Interface design apps and prototyping tools help designers envision and communicate how websites will look and behave before they’re launched. Photo-editing and graphic design tools allow designers to manipulate images and create graphics. Code libraries, development environments, and hosting services allow developers to launch their websites and share them with the world.


That’s why we created this list of the top 5 web design software tools, broken down by category. With both free and paid options, you’re sure to find an option that meets your needs and helps you bring your website to life.

1. WordPress (Free and Paid)

To get started with WordPress, you have two options:
  • Set up a self-hosted WordPress site (see guide here)
  • Sign up for a free WordPress.com account
If you are already using WordPress, but looking for help creating a WordPress theme or customizing WordPress pages, we recommend checking out the Genesis Theme Framework and the Elementor Page Builder.

If you’re just looking to host a small personal site, WordPress.com may be a great choice. However, if you’re starting a more complex project a self-hosted WordPress site is probably a better option.

2. Bootstrap (Free)

To get started with Bootstrap, simply download the latest version of the Bootstrap framework, copy one of the example templates, and start coding. Bootstrap offers dozens of features like a grid system, responsive breakpoints, and a large library of components that make coding a website quick and easy.

Put simply, Bootstrap is a free library of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript that simplifies the process of coding a website from scratch. The Bootstrap team has comprehensively documented each feature, complete with examples and suggestions for customization. The component library includes headers, navigation, buttons, forms, alerts, and more.

3. Wix (Free and Paid)

Wix offers a free, ad-sponsored plan that includes hundreds of templates and options to choose from. Much like WordPress, Wix can be used to create a variety of different sites, including blogs and stores.

Wix is a fully-managed subscription service, meaning that the company handles all the details around hosting the site, backing it up, and handling security. Through its drag-and-drop editor, Wix makes it simple to set up and launch your site in just a few minutes.

4. Dreamweaver (Free Trial)

Any changes you make in your website’s code automatically display in real-time in Dreamweaver’s interface, and you can also point and click to edit your website’s code visually. You can even use Dreamweaver with Bootstrap!

Unlike a traditional IDE, however, Dreamweaver’s visual interface is what makes it really stand out. Dreamweaver includes many of the features of a traditional, text-based Integrated Development Environment (IDE) like syntax-highlighting, automatic code-completion, and the ability to collapse and expand sections of code.

5. Squarespace (Paid)

Squarespace also offers a huge variety of different themes and color customizations and includes many of the standards you’d expect like SSL encryption and the ability to build an online store. Much like Wix, Squarespace offers an intuitive drag-and-drop interface for creating your website. Squarespace is another website builder that serves as a third alternative to Wix and WordPress.