{"id":21139,"date":"2026-08-11T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/?p=21139"},"modified":"2026-08-07T16:10:21","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T06:10:21","slug":"wedding-website-builders-compared","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/wedding-website-builders-compared\/","title":{"rendered":"Wedding Website Builders Compared: Joy, Zola, The Knot and the Rest"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>\n#post-21139 .entry-content p,\n#post-21139 .entry-content li { font-size: 20px; line-height: 1.7; margin-bottom: 20px; }\n#post-21139 .entry-content h2 { text-transform: none !important; font-size: 34px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 1.3; margin-top: 56px; margin-bottom: 16px; }\n#post-21139 .entry-content h3 { text-transform: none !important; font-size: 22px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; line-height: 1.3; font-weight: 600; margin-top: 32px; margin-bottom: 12px; }\n#post-21139 .entry-content table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 18px; margin: 28px 0; }\n#post-21139 .entry-content th { background: #1a1a1a; color: #fff; padding: 12px 16px; text-align: left; border-bottom: 2px solid #ddd; }\n#post-21139 .entry-content td { padding: 10px 16px; border-bottom: 1px solid #eee; }\n<\/style>\n<p>Wedding website builders are free for basic use, and many couples now treat one as standard. But free does not mean no trade-offs. Platform designs range from genuinely attractive to cluttered and dated. RSVP data is yours to export on some platforms and harder to retrieve cleanly on others. A few platforms quietly require guests to create an account before they can RSVP.<\/p>\n<p>This guide covers six platforms in enough detail to make a real decision: Joy, Zola, The Knot, Minted, Squarespace, and Google Sites. For each: what it costs, what the catch is, how RSVPs work and whether you can export the data, registry integration, and design quality. At the end, there is a section the affiliate guides typically omit: when you probably do not need a wedding website at all.<\/p>\n<p>Confirm all pricing at each platform before signing up. Where prices could not be read directly from a platform&#8217;s own page, this guide uses a pointer rather than carry a stale figure.<\/p>\n<div style=\"background:#f8f6f3;border-left:4px solid #c9a96e;padding:18px 22px;margin:24px 0;\">\n<p><strong>Quick picks at a glance<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Use case<\/th>\n<th>Best pick<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Free, fewest catches<\/td>\n<td>Zola<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Best design quality (free)<\/td>\n<td>Minted<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Best design quality (paid)<\/td>\n<td>Squarespace<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Best RSVP handling, large guest list<\/td>\n<td>Zola<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Already have a registry elsewhere<\/td>\n<td>Joy<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Most powerful all-in-one free platform<\/td>\n<td>Joy or Zola<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Small wedding that barely needs a site<\/td>\n<td>Google Sites, or skip it entirely<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Pricing (July 2026): Joy, Zola, The Knot, and Minted charge nothing for core use. Custom domains: Zola lists from $17.99 per year on its domain FAQ; Joy&#8217;s help center lists around $20 per year. Squarespace has no free plan: the Basic plan is $19 per month billed annually per Squarespace&#8217;s July 2026 update. Google Sites is free.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-canon=\"cta-v1\" style=\"background:#f8f6f3;border-left:4px solid #c9a96e;padding:24px 28px;margin:40px 0;border-radius:2px;text-align:center;\">\n<strong style=\"font-size:20px;display:block;margin-bottom:12px;\">Whichever platform wins, the envelope still needs a card<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom:20px;font-size:18px;\">None of these builders put your URL in front of a guest who has not opened the mail.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/browse\/information-cards\/\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#1a1a1a;color:#fff;padding:14px 32px;text-decoration:none;font-size:16px;letter-spacing:0.5px;margin-right:12px;\">Browse information cards<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<h2>The Platforms, One by One<\/h2>\n<table style=\"width:100%;border-collapse:collapse;font-size:0.95em;\">\n<thead>\n<tr style=\"background:#1a1a1a;color:#fff;\">\n<th style=\"padding:11px 16px;text-align:left;\">Platform<\/th>\n<th style=\"padding:11px 16px;text-align:left;\">Base cost<\/th>\n<th style=\"padding:11px 16px;text-align:left;\">Custom domain<\/th>\n<th style=\"padding:11px 16px;text-align:left;\">Guest account to RSVP?<\/th>\n<th style=\"padding:11px 16px;text-align:left;\">RSVP export<\/th>\n<th style=\"padding:11px 16px;text-align:left;\">Registry lock-in<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr style=\"background:#f9f9f9;\">\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\"><strong>Joy<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\">Free<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\">Around $20\/yr via GoDaddy (Joy help center, July 2026); see withjoy.com\/pricing for premium bundles<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\">Yes, in default config<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\">CSV, free<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\">Low: supports external registries<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"background:#fff;\">\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\"><strong>Zola<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\">Free<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\">From $17.99\/yr (Zola domain FAQ, July 2026)<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\">No<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\">CSV, free<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\">Moderate: Zola registry prominently featured<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"background:#f9f9f9;\">\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\"><strong>The Knot<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\">Free<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\">Not clearly offered; free subdomain standard<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\">Not confirmed<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\">CSV, includes non-guest entries<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\">Moderate: tied to The Knot marketplace<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"background:#fff;\">\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\"><strong>Minted<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\">Free<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\">Vanity URL available; see minted.com for price (page 403&#8217;d July 2026)<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\">No<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\">CSV, free<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\">Low: links to any registry<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"background:#f9f9f9;\">\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\"><strong>Squarespace<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\">$19\/mo billed annually (per Squarespace&#8217;s July 2026 update)<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\">Free year 1; see squarespace.com for renewal rates<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\">No<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\">Form submissions only<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\">None<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"background:#fff;\">\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\"><strong>Google Sites<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\">Free<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\">None (sites.google.com URL)<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\">No<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\">Via embedded Google Form<\/td>\n<td style=\"padding:11px 16px;\">None<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<figure style=\"margin:28px 0;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blogcdn.paperlust.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/tof-fix-21139-p1-1785774156.jpg\" alt=\"A split-screen showing two wedding website templates side by side, one with a clean minimalist design and one with a busier layout.\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" data-tof-sid=\"52c439f6\" data-tof-lane=\"RENDER\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:2px;\" \/><\/figure>\n<h3>Joy<\/h3>\n<p><strong>What it costs:<\/strong> Free for the website, RSVP, guest list, and registry tools. Joy earns through its own registry marketplace, so if you use their registry, you are the product.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The catch:<\/strong> In the default setup, guests are prompted to create a Joy account before they can RSVP. For tech-comfortable guests this is minor friction; for older relatives, it is a real barrier. Joy offers a guest-entry mode that bypasses this, but it requires enabling it and pre-loading your guest list.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RSVP and data:<\/strong> Full CSV export of guest names, RSVP status, meal choices, and custom questions. Free and built in.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Custom domain:<\/strong> Around $20 per year, purchased through Joy via GoDaddy (Joy help center, July 2026). Premium bundles are also listed at withjoy.com\/pricing.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Design:<\/strong> Clean and contemporary. Good template variety, easy to customize. Premium designs available as a paid add-on.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Best for:<\/strong> Couples who want a free all-in-one hub and are comfortable with setup.<\/p>\n<h3>Zola<\/h3>\n<p><strong>What it costs:<\/strong> Free for the website, RSVP, and registry. Custom domain from $17.99 per year (Zola domain FAQ, July 2026). <a href=\"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/browse\/wedding-seating-chart\/\">Seating chart<\/a> and guest texting are available as paid add-ons; check zola.com for current prices.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The catch:<\/strong> Zola is a registry platform first. The registry integration is strong if you use Zola for gifts and less useful otherwise.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RSVP and data:<\/strong> Guests do not need an account to RSVP. RSVP data exports cleanly to CSV from the desktop version.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Design:<\/strong> Modern, well-designed templates that Zola has kept current.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Best for:<\/strong> Couples also using Zola for their registry, or who want the clearest guest RSVP experience.<\/p>\n<h3>The Knot<\/h3>\n<p><strong>What it costs:<\/strong> Free. The business model is vendor advertising, not subscriptions.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The catch:<\/strong> The platform experience is surrounded by vendor advertising. Templates lag Joy and Zola in visual quality. The guest list export includes registry contacts, vendor entries, and test RSVPs in the same file, so the CSV needs cleaning before it goes to a caterer or venue.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RSVP and data:<\/strong> CSV export from the guest list manager; filter for real guests before using it. Guest account requirements were not consistently confirmed as of July 2026; test the flow before sending your URL.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Custom domain:<\/strong> The Knot provides a free subdomain (theknot.com\/us\/yournames). A standalone custom domain is not clearly advertised.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Design:<\/strong> Serviceable but not impressive. Joy, Zola, or Minted are better choices if design matters.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Best for:<\/strong> Couples already in The Knot&#8217;s planning ecosystem.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"margin:28px 0;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blogcdn.paperlust.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/tof-fix-21139-p2-1785895352.jpg\" alt=\"A woman holding a printed Paperlust wedding invitation beside a phone showing the couple's wedding website.\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" data-tof-sid=\"0123ef16\" data-tof-lane=\"EDIT\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:2px;\" \/><\/figure>\n<h3>Minted<\/h3>\n<p><strong>What it costs:<\/strong> Free for the core website, RSVP, and multi-event management. Minted offers a custom vanity URL, a premium feature upgrade, and a fully custom artwork website designed with a Minted artist, each at separate price points. Minted&#8217;s product pages returned 403 errors in July 2026; check minted.com for current pricing on each option.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The catch:<\/strong> Minted is a stationery marketplace first. Its wedding website is genuinely good, but exists partly to keep couples in the Minted ecosystem for printed stationery.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RSVP and data:<\/strong> Multi-event RSVP (separate invitations for ceremony, rehearsal dinner, welcome drinks). Guest data exports as CSV.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Design:<\/strong> The strongest category here. Templates are designed by independent artists and stand out from the generic output of other free platforms.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Best for:<\/strong> Design-focused couples who want a free site that does not look like every other wedding website.<\/p>\n<h3>Squarespace<\/h3>\n<p><strong>What it costs:<\/strong> $19 per month billed annually ($228 per year) for the Basic plan, per Squarespace&#8217;s July 2026 pricing update; verify at squarespace.com\/pricing before signing up. Year one includes a free custom domain; check squarespace.com for current domain renewal rates. No free plan, only a 14-day free trial.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The catch:<\/strong> Real money for a site live for 12 to 18 months. The wedding-specific platforms above are free and, for a straightforward wedding site, nearly as capable. Squarespace makes sense if you already have an account or need design control the others cannot match.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RSVP and data:<\/strong> Form blocks, not a dedicated RSVP system. Responses go to email or Google Sheets. No guest list management or native registry integration.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Design:<\/strong> The best of any platform here if you are willing to put in setup time.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Best for:<\/strong> Couples who want premium design and full control and are comfortable paying.<\/p>\n<h3>Google Sites (the genuinely free option)<\/h3>\n<p>Google Sites is free indefinitely and requires no subscription. The trade-off: no RSVP tools, registry integration, photo galleries, or wedding-specific features. Add ceremony details, venue address, a Google Map, accommodation suggestions, and a registry link. For RSVPs, embed a Google Form and responses go automatically to Google Sheets.<\/p>\n<p>Not pretty by default, but for a couple who only needs a URL on their invitation for guests to check venue details, it is completely functional.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Best for:<\/strong> Couples who need a basic information page, not a planning hub.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"margin:28px 0;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blogcdn.paperlust.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/tof-fix-21139-p3-1785895359.jpg\" alt=\"A Paperlust wedding invitation suite laid out on marble in hard afternoon light.\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" data-tof-sid=\"ae929916\" data-tof-lane=\"EDIT\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:2px;\" \/><\/figure>\n<div data-canon=\"cta-v1\" style=\"background:#f8f6f3;border-left:4px solid #c9a96e;padding:24px 28px;margin:40px 0;border-radius:2px;text-align:center;\">\n<strong style=\"font-size:20px;display:block;margin-bottom:12px;\">The one thing no website does is seat people on the night<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom:20px;font-size:18px;\">A printed chart at the door is still the fastest way in.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/browse\/wedding-seating-chart\/\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#1a1a1a;color:#fff;padding:14px 32px;text-decoration:none;font-size:16px;letter-spacing:0.5px;margin-right:12px;\">Browse seating charts<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<h2>When You Do Not Need a Wedding Website<\/h2>\n<p>This is the question the affiliate guides do not ask. Many couples do not need one.<\/p>\n<p>Consider skipping it if:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Your guest count is under 50 to 60 people<\/li>\n<li>Most guests are local, with no accommodation logistics to coordinate<\/li>\n<li>The ceremony and reception are at the same venue<\/li>\n<li>You are comfortable collecting RSVPs via phone, text, or reply card<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If those conditions fit, a well-designed <a href=\"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/browse\/information-cards\/\">information card<\/a> in the invitation envelope handles everything guests need. Dress code, parking, accommodation suggestions, and a phone number for questions fit on a single card. RSVP cards sent in the envelope give guests a tangible, easy way to respond without needing a phone or a website.<\/p>\n<p>A physical details card also solves the day-of information problem: ceremony time, reception address, and anything else guests need are in their hands before the wedding, not dependent on phone signal at the venue.<\/p>\n<p>If you do build a website, our guide on <a href=\"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/wedding-website-what-to-include\/\">what to include on your wedding website<\/a> covers what guests actually look for, what to put on the page, and what to leave out.<\/p>\n<div data-canon=\"cta-v1\" style=\"background:#f8f6f3;border-left:4px solid #c9a96e;padding:24px 28px;margin:40px 0;border-radius:2px;text-align:center;\">\n<strong style=\"font-size:20px;display:block;margin-bottom:12px;\">Platform chosen. Print the piece that points to it.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom:20px;font-size:18px;\">Information cards carrying your website URL, personalized online. The $5 sample pack puts seven designs and an envelope in your hands, including real foil and letterpress, so you judge paper and finish off a screen.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/browse\/information-cards\/\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#1a1a1a;color:#fff;padding:14px 32px;text-decoration:none;font-size:16px;letter-spacing:0.5px;margin-right:12px;\">Browse information cards<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/get-samples\/\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:transparent;color:#1a1a1a;padding:14px 32px;text-decoration:none;font-size:16px;letter-spacing:0.5px;border:1px solid #1a1a1a;\">Order a $5 sample pack<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n<h3>Is a wedding website actually free?<\/h3>\n<p>For Joy, Zola, The Knot, and Minted, the core website is free with no time limit. Custom domain pricing varies: Zola lists from $17.99 per year; Joy lists around $20 per year. Squarespace is not free: $19 per month billed annually as of July 2026. Confirm pricing at each platform before signing up.<\/p>\n<h3>Do guests need to create an account to RSVP?<\/h3>\n<p>On Zola and Minted, no. Guests visit the URL and enter their name to respond. On Joy in its default configuration, guests are prompted to create an account, which adds friction for older relatives. Joy has a guest-entry mode that removes this but requires extra setup. The Knot&#8217;s account requirement was not consistently confirmed as of July 2026; test it before sending your URL.<\/p>\n<h3>Can I take my RSVP data out of these platforms?<\/h3>\n<p>Yes, on all of the main platforms. Joy, Zola, The Knot, and Minted all export guest and RSVP data as CSV files. The Knot&#8217;s export requires cleaning: it includes non-guest entries (vendor contacts, registry contacts) in the same file. Squarespace data goes to Google Sheets or email notifications.<\/p>\n<h3>What if I want a real domain name for my wedding website?<\/h3>\n<p>Zola lists from $17.99 per year on its domain FAQ (July 2026). Joy&#8217;s help center lists around $20 per year via GoDaddy (July 2026). Minted offers a custom vanity URL at an additional cost; check minted.com for current pricing. Squarespace includes a free domain in year one; check squarespace.com for renewal rates. Confirm all prices before signing up.<\/p>\n<h3>What should I put on the wedding website?<\/h3>\n<p>The essentials: venue name and address, ceremony start time, RSVP instructions, registry link, accommodation suggestions for out-of-town guests, and dress code if it is not obvious. Our full guide on <a href=\"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/wedding-website-what-to-include\/\">what to include on your wedding website<\/a> covers each section in detail, including what to leave out.<\/p>\n<h3>Is it bad etiquette to skip the wedding website?<\/h3>\n<p>No. Wedding websites are a convenience, not a requirement. For a small or local wedding where you communicate directly with nearly all guests, a printed <a href=\"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/browse\/information-cards\/\">information card<\/a> in the invitation envelope covers the same ground more reliably. There is no etiquette rule that requires a website.<\/p>\n<div style=\"margin:34px 0 8px;\">\n<h2>Related guides<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/online-rsvp-vs-paper-rsvp-cards\/\">Online RSVP or Paper RSVP Cards? Use Both, Here Is How<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/wedding-website-what-to-include\/\">Wedding Websites: What to Include, and What Still Has to Go on Paper<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/who-to-invite-bridal-shower\/\">Who to Invite to the Bridal Shower<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n  \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n  \"mainEntity\": [\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Question\",\n      \"name\": \"Is a wedding website actually free?\",\n      \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n        \"text\": \"For Joy, Zola, The Knot, and Minted, the core website is free with no time limit. Custom domain pricing varies: Zola lists from $17.99 per year; Joy lists around $20 per year. Squarespace is not free: $19 per month billed annually as of July 2026. Confirm pricing at each platform before signing up.\"\n      }\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Question\",\n      \"name\": \"Do guests need to create an account to RSVP?\",\n      \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n        \"text\": \"On Zola and Minted, no. Guests visit the URL and enter their name to respond. On Joy in its default configuration, guests are prompted to create an account, which adds friction for older relatives. Joy has a guest-entry mode that removes this but requires extra setup. The Knot's account requirement was not consistently confirmed as of July 2026; test it before sending your URL.\"\n      }\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Question\",\n      \"name\": \"Can I take my RSVP data out of these platforms?\",\n      \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n        \"text\": \"Yes, on all of the main platforms. Joy, Zola, The Knot, and Minted all export guest and RSVP data as CSV files. The Knot's export requires cleaning: it includes non-guest entries (vendor contacts, registry contacts) in the same file. Squarespace data goes to Google Sheets or email notifications.\"\n      }\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Question\",\n      \"name\": \"What if I want a real domain name for my wedding website?\",\n      \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n        \"text\": \"Zola lists from $17.99 per year on its domain FAQ (July 2026). Joy's help center lists around $20 per year via GoDaddy (July 2026). Minted offers a custom vanity URL at an additional cost; check minted.com for current pricing. Squarespace includes a free domain in year one; check squarespace.com for renewal rates. Confirm all prices before signing up.\"\n      }\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Question\",\n      \"name\": \"What should I put on the wedding website?\",\n      \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n        \"text\": \"The essentials: venue name and address, ceremony start time, RSVP instructions, registry link, accommodation suggestions for out-of-town guests, and dress code if it is not obvious. Our full guide on what to include on your wedding website covers each section in detail, including what to leave out.\"\n      }\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Question\",\n      \"name\": \"Is it bad etiquette to skip the wedding website?\",\n      \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n        \"text\": \"No. Wedding websites are a convenience, not a requirement. For a small or local wedding where you communicate directly with nearly all guests, a printed information card in the invitation envelope covers the same ground more reliably. There is no etiquette rule that requires a website.\"\n      }\n    }\n  ]\n}\n<\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Wedding website builders are free for basic use, and many couples now treat one as standard. But free does not mean no trade-offs. Platform designs range&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":21608,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[131,91],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21139","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wedding-ideas","category-weddings"],"yoast_metadesc":"","yoast_title":"","yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Wedding Website Builders Compared: Joy, Zola, The Knot and the Rest - Paperlust<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/wedding-website-builders-compared\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Wedding Website Builders Compared: Joy, Zola, The Knot and the Rest - Paperlust\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Wedding website builders are free for basic use, and many couples now treat one as standard. But free does not mean no trade-offs. Platform designs range...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/wedding-website-builders-compared\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Paperlust\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/paperlust.co\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-08-11T00:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/blogcdn.paperlust.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/tof-fix-21139-p0-1785774148.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"720\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Alex Boston\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Alex Boston\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/paperlust.co\\\/blog\\\/wedding-website-builders-compared\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/paperlust.co\\\/blog\\\/wedding-website-builders-compared\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Alex Boston\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/paperlust.co\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/201134d75810f08cc1308e9c0e30f1bf\"},\"headline\":\"Wedding Website Builders Compared: Joy, Zola, The Knot and the Rest\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-11T00:00:00+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/paperlust.co\\\/blog\\\/wedding-website-builders-compared\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1895,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/paperlust.co\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/paperlust.co\\\/blog\\\/wedding-website-builders-compared\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogcdn.paperlust.co\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/tof-fix-21139-p0-1785774148.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Wedding Ideas\",\"Weddings\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/paperlust.co\\\/blog\\\/wedding-website-builders-compared\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/paperlust.co\\\/blog\\\/wedding-website-builders-compared\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/paperlust.co\\\/blog\\\/wedding-website-builders-compared\\\/\",\"name\":\"Wedding Website Builders Compared: Joy, Zola, The Knot and the Rest - Paperlust\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/paperlust.co\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/paperlust.co\\\/blog\\\/wedding-website-builders-compared\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/paperlust.co\\\/blog\\\/wedding-website-builders-compared\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogcdn.paperlust.co\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/tof-fix-21139-p0-1785774148.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-11T00:00:00+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/paperlust.co\\\/blog\\\/wedding-website-builders-compared\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/paperlust.co\\\/blog\\\/wedding-website-builders-compared\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/paperlust.co\\\/blog\\\/wedding-website-builders-compared\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogcdn.paperlust.co\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/tof-fix-21139-p0-1785774148.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogcdn.paperlust.co\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/tof-fix-21139-p0-1785774148.jpg\",\"width\":1080,\"height\":720,\"caption\":\"A couple sitting together at a kitchen table, laptop open to a wedding website builder with a draft site visible.\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/paperlust.co\\\/blog\\\/wedding-website-builders-compared\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/paperlust.co\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Wedding Website Builders Compared: Joy, Zola, The Knot and the Rest\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/paperlust.co\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/paperlust.co\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"Paperlust\",\"description\":\"Custom invitation and card design by the best Australian designers\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/paperlust.co\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/paperlust.co\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/paperlust.co\\\/blog\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Paperlust\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/paperlust.co\\\/blog\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/paperlust.co\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogcdn.paperlust.co\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2016\\\/08\\\/logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogcdn.paperlust.co\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2016\\\/08\\\/logo.png\",\"width\":500,\"height\":126,\"caption\":\"Paperlust\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/paperlust.co\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/paperlust.co\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/paperlust.co\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/paperlust\",\"https:\\\/\\\/au.pinterest.com\\\/paperlust_co\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/channel\\\/UC63hk01qlytKexFNqG5RJKw\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/paperlust.co\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/201134d75810f08cc1308e9c0e30f1bf\",\"name\":\"Alex Boston\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/ee84b673d050e1e163f7105a80243e6bdc089ff4c43305c1ae7c0541f093f3d3?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/ee84b673d050e1e163f7105a80243e6bdc089ff4c43305c1ae7c0541f093f3d3?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/ee84b673d050e1e163f7105a80243e6bdc089ff4c43305c1ae7c0541f093f3d3?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Alex Boston\"},\"description\":\"Hi! I'm Alex one of the co-founders of Paperlust.\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/paperlust.co\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/alex-boston\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Wedding Website Builders Compared: Joy, Zola, The Knot and the Rest - Paperlust","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/wedding-website-builders-compared\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Wedding Website Builders Compared: Joy, Zola, The Knot and the Rest - Paperlust","og_description":"Wedding website builders are free for basic use, and many couples now treat one as standard. But free does not mean no trade-offs. Platform designs range...","og_url":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/wedding-website-builders-compared\/","og_site_name":"Paperlust","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/paperlust.co\/","article_published_time":"2026-08-11T00:00:00+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1080,"height":720,"url":"https:\/\/blogcdn.paperlust.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/tof-fix-21139-p0-1785774148.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Alex Boston","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Alex Boston","Est. reading time":"9 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/wedding-website-builders-compared\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/wedding-website-builders-compared\/"},"author":{"name":"Alex Boston","@id":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/201134d75810f08cc1308e9c0e30f1bf"},"headline":"Wedding Website Builders Compared: Joy, Zola, The Knot and the Rest","datePublished":"2026-08-11T00:00:00+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/wedding-website-builders-compared\/"},"wordCount":1895,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/wedding-website-builders-compared\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/blogcdn.paperlust.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/tof-fix-21139-p0-1785774148.jpg","articleSection":["Wedding Ideas","Weddings"],"inLanguage":"en-AU","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/wedding-website-builders-compared\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/wedding-website-builders-compared\/","url":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/wedding-website-builders-compared\/","name":"Wedding Website Builders Compared: Joy, Zola, The Knot and the Rest - Paperlust","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/wedding-website-builders-compared\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/wedding-website-builders-compared\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/blogcdn.paperlust.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/tof-fix-21139-p0-1785774148.jpg","datePublished":"2026-08-11T00:00:00+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/wedding-website-builders-compared\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-AU","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/wedding-website-builders-compared\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-AU","@id":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/wedding-website-builders-compared\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/blogcdn.paperlust.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/tof-fix-21139-p0-1785774148.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/blogcdn.paperlust.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/tof-fix-21139-p0-1785774148.jpg","width":1080,"height":720,"caption":"A couple sitting together at a kitchen table, laptop open to a wedding website builder with a draft site visible."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/wedding-website-builders-compared\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Wedding Website Builders Compared: Joy, Zola, The Knot and the Rest"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/","name":"Paperlust","description":"Custom invitation and card design by the best Australian designers","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-AU"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/#organization","name":"Paperlust","url":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-AU","@id":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/blogcdn.paperlust.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/blogcdn.paperlust.co\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/logo.png","width":500,"height":126,"caption":"Paperlust"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/paperlust.co\/","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/paperlust.co\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/paperlust","https:\/\/au.pinterest.com\/paperlust_co\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UC63hk01qlytKexFNqG5RJKw"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/201134d75810f08cc1308e9c0e30f1bf","name":"Alex Boston","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-AU","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ee84b673d050e1e163f7105a80243e6bdc089ff4c43305c1ae7c0541f093f3d3?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ee84b673d050e1e163f7105a80243e6bdc089ff4c43305c1ae7c0541f093f3d3?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ee84b673d050e1e163f7105a80243e6bdc089ff4c43305c1ae7c0541f093f3d3?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Alex Boston"},"description":"Hi! I'm Alex one of the co-founders of Paperlust.","url":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/author\/alex-boston\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21139","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21139"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21139\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22400,"href":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21139\/revisions\/22400"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21608"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21139"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21139"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paperlust.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21139"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}