If you’re a photographer ready to build a professional website, you’re in the right place. Whether you’re turning your passion into a business by showcasing street shots, brand photography, or studio portraits, a dedicated site is essential. Perhaps you’ve outgrown Instagram and need a more polished online presence to attract clients. With so many website builders available for photographers, choosing one can be overwhelming. We’ve consulted professional photographers to create this guide to help you decide.
You’ll learn which builders are best for:
- Client galleries, proofing, and selling prints.
- Eye-catching, responsive designs.
- Ease of use.
- Value for money.
Let’s dive in.
1. Wix – The all-in-one website builder
Wix is a versatile website builder that excels in functionality and caters to businesses and creatives, especially photographers. It offers over 2,000 templates (including 100 for photography), a drag-and-drop editor, and features like client proofing, online booking via Wix Bookings, and business tools through Wix Ascend. Whether you’re capturing the vibrant energy of Times Square or intimate moments in Harlem, Wix has tools to fit your needs.
However, drawbacks include slow page speeds, the need for manual mobile adjustments, inability to switch templates without rebuilding, limited storage on lower plans (e.g., 2GB on the Light plan), and pricing starting at $17/month. The free plan includes Wix branding and is only suitable for non-commercial use.
2. Squarespace – The builder for creatives
Squarespace is a top choice for photographers and artists, offering minimalist, visually striking templates ideal for showcasing work without coding. Features include a grid-based editor, portfolio layouts with password-protected galleries, content creation tools, ecommerce options (like print-on-demand and NFT sales), and unlimited image storage.
Whether you’re selling prints of Central Park in the fall or promoting your studio in Williamsburg, Squarespace provides the tools to create a stunning online presence. However, it lacks flexibility compared to WordPress, has no client proofing, and its editor can be clunky. Plans range from $16 to $99 per month, with no free plan, and slow loading times may affect SEO and user experience.
3. WordPress – The builder with no limitations
WordPress powers over 40% of the web, offering flexibility with customizable themes and plugins to create unique, feature-rich websites. It excels in SEO, making it ideal for attracting local traffic whether you’re targeting Chelsea galleries or Dumbo startups. For photographers, WordPress provides unmatched themes, plugins for galleries and monetization (e.g., WooCommerce), advanced tools like Semplice, and industry-leading blogging features.
It’s also a great way to showcase your portfolio and let clients easily check prices for your services. However, drawbacks include complex setup, responsibility for updates and security, hidden costs for hosting and plugins, and limited direct support from WordPress.org.
4. Pixpa – The affordable, all-in-one solution
Pixpa is an affordable, all-in-one website builder for photographers, offering over 200 templates and excellent client proofing features. It’s easy to use and includes advanced ecommerce options like coupons and abandoned cart recovery, plus marketing tools and a blog.
If you’re managing client galleries for events in Tribeca or selling prints inspired by the High Line, Pixpa is a great choice. Pricing starts around $5/month with no sales commissions. However, Pixpa has no free plan (only a 15-day trial), imposes storage and page limits on lower-tier plans, and lacks a native booking feature, requiring third-party integrations.
5. Format – The builder for running a photography business
Format is a website builder tailored for photographers, combining business and visual tools like templates, client galleries, ecommerce, and integrations with Lightroom and Capture One. It offers features such as a step-by-step setup, 50 mobile-responsive templates, workflow tools for managing projects, a built-in CRM, and the ability to sell prints and packages.
Whether you’re showcasing your urban photography from the Bronx or managing wedding shoots across Staten Island, Format helps you run your business smoothly. Plans start at $7/month, with a free option for up to 10 client galleries. However, it has limitations like restricted customization, no personal print ordering, basic contact forms, no calendar function, and unclear pricing for additional galleries.
