# Portfolio website builders, compared > Code it yourself on GitHub Pages, design it in Carrd or Framer, write it in Notion, or fill in a portfolio page. Checked prices and the real cost: upkeep. Every option can produce a good developer or designer portfolio. They differ in what they cost each year, and in how much work it takes to add the next project. ## The real cost is the next update Most portfolios are not abandoned because they were hard to build. They are abandoned because adding a project means opening a code editor or a design canvas, so it never happens, and the site still shows your projects from two jobs ago. So judge each option on three things: the yearly price on your own domain, how long it takes to add a project with screenshots and a write-up, and whether each project can have **its own page** you can link from a resume. ## Code it yourself: GitHub Pages and friends [GitHub Pages](https://docs.github.com/en/pages/getting-started-with-github-pages/about-github-pages) is static hosting straight from a repository, on a github.io address or your own domain. Vercel, Netlify and Cloudflare Pages are similar. With Astro, Hugo, Next.js or plain HTML, you control every pixel and pay only for the domain. **Best for:** developers who enjoy building it and will keep it current, or front-end developers for whom the site itself is a portfolio piece. **The catch:** every project is a code change, and every framework upgrade is a chore. ## Design it: Carrd and Framer - **Carrd** builds one-page sites on a canvas. Per [Carrd's pricing](https://carrd.com/pro), Pro Standard, the tier with custom domains, is $19 a year for up to 10 sites. Very cheap. Each site is a single page, so a case study per project means another section or another site. See [makerhandle vs Carrd](https://makerhandle.com/compare/carrd). - **Framer** builds custom, animated multi-page sites with a CMS. A free site lives on a Framer subdomain; [Framer's pricing](https://www.framer.com/pricing) lists the Basic plan with a custom domain at $10 a month. See [makerhandle vs Framer](https://makerhandle.com/compare/framer). **Best for:** designers whose portfolio is part of the pitch. **The catch:** you make every layout decision, for every screen size, every time you add work. ## Write it: Notion A Notion page published with Notion Sites is quick to write and easy to edit. Your own domain is a paid add-on of $10 a month per domain, or $8 a month billed annually, on top of a paid Notion plan, per [Notion's help center](https://www.notion.com/help/notion-sites-availability-and-pricing). See [makerhandle vs Notion](https://makerhandle.com/compare/notion). **Best for:** writing-heavy portfolios. **The catch:** it looks like Notion, and pages can feel slow on a phone. ## Fill it in: makerhandle makerhandle is a portfolio page you fill in rather than build. Add a project and it gets a card on your page plus its **own case study page**: Markdown write-up, captioned gallery, stack, role and timeline, highlights, and links to source code, a live demo or app stores. An **Open to work** toggle adds a badge and a contact button. Nine templates, none of which your content can break. Free covers five projects, with project pages included. **Pro is $20 a year** for unlimited projects, every template and a custom domain with SSL. **The catch:** you choose a template, you do not design one, and it is one portfolio, not a general website with a blog. See [makerhandle for job seekers](https://makerhandle.com/for/job-seekers). ## Which should you pick? - You love building sites and will maintain it: **code it yourself**. - You are a designer and the site is part of the work: **Framer**, or **Carrd** for a single page. - Your portfolio is mostly writing: **Notion**. - You want a page per project with almost no upkeep, for the price of a domain: **makerhandle**. You can also mix: a hand-built site for your blog, with makerhandle as the portfolio it links to. Prices were checked on each product's own pricing page in October 2026; check them again before you buy. ## Sources - [GitHub Docs: About GitHub Pages](https://docs.github.com/en/pages/getting-started-with-github-pages/about-github-pages) - [Carrd: Pro plans and prices](https://carrd.com/pro) - [Framer: pricing](https://www.framer.com/pricing) - [Notion help center: Notion Sites availability and pricing](https://www.notion.com/help/notion-sites-availability-and-pricing) ## Questions ### What is the cheapest way to host a developer portfolio? Coding a static site and hosting it on GitHub Pages costs only the domain. Among builders, Carrd Pro Standard is $19 a year and makerhandle Pro is $20 a year with a custom domain. ### Should a developer build their own portfolio site? Only if you will keep it current, or the site is itself a showcase of front-end skill. Reviewers judge the projects on it more than the site. ### Can each project have its own page? On makerhandle, yes, at makerhandle.com/yourname/project. On a one-page builder like Carrd, each case study becomes a section of the page or a separate site. ### Is makerhandle affiliated with any of these? No. makerhandle is an independent product. --- Source: https://makerhandle.com/compare/portfolio-website-builders makerhandle: makerhandle is a link in bio for makers and founders: every project with its status and revenue verified from Stripe, Paddle and more.