features offered by other site builders are lacking. For example, the building process is not particularly intuitive, there is no ecommerce functionality, and connecting a custom domain can be difficult.
Pricing
If you have Creative Cloud, then Adobe Portfolio is free; otherwise, it starts at $9.99 a month.
7. Great for customer support – PhotoShelter
Another example of a website builder for photographers is PhotoShelter; in fact, their target customers are professional photographers.
Why is this a good website builder to use?
PhotoShelter has excellent live support via email or phone. For those new to website building, that combined with nine stylish templates makes it easy to get started. You can also create multiple galleries that can be password-protected or public, and there is a built-in client proofing tool that allows your clients to easily select their favorite images to allow you to process them further.
The downsides
There’s no getting around the fact that this great website builder is also an expensive option for the features included. It has unlimited storage on the most expensive plan, but others come with limited storage.
Pricing
PhotoShelter has a free trial for 14 days, and plans start at $10 per month, with the most expensive option being $45 per month.
8. Great for simplicity – Format
Format is a great photography website builder if you want something easy to use.
Why is this a good website builder to use?
There are many templates to choose from and options to add multiple galleries for your clients. They also integrate with Lightroom and Capture One, which is perfect for professional photographers.
Besides this, they also provide an online store focused on selling photos and artwork. And for a website builder for photographers, Format focuses on many templates and customization, meaning you can quickly create a visually appealing website that accurately reflects your branding.
The downsides
Like many website builders, Format doesn’t offer unlimited storage, and the cost of storage is tiered with each plan. As a result, it can become pricey if you have a lot of images that you want to store on the site.
Pricing
A free two-week trial is available, and after that, plans start at $15 per month.
9. Great for blogging – Showit
Showit is, technically, not a website builder. However, it is loved by photographers who are looking for the search engine optimization strengths of WordPress, but with the ability to create exactly what they are looking for without having to hire a professional web developer.
Why is this a good website builder to use?
Many people love WordPress for its blogging and SEO options but struggle with the fact it’s not a particularly user-friendly option.
Showit focuses on making it as easy as possible to customize your site, and boasts about the total creative freedom you have over layout and design. You design your WordPress theme in Showit and then publish on WordPress, retaining the blogging and SEO capabilities.
The downsides
Showit is more pricey than some options, and while there are many beautiful templates available to purchase (including specific ones for wedding photographers), the free options are limited.
Pricing
Showit offers a free 14-day trial, and then plans start at $19 per month.
10. Great for beginner support – SITE123
SITE123 is one of the general website builders that can be used in any industry. Unlike many website builders that use a drag-and-drop option, this is a builder where, in just a few clicks, you can create a basic website template — not unlike filling out a form.
Why is this a good website builder to use?
There are over 189 templates available, with many of these being appropriate for photography websites. They also have excellent customer support, which is essential if you’re not proficient technically.
Since consumers judge a business based on its website, with 38% of visitors clicking out of a website if they don’t find it attractive, being able to quickly solve any issues you have as you build your site is vital. SITE123 also offers various marketing tools (including an email address and a newsletter package with some of the higher paid plans) and a blog option.
The downsides
While there are many templates to choose from, there aren’t many options for customization. So if you need a full creative license on how your website looks, then this may not be a great choice for you. It also doesn’t have the extent of SEO features that other website builders have available.
Pricing
SITE123 offers a free plan, and their premium plan starts at $12.80 a month, although the minimum contract is three months. However, they offer a 30-day money-back guarantee.
11. Great for SEO – WordPress.com
WordPress is one of the most famous website builders and, over time, has built up an impressive collection of themes, templates, and plugins that you can add to your site. In terms of customization, there’s almost nothing you can’t do on WordPress.
Why is this a good website builder to use?
When it comes to themes, there’s an overwhelming selection, including hundreds for photography. And if you’re looking for inspiration from other photographers, you’ll find many beautiful photography websites online, all created with WordPress.
Research suggests online search is an integral part of potential clients finding photographers, and this is probably the biggest win with WordPress — without getting too technical, WordPress focuses on optimizing SEO on everything from images to metadata to mobile optimization. If you enjoy writing blog posts for SEO, then this is probably a great choice. And with a fantastic array of plugins, from ecommerce to SEO optimization, it’s easy to add almost anything you need.
The downsides
WordPress has a free option, but its paid plans are not the cheapest on the market. And while WordPress offers a drag-and-drop editor to create your website, the reality is that many people choose to hire a developer to create their website for them as the user interface is not the easiest, which can obviously increase the cost.
Pricing
The basic plan is free, with paid options starting at $8 per month.
12. Great for storage – Zyro
Zyro is a specific website builder for photographers, so their 15 templates are all geared towards this. With basic image editing available within the website, and the ability to add photo galleries and sell images to clients, Zyro has thought about what both the photographer and their client are looking for from a website.
Why is this a good website builder to use?
Zyro is one of the few website builders for photographers to offer unlimited storage on their top paid plan. For some photographers, limited storage of images can be a genuine concern, so if this is something you want to consider as your business grows, Zyro might be a good choice.
The downsides
The choice of templates on any website builder can be overwhelming, and unlike most other builders, Zyro doesn’t offer you the option to change your template once your site is live. So pick carefully, and if you want to change the look of your site, later on, you may want to look elsewhere. Even more, there’s no free trial or free option, although there is a 30-day money-back guarantee on some plans.
Pricing
Zyro doesn’t offer a free plan. Their paid options start at $2.90 per month, while ecommerce plans start at $9.90 per month.
13. Great for legal terminology – Jimdo
Jimdo advertises itself as being the only website builder made for the self-employed and uses AI tech to get your website up and running quickly.
Why is this a good website builder to use?
One of the key features that Jimdo offers that isn’t available on other website builders is their Legal Text Generator. From company information to consent for email signups, not having the correct legal terminology in place can be disastrous. If your website is tracking or collecting certain kinds of data, then you need to ensure you comply with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). And if you aren’t in compliance, you risk hefty fines.
Jimdo offers customizable legal text that is guaranteed 100% GDPR-proof. For those looking to get ecommerce options up and running without added costs for hiring legal support, this may be a great choice. And while Jimdo isn’t a photography website builder, they have a specific category just for portfolios.
The downsides
Although Jimdo has a free plan, if you want a custom domain and upgrade to a paid option, you’ll have to commit to a minimum of 12 months. And while they have ecommerce features, there are more options available for ecommerce on other platforms.
Pricing
Jimdo offers a forever free plan, and paid plans start at $9 per month, although contracts are for a minimum of 12 months.
14. Great for selling courses – Pixpa
Pixpa is a great all-inclusive option if you don’t want to spend time figuring out how to add plugins and are looking for something basic to get your photography website up and running.
Why is this a good website builder to use?
Pixpa is a fantastic simple solution geared toward those in the creative industries. There are over 30 photography templates to choose from, and wedding photographers will love it as there are six just focused on weddings.
You get the option to add unlimited photos and galleries, including password protection if you want to allow for client proofing. Besides this, they have 24/7 customer support, and their ecommerce options are robust if you want to sell courses, classes, or photography resources.
The downsides
The restrictions on using features on the most basic plans are intense, and so you may end up having to consider the more expensive options as your starting point. And while Pixpa offers a trial period, you aren’t allowed to publish during that time, so you may not be able to thoroughly test whether this option is best for you before you’re required to pay.
Pricing
Pixpa offers a 15-day free trial, with paid plans starting at $7 a month.
15. Great for showing your portfolio within a community – Carbonmade
As a marketplace for creatives, Carbonmade has focused not just on showcasing your portfolio to the world but also on offering services within its community.
Why is this a good website builder to use?
If you’re looking to focus your website around your portfolio, then Carbonmade might be a great choice as it was designed with portfolios in mind. It’s straightforward to use, and its drag-and-drop builder makes creating your ideal website easy.
And while Carbonmade will feature users in their Talent Pool to allow your work to be viewed by the community, you can choose to keep specific portfolios private for client proofing and galleries. Carbonmade websites also look fantastic on mobile devices, which is why many users prefer their platform.
The downsides
There are a limited number of themes which might not matter if you are using this as your primary website but might matter if you are looking for clients through the Talent Pool, as your site will look similar to many others. And the ecommerce features are not as robust as those of other website builders, which is hardly surprising on a platform that focuses on portfolios.
Pricing
Carbonmade offers a free trial until you are ready to go live, and then plans start at $9 a month.
16. Great for one-page sites – Carrd
If you’re just starting your photography business and don’t want all the bells and whistles of ecommerce, blogs, or email marketing, a one-page website could be a great choice. Carrd may be better for you if you just want your one-page site as your portfolio (although there are options to integrate with ecommerce and email marketing).
Why is this a good website builder to use?
With over 75 templates, it should be easy to find something that works for your portfolio or business. It’s extremely easy to use and should allow you to get your site up and running in minutes. And for one of the more inexpensive options, Carrd has excellent customer support and an extensive library of resources if you need help creating your website.
The downsides
Beyond choosing your template, there’s limited ability to customize your site. So unless you find a template that represents exactly what you’re looking for in your website, better look into one of the other builders.
Pricing
Carrd has a free option, which includes up to 3 sites on one account. And if you decide to upgrade to the paid option, it starts at just $19 per year, making it one of the most affordable for adding a custom domain.
17. Great according to photographers – Zenfolio
Zenfolio started as a photo hosting website service and claims to be voted number 1 by pro photographers, which means they are a great choice as an industry-specific website builder.
Why is this a good website builder to use?
Zenfolio has a great selection of templates, not just specific to the photography industry but broken down by category within that. If you want to start creating your website from a template, it’s key to ensure you find one that’s as relevant as possible. Wedding photographers and event photographers, for example, will discover template options curated for them on Zenfolio.
They have an Adobe Lightroom plugin and an availability to add watermarks, something most general website builders don’t offer. And there is an option for ecommerce and email marketing with the higher-paid plans.
The downsides
This website builder doesn’t offer the easiest of user interfaces, so creating the perfect website from the templates may be more complex than it looks. And while customer support is available, there is no phone support option, and live chat is only available with subscription plans.
Pricing
Zenfolio offers a free 14-day trial. Plans start from just $5 a month for the portfolio option.
18. Great for unlimited storage – SmugMug
SmugMug, which owns Flickr, is primarily a photo-sharing platform, and as such, is one of the great website builders for photographers. The key feature that differentiates them from the others is their unlimited storage which is available on every plan.
Why is this a good website builder to use?
Because it has been developed for photographers, SmugMug’s best features are those specific to the industry — password-protected galleries, fantastic image quality, watermarking options, and a Lightroom plugin.
At the time of this writing, they’re also launching a new feature called Source that allows you to manage all your raw images and videos from their platform or through your app of choice. For photographers who are concerned about storing their raw images separately, this could be a fantastic service.
The downsides
There is no free plan with SmugMug, so if you want to try it out, you’re limited to the free trial. And while all the templates are designed with photographers in mind, the choice is somewhat limited. Also, while you can customize the templates, it isn’t as intuitive as other site builders. Lastly, SmugMug is one of the more expensive options for a photography website builder.
Pricing
There is a 14-day free trial but no free plan. Plans start at $7 a month and go up to $42 a month.
FAQs
How can AI help you create the website of your dreams?
While it can feel overwhelming to look through all the template options and consider which plugins you need, more and more website builders are offering AI design. By asking a few questions about your business and offering you limited choices, they will guide you to a fully complete site within minutes. And after that, you can tweak and customize it to your heart’s content.
Should you use a website builder designed for photographers?
The aesthetics of a site are essential for you as a photographer, which is why you may consider using specific website builders for photographers. These often started as online portfolio builders or places to host client galleries and have developed to offer full websites. While these builders focus on many features that photographers need specifically in their business, like client galleries, proofing, and uploading images from other platforms, they can fall short of the SEO or ecommerce capabilities of more general website builders.
Do you need a custom domain for your photography website?
Another important consideration is whether you wish to use a custom domain or a free domain that is provided with a free plan. Free domains generally look less professional, and if you are connecting email marketing to your site, you can risk your emails being sent to spam. And if you’re looking to use SEO to help you generate sales, a custom domain will definitely be better.
Can you use your website to market your business for you?
Once you capture someone’s attention on social media or through an online search that leads to your website, you need to keep that person engaged. But you may not have time to work on these pieces while also supporting clients. Enter: marketing automation.
By connecting contact forms, sales funnels, and email to your website, you can streamline your efforts. And if you already use these kinds of automation to deliver ecommerce options, galleries, and proofing, you’ll benefit from having everything available in one place.
Many businesses looking at websites are keen to go beyond the basic capabilities of one-page sites or portfolios, so they allow their marketing to be integrated and do a lot of the heavy lifting for them.
If you’d like to have everything in one place, integrated and beautiful – try GetResponse!
Conclusion
There is a vast selection of website builders available for photography businesses these days — which is excellent news if you don’t want to spend a fortune outsourcing your website creation.
Related read: How to Make Money as a Photographer in 2022
As you decide which one is right for you, consider the features that are important to you – ecommerce, blogging, marketing integrations, client galleries – and narrow down from there. And make use of the free trials where available; many website builders that use AI tech to create your site can have your website up and running in under 30 minutes.
So, which website builder will you use to showcase your photography business?