Yola vs Zenfolio: Comprehensive comparison guide for 2024

Final verdict

Yola and Zenfolio both offer unique strengths, catering to different user needs.

• 
  Yola (Overall Grade: 6.5/10)
  
  is a versatile website builder ideal for individuals and small businesses looking for an easy-to-use platform with a variety of templates and customization options. It excels in ease of use, design functionalities, and general website management, making it a solid choice for users who need a straightforward, user-friendly solution. Yola’s ecommerce capabilities, while not as specialized as Zenfolio’s, are sufficient for general online selling needs.
• 
  Zenfolio (Overall Grade: 6.4/10)
  
  is tailored specifically for photographers and visual artists, offering elegant, mobile-friendly templates and integrated ecommerce features for selling prints and digital downloads. It provides robust tools for marketing, client proofing, and secure photo storage, making it an excellent choice for professionals in the photography industry. However, it has a steeper learning curve and is less versatile for non-photography-related websites.

	Overall grade: 6.5	Overall grade: 6.4
Design functionalities & templates	7.2	6.8
Ease of use	8.0	6.3
Ecommerce	5.7	6.3
Website Editors	6.7	7.6
Product testing options	7.5	8.4
Price	8.1	8.2
Hosting quality	7.2	5.7
Website speed optimization	7.5	5.2
Plugins and integrations	6.3	6.5
Marketing features	6.5	6.1
Customer support	6.3	6.7
Security	8.3	8.0
AI capabilities	0.0	2.4
User Management	7.3	2.8

Best for ecommerce

5.7

6.3

Verdict

: Yola and Zenfolio both offer ecommerce capabilities, but they cater to different needs. Yola is a more general website builder with ecommerce capabilities through an integration with Ecwid, allowing for the sale of up to 1000 products without transaction fees. Zenfolio, on the other hand, is specifically designed for photographers and visual artists, offering an integrated ecommerce platform for selling prints, digital downloads, and other items directly from their online stores.

• 
  Yola
  
  : Yola provides a user-friendly interface and a variety of templates that are responsive and customizable. It includes features such as SEO tools, e-commerce capabilities, and the option to publish a site with a custom domain. Yola supports various payment gateways and does not charge commission fees for transactions, making it a cost-effective option for small businesses. However, its ecommerce features may not be as advanced as those offered by other platforms.
• 
  Zenfolio
  
  : Zenfolio is tailored for professional photographers and visual artists, offering elegant and mobile-friendly templates. It includes integrated ecommerce capabilities for selling prints, digital downloads, and other products. Zenfolio supports Stripe and PayPal for payment processing but charges a commerce fee of 7% per order. Its niche-specific features make it an excellent choice for photographers looking to showcase and sell their work online.

Best for informational & business websites

7.4

6.9

• 
  Yola
  
  : Yola is designed to help individuals and small businesses create professional-looking websites without advanced technical skills. Its drag-and-drop interface and variety of responsive templates make it easy to customize web pages. Yola also includes SEO tools, e-commerce capabilities, and the option to publish a site with a custom domain, making it a comprehensive solution for managing an online presence. With a score of 7.4, Yola stands out for its ease of use and extensive customization options, making it ideal for informational and business websites.
• 
  Zenfolio
  
  : Zenfolio is tailored specifically for professional photographers and visual artists, offering customizable templates and integrated e-commerce capabilities to showcase and sell their work. While it provides tools for marketing, client proofing, and secure photo storage, its focus on photography limits its versatility for other types of informational websites. With a score of 6.9, Zenfolio is a robust platform for photographers but may not be as suitable for general informational and business websites compared to Yola.

Detailed comparison

7.2

6.8

🏆

Winner: Yola.

Yola offers a more diverse range of templates and designs, catering to various types of websites, from personal blogs to professional business sites. It also provides more extensive customization options, allowing users to create a unique online presence.

Yola Themes

On the other hand, Zenfolio offers a variety of customizable templates and features specifically tailored for photographers, with a focus on showcasing and selling their work. While it provides several customization options, it may not offer as much versatility outside of photography-specific needs.

Zenfolio Themes

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8.0

6.3

🏆 Winner: Yola

. Scoring a solid 8.0, Yola stands out for its user-friendly interface, making it exceptionally easy for beginners and small businesses to create and manage their websites. Zenfolio, with a score of 6.3, offers a robust platform but with a steeper learning curve, especially for those new to web design or the platform itself. If ease of use is a priority, Yola is the clear winner in this category.

Learning Resources

🏆 Winner: Yola

. While both platforms offer learning resources, Yola goes a step further with its wide array of detailed tutorials, guides, and video tutorials, making it easier for users to learn and adapt.

5.7

6.3

Yola and Zenfolio both offer ecommerce capabilities, but they cater to different needs. Yola is a more general website builder with ecommerce capabilities through an integration with Ecwid, allowing for the sale of up to 1000 products without transaction fees. Zenfolio, on the other hand, is specifically designed for photographers and visual artists, offering an integrated ecommerce platform for selling prints, digital downloads, and other items directly from their online stores.

Ecommerce themes and templates	5.5	7.0
Product page customization	6.8	7.2
Payment processing and commissions	7.0	6.5
POS capabilities	4.5	3.0
Payment gateways	7.5	6.8
Product numbers	7.0	5.0
Additional ecommerce features	6.0	6.5

Yola ecommerce features:

• Shipping and Tax configurations
• Product Catalog Management
• Ability to checkout as guest
• Analytics and reporting
• Promotions features

Zenfolio ecommerce features:

• Multiple Currency Support
• Discount Coupons
• Order management
• Gift Certificates
• Tax management

Ecommerce themes & templates

Yola offers a range of templates for building websites, including those suitable for ecommerce. However, the variety and design quality may not match those provided by other leading website builders. Zenfolio provides customizable website templates with integrated e-commerce features for photographers, designed to showcase and sell their work across various genres.

Product page customization

Yola’s eCommerce platform offers a variety of customization options for your product pages, including the ability to manage product options and combinations. Zenfolio allows for each product page to be adjusted to clearly display its unique attributes. Placing products in specific galleries or categories helps organize the site and improve navigation.

Payment processing

Yola supports various payment gateways for online store transactions, such as PayPal, Sage Payments, and American Express. While Yola doesn’t directly charge commission fees for transactions, the chosen payment gateway might impose its own fees. Zenfolio supports Stripe and PayPal for payment processing, integrating them seamlessly into its platform. The platform charges a commerce fee of 7% per order (excluding tax and shipping) and a payment processing fee for transactions through Stripe or PayPal.

6.7

7.6

🏆

Winner: Zenfolio

. Zenfolio, with a score of 7.6, offers an intuitive, no-coding-required website builder tailored for photographers, featuring drag-and-drop customization, a wide array of templates, and a powerful Custom Layout block for personalized designs. Its integrated eCommerce capabilities enable selling both digital and physical photography products, supported by comprehensive security features for protecting photographers’ work. Additionally, Zenfolio provides tools for SEO, marketing, photo and video hosting, client booking, and management, backed by award-winning customer support.

Yola’s website builder editor, scoring 6.7, is designed for ease of use, allowing users to create professional-looking websites without needing coding knowledge. It offers a drag-and-drop interface, enabling users to easily add, customize, and position elements like text, images, and buttons on their web pages. The editor also provides access to a wide range of templates and customization options, including color schemes, fonts, and page layouts, to help users achieve their desired website look and feel. Additionally, Yola supports responsive design, ensuring websites look great on both desktop and mobile devices.

Mobile editor/app

4.5

8.5

🏆

Winner: Zenfolio

. Both Yola and Zenfolio offer mobile capabilities, but Zenfolio clearly outshines Yola in this category. Yola does not have a dedicated mobile editor app and only allows for minor changes via a mobile browser. This can limit the ability of users to make significant changes to their websites on the go.

Zenfolio, on the other hand, provides a dedicated mobile editor app that allows users to manage their websites and galleries directly from their mobile devices. The app includes features for receiving notifications, managing galleries, handling sales-related tasks, and showcasing photos through a client presentation mode. Additionally, the app supports uploading and editing photos, as well as accessing various tools for reports, CRM, bookings, and blog management. However, some features may still require desktop use for full functionality.

In summary, Zenfolio’s dedicated mobile app and its wide range of features give it a clear advantage over Yola in terms of mobile editing capabilities.

7.5

8.4

Overall Result

:

Zenfolio Wins

. Zenfolio scores 8.4 in product testing options, slightly higher than Yola’s 7.5. Zenfolio offers a 14-day free trial during which users can test all premium features. On the other hand, Yola offers a free version and allows testing of premium features during a 30-day refundable period.

Free Plan	Yes	No
Trial Duration	No	14 days
Testing Premium Features	During 30-day refundable period	During the free trial
Money Back Guarantee	30-day money back guarantee	30-day money back guarantee

8.1

8.2

Yola and Zenfolio have similar pricing scores, but Zenfolio offers more discounts for annual billing.

	Offerings	Offerings
Free	Free (Website) ($0/month): Basic features with Yola subdomain, suitable for starting a simple site. With possibility to have up to 2 websites and 2 page limit. Free (Online Store Add-on) ($0/month): Launch an online store with basic features and a limited number of products. Available as an add-on to a website plan.	No offering at this amount.
$0-$0	Free (Website) ($0/month): Basic features with Yola subdomain, suitable for starting a simple site. With possibility to have up to 2 websites and 2 page limit. Free (Online Store Add-on) ($0/month): Launch an online store with basic features and a limited number of products. Available as an add-on to a website plan.	No offering at this amount.
$0-$10	Bronze (Website) ($9.45/month): More resources and features, including unlimited pages and bandwidth. With possibility to have up to 5 websites. Value for price: 7.5	Portfolio ($9.00/month): Basic entry-level with 15 GB photo storage, HD video, single-page website. Value for price: 6.0
$10-$15	Basic (Online Store Add-on) ($15.00/month): Includes inventory tracking, order management, and the ability to sell on Facebook. Available as an add-on to a website plan. Value for price: 7.0	No offering at this amount.
$15-$25	Silver (Website) ($18.95/month): Advanced design features and site customization options. With possibility to have up to 25 websites. Value for price: 8.0	PortfolioPlus ($23.00/month): Balanced features with 150 GB photo storage, HD video, single-page website. Value for price: 7.5
$30-$35	Professional (Online Store Add-on) ($35.00/month): Advanced features including discount coupons, product filters, and sales on multiple platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Available as an add-on to a website plan. Value for price: 8.0	No offering at this amount.
$35+	Gold (Website) ($35.45/month): Comprehensive plan with unlimited storage and advanced SEO tools. With possibility to have up to 25 websites. Value for price: 8.5	ProSuite ($40.00/month): Extensive features for photo and video, multi-page websites, blog, templates, and more. Value for Price: 9.0

7.2

5.7

Winner: Yola

. Yola offers managed cloud hosting with a 99.9% uptime guarantee and data centers in the US and EU. Zenfolio also provides cloud hosting but does not disclose its uptime statistics or the locations of its data centers. Yola’s transparency and reliability give it a higher rating in this category.

Do they offer hosting?	Yes	Yes
Data Centers:	5 in US and EU	Not disclosed
Type of hosting:	Managed Cloud Hosting	Cloud Hosting
Uptime:	99.9%	Not disclosed
Uptime Guarantee:	Yes, 99.9%	No

7.5

5.2

🏆 Winner: Yola

Both Yola and Zenfolio understand the importance of website performance and page speed, but Yola has a more comprehensive strategy for speed optimization and a higher website speed optimization score.

Focus	CDN, Caching, Code Minifcation, Server response time improvements, Image optimization	Mobile responsive design
Performance Tools	Google Lighthouse, PageSpeed Insights	Google PageSpeed Insights Integration
Key Strategies	CDN, Caching, Code Minifcation, Server response time improvements, Image optimization	Mobile responsive design
Load Times	Varies widely, depending on the optimization, website complexity	Varies depending on optimization and website complexity
Page Speed Scores Range	Varies widely, depending on the optimization, website complexity	Varies depending on optimization and website complexity
Core Web Vitals Improvement	Emphasis on LCP, FID, CLS improvements	Zenfolio does not provide any information on their Core Web Vitals improvements

Yola’s approach to enhancing site speed includes a comprehensive strategy of CDN, caching, code minification, server response time improvements, and image optimization. This approach leverages Yola’s fast servers and CDN network to boost load speed. Yola also emphasizes on LCP, FID, CLS improvements for better user experience. The load times and PageSpeed scores vary widely, depending on the optimization and website complexity.

On the other hand, Zenfolio’s strategy for speed optimization is limited to mobile responsive design. Zenfolio does not provide any information on their Core Web Vitals improvements. The load times and PageSpeed scores vary depending on optimization and website complexity. Therefore, continuous maintenance and optimization are essential for keeping Zenfolio websites fast.

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6.3

6.5

🏆 Winner: Zenfolio.

Zenfolio edges out Yola with a score of 6.5 against Yola’s 6.3. Zenfolio’s plugins and integrations are specifically designed for photographers, including WordPress plugins for embedding photos, a Lightroom Classic plugin for direct photo uploads and management, and the ability to embed forms via services like Jotform. These features enhance the functionality of Zenfolio websites by facilitating content integration from external sources, streamlining photo management workflows, and allowing for customized user interactions through forms.

On the other hand, Yola supports a variety of functionalities through plugins and apps, including social media integration, e-commerce tools, marketing and SEO enhancements, customer engagement features, and various utility widgets to improve user experience and compliance. With over 70 free apps and widgets available through Elfsight as well as some built-in integrations through the website editor itself, Yola offers extensive options to enhance and customize websites, making it a flexible choice for users ranging from beginners to advanced e-commerce businesses.

Yola Applications

6.5

6.1

🏆

Overall Winner: Yola

. Yola edges out Zenfolio with a slightly higher score, offering a more comprehensive suite of marketing tools, especially in SEO and analytics. Zenfolio, however, excels in its niche-specific features for photographers and visual artists.

SEO Tools	Basic built-in SEO tools with advanced third-party integrations	Limited SEO tools
Email Marketing	Available on higher plans, with Mailchimp integration	Available on Advanced and ProSuite plans
Blogging	Yes	Available on higher plans
Social Media Integration	Yes	Sharing via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest
Analytics and Reporting	Basic built-in tools, with Google Analytics integration	Basic built-in tools, with Google Analytics integration
Ads and Promotions	Available on higher plans	Creation of custom discount coupons and automated marketing

6.3

6.7

🏆 Winner: Zenfolio

. In the comparison of Yola vs Zenfolio, Zenfolio edges out Yola with a slightly higher customer support score. Zenfolio offers a comprehensive support system that includes email support available 365 days a year, LiveChat from Monday to Thursday, and phone support for Advanced plan subscribers. Additionally, Zenfolio provides a rich Support Center with self-help resources, including articles and video tutorials, ensuring users have access to the assistance they need.

Yola, on the other hand, offers 24/7 email support with priority responses for Bronze, Silver, and Gold customers. Yola also provides a call-you-back service and supports inquiries via social media channels. While Yola’s support is robust, it falls short compared to Zenfolio’s more extensive support options and resources.

8.3

8.0

🏆

Winner: Yola

. Yola’s security measures are comprehensive, including encryption, access controls, and compliance with data protection regulations. They conduct regular security audits and utilize secure data centers. For website security, Yola employs robust measures including SSL encryption, DDoS mitigation, firewalls, regular software updates, data backup, and recovery, as well as security audits and testing.

Zenfolio also prioritizes security, processing personal data for various purposes and limiting third-party access. They adhere to data protection rights and provide SSL encryption for all its websites. However, Yola’s higher security score indicates a more robust security infrastructure, making it the winner in this category.

0.0

2.4

AI Builder
AI Ecommerce features		PhotoRefine.ai for efficient photo management
AI content generation
Additional AI features

🏆 Winner: Zenfolio

. Zenfolio, with a score of 2.4, offers limited AI capabilities, specifically in the area of eCommerce. Its AI tool, PhotoRefine.ai, helps photographers manage their photo collections more efficiently, making it easier to prepare and sell their work online.

Yola, with a score of 0.0, does not have any AI capabilities. It does not offer an AI builder, AI eCommerce features, AI content generation, or any additional AI features.

7.3

2.8

🏆 Winner: Yola

. Yola and Zenfolio have different approaches to user management.

• Yola supports multi-user editing capabilities, allowing different levels of access and control based on the plan chosen. The primary account holder, often referred to as the Owner or Administrator, possesses comprehensive control over the website, including the ability to edit content, manage settings, and extend invitations to collaborators for website modification. Collaborators or Editors, invited by the account holder, can edit the website to varying degrees, which might range from content editing to page management, depending on the permissions granted by Yola’s platform. The number of users permitted to edit a website and the scope of their roles and permissions may vary, typically increasing with higher-tier subscription plans.
• Zenfolio, on the other hand, allows only one user to edit and manage a website. This could be a limitation for larger teams or projects that require collaboration.

Given the flexibility and control offered by Yola’s user management features, it scores higher than Zenfolio in this category.

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

Yola

22 reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars

Zenfolio

3 reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars

Yola seems to have received mostly positive reviews. Users appreciate its professional templates, ease of use, affordability, and customer service. They find it ideal for website creation, especially for those without specialized knowledge. However, some users express dissatisfaction with aspects such as data security, customization limitations, and lack of certain features like chat support. Overall, Yola appears to solve the problem of easy website creation and maintenance for businesses and individuals, offering a range of templates and tools at a reasonable price point.

Users appreciate Zenfolio for its elegant and affordable site/portfolio designs, highlighting the platform’s suitability for photographers looking to showcase and sell their work online. The Starter plan is praised for its value, though some users express a desire to upgrade to the Pro plan for its enhanced client interaction features and customizable marketing tools. Criticisms include dissatisfaction with the platform’s handling of photo albums and a desire for more privacy and faster loading times. Overall, Zenfolio is valued for its ability to organize and share professional photographs and files, despite some navigational and performance issues.

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