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    The Best Website Builders that Include Multilingual Support

    Jaromir Barka
    Jaromir Barka - 2020-02-11T22:00:00.000Z

    Once upon a time, building a website meant learning more than a few skills without much support. Today, it's possible to create your dream website or blog in just a few hours using simple drag-and-drop operations and WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) interfaces.

    Of course, there are still challenges involved, so let's begin with one of the most important early questions that you'll need to answer:

    what are the best website builders that include multilingual support?

    Wix

    wix

    Well-known from its TV advertising campaigns, Wix has helped create more than 110m websites.

    The platform has an expansive list of languages available (more than 90) under its Multilingual product, including lesser-known options such as Amharic (Ethiopia), Kannada (India), Greenlandic, and the languages of African peoples like the Igbo and Yoruba.

    They maintain a single translatable page, rather than one per language, meaning that content updates need only be applied once.

    Wix's language packages support per-language SEO settings and region-based campaigns. A downside is that automatic translation is not yet possible and each language must be translated in turn before visitors can access it.

    There's also quite a large number of content types that cannot be translated at all, such as its own bookings and hotel reservation apps and anything made with Corvid, a development tool for web-based applications.

    Wix is arguably one of the most complete website builder solutions out there but its advanced features and the overwhelming number of languages could easily be a turnoff for casual users or those unsure of what they're looking for.

    Pro's

    • More than 90 languages supported.
    • Inexpensive at $13/month max for personal use, $22/month max for business.
    • Single, translatable page.

    Con's

    • Some features may be wasted on personal users.
    • Ad removal only in higher tier paid packages.
    • Some untranslatable content types.

    Weebly

    weebly

    Much like Wix, Weebly is a WYSIWYG platform that's designed around easy setup and maintenance but can be scaled where the need arises. Weebly's Multilingual app is a $3/month extra though, which immediately prices it out of the market compared to competitors like Wix.

    Perhaps even more discouraging is the fact that they offer a third-party translation solution - LocalizeInternet - to its users, albeit at $19.90 a month. Both options do come with a free trial, however.

    Their functionality includes SEO controls, SSL security, and a suite of e-commerce tools. It's a great option for newcomers as its interface includes plenty of tooltips and tutorial prompts.

    Unlike Wix, though, non-native languages require a duplicate website build, which will not include any existing creative posts (like blogs) once copied. The two language sites will then have to be manually linked together with e.g. a hyperlink. 

    Weebly lacks some of the more complex tools that Wix offers but the upside is that it appears less cluttered and overwhelming to people who don't know their mouse from their harddrive.

    Pro's

    • Great for newbies
    • Competitive pricing.
    • Weebly's hosting servers allow quick website loading.

    Con's

    • The multilingual apps cost $3 or $19.90 per month.
    • Ad removal only in higher tier paid packages.
    • Emphasis on manual development.

    Webnode

    webnode

    One of the first things you might notice about Webnode is that it doesn't review well at all online. The platform is one of the more basic options available, taking WYSIWYG editing to its logical extreme.

    You can only "update" the content of template designs; you can't change the shape, size, or location of website elements.

    As far as language support is concerned, they offer a simple three-step translation tool - with a caveat; it will only translate existing content. Anything you write later needs to be translated by yourself or a third-party site like Google Translate.

    Webnode's multilingual services, like Weebly's, are only available after a further paid upgrade, and eShops cannot be translated at all.

    The site has 65 themes and 17 different objects to customize them with but its high cost ($19.95 for the "Profi" package) renders it something of a niche solution. 

    Pro's

    • Responsive customer service.
    • Possible to build a functioning website in five minutes.

    Con's

    • The multilingual feature is a premium upgrade.
    • Templates offer only limited customization.
    • Ad removal only at third paid tier.

    Duda

    duda

    Founded in 2008 as a specialist mobile website builder, Duda is now something with a much wider focus. The platform has clearly dedicated some time to its language options but, as it relies on Google Translate, the accuracy of its work is situational - and entirely debatable.

    Duda provides the most in-depth translation FAQ of any solution we've encountered so far but it does highlight a few negative aspects of the product.

    They do not offer to sync between languages, meaning that a brand new sentence written on the French site will not appear on the English version. Blog posts and SEO-related metadata are not carried over either.

    They include useful personalization options that can ping website visitors with messages when certain conditions are met (e.g. when accessing the site from a particular area). These are not available on secondary language sites.

    Unlike all the other website builders that we've reviewed, Duda does not offer a free plan choosing, preferring to let customers trial the full version for 30-days. It's a decision that will probably send the more casual users running - especially as it's by far the most expensive option for a VIP-style service, at $74/month.

    Pros

    • 30-day free trial.
    • Expansive language options.
    • Useful personalization tools

    Con's

    • Expensive, with some features (e.g. APIs) behind the largest paywall.
    • Google Translate has questionable translation accuracy.
    • No language syncing.

    Smoolis

    smoolis

    As the only website builder on this list that is built around providing support in multiple (58) languages, Smoolis has the strongest claim to being the champion of the truly multilingual site-building software.

    They allow for purchases in 116 different currencies too, each updated on the hour by an exchange rate tracker, and includes support for Facebook stores. Unfortunately, there's no free package and only a 14-day trial is available to get to grips with this Shopify competitor. At $36/month for the "Large" plan, it's at least competitive, though.

    Smoolis is very much a specialist e-commerce solution, which dramatically limits its audience to small and mid-sized businesses (up to 400 products can be listed). There's definitely a market for multilingual blogs and other content-rich websites though, so it is a shame that its offering is so limiting. It's also a little light on widgets and marketing tools like visitor personalization.

    Pro's

    • Built around e-commerce in multiple languages and currencies.
    • Up-to-the-hour exchange rate updates.
    • Facebook integration.

    Con's

    • Short free trial period.
    • Specialization limits the potential audience.
    • No live or phone support.

    Bottom Line

    Website building can be a lot of fun - with the right tools in hand. We hope that our quick guide to some of the most popular website building tools has helped to de-mystify one of the internet's most ancient of arts.

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