Welcome to the sixth issue of App Chat, the newsletter for busy creators in search of the perfect no/low-code tech stack.

Every issue before this one has been created with Ghost, but moving forward I'll be sending with ConvertKit (update: the newsletter is now on Substack…final answer). The website component will be using Tilda Publishing, a little-known (but super awesome) website builder.

And this issue is about website builders, appropriately.

In This Issue

Beyond Carrd and Webflow
5 affordable (yet capable) website building apps
How to choose the right one

Beyond Carrd and Webflow

There are SO many tools out there that you can use to build a website. There are the popular and well-known options like WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, Carrd, and Webflow (among others). I’m not going to cover those.

Instead I’d like to focus on super affordable tools ($200/year or less) that are easy to use, and with which you can build a great website. Some of them may be new to you :)

5 affordable website-building apps

1. Tilda Publishing

($120/year or $15/month for 1 site, with the annual plan removing Tilda branding)

A bit about Tilda:
I discovered Tilda years ago, and though it has its quirks, there are lots of templates and pre-made blocks to choose from (gorgeously minimal). Includes CRM, eCommerce and blog functionality. You can add collaborators and create a protected area for members.

Check Out Tilda

2. Weblium

($99/year or $15/month for 1 site)

A bit about Weblium:
Weblium is also very user-friendly and they include something a bit unique: an A.I. design supervisor. This means that lots of design elements are taken care of automatically. They also have lots of templates and pre-made blocks to choose from.

Check Out Weblium

3. Brizy Cloud

($79/year or $9/month for 1 site)

A bit about Brizy Cloud:
Brizy started as a WordPress builder plug-in then expanded into the cloud version. It’s extremely easy to use, the designs are some of the best in the biz, and it has some unique features: web stories format, create sliders from any block, and you can host using other solutions (like Netlify, Vercel, etc).

Check Out Brizy Cloud

4. Dorik

($49/year for 25 custom domains*)

A bit about Dorik:
This builder is a newer kid on the block, with their 2.0 version being featured on ProductHunt in July of 2021. Also extremely affordable, Dorik offers gorgeous templates and hundreds of pre-made blocks. This builder is one to keep your eye on, and if they ever bring back their lifetime plan you may be wise to jump on it.

*This plan doesn't include their recently-released CMS features. That plan starts at $228/year for 1 site.

Check Out Dorik

5. Unicorn Platform

(1 site for $72/year with branding, or $180/year without branding)

A bit about Unicorn Platform
For the branding-free plan, Unicorn the most expensive, but not necessarily because it's feature-filled. The appeal, as far as I can tell, is how drop-dead easy it is to build a landing page for startups, mobile apps, and SaaS. I wouldn't recommend Unicorn for a larger, multi-page website, however.

Check Out Unicorn Platform

How to choose the right one

You're going to hate me for saying this, but it really depends.

You can go purely based on price and choose Dorik because you get 25 custom domains included, mind you this plan doesn't include their recently-released CMS features.

You can choose the most straightforward and easy-to-use option, which is likely Unicorn Platform (though all of these options are easy to use).

If you need eCommerce functionality, Tilda or Weblium are the best choice.

As a side note, Tilda includes a lot of features not often found in website builders. For instance, this email was created using their Email Campaign feature, which I then used as a custom template in ConvertKit (update: you’re now reading this on Substack, but I still think the Tilda option is a good one for the right use case).

You can check them all out here: https://tilda.cc/en/features.

#6: Website Builders for Creators