Website Builder vs. Aida AI Website Builder
We can't stop talking about the Aida AI Website Builder - and for good reason! But what exactly sets it apart from our classic Website Builder? In this article, we break down the key differences - from drag-and-drop vs. conversational AI editing to plan options - and how each can help grow your business.
- Feature-by-feature comparison
- Plans
- How to build
- Editing experience
- Bookings
- Growth suggestions
- Redesign
Feature-by-feature comparison
| Feature | Website Builder | Aida AI Website Builder |
| How to built | Drag-and-drop layout | Conversational AI + manual editing |
| Editing experience | Building yourself from a panel of components | Ask Aida to add any component you would like |
| Bookings | Paid add-on | Included |
| Online Shop | Full shop | All shop features coming soon |
| SEO, compliance and Social Media | Included | Coming soon |
| Analytics and tracking | Included | Coming soon |
| Widgtes | Built-in components | Available via chat request |
| Growth suggestions | Next best actions | Custom suggestions from Aida |
| Redesign | Not available (build from scratch) | "Modernise" function |
Plans
These are separate products with separate plans.
Website Builder is available through:
- Hosting plans: Mini, Business, Ecommerce
- Add-on plans: Starter, Premium, Business + E-commerce
You can read more about these options in our guide: Which features are included in each Website Builder plan?
Aida AI Website Builder is available through:
- Hosting plans: Portfolio, Booking, Commerce
Find a detailed description of them in our guide: Aida AI Website Builder plans and feature overview
How to build
Our two website builder tools take fundamentally different approaches: the classic Website Builder uses drag-and-drop, while the Aida AI Website Builder is powered by conversational AI.
This means that:
Website Builder gives you a visual canvas where you place and arrange elements (text, images, buttons, forms) by clicking and dragging. You see exactly what you're building in real time, but you make every design decision yourself.
Aida AI Website Builder lets you describe what you want in plain language - e.g. "Build me a portfolio site with a dark theme and a contact form" - and the AI generates the layout, copy, and structure. It's faster to get a starting point, though you may go through a few rounds of back-and-forth to fine-tune it.
Think of Website Builder as a design tool you use yourself, and Aida as a personal web designer who builds it for you - while still letting you make small manual tweaks (text edits, formatting, adding sections) along the way.
Editing experience
Website Builder works like a workbench - a template-based workspace with a component panel on the left where all your tools are visible and available at any time.
Aida AI Website Builder works more like having an assistant at the workbench. There's no visible tool panel by default — instead, your main interface is a chat window where you ask Aida to make changes. All the same elements exist, but Aida manages them for you. That said, you're not locked into chat-only editing: you can still navigate between site sections (shop, booking admin, blog), and a smaller component panel is available for quick, manual edits.
Bookings
If you want to use Bookings in the Website Builder, you must purchase it as an add-on to your Website Builder plan. You can read about this in our guide on getting started with Bookings in Website Builder.
Bookings are included in Aida AI Website Builder plans, but the capabilities are determined by tier. You can find more information in the Bookings section of the feature table in our guide on Aida AI Website Builder features.
Growth suggestions
Both tools help you improve your site over time, but in different ways:
Website Builder shows "next best action" suggestions as cards on your dashboard.
Aida AI Website Builder lets you ask Aida directly for suggestions. It analyses your current site, returns a list of recommendations, and you can discuss options with Aida and ask it to execute whichever one you choose.
Redesign
You may already have a website and want to combine your existing content with a fresh new design.
The Website Builder offers a broad selection of modern, professional templates that will surely satisfy the aesthetic eye. However, if you would like to rebuild an existing website in the classic Website Builder, then you will have to build it from scratch.
With the Aida AI Website Builder, you can use the Modernize option to quickly give your existing website a new look. Just enter the URL of your website, and Aida will produce a modern and refreshed version of it.
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