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Happy Monday, No-coders! 👋
This is No-Code Insights, the no-code newsletter that's like a surprise dessert on the house – delivering delightful and unexpected insights, reviews, and stories from the no-code sphere.
Here’s what I got for you today:
An in-depth review of Carrd, a no-code website builder.
Read time: 4min 15sec
What is Carrd, and why would you use it?
Carrd is a fantastic website building platform that is similar to Wix and Squarespace, offering a solution for both beginners and web developers who want to quickly, and I mean really quickly create simple websites.
However, Carrd differs from a lot of alternative website builders as it specializes in just one-page websites (or - landing pages).
Carrd is free to use, but they do offer some paid options - I’ll talk more about this later.
The platform allows you to create up to three websites free of charge that will be hosted permanently.
Carrd is an amazing choice for people who need a simple landing page to showcase their work, test a product, launch a newsletter and much more!
Who is Carrd aimed at? 🤔
Basically anybody who needs a simple landing page.
This can be:
Freelancers looking to create a portfolio
Small businesses trying to promote their service / services
Podcasters who want to share their content
Influencers wanting to share their other social channels
Founders who want to launch their product quickly
I could go on for hours…
Onto the platform - How is it using Carrd?
Now we know what it is and who may use it, the next stage is to actually use the platform and see if it lives up to the hype.
The interface:
I found the Carrd website to be very easy to use, with clear prompts guiding the user every step of the way.
Literally perfect for beginners who have no experience using web editing interfaces, most people can get to grips with the platform in less than 15 minutes.
Carrd’s editor interface
Templates:
Carrd allows you to choose from five category types – landing page, profile page, portfolio, a sectioned template, and an entry form. Each template is fit for purpose and the content can be modified.
(There are 100+ different templates available in the pro version of the platform)
You can change the content by editing text and adding images. You can also add new buttons and page dividers, and remove sections. However, there aren't many ways to personalize your website and the platform doesn't offer many creative options.
Carrd’s template library
Responsiveness:
Carrd is great for making responsive web pages that work well on mobile devices. It also has features to easily edit the mobile version of your website, which is a big advantage.
Carrd’s mobile view editor interface
Now some more complex stuff:
SEO:
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) options are limited. You can only edit the title, description, and meta tags in the website's <head> section. This is common for beginner-friendly website-building tools.
Custom domains:
Custom domains can be added in pro accounts, while the free websites will be given a carrd.co domain.
What are the different Carrd pricing plans? 💸
Now, let's see the paid plans to decide if it's worth paying. Besides the free version, there are three paid plans that cost between $9 and $49 per year. These plans offer various features and benefits.
Free:
With the free plan, you can build up to three websites that have a carrd.co subdomain and Carrd branding.
Now onto the paid plans…
Pro Lite:
Choosing the cheapest of the premium plans allows you to build up to 3 websites with premium URLs and with Carrd branding removed. You will also have access to premium templates, are able to upload high quality images, upload videos, and there is no limit to the number of elements on your website.
Pro Standard:
10 websites and custom domain URLs, in addition to all of the above. Pro Standard users will also have access to Google Analytics, custom meta tags, add simple forms, and be able to include a range of widgets.
Pro Plus:
The most expensive yearly plan lets you build 25 websites with all the features and benefits of Pro Standard, custom domains, as well as custom templates, password protection, redirect options, and access to more advanced settings. Users can also download their websites.
Each Carrd premium plan comes with a 7-day free trial, and you are not required to continue after the trial ends. Customers have also given positive reviews about Carrd's customer service, mentioning that they receive fast responses to their email queries.
Carrd’s pricing chart
Pros & Cons
Now, let's wrap up this review by taking a closer look at the pros and cons.
The advantages:
When reviewing the platform I have decided on four key benefits of using the website builder:
Carrd is beginner-friendly, with simple online prompts and no account creation needed. It's easy to use and takes only ten to fifteen minutes to learn
Websites can be created very quickly thanks to the short learning curve and straightforward use of templates that help the user create five types of simple, one-page websites
Templates are responsive and look good on all devices, meaning no coding is required
You can create three websites at no cost and they will be hosted on the platform indefinitely, making it a good free option compared to some of its rivals
Cons:
In contrast, I feel that there are three clear disadvantages of the platform when compared to other website builders:
You have limited options for editing a one-page website with only a few on-page elements
Blogging is not an option, which makes achieving high Google rankings extremely difficult, as there is minimal scope in terms of adding new and engaging content to your website
There is also no option to create online stores using Carrd
In conclusion…
Carrd is a great choice for people who want a basic website but don't have technical skills. It's easy to use and the templates make it quick to create a one page site. Carrd is good for online portfolios, minimal landing pages, or basic web pages. The paid plans are affordable and offer many benefits.
However, if you want a more complex website with an online store or blogging, Carrd is not your best choice. There are other site builders that can create more functional multi page sites.
But if you just need a simple landing page, Carrd is perfect for you!
See you next week!👋
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