From photographers to designers, artists, architects, musicians, and models, Portfoliobox is designed for those in the creative industry who want to showcase their work online. In this review, we'll go over the features of this website builder, its pricing structure and ease of use, and find out why over a million websites have been built using this platform – browser-based form.
Portfoliobox's entry-level subscription cost is less than a dollar a month (Image credit: Portfoliobox.net)
Plans and prices
While there is a free plan, it is basically a trial version that allows customers to get familiar with the platform, since it will not allow you to publish your site. Instead, Portfoliobox shows three pricing models for clients, starting at less than a dollar a month for the Light subscription. Naturally, this comes with usage restrictions, allowing only 10 pages, 100 images, 10 products, and 10 client gallery images. Customer galleries are password protected to allow only people you share the password with to connect, view, and comment on images. For those who probably need more than a very basic online presence, the Pro plan costs €7.90 per month and immediately increases the capacity of the site to 500 images and 50 pages. Additional benefits include a free domain, removal of the "Powered By Portfoliobox" link, and 24/7 support. The Pro Plus plan, at €14.90, increases the available images and pages to 1,000, while increasing the number of client gallery images (5,000) and products (1,000) available.
Portfoliobox's focus on your community can help strengthen user profiles (Image credit: Portfoliobox.net)
Features
One thing that sets Portfoliobox apart from many other website builders is their focus on the creative community. His Portfoliobox.art website features talented photographers from around the world with the goal of raising the profile of those who use Portfoliobox to showcase their work. The work of featured artists is discussed in detail, with links to their individual portfolios, while visitors can browse and purchase directly from the Portfoliobox.art store. In addition, Portfoliobox's Find Creatives feature allows users to search, discover, and hire creative talent in their region. To get started with Portfoliobox, there is no software to download and the platform does not require any coding knowledge. Instead, all website creation is done in your web browser. Users simply sign in to their account, click Manage Pages, and choose Create New Page. They will then be greeted with a menu offering a wide variety of content options ranging from gallery pages, services, and music, to testimonials and resumes. Once you've chosen your template and titled the page, you'll see your new page uploaded, ready to be customized however you see fit. While it doesn't have the capabilities required for those looking to significantly expand their business offering, solo artists looking to build a small online store from which to sell their work will be able to do so with Portfoliobox's built-in eCommerce functionality. To create a store, users simply select Start Your Store from the toolbar dropdown menu, and then follow the onscreen instructions to add their products. You will need to enter the product name, description, images, and price. Once this information is entered, Portfoliobox will automatically generate your website storefront, allowing visitors to add your products to their online shopping cart and checkout seamlessly. Payment options, discount codes, shipping costs and tax options can be customized in the store settings. Portfoliobox does not charge commission or sales reduction.
The in-browser editor is suitable for beginners (Image credit: Portfoliobox.net)
Interface and in use
With a sleek, intuitive and clean-lined in-browser editor, Portfoliobox removes many of the hurdles that non-technical users can often find overwhelming when it comes to building a website. With hundreds of pre-built page templates, users simply need to customize, rather than design, their web pages. Easy navigation is via the top toolbar menu, with a smooth and clear user journey at all times. Additionally, users can switch between mobile and desktop view, showing how your site will look on a variety of devices. However, since all models are self-responsive and dynamic, users will have few problems with mobile compatibility.
Support
The Learning and Support section of Portfoliobox has a 16-part video tutorial for beginners that details exactly how to get started designing your site.
Portfoliobox comes with an extensive knowledge base to help newbies (Image credit: Portfoliobox.net) There's also an in-depth knowledge base with a huge bank of FAQs and troubleshooting articles on everything from building from pages and content to accounts and billing. And, as an extension of the platform's strong community environment, forums allow users to seek advice or solutions from other Portfoliobox clients. For any issues you haven't found an answer to, there's also a live chat box on the website and a support ticket system for all users, though those with a Pro or Pro subscription. More will get priority.
Users can password protect pages (Image credit: Portfoliobox.net)
fullfilment of security requirements
Portfoliobox web hosting offers unlimited bandwidth and secure communications over HTTPS on CDN servers. For added protection, there is a password protection option to lock your site, either for site maintenance or if you want to restrict access to only those who have the password. Similar functionality is provided for individual pages, which can be used to implement customer-specific pages.
Competition
Wix offers a similar in-browser editing experience, but comes with the added feature of being able to drag and drop elements onto the page itself. This gives users more flexibility and customization options, but its €14 entry price is about the same as Portfoliobox's premium option. Creatives looking for something with a little more eCommerce sophistication might want to consider Shopify, which is another drag-and-drop website builder that doesn't require any coding knowledge, but offers plenty of functionality.
Final verdict
Those with more complex web requirements may find Portfoliobox.net's design options a bit basic, while the platform's limited business customizations can be frustrating for those with larger storefront needs. But for creatives just looking to display and sell their work with minimal hassle and maintenance, Portfoliobox is a reliable option.