I'm a bit of a newbie and I'm looking to create a simple directory-style website to showcase various creative assets. I envision it as a clean visual grid displaying items, each featuring a title, image, link, creator's name, and tags. I've already organized my content in a small CMS, so I'm set on that front.
I've tried using Notion and SoftR (which is based on Airtable), but they were really slow and unresponsive, which is a dealbreaker for me. Currently, I'm testing Framer, and while it looks great and performs well, I'm unsure about its scalability and flexibility for my needs. I may need some help navigating it since some parts are a bit beyond my technical expertise.
My budget is quite limited, ideally under €5/month, or even free if possible. I'm okay with hosting it on a custom domain. The key factors for me are performance and a clean user experience.
Here's what I'm looking for:
* A grid-based visual layout powered by a CMS or database
* Fast loading times
* Future capability for item filtering or tagging
* A minimal and aesthetic frontend
* Preferably no-code or low-code, but I'm open to doing some minimal coding if necessary.
I'd love to hear any recommendations for tools or platforms that could work for me! Thanks in advance.
4 Answers
Keep in mind that your budget is really tight. Even with WordPress, you may struggle to stay under $5/month due to plugin costs and hosting. I've had great results with UltimateWB, which has a built-in directory app that’s very customizable and super fast—scored a perfect 100 on PageSpeed Insights!
Definitely check those out! They could save you some time finding the right fit.
For flexibility and power, I’d highly recommend WordPress.org. For hosting, check out NixiHost—I've been using them for years and their basic plan is about $6/month, which fits your budget. You can create your minimal aesthetic with the lightweight Astra theme and the Spectra builder; it has drag-and-drop features for visual grids and filtering, which will make your life much easier.
I think Webflow with its CMS is your best bet! It offers a lot of template choices and a smooth interface that can keep your site looking professional without heavy coding.
You might want to consider a managed static website; using something like Publi could work if you're okay with a bit of manual HTML. For more complex setups, try 11ty (Eleventy) as it’s great for handling lots of files and folders as collections, or Astro if you're interested in JSON/Markdown structured collections with more advanced JS options.
Here are some links that might help you explore different directory website builders: [UltimateWB Directory Builders Comparison](https://www.ultimatewb.com/compare-listings-directory-website-builders) and [Choose Website Builder](https://www.choosewebsitebuilder.com/directory-website-builders). They have some good insights!