5 of the Best Sites to Build Your Portfolio

A digital portfolio can help you stand out from the crowd, show off your skills and share your personality with a potential employer. And with no shortage of easy-to-use portfolio building platforms available, the hardest part might be deciding which one to choose. 

That’s why we’re outlining some of the most popular options and sharing tips about which one might be right for you. Whether you want to design a custom site or choose from a fool-proof template, here are some of the platforms you can use to start building your portfolio today. 

Squarespace 

A search for online portfolio sites will probably lead you to Squarespace as a top contender. That’s because Squarespace’s drag-and-drop design tools make it easy for anyone with basic computer skills to build a portfolio that looks professional on a small budget. 

Squarespace offers plenty of portfolio template options to choose from, and it’s easy to browse by category to get inspired and find an option that works for you. Most Squarespace templates are focused on visuals, so it’s a good idea to have high-quality images ready to go if you choose this option.    

Pricing: $12 to $40 per month (students can get 50 percent off)

Sample portfolios: Creative Project Manager, Web and Graphic Designer, social media    

Skill level: Basic to intermediate (you can add customization with CSS and Javascript with the second tier pricing option)

Wix

Wix is one of the most popular free options available. Like Squarespace, Wix uses a drag-and-drop tool that makes it easy for anyone to use. One of the main differences is that Wix allows you to move elements anywhere on the page (Squarespace is less flexible, which is not a bad thing if you don’t have an eye for design). 

Wix is a good option for someone (like a designer) who wants to have more control over how their portfolio looks, but without needing to know how to code.

Pricing: Free up to $25 per month (students can get 50 percent off)

Sample portfolios: 3D Designer, Web and Graphic Designer, content marketing 

Skill level: Basic to intermediate (you can add customization and plugins with Javascript)

Behance 

Like Pinterest for portfolios, Adobe-owned Behance allows you to create project pages that showcase your work. Projects are featured on your homepage where views and “appreciations” (similar to likes) are tallied.

Behance is all about the visuals, so consider another option if your work doesn’t have a strong visual element. A popular choice for UI and UX designers, Behance allows users to tag projects under creative tools including Adobe XD, Illustrator, Photoshop, and other Adobe software.  

Pricing: Free

Sample portfolios: Creative Director, UI/UX Designer (websites), UI/UX Designers (apps)

Skill level: Basic 

Format

Format Online Portfolio is a website builder for photographers looking to showcase their work and grow their business. There are plenty of carefully-crafted, customizable themes to choose from that put your work first. The intuitive design editor makes it easy for someone with little experience, while those who want to go a bit further can customize the CSS and HTML with certain plans. Since it caters to photographers, Format ensures images load fast and look amazing across every device and screen size.

Photographers will appreciate the extras, like hosting client galleries directly from their website or selling prints through the built-in online store. Lightroom and Capture One integration simplifies your workflow, and the Photography Business Masterclass will help you take your business to the next level.

Pricing: Plans start at $7 per month, but you can get a discount with an annual plan.

Sample portfolios: Illustrator/Graphic Designer, Creative Director, Photographer

Skill level: Basic to intermediate

WordPress

If you want a basic portfolio that won’t take more than a few hours to build and requires little to no maintenance, stick to one of the above options. If you want to build a portfolio that is completely custom, WordPress might be the right choice for you.

With more than 10,000 themes available, the sky’s the limit when it comes to building a site on WordPress. With so many options, add-ons and plug-ins available, WordPress is best suited for someone with web development experience, or someone willing to invest time and money into their portfolio site. 

Pricing: Free up to $59 per month (plus the cost for a theme which can range from $10 to $1,000 or more) 

Sample portfolios: Front-End Developer, Digital Artist, web design/UI design 

Skill level: Intermediate to advanced