Best Site for Portfolio Website
Summary
The best portfolio site depends on what you do. Cargo remains the designer favorite for its editorial layouts and reputation among art directors. Webflow gives non-designers designer-grade output with visual development. Squarespace is the polished mainstream pick. For developers, Astro or Next.js self-hosted on Cloudflare Pages costs nothing and signals competence. Read.cv was a strong text-first portfolio platform but was acquired by Perplexity in 2024 with uncertain direction since. Most listicles default to Squarespace; we acknowledge that what hiring designers expect to see depends on the industry.
Top 5 at a glance
| # | Site | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cargo | Designer portfolios with editorial-grade layouts | Subscription pricing |
| 2 | Webflow | Visual development for non-coders with professional output | Free tier for portfolio with Webflow subdomain; paid for custom domain |
| 3 | Self-hosted (Astro, Next.js on Cloudflare Pages) | Developers who want full control at zero ongoing cost | Free with Cloudflare Pages hosting |
| 4 | Squarespace | Polished mainstream builder with strong templates | Subscription pricing |
| 5 | Notion Sites | Writers and product builders who already use Notion | Included with Notion paid tiers |
Detailed rankings
Cargo
Designer portfolios with editorial-grade layouts
The default for graphic designers, art directors, and visual artists. The Cargo aesthetic is part of the implicit credential.
Pros
- Long-running designer favorite with recognized aesthetic
- Editorial layouts that feel like designed publications
- Strong typography defaults
- Custom domain support
Cons
- Subscription model
- Less suited for code-heavy developer portfolios
- Templates can feel constrained for non-traditional work
Price: Subscription pricing
Sources: cargo.site
Webflow
Visual development for non-coders with professional output
The right pick for non-designers who want polished output and willing to invest learning time. The visual tool produces real code.
Pros
- Visual development produces professional code-quality output
- Free hosting on Webflow subdomain
- Strong CMS for project management within the site
- No-code but exports clean HTML/CSS
Cons
- Custom domain requires paid plan
- Steeper learning curve than template-based builders
- Pricing climbs for advanced features
Price: Free tier for portfolio with Webflow subdomain; paid for custom domain
Sources: webflow.com
Self-hosted (Astro, Next.js on Cloudflare Pages)
Developers who want full control at zero ongoing cost
The default for developers. Hiring managers see the code itself as part of the portfolio.
Pros
- Free hosting on Cloudflare Pages — see our static site hosting ranking
- Full control over code and design
- Signals competence for developer roles
- No vendor lock-in
Cons
- Requires development skill
- Maintenance is your responsibility
- Initial setup more time than template builders
Price: Free with Cloudflare Pages hosting
Sources: astro.build, pages.cloudflare.com
Squarespace
Polished mainstream builder with strong templates
The right pick when you want a polished site without learning anything beyond template customization. Fine but uninspiring.
Pros
- Polished templates suitable for many use cases
- Custom domain included on paid plans
- Strong e-commerce features if you want them
- Reliable hosting infrastructure
Cons
- Templates can feel generic without significant customization
- Subscription cost adds up over years
- Less differentiated for design-specific portfolios than Cargo
Price: Subscription pricing
Sources: www.squarespace.com
Notion Sites
Writers and product builders who already use Notion
Underrated for writers, product people, and anyone wanting a low-friction portfolio that lives where they work.
Pros
- If you already use Notion for work, sharing pages as a site is one click
- Strong for writing-heavy portfolios
- Polished mobile experience by default
- Easy to update as projects evolve
Cons
- Less control over design than dedicated portfolio tools
- Notion branding affects perception in some industries
- Performance lags pure static sites
Price: Included with Notion paid tiers
Sources: www.notion.so
How we chose
- Output quality at the templates available — does it actually look professional?
- Suitability for your field — designers, developers, photographers, writers have different expectations.
- Pricing relative to features.
- Custom domain support included.
- Loading performance — portfolios that take seconds to load lose visitors.
- Data portability — can you leave with your work intact?
Frequently asked questions
How important is the portfolio domain name?
Important. Your own .com (or country TLD) signals professionalism. A subdomain on a builder's free tier signals you didn't invest. The cost is small — buy your name at Porkbun or similar (see our domain registrar ranking) and use any builder.
What should I include?
Two to four best projects with case study depth. About page with one paragraph about you. Contact method. Resume link or download. Less is more — recruiters spend seconds. Curate ruthlessly.
Do I need a portfolio for non-design jobs?
Increasingly yes for product, engineering, and marketing roles. Even a simple landing page with your name and current work signals more than no online presence. The bar is low — having any well-presented online presence puts you ahead of most applicants.
Should I use a fancy template?
For most fields, clean and fast wins over flashy. A simple, well-typeset site that loads in under a second tells a hiring manager you understand what matters. Heavy designs with hero animations are appropriate only for certain creative fields.
Where should I host my portfolio?
Cloudflare Pages, Netlify, or Vercel free tiers handle most portfolio traffic indefinitely. See our static site hosting ranking. For non-developers, the builders above handle hosting as part of the subscription.