Webs Website Builder: From Success to Closure

Features

As you upgrade to more advanced plans, you gain access to additional features that can benefit a variety of industries, including marketing, education, and more. It’s important to note that all premium plans include a free domain, along with unlimited new pages—unlike the free plan, which limits you to just five pages.

With premium access, you can also choose from over 450 customizable templates, allowing you to tailor fonts, colors, images, and videos to create a customized website that truly reflects your brand. Additionally, Webs offers mobile optimization, enabling you to create a version of your site specifically for mobile devices. Their integrated app store further enhances functionality, allowing you to add features and link your website to your social media accounts, enhancing the customer experience.

Unlike many other platforms, Webs includes a built-in membership feature, eliminating the need to rely on external gateways. You can also secure your website by adding password protection for individual users, offering a personalized login experience.

Web hosting

Webs simplifies the process by providing free cloud hosting with every plan, so there's no need to worry about finding a separate hosting service or managing technical and security issues. However, if you decide to switch to another website builder, it's important to note that Webs does not offer an export option for your own business website, meaning you'll need to recreate it from scratch on the new platform.

Webs eCommerce store

If you're building an online store, Webs provides a wide range of eCommerce features to suit your needs. You can select applications from the web store to customize your site and upload essential details such as product prices, tax options, shipping methods, and more. Additionally, you have the flexibility to organize your products into categories for better navigation.

Premium account holders enjoy additional benefits, including access to an inventory tracking system that allows you to monitor and manage stock levels directly from the Webs dashboard. Webs supports PayPal as a payment method and, unlike many platforms, does not charge transaction fees—allowing you to retain all your profits. If you already have an Etsy store, you can seamlessly integrate it with your website for more payment options. Other valuable features include global currency options, conversion tools, the ability to offer coupon codes, and the option to upload multiple images for each product.

Webs' SEO tools

You can enhance your site’s visibility using Webs' search engine optimization tools by editing titles and descriptions. However, for more advanced options—such as customizing titles, descriptions, and meta tags for individual pages—you’ll need to upgrade to a premium plan. With the help of AI, Webs also provides an internal traffic tracking tool that offers insights into page views, monthly averages, and overall website traffic. For those seeking deeper insights, you can integrate Google Analytics for more advanced data tracking and reporting.

Social media integration

Webs simplifies the process of establishing your online presence while seamlessly integrating your social media accounts. By linking your website to social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, you can drive more traffic and create a memorable online presence that stands out.

Security

Webs falls short in terms of built-in security features. If you need a more secure website, you'll need to purchase an SSL certificate or additional security tools. However, one feature Webs does offer for free is the ability to password-protect specific areas of your website. This allows you to restrict access to members only and safeguard sensitive information.

Ease of use

Webs uses a standard drag-and-drop interface, making it a What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) website builder. This means that the design you create in the editor, along with any customization options like fonts, colors, and layout changes, will appear exactly the same when your website is live, ensuring that what you see during the design process is what visitors will see once the site is published. You can choose from six different page layouts, and if you change your mind later, your content will automatically adjust to the new site design.

Alternatively, you can choose from a wide array of templates for blogs, photo galleries, and more, all available through their App Store. While this reduces the learning curve for beginners, more advanced users may miss the personalization offered by HTML, CSS, or custom CMS options. Webs provides an intuitive and user-friendly platform to help small business owners create their own sites efficiently.

Who Is It For?

Webs is often recommended for small business owners and entrepreneurs, offering a range of features at an affordable price. If your main focus is selling products online, Webs does provide some eCommerce features, but they may not be the ideal choice for scaling your business. For more comprehensive tools tailored to online stores and business expansion, it would be worth considering alternatives like Wix or GoDaddy, which offer a more robust platform for growth.

A key benefit of Webs is the option to build a website for free without the immediate need to upgrade. However, the free plan comes with certain constraints, including limited features, storage, bandwidth, and support. Additionally, users are restricted to creating only up to five pages.

The following are webs' three different plans for website building:

Discounts & Payment Methods

Similar to other website builders, the longer your registration period, the more you save. For instance, signing up for a two-year plan gives you a 33% discount off the monthly price, while a one-year plan saves you 15%. To add more value, the $10 setup fee is waived when you choose an annual plan.

All three paid plans include a free domain and come with more features than the free version, such as e-commerce tools and customer support. Additionally, if you opt for the Enhanced or Pro plan, you'll receive advertising credits to help grow your online presence.

Customer Service

Customer service support varies depending on the plan you choose. With the Pro plan, you’ll receive support via email, live chat, and phone. The Enhanced plan includes email and live chat support, while the Starter plan provides email support only. If you're using the free plan, you won’t have direct access to agents, but you can turn to the forum discussions for assistance.

Given Webs’ large user base, it’s understandable that paying customers receive higher priority for support. In addition, there’s a helpful knowledge base available, which offers quick solutions to common issues—especially useful for those without phone support. 

Conclusion

While Webs was once a widely used platform that enabled millions to build websites easily, their limited security features and eventual shutdown in 2020 leave current users needing alternatives. The migration requirement as of August 2023 further emphasizes the need to explore new, reliable website builders that can offer both advanced functionality and ongoing support.

As Webs no longer provides services, now is the perfect time to explore other options. Check out our comprehensive list of the top website builders, compare their features side by side using our comparison tool, and dive into our blog for insightful tips to help you make the best choice for your needs.