You don't need to know any code to build a website with EverWeb. You drag text, pictures and buttons onto a page, and EverWeb turns them into a website. This guide takes you from the free download to a live website, one step at a time.
1. Download the free trial
Download EverWeb for Mac or Windows. The trial is the full app with no time limit. Only publishing is switched off, and nothing you build is lost when you buy. See What are the trial/free demo limitations of EverWeb?.
2. Plan your pages
Write a list of four to six pages, such as Home, About, Services, Gallery and Contact. Gather your text and photos in one folder.
3. Choose a template
In the Projects window (titled Welcome to EverWeb), click Create a new website. The Theme Template Chooser opens, with over 200 designs. Use the filter at the top left to show Fixed Width or Responsive templates, pick a theme, choose a page style on the right and click Select. If EverWeb asks whether to use the theme's Google Fonts, say yes. To start from nothing, choose Blank or Blank Responsive.
4. Choose how your pages fit phones
Decide this before you build, because changing it later can rearrange your design.
| Fixed width (Centered Layout) | Responsive | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Place things anywhere, as in iWeb | One page that rearranges itself to fit every screen |
| Phones | Add a separate page for phones (a Mobile Page) | Built in |
| Best for | iWeb users, and anyone who wants exact placement | New websites that should look good on every screen |
| Learn | My website looks wrong on a phone: how mobile works in EverWeb | Build a responsive page with Containers so it stacks neatly on a phone, and the Allow free dragging option |
5. Make a Master Page
Put your logo, navigation menu and footer on a Master Page, and attach it to every page. Change it once and every page updates. See Put the same header, menu and footer on every page with a Master Page.
6. Add your pages and menu
- Click Add Page for each page, choosing a page style from the same theme.
- For each page, go to Inspector > Page Settings and set Navigation Menu Display Name (the word in the menu) and File Name (the end of its web address). Otherwise every new page can show as Home.
- Your navigation menu lists your pages for you. To leave a page out, untick Include page in navigation menu.
7. Add your content
- Text and photos: drag them onto the page. Photos are kept in the Assets list: see Replace an image or PDF everywhere at once, and clear out files you no longer use (the Assets list).
- Links and buttons: see How to link to another page, a website, an email address, a phone number, a PDF, or a section of a page.
- Video or a map: draw a shape, go to Inspector > Shape Options, and set its Fill to Video or Map. See How do I add a video, a background video or music to my EverWeb website? and Add a Google Map to your website.
- A contact form: use Contact Form Advanced. It sends only from your published website, so test it after you publish: see How do I use my own SMTP (outgoing mail) settings with my contact form?.
8. Preview on your computer and phone
Click Preview to see your website in your browser. To see it on your phone, choose Preview QR Code and scan the code with your phone's camera, with the phone on the same Wi-Fi as your computer.
9. Keep a backup
Your website's editable copy (your project file) is saved only on your computer, not online. Back it up: in the Projects window, click the three dots next to your website (the arrow on Windows) and choose Make Backup. See Where is my website? Your live site and your project file.
10. Buy and publish
| EverWeb Standalone | EverWeb + Hosting | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $89.95 USD once, with the first year of updates and support | From $99.95 USD a year |
| Includes | The app. You publish to a web host you already have | The app, updates, support, hosting and email |
See EverWeb Standalone or EverWeb + Hosting: what's the difference, and which should I choose?. After you buy:
- Sign in: EverWeb > Settings > Account on a Mac, or Edit > Options > Account on Windows.
- Go to File > Edit Publishing Settings and set Publish To: EverWeb for EverWeb + Hosting, or your host's FTP details for Standalone.
- The first time, choose File > Publish Entire Site. After that, Publish sends only what changed: see What's the difference between Publish and Publish Entire Site?.
11. Connect your domain and email
- Point your domain to EverWeb Hosting: Point your domain to EverWeb Hosting (update nameservers / DNS). It can take up to 48 hours, usually within 6.
- Create addresses such as [email protected]: Create an email address with your own domain (EverWeb + Hosting).
- Help people find you: Why can't people find my website on Google?.
Where to get help
- The video tutorials, also under Learn how to use EverWeb in the Projects window.
- The user manual: see Is there a PDF manual for EverWeb?.
- Contact support by ticket. EverWeb + Hosting also includes phone support.
- Moving an existing website? We can rebuild it in EverWeb for you: see Convert your website to EverWeb: move any website and get a no-obligation quote.