Web design software for Mac
Mobirise is a free Mac program for building websites, in two editions, Apple Silicon and Intel,, for High Sierra (10.13) and newer. You drag ready blocks onto the page, edit offline and publish wherever you like.
Checked October 2026 · by the Mobirise team, who run mobirize.com
Mobirise on a Mac in four numbers
Picking a site-building program for an Apple computer starts with three questions: does it run natively on your chip, does it support your macOS version, and what does it cost after the first year. Here are our answers before anything else.
- Version
- Mobirise 6.1.12, the same release as on Windows and Linux. Earlier releases, each with its change log, remain on history.mobirisesite.com.
- How you get it
- A .dmg file from the official download page. Open it, drag the icon into Applications, and start the app from Launchpad.
- Free plan
- A single starter theme with over 200 blocks, an unlimited number of sites on your own server, and three hosted ones under a free mobirisesite.com name. Free sites show a small Mobirise credit.
- Paid option
- KIT costs $149 a year and opens the whole catalogue of 220+ premium themes plus the extensions, without the credit line. Let it lapse and your live sites keep running.
- Offline
- Mid-flight, page editing, previewing and every theme stored locally keep working. Generating with AI, uploading the site and fetching fresh themes all want a network.
- Output
- Static files (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Bootstrap 5) written to any Finder folder you choose, whatever your plan.
- iPad and iPhone
- Nothing to install from the App Store for iOS; tablets and phones reach the builder through Safari.
Best website builder for Mac, by what you need
Most "best of" lists for Mac are really lists of browser builders, which work the same on any computer. Below are programs that install on macOS, plus one browser option, each matched to the case where it fits best. Mobirise is our own product, so its line is the maker talking.
- Zero cost and no coding, even on an older Mac
- Mobirise: no licence fee ever, pages assembled from blocks, both chip types from macOS 10.13, and the finished files go to whichever host you like.
- A native Mac app you buy once
- Blocs: one universal binary covering both chip families, macOS Big Sur or newer, with iPad and iPhone versions. Free to design in; export and publishing need the $112.99 one-off Standard licence.
- Tailwind CSS on a current Mac
- Realmac's RapidWeaver Elements: built only for macOS, needs macOS 13 Ventura or newer, yearly plans from $99.
- Reworking a site that already exists
- Pinegrow: loads any folder of HTML for visual or code changes and ships one download per chip type. It assumes you know HTML and CSS.
- Bootstrap layouts for a low one-off price
- Bootstrap Studio: $29 paid once, no connection required, and it takes in HTML you drag onto it.
- Hand coding beside a rendered preview
- Adobe Dreamweaver: the Adobe HTML editor, rented through Creative Cloud, for macOS 13 and later.
- Skipping installation entirely
- 8B AI: an AI tool living entirely in a browser tab; designing costs nothing, but going live means the Pro plan at $9 a month, billed for the year.
Mac website builder apps compared
The rows a Mac owner asks about first: chip support, the oldest macOS that works, the pricing model and what happens without Wi-Fi. Rows where other apps beat us are left in.
| Mobirise | Blocs | RapidWeaver Elements | 8B AI | Pinegrow | Bootstrap Studio | Adobe Dreamweaver | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to go live | Nothing; optional KIT at $149 a year | Standard $112.99 one-off, inc. tax | Base $99 a year, renews yearly | Pro, $9 monthly, charged annually | $99 yearly, or buy a one-time licence | $29 one-time; Lifetime $59 | US$22.99 monthly on the annual single-app plan |
| Pricing model | Free app; optional yearly plan | Buy once, V6 updates included | Subscription; the app stays usable without updates if it lapses | Monthly fee, billed yearly | Subscription or one-time | Buy once | Subscription only |
| Apple Silicon | Yes, separate M1–M4 build | Yes, universal app | Yes, and Intel | Browser only | Yes, separate build | macOS supported; chip builds not listed | Yes, and Intel |
| Oldest macOS | 10.13 High Sierra | 11 Big Sur | 13 Ventura | Any current browser | Not stated | Not stated | 13 Ventura |
| Free to use | Yes, no time limit | Yes, but no export or publishing | Trial without publishing | Designing only | Trial with every feature | No trial, 30-day refund | Free trial |
| Usable with no network | Yes for editing and previewing | Yes | Yes | No | Not stated | Yes, fully | Needs sign-in to activate and revalidate |
| iPad or iPhone app | No; use the browser | Yes, separate apps | No | Runs in mobile browsers | No | No | No |
| Imports outside HTML | No; Mobirise files only | Plus edition imports content | Code Pages for your own HTML | Not stated | Yes, any site | Yes, imports HTML | Yes |
Sources: every vendor's own pricing, download and support pages, read from 13 to 16 October 2026. Figures are in US dollars, exactly as listed (the Blocs figure includes tax), and each cell names how it is billed. Vendors run sales and revise prices, so look again on their site at checkout.
Web design software for Mac: which build fits your machine
Click the Apple logo at the top left and pick About This Mac. Whether the window says "Chip" or "Processor" decides the file.
MacBook Air, Pro, iMac or Mac mini with an M chip
Seeing "Chip: Apple" followed by M1 through M4? Then MobiriseSetup-m.dmg is yours, compiled for those processors.
Macs sold before the switch to Apple chips
If it reads "Processor: Intel", get MobiriseSetup.dmg instead. Many Intel MacBooks can no longer install the newest macOS, which also rules out apps that demand macOS 13.
High Sierra, Mojave, Catalina, Big Sur
Mobirise runs from macOS 10.13 onwards. Blocs starts at Big Sur, while RapidWeaver Elements and Dreamweaver need Ventura, so an older MacBook narrows the field fast.
Each disk image weighs roughly 134 MB. Windows and Linux installers, and a choice of all four builds, are on our free download page for every system.
What to check before you pay for a web design app for Mac
A program that looks great in a review can still be a poor buy for your machine. Test the free version on your own Mac first, and read the licence terms, not just the headline price.
Pay attention to where the program comes from. Some Mac apps sell through the App Store, others as a direct download. With a direct download you install updates yourself, so pick a vendor that keeps a version history; Mobirise lists every release with notes.
Also decide early whether you want to touch code. Visual builders hide it; tools aimed at developers expect it. If you plan to spend most of your time in HTML, our notes on editing code by hand on macOS compare the editors made for that.
- Native chip support. A build that targets Apple Silicon directly, whether separate or universal.
- Your macOS version. Check the minimum before buying; some apps need Ventura or newer.
- The second-year cost. A one-off licence, a yearly plan or a monthly bill change the total a lot over three years.
- Export and publishing in the free tier. Several trials let you design but not upload.
- Where the site can live. FTP to any host, GitHub Pages or a folder of files keeps you free to move.
- Offline use. Whether the app needs a sign-in every month to keep running.
- Licences per Mac. How many computers one purchase covers, if you own an iMac and a MacBook.
Where Mobirise suits a Mac owner, and where other tools win
A good fit
- You want a no-cost Mac tool with no trial clock and no export lock
- Your MacBook runs an older macOS that newer apps no longer support
- You prefer ready blocks to a blank canvas and do not want to write code
- You want the files on your disk and the freedom to pick any host
- You build simple sites for several clients and keep each one as its own project
Look elsewhere if
- You want an app that feels like it was designed only for macOS: Blocs or RapidWeaver Elements follow Apple's interface style more closely
- You must change pages built elsewhere: our app reads nothing but its own project files, whereas Pinegrow and Bootstrap Studio accept foreign HTML
- You want to design on an iPad app: Blocs has one; Mobirise works on iPad only in Safari
- You want a phone-only arrangement: here one responsive layout serves all screens, and you cannot hide or shift items per device
- You plan a large shop with thousands of products: a commerce platform fits better
Website design on a Mac, from Finder to a live site
How a typical first project goes with the Mobirise desktop app on macOS. The same four steps apply to a one-page site or a larger one.
Install from the .dmg
Open the downloaded file in Finder, drag Mobirise to Applications and launch it. macOS asks once whether to open an app from the internet.
Start from blocks or a prompt
Choose a theme and stack blocks, or type a line about your business and keep whichever of the four AI drafts you prefer. Starting from a short description needs a connection and uses one of your monthly generations.
Edit and preview
Type straight into headings and paragraphs, replace pictures, and tune padding, backdrop and column count from the block settings. Then flip the preview from desktop width to tablet and to phone.
Publish or keep the files
Upload through FTP or FTPES, deploy to GitHub Pages, put it on a free mobirisesite.com subdomain, or write the HTML into a local folder.
Steps 1 and 3 work with no network, useful on a train with no signal; our page on building sites without a connection lists exactly what stops when you go offline.
Questions Mac owners ask
Which is the best web design app for Mac if you are a beginner?
For someone who has never built a site, a block-based app is the easiest start: you assemble the page from finished sections instead of drawing it. Mobirise is free and runs on older Macs too; Blocs is a polished paid alternative with an iPad version. Try both free versions before deciding.
Is there free web design software for Mac that never expires?
Yes. Mobirise costs nothing, carries no countdown, is allowed for client and company projects too, and saves HTML on the free tier. Buying a plan brings extra themes and extensions; the free app itself never switches off.
Does Mobirise run natively on Apple M-series Macs?
Yes. Apple Silicon gets its own file,, MobiriseSetup-m.dmg, and Intel machines get MobiriseSetup.dmg. Either one installs on High Sierra (10.13) and every later macOS.
What software do web designers use on a Mac?
It depends on the job. Designers who code tend to use editors such as Dreamweaver or Pinegrow, while people building sites for small businesses often use visual apps like Blocs, RapidWeaver Elements or Mobirise. Plenty also rely on browser tools like Webflow or 8B AI, which have nothing to install.
Is there a WYSIWYG website builder for Mac?
With Mobirise, Blocs and RapidWeaver Elements you edit a page that already looks like the published one. The difference is how much freedom you get: Mobirise works with ready responsive blocks, so you cannot drop an element at any pixel. Our page on visual editing that writes the HTML covers the trade-offs.
Can I get a Mac website builder app from the App Store?
Some Mac builders are sold there; Mobirise for Mac is a .dmg from the official download page at history.mobirisesite.com. Fetch it from the Mobirise servers; mirrors elsewhere may be stale or tampered with.
Does a MacBook website builder need internet?
Not with Mobirise, as long as you are editing, previewing or using themes you have already installed. Going online is required to generate with AI, upload, log in, and pull updates or extra themes. Dreamweaver, by contrast, checks your Creative Cloud licence online at intervals.
Is there an AI website builder for Mac?
Yes. The Mac app shares its AI with the browser version: explain the purpose of the site and it returns four designs complete with copy and pictures. Free accounts get three generations monthly, and a draft usually shows up within a minute.
Can an iPad or iPhone be used for building the site?
Mobirise has no iOS app; Safari on the tablet or phone loads the online editor instead. Should a dedicated iPad app be essential, Blocs sells one. Android phones have our AI app, listed on Google Play.
Is a one-off licence better than a subscription?
Over several years a one-off price is usually cheaper, but check what updates it covers. Blocs includes all V6 updates; RapidWeaver Elements lets you keep the app when the yearly plan ends but stops the updates. Mobirise has no licence fee at all; its KIT plan is $149 a year for premium themes.
What happened to the old mac-website-builder page?
It now redirects here. Everything it covered, from which Mac apps exist to how Mobirise runs on macOS, is on this page with October 2026 prices.
Is Mobirise good web development software for Mac?
For block-built sites it does the job, and the paid Code Editor extension gives you direct access to the code behind every block and page. For writing an application from scratch or editing a codebase made elsewhere, a code editor or Pinegrow is the better choice.
Put Mobirise on your Mac
No charge, M-series or Intel, High Sierra onwards. Rather skip the installer? Safari runs the very same editor.