Every web developer knows how important it is to have a portfolio website. Thanks to your portfolio, clients will be able to know your work, what kind of work you usually do, how is your creative process, what is your experience, among other things.
Since having a portfolio is crucial for your professional growth and for reaching new clients, which platform to use to build yours is a decision that you should evaluate.
Currently, there are many website builders that you can use to create your portfolio, but each one has different advantages, prices, and possibilities that you should observe before choosing which one you will use.
1. WordPress
Best for web developers that want to specialize in WordPress web development.
WordPress is one of the most used website builders worldwide and if you plan to specialize in this platform, the best thing you can do is create your portfolio there.
This website builder has many advantages since it offers many possibilities in terms of everything you can create there, so without a doubt, you can create a portfolio website that reflects your personality, style, and talent as a developer.
On the other hand, your own website can be your testing ground for trends and new tools, in other words, it will help you practice all the new techniques you learn.
This website builder is used by a large community of users, which means that on the web you will find hundreds of tutorials, classes, tips, and tools to give your portfolio the professional look it needs.
If you create your portfolio website in WordPress.org, you will not only be able to exhibit your creations but you can become part of a large community of web developers.
This will help you expand your network, connect with potential clients, and increase your job possibilities.
Besides, WordPress.org is open-source, so you can develop your own plugins and use them in your portfolio website or make them available to the community.
Pros
- It is 100% free and there are also a lot of free templates that you can find on the internet. All themes can be modified to achieve the design you want.
- There are a large number of hosting providers that support websites created in WordPress and each one offers different advantages.
- Thousands of developers altruistically improve the platform every day.
- It is an open-source platform, many designers and developers create plugins that you can use on your website without having to pay.
- There is a multitude of plugins or extensions that allow you to install applications or make improvements.
Cons
- The most used CMS in the world is also the most attacked in the world.
- If you use independently developed plugins or elements, they may tend to crash or not work well.
Price
Using WordPress.org is completely free, but you must use a hosting and buy a domain, which depending on the service you choose will have a different price. You can use Bluehost which offers domains and hostings for a price of $2.99 per month.
Source: templatemonster.com
2. Wix
Best for web developers who want a modern, innovative, and economical option.
Wix is a great opportunity for those web developers who are starting to work in the industry, as it will help them save money and in the same way, transmit a modern and professional image.
Of course, the free version has limitations, but nothing that is a problem. If you are an advanced web developer, you can choose to pay for one of the plans to access all the possibilities offered by this platform.
In Wix, you can access a large catalog of themes of different styles, so if you consider that aesthetics is not your thing, this platform will help you to give your portfolio website a good look.
All Wix themes are customizable, so you can transform their design until you get the look you want. Themes are free but do keep in mind that if you want to change your theme later, you will have to redesign your site. Check out the step by step guide to build your portfolio with Wix from scratch.
Pros
- Wix offers free hosting with its advertising on your page or paid hosting without advertising.
- If you are a beginner, you can design and create your page easily with Wix without knowing anything about web design or complex code.
- You can also use external hosting.
- If you plan to sell your services through your portfolio website in the future, Wix allows you to add various payment methods.
- The platform allows you to upload videos of up to 30 minutes, which is perfect to show your creative processes.
Cons
- In Wix, the loading speed is slower compared to WordPress.
- Wix is a template where you can only make design changes.
Price
- Connect Domain: $5 a month. Still includes ads so this might affect your professional look.
- Combo Plan: $14 per month. The best option for freelancers because it does not include ads and it is affordable.
- Wix Unlimited package: $18 per month.
- Wix VIP: $39 per month
Source: es.wix.com
3. Jimdo
Best for freelancers that need to build their portfolio quickly.
Jimdo is a very easy-to-use website builder, which aims to reduce the tedious procedures that are usually involved in creating a portfolio website.
If you want to get to the point without too much trouble, this may be the ideal platform for you. Apart from that, it is just as complete as Wix or even WordPress.
In recent years this platform has become more popular and used thanks to its simplicity and effectiveness. Jimbdo has very valuable tools such as the Jimdo online store, where you can purchase plugins, themes, and other things specially made to work on your portfolio website without problems.
This will help you to avoid problems such as using plugins that have compatibility or security issues, which can happen on platforms like WordPress.
It has a drag-and-drop system that will also greatly speed up the process of designing your website since it is simple to use and very intuitive. As you create your website, the changes will be saved, so you do not have to worry about losing your progress due to any eventuality.
Another benefit of this platform is that it has an app available for iOS that will allow you to edit your page from mobile devices for when you are on the go.
Pros
- All paid plans include a free domain name for the first year.
- The online store includes a variety of payment methods and even has its own purchase manager. This will be useful if you want to sell your plugins or other tools through your website.
- Integration with Google Analytics provides detailed statistics.
- The fields of the contact forms are completely customizable. You can even edit the confirmation messages.
- Provides excellent options for attracting new visitors through search engines (Google).
Cons
- With Jimdo it is not possible to create backups or restore your website.
Price
- Free: Does not include the domain name
- Pro: $ 10 per month. Good for freelancers that want to create a website without advertising and that do not need an online store.
- Business: $ 20 per month. Better for larger websites.
Source: hafen-template.jimdofree.com
4. Weebly
Best for freelancers who want to configure their portfolio easily and from anywhere.
Weebly is one of the highest quality (and popular) creators around today. It is a very good platform that is very easy to use. It even has an App Center with which you can install applications that will allow you to expand the capabilities of your website.
It has templates adaptable to mobile devices and its App Center has third-party extensions. They offer 500 MB of web space and do not limit the SEO options of any page or the number of pages you can create.
In this online platform, you can create both free and paid sites, and it is quite complete for everything that a web developer may want or need. Its registration process is quite simple, you just have to log in and register, which you can do using your Facebook or Google accounts. After that, you can start using the platform and create your portfolio website.
After registering, Weebly will allow you to choose the template you want, depending on what your objective is. There you will find themes that will look great to create your portfolio website and the best thing is that they are free. The platform will also allow you to preview the theme on your website, so you can decide if you like how it looks before accepting it.
Pros
- They give you one year of free domain.
- It offers many different types of design templates to choose from.
- It allows you to include all kinds of multimedia content, this will allow you to display your work in different formats.
- It has a wide range of templates optimized for the mobile version, which is ideal for your creations to look good from any device.
- Cloud hosting is available for all plans, ensuring that your website is always available and loads quickly.
Cons
- The templates cannot be edited.
- The level of help/support depends on the plan you buy. It is not the same attention for everyone.
Price
- Free plan: Includes a large advertising banner that can be annoying and unprofessional.
- Connect plan: $5 per month
- Pro plan: $12 per month
- Business plan: $25 per month.
Source: weeblyexpert.com
5. Krop
Best for web developers who want to enter the job market.
This is a special platform for creating portfolios, but it also allows its users to connect with a community of clients looking for the services they offer. It is easy to use and you do not need to worry about issues such as hosting or domain since everything is included when creating your profile. However, you must evaluate if it fits what you want since here you will not be able to intervene in aspects of web development, but it is a practical site where the only thing you will have to do is post images of the work you have done.
Krop takes care of the visual and aesthetic aspects of each theme, so you can be sure that your portfolio will look professional and unique, and that you will also find themes that reflect your personality as a web developer. Having a portfolio website that looks good is something that can catch the attention of your clients and even many may be inclined to work with you just because of how your website looks. On the other hand, Krop guarantees that you can display high-quality images, so that will make your work look good.
One of the biggest advantages that Krop offers is that it integrates you into a community of freelancers and potential clients. Here you can not only create your portfolio but you can approach people interested in your services. Among those people, you will find famous and recognized brands, so it is a good place to start attracting clients and getting jobs.
Pros
- You can separate your projects into folders and so they will be different sections within your portfolio.
- Its interface allows you to display high-quality images
- Major companies like Nike, Netflix, and Facebook use Krop to find creatives.
- You can also approach clients and submit job proposals.
- It is self-hosted, so you only have to worry about uploading your work and that everything looks good.
Cons
- After creating your portfolio for free, the free trial only lasts 14 days. When finished you must start paying the plan.
Price
There is only one plan that costs $ 9.99 per month.
Source: krop.com
6. Carbonmade
Best for web developers who want to visually impact without much effort.
Carbonmade is ideal for web developers who want to project a cool, unique, and creative image. This platform allows its users to have a quality site as a result, where they can add projects and pages to segment the information. This means that each web development project that you have done can be a section within your own portfolio.
In each section, you can publish images and all the data that you consider necessary to show your projects. For example, you can also include information about the client you worked for. You can also upload projects progressively, that is, as you develop them. Then you can publish them when they are complete. This modality is perfect to show your creative process and that when you finish it, you don’t have to spend so much time organizing it to publish it.
Again, Carbonmade is a simple platform where you should only publish your projects for people to see. You will not be able to modify its code, only work under the parameters that the platform allows. This is good in case you just want a place to post your work. Here you can also integrate Google Analytics to measure the performance of your website and its scope.
Pros
- The hosting is integrated into the platform.
- You can cancel your plan at any time.
- All themes are responsive.
- It allows you to integrate social networks into your portfolio.
- Practical and easy to use.
Cons
- It does not have a free plan.
Price
- Beginner: $ 8 per month. It includes unlimited videos and images, as its name says it is ideal for beginners.
- Pro: $ 12 per month. Aside from including the benefits of the Beginner plan, it gives access to many premium features.
- Expert: $ 18 per month. Unlimited projects, pages, images, and videos.
Source: lepikdaniel.com
7. Format
Best for web developers that desire to have a visually attractive portfolio.
Format is focused mostly on freelancers who work with areas such as photography or graphic design, but its interface also works great for web developers to showcase their projects. Here you can publish videos, reels, and material that documents your creative process. With Format your portfolio website will work perfectly on tablets and phones because its themes are responsive, so you can be sure that your projects will always look good.
In Format, you will not have to deal with things like programming or coding, but the purpose of this platform is that you can create your portfolio quickly and easily, obtaining a professional and visually attractive result. Apart from being able to create your portfolio, with Format you can also create a professional email, which will add more professionalism to your image.
Among the priorities of Format is that you can obtain as a result a portfolio that stands out from the rest, that looks modern and creative. If you care about making a difference and that your portfolio looks innovative, you can achieve it with the themes that you will find available. Transmitting a creative and unique image is something that can be tedious or difficult if you do not have an idea, but here you will find many suggestions and you will make your portfolio look good and at the same time be functional to share your creations.
Pros
- The platform offers courses that will help you grow professionally.
- All Format themes are 100% editable, so you can use a default one and give it the look you like.
- You can ask the support service to guide and teach you how to use the platform.
- The platform is very simple to use.
- All Format plans include hosting.
Cons
- Format does not have free plans.
Price
- Pro: $ 12 per month. It is a good option for freelancers since it offers the possibility of uploading 1500 images.
- Pro Plus: $ 18 per month. You can upload unlimited photos.
- Unlimited: $ 25 per month. Apart from being able to upload unlimited photos, they give you a more complete support service and a professional Gmail email completely free.
Source: format.com
Create a Portfolio Website and Start Getting Clients
Having a portfolio website will make things much easier for you when you need to show a client how much experience you have or what kind of projects you are capable of carrying out. On the other hand, a portfolio website is very easy to share because it is only necessary to send a link, and it is also easy for people to reach it without you sending them that link since potential clients can find you through the internet.
Your portfolio website can be the first impression a client will take of you, so do not underestimate its impact. Make sure it looks good, that visually represents your style, and select the best works, those that show your qualities. To reach new clients, it is essential to have a portfolio website, so while creating one requires time, effort, and money, it is an investment that is worth making.