The Best Website Builder for Photographers in 2025

As a photographer, you’ll want a website that showcases your work in the best way possible. This is particularly important if you also plan to sell your prints online. So you might be wondering: which is the best website builder for photographers?

Well, there are various tools you can use to build your photo website. Some are designed specifically for creative professionals, with stunning visuals to help you make a good impression and tools for selling prints. However, you’ll also find general website builders that can be fully customized to suit your needs.

In this post, we’ll discuss what makes a good website builder for photographers. We’ll also look at the best photography website builders. So, let’s dive right in!

What Makes a Great Website Builder for Photographers?

There are many builders you can use to design a website, but not all of them are suitable for your photography business. Here are some features to look for: 

1. Visual appeal. The design should highlight your images without unnecessary distractions. Clean, minimalist layouts often work best for portfolios.
2. High-quality image support: Photographers need platforms that allow for high-resolution image uploads. Ideally, the website builder should also optimize your photos for speed, without compromising quality. 
3. Ease of use. You’ll want to be able to upload images, create galleries, and make updates without technical expertise. Many modern website builders come with drag and drop functionality that enable you to design your site without coding knowledge.
4. Flexible portfolio layouts. Your chosen builder should give you a lot of control over how to display your images. Look for tools that provide a good selection of portfolio styles, like grid views, full-width layouts, and slideshow displays.
5. Mobile optimization. With so much traffic coming from mobile devices, your site should look as stunning on a smartphone as it does on a desktop. You’ll need a builder that automatically resizes your photos for different screen sizes. 
6. Customizable galleries. You might also want to create private galleries for clients. Therefore, you’ll need a builder that lets you set up password protected galleries, so that only users with the right credentials can access them. This will facilitate client proofing and secure image downloads.

There are also ecommerce tools to consider. For instance, if you’re planning to sell digital or physical prints, you’ll need a builder that enables you to set up an online shop on your site. 

Alternatively, you might want to offer subscriptions that give customers a set number of downloads per month. In this case, you’ll want a website builder with subscription or membership functionality. 

Top Website Builders for Photographers

Now, let’s look at some of the best website builders for creating a photography site. 

1. HeroBuilder

HeroBuilder is an AI website builder by NameHero, a company that provides secure web and email hosting and domain registration. It creates your website in WordPress, which is the most popular content management system (CMS), powering 40 percent of sites.

You’ll start by telling HeroBuilder what type of business you run, and the functionality you want for your site. Since you’re a photographer, you might mention things like selling photos, creating client galleries, and accepting bookings:

HeroBuilder generates a large selection of photography website templates, based on your input. This will include pages for your pricing plans, testimonials, portfolios, and other relevant content. You’ll be able to customize these pages with the powerful WordPress Block Editor.

HeroBuilder also installs the plugins you need to run your photography business. This includes WooCommerce for selling your prints, and Simply Schedule Appointments for photo session bookings.

Plans start at $9.95 per month for 10GB of storage. You’ll also be able to create business email accounts and connect your site to a custom domain. 

2. Format

Format is a platform designed specifically for artists, including photographers. It offers more than 90 mobile-friendly templates and you can also build your own layouts.

With Format, you can create branded client galleries and connect your site to a custom domain name. The platform also supports file transfers of up to 10GB.

You’ll also have access to the Format Store, which lets you sell products, services, and digital downloads. There are no commission fees involved. 

The Basic Plan costs $8 per month (if billed annually) but only lets you upload up to 70 images. Plus, you won’t have access to the store.

For unlimited image uploads, you’ll need the Pro Plus plan which costs $13 per month (billed annually).

3. Zenfolio

Zenfolio was created for photography businesses. In fact, it’s packed with ecommerce features, including scheduling and booking functionality, and an online store that lets you sell individual products as well as photo packages.

It also provides built-in automated marketing, email templates, and client management. Plus, like most photography website builders, it enables you to create beautiful photo galleries.

The cheapest plan starts at $7 per month (billed annually), but it doesn’t include marketing and ecommerce functionality. To unlock all advanced features, you’ll need the ProSuite plan which costs $20 per month 

4. Pixpa

Pixpa is an all-in-one portfolio builder, with over 150 customizable and responsive photography templates.

With Pixpa, you’ll have a lot of design options for your galleries. For instance, you can display full-screen slideshows, lightbox pop-ups, and more. You’ll also be able to create branded client galleries, share password-protected photos, and track your customers’ activity. 

Pixpa supports online bookings and scheduling. It also lets you sell digital and physical prints with no commission fees.

The Basic plan starts at just $3.60 per month if you purchase a two-year subscription, but you’ll only be able to sell up to 3 products. All plans have a limit on the number of images you can sell, except the Advanced package, which costs $11.25 per month when purchased for two years.  

5. SmugMug

Finally, we have SmugMug. This website builder gives you unlimited photo storage with all plans. It also integrates seamlessly with Lightroom, which makes it the ideal choice if you use this photo editing software. 

SmugMug prioritizes secure file transfers with password protection, custom visibility settings, and other features. It also enables you to sell your work and even provides sales insights so you’ll know which types of photographs bring in revenue. 

Plans start at $30 per month. To sell your photos, you’ll need the Portfolio plan which costs $37 per month. With the Pro plan, you’ll also be able to offer packages and coupons, create custom pricelists, and more. This starts at $53 per month. 

So, Which Is the Best Builder for Photographers?

You might be tempted to opt for a website builder that’s designed specifically for photographers, like SmugMug, Pixpa, Zenfolio, or Format. After all, they contain all the features you need to upload, display, and sell your images, and all offer photography services.

However, if you choose a builder that uses WordPress, like HeroBuilder, you’ll have full control over your website. You won’t need to rely on built-in features. Instead, you’ll have access to thousands of free plugins, including options for photo galleries, memberships and subscriptions, and more.

You’ll also be able to connect your site to third party apps, like Google Analytics and email marketing software.

Additionally, you won’t have to worry about limitations on the number of photos you can sell or upload. Plugins like WooCommerce let you sell as many physical and digital items as you want. 

Getting started with HeroBuilder is easy. Once you create a free plan, you’ll be walked through the setup process, where you can provide information about your business, what you want for your site, and your goals:

The AI builder will then present you with a variety of beautiful templates, tailored to your needs:

You can also select the pages you want on your website:

Unlike other website builders, HeroBuilder will create your site based on your input, and you’ll then be able to customize it within the WordPress admin dashboard:

You can use the free version of HeroBuilder for up to four days. After that, you’ll need to upgrade to a premium plan to access the full WordPress site functionality and use your own website domain. 

Your website will be hosted on NameHero’s secure servers. You’ll get an SSL certificate, custom email addresses, and backups to keep your photos safe.

Conclusion

When you’re creating a professional photography website, you’ll need a builder that offers essential features like customizable portfolio layouts, image optimization, and even ecommerce functionality to sell your work. 

Website builders like SmugMug and Zenfolio were created for photographers, but it’s smarter to use WordPress for creating a custom website. This way, you’ll have full control over your content and you’ll be able to choose from a wealth of plugins to enhance your site.

HeroBuilder is an AI website builder that creates your site in WordPress. Simply enter some information about your business and preferences, and it will generate the website for you. Get started today!