Best downloadable web design software

Downloadable web design software

Unlike web-based applications, web design software that you install from a disk or download lives on your computer and is always available. Such software provides you with all the web-design tools you'll need, say reviewers, but you'll have to purchase your own domain name and find a hosting service for your website. See our related reports on web hosting and domain registration.

Serif Webplus X6 web design software is "as user friendly as it is functional," say the editors at TopTenReviews.com.  The software provides the ability to build a basic website with integrated blogging and social media content. However, Webplus X6 is only available for PCs that run Windows.

Setting up your website is all about choosing a template, then dragging and dropping page elements such as text boxes, graphics and widgets to where you want them on the page. Widgets include site search, Google maps, Google AdSense and a YouTube plug-in. The WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) interface shows you, in real time, what your site will look like when it's published.

Webplus X6 provides a step-by-step guide for common tasks, such as setting up navigation and adding media like photos or videos. There's also a built-in help section. One potential downside to Webplus X6 is that it comes with only 30 ready-made templates, fewer than other programs. However, many of the templates can be used to design sites for both computers and mobile devices. Serif Webplus X6 also offers a fair amount of customization. You can create buttons, logos and custom navigation bars by using the included freehand tool. Webplus X6 contains an impressive box of graphics tools, with a large graphics library and direct photo editing.  

Serif Webplus X6 doesn't offer a free trial, but you can download Serif Webplus Starter Edition (Free). This is a limited version of Serif Webplus X6 that contains fewer features, a smaller selection of templates and no e-commerce option.  Reviewers at PC Advisor say the Starter edition "takes the pain out of web page design" and is ideal for beginners.  It also offers contextual help that won't leave you staring at a blank page and wondering how to start creating your website. You still have the WYSIWYG interface, so you can immediately see the effects when you add your page elements.

If you're looking for a free downloadable web-design program, consider WordPress.org (Free).  WordPress.org offers many of the features of WordPress.com, but it doesn't host your website. You'll need to register your own domain name and find a hosting service. However, it does allow extensive customization through the editing of HTML and CSS. As such, WordPress.org is more suitable for those who have some technical knowledge and want to move beyond the basic templates offered by other web design software. Websites created in WordPress.com can be migrated to WordPress.org.

Unlike Serif X6, WordPress.org can be installed on both Windows and Mac computers. Downloading the basic WordPress.org software takes about five minutes, and there are thousands of free design templates and plug-ins and themes available. You can update your WordPress.org website on the go, using apps for Android and Apple devices as well as BlackBerrys and Windows phones. WordPress.org also allows you to place advertising on your website (unlike WordPress.com), and it provides custom domain names and email addresses.