In design, you need a portfolio so you can showcase your best works and have something to show to potential employers and clients. There are many portfolio website builders out there, all with its pros and cons.
Here are design's most popular portfolio website builders listed below. Fellow member **Derek Mei** has created a Youtube video on the TOP 8 Platforms to Host Your UI or UX Portfolio On!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45hHUkfB2wQ
Pros
- User-friendly content management system (CMS); has strong origins in blogging
- Contains a variety of premade themes, or can code a theme yourself
- Easy-to-install plugins that offers functionality that is usually not attainable in other portfolio builders, or to non-developers
- Not only can you add portfolio projects, but you can also create your own blog or e-commerce store within your website
Cons
- With many premade themes, they require a lot of plugins to be installed in order for the theme to fully operate. Installing many plugins can make the loading speed for your website very slow
- Many premade themes comes with frequent updates
- Vulnerability and security issues are rampant within WordPress's servers
Pros
- The most beginner-friendly website builder to use, especially for non-designers
- Variety of customizable templates that is based off of profession
- 50% off student discount! Sign up with your school email - (https://www.squarespace.com/students)
- Not only can you add portfolio projects, but you can also create your own blog or e-commerce store within your website
Cons
- You can edit the code in Squarespace themes, but it isn't easy. It is also outside of their scope, so Squarespace cannot help with setup or troubleshooting
- Lack of uniqueness, due to its popularity. If you use a Squarespace theme, chances are, hundreds of other portfolio websites are also using the same theme as you
Pros
- Perfect if you want your portfolio website to look like you made it all yourself, without actually having to "code" front or back-end
- Has a Showcase page (https://webflow.com/discover/popular) where you can "clone" public projects and learn how certain elements are placed or aligned
- 90% student CMS site plan discount! Sign up with your school email - (https://webflow.com/classroom)
- Has an official Youtube channel (https://www.youtube.com/c/Webflow); watch tutorial videos that are quick, efficient, and visual to easily learn how to use their website editor
Cons
- Has a steep learning web development learning curve, both if you're new to HTML/CSS, as well as their website editor
- Pricing plans are more expensive as they include both a “site” plan and an “account” plan. Based on your functional needs for your site and account, may end up require you to choose a higher tier plan
- No live-chat or phone support
Pros
- Catered mostly for visual designers & artists
- Website templates have a richer visual aesthetic; defies the typical portfolio website templates that are out there
- Offers its services for free to students at select institutions - (https://cargo.site/Students)
- Instagram account (https://www.instagram.com/cargoworld/) showcases portfolio inspiration from their own users
Cons
- Doesn't have blog or e-commerce features
- Website editor is kind of user unfriendly
Pros
🔸 You can use it for free as long as you want before upgrading to a paid plan
🔸 Premade templates are extremely flexible to use
🔸 Automatic site backup
Cons
🔸 Even with a paid plan, none of them offers unlimited storage
🔸 Images that are uploaded on the Wix seem to look sharpened (this might be a problem to some users who care about the quality and appearance of their work being shown)
🔸 Wix websites has been known to load and renders slow, along with its website editor. If you also upload documents on your own Wix website, they will load slowly too
Pros
🔸 Free-to-use if you're already paying for an Adobe CC subscription
🔸 Premade and modifiable templates
🔸 Automatically resizes your photos for you
Cons
🔸 Templates aren't highly customizable; you can change colours & fonts, but your options are limited otherwise
🔸 No e-commerce tools, advanced SEO settings, custom CSS, or email hosting