Top 17 Art Portfolio Sites Ranked

Every artist needs an online art portfolio. Whether you’re applying to art schools or applying for a job, your artist portfolio site is your key to success.

But what if you don’t know how to build a website from scratch? Fortunately, it’s no longer 1995 — you don’t need to learn code to build a website. Instead, use one of the artist portfolio sites we’ve analyzed in this article. Each one lets you to build an online portfolio using pre-made templates, and then customize the look and layout using simple drag and drop.

But here’s the catch: There are currently seventeen (seventeen!) popular artist portfolio sites to choose from. They’re all pretty good, but they all offer a different mix of features and pricing, so it’s hard to compare them. Which one is the best for you?

This article helps you choose the portfolio site that’s best for you, based on your specific needs and preferences. You’ll find one that’s perfect, even on a tight budget.

• Features to Evaluate
• Most Popular
• Best Free Sites
• Most Customizable
• Full list: Top 17 Artist Portfolio Sites

Features to Evaluate

To help you understand the trade-offs of each artist portfolio site, look for the following icons in the feature comparison tables throughout this article. We’ve organized them by pros and cons.

Pros

• Free pricing plan. Sites with this icon offer a membership level that’s completely free. Note: Some sites claim to have a free plan, but don’t let you publish your portfolio until you pay. We don’t count those as free.
• Student discount. Some sites offer discounts to artists actively attending a college or university. Note: Some sites only offer discounts to certain “partner” universities.
• E-commerce. If you want to sell prints or other merchandise based on your art, look for this symbol. Note: E-commerce tools may only be available with higher-priced monthly rates.
• Custom domain. These sites allow you to use your own custom URL (think jimsmith.com instead of artstation.com/jimsmith). Note: If you don’t already have a custom domain, you can pay a little extra to get one.
• Popular. Sites with this icon are in the top five most popular sites on this list, according to Alexa.com global rankings.

Cons

• Credit card required. Some sites require your credit card information, even for a free trial (when offered).
• Advertisements. Some sites show their own branding or advertisements, unless you pay higher monthly rates.
• Account limits. Some sites place limits on the number of images, projects, or storage space you’re allowed to use. If you want more, you’ll need to pay higher monthly rates.

Most Popular

Popularity isn’t everything, but hosting your work on an artist portfolio site that’s popular with other artists has one big advantage: It’s unlikely to go out of business. Here are the sites that rank highest on Alexa.com’s “global site rank,” meaning they’re used by thousands of artists. Due to popularity, they may be a more stable option than others.

Best Free Sites

Are you a starving artist? The sites listed below are within your budget, because each one will let you host your portfolio without paying a dime. You won’t even need to give them your credit card. Just be aware that there’s a trade-off: some make up for it by placing branding or advertising on your portfolio, which can look less than professional.

[1] Dribbble is free, but you must be invited to the service by an existing member.

Most Customizable

Are you applying for jobs? Or, are you a professional artist looking to build your brand? If so, stay away from turnkey portfolio sites like ArtStation and Behance. All their portfolios look alike. Instead, choose a website builder so you can customize your look and your brand. The sites shown below let you choose your own color schemes, layouts, fonts, logos, and more. Easily drag-and-drop your way to a portfolio site that’s as unique as your art.

Note: We’re only including sites that offer serious customization. Sites that offer minor tweaks to pre-set themes are not included in this list.

Full List: Top 17 Artist Portfolio Sites

A great number of portfolio site builders have come and gone over the years. Some have survived the test of time, while others faded away. Currently, there are seventeen sites we think are worth considering for your online portfolio. They range from new entrants like Moonfruit, to old staples like Behance, to sort-of-wacky communities like Dribbble. Each offers its own unique spin on what an art portfolio could be and should be, and they’re all competing to win the hearts and minds of artists everywhere.

Do you know of a new up-and-coming portfolio site that’s not on the list? Let us know in the comments section below.

Photo credit: rawpixel/Unsplash