Zyro Review 2022

An Affordable Site Builder With Similarities to Wix

This article has been written and researched by our expert tooltesters through a precise methodology. Learn more about our methodology

While it started out with limited features, they’re slowly expanding as you can see in their public roadmap . For instance, when the website builder first launched they didn’t have ecommerce plans, which they have since introduced.

However, we do have to give them props for their constant stream of new features and offerings. Since Zyro is a relatively new player, they have many toys to add to their collection.

But it also explains why it doesn’t have as much to offer as its target competitors, such as Wix . For users who need more functionality, such as blogging or better SEO capabilities and additional apps, we’d suggest using another platform.

Zyro offers beginners professional templates and a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface. These are essentials for anyone looking for an easy website builder. Pricing is reasonable compared with other editors.

Using the tool is free, but publishing your work will require a premium subscription, which starts at $3.29/month. Each plan includes free email for three months, free domain for a year, and free hosting. We explain Zyro’s plans in more detail in our pricing section.

But right off the bat, we can tell you that it has a lot to offer those who want to set up a basic website or simple online store, thanks to its affordable price range and the high-speed performance of its editor. It also offers plenty of AI-powered tools (such as an AI writer and image optimizer), enabling you to create an effective online brand right away.

Like its primary competitors, Zyro is geared towards freelancers and small business owners. Users can create and launch basic websites hassle-free in a matter of minutes. In our research, we found that it doesn’t have a lot of advanced features to show for yet.

Zyro is a growing website builder based in Lithuania. It’s fairly young, having been established in 2019 and launched in early 2020. However, the company is a subsidiary of the web hosting service Hostinger , so it has the 20-year experience of an established internet player backing it up.

Tooltester is supported by readers like yourself. We may earn an affiliate commission when you purchase through our links, which enables us to offer our research for free.

While it clearly states that the domain name is free for one year, it doesn’t mention the renewal fee anywhere on the page. You can find it on another page, indicating that a regular domain will cost a small business around $10 to $15 on average. The good news is that this price range is pretty reasonable . In our experience, many website builders (such as Web.com) use domain renewal to attempt to exploit you in this manner.

What we wish they would make clearer is that the prices shown on website are for their discounted 2 year plans . Pricing for yearly plans are slightly higher (and month-to-month prices are even higher still).

Zyro’s pricing page is a bit confusing, so we examined it in more detail. First, you have the countdown timer on the top part of the page. Don’t feel pressured as the deal is basically always on . We checked back the next day, and the clock had reset with six hours remaining.

Prices shown above are for 1 year subscriptions. Monthly pricing and discounted 2 year plans are also available.

Designed for ecommerce brands that only need the essentials, with a limit of 500 products. Uses Zyro’s own ecommerce platform (Zyro Lite)

Neither the entire site nor individual pages can be password-protected. There’s no option to add a members area either.

Zyro lets you add more functionality through integrations – however, we didn’t find much apart from a few analytics and tracking options. They don’t yet offer a robust app store. Wix and Shopify offer much better apps and integrations.

Zyro has no page limit, though it restricts navigation subpages to one. Zyro also markets themselves as a website builder for small business, with the top tier plan only allowing up to 500 products. For reference, Wix gives you room to store up to 50,000 products.

While the process of creating a post works much like building a website, it lacks important blogging features such as commenting functionality and the ability to add tables. Generally, it feels like their blogging functionality is still in its infancy

Aside from reaching out via email or a contact form, reading the knowledge base, you can access support faster via live chat.

With its grid-lock section, all you really need to do is literally drag the “element” and let it drop into place. It is also possible to resize and adjust every part of the template you choose.

Rating Details

Ease of use

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Its similarities with Wix are most evident here. Its drag and drop editor has a clear and intuitive interface, which is very easy to use. However, we found editing to be much faster than Wix.

To get you started, Zyro provides a helpdesk with FAQs and around 80 posts about building websites (including videos).

Choice and flexibility of design (templates)

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Zyro offer a collection of 150 fully-customizable, responsive templates, grouped by category: Fashion, eCommerce, Restaurants, Portfolio–to name a few. They look professionally designed (as they are) but lack the crisp, clean style and character found in design-focused platforms such as Wix or Squarespace. This is the price you pay for the platform’s simplicity and ease of use.

And just like Wix and Squarespace, you can’t switch to an entirely different theme after your initial choice.

Each theme is responsive, so it displays well on desktop computers as well as mobile devices. However, Zyro also lets you edit the mobile version of your site separately, which we would recommend prior to launching your site as the auto-generated responsive design isn’t always perfect.

Advertisement-free

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To publish your website, you’ll have to pay a premium plan. Regardless of your plan, you won’t find any ads in your website’s header or footer.

Languages

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The editor supports around 30 languages. It’s possible to add a switcher to display your site in different languages, with either automatic or manual translations. The same goes for online stores.

The languages use a subdirectory (e.g. yourwebsite.com/es) and the URLs can be adapted. All in all, very SEO-friendly.

Your own domain name (e.g. .com or .net)

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Buying a new domain or connecting a domain you own requires a premium plan. Once you have a domain, you can create a custom email address for your business. Domains can be purchased directly through Zyro, although you may be redirected to the website of their parent company Hostinger during the purchase process.

Zyro also includes a 3-month free trial for their email service called Titan email. The regular price for it is $2.90 per email address, which is reasonable.

Depth of navigation

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Zyro doesn’t have a limit for pages, but you can only add 1 level of subpages in the navigation. If you need more, Weebly and WordPress are better alternatives.

Widgets (small tools to add extra functionality)

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Best alternative: Wix

Unlike Wix or Weebly, Zyro doesn’t have an internal app store. But it comes with integrations like Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, or even WhatsApp. Additionally, you can paste code snippets into the header of your website.

With the Advanced Store plan, it’s possible to connect external apps to your website by using Zapier.

Mobile App

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• iOS
• Android

There’s no mobile app to manage your site on the go. But all the features and functionality you’ll need when building a website are available in the mobile-responsive website creator. Drag-and-drop functionality also works well on mobile devices.

E-Commerce

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Available on the Business plan, although we’d recommend this for small stores only (max. 500 products). A 1% transaction fee is charged on all sales. The good news however is that online appointment booking is also included as part of your ecommerce package.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

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Zyro offers basic SEO functionality. It allows you to change the title, the meta description, the URL, and the alt text. For multilingual sites, subdirectories are available by default, providing further benefits for SEO.

However, it lacks advanced features. Our research found that Wix and Squarespace offer more powerful features such as 301 redirects.

Blog

Zyro’s blog is SEO-friendly, and it comes with most of the features you’ll need (e.g. blocks, editor, categories etc.). Posts can also be scheduled.

Its downsides include a missing commenting feature and limited table creation. If blogging is a priority for you, check out Squarespace or WordPress.com.

Visitor statistics

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Zyro doesn’t provide an analytics report. But it integrates with Google Analytics to track your performance.

Contact form

The contact form builder is simple and efficient. Editing is also straightforward. There’s no limit to the number of fields, so that’s a big plus.

Password protection & member areas

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Neither individual pages nor the entire site can be password protected. Members areas are not available, unlike with Wix or Squarespace.

Newsletter tool

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While an in-built integration with Mailchimp used to be available on the now-retired Advanced Store plan, this is sadly no longer the case. However, by using the embed code function, you can add newsletter signup forms for tools like Mailchimp, MailerLite etc.

Add HTML code

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You can add HTML to the editor. Click on the “Add elements” button on the left-hand side and select “Embed code”. After that, you can drag and drop the element anywhere on the page.

Storage space

Unlimited

Zyro offers unlimited storage regardless of plan, so you can upload as much media as you want. It also has unlimited bandwidth.

Backups & Restore

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Every time you update a website, an auto-save is performed (but can also be undone). Backing up your entire website requires you to create a duplicate of it as a separate website in your Zyro account.

Backtracking your changes isn’t easy. If you want to restore a version of your website, you’ll have to contact Customer Support.

Support

• FAQ
• Chat
• Email
• Telephone

There’s a 24/7 live chat customer support with all plans. You can also contact the live support with the free plan. A contact form is also available.

Their helpdesk is pretty extended. However, there is no phone support.

Additionally, you can add $1.99/month to your website plan for 24/7 priority Zyro support. In our tests, we found the live chat support very responsive though, even without this option.

Fun Factor

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Zyro gives you a lot of freedom and is fun to use. You can customize a template or even have AI generate one for you. If you want to DIY it, you have the option to start from scratch. It also has a suite of AI tools to play with.

Overall Rating

4

Zyro is a good tool for beginners, but some features are missing (e.g. a member area, advanced SEO tools).
The editor feels like a simplified version of Wix. But its basic website plan starts at $3.29 while Wix’s lowest plan costs $16. A great deal overall if you don’t need all the bells and whistles.

A More Detailed Look at Zyro’s Features

Choosing Zyro for Ecommerce

In spite of its limitations when compared to other popular website builders, Zyro is ready for anyone who wants to sell online. The platform claims that you can create a store in under an hour with the help of their website templates, drag and drop editor, and AI tools (logo generator, slogan generator, business name generator, and even AI writer). You can sell physical and digital products, as well as services (plus, accept donations). All of these are very handy for budding entrepreneurs looking to set up their online presence.

An example of a Zyro-built product page

But there is one major drawback. Zyro offers just one ecommerce plan, Business, which uses its Zyro Lite platform. As you can guess, Zyro Lite offers basic ecommerce functionality and allows for up to just 500 products, which makes it suitable for small stores only. (Its previous Advanced Store plan, which used the more powerful Ecwid platform, is no longer being promoted and will soon be replaced with Zyro’s own ecommerce solution).

With that in mind, let’s break down what you’ll get on the Business plan:

Number of products: The $4.99/month Business plan supports 500 products.

Payment options: The Business plan has 20+ online payment options. You can see the variety of online payment methods Zyro accepts here.

Application fee: This fee covers the cost of hosting your payment processor on your website. You will have to pay 1% per transaction, which is something that competitors like Wix don’t charge.

Basic features: Email notifications, order management, inventory management, and secure online payments are included in each ecommerce plan. However, features like shipping and tax management, as well as the ability to add coupons and gift cards, are not available.

Overall, we think the Business plan is a decent, affordable option if you’re looking to run a small store with local/national shipping only. If you’re looking to run a larger store targeting an international audience, solutions like Wix and Shopify have stronger capabilities and a longer track record in this market.

Beginner’s Guide to Using Zyro

Three fun ways to get your Zyro website up and running.

To create your Zyro website, you can start from scratch, use a template, or use the AI website generator.

You have access to over 150 templates, distributed across 16 categories. The platform shares a limitation with Wix in this regard: Although you can edit your template to your liking, you can’t switch to a new template without having to start over.

Some of the templates available in Zyro

It’s impossible to overhaul a website’s overall visual appearance in a single step. You’ll need to transfer the content manually to the new site. That’s a drag if you want to overhaul your site’s look. Due to Wix’s high level of customization, you might be able to get away with this. When using Zyro, however, this can be a real stumbling block.

If you’re not happy with the template, opt for the AI website generator. You’ll have to answer a series of five questions about your website needs and select a few basic design features to get started. The final question will have you choose between two designs. If you’re not happy with either of them, click the “Generate Again” button. Quite simple.

Clicking on the “Start Building” button will direct you to the editor. Since the screen is very bare, it can be intimidating. But there’s a video waiting for you and a Quick Start Guide that walks you through five key steps to get started.

Zyro Editor: Zippy and Intuitive

Using Zyro’s editor

Zyro’s editor is one of the website builder’s most exciting features. Compared to Wix, the dashboard looks a lot less intimidating. Everything is laid out clearly. The sidebar shows four main categories: Pages and navigation, elements, website styles, and blog. There’s a fifth one you can access if you paid for one of the ecommerce plans.

Each is home to all the elements and tweaks you might need. It’s pretty straightforward once you’ve gotten the hang of it and know where everything is situated. Thoughtful icons for duplicating, going up, down, undoing, redoing, and switching from desktop editor to mobile editor are all in plain sight.

Clear display, dashboard, and buttons

Speaking of mobile editors, you can easily switch between the mobile and desktop versions of your site when editing. The separate editor lets you modify elements to make the website more mobile-friendly.

Now onto the drag-and-drop feature. It’s honestly not as nuanced as Wix. It’s possible to move the design elements around, but the grid layout section’s restrictions limit how you can customize it.

On a more positive flip side, this is key to making the website building tool beginner-friendly. The grid layout serves as a guide that allows you to easily position different elements. So all you need is to drag your text, your icon–whatever you need–and it will arrange itself into its blocked section. Rather than spending hours fine-tuning every detail, this saves you time.

All in all, this simplicity makes it easy to use, but it might be limiting for advanced users with a keen eye for design.

Outstanding extra features: Marketing, And AI-Powered Tools

Zyro’s Marketing Integrations

The website builder also integrates well with Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager, so you can track your website visitors’ behavior on both platforms and dig deep into your traffic. Furthermore, you can track your social media performance by using Facebook and Snapchat pixel, as well as Pinterest Tag.

Zyro doesn’t have a suite of advanced marketing tools such as GoDaddy or Squarespace, for example, but the integrations Zyro does offer not only generate a lot of data for easy optimization – they also serve as a goldmine from a marketing standpoint.

Knowing customer behavior can help you tailor your campaigns based on their preferences and characteristics. Zyro can also help you establish relationships with clients or customers by setting up Messenger Live Chat or WhatsApp Live Chat to speak to them directly.

Zyro AI Writer

While creating website content, Zyro’s AI Writer tool provides creative ideas. It’s not 100% effective, but it gives a good jumping-off point, especially for small business owners who don’t have a content team to save them. By selecting topics and categories, this tool will propose ideas. Let’s say, we want to generate web copy for a massage studio – here’s what AI Writer comes up with:

There’s also an option to “Go Wild.” Type in your ideas with keywords you want to include and click the generate text button to get interesting new suggestions.

Aside from this useful feature, other out-of-the-box Zyro AI tools include:

• Slogan generator
• Business name generator
• Blog title generator
• Privacy policy generator
• Logo maker
• Heat map

While the generators work similarly to the AI web content generator, the logo maker and heat map tools are pretty innovative.

The logo maker is great for new entrepreneurs. Similar to other logo makers we’ve tested, it generates generic logo designs, which you can tweak according to your brand vision. Think: Canva. Design elements you can adjust include icon, color, font, and size.

The AI heatmap tool, on the other hand, analyzes images and suggests CTA button placement to maximize conversions. Its goal is to reduce time spent on A/B testing when you design your website.

Zyro’s heat map tool analyzing Tooltester’s homepage

These AI tools are accessible on the web and are absolutely free. However, for the heat map tool, the suggestions will be visible to you right away when you build a website with Zyro. This will save you time as you won’t have to upload screenshots for each page.

Zyro vs. Wix: Why The Comparison?

Zyro and Wix templates are both clean and crisp, but Wix features more options and a more polished design

Zyro and Wix both offer drag-and-drop editor functionality, but Zyro’s gridlock feature can get in the way of customization. Template-wise, Zyro has a lot of catching up to do. Wix has over 900 templates, while they have only 150.

There’s also a similarity in using AI (akin to Wix ADI) to generate custom templates. With a few details about your site and your design preferences, both site builders can provide suggestions tailored to your needs.

What makes Zyro a good alternative to Wix is its price. If you compare its basic plan to Wix’s Combo plan, you’ll get more value for your buck–from fun AI branding tools to unlimited storage and bandwidth. As far as basic website presence and portfolio are concerned, the Zyro website builder does an excellent job.

In terms of ecommerce functionality, Wix definitely has the upper hand. It’s got an extensive app market to expand your business tools, more room for products, better templates and customization, and a more robust platform overall. It’s got better-tiered plans geared towards business scalability.

Due to its star-studded ad campaigns, extensive app selection, and excellent ecommerce features, Wix is becoming a household name in the website building industry–especially among online store owners. So being perceived as a cheaper alternative to Wix is a huge win for Zyro.