The 10 best portfolio websites to showcase your best work

Creative professionals win business by sharing samples of their work. Assembling a portfolio website makes those examples accessible to anyone who needs to review them. A polished and professional portfolio signals to potential clients that you’re the designer, photographer, or video editor they want to work with.

But not everyone is a coding expert or has the time to manage all the moving parts of a website. Thankfully, there are portfolio website builders that can help. Keep reading to learn more about your options for creating the best portfolio website to showcase your favorite clips and reels.

What is a professional portfolio website?

A professional portfolio website is utilized by those who need to showcase their favorite work to the world. The primary purpose of these sites is to be an online home for content that can help bring in more business. Sometimes, they’re also accompanied by a brief About Page and some details on services offered, but their main purpose is to elevate the most beautiful and impressive work samples available.

This kind of website is an opportunity for creative professionals to let their personality shine through a good design as well as practical examples of what they can do for a potential client. Professional portfolio websites are often used by website designers, artists, photographers, video editors, and other freelancers in all sorts of verticals.

Photo by Format

What should you include in your portfolio? 

A powerful and effective portfolio should include the following elements:

Examples of your best work. Choose from your best and brightest. You can measure your best by artistic quality or by campaign results — whatever makes the most sense for you.
A variety of your work. If you have experience in multiple mediums or fields, include samples that represent your best samples in each category.
Results. If you’re in a creative field where performance metrics are tied to your work, such as a designer for social media, include some information about how your work performed.
Your experience. If you work as a freelance professional, whether full time or on the side, uploading a copy of your resume can help better explain your talents to a future client.
Contact information. Include an email address, your location, and a phone number. If you’d rather not publish your contact information, include a contact form instead.

Design portfolio platform vs. a website builder

Photo by picjumbo.com

There are two main options for creating a professional portfolio online: design portfolio platforms and website builders. In short, a design portfolio platform is limited to that specific function, while a website builder allows for more flexibility in terms of what’s included on the website.

Design portfolio platforms offer templates and features specifically geared to the needs of someone who’s using the site to showcase their work. You’ll often find templates designed for this purpose, along with additional features and integrations that help users stand out from the competition. Oftentimes, design portfolio platforms are made to be intuitive, with no coding required. However, they may be limited in their functionality, making expansion or big changes more difficult. 

Website builders are often more comprehensive because they serve all types of clients who need a website, not just portfolios. As a result, a portfolio designed on a website builder may benefit from extra features that aren’t available on design portfolio platforms. Since they don’t have the limitations of a design portfolio platform, builders also offer more ways to customize a portfolio. However, for those who don’t know how to code, some website builders may be overwhelming and difficult to use.

The 10 best portfolio websites to show off your favorite samples

The best portfolio websites are intuitive, easy to modify, and allow for customization. The 10 options below each offer unique benefits that can elevate any portfolio website to the next level.

1. Adobe Portfolio 

https://portfolio.adobe.com/

Made by the well-known creative software company, Adobe Portfolio makes portfolio website building and modification easy for creatives. Users can customize a mobile-friendly design to their needs. Adobe Portfolio also syncs with the design platform Behance. This is a paid service that’s only accessible to those with a paid Adobe Creative Cloud plan. 

2. Crevado

https://crevado.com/

This portfolio builder offers a drag-and-drop setup for quick design and editing. The platform offers customizable tools that don’t involve learning a new program. Those with a Fotomoto premium account can upload their content directly to their Crevado site, and content can be made available for sale as well. Crevado is free to use.

3. Fabrik

https://fabrik.io/

Creative professionals can use Fabrik to launch an online portfolio designed to accommodate their project content. Through Fabrik, you can group your portfolios together for simple organization. You can use Fabrik’s provided domain or use one of your own. Fabrik accounts start at $11 per month.

4. Carbonmade

https://carbonmade.com/

Carbonmade offers a way for creative professionals to add an unlimited number of projects to their portfolios. The platform offers templates designed to showcase different types of work, enabling customization so users can create the website they want. Cropping tools are built in as well. Carbonmade offers plans starting at $9 per month.

5. Cargo 

https://cargo.site/

Cargo is a website building platform with a focus on portfolios, although organizations of all stripes can use it. The platform offers a variety of wireframes (site designs) that can be easily modified with unique content, and the platform offers several font options as well for further customization. Ecommerce functionality can be added to any Cargo site for an extra monthly charge. Cargo starts at $19 per month, but students and not-for-profit organizations can use Cargo for free.

6. WordPress 

https://wordpress.com/

One of the most common content management systems (CMS), WordPress is used to build all types of websites, portfolios included. There are two options here: Wordpress.org, which is the self-hosted, open-source version of their platform, and Wordpress.com, which offers sites ready to go but with few customization options. Wordpress.com costs start at $7 per month. 

Wordpress.org is open source, but there are costs associated with hosting, theme purchases, and professional help if needed, among other possible expenses. Keep in mind that WordPress can be difficult to use for those who don’t know how to code, so this may not be the best option for all types of portfolio sites.

7. Webflow 

https://webflow.com/

Webflow offers both personal site and ecommerce site options for all types of businesses. The platform features customizable templates and animation tools to bring content to life. It also offers the ability to curate premium content that’s only accessible for subscribers and registered users. 

However, the smaller plans are limited, and you may need to upgrade your account to support multiple portfolios or portfolios with many files. Starter plans are free, and websites with more bandwidth and features begin at $15 per month. 

8. Squarespace 

https://www.squarespace.com/

This all-in-one website builder includes everything necessary to run a website, from hosting to domains. Squarespace allows for integration with email marketing, video creation, and other useful tools, but users may be limited to certain integrations. The drag-and-drop builder is useful for those who are new to website creation. Plans start at $16 per month.

9. Namecheap Site Maker

https://namecheap.com/visual/site-maker/

Simple to start, intuitive to build – Namecheap Site Maker has everything necessary to create a portfolio website in a flash. For under $4 per month (plus a 14-day free trial), users get access to an all-in-one package that includes hosting, a domain, and access to the builder. A simple drag-and-drop design is automatically mobile-friendly, while the templates can be customized for the perfect look. And because Namecheap Site Maker isn’t limited to just a portfolio, extra pages can be added as needed at any time within minutes. 

10. Hostinger Website Builder

Hostinger offers a no-code website builder for individuals, small businesses, and eCommerce companies. Their all-in-one builder plan includes domains, web hosting, and professional email service. The site offers hundreds of template options, each can be altered to the specific needs of the user. The basic plan starts at $2.99 per month.

Build your best portfolio site with Namecheap

Ready to get started? Put your best foot forward online with Namecheap Site Maker. With our intuitive and easy to use drag-and-drop builder, you’ll have your favorite examples ready for prime time in minutes. With just a few clicks, you’ll be set up with hosting, a domain name, and a secure site license – there’s no need to purchase the pieces separately and connect the dots yourself. 

You don’t need to be a professional website developer to build a portfolio site – you just need Namecheap. Start your free 14-day trial today!