Putting Jimdo to the Test A Super Speedy Website Solution?

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Robert Brandl

Robert Brandl

Researcher

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Best Website Builder for Ease-of-UseWe awarded Jimdo our Best Website Builder For Ease of Use badge for 2023!

Providers of website builders have never been shy when it comes to making grand claims, with “websites in no time,” “your very own website in just 5 minutes,” and “a website in three simple steps” among the typical slogans used in marketing campaigns.

And that’s why Jimdo has been putting all its efforts into its smart Jimdo website builder, known internally as Dolphin. Users are promised a solution that will allow them to build a website in just three minutes!

This new editor falls under a new category of smart AI-based website builders, which are all the rage right now. They are aimed at users looking to create a website in a flash, without having to become an expert in coding overnight.

This type of site builder gathers all the information required to set up the basic website structure by running through a series of questions. The virtual set-up wizard also scours the user’s Google and Facebook accounts for any images and details to create a customized first draft of their website in a matter of minutes.

Keen to see for ourselves if it really is all that simple, we prepared to work our Tooltester magic once again and put this smart website wizard through its paces. Keep reading our detailed review to find out our verdict!

Please note: This Jimdo review focuses on the latest editor from Jimdo. If you want to find out more about Jimdo's previous product, Creator, feel free to check out our review here.

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Jimdo Pricing: Is It Worth it?

$0

PLAY

Test out the website builder with up to 5 pages. No custom domain name included and no customer support.

$11

START

Ideal for small business websites with no need for an online store. Custom domain name included. Ad-free. Up to ten subpages.

$18

GROW

Designed for larger websites and online stores. More storage space (15GB) and up to 50 subpages included.

$45

UNLIMITED

Unlimited storage space, bandwidth, and subpages. Professional design analysis by Jimdo’s team of designers and premium customer support.

Prices per month for a 12-month contract term (VAT included). Free domain included for the first year.

> You can find more detailed pricing information for Jimdo here.

Pros and Cons of Jimdo

  • Pros
  • Cons

Pros

  • Ease of use

    The virtual set-up wizard pretty much builds your website for you, and the first draft is actually ready in more or less three minutes. You may just find that you need to make some tweaks here and there, but the editor is intuitive and very easy to use.

  • Attractive designs

    The suggested designs are nice and modern. The virtual set-up wizard automatically searches the internet for the best images.

  • Mobile version

    Both the website and editor are responsive, meaning they display perfectly on mobile devices too.

  • Loading speed

    Loading times are very fast (e.g. in Google PageSpeed Insights).

Jimdo's Detailed Rating

Ease of use Info popup

Clearly structured and extremely intuitive, Jimdo is one of the fastest editors we’ve tested. The smart virtual wizard guides you through every step of the set-up process, making it possible to actually create a first draft of your website in a matter of minutes.

Choice and flexibility of design (templates) Info popup

The designs are modern and responsive (optimized for mobile devices). The Jimdo template selection process differs slightly to other solutions and you get allocated a design rather than having to scroll through a template gallery.

You then have the opportunity to change the style (fonts, colors, and so on) at a later stage. There is no option to add HTML style elements.

Advertisement-free Info popup

You won’t see adverts if you opt for the START plan or any of the plans above that. The free PLAY plan comes with a fairly subtle Jimdo button with a link in the footer.

Languages Info popup

The interface supports seven languages, while the editor can be used in any language. Multilingual websites are also an option, but there are some limitations. One level of navigation has to be sacrificed for additional languages.

Your own domain name (e.g. .com or .net) Info popup

With the PLAY plan, you only get one Jimdo subdomain structured as follows: mywebsite.jimdosite.com. All of the paid plans include one free domain name (e.g. “.com”) for the first year (you’ll be charged an annual fee of $20 after that). You can also redirect your own domain to Jimdo. At an extra charge, you can add email accounts to your custom domain name using Google Workspace, Google’s professional email solution. Another option is to set up a forward to your own email inbox (if you have the START plan or any of the plans above that). Read more about domain names and email accounts here.

Depth of navigation Info popup

There is scope for up to three sub-levels (e.g. Home > Services > Translations > English to German) . Another one or two levels would be nice.

Widgets (small tools to add extra functionality) Info popup

You can add videos (via YouTube or Vimeo), photos and maps to your website. The introduction of Smart Apps lets you embed Calendly booking forms, Airbnb listings, Instagram posts, and more.

However, there is a general lack of elements, like buttons to share content via social media. As the HTML element is not available either, you can’t even add them in manually. Unfortunately, there is no integrated web app store like the ones offered by Wix or Weebly.

Mobile App Info popup

  • iOS
  • Android

There is no mobile app for Jimdo, but it works really well on your smartphone’s or tablet’s web browser. You can edit pretty much all areas of your site, and it’s very fast, too. A native mobile app is available for Jimdo’s classic editor, Jimdo Creator (iOS and Android).

E-Commerce Info popup

The shop feature is designed for very small online stores. A range of payment options are available (credit card, direct debit, PayPal). You can create up to 10 subpages with the BASIC plan and up to 50 with the BUSINESS plan. There is no limit on the number of subpages if you have the VIP plan. You can add an unlimited number of products no matter which plan you have. Unfortunately, there is no option for drop shipping or selling digital products.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Info popup

The limited access to SEO settings is frankly disappointing. At the moment, you can only change the title of the home page and choose a general title for all other pages.

If you are keen to boost your ranking, you may be interested in adding the “Business Listings” option, which automatically synchronizes your website details on platforms like Facebook and Google. This is available if you sign up for the UNLIMITED or VIP plan.

Blog

Best alternative: Squarespace

Unfortunately, it isn’t possible to set up a blog via Jimdo Dolphin. You can do so with Jimdo Creator, however.

Visitor statistics Info popup

You can connect Google Analytics to your website provided that you activate the statistics function in your Jimdo account and set up a Google Analytics account.

Contact form

A set of standard fields (name, email address, phone number and message text) can be added as a block. Unfortunately there is no way to customize these fields or add any additional ones.

Password protection & member areas Info popup

There is sadly no option to password-protect your pages or set up a member area.

Newsletter tool Info popup

Jimdo doesn’t have its own newsletter tool. Furthermore, since the Jimdo editor doesn’t allow embedding tools via HTML, elegantly integrating a subscription form is not possible. The only option is to link to an external signup form.

Add HTML code Info popup

You cannot use your own HTML code, but you do have the opportunity to make some adjustments to existing features in the editor. For instance, you can change the color scheme and layout as well as adding media (video links and images).

Storage space

500 MB+

The START plan comes with 5 GB and the GROW plan with up to 15 GB. You have unlimited storage with the UNLIMITED plan.

Backups & Restore Info popup

Best alternative: Wix

Back-ups are not saved, and you cannot restore your website, but you can undo changes made during your current session.

Support

  • FAQ
  • Chat
  • Email
  • Telephone

Support is available via email and the Support Center. The number of specific articles provided in the help section of the website is disappointing compared to the resources available for Jimdo Creator. Users with the START plan or any of the more expensive plans can access email support via their own website menu.

Fun Factor Info popup

You can create a first draft of your website in no time and the editor is super easy to use. What’s not to like?
Unfortunately, some key features are missing, though.

Overall Rating

3.85

The website builder is extremely easy to use. You can create a first draft of your website in next to no time. Jimdo is a fantastic option for anyone looking to create a small, simplistic website. Unfortunately, the range of features (e.g. no blog, SEO restrictions) is extremely limited.

A Closer Look into Jimdo’s Features

How does Jimdo’s AI-generated design look?

jimdo example website

Firstly, we think that the websites generated can look rather effective.

It only took a few quick tweaks for us to create a really decent website. Of course, you will always need to work on the text that appears on the site rather than just accepting it as it is.

You can then also add a few extra elements or change the color scheme and fonts if you like.

It’s interesting to note that there are page structures that you can switch over to with ease as opposed to classic templates.

jimdo website creation process

Creating a Website with Jimdo Dolphin

If you don’t have enough images of your own to add to your website, you can use stock photos from the media database. These are taken from the likes of Unsplash.com and, luckily, they look really natural.

Unfortunately, it’s not possible to type in and search for images using keywords – instead, you have to navigate through the available categories. We think it would really improve usability if Jimdo offered a photo search function to its users.

However, even complete beginners will find it easy to create a decent website with Jimdo. If you have any experience of building websites or knowledge of coding, however, there are other tools out there that you will get more out of your new website with, in terms of the design and features.

Jimdo does also offer an online store feature, but we would only recommend it for very small e-commerce projects as it stands right now. If you’d just like to pop a handful of products online and don’t expect customers to be flocking to your website to get their hands on them, you’re bound to get on just fine with this solution.

But if you’re going to need options for voucher codes, advanced delivery methods and stock management, you’d be better off going with Wix or Squarespace for now. Unfortunately, there is no scope for automatically selling digital products with Jimdo yet either.

Using the Jimdo editor

Jimdo’s editor is truly one of the most intuitive we’ve used. Webpages are organized in sections (or “blocks”, as Jimdo calls them), and you simply need to click on a block to make changes to it.

One criticism we often have of website builders is that it’s not always clear what clicking a particular button will do. Wix’s editor, for example, offers so many options that it can feel cluttered and overwhelming.

Thankfully, Jimdo doesn’t have this problem. All you need to do is hover over a button and a tooltip will appear to tell you exactly what it does.

jimdo editor tooltip

Hovering over the ‘Choose image’ button

Adding a new section/block is also simple – you just need to point to where you want to add it, click the ‘Add block’ button, and choose from one of the available layouts. Whether you’re adding a text section, columns, galleries, contact form, or other content, you’ll find a generous selection of blocks to choose from:

jimdo editor - blocks

There are undo and redo buttons in case you want to reverse your changes, which in our opinion is a seriously underrated feature! So many website builders (for example, Squarespace or GoDaddy) make this overly complicated or near impossible to do.

Once you’re happy with your changes, all you need to do is hit your ‘Publish’ button, which is hard to miss. Thankfully, changes get saved regardless of whether or not you click ‘Publish’ – they simply won’t get pushed to the live site until you do so.

We’re also fans of the ‘Preview’ function, which lets you view what your final website will look like on both desktop and mobile screens. All sites are automatically mobile-responsive, so you don’t have to worry about making further tweaks to get your site looking great on mobile.

jimdo mobile preview

All in all, we think Jimdo’s editor is one of its best features. It’s fast, logical, and certainly one of the least frustrating editors we’ve tested! As long as you’re happy to color within the lines and not change up the design too much, you shouldn’t have any problems with editing your site.

Jimdo’s Business Features

Jimdo claims to be built for small business, and it’s true that it offers a few business tools to help entrepreneurs convert their site into an additional sales channel. However, it’s important to note that there are some restrictions on who can use them, and how they can be used.

Jimdo Bookings is a calendar-based tool that lets business owners accept bookings for services and events. It’s included for free on the Unlimited and VIP, or can be purchased as an add-on. Compared to its competitor GoDaddy, which offers a free version of its appointment booking tools on all plans, this can feel a little like a raw deal.

jimdo bookings

What’s more, the bookings feature is only available to websites in a handful of European countries. It’s also not possible to take online payments through it – something you can do with competitors like Wix, Squarespace and GoDaddy.

So, it’s not the most convenient option for taking appointments online. Thankfully, Jimdo makes it easy to integrate with external booking systems (and other business tools) through its Smart Apps blocks.

A recent addition to Jimdo’s feature set, Smart Apps allows you to embed around 25 different tools directly into your web pages, with just a couple of clicks (no code is needed). Business integrations include Calendly, Google Calendar, Google Docs, Airbnb, Youtube, Instagram, and more.

jimdo smart apps

It’s a good way of extending the functionality of your site, helping you integrate with tools you might already be using. At the same time, it’s also quite limited – you have no control over the design of that block, and visitors usually are taken to an external site to complete the transaction (for example, in the case of a visitor wanting to book an Airbnb room).

jimdo airbnb

Displaying an Airbnb listing on a Jimdo site. Visitors can click to book accommodation on the Airbnb website

We did find its Calendly integration to be useful though – it lets visitors book appointments directly on your Jimdo site:

jimdo calendly

Other integrations are also available. If you offer a WhatsApp chat channel to your customers, you can add a WhatsApp button to your site. It’s also possible to connect your Jimdo site with a Facebook for Business account, meaning you can take advantage of Facebook Pixel’s tracking features, and integrate your store products with your Facebook Shop.

Finally, Jimdo also offers a Legal Text Generator, which helps businesses create privacy policies that are compliant with local regulations. The catch? Once again, it’s only available in some European countries.

Overall, we think Jimdo is taking the right steps into making its sites business-friendly. But, it still has a ways to go. Compared to platforms like Wix and GoDaddy that offer an impressive range of business tools, it simply can’t compete just yet.

Jimdo Review: Conclusion

We were pleasantly surprised by the Dolphin editor. It’s possible to create a rather effective first draft of your website in no time. If you’re prepared to invest another hour or two into customizing the text and adding further subpages, the final product can be made to look really impressive.

If you ask us, this new segment of intelligent site builders will become firmly established and progress further going forward.

The basic level of SEO is disappointing as it stands, though. It will be tough to rank your website highly on search engines like Google. Pretty much all other competitors offer better SEO options.

When we tested out the support options, Jimdo’s customer service team got back to us fairly quickly, and we were happy with their answers to our questions.

It’s up to you to decide whether you want to delve deeper into the world of website creation using a product from one of the competitors, or if you just want to tick your project off your to-do list in a quick and pain-free way using Jimdo.

It’s fair to say that Jimdo offers a brilliant tool for anyone who isn’t very tech-savvy, who is short on time, or who just needs a simple website. We would say that this website builder is ideal for photographers, designers, restaurants, and other small businesses just looking to get started with a basic online presence without all the bells and whistles.

But you can assume that this won’t be the right tool for you if you’re after any more sophisticated features. If you fall into that category, we’d recommend checking out what else is on offer.

> Get started now: Sign up for Jimdo’s free plan here.

 

If you have any questions about Jimdo that we haven’t answered, please feel free to leave us a comment 🙂

Jimdo Sample Websites

jimdo example website

Curio Styles

Online Store

jimdo example website

Combat Ladies

Martial Arts

jimdo example website

Moea Creugnet

Photography

FAQ

Jimdo’s paid plans come with one free domain name the first year (e.g. .com, .net, .org or one of many others).

If you have a Namecheap, 1&1 Ionos or GoDaddy domain name, you can learn how to transfer or point it to Jimdo with our tool.

You can create a Google Workspace account and connect it to your domain, but that’s not the cheapest option at $6 per month.

Alternatively, you could use Zoho Workspace, which would give you up to five email accounts for free.

Yes, that’s no problem at all. Whatever you have already paid will be factored in when you switch plans. And your website content won’t be affected.

Yes, you certainly can. Jimdo doesn’t have its own player, but you can embed videos you have uploaded to YouTube or Vimeo on your own website. You can use the video element to do this, but you’ll need to add a photo first as a way of sharing the link to your video.

jimdo embed video

Jimdo doesn’t offer a search function, and it’s not possible to add one either, unfortunately.

Sadly, there is no option to integrate Google AdSense or banners with Jimdo Dolphin. This is only available with Jimdo Creator as only there you can add code snippets.

All Jimdo paid plans have a contract term of 12 months and a one-month notice period. If you wish to cancel your plan, you need to notify Jimdo at least one month before your contract is due to expire. You can read more about how to cancel your plan here. Upon cancellation, you will be reverted to the PLAY plan. You obviously also have the option of downgrading your plan, e.g. from GROW to START.

If you are based in the European Union, you might be wondering if your Jimdo site complies with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). It does! Jimdo physically hosts all websites in Europe. Of course, it’s your own responsibility to add a privacy policy.

Alternatives to Jimdo

Here are the best alternatives to Jimdo: 

Wix

If you’re after an eye-catching website, Wix may be the better choice. Wix has many design options, allowing you to add and position elements like pictures, videos and even blend-in effects.

Squarespace

Similar to Wix, Squarespace has some pretty stylish templates in its standard portfolio. However, a certain understanding of design and web editing is required. The editor is not quite as easy to use as Jimdo’s.

Weebly

Weebly is very intuitive and extremely beginner-friendly. In contrast to Jimdo, drag and drop creator Weebly also has an App Store so that you can add extra features. Of course, an online shop and blog are included. Unlike Jimdo, Weebly’s online store allows you to sell digital goods.

If you’re looking for even m ore Jimdo alternatives, you can also check out this post.

And if you are still unsure about what’s your best option, let our website builder smart finder help you in 5 questions.

The authors

Learn more about us

Annika Müller

Content Manager

Hi, I'm Annika and have been part of the Tooltester family since 2020. I've been professionally testing, evaluating, and processing digital tools such as website builders for quite a long time already at my previous jobs. I am very happy to be able to apply this experience at Tooltester and to expand my horizons every day.

Robert Brandl

Founder and CEO

Hi, my name is Robert Brandl! I used to work in a digital marketing agency where I managed website and email marketing projects. To optimize my client's campaigns, I always had to find the optimal web tools. Tooltester offers this knowledge to you, hopefully saving you endless hours of research.

Learn more about us

We keep our content up to date

16 Jan 2023 - Added badge
11 Jul 2022 - Updated 'Closer Look Into Features' section, added Smart Apps
26 Mar 2022 - Smaller updates
18 Jan 2022 - Checked for accuracy, smaller updates.
17 Dec 2021 - Mobile app rating added.
12 Oct 2021 - Check for accuracy and smaller Updates
17 Feb 2021 - Complete Update.

THE BEHIND THE SCENES OF THIS REVIEW

This article has been written and researched following a precise methodology.

Our methodology

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