How to Create a Website with AI That Actually Looks Good (Not Cookie-Cutter)

Every AI website builder promises the same thing: “Create a professional website in minutes.” And they deliver. You answer five questions, click generate, and get a website.

The problem? Visit ten AI-built small business websites. They all look the same. Same hero section. Same stock photo of people high-fiving. Same “We deliver exceptional solutions” headline that could belong to anyone.

If you want to create a website with AI that actually looks custom, not cookie-cutter, you need to know which tools give you real control and what to change after the AI does its thing.

The quick answer: Use Framer for visual quality, Hostinger for value, or Durable for speed. Then spend 30-60 minutes replacing stock photos with your own images, rewriting the generic headlines to sound like you, and swapping the default fonts. Those three changes alone make any AI site look custom.

Here’s the breakdown.

The Problem with Most AI Website Builders

Most AI website builders promise “create a site in minutes.” And technically, they deliver. You answer a few questions, click generate, and boom – you have a website.

The problem? They all look the same. Same hero sections. Same stock photos. Same generic copy. Visit ten “AI-built” small business sites and you’ll see the same layout with different colors.

That’s fine if you just need something online fast. But if you want a site that actually represents you or your business, you need to know which tools give you real control – and how to use them.

AI Website Builders Worth Considering

After researching the current landscape, here are the tools that stood out for creating sites that don’t look obviously AI-generated:

Framer

Framer is my top pick for visual quality. It started as a design tool and added AI features, rather than the other way around. The templates are genuinely beautiful, and the AI helps you customize them intelligently.

You describe what you want, Framer generates a starting point, and then you have granular control over every element. The results look like something a professional designer would create.

Best for: Portfolios, creative professionals, startups that care about design.

Pricing: Free tier available, paid plans from $5/month.

Hostinger AI Website Builder

Hostinger’s builder is surprisingly capable for the price. You answer questions about your business, and it generates a complete site with AI-written copy and selected images.

What sets it apart: the AI doesn’t just build a template. It actually thinks about your specific business and creates relevant sections. The editing interface is intuitive, so you can easily swap out the generic parts.

Best for: Small businesses, local services, anyone who wants hosting included.

Pricing: Starts around $3/month with hosting included.

Here’s a walkthrough of how it works:

Wix AI

Wix has been around forever, but their AI features are legitimately good now. You chat with their AI about what you need, and it builds a site based on the conversation.

The advantage of Wix is the ecosystem. Once your site is built, you have access to hundreds of apps, integrations, and advanced features. The AI gets you started, but you’re not locked into a limited platform.

Best for: Businesses that might need advanced features later (booking, e-commerce, memberships).

Pricing: Free tier available, paid plans from $17/month.

Durable

Durable is the speed champion. It claims to build a website in 30 seconds, and it actually delivers. You enter your business type and location, and it generates a complete site with copy, images, and even a basic CRM.

The catch: the sites are simpler. This is great for service businesses that just need a professional online presence fast (plumbers, consultants, freelancers). It’s not ideal if you want a complex, multi-page site.

Best for: Service businesses, freelancers, anyone who needs something live TODAY.

Pricing: Starts at $15/month.

How to Make Any AI Site Look Less Generic

Regardless of which tool you use, here’s how to make your AI-generated site look custom:

1. Replace the Stock Photos

This is the biggest tell. AI builders pull from the same stock photo libraries, so everyone ends up with the same “diverse team high-fiving” image. Use your own photos, or at least find less common stock images on sites like Unsplash.

2. Rewrite the Headlines

AI-generated copy is competent but generic. “We deliver exceptional solutions for your business needs” could be anyone. Rewrite your main headlines to sound like you actually talk. Specificity beats polish.

3. Change the Fonts

Most AI builders default to the same 3-4 “safe” fonts. Swapping to something different immediately makes your site feel more custom. Google Fonts has hundreds of free options.

4. Adjust the Color Palette

AI tends to generate very “safe” color schemes. Don’t be afraid to tweak. Even small changes – a slightly warmer white, a more saturated accent color – make a difference.

5. Add One Unexpected Element

Cookie-cutter sites are predictable. Add something that breaks the pattern: an unusual hero image, an animated element, a hand-drawn icon, a video background. One distinctive touch goes a long way.

What About Using ChatGPT or Claude to Code a Site?

This is what I’ve been doing, and it works, but it’s a different approach. Tools like Claude Code can build genuinely custom websites, but you need to:

Know what you want (or be willing to iterate extensively)

Have somewhere to host the code

Be comfortable with more technical setup

The upside: truly unlimited customization. The downside: it takes longer and requires more back-and-forth to get right.

For most people wanting a site up fast, the dedicated AI website builders are the better choice. Save the code-generation approach for when you need something the builders can’t do.

My Recommendation

If I were starting fresh and needed a good-looking site fast:

For visual quality: Framer. The designs are genuinely impressive.

For value: Hostinger. Cheap, capable, hosting included.

For speed: Durable. Live in 30 seconds, polish later.

For flexibility: Wix. Most features if you need to grow.

Try the free tiers, generate a test site with each, and see which output resonates with your style. The “best” tool is the one whose defaults you like most, because you’ll spend less time fixing them.

Common Questions

Can AI really create a professional-looking website?

Yes, but with caveats. The initial output is usually 70-80% there. The last 20% – the part that makes it look truly custom – requires human tweaking. Plan for 30-60 minutes of customization after the AI generates your site.

Will people know my site was made with AI?

Not if you customize it. The “AI look” comes from leaving defaults unchanged. Replace photos, rewrite key copy, adjust fonts and colors, and no one will know or care how you built it.

What’s the fastest way to create a website with AI?

Durable is the fastest at under a minute. Hostinger and Wix take 5-10 minutes. Framer might take 15-20 minutes but produces higher-quality results. Choose based on whether speed or quality matters more for your situation.

Do I need coding skills to use these tools?

No. That’s the whole point. These are drag-and-drop builders with AI assistance. If you can use Google Docs, you can use these tools.

For more AI tools that simplify everyday tasks, check out our Start Here page. If you’re interested in building apps (not just websites), our guide to building apps without coding covers that territory.