Jimdo Review
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- Date Established
- 2004
- Location
- Hamburg, San Francisco, Tokyo
Pros
- Easy to use
- Includes mobile editor
- Free plan includes eCommerce
- Excellent customer support
Cons
- Basic templates
- Limited eCommerce
- Many addons require embed codes
Overview
Since its creation in 2007, Jimdo has become one of the most prominent drag-and-drop website builders on the market. This Hamburg-based company was founded by Matthias Henze, Fridtjof Detzner, and Christian Springub, who ran the business out of an old farmhouse that belonged to Detzner’s parents. Eventually, the three collaborators won a business model contest and were granted roughly $20,000, a sum which allowed them to rent their first office together in Hamburg. The company grew quickly from that point and soon branched out to San Francisco and Tokyo.
Jimdo maintained steady growth for about five years, hitting the five million user mark in February 2012, and reaching ten million users by November 2013. While the company has not been able to maintain that level of growth, it continues to hold its own in the web building industry. Over 15 million websites have been created with Jimdo to date, and people continue to use this service for its well-designed editor, easy-to-manage storefronts, and varied assortment of widgets. It’s not the freshest face in the industry, but they maintain a base of satisfied customers.
Read the rest of my Jimdo review to get the whole story.
Table of Contents
Pricing
Jimdo offers three different pricing plans:
JimdoFree
- 500MB Site Storage
- 2GB Bandwidth
- Jimdo.com Subdomain
- Basic SEO for Whole Site
- 1 Password Protected Area
- Footer Jimdo Advertisement
- Up to 5 Products in Online Store
- No Transaction Fees
- Payment Accepted via PayPal (incl. credit cards)
- Offer Free Shipping for Large Orders
JimdoPro
- $7.50/month (billed annually)
- All of the Above PLUS:
- 5GB Site Storage
- 10GB Bandwidth
- 1 Free Custom Domain
- Connect External Domains
- 1 Email Account with 3 Forwarding Aliases
- Semi-Premium Support (Response Within 24 Hours)
- Basic SEO for Individual Pages
- 5 Password Protected Pages
- Ad-Free
- Custom Footer
- Up to 15 Products in Online Store
- Site Statistics
- Additional Payment Methods
- Set List Price
JimdoBusiness
- $20/month (billed annually)
- Unlimited Site Storage
- Unlimited Bandwidth
- 20 Custom Emails with Unlimited Forwarding Aliases
- Premium Support (Response Within 2 Regular Business Hours)
- Advanced SEO
- Unlimited Password Protected Pages
- Unlimited Products in Online Store
- Discount Codes
- Weight-based and Tag-based Shipping
- Custom Order Confirmations
- Stripe Payments
Note: All Jimdo sites, no matter the price, are equipped with the following: an HTML5 WYSIWYG web editor, usage of professional-grade templates, social media tools, a mobile editor app for iOS/Android, blogging tools, photo galleries, Google Maps, contact forms, direct video embedding, external widget integration, custom coding, and optimized mobile websites.
Users must purchase at least an annual subscription, meaning that those who choose to upgrade from JimdoFree sites must be able to commit for an entire year. Jimdo also offers two-year subscription options, which come with a small discount (about 15%).
To see the full list of features offered at each pricing tier, check out this page on their website.
Payment is accepted via credit card and PayPal.
Web-hosted or Licensed
Jimdo is entirely web-hosted.
Hardware/Software Requirements
Because Jimdo is completely web-based, the only things it requires for proper function are an updated internet browser (Safari, Firefox, Chrome, Internet Explorer and Edge are supported, though Jimdo recommends Chrome because it updates automatically) and a stable internet connection.
The mobile editor requires one of these operating systems:
- Android (4.2+)
- iOS (9+)
For optimal functionality, Javascript, cookies, and the latest version of Flash player must be installed and enabled as well.
Business Types Supported
Jimdo is not specifically designed for any one industry or business type. Users are simply given a choice between a few different templates (Business, Store, Portfolio, and Personal are the categories given) and can build their websites accordingly. Additional templates become available once you start building your website, begging the question of why these templates aren’t presented to you initially.
As with many website builders, Jimdo’s templates are oriented towards restaurants, travel, photography, and design.
Ease of Use
For the most part, Jimdo is well-conceived and easy to use. There was really only one hiccup that significantly affected my user experience. On several occasions, while constructing my test site, the Jimdo servers (or the secure connection to them) crashed, forcing me to close down the program and wait until it would let me continue. This was not a minor inconvenience, and at times I was forced to wait several hours before accessing my site once more. Those episodes aside, the majority of my experience with Jimdo was positive.
Some of the most straightforward and user-friendly elements of this software include:
- Style Editor: Jimdo’s editor is clever and simplistic. It allows users to adjust the look, feel, and general organization of their websites by adjusting background colors and images, altering font and box sizes, and experimenting with line spacing. The style editor operates on a very basic point-and-click system. One need only select an element of the website, click on it, and then choose from a number of different menu options. As straightforward as the editing process is, it never seems contrived or dumbed-down. Users are given total freedom to edit and can essentially be as hands-on as they desire.
- Previewing: Any stylistic changes made to a new website may be checked in “Preview” mode. From there, users can choose to save or undo the changes they have made or return to the editing screen. Until the work is officially saved, the alterations are not permanent.
- Page Editor: The Jimdo page editor is an efficient and easy-to-use tool. The page editor (found within the main editor) allows users to add or remove pages, create sub-pages, and re-order how individual pages appear on a website’s menu bar.
Features
Jimdo provides almost every feature one would expect from an effective drag-and-drop editor, as well as several uncommon ones, including the following:
- HD Video Integration: One of Jimdo’s best features is that it allows for integration with an HD video player (much like the one offered by YouTube). By adding a link to a video that is already hosted on sites like YouTube or Vimeo, users enable that video to be immediately streamed on their own websites. Jimdo allows for adjustment of the video’s size as well, which is a nice touch. Unlimited bandwidth is offered on all subscription plans, but the ability to change the resolution of videos can boost page loading speed, especially for users with slower internet connections.
- Store: The Jimdo store is a relatively simple tool that lets users set up and adjust order forms, payment options, shipping costs, order and confirmation emails, and a few other things. Via the Store menu, users can also track and archive orders, easily manage inventory, and apply discount codes and/or coupons (though some of these features, such as the coupon system, are reserved solely for JimdoBusiness customers). The Store runs fluidly and is easy to learn, even if you’ve never before established an online storefront.
- Blogging: Though I found it a bit confusing at first, once I got the hang of the Jimdo Blogging Tool, I was rather impressed. The tool itself keeps an archive of all blog posts, both published and in draft form. After picking a suitable title for each blog entry, users must click the “Add Element” button which provides access to everything found in the Jimdo editor, including the ability to add a text box, picture, or video. This system requires more of a time investment to learn and use than a standard blogging tool, but the tool is fairly lenient and the process soon becomes familiar. What’s more, the blog section is very customizable, ensuring a seamless experience with the rest of your website. And in a sign that Jimdo remains committed to the product, a series of 2017 updates added some enhancements to the blogging tool that bring it in line wit modern expectations, like tags, Disqus comments, and social media share buttons that you can automatically affix to each blog post.
- Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ integrations are available as built-in add-ons, while an Instagram feed is available with a bit of embed code wizardry.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Jimdo allows users to customize their own SEO in a variety of ways. Some settings let people customize page titles and create page descriptions exactly as they would like them to appear on Google. Users can also add keywords that increase website visibility on search engines. A few SEO features are restricted to the larger subscription levels.
- POWr Plugins: Should you find yourself unsatisfied with Jimdo’s own feature selection, Jimdo is compatible with POWr’s wide selection of free add-ons (there are 55 in total). Everything from form builders, galleries, social feeds and graphs are available. Just have a POWr account and be ready to cut and paste some embed codes.
For a closer look at some of Jimdo’s more useful third-party integrations, check out my article on the subject.
Web Design and Editing
- Custom HTML and CSS Injection: Using the Widget/HTML section of Jimdo’s editor, users are able to add custom HTML codes to the bodies of their web pages. Similarly, in the “Edit Head” section of the editor (found under the “Settings” menu) it’s possible to add custom HTML or CSS that affect the entirety of a site.
- Mobile Editor: Jimdo’s mobile editing functionality, while impressive, could use improvement. In the desktop editor, any changes made are automatically saved and optimized for the mobile site. The user can then view the mobile site by going into the “Settings” menu and selecting “Mobile View.” This system works fine, but I would prefer something that allows me to make real-time edits to the mobile site while in the “Mobile View.” On the other hand, Jimdo does excel by allowing for actual mobile editing (i.e. site editing that can be done from a mobile device), a feature too rarely seen in other drag-and-drop web builders. In fact, there are native Jimdo apps for both iOS and Android operating systems that allow for mobile site editing.
- Mobile Express: Jimdo’s commitment to improving the experience of your mobile site visitors is shown in their Mobile Express feature, available to JimdoPro and JimdoBusiness subscribers. When you activate the Mobile Express Page, mobile visitors will see an overlay screen containing the information you want to convey about your business. When visitors close the overlay, they will be taken to your homepage. Definitely a handy feature for the small business owner.
- Templates: When it comes to template diversity, Jimdo doesn’t have a whole lot to offer. There are only four categories to choose from (Business, Store, Portfolio, and Personal), and just sixteen actual templates to choose from in the initial template selection process. Once you’ve started the site creation process, you’ll gain access to a wider array of templates (over 40 are available), though these templates aren’t all that fresh by contemporary standards. Thankfully, Jimdo has re-released their templates in responsive format, meaning they will automatically scale to the size of the screen being used by the visitor. This brings Jimdo’s mobile-readiness in alignment with current industry norms and makes Jimdo a more palatable option for those running a business that relies heavily on mobile traffic.
Having said that, Jimdo offers one nice feature not found in most other website builders – the ability to change templates without rebuilding a whole new site. If Jimdo ever offers better templates than what it has, this will become a coveted feature.
Integrations and AddOns
Jimdo integrates with any product or service that offers an embed code. Users need only paste these codes into Jimdo’s Widget/HTML editor; this system allows it to integrate with a wide variety of other services and companies.
Jimdo also provides a list of recommended widgets that encompass everything from business services to scheduling, email, eCommerce, and so forth.
Payment Processing
While the only online payment processor currently supported in JimdoFree and JimdoPro is PayPal (Stripe is available as a payment processor for JimdoBusiness subscribers), a selection of various real-world payment methods can be activated in a website’s store, including invoicing, payment-in-advance, collection-upon-delivery, local pickup, and local delivery.
Customer Service
Jimdo’s customer service is comprised of a team contact page with which users can email customer support or access a live chat support feature (available 9 AM – 5 PM, PST). There is also a FAQ page to answer general questions, a community forum, and support center, which provides articles that can help to answer general questions and solve common problems.
I (and they) recommend searching for answers in this order:
Negative Reviews and Complaints
Jimdo doesn’t wave a whole lot of red flags, but reviewers and users alike have complained about the following things:
- Clunky Interface: Some say that Jimdo’s interface is inefficient and poorly designed (one reviewer actually characterized Jimdo’s editor as “clumsy and unwieldy”).
- Steep Price: Jimdo does offer a free service, but its overall pricing scheme is not particularly competitive.
- Can’t Sell Digital Goods in the Store
Positive Reviews and Testimonials
Jimdo has far more fans than detractors, and is widely acclaimed (by both customers and professional reviewers) for the following characteristics:
- Excellent eCommerce Features
- High Functionality
- Flexibility
- Solid, Reliable Customer Support
- User-Friendliness
Jimdo’s German version currently has an average customer rating of 9.1 out of 10 on Trustpilot.
Final Verdict
After extensively testing, researching and implementing Jimdo’s features, I’ve got to say that I’m fairly happy. Jimdo doesn’t always hit the mark, but in most ways, it comes pretty close. This is an easy-to-use service that somehow still manages to astound with the depth of its overall functionality. Some things may be a bit too simple, and you won’t have the same level of 3rd party app support as you will with Wix or Weebly, but in general, the complexity and thoughtful design of this software leave me impressed.
While Jimdo isn’t the ideal editor for a professional web designer, it is well-suited for small business owners, college students, and anyone else looking to quickly create an effective and visually pleasing web presence. Furthermore, I’ll give Jimdo props for showing a willingness to evolve with the times by making some important tweaks to improve their mobile-friendliness. There are other website builders out there — many with more interesting templates — but Jimdo is one of the best around. Give it a try, and I think you’ll be pleased.
Jason Vissers
Jason Vissers is a writer and cereal chef from San Diego. He graduated with a Political Science degree from San Diego State University in 2001. He's been writing about website builders, crowdfunding sites, online lenders, and credit cards for Merchant Maverick since 2015. Additionally, Jason can't eat raisins.
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does Jimdo offer log in/log out and registration widget? what about database option? (manage users that register to able to view the website)
Do you know any website builder that allow those option above?
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.
Hi Tammy – thanks for your question! Jimdo lets you create password-protected pages, but there’s no membership registration. Wix, Weebly, and Webs all allow you to build membership websites with member registration tools.
This comment refers to an earlier version of this review and may be outdated.