AI Website Builders

Are AI Website Builders Worth It? Here's My Take.

People often ask me what I think about AI website builders. Are they any good? Are they worth using?

In my opinion—no, they’re not.

I've been a webmaster for over 25 years. I started back in 2000, building free websites on Geocities, one of the early platforms that allowed anyone to publish online. It wasn’t a website builder as we know today—I used tools like Netscape Composer and other HTML editors to create pages, then uploaded them manually along with images. There was a visitor cap (around 10,000 visits per month, if I remember correctly), but it was a different time.

Today, there are many modern website builders like Wix, Weebly, SquareSpace, and Ukit. Some incorporate AI features to streamline the process, while others stick to drag-and-drop tools.


The Pros (For Beginners):

You can get a site up and running quickly.
Hosting and a web domain are usually included (though often at an extra cost).
No need to touch code.

But...

The Cons (And There Are Many):

Most designs are generic—your site will look like thousands of others.
Customization is very limited unless you pay more.
The pricing is steep for what you get. For example, Weebly charges extra just to connect your own domain and remove their watermark. You could end up paying around $29/month, compared to just $2/month with traditional hosting.
Poor SEO structure. Many of these sites aren't optimized well for search engines.
Hidden costs, limited scalability, and vendor lock-in.

Some AI site builders are not all-in-one solutions, meaning they do not host your website. You are left with HTML pages that you must host on a hosting service (and pay separately for that hosting and a web domain).


Over time, I moved away from traditional websites altogether.

Uploading via FTP, dealing with slow updates, limited flexibility—it wasn’t worth it anymore.

What I Use Now (And Recommend):

I use Google’s Blogger platform. It’s free, reliable, and gives me:

A professional-looking blog with a custom domain and HTTPS. I purchase a professional template (starting at just $9) and link it to my own custom domain.
Full design control (themes, colors, widgets).
Easy daily content publishing (just log in and write).
Built-in visitor stats.
Reader interaction through comments.
SEO-friendly: Blogs with regular content updates rank better on Google.

Example of my blogs: Hidden Truth , Spiritual Matrix , Realidade Oculta

 

If You Still Want a Website Builder...

Try Ukit.com. It’s the most affordable, the best, and user-friendly in my experience—starting at $8/month, and that includes the ability to connect your own domain and SSL (HTTPS).

Be cautious with others:
SquareSpace ($15/month plan) doesn’t let you use your own domain unless you buy it through them—and transferring it later can be a headache (and costly).
Weebly allows domain connection, but only if you upgrade to their $18/month plan (or pay around $168/year). Also, many platforms don’t include taxes or VAT in their listed prices, so you pay more at checkout.

Bottom line? Skip the flashy builders unless you’re absolutely new and need something fast. If you want more control, better SEO, and real value—go with Blogger or, if you prefer a visual builder, try Ukit.

Silvio Guerrinha