Which Portfolio Website Should You Use as a Graphic Design Student?
Building your portfolio is already stressful enough. Choosing where to build it shouldn’t be. There are so many portfolio platforms out there, and honestly, you do not need the most advanced website possible when you’re still in school. You need somewhere that makes your work look good, is easy to update and gives you a professional link you can send when you’re applying for internships, jobs, competitions and other opportunities. I put together six platforms I think are actually worth considering as a graphic design student — and which type of student I think each one is best for.
Squarespace (My fav + what I use to manage my business)
Best for: Students who want a website they can grow with
This is what I personally use. I like Squarespace because your portfolio can eventually become much more than a portfolio. You can start with your design work and later add services, freelance inquiries, resources, a blog, digital products or whatever else your career turns into. That's why I think it makes the most sense for students who are already thinking beyond just applying for their first internship.
You can start a free trial with Squarespace today and try them out!: https://squarespace.syuh.net/c/7851391/1028113/9084
Pros:
Professional templates
Easy to maintain
Custom domains
Blogging and other website features
Can eventually support a freelance business or personal brand
You don't have to rebuild your entire online presence as your career grows
Cons:
Paid
More than most students actually need
Less creative freedom than something like Cargo or Framer
My take: I wouldn't tell every freshman design student to immediately pay for Squarespace. But if you're getting close to graduating, freelancing or actively building your personal brand, it starts making a lot more sense.
Difficulty: 2/5
Customization: 3.5/5
Budget friendliness: 3/5
Adobe Portfolio
Best for: Students who already use Adobe Creative Cloud
If you already have access to Creative Cloud through school or your own subscription, Adobe Portfolio is probably one of the easiest places to start.
You don’t need to know how to code, the layouts are clean and simple, and it integrates with Behance. Most importantly, you can focus on your actual projects instead of spending three weeks designing your website.
Pros:
Easy to learn
Clean portfolio layouts
Included with eligible Creative Cloud plans
Can connect a custom domain
Integrates with Behance
Cons:
Limited customization
Not ideal if you eventually want a more complex website
Your site may feel more template-based
My take: If you're overwhelmed and just need to get a professional portfolio online, start here. You can always move your portfolio somewhere else later.
Difficulty: 1/5
Customization: 2/5
Budget friendliness: 5/5 if you already have Creative Cloud
Cargo
Best for: Students who want their portfolio to feel like part of their design work
Cargo is one of my favorites for graphic design students because you can create something that feels much more editorial, experimental and design-forward. If your personal style is a big part of how you want to present yourself, Cargo gives you a lot more room to play than a traditional portfolio template. They also offer an education program for eligible students, which makes it especially worth looking into while you're still in school.
Pros:
Very design-focused
Great for experimental layouts
Can make your portfolio feel much more unique
Student access available for eligible students
Cons:
Slightly more of a learning curve
Easy to prioritize aesthetics over usability if you're not careful
May be more customization than you actually need for your first portfolio
My take: If you're an art or design student and want the website itself to feel designed, I'd seriously consider Cargo.
Difficulty: 3/5
Customization: 5/5
Budget friendliness: 5/5 for eligible students
Framer
Best for: Students who want a modern, highly customizable portfolio
Framer gives you much more control over the actual experience of your website. You can create responsive layouts, interactions and motion without having to build everything from scratch with code. It's especially interesting if you're interested in digital design, UI/UX, web design or motion. Framer also has an education program for eligible students.
Pros:
Lots of creative freedom
Modern templates
Great animation and interaction options
Can create a very polished portfolio
Education benefits available for eligible students
Cons:
More of a learning curve than Adobe Portfolio
Easy to spend WAY too much time designing your website instead of your projects
Probably unnecessary if you just need somewhere to display your work
My take: If you enjoy designing websites almost as much as you enjoy designing the projects going inside of them, Framer is worth learning.
Difficulty: 3.5/5
Customization: 5/5
Budget friendliness: 5/5 for eligible students
Behance
Best for: Students who need a portfolio online ASAP
Behance is probably the easiest option on this entire list. Upload your projects, write your case studies and you have a link you can start sending out. It also has a built-in creative community, which means your work can potentially be discovered instead of only being seen by people who already have your portfolio URL. The biggest difference is that Behance feels more like a portfolio profile than your own personal website.
Pros:
Free
Extremely easy to use
Built-in creative community
Great for sharing individual projects
Perfect for getting started
Cons:
Very little control over your overall presentation
Doesn't feel as personal as your own website
You're building your portfolio on someone else's platform
My take: I would MUCH rather see a student have a really good Behance portfolio than no portfolio because they've been trying to perfect their website for six months.
Difficulty: 1/5
Customization: 1/5
Budget friendliness: 5/5
Wix
Best for: Students who want an easy website builder with more flexibility
Wix sits somewhere between a really simple portfolio builder and the more advanced platforms. There are tons of templates and you have a lot of freedom over how your pages look without needing to know how to code.
Pros:
Beginner friendly
Lots of templates
More customization than basic portfolio builders
Can expand beyond a portfolio later
Cons:
The amount of options can get overwhelming
It's easy to overdesign your site
You'll eventually need a paid plan for some professional features
My take: Wix can absolutely work for a student portfolio. Just remember that having more design options doesn't mean you need to use all of them.
Difficulty: 2/5
Customization: 4/5
Budget friendliness: 4/5
So…which one should you choose?
Here’s the easiest way I would decide:
If you want…I’d start with…The easiest professional portfolio Adobe Portfolio
A creative, design-forward portfolio Cargo
Maximum creative control Framer
Something completely free and fast Behance
A website you can grow your career/business with Squarespace
An easy builder with lots of flexibility Wix
The biggest thing I want design students to understand is that your portfolio platform is not what gets you the internship. Your work does.
A simple website with five strong projects, good mockups and clear explanations is going to help you more than an incredible custom website filled with projects you haven't actually developed enough.
Pick the platform that lets you get your work online now.
You can redesign it later. You probably will anyway.
What should actually be in your student portfolio?
Whichever platform you choose, I would aim for: 4–6 of your strongest projects, not every project you've ever made. Show enough of the process that someone can understand how you think, but don't upload every sketch you've ever drawn. Give each project context. What was the assignment or problem? What did you create? What decisions did you make? And make your contact information ridiculously easy to find. Your first portfolio doesn't need to prove that you're already a senior designer. It needs to make someone think: “I want to talk to this person.”
