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Building a site on Hostinger: Website Builder or WordPress?
Making a website with Hostinger: Website Builder vs WordPress compared on setup time, flexibility and stores, with steps for each and advice on which to choose.
By Mr. Ahmed · 20+ years in tech
Published · 7 min read
The short answer
- 01Hostinger offers two ways to build a site: the drag-and-drop Website Builder with an AI first draft, or WordPress.
- 02The Website Builder gets a site live in minutes; WordPress takes about an hour but is far more flexible.
- 03Both are included with hosting plans, and the coupon works on both.
- 04Both can run an online store: the Builder has one built in, WordPress uses WooCommerce.
- 05There is no automatic switch from the Builder to WordPress later, so start on WordPress if you think you'll need it.
Two tools, compared
The Website Builder is drag-and-drop, and its AI writes your first draft. WordPress has thousands of themes and plugins and takes a bit longer to learn. Both come with hosting plans, and the coupon applies to either.
| What I compared | Website Builder | WordPress |
|---|---|---|
| Setup time | Minutes | About an hour |
| Learning curve | Very low | Moderate |
| Flexibility | Good for most small sites | Almost unlimited |
| Online store | Built in | WooCommerce plugin |
| Best for | Small business, portfolio, simple store | Blogs, content sites, custom features |
The Website Builder route
If speed to launch is the priority:
- 1Buy a Website Builder or Premium plan.
- 2Describe your business in a sentence or two. The AI produces a draft site with text and images.
- 3Edit sections by dragging and typing, and swap the stock photos for your own.
- 4Connect your domain and publish.
The WordPress route
If you want room to grow, follow these steps. The full walkthrough is in my guide to starting a blog on Hostinger.
- 1Buy Premium, or a WordPress plan.
- 2Let the setup wizard install WordPress.
- 3Choose a lightweight theme and build pages in the block editor.
- 4Add an SEO plugin and publish.
Which one I'd choose
Use the Website Builder if you want a decent-looking site live today and don't expect to add custom features. Use WordPress if you'll publish a lot, need particular plugins, or might hand the site to a developer one day.
The deciding factor for me is the exit. There's no automatic migration from the Builder to WordPress, so if there's a real chance you'll outgrow it, start on WordPress. More detail on Website Builder plans, and on hosting for small businesses and online stores.
Questions people ask
Is the Hostinger Website Builder free?
No. It is included with Website Builder and most web hosting plans, and there is no separate free version for custom domains.
Can I switch from the Website Builder to WordPress later?
Not automatically. You would rebuild the pages in WordPress, so start there if you think you'll need it.
Can I sell products with either option?
Yes. The Builder has a store built in, and WordPress uses WooCommerce.
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