When choosing a website builder, most people tend to focus on the cost and ease of use. But while these are crucial, it’s important to also consider the security provided to your website.
The website builder will also host your website, so it’s your first line of defense from the ever-growing security threats in today’s world.
In this guide, we’ll break down why website security is crucial for everyone, the features that a secure website builder provides, and the brand that stands out as the best website builder for keeping your site safe in 2025.
This is important as it will help ensure that your website is protected with measures that go beyond a simple password and an SSL/TLS certificate.
TL;DR
- Over 40% of cyberattacks target small businesses, highlighting the urgent need for robust site protection.
- Costs from breaches can range from $120,000 to $1.25 million, making proactive security essential for financial stability.
- Essential security features include SSL encryption, DDoS protection, and automated updates to safeguard against modern attacks.
Why Website Security Is More Critical Than Ever
Before we look at specific platforms or security features, it’s important to understand why cybersecurity is a pressing issue for small businesses in 2025.
Escalating Cyber Threats: From Ransomware to Automated Bot Attacks
Not long ago, we all assumed that cybercriminals focused on big businesses as they can reap big with a single attack. However, that has changed. Significantly. According to the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP), over 40% of cyberattacks target SMBs.
This is because cyberattacks have become significantly easier to carry out due to automation and AI. It’s no longer a case of a single hacker manually probing your site.
Instead, bot networks scan millions of websites daily, looking for vulnerabilities. Ransomware and phishing attacks are also increasingly targeting small businesses as they are likely to pay quickly to regain access.
Rising Financial and Operational Impact of Breaches
Cyberattacks are quite expensive, with the cost for small businesses ranging between $120,000 and $1.25m in 2025. Beyond the direct costs like ransoms, the costs quickly rise to this level due to legal fees, data recovery, lost sales, and potential fines.
Even without serious breaches, DDoS attacks can take out most small business websites, leading to a significant loss in traffic and sales. Customers can also lose trust in your business, which can then tank the operations or take years (and a big budget) to rebuild.
Search Engines Penalize Insecure Websites
Beyond stopping hackers, website security helps ensure you stay visible online. First, Google and other search engines factor security into rankings. If your site doesn’t have HTTPs, it will be ranked low and marked as “Not Secure.”
Beyond that, search engines also blacklist infected websites, which could mean wiping out traffic overnight. This isn’t a risk any business, regardless of the size, should take.
What Makes a Website Builder Secure?
Every website builder you’ll come across promises “secure” hosting. But before you select one, it’s important to understand the level of security as it goes beyond a free SSL certificate.
Essential Security Features: SSL, DDoS Protection & Firewalls
At a minimum, every website should have SSL/TLS encryption by default, which turns a site into an HTTPS domain. Besides avoiding being flagged as “Not Secure,” the encryption ensures that every piece of data that users provide is encrypted in transit.
But this isn’t enough, even as a basic security feature. There are still other, more complicated threats, like DDoS, that you need to deal with. If not, it can flood your site with fake traffic and take it offline.
You should have a Web Application Firewall (WAF). It helps provide security by blocking common attacks like SQL injections or cross-site scripting (XSS).
Automated Security Patching and Vulnerability Management
Most breaches that happen aren’t a result of previously unknown vulnerabilities. In most cases, they result from issues that have already been discovered and addressed, but are still presented in older software versions.
The problem is that patching every plugin, server update, and platform module can be time-consuming. And in most cases, this is not considered a priority by small businesses.
Instead of leaving these updates to users, the best website builders take a more proactive, automated approach. When updates are available, they are immediately rolled out to all users, which reduces the window of exploitation.
Hardened Hosting Infrastructure and Data Encryption
Website security starts deep in the hosting environment. Although you have no control over this, you should still evaluate the hosting provider’s systems. A trustworthy builder uses a hardened infrastructure, which typically includes:
- Redundant data centers and failover systems
- Intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDPS)
- Data encryption at every stage.
These are especially important for businesses that handle sensitive customer information or run ecommerce operations.
Top Secure Website Builders in 2025
Here’s a look at the top 3 standout website builders.
Wix – The Best Protected Website Builder for Non-technical users
Wix stands out as the best-protected website builder as it builds security into every layer. It uses a signature approach based on machine learning to detect pattern changes and suspicious activity, which ensures that signs of account, data, and site misuse are blocked before they are fully active.
Apart from that, one of the best things about using the platform is that it makes compliance easy. The company ensures that its infrastructure is aligned with the different regulatory frameworks, which means that small businesses and solo creators will have an easy time ensuring they are compliant.
Pros:
- A very intuitive interface
- AI-driven threat monitoring
- Automated security patches
- Built-in strong privacy law alignment
- Rich web store features
- 24/7 monitoring
Squarespace – Reliable Security for Design-Focused Sites
Squarespace also offers some well-polished templates and tools that work well for beginners, and the builder has a reputation for being secure. First, SSL/TLS encryption is provided by default, which is great for protecting data in transit.
Apart from that, Squarespace has an enterprise-grade infrastructure that’s complete with redundant data centers and can protect your site from DDoS attacks. Security is also handled automatically, so you won’t have to deal with manual updates. However, unlike Wix, there’s no AI threat analysis, although you still get AI features.
Pros:
- SSL/TLS encryption by default
- Enterprise-grade hosting with redundancy and load balancing
- Built-in DDoS mitigation
- Automatic updates
- and secure infrastructure monitoring
Shopify – Best For Scalable Ecommerce Security
Shopify is more of a fully hosted ecommerce, so its security architecture is also built with online transactions in mind. This means that when you create a site with them, it’s fully compliant, and you can count on the platform for the highest level of security.
The platform offers built-in fraud analysis for orders alongside DDoS and data is also backed up across multiple redundant sites. However, it’s not suited for purely content-driven sites, so it’s only recommended for ecommerce sites.
Customization is also limited outside the ecosystem, but you won’t have to deal with the better chunk of security and compliance.
Pros:
- PCI DSS Level 1 compliance for all sites
- Built-in SSL/TLS encryption
- Built-in fraud analysis
- Automated updates
- DDoS protection
Extra Steps to Strengthen Your Site’s Security
There are still additional measures each website owner should take to ensure maximum protection.
- Set up 2FA and limit permissions.
- Schedule regular backups.
- Enable Content Security Policies (CSPs), especially if your site handles sensitive data.
- Set up rate limiting to block automated abuse.
- Run periodic security audits using trusted third-party tools or services.
Which Website Builder Should You Choose
All three of these platforms offer solid built-in security. But when it comes to the choice, it’s more about what you want to do and the control you want to have.
Wix works best if you are looking for an all-in-one solution where you also get automated security. Squarespace is good if you are more on the design aesthetics side, while Shopify is the strongest for online stores.
WordPress is also a good alternative, although it works best with custom themes and addons, less so on the managed security aspect.
Before making your decision, consider the kind of site, the sensitivity of your data, and how much you are prepared to manage. This will let you balance your current and future business needs, saving you money in the long run.
FAQ
Why is website security important for small businesses in 2025?
Website security is crucial for small businesses in 2025 due to the alarming rise in cyberattacks targeting this segment. Reports indicate that over 40% of cyberattacks now focus on small businesses, which are often seen as easier targets.
The financial consequences of a breach can be severe, ranging from $120,000 to $1.25 million, encompassing various costs such as ransom, legal fees, and lost sales.
Furthermore, insecure websites can suffer from reduced visibility on search engines, as they may be penalized or blacklisted, leading to significant drops in traffic.
What are essential security features to look for in a website builder?
When selecting a website builder, essential security features to consider include:
1. SSL/TLS encryption, which ensures that data is securely transmitted and helps avoid being marked as ‘Not Secure’;
2. DDoS protection to prevent overwhelming your site with fake traffic;
3. A Web Application Firewall (WAF) that blocks common threats like SQL injections or XSS;
4. Automated security patching to address vulnerabilities quickly; and
5. Hardened hosting infrastructure, which includes redundancy and data encryption, protecting sensitive information.
What additional steps can website owners take to enhance security beyond choosing a secure builder?
In addition to using a secure website builder, website owners can enhance their site’s security by implementing two-factor authentication (2FA) and setting permission limits, scheduling regular backups, enabling Content Security Policies (CSPs), and instituting rate limiting to prevent automated abuse.
Periodic security audits using trusted third-party tools or services are also recommended to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities.
