AI Website Builders for Beginners: Your Guide to Building Websites Without Code in 2025

Jul 31

Written By Lili

You know what's funny? Just a few years ago, if you wanted to build a website, you'd either need to learn coding or hire someone who could. Now you can literally create a website with AI in minutes, and I'm not exaggerating here. These AI website builders are changing everything for beginners who want to get online fast. And to be honest, as a website owner whose business model is build on this page, I am sweating due to the wave of competition that's about the enter the scene.

I've been testing these tools for a while now, and honestly, some of them are pretty impressive. Others... well, let's just say they're still figuring things out. But if you're starting from scratch and don't know HTML from CSS, these AI-powered website builders might just be your best friend.

Why AI Website Builders Are Actually Perfect for Beginners

No More Technical Headaches

Look, traditional website building used to be a nightmare for beginners. You'd spend weeks trying to figure out how to make a simple button work, let alone build a website from scratch. But now you can use AI to generate everything from your layout to your copy. The best AI website builder tools today can create a complete business website just from a simple description.

Here's the thing, though - if you want your site to actually rank well and stand out, you need to add your own unique insights. Please always remember: if you can create a website in 5 minutes with tools like Gamma or Durable, so can your competitors. The pages that will rank are the ones that offer unique insights beyond what AI can generate.

Create the Basic Website in Minutes and For Free

Here's what I love most about these tools - you can literally get a website up and running in minutes. And this is not just the AI washing of companies that have been around a while, it is actually true. I recently tested a few AI site builders, and some of them had me going from zero to published website in under 10 minutes. That's faster than it takes me to decide what to wear today (but I'm a libra).

Most of these website builders offer some kind of free website option. Sure, you might get their branding on there, but for testing things out or creating something simple, it's perfect. And even their paid plans are usually way cheaper than hiring a developer.

What You Need to Think About First As A Beginner Building a Website With AI

Traffic-Driven vs. Informational Sites

Before diving into any AI website builder, ask yourself: what am I building this for?

If you're planning a traffic-driven website - like an e-commerce store or monetized blog - SEO is essential and your content needs to be unique. You'll want more control over customization and optimization features.

For informational business sites - like a restaurant menu or service portfolio - SEO isn't the major factor. You just need something clean and professional that tells potential customers what they need to know. For this page we can focus more on design than SEO.

Top AI Website Builders You Should Actually Consider

Gamma - Best for Simple Business Sites

If you want to create a website that's clean and professional without any fuss, Gamma is the clear winner for informational sites. Here's why I love it:

Input all your business info in one prompt and get a professional first draft
Known for amazing designs and bug-free software
Completely free plan available with no weird limitations
Perfect for restaurants, consultants, or service businesses

You can run a free website on Gamma indefinitely. No pushy upgrade prompts, just a clean, functional site.

Webflow - Best for Traffic-Driven Sites

If I had to rebuild a traffic-driven website today, I'd go with Webflow. Here's why it stands out:

Powerful CMS collections that connect to databases like Airtable
Advanced SEO options essential for getting traffic
Dynamic content updates - change one thing in the database and it updates everywhere
Perfect for content-heavy sites and e-commerce

The downside is that it can feel intense if you're new to web design. Templates are your best friend here, and don't get frustrated if you don't get it right away.

Durable AI - When You Need Speed

If you need a website without any delays, Durable promises websites in 30 seconds. I was skeptical, but it actually works. The AI website creator generates a basic business website incredibly fast. It's not going to win any design awards, but if you need something up quickly, it works.

Wix AI Website Builder

Wix has been around forever, and their AI features are actually pretty solid. What I like about the Wix AI approach is that it doesn't try to do everything automatically. You can let the AI website generator do the heavy lifting, then customize from there. Plus, builders like Wix have huge template libraries, so you're not stuck with whatever the AI generates.

Essential Features to Look For

Single-Prompt Website Generation

The best AI website builders can build a website with AI from just one detailed prompt. You describe what you need, and the AI generates everything from layout to content. Look for website builders that offer this kind of streamlined approach if you want to leverage AI and are not building a website that carries your business on its shoulders.

Mobile-First Design

Every decent AI-powered website builder should create responsive designs automatically. Your site needs to work on phones, tablets, and desktops without you having to think about it.

Built-in SEO Help

Some of these tools include an AI SEO assistant that helps optimize your content. While AI-generated content isn't perfect for SEO, having some basic optimization built in helps. Meta titles, meta descriptions and the structured data snippet are for example automatically created by Lovable (it truly is a lovable app, as these are the tasks I hate to take care of).

Getting Started: A Simple Process

Step 1: Pick Your Tool

Choose an AI website builder that fits your budget and needs. Most offer free trials, so you can test before committing to anything. In short:

Easiest but not so chic: I'd go with Lovable if I want the tool to do everything, design isn't so important and I have a bit of a budget.

Pretty, simple and cheap: Gamma should be your choice if you need a really simple, not seo-optimized but cheap option.

Pretty and for more complex requirements: Webflow or Framer can handle big data and you can automate a lot in the backend if you connect it to Airtable. Just like this website: www.whichaitool.com. Its infos come from Airtable via Webflows powerful CMS collection.

Step 2: Be Specific With Your Input

When you use AI to create your site, don't just say "restaurant website." Try something like "modern Italian restaurant with online menu, warm family atmosphere, and easy reservation system." The more specific you are, the better the AI website generator can help you. Just like prompting LLMs. AI is pretty damn good, but not at reading your mind.

Step 3: Customize Your Website Creation

Don't just accept what the AI creates. These website design tools are meant to be starting points. Add your own images, adjust colors, edit the copy. Make it yours. Remember - if you can generate it in 5 minutes, so can your competitors.

Step 4: Test Before Going Live

Check everything works on different devices. Click all the links, test any forms, make sure the site loads quickly.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Trusting AI Completely

Never publish an AI-generated website without reviewing everything first. The AI writer might create content that sounds good but doesn't fit your brand, or the AI image generator might choose photos that don't represent your business well. Branding is really important, it will transport the feeling people have towards your business. It makes sense to think about this thoroughly before even creating the page.

Generic Content Problems

The biggest issue with AI text is that it often sounds... well, generic. If your competitors are using the same AI website creator, your sites might end up sounding very similar. Always add your own voice and personality.

Ignoring Mobile Users

Even though most AI builders create responsive sites, always test on your phone. A surprising number of people skip this step and end up with sites that look terrible on mobile.

The Reality Check

What These Tools Can't Do

AI website builders are great, but they have limits. You won't get the same design flexibility as custom development. The website type options might be limited. And if you need complex functionality, you might need to look elsewhere. Also SEO is still important, despite more and more LLM searches (actually even for LLM results SEO is crucial, without it they will not cite you).

The Template Problem

While you can create a website quickly, there's always the risk of ending up with something that looks like everyone else's site. The key is customization - use the AI to generate the foundation, then make it unique. I know I said this before, I guess I'm just tired of always seeing the same stuff online. So will you please?

The Future Question

With LLMs answering more questions before anyone lands on a page, web traffic is changing. But websites aren't going away just yet. Platforms like Gamma and Canva are doubling down on their web builder efforts, betting that websites still have a place in the future. Nobody knows where the journey leads us, but even LLMs will need something to cite. So my best guess is that there will be some type of monetisation model similar to Youtube and its creators from LLMs and Website creators who are used for generating answers. If no one makes money creating website, LLMs data base turns empty.

Moving Forward

Here's the thing - AI website builders have made it possible for anyone to get online quickly and affordably. Whether you need a simple business website or want to test an idea for an online store, these tools can help.

The key is treating the AI as your assistant, not your replacement. Let it handle the technical stuff and give you a starting point, then add your own expertise and personality. Website-based businesses simply have to become better at answering questions, offering unique insights, and using AI to become more efficient.

Ready to start? Pick one of the AI website builders I mentioned, give it a try, and see how quickly you can go from idea to live website. You might be surprised at what you can accomplish in just a few minutes - just remember to make it uniquely yours.

And let me see that website you've built, and if it's just for a backlink exchange ;)

I totally recommend checking out the complete AI website builders review, it’s much more extensive!