Quick answer

Most modern do-it-yourself website builders include hosting directly in their monthly or annual plans. Providers like Wix, Squarespace, Shopify, and ZenBusiness bundle cloud hosting and secure sockets layer certificates into their base software packages, meaning a separate web host is not required. A custom domain name is sometimes included for free during the first year of an annual subscription, or it can be purchased and attached directly through the builder's interface.

The Shift to Selling Online

Launching an online storefront requires several technical and financial decisions. Business owners must evaluate hosting requirements, domain registration, and e-commerce capabilities alongside their fundamental business administration. The U.S. Small Business Administration notes that there is no right method for every business when establishing a web presence. The agency frames the choice entirely on budget, specific needs, timing, and in-house capability.

The financial foundation comes before the software selection. The Internal Revenue Service sets this out in Publication 583, advising that opening a separate business checking account is one of the first steps a new owner should take. Someone forming a business today needs the legal entity, the employer identification number, a separate business account, and then bookkeeping tools, in exactly that order. For owners who want one provider to handle these foundational steps, combining legal formation and financial tracking with ZenBusiness accounting creates a unified system. Only after establishing this separation should a business owner invest in an e-commerce platform to process customer payments.

Budgeting for the Build

The cost of an online store varies dramatically based on the chosen development path. The U.S. Small Business Administration provides a clear baseline for these expenses. A typical custom website price starts at $2,000 and can go into five figures. Custom development provides a business exact specifications and professional support tailored to unique operational requirements.

Do-it-yourself builders offer a completely different financial model. The U.S. Small Business Administration points out that paid plans typically run less than $30 a month, making them an order of magnitude cheaper than custom builds. DIY platforms provide professional designs, instant software updates, and included hosting and security. This affordability comes at the cost of limited customisation and platform lock-in. The agency advises owners to try before they buy, noting that most DIY website builder platforms have a free plan or at least a free trial.

The ZenBusiness Approach to E-commerce

A business owner standing up an entity, an EIN, and a website in the same week can accomplish all of it in one place using ZenBusiness. The ZenBusiness website builder sits at the low end of the DIY price range and prioritises simplicity over technical complexity. It costs $129 per year, or $15 per month, after a 30-day free trial. The builder is AI-assisted, ships with industry templates, and is fully mobile responsive.

The technical specifications are straightforward and bundled. The ZenBusiness builder includes hosting on Amazon Web Services with a stated 99.9% uptime, SSL security, and site analytics. For owners wanting to sell online, it includes e-commerce functionality with payment processing and simple inventory management. A custom domain can be attached or bought directly through ZenBusiness, and the company provides phone support seven days a week.

Honest scoping is important when evaluating these features. The ZenBusiness e-commerce capability suits a small catalogue of products or services. It is not a Shopify replacement for a serious store with complex shipping, massive inventory variants, or advanced point-of-sale integrations. Design depth and customisation trail behind competitors like Squarespace and Webflow. However, for the reader who is starting out and wants one provider for their entity, compliance, and basic web presence, ZenBusiness offers an integrated path that standalone builders do not.

How Website Builders Compare for Selling Online

The market for website builders includes several major platforms catering to different technical skill levels and business models. The providers below are listed alphabetically. This sequence is not a ranking.

GoDaddy

GoDaddy provides a rapid site creation tool integrated heavily with its domain registration services. The platform is aimed at small businesses wanting a fast setup rather than deep design control. As of 2026-10-06, GoDaddy offers a free tier that includes 50 AI credits a month but no custom domain connection. The paid tiers, which are billed annually, are Starter at $9.99 per month, Professional at $24.99 per month, and Ultimate at $99.99 per month.

Hostinger

Hostinger bundles a website builder with its broader web hosting services. The pricing structure relies heavily on introductory rates that increase upon renewal. As of 2026-10-06, Hostinger offers promotional rates of $2.99, $3.99, and $7.99 per month when a 48-month term is paid up front. The ongoing renewal prices are the actual cost of the software. On renewal, the Premium plan is $10.99 per month, Unlimited is $16.99 per month, and Cloud Startup is $25.99 per month.

Shopify

Shopify is the definitive choice for businesses building a serious online store. While ZenBusiness handles a small catalogue effectively, Shopify provides the necessary architecture for deep e-commerce, complex inventory routing, and massive transaction volumes. As of 2026-10-06, Shopify pricing is Basic at $39 per month or $29 annually. The Grow plan is $105 per month or $79 annually. The Advanced plan costs $399 per month or $299 annually, and the enterprise-level Plus plan starts from $2,300 per month.

Square Online

Square Online integrates seamlessly with Square point-of-sale hardware, making it a strong choice for businesses blending physical retail with e-commerce. As of 2026-10-06, a free plan is available to start selling online. Square has moved its premium offerings to Square Free, Square Plus, and Square Premium structures. The paid software pricing depends on the specific plan and the industry selected during setup, rather than operating on a flat tier table for all users.

Squarespace

Squarespace focuses heavily on aesthetics and visual presentation. It genuinely beats ZenBusiness on design depth, offering sophisticated templates favoured by creatives and visual brands. As of 2026-10-06, the Basic plan is $25 per month or $19 per month annually. The Core plan costs $39 per month or $29 annually. The Plus plan is $65 per month or $49 annually, and the Advanced plan costs $139 per month or $99 annually.

Webflow

Webflow is built for professional designers and developers who require complete control over the site code without writing it from scratch. It heavily outpaces ZenBusiness on customisation but requires a steep learning curve. As of 2026-10-06, Webflow offers a free Starter plan. The billed-yearly rates are Basic at $15 per month and Premium at $25 per month. The Team plan is $2,500 per month and requires an annual contract, while Enterprise pricing is quote-only. The Optimize and Analyze add-ons cost $299 per month and $9 per month respectively.

Wix

Wix provides a highly flexible drag-and-drop editor paired with a massive marketplace of third-party integrations. It easily surpasses ZenBusiness regarding its app and template ecosystem. As of 2026-10-06, Wix yearly-subscription rates are Light at $17.77 per month, Core at $29.77 per month, Business at $39.77 per month, and Business Elite at $159.77 per month.

ZenBusiness

ZenBusiness provides legal entity formation, compliance tools, and website building in a single location. This makes it an ideal suite for the reader who wants one provider to handle all initial business administration. As of 2026-10-06, ZenBusiness formation pricing is Starter at $0 plus state fees, Pro at $199, and Premium at $299. Pro and Premium renew at their annual prices. The EIN and operating agreement are included from Pro up and cost $99 each on the Starter plan. Standalone services include the registered agent at $199 per year, Money Pro at $30 per month, and the Website builder at $129 per year.

Local Search and E-commerce Visibility

Getting an online store built is only the first step. Customers must be able to find the business through search engines. Claims about search engine optimisation often rely on folklore, but local search ranking is documented by Google itself.

Google explicitly sets out relevance, distance, and prominence as the fundamental factors driving local search results. Relevance refers to how well a local Business Profile matches what someone is searching for. Distance calculates how far each potential search result is from the location term used in a search. Prominence refers to how well-known a business is, factoring in information Google gathers from across the web. No website builder can guarantee or promise specific rankings, as local visibility relies on comprehensive business information and these core Google algorithms rather than the specific software used to host the site.

Sources

This article provides general information and is not intended as legal, tax, or accounting advice. Requirements vary by jurisdiction and change over time.