Google Sites vs Strikingly: What are the differences?

Introduction

Google Sites and Strikingly are both popular website builders that allow users to create and customize websites without any coding or technical expertise. However, there are several key differences between the two platforms that make them unique in their own ways.

1. Hosting and Domain Name: Google Sites provides free hosting and uses a subdomain format for website URLs (sites.google.com/your-site), while Strikingly offers paid hosting and allows users to connect custom domain names to their websites.

2. Design and Customization Options: Strikingly offers a wide range of professionally designed templates and themes, with the ability to customize and personalize them extensively. On the other hand, Google Sites has a more limited selection of templates and offers basic customization options for layout and color schemes.

3. ECommerce Functionality: Unlike Google Sites, Strikingly offers built-in eCommerce functionality, allowing users to set up online stores and sell products directly from their websites. This feature is not available in Google Sites, which is primarily focused on providing a platform for sharing information and resources.

4. Blogging Capabilities: Strikingly has robust blogging capabilities, offering features such as scheduled posts, RSS feeds, and social sharing options. Google Sites, on the other hand, does not have dedicated blogging features and is more suited for static content creation.

5. Collaborative Editing: Google Sites excels in collaborative editing, as it is integrated with other Google Workspace tools such as Google Drive and Google Docs. This allows multiple users to work simultaneously and edit content in real-time. Strikingly, on the other hand, does not offer the same level of collaborative editing capabilities.

6. Mobile Optimization: Strikingly provides responsive website design, ensuring that websites created on the platform are automatically optimized for mobile devices. While Google Sites also offers mobile optimization, the options and flexibility available in Strikingly are more advanced.

In summary, Google Sites and Strikingly have key differences in terms of hosting and domain name options, design and customization choices, eCommerce functionality, blogging capabilities, collaborative editing, and mobile optimization. These factors make each platform suited for different purposes and user needs.