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The best website builder for artists depends on which matters more: the gallery or the sale. Squarespace builds the better gallery and charges from $19 a month, with a store on higher plans. systeme.io builds an adequate gallery and a better business around it: a print or commission checkout at 0% fees, an email list with launch sequences, and a course if you teach, all free. Most working artists want both, and the split below shows how.
- 1
Squarespace
From $19/mo billed annually
Best for: a portfolio site where the images are the point
The catch: store and lower fees sit on higher plans; email is an add-on
- 2Our pick
systeme.io
Free, then $17/mo
Best for: selling prints, commissions, or an art course with an email list behind it
The catch: the gallery is basic; fine for a portfolio page, not a museum
Try systeme.io free - 3
Wix
From $17.77/mo billed annually
Best for: artist templates and an art store app
The catch: free plan carries Wix branding and a subdomain
- 4
Carrd
$19/yr
Best for: a one-page portfolio with a contact form
The catch: no store, no list
Prices and free-plan limits checked September 17, 2026 on each vendor's pricing page.
What an artist’s website needs
- A gallery that loads fast and shows the work large.
- A store for prints, originals, or commissions, with clear shipping terms.
- An email list, because collectors buy from artists they follow.
- An about page and a CV or exhibitions list.
- Optional: a course or workshop page if you teach.
Free vs paid
systeme.io’s free plan covers a site on your domain, a checkout at 0%, 2,000 contacts with unlimited emails, and a course. Squarespace’s entry plan covers the site; selling and lower processing fees come on higher plans. If you sell mostly through galleries and Instagram and the site is a portfolio, Squarespace is worth the $19. If you sell direct, systeme.io keeps the fees and the list.
What each builder lacks
systeme.io’s gallery blocks are simple and its templates were not designed for artists. Squarespace lacks a checkout on its entry plan and email sequences at any plan. Wix’s free plan is branded. Carrd is a page.
Running both
Some artists keep a Squarespace portfolio and point the shop and mailing list at systeme.io on a subdomain. It costs $19 a month and gives the best of each. The Etsy alternatives page covers the marketplace side of the same question.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best free website builder for artists?
systeme.io, for an artist who sells: free store, email list, and site on your own domain. For a pure portfolio, no free builder matches Squarespace's galleries.
Can I sell prints on systeme.io?
Yes. Physical products with a checkout and shipping terms run on the free plan at 0% platform fee; you handle fulfilment.
Is Squarespace good for artists?
Yes, for galleries and design. The store and lower fees are on higher plans.
Do artists need an email list?
Collectors buy from artists they follow over time. A list with a launch sequence sells more originals than a gallery page alone.
Related: email marketing for artists, systeme.io pricing.