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Alternative - Addition to Xara Web Designer
I build simple small business websites using Xara (Designer Pro). One of the companies I contract with has 4 other designers using Designer Pro or Xara Web Designer Pro (based on my suggestion as an alternative to Weebly). It works great for 70% of our business. It provides fast development and nice looking results.
PROBLEM: I also am a partner with ecwid for eCommerce. ecwid is fully responsive, it does not play nice with Xara variants. I need to find an alternative web development tool to use when Xara and a third party don't play well together. The typical eCommerce site will only be a few pages (maybe 3-5) with one of those pages as the "container" for the ecwid store. Not really looking to replace Xara, rather another tool in the box.
General Criteria: Desktop-based preferred, primarly Windows but cross-platform would be a mild plus, as one of our designers prefers Mac. Must allow me to insert a snipet of HTML code on a page for the ecwid store. Will publish to our own servers so don't want a "total solution" that is a web builder and hosting platform all together. Affordable, as it is another license/subscription out of my pocket in addition to Xara, JotForms, Storyblocks, etc... I use Xara primarly because it is easy to use and fast. Not interested in a complex product with big learning curve.
I have briefly looked at Coffeecup Site Designer, Website X5 Pro, Mobrise, WYSIWYG Web Builder but not fully vetted any of them. Your experience could save me much time.
Suggestions greatly appreciated. I have 4 sites pending that I need to build to house eCommerce.
THANKS!
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Re: Alternative - Addition to Xara Web Designer
Take a look here, specially made for Xara software: http://www.xt-cms.com.
I'm not sure how much development is still done on it.
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Re: Alternative - Addition to Xara Web Designer
Thanks, Boy,
I have briefly looked at xt-cms. Actually seems like a very cool extension to Xara website (when the need arises). But what I am looking for is a new web development program that will work with ecwid (already a partner and customers using)
Last night about 2:30 I finished a very rough test using WYSIWYG Web Builder 14. The site is fully responsive, and the ecwid store displays and resizes at all browser widths. And it is very affordable at $60. Reviews are very high. AND at 1am I sent a support questions - got an answer back from the developer by 2:30. Not looking forward to the learning curve of a new tool, but necessity prevails.
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Re: Alternative - Addition to Xara Web Designer
If your going to learn web builder 14 why not just learn wordpress?
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Re: Alternative - Addition to Xara Web Designer
An update on the search (for those that are interested). Any additional feedback or comments are still greatly appreciated.
Mobrise - can't test without spending the $60 for the <html> add-on. Development seems stupid easy. Very mixed reviews. Read several comments about your published site being loaded with links and ads for the products. It is FREE but loaded with opportunities to BUY add-ons. Hard to identify the actual cost of using it going forward.
Webflow - nice reviews. Have to use Chrome for the development - I don't want to use Chrome. Prefer not to use a hosted / subscription service. If I didn't have my current bias to Chrome and hosted/subscription, this might be a good alternative. Cost for Unlimited unhosted projects is $42/mo.
Website X5 Professional - built a working site with the demo and the ecwid shop page works fine. Not so good reviews for the product or support. It does what I need. It is no WYSIWYG. You add objects as you walk through a 5 step build process but can't see them until you preview or publish. Cost for the perpetual license is $229, and the lower end version might work for me at $79.
CoffeeCup Site Designer v3 - I really want to like this one. I have played with earlier versions and watched few videos. Doesn't look like a quick development tool. I think this could be an excellent tool but with a pretty steep learning curve. I might explore this one a bit more. Cost for the perpetual license is $189 - $349 depending on the package of tools purchased.
WYSIWYG Web Builder 14 - This might be my choice. I built a working site with the demo and the ecwid shop page works fine. The entire site is nicely responsive at all browser widths. Created the site this a blank page and then using several "blocks" instead of a full template. The program appears to be robust with substantial capabilities. The UI looks very dated, not appealing at all. There are just TOO MANY tools on the sidebar so you have to scroll to find them all. SUPPORT - I had a question at 1 am and sent an email using the contact form. I got a reply from the developer at 2:30. (did you hear that Xara and Magix? a support reply in less than 2 hours!) I had already made some setting changes that got what I wanted to work. Cost for the perpetual license is $59 and includes updates for a year. No subscription for content, some are included, and there is a market to purchased additional content from the developer and others.
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Re: Alternative - Addition to Xara Web Designer
Quote:
Originally Posted by
behzad
If your going to learn web builder 14 why not just learn wordpress?
Well that should be an option to consider. I think I have seen some of your post regarding wordpress. Don't you use wordpress plus another tool?
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Re: Alternative - Addition to Xara Web Designer
You can use wordpress and DIVI, or Beaver builder. Ton to learn, compared to xara's simplicity.
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Re: Alternative - Addition to Xara Web Designer
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Re: Alternative - Addition to Xara Web Designer
Quote:
Originally Posted by
behzad
Right. It all worked great in the day of one size Xara sites. Variants changed/broke them working together. And all my customers want their store on mobile and desktop.
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Re: Alternative - Addition to Xara Web Designer
I make one desktop/laptop/tablet size and another for mobile. It works great. Not sure what you talking about. Click on https://xara.ecwid.com/
and resize your screen to a small one, it works fine. I know you do not like chrome, but go to that link and right click and then inspect, at the top select mobile resolution. Works for me.
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Re: Alternative - Addition to Xara Web Designer
Have not tried the others but CoffeeCup Site Designer is really good for fully responsive sites but it's nowhere as quick or easy at creating sites in as Xara. The great thing about Xara is being able to work with graphics and web layout in the same program. With CC and other tools you are usually split between working in a graphics program and the web program. But yeah I would recommend CC Site Designer too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Boy
Take a look here, specially made for Xara software:
http://www.xt-cms.com.
I'm not sure how much development is still done on it.
Still working on this btw and have made it compatible with CC Site Designer now too for upcoming version. Lot's of other improvements coming too in next releaese.
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Re: Alternative - Addition to Xara Web Designer
Thanks for the update Tom :)
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Re: Alternative - Addition to Xara Web Designer
Xtom is right, you have the freedom to design websites anyway you want, not like others in columns and rows and grids, so boring and every website looks the same. Yak. I have been using it for over 2 decades and love it. The only time I would use another program would be for database but that too seems to be around and I can hire any programmer to make one for me.
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Re: Alternative - Addition to Xara Web Designer
Quote:
Originally Posted by
xtom
Still working on this btw and have made it compatible with CC Site Designer now too for upcoming version. Lot's of other improvements coming too in next releaese.
Thanks for the update. Good to know that you're still alive 'n kickin'!
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Re: Alternative - Addition to Xara Web Designer
Quote:
Originally Posted by
behzad
I make one desktop/laptop/tablet size and another for mobile. It works great. Not sure what you talking about. Click on
https://xara.ecwid.com/
and resize your screen to a small one, it works fine. I know you do not like chrome, but go to that link and right click and then inspect, at the top select mobile resolution. Works for me.
right, but the site you reference xara.ecwid.com is not a Xara site. it is an ecwid site and it is responsive. that is the functionality that i need.
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Re: Alternative - Addition to Xara Web Designer
Xara is not responsive. Good luck on your search, let me know what you settle down with.
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Re: Alternative - Addition to Xara Web Designer
Quote:
Originally Posted by
onlye
all my customers want their store on mobile and desktop.
all your customers NEED their store on mobile and desktop
what used to be a 'nice to have' option is now a requirement
google is driving the web now
like https is going to become a requirement shortly
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Re: Alternative - Addition to Xara Web Designer
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Big Frank
https is going to become a requirement shortly
As it should be.
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Re: Alternative - Addition to Xara Web Designer
a guy runs a simple hobby website for years
he has great seo because of his content
now google tells him he has to buy an ssl certificate or his seo will plummet
that's progress
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Re: Alternative - Addition to Xara Web Designer
Search and security are of course two different subjects but in this case seem to be meeting one another.
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Re: Alternative - Addition to Xara Web Designer
Just came across Pinegrow. Looks interesting but not sure how steep the learning curve is.
= Steve
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Re: Alternative - Addition to Xara Web Designer
This thread popped up from Steve's post. I never posted that I found what I was looking for. I purchased WYSIWYG Web Builder version 14 in 2018. I am now using version 16 and version 17 teaser ads are starting. It is a remarkable web building product. The support is astounding. I don't think I can recommend it highly enough, especially to Xara users that needed an alternative like me. I haven't built a site in Xara in 3 years. But that does not mean Xara is not a part of my daily used tool set. Still love Xara but have a new web builder to love. Anyone need more details or to discuss it let me know.
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Re: Alternative - Addition to Xara Web Designer
Quote:
Originally Posted by
onlye
This thread popped up from Steve's post. I never posted that I found what I was looking for. I purchased WYSIWYG Web Builder version 14 in 2018. I am now using version 16 and version 17 teaser ads are starting. It is a remarkable web building product. The support is astounding. I don't think I can recommend it highly enough, especially to Xara users that needed an alternative like me. I haven't built a site in Xara in 3 years. But that does not mean Xara is not a part of my daily used tool set. Still love Xara but have a new web builder to love. Anyone need more details or to discuss it let me know.
The Windows version is well done. I tried the Mac version and it was disastrous.
I always come back to Xara, probably because I know it more than anything. In the midst of learning the Affinity suite at the moment. Thanks for the recommendations.
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Re: Alternative - Addition to Xara Web Designer
Quote:
Originally Posted by
bwood
The Windows version is well done. I tried the Mac version and it was disastrous.
I always come back to Xara, probably because I know it more than anything. In the midst of learning the Affinity suite at the moment. Thanks for the recommendations.
I am a Windows user. Works great and never had a crash or serious issue. Sad to hear about he Mac version and surprised based on the quality of the windows version and the developers commitment to quality and support. I have Affinity installed and used it a couple times for a specific need that Xara would not handle. Haven't committed the time to learning. I still do some quick prototypes with Xara and then implement with Web Builder and I still have a number of Xara sites that I support and update.
