Yola lets you build a basic website by picking a template and filling out a few simple forms. Once you have a rough outline, you fine-tune your site with an in-place editing tool. Yola has the goods to let you really dig into the web. You can integrate your site with an impressive list of third-party services such as Google Maps and PayPal, Flickr for photo sharing and Picnik for photo editing.
What it costs: The basic web-building tool and a Yola.com address are free. For extra features, better-looking templates and the ability to use your own domain name, the Yola Silver upgrade is $100 per year.
Bottom line: If you're looking for a basic, professional site at a reasonable cost, Yola's your answer.
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Jimdo's free version does what a respectable website builder should do, and not much else. We suggest springing for the upgrades (which are reasonably priced) to unlock some cool business features, such as custom newsletters to keep in touch with your customers, page-view stats, PayPal stores and password-protected employees-only pages.
What it costs: Basic features and a Jimdo.com address are free. Jimdo Pro is $5 per month. Jimdo Business is $15 per month, including unlimited data storage and online selling, two domain names and business-specific site designs.
Bottom line: The free tool isn't worth your time. But what Jimdo does well is hold your hand with nice templates and good overall tools. If you want to sink a little more effort into a site that looks and feels unique, Jimdo is your best bet.
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Google Site service can give you a simple Google web presence for free. But you probably don't need that when there are better, faster and easier options from the likes of Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. What Google Sites does best happens outside the public eye. With this tool you can create private, team-based websites within your business--which turns that Google Apps account of yours into a powerful business organization tool. Google Sites puts nifty collaboration tools like announcements, documents and task lists in one online location, allowing you and your colleagues to access them from anywhere. It's a great way to bring some sanity to the startup chaos.
What it costs: It's free.
