Create a portfolio website: top tools, costs & tips (2026)

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Top 3 website tools for portfolio sites

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Whether you want to build your portfolio site yourself—using a website builder or WordPress—or hire professionals to do it for you, this guide covers the best options for both routes. It’s aimed at graphic designers, digital designers, UX designers, web designers and game designers.

You’ll learn what to budget for, what to consider when planning, and how to cover the legal basics—especially around privacy and data protection (for example, UK GDPR). You’ll also find practical examples and step-by-step tips.

• Top website builders
• Best web designers

In this article

• Introduction
• Website builder
• Web designer
• Website costs
• Plan your website
• Legal & privacy
• Launch & go live
• Questions & answers

At a glance

• Methods: You can either build a portfolio website yourself or have it made by professionals. Website builders and WordPress are manageable even for beginners.
• Most important: Show your work in a clear, attractive structure, use real images, make your contact details easy to find—and don’t overlook legal basics like site details and privacy (data protection).
• Costs: DIY tools start at around £5 per month. For a professionally built site, budget from roughly £2,000.

Your online portfolio is your digital calling card. It shouldn’t just look good—it should also make it clear what you can do. Whether you create a portfolio website yourself (using a website builder or WordPress) or have it built for you, the key is that it matches you, your style and what you want to achieve.

Typical goals:

• Introduce yourself and your design skills
• Show references and completed projects
• Encourage potential clients to get in touch
• Share insights into how you work, your process or any awards
• Use your site as a creative portfolio for applications

The clearer your goals are, the easier it becomes to plan the right content and structure—whether you’re a graphic designer, UX designer, game designer or digital designer.

“A good portfolio doesn’t just display work—it shows how you think and how you work. That’s what makes you interesting to clients.”

Jörn Brien

These portfolios from other designers show what a successful site can look like. I’ve deliberately chosen a mix of self-built websites and professionally designed examples.

They can help you work out which content, design ideas and features make sense for your own site — based on your style and your creative focus.

Well-designed portfolio websites

Luke OethAron MayoSophie BrittonDavid MilanRoee Ben YehaduKelly BatchelorSabrina Eder

Luke Oeth

Tile-based layout

US art director Luke Oeth has a wide range of campaigns, branding projects and product designs in his portfolio.

For his portfolio website (built with Squarespace), Oeth chose a tile-based design. When you click on a preview image, you’re taken to a separate page with more visuals and a detailed description.

Besides an email address and phone number, Oeth only includes a link to his LinkedIn profile. The responsive design is particularly well done.

Aron Mayo

Easy to contact and typography-friendly

Australian graphic designer Aron Mayo currently works as Brand Design Director at Linktree, but according to his website he’s open to side projects.

On his portfolio site built with the website builder Squarespace, he gives space to his areas of focus and experience, as well as a selection of his work.

Alongside large images, you’ll find short descriptions of the projects. A link takes you to detailed project write-ups on a separate page.

The largest button (“Get in Touch”) leads directly to email contact. There are also links to Mayo’s Instagram and Dribbble profiles.

Sophie Britton

Password-protected projects

New York UX designer Sophie Britton shows that you can build a polished portfolio site with the website builder Wix.

On the site, Britton presents three selected portfolio pieces with large images and a short description. For a closer look or the case study, you follow a link.

Access is protected by a password, so she reduces the risk of sharing confidential details or protected visuals.

David Milan

Bright and minimal on text

With an almost endless stream of bold images and GIFs, US graphic designer David Milan keeps his online portfolio visually loud. It was also built with the Wix website builder.

Clicking on a graphic opens the image in its own gallery. There’s no description—only a descriptive file name is shown.

A practical detail worth copying: you can navigate from graphic to graphic using arrow icons, and the work can also be liked (heart icon) or shared. Milan skips an “About me” page and lets the work speak for itself.

Roee Ben Yehadu

Innovative navigation

Israeli product designer Roee Ben Yehuda shows not only wood and ceramic pieces and 3D models, but also various graphic designs.

Each piece has its own page. Alongside large photos and GIFs, he also embeds videos. The descriptions are kept fairly short.

What stands out is the navigation: a menu item sits in each corner of the screen, while the content stays in the middle.

For getting in touch, the designer has added a contact form. There’s also an online shop where some of his work can be bought directly.

Roee built the portfolio with Wix.com.

Kelly Batchelor

In-depth portfolio presentation

British UX designer Kelly Batchelor showcases her UX design portfolio on her website.

The page is dominated by the different projects she has worked on, including a UX design course at the University of Reading.

If you click on the project images, you’re taken to detailed subpages with the relevant case studies.

On an “About me” page you’ll find a short bio with a photo, a full CV to download, plus links to her blog on Medium, Instagram and Behance.

Sabrina Eder

Stylish and legally thorough

German graphic designer Sabrina Eder uses Jimdo rather than Squarespace or Wix—and the result is a strong-looking site.

On the homepage, Eder introduces herself and her area of work. The information is supported by a striking large GIF and a large photo of the designer.

The video and graphic design portfolio, including brief descriptions, is organised on separate pages.

Eder’s online portfolio is the only example here that includes a dedicated site notice with business details, a privacy notice and a way to manage cookie settings—topics that matter in many places, including the UK.

Portfolio website website must-haves

Alongside images of your projects, a strong portfolio site needs a few extras. The key features help visitors find their way quickly—and get in touch with you:

• About section: with a photo and a personal introduction
• Contact page: with a form or a direct email link
• Gallery or project area: with large images
• Optional: client testimonials or short project descriptions
• Blog or news section: for updates
• Links to social media: (for example Instagram or Behance)

Ways to build a portfolio website

Building your own portfolio website is cheaper and easier than many people expect—especially with tools like Squarespace or WordPress.

That said, it can sometimes be worth working with an agency or a professional. Both approaches have pros and cons—and that’s exactly what this guide looks at. You’ll also get practical recommendations, tools, pricing information and tips from real-world experience.

Creating a portfolio website yourself is more straightforward than ever—and in most cases noticeably cheaper than hiring an agency to build it for you.

You should be prepared to invest a bit of time: planning, shaping your content, and getting to grips with the tool you choose. If you’re generally comfortable working on a computer, it’s very doable.

How to build a portfolio website with a website builder

If you want to build a good-looking website to present your portfolio online, a modern website builder is often a practical option.

You’ll find portfolio templates created by professional web designers that you can customise with drag and drop and publish straight from your web browser.

These templates are flexible enough to adapt to your own style, so you can create a distinctive look for presenting your media or graphic design portfolio.

The main benefit: the builder guides you through the steps, so you usually don’t need coding skills or a big budget.

All website builder tools mentioned here offer high-quality, creative templates that work well for showcasing a portfolio.

Your designer portfolio comes to life online mainly through images and clear, helpful text.

To help potential clients find you, many builder tools also include support for search engine optimisation (SEO) and basic marketing features.

Free portfolio websites: showcasing your work with trade-offs
You may already know platforms like Dribbble or Behance. Designers, photographers and illustrators can set up a free account there to show their work.

One advantage is that you meet like-minded people, can make contacts and get feedback. You can also pick up inspiration for future projects.

An account on one of these portfolio platforms (often focused on graphic or UX design) can be a useful way to share work and gather ideas.

But: there are trade-offs. With your own portfolio website—built with a website builder tool—you typically get your own domain and email address, can be easier to find via search engines, and you control how your personal brand appears online.

Guide:

1. Choose a website builder tool from the overview below
2. Pick a suitable design template (theme) for your portfolio site
3. Customise the design to match your preferences
4. Add images and text content
5. Publish your website

Pros and cons of a website builder

• Easy to get started — no coding skills required
• Professionally designed templates can deliver polished results
• No large upfront investment, with affordable monthly plans
• Free plans or trial versions to test things out
• Can be expanded with add-ons such as an online shop or blog
• A support team can help if you run into problems

• Can reach its limits with more complex websites
• Basic plans often come with a limited set of features
• You’re tied to one tool

Top pick (9.4 of 10): WordPress

IONOS’s newer WordPress hosting aims to combine the simplicity of a website builder with the advantages of WordPress, the world’s most widely used website system. With its built-in AI setup, it can feel almost as easy as a website builder.

That can make it suitable for beginners who don’t have much experience building websites. The setup assistant guides you step by step through installing WordPress and suggests a practical selection of themes and plugins.

One key difference here is the built-in AI assistant, which can generate an initial WordPress website for you. It helps you take care of the most important settings quickly and find a suitable template. Automatic updates and daily backups can also provide extra peace of mind.

Another plus is customer support, available 24/7, including phone support rather than relying only on chat or email.

Pricing for IONOS WordPress hosting starts at around £1 per month for the first six months, then around £5 per month afterwards. A domain and an email mailbox are included in this price.

Pros of IONOS WordPress hosting

• WordPress installed securely in one click
• AI assistant for building your website
• A professional-looking design within minutes
• Designs well optimised for mobile phones
• All the benefits of WordPress as the world’s most widely used website CMS
• Flexible to extend with plugins
• Blogs or online shops possible
• Switching hosting provider later is possible

Cons of IONOS WordPress hosting

• Less design freedom than drag-and-drop website builders
• The wide range of features can still feel overwhelming for beginners, despite the guided setup

Pricing

• “Start” plan: from £3/month for the first 6 months, then £5/month
• “Grow” plan: from £1/month for the first 6 months, then £10/month
• All plans include your own domain and an email address

Here you can find our detailed IONOS WordPress hosting review.

There are plenty of ways to have your portfolio website built professionally—from a technically minded friend to a freelance web designer, or an agency that specialises in creative industries. But how do you spot a reliable option, and how much budget should you plan for?

I took a closer look at some of the most popular tools and services—from lower-cost platforms to agencies that focus on designer websites. My focus was on design quality, technical implementation and fair value for money. You’ll find everything important in this guide, tailored specifically to creatives.

Before you hire someone, think about this

If you’re not building the site yourself and instead hire an agency or a freelance web designer, it’s worth thinking a few things through beforehand. The clearer your concept is, the easier the build will be—and the more the finished site will feel like a good fit for you and your work.

What to consider:

• Who is your target audience: clients, commissioning editors, agencies?
• Which work do you want to show—and how much of it?
• Should the site feel simple or playful, minimalist or experimental?
• Do you need multilingual content or strong mobile optimisation?
• How important is SEO (being found on Google) to you?
• Do you want to include a blog or news section?
• Do you want to be able to update content yourself afterwards?
• How quickly does the site need to be finished?

Practical tips:

• Create a brief: write down the essentials—goals, style direction, and the features you want (for example a gallery, contact form, social links).
• Plan regular check-ins: ask to see work-in-progress versions and give feedback early.
• Prepare materials: get texts, images, your logo and (if relevant) colour guidelines ready in good time.
• Set realistic deadlines: build in a buffer—creative processes often take longer than expected.
• Talk about budget openly: clear pricing avoids misunderstandings.
• Put the quote in writing: a detailed written proposal gives clarity for both sides.

Top pick (9.1 of 10): Netfame

In our comparison, Netfame stood out as a particularly capable option, combining bespoke premium design and WordPress expertise. The agency says it has delivered more than 1,000 websites across a wide range of industries. Transparent pricing was a key factor in its top position.

Many of its projects are showcased in Netfame’s portfolio and come across as modern and cleanly built. Each client receives a bespoke website design.

Another important point is its focus on WordPress as the technical foundation. Using the world’s most widely used website CMS helps keep your website easy to extend over time, and it usually means you can make content changes yourself without much trouble.

Netfame also states that its work meets GDPR / UK GDPR requirements, helping to reduce legal risk for a business website.

On-page SEO optimisation is included in the base package to support search visibility on Google.

Optional add-ons such as logo and brand design, copywriting and professional photography round out the package. Overall, Netfame combines design, build and advice in a full-service WordPress setup.

Strengths of Netfame

• Bespoke premium design
• Many positive references and completed projects
• Transparent pricing
• Professional WordPress implementation
• GDPR / UK GDPR-aligned setup
• On-page optimisation for Google

Weaknesses of Netfame

• Additional costs for services such as logo design or professional photography

Pricing

• Landing page (1 landing page + legal pages and contact) — £2,990
• Mini website (5 pages) — £3,990
• Basic website (10 pages) — £4,990
• Premium website (15 pages) — £5,990
• VIP website (25 pages) — £7,990

Save £300 with Netfame

Mention the discount code “WEBSITEADVISOR300” in your project enquiry and receive a £300 credit.

• Get a Web Design Quote
• Visit the Netfame website

The cost of your website depends heavily on how complex the project is and whether you build it yourself or hire professionals. As a rule of thumb: the simpler the site, the lower the cost.

For many designers, a lean, well-designed website is completely sufficient—something that introduces you, your style and your portfolio. With a website builder or WordPress, you can often create this yourself for just a few pounds per month.

It gets more expensive if you want, for example, interactive elements, a multilingual site, a blog section or a more elaborate animation-heavy theme—or if you rely entirely on an agency.

Can I build it for free?

Yes, technically—such as with a free website builder plan. But there are trade-offs: you’ll usually end up with a subdomain (for example yourname.tool.com), ads on your pages, and you typically can’t use a custom email address. For a professional presence, a small monthly fee is often worth it—not only for the look, but also for features and having your own domain.

In the overview below you can see which costs are realistic, depending on whether you build it yourself or hire professionals:

Website costs at a glance

Overview: This table gives you a first idea of the minimum costs you’re likely to face:

Once you’ve chosen your preferred website builder tool and registered your domain name, you can start planning your website.

Setting a clear structure for your online portfolio makes the build much faster 🙂.

Create a sitemap

Think through, in detail, which features and content your website shouldn’t be missing:

Which content and functions belong on which pages (for example “About” or “Work”)?

For effective planning, I recommend creating a sitemap and visualising your website structure.

You can sketch your sitemap on a sheet of paper, or do it on your computer.

Organise your pages in a simple hierarchy across a few levels. For a design portfolio, a flat structure with 1–3 levels is typical:

• Level 1: Home page
• Level 2: Main menu items such as “About” or “Work” — ideally no more than 5 to 7
• Level 3: Detail pages to split up larger topics (for example individual project pages under “Work”)

More complex websites can include additional levels. But for a graphic design portfolio (and similar), it usually pays to keep the structure simple—and therefore flat.

Once you’ve planned the structure, you can recreate it in your chosen website builder tool by creating the pages and arranging them in the right order in the page list.

With many website builders, pages are then added to the main menu automatically, so they’re linked straight away.

A one-page design that consists only of a single home page can also be an elegant solution for a design portfolio. In that case, you don’t need a sitemap for planning—and you won’t need a navigation menu later on either.

You can find many more tips on building a website in my detailed guide “How do I plan my website?”.

Plan done? Register your domain name!

As soon as your concept and content are clear, it’s worth securing your preferred domain. In theory, you can use a free plan with a website builder—but you’ll usually only get a subdomain, for example:

portfolio-designername.toolsite.com

That doesn’t look particularly professional—especially if you want to appeal to potential clients or agencies. That’s why I recommend registering your own domain. It could look like this, for example:

www.firstname-lastname.co.uk or www.studio-yourname.co.uk

Especially for freelance graphic designers, UX designers or digital designers, a custom domain tends to feel more credible and easier to remember. And you can use a matching email address like [email protected] — which usually looks more professional than a generic email address.

By the way: I’ve put together a step-by-step guide to registering a domain, including more detailed advice on choosing a good domain name.

Always include legal details and privacy policy

As soon as you run a website—whether as a freelancer or a small design studio—you generally need to comply with data protection rules (for example UK GDPR). In practice, that usually means having a page with clear business details (often called a legal notice) and a privacy notice. You’ll also need a cookie notice if you use, for example, analytics/tracking tools or embedded third-party content. Even if it feels like a hassle, missing information can create avoidable legal risk.

Tip: To get your legal pages right, start with the ICO’s free privacy notice generator (UK GDPR) and make sure your “Company information” is complete.

More legal requirements to know

Even if your website “only” showcases your work, the same expectations generally apply as for other business websites. If you use Google Fonts, contact forms or social media plug-ins, you should also make sure they’re handled in a way that fits data protection requirements.

Overview: Here are the most important general points for a compliant website at a glance:

¹ Under UK GDPR, whether you need a DPO depends on what you do with personal data (e.g. large-scale processing or sensitive data), not simply the number of employees.

How to create a portfolio website (step-by-step guide):

You can either build your portfolio website yourself using a website builder tool or WordPress—or have it built for you. In this guide, I explain what matters for design, the technical setup, costs and the legal basics, including a tool comparison and practical tips for creatives.