Final verdict
Carrd and Hostinger Website Builder both serve distinct purposes, catering to different user needs and preferences.
-
Carrd (Overall Grade: 6.1/10)
excels in simplicity and ease of use, making it an ideal choice for individuals and small businesses looking to create single-page websites quickly and efficiently. Its user-friendly interface, affordable pricing, and straightforward design capabilities make it a go-to for personal profiles, landing pages, and portfolios. However, it falls short in ecommerce features and advanced functionalities, limiting its appeal for users looking to build more complex or online store websites. -
Hostinger Website Builder (Overall Grade: 7.1/10)
offers a more rounded experience with better ecommerce capabilities, a wider range of templates, and more comprehensive customer support. It stands out for users seeking a balance between ease of use and the ability to create more detailed websites or online stores. With its drag-and-drop interface and a variety of hosting options, it provides a solid foundation for small to medium-sized businesses aiming to expand their online presence.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
Design functionalities & templates |
7.5 |
8.5 |
Ease of use |
9.0 |
8.3 |
Ecommerce |
3.5 |
6.1 |
Website Editors |
7.0 |
7.4 |
Product testing options |
6.0 |
6.7 |
Price |
8.9 |
9.0 |
Hosting quality |
5.0 |
7.2 |
Website speed optimization |
8.2 |
8.2 |
Plugins and integrations |
5.8 |
4.7 |
Marketing features |
5.8 |
5.8 |
Customer support |
6.2 |
7.2 |
Security |
7.6 |
8.2 |
AI capabilities |
0.0 |
6.1 |
User Management |
4.3 |
6.3 |
Overall |
6.1 |
7.1 |
Best for ecommerce
Verdict
: For users seeking basic ecommerce functionalities with a bit more depth, Hostinger Website Builder edges out Carrd, offering a more rounded set of features suitable for small online stores.
-
Carrd
: Best suited for simple, one-page websites with minimal ecommerce needs. Its reliance on third-party integrations for ecommerce functionalities makes it less ideal for users looking for an all-in-one solution. -
Hostinger Website Builder
: Provides a better foundation for small to medium-sized ecommerce projects with its integrated ecommerce features, despite not being as robust as dedicated ecommerce platforms. It’s a good middle ground for those who need more than Carrd offers but aren’t ready for a full-fledged ecommerce solution.
Best for informational & business websites
Verdict
: With identical scores in this category, both Carrd and Hostinger Website Builder stand out for their capabilities in creating informational and business websites. However, their strengths cater to different user needs and preferences.
-
Carrd
: Excelling in simplicity and ease of use, Carrd is ideal for users looking to create single-page, responsive websites quickly. Its straightforward interface and affordable pricing make it a great choice for personal profiles, portfolios, and small business landing pages. -
Hostinger Website Builder
: Offering a more traditional website building experience with a drag-and-drop interface and a wider range of templates, Hostinger Website Builder is suited for users seeking more design flexibility and comprehensive hosting solutions. Its emphasis on creative control and hosting reliability makes it a strong contender for businesses requiring a more robust online presence.
Detailed comparison
Design functionalities & templates
Design FunctionalitiesRepresents how well each platform allows for creative design and customization of websites.Score Components:
- Template Variety (30%): Range and quality of design templates.
- Customization (30%): Flexibility and options for design alterations.
- User Interface (20%): Ease and intuitiveness of the design process.
- Responsiveness (10%): Adaptability to different devices and screen sizes.
- Innovation (10%): Unique design features and tools.
🏆
Winner: Hostinger Website Builder.
If you’re looking for a platform that offers more creative control, a wide array of design features, and a higher Design Functionalities Templates score, Hostinger Website Builder is the preferred choice.
Carrd is a versatile platform that offers a wide variety of templates and designs, catering to different needs and preferences. Users can choose from a broad selection of themes, ranging from simple and minimalist to complex and dynamic layouts, ensuring there’s something for everyone.
Compared to Carrd, Hostinger Website Builder offers an extensive collection of over 140 templates across various categories, including business, portfolio, blog, ecommerce, restaurant, and landing pages. These templates are fully customizable, providing design flexibility with the ability to adjust colors, fonts, layouts, and incorporate unique brand elements, while ensuring mobile responsiveness for optimal viewing on all devices.
Hostinger Website Builder Themes
Get a head start on website creation with AI
Create a custom website tailored to your business needs 10X faster with 10Web AI Website Builder!
Ease of use
Ease of useReflects the platform’s overall user-friendliness.Score
Components:
- Learning curve (40%): Quickness and ease of getting started.
- Interface design (30%): Simplicity and intuitiveness of layout.
- User guidance (20%): Quality of tutorials and support.
- Flexibility (10%): Adaptability to various user skills.
🏆 Winner: Carrd
. Scoring a solid 9.0, Carrd stands out for its simplicity and ease of use, making it exceptionally easy for beginners to create single-page websites. Hostinger Website Builder, with a score of 8.3, offers a user-friendly platform but with a slightly steeper learning curve. If ease of use is a priority, Carrd is the clear winner in this category.
Learning Resources
🏆 Winner: Carrd
. While both platforms offer solid learning resources, Carrd’s resources are more accessible and easier to understand, making it easier for users to learn and adapt.
For ecommerce
EcommerceMeasures the platform’s effectiveness in supporting online business activities.Score Components:
- Ecommerce themes and templates (20%): Variety and design of templates.
- Product management (25%): Ease of managing and organizing products.
- Payment options (25%): Variety and convenience of payment methods.
- Ecommerce features (20%): Features for managing an ecommerce store.
- Integration (10%): Compatibility with external e-commerce tools and services.
Carrd, with a score of 3.5, is primarily designed for building one-page websites and does not inherently offer robust eCommerce features out of the box. For users looking to incorporate eCommerce functionalities, they would need to integrate third-party services or use external links to platforms like Etsy or Shopify. This setup can be a downside for those seeking an all-in-one solution with comprehensive eCommerce tools, inventory management, and payment processing directly within the platform.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
Ecommerce themes and templates |
4.5 |
6.5 |
Product page customization |
3.0 |
5.8 |
Payment processing and commissions |
5.0 |
7.0 |
POS capabilities |
0.0 |
4.5 |
Payment gateways |
5.5 |
7.5 |
Product numbers |
2.0 |
6.0 |
Additional ecommerce features |
3.5 |
6.2 |
Carrd ecommerce features:
- Paypal and Stripe Integration
- External Widgets integrations
- Basic Product Listing options
Hostinger Website Builder ecommerce features:
- Product Catalog Management
- Inventory management
- Taxes and shipping
- Payment gateways
- Order management
- Discount coupons and promotions
Ecommerce themes & templates
Carrd provides a selection of 14 e-commerce templates aimed at users looking to quickly launch online stores for products ranging from e-books to physical goods. These templates are crafted with a focus on simplicity and conversion optimization, featuring designs that vary from dark themes to minimalist aesthetics. They are priced starting at $19 or $25, depending on the template, and require a Pro Standard account or higher due to the use of advanced elements and widgets.
Hostinger Website Builder provides over 50 ecommerce templates out of its library of 140+, covering various styles and industries. These mobile-responsive templates offer pre-built functionalities such as product pages, shopping carts, and wishlists, but compared to dedicated platforms, the selection may feel smaller, and customization options might be more limited. Additionally, some advanced ecommerce features may not be available in all templates.
Product page customization
Carrd offers a streamlined approach to ecommerce product page customization, primarily through integrations with third-party platforms such as Stripe, Lemon Squeezy, and Gumroad. Users can create product pages within Carrd by adding product details like name, description, image, and price, and then integrate a checkout button using Carrd’s Widget element for platforms like Stripe. Users can integrate third-party services for ecommerce functionalities, but the customization possibilities for product pages would then depend on the capabilities of those external platforms.
In Hostinger Website Builder, product page customization includes editing basic elements, adjusting layout and design, and optimizing SEO settings. However, compared to dedicated ecommerce platforms, it falls short in terms of flexibility due to limited code access, restrictions on creating entirely new custom sections, and theme-specific limitations. Additionally, Hostinger offers fewer add-ons and integrations for advanced product page features, such as reviews and wishlists.
Payment processing
When it comes to payment processing, Carrd allows for payment-enabled forms for Pro Plus users or higher, integrating with Stripe Checkout for payment processing. This setup enables creating forms for various transactions like order forms or paid email lists. The process requires setting up the payment through Stripe, either via a preconfigured price or a custom price, and entering Stripe API keys. There’s no direct mention of Carrd charging commissions or offering POS capabilities within this documentation. For payment gateways, it specifically supports Stripe and Paypal.
Hostinger Website Builder provides basic ecommerce features, supporting popular payment gateways like PayPal, Stripe, and Square with no additional platform commissions on sales. However, it lacks built-in payment processing and integrated point-of-sale capabilities, necessitating reliance on third-party gateways and separate systems for in-person transactions. The platform supports various payment gateways, and users should refer to the Hostinger website for a comprehensive list based on their location and plan.
Website Editors
Website EditorsEvaluates the platforms’ website building and editing capabilities.Score Components:
- Customization tools (40%): Range and power of editing features.
- Editor usability (30%): User experience within the editor.
- Design flexibility (20%): Freedom in layout and design changes.
- Update and maintenance ease (10%): Simplicity of updating and maintaining the site.
🏆
Winner: Hostinger Website Builder
. With a score of 7.4, Hostinger Website Builder offers a beginner-friendly platform with a drag-and-drop interface, pre-designed templates, and visual aids for easy website creation. It provides various sections, content editing tools, SEO optimization, and ecommerce capabilities on premium plans. However, it has limitations in design flexibility compared to code-based platforms and may have fewer advanced features for high-volume stores. Customization options also vary based on the chosen plan.
Carrd, scoring 7.0, offers a user-friendly interface that allows for easy drag-and-drop functionality, enabling users to add, customize, and position elements such as text, images, buttons, and forms with minimal effort. The editor also provides a range of pre-designed templates and responsive design options, ensuring that websites look professional and work seamlessly across various devices. Additionally, Carrd includes basic SEO tools and integration capabilities with external services, making it a versatile choice for personal projects, portfolios, and small business landing pages.
Mobile editor/app
🏆
Winner: Tie
. Both Carrd and Hostinger Website Builder do not offer a dedicated mobile app for editing. However, both platforms can be accessed and edited through a mobile browser. This allows users to make changes to their websites on the go, although the experience may not be as smooth or feature-rich as using a dedicated mobile app or the desktop version. Therefore, both Carrd and Hostinger Website Builder score equally in this category.
Product testing options
Product Testing OptionsAssesses the options for trying out platform features before commitment.Score Components:
- Trial quality (40%): Extent and usefulness of the trial or free version.
- Feature accessibility (30%): How many features are available to test.
- Trial duration (20%): Length of the trial period.
- Ease of transition (10%): Smoothness of moving from trial to paid plans.
Overall Result
:
Hostinger Website Builder wins
. Hostinger Website Builder scores 6.7, slightly higher than Carrd’s 6.0. While neither platform offers a free version, Hostinger Website Builder stands out with its 30-day money-back guarantee, which also serves as a period for testing premium features. Carrd, on the other hand, offers a 7-day free trial where users can test premium features, but lacks a money-back guarantee.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
Free Plan |
No | No |
Trial Duration |
7 days |
30 days (money-back guarantee) |
Testing Premium Features |
During free trial |
During 30-day refundable period |
Money-Back Guarantee |
No |
Yes (30 days) |
Price
PriceLooks at the cost-effectiveness and value for money of each platform.Score Components:
- Plan value (40%): What each pricing tier offers.
- Transparency and clarity (30%): Clearness of pricing structures.
- Flexibility of plans (20%): Range of options to suit different budgets.
- Hidden costs (10%): Additional expenses not included in the plan.
Carrd and Hostinger Website Builder are both affordable options, with Hostinger Website Builder scoring slightly higher in terms of price.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
$0-$1 |
Pro Lite ($0.75/month): Basic features suitable for simple, personal websites. Up to 3 1-page websites. Value for price: 6.0 |
No offering at this amount. |
$1-$3 |
Pro Standard ($1.58/month): Offers more features and flexibility, ideal for professional profiles and small projects. Up to 10 1-page websites. Value for price: 7.5 |
No offering at this amount. |
$3-$10 |
Pro Plus ($4.08/month): Enhanced features for more complex sites, including additional customization options. Up to 25 1-page websites. Value for price: 8.5 |
No offering at this amount. |
$10-$13 |
No offering at this amount. |
Premium website ($11.99/month): Build 1 website with 10 GB storage, 100 GB bandwidth, custom domain & email, social media integration & SEO tools. Value for Price: 7.5 |
$13+ |
No offering at this amount. |
Business website builder ($13.99/month): Build 1 website with custom domain & emails, AI website builder, AI image generator, AI writer, ecommerce features, marketing integrations and 0% transaction fees Value for Price: 8.5 |
location. As a result in rare cases the prices displayed here can differ from the ones you see on their
websites.
Hosting quality
Hosting
qualityExamines the reliability and performance of the hosting solutions.Score Components:
- Uptime (40%): Consistency and reliability of website availability.
- Speed (30%): Loading times and performance.
- Bandwidth and storage (20%): Sufficiency of resources provided.
- Data centers (10%): Quality and distribution of hosting infrastructure.
Winner: Hostinger Website Builder
. Hostinger Website Builder offers a more comprehensive hosting service with a variety of hosting types, a 99.9% uptime guarantee, and data centers across the globe. Carrd, on the other hand, offers shared hosting with no specific information on uptime or data centers, making it less reliable for businesses that require high availability and performance.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
Do they offer hosting? |
Yes | Yes |
Data Centers: |
Not disclosed |
USA, Europe, Asia, South America |
Type of hosting: |
Shared Hosting |
Shared Hosting, Cloud Hosting, WordPress Hosting, VPS Hosting |
Uptime: |
Not disclosed |
99.9% |
Uptime Guarantee: |
No |
Yes, 99.9% |
Website Speed Optimization
Website Speed OptimizationEvaluates optimization of website loading timesScore Components:
- PageSpeed Score (30%): Google’s score indicating performance optimization.
- Loading Time (30%): The average time until a website is fully interactive.
- Mobile Optimization (15%): Optimization effectiveness for mobile devices.
- Resource Optimization (15%): Optimizing images, scripts, and other heavy resources.
- CDN Usage (10%): Use of CDN to enhance speed across geolocations.
🏆 Winner: Tie
. Both Carrd and Hostinger Website Builder have the same score for website speed optimization, but they use different strategies and have different load times and PageSpeed score ranges.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
Focus |
Mobile Responsive design, Caching, Cloudflare CDN |
LiteSpeed Cache, Cloudflare CDN, MariaDB database, Browser caching |
Performance Tools |
Google Lighthouse, PageSpeed Insights |
Google PageSpeed Insights Integration |
Key Strategies |
Mobile Responsive design, Caching, Cloudflare CDN |
LiteSpeed Cache, Cloudflare CDN, MariaDB database, Browser caching |
Load Times |
Minimal due to simplicity of websites |
2-3 seconds average |
Page Speed Scores Range |
High due to simplicity of websites |
80-95+/100 |
Core Web Vitals Improvement |
No information disclosed |
Significant improvements in overall CWV scores |
Carrd, a platform for building fully responsive, single-page websites, focuses on mobile responsive design, caching, and Cloudflare CDN for speed optimization. Given the simplicity of websites built with Carrd, load times are expected to be minimal, and page speed scores are expected to be high. However, Carrd does not disclose any information related to Core Web Vitals improvements.
On the other hand, Hostinger Website Builder, a tool offered by the web hosting company Hostinger, uses LiteSpeed Cache, Cloudflare CDN, MariaDB database, and browser caching for speed optimization. It has an average load time of 2-3 seconds and a PageSpeed score range of 80-95+/100. Hostinger has made notable strides in enhancing Core Web Vitals performance for its users, successfully reducing Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) through LiteSpeed Cache and Cloudflare CDN, improving First Input Delay (FID) with server-side optimizations, and minimizing Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) through CSS optimizations. These efforts have led to significant improvements in overall CWV scores.
Get a head start on website creation with AI
Create a custom website tailored to your business needs 10X faster with 10Web AI Website Builder!
Plugins and integrations
Plugins and integrationsMeasures the range and effectiveness of additional plugins and integrations.Score Components:
- Variety of options (40%): Range of available add-ons.
- Integration smoothness (30%): Ease of integrating plugins into the site.
- Quality of plugins (20%): Functionality and reliability of the options.
- Custom integration capabilities (10%): Support for custom or third-party integrations.
🏆 Winner: Carrd.
Carrd, with a score of 5.8, offers a range of plugins and extensions that enhance user interactions, content presentation, and media enhancements. On the other hand, Hostinger Website Builder, scoring 4.7, utilizes add-ons instead of traditional plugins, offering functionality expansion in various areas such as marketing, forms, website functionality, design, and SEO. While both platforms offer a variety of tools to enhance website functionality, Carrd’s higher score indicates that it provides a better overall experience in terms of plugins and integrations.
Marketing Features
Marketing featuresAssesses tools and options available for marketing.Score Components:
- SEO tools (40%): Effectiveness of SEO features.
- Marketing automation (30%): Availability and quality of marketing tools.
- Social Media integration (20%): Ease and depth of social media connectivity.
- Email marketing (10%): Quality and usability of email marketing tools.
🏆
Overall Winner: Tie
. Both Carrd and Hostinger Website Builder offer a similar range of marketing features, including SEO tools, email marketing, blogging, social media integration, analytics and reporting, and ads and promotions. However, Carrd relies more on third-party integrations, while Hostinger Website Builder has more built-in features.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
SEO Tools |
|
|
Email Marketing |
✓ (through third-party integrations) |
|
Blogging |
|
|
Social Media Integration |
|
|
Analytics and Reporting |
✓ (through Google Analytics integration) |
✓ (basic analytics for website traffic and performance) |
Ads and Promotions |
✓ (through third-party integrations) |
✓ (supports integrations for ad management) |
Customer Support
Customer supportEvaluates the quality and availability of support options.Score Components:
- Response time (40%): Speed of support responses.
- Support quality (30%): Effectiveness and helpfulness of the support.
- Availability (20%): Range of support channels (phone, chat, email).
- Resource richness (10%): Quality of self-help and educational materials.
🏆 Winner: Hostinger Website Builder
. With a customer support score of 7.2, Hostinger Website Builder outperforms Carrd, which has a score of 6.2. Hostinger offers comprehensive customer support through various channels, including 24/7 live chat, email responses within 24 hours, and phone support during specified hours in specific regions.
On the other hand, Carrd provides 24/7 support via email, with responses typically within 24 hours. However, neither platform offers enterprise support, as they do not have enterprise plans.
Security
SecurityLooks at the platforms’ security measures and data protection.Score Components:
- Data protection (40%): Safeguards for user and customer data.
- SSL and encryption (30%): Implementation of secure connections.
- Compliance (20%): Adherence to industry security standards.
- Regular updates (10%): Frequency of security updates and patches.
🏆
Winner: Hostinger Website Builder
. Hostinger Website Builder takes the lead in security with a score of 8.2, compared to Carrd’s 7.6. Hostinger provides robust security measures including regular updates, advanced firewalls, DDoS protection, anti-malware scans, and regular backups. They also offer database encryption, SSL certificates, two-factor authentication, and PCI-compliant hosting for ecommerce sites. For those seeking additional protection, premium add-ons such as Sucuri Security and SiteLock are available.
Although it may not offer the same breadth of security features as Hostinger, Carrd is committed to maintaining a secure platform for all types of websites. This includes automatic SSL for all sites and a commitment to data security and encryption. It’s important to note that while Carrd takes measures to protect personal information online and offline, they remind users that no internet transmission is fully secure.
AI Capabilities
AI capabilitiesMeasures the effectiveness of AI-driven features and tools.Score Components:
- Automation efficiency (40%): Impact of AI on streamlining processes.
- Personalization (30%): AI-driven customization for users or customers.
- AI-Assisted design (20%): Role of AI in website design and functionality.
- Data analysis (10%): Use of AI in interpreting user data and analytics.
|
|
|
---|---|---|
Website Layout Generation |
|
Hostinger’s AI Website Builder generates website layouts |
Content Creation |
|
AI Writer tool for quick and easy content creation |
Ecommerce Features |
|
AI Shop Generator, automated product descriptions, smart stock management, and order fulfillment tools |
Additional AI Features |
|
AI Image Generator, AI Logo Maker, AI Heatmap, SEO Check tool, and integrations with AI-powered email marketing services |
🏆 Winner: Hostinger Website Builder
. With a score of 6.1, Hostinger Website Builder offers a range of AI capabilities that can simplify the website creation process. However, users should be aware of the limitations in terms of customization, uniqueness, and potential technical adjustments needed for accuracy.
Carrd, with a score of 0.0, does not have any AI capabilities. While it offers a simple and straightforward interface for building single-page websites, it lacks the AI features that can automate and enhance the website creation process.
User Management
User ManagementAssesses the platforms’ capabilities in managing user roles, permissions, and accessibility.Score Components:
- Role Customization (40%): Flexibility in creating and defining user roles and
permissions. - Ease of Management (30%): User interface and tools for managing users.
- Access Control (20%): Effectiveness of access control measures for different user
levels. - Scalability (10%): Ability to manage a growing number of users efficiently.
🏆 Winner: Hostinger Website Builder
. Both Carrd and Hostinger Website Builder offer different approaches to user management.
- Carrd is primarily designed for individual use or small teams, with each account managing its own sites. The platform introduced a Team feature to allow multiple users to collaborate, but traditionally, Carrd sites are managed by a single account holder with full control. The specifics of access levels and permissions for collaborators, if available, are less detailed but generally include editing capabilities.
- The number of users who can edit a Hostinger website depends on the hosting plan and the Website Builder edition chosen. For shared hosting, the Free plan allows only 1 user, Starter allows 2, Premium allows 5, and Business offers unlimited collaborators. In Cloud Hosting, Startup allows 2, Professional allows 5, and Enterprise offers unlimited collaborators. The Website Builder Pro edition, available on all plans, allows up to 10 collaborators.
Additional Features
|
|
|
---|---|---|
SSL Certificate |
|
|
Custom Domain |
|
|
Free Custom Domain Included |
|
|
International Domains |
|
|
Mobile Responsive |
|
|
Page Speed |
|
|
Website Builder Mobile App |
|
|
Convert a Website To An App |
|
|
Website Analytics |
|
|
Multilingual Sites |
|
|
Multiple Users |
|
|
User Feedback
Users overwhelmingly praise Carrd for its user-friendly interface, excellent customer support, and attractive templates, making website creation effortless and enjoyable. The drag-and-drop builder, affordability, and mobile-friendly designs are highlighted as significant benefits. However, some users express limitations, such as the inability to create multi-page websites or a desire for more design options. Overall, Carrd is praised for its affordability, ease of use, and suitability for creating quick, simple webpages.
Hostinger Website Builder is favored for its ease of use, affordability, and strong customer support, making it an attractive option for users, especially those new to website building. However, there are areas for improvement, particularly in offering more diverse templates, enhancing ecommerce features, and streamlining customer support responsiveness. These insights reflect a balance of satisfaction with areas that could benefit from further development.
The making of this blog
We followed a clear, step-by-step process to write and research this article.
FAQ
Which platform is better for single-page websites, Carrd or Hostinger Website Builder?
Can I build an online store with Carrd or Hostinger Website Builder?
Which platform offers more design flexibility and customization options?
How do Carrd and Hostinger Website Builder compare in terms of ease of use?
Which platform is more affordable?
How do the platforms compare in terms of hosting quality and website speed?
Which platform provides better customer support?
Are there any AI capabilities available on either platform?
Which platform is recommended for users needing advanced security features?
Can I manage multiple users on either platform?