As an artist, you deserve your own website that showcases the full potential of your work—and drives real sales. Whether you’re a painter, photographer, ceramicist, or textile artist, the right website can transform casual admirers into paying customers and help you build a sustainable creative business.
Maybe you need to create a portfolio website to pitch yourself to fellowship programs, for example, or maybe you want an ecommerce website to sell directly to your fans. Whatever your goal, a good website builder can help you get a professional-looking website up and running in no time—no coding required, thanks to AI tools and customizable templates.
Here are the eight best website builders for artists to create portfolios and sell art online.
8 best website builders for artists
Each of these website builders offers features designed to help artists showcase and sell their work online:
1. Shopify
Shopify, the world’s leading ecommerce platform, has helped millions of businesses sell online through their own ecommerce stores, in person, on social media, and on marketplaces like Etsy. Its comprehensive website builder includes more than 100 customizable templates and an AI site builder to help you create a beautiful website quickly. To use it, simply answer a few questions about your business and your vision for your site, and the AI will show you template and copy recommendations.
Each Shopify store comes with unlimited product listings, the world’s best-converting checkout, shipping and fulfillment tools, robust analytics, access to more than 8,000 apps, and 24/7 customer support. Shopify offers several features that are particularly valuable for an artist’s website, like integrations with Instagram and Etsy. The app store also offers apps to establish partnerships with print-on-demand companies. These partnerships can help you develop and sell products beyond your original art without needing to hold inventory.
Floral artist Maurice Harris, the founder of bespoke flower arrangement company Bloom & Plume, sells merch in addition to his arrangements. “If someone is a big fan and can’t afford a flower arrangement, they might be able to afford a hat,” Maurice says on an episode of the Shopify Masters podcast. “It’s also a way to make it more accessible, so that they can support you in the way that they can.”
Who it’s for: Shopify is built for ecommerce businesses of all sizes, from solopreneurs to large enterprises.
Plans and pricing: Shopify plans range from $5 to $299 per month, with hosting included. You can start a free trial—no credit card required—and get three days free. After that, the first three months are $1/month.
Features:
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AI website builder. Create a site in minutes with Shopify’s AI site builder. You can also use Shopify Magic to streamline your store design process, create landing pages and product listings, and more. Shopify Sidekick can give you guidance on everything from shipping to analytics.
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Integrated payment processing. Shopify Payments is an integrated payment gateway that accepts all major payment methods. Plus, more than 100 third-party payment providers are compatible.
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Marketplace integrations. Use Shopify Marketplace Connect to link your store to platforms including Etsy, eBay, and Amazon Handmade.
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Social selling. Sell on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, and sync your product catalog for streamlined inventory management.
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Shopify POS. Integrate with physical retail through Shopify POS, blending online and offline sales channels.
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Print on demand integrations. Choose from dozens of apps that connect you with print-on-demand partners, including Printful, Printify, Apliiq, and Gooten.
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Extensive app store. Access the Shopify App Store for over 8,000 add-ons and integrations.
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Shipping and fulfillment. Built-in order, inventory, and shipping tools generate labels, collect import taxes, provide tracking information, manage returns, and more.
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Advanced analytics. Track sales, customer behavior, and other essential ecommerce metrics with analytics and reporting features.
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24/7 customer support. Enjoy round-the-clock support via email, live chat, and phone.
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G2 ⭐️ rating. Shopify has a rating of 4.4.
2. Big Cartel
Big Cartel is a website builder designed for creatives selling their own products. It has a user-friendly interface, though it doesn’t offer many design options; there are only 12 templates, and there’s no AI website builder. Once your site is up and running, you’ll also have a limited assortment of plug-ins to choose from. Big Cartel offers only 30 apps—considerably fewer than comparable platforms. Three of those apps are integrations with the print-on-demand tools Creativehub, Art of Where, and Printful.
Big Cartel doesn’t offer sales integrations with social media accounts or marketplaces like Etsy, so you’ll be confined to selling on your ecommerce site (and in-person, if you opt for Big Cartel’s paid plans that include point-of-sale integrations).
Who it’s for: Artists creating a simple ecommerce site.
Plans and pricing: Big Cartel offers a free version of its product, but you can only list up to five products and include one image per product. You also can’t add your own custom domain name, sell in person, or install apps, among other restrictions. To create a more robust online store, you’ll need to upgrade to the $15/month or $30/month paid plans. Hosting is included.
Features:
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10+ templates
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Payment gateway integrations with Stripe and PayPal
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In-person selling available with the Big Cartel app with Stripe hardware
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Print-on-demand integrations
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30 apps
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Shipping and fulfillment tools available through apps
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24/7 customer support
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G2 ⭐️ rating: 4.2
3. Pixpa
Pixpa is a site builder for creating portfolios. The platform was designed specifically for photographers, but it now offers nearly 200 customizable templates designed for other types of artists like graphic designers, UX designers, and illustrators. The templates are sleek and modern-looking.
Pixpa offers basic ecommerce functionality at all price levels, but you’ll need to upgrade to Pixpa’s highest tier plan to access essential features like inventory management and abandoned cart recovery, which can be crucial to running a growing ecommerce business. You also won’t have access to robust shipping and fulfillment tools, no matter which plan you choose.
That said, Pixpa does offer a few artist-specific features, like a tool that automatically sends image files to local print labs after a customer orders a print, which could be helpful if you want to work with specific print workshops rather than large print-on-demand companies.
Who it’s for: Photographers and other artists building online portfolios
Plans and pricing: Pixpa plans cost $8–25/month. You’ll need to upgrade to the $25/month plan to access advanced ecommerce features like inventory management and abandoned cart recovery.
Features:
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Integrated payment processing with platforms including PayPal and Stripe
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Print-on-demand integrations
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100+ apps
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A few shipping and fulfillment tools
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24/7 customer support
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G2 ⭐️ rating: 4.6
4. Wix
Wix offers website-building tools for portfolio websites and basic ecommerce stores, though you’ll need to upgrade to a higher-tier Wix plan to sell on your site. Keep in mind that Wix is primarily a general website builder rather than a dedicated ecommerce platform, although it does offer basic ecommerce features.
Wix offers a wide assortment of templates and an AI website builder, which can help you build a website quickly from scratch. It also has integrations with social media platforms and marketplaces like Etsy, which can help you sell beyond your website.
Who it’s for: Professionals creating personal and portfolio websites and businesses creating simple ecommerce sites.
Plans and pricing: Wix plans cost $17–$159/month, with web hosting included. You can sell on your site starting at the $29/month plan.
Features:
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AI website builder
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2,000+ templates
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Integrated payment processing with Wix Payments
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Social selling tools
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POS systems
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Marketplace integrations
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Print-on-demand integrations
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Drag-and-drop editor
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500+ apps
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Shipping and fulfillment tools
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Advanced analytics
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SEO tools
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24/7 customer support
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G2 ⭐️ rating: 4.2
5. Squarespace
Squarespace is a general-purpose website builder that offers basic ecommerce functionality for artists with small businesses. It has more than 180 templates and an AI website builder, which can help you create a professional-looking site without design expertise.
Squarespace integrates with Instagram and Facebook, letting you sell your artwork on both platforms while syncing inventory with your site. It also has a partnership with Square that lets you connect a Square card reader to the Squarespace app to accept payments in person.
However, Squarespace doesn’t offer marketplace integrations, and with only 40 plug-ins, its app library is comparatively limited. The platform has four print-on-demand plug-ins that let you sell products with Printique (for fine art prints only), Printify, Printful, and Art of Where.
Who it’s for: Creatives or businesses creating simple websites.
Plans and pricing: Squarespace plans cost $16–$99/month. You’ll need to upgrade to the $23/month plan or higher to remove the platform’s 2% transaction fee. Hosting is included.
Features:
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AI website builder
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180+ templates
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Integrated payment processing with Squarespace Payments
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Social selling tools
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Marketplace integrations available through apps
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In-person selling with Square card reader and Squarespace app
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Print-on-demand integrations
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40 apps
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Shipping and fulfillment tools
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Advanced analytics
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SEO tools
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24/7 customer support
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G2 ⭐️ rating: 4.4
6. Square Online
Square Online—not to be confused with the similarly named Squarespace—is a dedicated ecommerce platform owned by the payment processing company Square. It offers basic ecommerce functionality for small businesses and has a free plan, though the unpaid version of Square Online requires a branded domain (“yourbusiness.square.site”). This type of branded domain might look unprofessional for an art business, but it could work if you’re creating a simple portfolio site for school or jobs applications.
Square Online has a small template library and no AI website builder, which might make creating a unique-looking site more difficult. However, the platform connects with Instagram, Facebook, and marketplaces like Etsy through third-party apps, which can help you access a wider audience for your artwork. It also offers in-person selling tools with its Square POS systems. If you’re looking to sell print-on-demand products online, note that Square Online integrates with only one print-on-demand partner: Printful.
Who it’s for: Small businesses creating simple ecommerce sites.
Plans and pricing: Square Online has a free plan, but it comes with important limitations. You won’t be able to import a custom domain name, and you’ll only have access to five basic templates, for example. Paid plans cost $29/month and $79/month.
Features:
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30+ templates
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Integrated payment processing with Square
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Social selling tools
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POS systems
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Print-on-demand integrations
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440+ apps
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Shipping and fulfillment tools
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Advanced analytics
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SEO tools
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G2 ⭐️ rating: 4.2
7. Webflow
Webflow is a general-purpose website builder geared toward web designers. Its user interface (UI) offers a high level of design customization without coding, including features like no-code animations. This could make it a viable choice for artists who want to fine-tune even the smallest aesthetic details of their site. You can get started with one of the platform’s more than 7,000 customizable templates or Webflow’s AI site builder.
If you’re planning to sell on your site, keep in mind that Webflow offers fewer native ecommerce tools than other website builders. You’ll need to add third-party apps for payment processing, shipping, and fulfillment tools. The platform also lacks marketplace and social selling tools, and it only offers one print-on-demand integration, with Printful.
Who it’s for: Web designers
Plans and pricing: Webflow offers a free plan, but you can’t publish your site with this version of the software. Paid plans cost $14–$39/month, with ecommerce functionality starting at $29/month. Hosting is included.
Features:
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AI website builder
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7,000+ templates
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Integrated payment processing with PayPal, Stripe, and Authorize.net
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Print-on-demand integration with Printful
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300+ apps
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Shipping and fulfillment tools through third-party apps
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G2 ⭐️ rating: 4.4
8. Adobe Portfolio
With 12 customizable templates, Adobe Portfolio is a simple site builder for creating portfolio websites to promote your work, whether you’re trying to secure art gallery representation or land jobs. The platform does not have ecommerce capabilities, so you won’t be able to sell work directly on your site. However, the platform integrates with Behance, Adobe’s freelancer marketplace. When you buy a subscription to Adobe Portfolio, you’ll get the Pro version of Behance, which includes benefits like no platform fees and advanced analytics.
Who it’s for: Artists creating portfolio sites
Plans and pricing: Adobe Portfolio costs $9.99/month. It’s also included in Adobe’s $59.99/month Creative Cloud plan, which includes access to other Adobe products like Lightroom and Photoshop.
Features:
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12 templates
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Includes Behance Pro
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Adobe Portfolio does not have a G2 rating.
Best website builder for artists FAQ
What is the best website builder for an artist?
Shopify is the best website builder for artists who want to sell their work online. It includes an AI website builder and more than 100 customizable templates, making it easy to build a professional-looking website quickly. The platform also includes features that artists will find particularly useful, like integrations with print-on-demand companies and with marketplaces like Etsy.
What website should I use as an artist?
If you want to sell your work online, Shopify is your best option. The platform includes robust ecommerce features, including tools like print-on-demand and social media integrations, making it easy to sell across platforms and grow your audience.
How do you build a website for an artist?
- Decide on the type of website you want to make.
- Determine the features you’ll need, like print-on-demand integration.
- Pick a website builder.
- Choose your domain name.
- Choose a template or use an AI website builder.
- Design and create content for each page.
- Publish your website.
