While sharing your work and content on social networks can help you build a following, sites like Twitter and Instagram can only do so much when it comes to hosting your catalog of selected works. The prospect can be scary, but at some point you’ll have to create a website—or, more specifically, an online portfolio.
Thankfully, the options for creating an online portfolio have increased as the demand for them has risen, and so has the quality of these services. The variety of platforms allows you to pick what services and perks you prefer, whether you’re looking to set up an online store, an archive of your graphic design experience, or a digital museum of your photography.
Gathered below are ten of the best services for building an online portfolio, all of which are user friendly. Depending on your level of design and coding experience and what you’re looking to do with your portfolio, there are a multitude of options available to you. These are the best services for creating your own online portfolio.
Behance
Join UI/UX Designer @ohhodesign LIVE on @behance as she designs and prototypes a staffing and allocation tool for businesses all in @AdobeXD! #UIdesign #UXdesign pic.twitter.com/447JJVlslm
— Behance (@Behance) February 12, 2019
Price: Free
HTML knowledge required: None
Behance is the easiest way to get a log of your work online. Sign-up is free, and the service more or less functions as a social media network for creatives. You can follow or like the work of other creatives, and organize your work by project or genre.
Squarespace
Web designers – looking to get inspired and take concrete steps to building your business in the new year? #SquarespaceCircle is here to help: https://t.co/deRgeGaqEE pic.twitter.com/EFXzKSiLht
— Squarespace (@squarespace) January 7, 2019
Price: $6-$18/month, depending on plan
HTML knowledge required: Minimal
If you’re looking for sleekness plus convenience, Squarespace might be your best bet. The variety of formats and layouts allows for customization, and if you’re looking to make a little money off your work, it’s extremely easy to set up an online shop. The only downside? It’s one of the pricier services out there, even if you do take advantage of the student discount.
Wix
Here's everything you need to know about our new technology, #WixTurbo >> https://t.co/Bydqru6v8C pic.twitter.com/79eVLMiKGZ
— Wix (@Wix) February 25, 2019
Price: $11-$29/month, depending on plan
HTML knowledge required: Minimal
Another convenient online portfolio builder, Wix is great for those with minimal experience in dealing with website design or building. Even if you hire somebody to set things up for you initially, Wix is easy enough to navigate and work within, so you can update and change things on your own. Wix also offers a free domain name for a year upon signup.
Carbonmade
We're wheelie lovin' this portfolio full of rad car portraits by Kuba Szafarz! https://t.co/HXxQIAXrJQ pic.twitter.com/n6bpUkhtSO
— Carbonmade ✨ (@carbonmade) January 13, 2016
Price: $6-$18/month, depending on plan
HTML knowledge required: None
When it comes to simplicity, Carbonmade has it down. The very idea for the service came from its creator’s frustration with hosting his work online; in order to avoid that, the website offers an intuitive experience. Best of all, if you’re looking for more small-scale hosting, you can opt for the free option.
Adobe Portfolio/Behance Pro
Ling Tang illustrates her talents on a colorful grid template > https://t.co/KnkSj8mpX6 pic.twitter.com/5Um3bO0WW4
— Adobe Portfolio (@AdobePortfolio) February 24, 2019
Price: $10/month (Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom included)
HTML knowledge required: None
This might be a little confusing, but stay with us: while Adobe Portfolio is technically Behance Pro, its actually a separate entity from Behance. Got it? Portfolio is more of a website builder than a feed, which might suit your needs better. Plus, if you’ve already got Creative Cloud ($53 a month normally, $19.99 a month for students), then the service comes free. If not, you’ll have to pay for access—but it also comes with Photoshop and Lightroom, so you’re getting some bang for your buck.
Weebly
We’re excited to share new features and tools to help our community of #entrepreneurs succeed, like in-store pickup, the Pre-Launch Membership and coupon insights: https://t.co/afZoVQCQ1t pic.twitter.com/xQ7Hzg1qud
— Weebly (@weebly) October 10, 2018
Price: Free-$25/month, depending on plan
HTML knowledge required: Minimal
In the same vein as Squarespace and Wordpress, Weebly offers one of the easiest user experiences of the major hosting services, and through its more premium plans allows for community building by offering the ability to register users. If you’re just looking to throw something up and make it look good, Weebly is a good option. Its App Store even offers tools to assist with boosting up your site’s search engine optimization (SEO).
SmugMug
You didn’t become a photographer because it was easy. It’s your passion. Your ambition. This year, #ElevateYourHustle with 40% off a new SmugMug Account. Start your free trial today, and see how SmugMug will change your photography game forever. Sale ends tonight. pic.twitter.com/wvWC6B1Wv2
— SmugMug (@SmugMug) September 10, 2018
Price: $5.99-$41.99/month, depending on plan
HTML knowledge required: None
If you want to sell graphic prints or photographs, for example, you’ll probably gravitate toward SmugMug. The service has all your standard features, but comes with one especially important bit: it makes e-commerce extremely easy. If you’re just starting out, you should look at the cheaper plans, which are little limited in layout and design options but still get the job done. If you’re already established as an online business and can expect significant revenue and traffic though, opting for the premium plans might be your best bet. With additional commerce, marketing, and branding tools, the variety of services can help increase your efficiency and overall customer service.
Wordpress
Say hello to WordPress 4.7 “Vaughan” https://t.co/rQNLctfuP2 pic.twitter.com/JIX8hkDzeK
— WordPress (@WordPress) December 6, 2016
Price: Free-$25/month, depending on plan
HTML knowledge required: Some
Wordpress can definitely be used without a huge knowledge of design or code, but prior experience with either is a huge plus. The beauty of using Wordpress is that it’s one of the most commonly used content management systems. By using it to build your own portfolio, you’ll get hands-on experience for your resume. Multi-tasking, baby.
Format
Check out how these creative jewelry designers show off their wares with their online portfolios: https://t.co/YPXTX9XouP pic.twitter.com/YVa7tctJtz
— Format (@useformat) January 24, 2019
Price: $6- $25/month, depending on plan
HTML knowledge required: Minimal
A cheaper and more unique option than some of the other online portfolio services out there, Format seeks to present your work in the way that best suits it. The service features a number of layout options, and allows a good amount of freedom in customizing them to your desired specifications. Format also offers helpful pointers in its building interface for things like adding tags to images to help boost SEO rankings.
Cargo Collective
In Use this week:
→ https://t.co/2srrDLbk3K pic.twitter.com/D46i0Df5s8
— Cargo (@cargocollective) November 6, 2018
Price: $13/month, $99/year
HTML knowledge required: Some
If you’ve got a handle on building portfolios and want to go that extra mile, you should consider Cargo Collective. The amount of tools available allows for full creative control. Not an HTML wizard? Don’t sweat; it’s not so advanced that newbies will be lost. You just might need to do a bit of Googling as you go. And since you don’t pay until your website goes live, you’ll have plenty of time to do so. All of the usual perks come with a subscription and site, with one important bonus: you can upload video directly to your website, rather than hosting it on a service like YouTube or Vimeo.
