Tip Top Website Review for March 2023

Item: Tip Top Website Review
Rating: 1
Author: Top Consumer Reviews

Tuesday, March 21st

2023 Website Builder Reviews

Tip Top Website

Cost: From $1.95 to $9.95 per month

Tip Top Website's basic package starts at $1.95 per month and offers a single-page website with free domain and an upload of only one photo. To get five pages and five photos, upgrade to the $4.95 per month plan. And, to get 100 pages and 1,000 photos, upgrade to $9.95 per month.

Glaringly Bad Restrictions

We're already not very impressed with, nor interested in, a pricing model that limits the number of pages and images - especially to such low quantities, even at the highest-paid plan. It's way too late in the web design game to be playing around with quantity limits on pages or images.

Website Itself Is Poorly Designed

Also, of concern is the overall poor design and usability of the landing pages that describe this service. Even before we began looking for how to start using it, we were bemused at the design choices of the marketing effort behind a product that claims to give its users a superior web design experience. It seems that if the goal is to attract users who want to produce great designs, the site ought to lead by example.

Nowhere To Go

Our attempts to use the designer interface were frustrating as we felt very limited in the scope of what we could control about the website. Sure, it's really simple to start with a one-page website: just type some text and upload your single photo and it tries to make a design for you. But then there's simply nowhere to go from there.

Samples Are Cheaply Made

The websites shown in the samples area look very cheaply made, with designs that hearken back to the late '90s or early 2000s. If you want a vintage look to anything you create, it's possible to get some value out of Tip Top Website, but you're still going to be paying too much for too little.

Not Worth Your Time

Skip using Tip Top Website. It's not worth your time or any amount of money.

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Which Service Offers the Best Website Builder?

The way you build a website can directly impact the success your website has in attracting and retaining customers. So, it's important to choose a website builder that maximizes things like search engine optimization (SEO), usability, the speed at which each page loads (page speed), mobile browser compatibility, accessibility for users with disabilities, and dozens of other requirements.

Website builder software and services aim to remove the technical barriers that come with more sophisticated methods of building websites. With a website builder, not only is content easier to author, you also become a "drag and drop" designer of your home page and supporting sub-pages. This can be a blessing or it can be a burden depending on the quality of the website builder, how much time you have and your tolerance for learning curves.

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Website Builder FAQ

Are there any free website builders?

Yes, but free website builders should generally be avoided because they fall short of many features that paid website builders include. There are exceptions, such as WordPress, which is free (if you download and self-host your own copy) and is a very powerful and flexible website builder.

How long does it take to build a website with a website builder?

It all depends on how comfortable you are with the features of a particular website builder. Some are easier to use than others. For example, some will build your website for you after you fill in a form with your business details, resulting in a new website in just a few minutes. Others will require you to have a basic understanding of the common parts and pages of a typical website, which can take up hours of work on your part.

Do I need to buy a domain name first before I use a website builder?

It depends on the website builder you choose. There are several that offer a full package, including the ability to register your domain, build your site, and host it on your domain right within the same service. Others split up domain registration and hosting into separate concerns.

Is there anyone who should not use a website builder?

Anyone who is approaching the task of creating a website for the very first time, especially with little knowledge of how to make successful websites, should consider hiring someone who has that expertise. In spite of the ease of use promised by many website builder companies, websites can be quite complicated when it comes to things like user experience, proper calls to action, image rights, color coordination, search engine optimization, and accessibility for people with disabilities.

If I start building a website with a website builder, can I turn over the rest of the work to a professional?

Generally, professionals prefer to have creative input prior to any work being done on your website. If you've already done some design or content placement, you'll find it more difficult to find someone who is willing to finish what you've started. If you want a professional to do it, but still want to use a website builder for easy content maintenance, engage their services before you sign up for a website builder plan. Your professional may have some ideas of which one to use and how to make it easier to use your website builder.

Will using a website builder hurt my search ranking?

Using a website builder can definitely harm your search ranking if you are not careful. Be sure to follow all the guidance the builder may give you on search engine optimization. If the builder doesn't provide that information, or the capabilities necessary for better SEO, you should not choose that builder. Do your research into which builders provide better SEO than others.

What is the best reason to use WordPress?

The number one reason to use WordPress is content portability. Many website builders want to lock you into their services, so while they may make it easy to import your content from another builder, they sometimes make it difficult or impossible to export your content for importing to another service. If you start with WordPress, you'll have the most content portability.

Is there a reason not to use WordPress?

WordPress is very popular. It currently runs 35% of the websites across the entire Internet. Even though it's very easy to get a new website up and running with a default theme, free theme, or paid theme, it can sometimes become more complicated and frustrating as your content grows or your needs become more advanced.

Continued from above...

Whatever you choose, remember that you may be stuck with your decision for a long time. In other words, think in the long term and visualize what your needs will be not just months from now, but years from now.

As you decide which website builder will be the best choice for your needs, there are several factors to keep in mind:

Flexibility. How will the site builder hold up as your site needs change over time?
Usability. How easy is the tool to use?
Search Engine Optimization. Does the service allow you to manage SEO?
Stability. Does the builder work without errors or glitches?
Cost. What will you spend to use the builder and get all the features you want?
Reputation. What do other users have to say about the website builder?

TopConsumerReviews.com has reviewed and ranked the best website builders available today. We hope this information helps you create the perfect site for your business, non-profit organization, or your own personal projects!