Site123's website builder is different from other providers in terms of operation.
Site123 stands out from the large selection of modular systems with its different approach to the type of operation. The self-employed, founders and smaller startups who want to quickly set up a good web presence probably feel addressed here. This is actually possible thanks to the clear editor and the modular structure of the system. Anyone who has already worked with other modular systems will have to make some adjustments. The large selection of royalty-free images that can be integrated into the homepage with just one click is great. On the other hand, the provider is not so convincing when it comes to data protection and legal security. The lack of an imprint and the very vague information on data processing make you shy away from using the otherwise solid website construction kit for business purposes.
Per
Very good templates
Website is created quickly
Live chat assisted with editing
Large selection of royalty-free images
Free plan
Minimum contract term three months
Cons
Hosting outside the EU
Incomplete privacy policy
Page design inflexible
No Drag & Drop possible
No programming mode
No local backup possible
Editor's test note
3.2satisfactory
To the offer: Site123
Anyone who needs a homepage in 2020 no longer needs to hire a web designer - with a website construction kit they can set up and design their online presence into their own hands. But which of the many providers is suitable for whom, what do you have to pay attention to and what are the costs? COMPUTER BILD had the most common providers compete against each other in a large comparison test and takes a look at the details. Today in our series: the website builder from Site123.
2.0
Good
Jimdo
Jimdo
To the offer
22.1good
IONOS
IONOS
To the offer
32.2good
Wix
Wix
To the offer
4
2.3good
Web node
Web node
To the offer
52.3good
GoDaddy
GoDaddy
To the offer
52.3satisfactory
Weebly
Weebly
To the offer
72.4good
DomainFactory
DomainFactory
To the offer
82.5satisfactory
One.com
One.com
To the offer
9
2.7satisfactory
Squarespace
Squarespace
To the offer
103.2satisfactory
Site123
Site123
To the offer
Complete List: Best Website Builders Reviewed
Site123: What does Website Builder offer?
A quick overview of the key features that make Site123 stand out:
Very good templates: The selection of ready-made page elements and free images is convincing.
Blog: Site123 also offers good opportunities for bloggers.
App Store: Third-party applications can be integrated via the App Center.
E-Commerce: Site123 offers an integrated e-commerce module with which you can set up your own online shop.
Statistics and analysis tools: The kit comes with its own statistics tools, and Google Analytics can also be integrated.
Responsive design: All templates are optimized for mobile devices with responsive design and can be previewed in desktop, tablet and smartphone views.
Support: Even a live chat will help you create your own website.
Security: SSL encryption is included in all plans.
Free version: Website builder has unlimited free version with limited features, Site123 subdomain in name and ad insertion.
Domain: The paid subscriptions come with a free domain for the first year. An existing domain can also be connected to the new site.
Minimum contract period: You do not have to commit yourself to the provider for longer than three months.
Site123 is not as well known on the German market as other modular systems that have already been presented in our series. The Israeli company offers its users a slightly different way of designing their own website, which does not use the drag-and-drop principle, but works with modular layouts.
In terms of functionality, Site123 keeps up with the better-known names. All websites have SSL encryption as standard, all templates have a responsive design and are therefore not only convincing on the various end devices, but also in the Google ranking. The basic SEO adjustments in terms of URL design, tags and meta titles can be made easily with Site123. A complete e-commerce module is also available in the premium plans.
A major shortcoming of Site123, however, are legal ambiguities. The provider's website does not have an imprint, as required by EU law. The data protection regulations are also only available in English and are kept vague. The only thing that can be read from the "Terms & Conditions" is that the Israeli company sOptions Ltd. behind the offer. Accordingly, the provider stores user data on servers in the EU, but also in the USA, which could pose problems with compliance with the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
If you want to be on the safe side when it comes to data protection, use a provider that operates its servers within the European Union and is therefore GDPR-compliant. These include, for example, Jimdo, IONOS and Webnode.
Site123 takes a slightly different approach to designing their own website.
Site123: Helpful features for companies
Site123 comes up with some of the typical features for companies that have tested many website builders: restaurants can create menu cards, service providers can offer the booking of appointments and creatives can integrate their audio stream via Spotify. Via the App Market, users can also purchase a number of additional applications, for example for integrating video streams, which has so far been rather manageable. Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel or Google AdSense can also be integrated via plug-ins.
The blog function is rather limited in terms of design and appearance in terms of customization options. But the range of functions is decent: A comment system is integrated, alternatively the offer from Disqus or Facebook can be integrated. The user can create related posts and also customize labels. You can also display social share buttons.
An online shop in which physical or digital products can be sold (only possible in the "Gold" tariff) can also be easily set up. You sort products into categories and subcategories and offer them in different options.
Site123 also offers various functions for setting up an online shop.
How easy is Site123 to use?
If you want to build a homepage with Site123, you first have to choose whether you want to create a website, a shop, a blog or a landing page. Then the website builder will show you different verticals to choose from. As soon as you get to the editor, a live chat window pops up directly, in which an employee asks in English if he can help.
Overall, the operation of Site123 differs from the drag-and-drop principle of other providers such as Wix or GoDaddy: The user does not drag individual content elements onto the page, but opts for ready-made modules, which he then adapts and with elements such as Buttons, forms etc. can be equipped. Getting started is easier than with the competing products from Squarespace and DomainFactory.
The selection of the template, as well as the complete customization of the design elements and the content, is done via the editor. On the left-hand side, the user always finds an overview of the homepage, pages, design, settings and domain. Objects such as text, backgrounds and buttons etc. can be set via the "Homepage" menu item. Here you will also find - somewhat hidden - the selection of the templates. Just over 100 templates are available.
Unlike most other website builders, with Site123 you don't filter by website type (blog, portfolio, wedding, business, restaurant, etc.), but by menu orientation (top, bottom, or side) or by type the "call to action" (button, image, video, audio or form). Once you have chosen a template, it can be easily displayed in desktop, tablet and mobile views and you can adjust text position, structure and images directly in the editor. A big plus: Site123 offers a large selection of royalty-free stock photos from various image databases, which you can insert directly into your own website.
There is a choice of templates for new pages.
Under the menu item "Design" you define colors and fonts for the entire page. Ready-made themes with colors and fonts are also available. Use the "Pages" tab to change the settings and the design of the individual pages. Use the plus sign to add a new page. Here the user gets suggested different types of pages, for each of which a small selection of layouts is available. The spectrum of page templates ranges from classic content elements such as text page, picture gallery, team page and contact form to more special functions such as menu cards, audio streams or appeals for donations.
Finally, under "Domain" you will find all available domains that match the name of your own website or shop and that can be purchased.
Topic support: When creating your own website, the tool first guides users through the individual steps in English and German. However, most of the customer support is in English. A good help is the live chat, which activates immediately after registration and offers 24/7 support. In this way, problems can be solved and questions answered directly during the creation of the website. Users can also email support with their concerns or look up the most frequently asked questions in the Support Center (in English).
If you want a broad and, above all, German-speaking customer service, you will find it with providers such as Jimdo, IONOS and One.com.
At the very beginning, the user has to decide what kind of website he wants to build.
Site123: prices and services
What about the cost of Site123? In addition to the free version, Site123 offers four plans: Basic, Advanced, Professional and Gold. The user can choose between four terms: 3 months, 12 months, 24 months and 36 months. The longer the term, the cheaper it gets. The prices mentioned here in the test each refer to an annual billing, as is standard with most other providers.
All paid plans include your own domain for the first year. Apart from that, they differ in terms of the different sizes of memory and bandwidth as well as the range of functions of other features.
The Basic tariff is intended for personal use. For 10.01 euros per month, the user gets 10 GB of data storage and 5 GB of bandwidth. It also comes with 100 free mailing list messages per month. However, the advertising display in the footer still remains.
The Advanced tariff is completely ad-free. With 15.58 euros per month, a storage of 30 GB and a bandwidth of 15 GB, this tariff is aimed at small companies. In addition to 1000 mailing list messages, two email accounts are included in the price. You can also add another language option for the website.
The Professional plan is aimed at larger businesses and e-commerce providers. With 90 GB of memory and 45 GB of bandwidth, there is space for the online shop and extensive websites. In addition to extended statistics, the monthly fee of EUR 21.14 also includes five e-mail accounts, 2,500 mailing list messages and three additional language options. Ecommerce providers can manage up to 500 orders per month.
The gold tariff for EUR 26.70 per month includes all features and offers 270 GB of storage and 135 GB of bandwidth. Larger companies and e-commerce shops are addressed here with 10,000 mailing list messages, ten e-mail accounts and the option of creating an online presence in five additional languages. There is no limit to the number of orders, but advanced e-shop functions such as selling digital products, using coupons and introducing user reviews are added. Also the possibility. Sending reminder emails for abandoned shopping carts is included in the Gold plan.
To the offer: Site123
Site123 in the test: conclusion
Site123 stands out from the large selection of modular systems with its different approach to the type of operation. The self-employed, founders and smaller startups who want to quickly set up a good web presence probably feel addressed here. This is actually possible thanks to the clear editor and the modular structure of the system. Anyone who has already worked with other modular systems will have to make some adjustments. The large selection of royalty-free images that can be integrated into the homepage with just one click is great. On the other hand, the provider is not so convincing when it comes to data protection and legal security. The lack of an imprint and the very vague information on data processing make you shy away from using the otherwise solid website construction kit for business purposes.
Comparative test of the most popular website builders
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