27 Hidden Gem Website Inspiration Sites That Website Designers Use (2025)

Professional designers have a secret – they keep website inspiration sites bookmarked. The digital world has shifted toward AI-driven design, with 60% of designers now using artificial intelligence for ideas. Finding truly innovative designs means knowing the right places to look.

Awwwards leads the pack as the gold standard for fresh design concepts. Their system scores websites based on five key areas: design, usability, creativity, content, and mobile. The platform showcases work from leading web designers and developers worldwide. Creative and dynamic sites pour in daily, and a jury of prominent specialists evaluates each submission with their expert knowledge.

Best Website Gallery has emerged as designers’ top pick for e-commerce inspiration in 2024. Many inspiration sites have earned recognition from professional organisations like Awwwards and the Webby Awards. But beyond these prominent website design inspiration sites, you’ll find hidden gems that could take your next project to new heights.

This piece will take you through 27 under-the-radar web design sites that industry leaders love but rarely talk about. These resources, from niche galleries to specialised collections, will help you break free from design conventions and find truly unique inspiration.

Best Website Gallery

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Best Website Gallery (BWG) started as a simple collection of bookmarks by designer and developer David Hellmann in 2008. The platform has grown into a go-to destination for web designers looking for fresh inspiration. Today, it showcases 2,633 handpicked websites.

Best Website Gallery key features

BWG stands apart from other website inspiration sites with these unique tools:

• Multiple page screenshots – BWG shows screenshots of inner pages along with the main view, unlike many galleries that only display homepages. This gives users a complete view of each site’s design ecosystem
• Robust tagging system – The gallery lets users philtre by colour, content management system (CMS), style, and framework
• Designer portfolios section – A dedicated category with over 50 examples just for portfolio inspiration
• Curated selection – Every website goes through careful review to meet exceptional design standards

Why Best Website Gallery stands out

BWG saves designers time as they learn about website designs. Users don’t need to visit live websites or switch between pages because BWG displays multiple screenshots on one page. Designers can quickly see how different elements work together across a site.

The gallery’s backstory adds to its appeal. David Hellmann created it as his personal visual library before he decided to share it with others. His personal involvement helps maintain high quality standards instead of just following design trends.

Best use cases for Best Website Gallery

BWG helps designers who need ideas for specific page types beyond homepages. The resource becomes invaluable when you work on about pages, service sections, or product galleries.

The gallery also works great for:

• Designers who want complete views of award-winning websites
• Teams that need the quickest way to study inner page structures
• Creatives searching for portfolio inspiration through the Designer Portfolio tag
• Anyone working with specific colour schemes or frameworks who can use the detailed filtering system

siteInspire

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siteInspire, a 14-year old platform, has grown into one of the most detailed website inspiration sites in the design community. The platform features over 8,000 websites that showcase innovative designs and exceptional user experience. It serves as a big digital gallery for creative professionals.

siteInspire key features

The platform’s value comes from its resilient organisation system:

• Extensive categorization – Content spans multiple dimensions including styles (2,185 typographic, 731 minimal), types (1,790 portfolio, 853 e-commerce), subjects (797 fashion, 628 art), and platforms
• Powerful search functionality – The user-friendly interface lets you philtre multiple criteria at once to find exactly what you need
• Personal collections – Free accounts help users save their favourite websites and build their own inspiration libraries
• Profile directory – The platform showcases prominent web design agencies and freelancers behind these amazing websites

Why siteInspire stands out

The platform sets itself apart with its strict quality standards. The core team receives about 100 submissions daily. Only the most outstanding examples make it to the platform. Daniel Howells, the founder, personally selects websites based on creativity and visual quality. The platform doesn’t allow sponsored entries.

SiteInspire’s staying power proves its worth. The platform has managed to keep its position as a go-to resource even as the digital world evolves faster. Unlike galleries that display conceptual designs, siteInspire features only live, working websites.

Best use cases for siteInspire

The platform shines when you need to:

• Research industry-specific designs through subject philtres (fashion, art, e-commerce)
• Find inspiration for style approaches (minimal, typographic, grid layouts)
• Discover great examples of specific website types (portfolios, e-commerce)
• Learn innovative layout techniques from the 644 sites tagged with “unusual layout”

The platform serves designers who want really vetted examples that expand the boundaries of aesthetics and functionality.

Awwwards

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A 15-year old platform, Awwwards has become the premier destination for web design excellence. This global stage celebrates and recognises outstanding digital creativity. The platform uses a sophisticated scoring system to rate websites based on four key criteria: design (40%), usability (30%), creativity (20%), and content (10%).

Awwwards key features

Awwwards has several unique elements that make it a valuable source of website inspiration:

• Rigorous judging process – At least 18 jury members evaluate each submitted site, and the system automatically removes outlier scores
• Layered award structure – Sites can receive multiple levels of recognition: Site of the Day (SOTD), Honourable Mentions (for sites scoring 6.5+), Developer Awards, Site of the Month, and the coveted Site of the Year
• Community engagement – Professional users’ votes work together with jury decisions to determine outcomes
• International conferences – Regular events happen in Europe and the United States with speakers from major tech companies

Why Awwwards stands out

Awwwards works like a “fashion week” for web designers and developers. Its reputation as the ultimate measure of creative excellence sets it apart from typical website inspiration sites. The platform’s meticulous vetting process ensures top quality while promoting a thriving community of professionals.

The platform goes beyond just showcasing websites. You’ll find collections, tutorials, and interviews with industry experts.

Best use cases for Awwwards

Awwwards brings significant value in several ways:

1. Credibility building – Nominations and wins improve your professional reputation and validate quality
2. Exposure amplification – Featured websites get noticed by design professionals
3. Expert feedback acquisition – Top industry specialists evaluate your submissions
4. Trend identification – Regular visits help you spot state-of-the-art techniques and emerging design patterns
5. Portfolio enhancement – Recognition becomes a powerful marketing tool for designers and agencies

CSS Nectar

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CSS Nectar serves as a rich source for design enthusiasts. The platform showcases exceptional web designs assessed on creativity, UI/UX, and coding expertise. The site presents a fresh point of view on global design trends through its detailed filtering options.

CSS Nectar key features

CSS Nectar stands out with several distinctive features:

• Expert vetting process – Design specialists assess all submissions to ensure only high-quality websites appear in the gallery
• Triple-criteria rating system – Featured sites receive scores across design, coding, and creativity categories
• Geographical categorization – Designers can browse websites by country of origin to learn about regional design influences
• Affordable submission process – Website submission costs just £3.97, and fees get refunded if the site isn’t approved
• Multi-dimensional filtering – Users can browse by feature, colour palette, and website type

Why CSS Nectar stands out

The platform’s careful curation process makes it different from other website inspiration sites. CSS Nectar welcomes submissions from everyone but maintains high quality standards through its assessment system. Visitors can participate in the rating process, which creates a vibrant ecosystem where users help recognise outstanding designs.

The platform features a beautiful and easy-to-use interface that creates an enjoyable experience while displaying thousands of web designs in one place.

Best use cases for CSS Nectar

CSS Nectar proves valuable in several design scenarios:

• Colour palette exploration – Colour-based filtering helps find inspiration within specific chromatic schemes
• Regional design research – Country-based categorization helps discover culturally influenced designs
• Community validation – The voting system identifies exceptional designs through peer recognition
• Quality assurance – Designers can find vetted examples that meet professional standards

The platform functions as both a curated gallery and a community-driven space where the best designs earn spots on the winners page.

Behance

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Behance started as a digital playground for creatives and has become one of the most powerful website inspiration sites since its 2006 launch. Adobe acquired the platform in 2012. Today, it hosts a thriving community of 30 million members who add over 30,000 new projects daily. The platform generates 180 million page views each month.

Behance key features

Behance gives web design professionals several unique features that make it stand out:

• Global creative community – You can reach millions of potential clients and collaborators worldwide
• Unlimited uploads – Share as many projects and media files as you want
• Adobe ecosystem integration – Uninterrupted connection with Adobe Portfolio lets you share directly from Photoshop, Illustrator, and other Adobe applications
• Live streaming – Watch or record creative sessions in UI/UX, Graphic Design, and Illustration
• Detailed jobs board – Find full-time positions, freelance gigs, or internships based on your interests

Why Behance stands out

Behance differs from other website design inspiration sites because it works as both a portfolio platform and social network. Most galleries just show work, but Behance encourages real interactions between creators. This turns simple browsing into valuable networking opportunities.

The platform’s connection to Adobe tools creates efficient workflows for designers who use Creative Cloud applications. You can update your portfolio directly from your design software, which keeps your showcase current without extra work.

Best use cases for Behance

Behance helps many design professionals, but it’s especially useful for:

Web designers who need inspiration from thousands of daily UI/UX project uploads

Digital designers building their reputation and online presence in the industry

Creative professionals who want to connect with potential clients through the platform’s messaging system

Job seekers looking for opportunities through the jobs board, where they can apply directly with their portfolio

The platform also works great as a learning tool. You can learn new website design approaches by seeing how others solve design challenges.

Dribbble

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Dribbble started in 2009 and has grown into a bustling community. Millions of graphic designers and creative professionals worldwide use it to showcase their work, land jobs, and connect with others. The platform works as both a visual inspiration gallery and a networking hub for the design community.

Dribbble key features

Dribbble stands apart from other website inspiration sites with these distinctive features:

• Community participation – Users can upvote work they like and give feedback on projects. This creates a collaborative environment
• Shot limitations – Creatives can upload only 24 shots (images) monthly. This helps prevent spam and keeps quality high
• Global reach – Tens of millions of visitors come to the platform daily looking for inspiration
• Complete categorisation – Users can search content by themes, artists, and projects
• Popular section exposure – Work with lots of upvotes shows up in the “Popular” section. Hundreds of thousands of users see this daily
• Job opportunities – Companies post designer job listings right on the platform

Why Dribbble stands out

Dribbble does more than just show design work – it builds a thriving community. The platform’s easy-to-use interface lets users search and find the latest design trends and styles without hassle.

The platform checks each talent’s credibility before they can upload publicly. This keeps quality standards high. More than 40,000 companies, including Apple, Slack, and Airbnb, use Dribbble to find creative professionals. This makes quality control vital.

Designers can get more visibility by following the recommended posting schedule, like Mondays at 10am CET. The tagging system helps potential clients find their work easily.

Best use cases for Dribbble

Dribbble works best for:

1. Trend research – You can stay current with design patterns and approaches in web and mobile design
2. Portfolio development – It’s great as a secondary portfolio to show design skills that might not fit in formal project work
3. Hiring designers – Companies can assess potential hires by looking at their activity, follower counts, and engagement levels
4. Finding inspiration – Designers save inspirational work in “buckets” for future reference
5. Networking – The platform’s social features help you connect with like-minded professionals and potential clients

Dribbble has grown beyond a simple website inspiration gallery. It’s now a complete ecosystem where design professionals show their talent, find work, and grow their craft.

Designspiration

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Designspiration is like Pinterest but focuses purely on design. It’s a curated visual space where creative professionals can find website inspiration. Designer Shelby White created this platform to bring exceptional creative work from many disciplines together in one place.

Designspiration key features

The platform comes with several features that web designers will appreciate:

• Pinterest-like interface with design focus – Unlike general inspiration sites, Designspiration shows only design-related content
• Colour palette extraction – The platform pulls out and shows the colour scheme from each designer’s work, which makes it easy to use similar palettes
• Advanced search functionality – You can search with “@[keyword]” to find content types or “#[html colour codes]” to locate specific colour schemes
• Personal collections – Like Behance, you can build inspiration boards that help you keep visual references for your projects
• Vertical scrolling boxed layout – The clean, easy-to-use layout lets you browse the site smoothly

Why Designspiration stands out

Designspiration sets itself apart by focusing solely on design content. The platform works as a filtered version of Pinterest that removes anything not related to design. Yet it keeps that familiar, friendly browsing experience that makes finding new content effortless.

The colour palette feature really shines. It pulls out and shows a website’s colour scheme automatically, which takes away the hassle of identifying colour combinations you like. Designers save time since they don’t have to manually pick colours from screenshots.

Best use cases for Designspiration

The platform really shows its value in several key situations:

Designers who need fresh ideas early in their projects will love the endless scrolling feed. It’s perfect for casual browsing until something catches your eye. The mix of different content types helps create unexpected creative connections.

The hashtag search with HTML colour codes is a powerful tool that most other sites don’t have. It’s perfect for designers looking to find specific colour inspiration.

Designspiration also works great as a detailed digital mood board platform. You can gather and sort visual inspiration from many design areas—from typography to architecture—all in one account.

Pinterest

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Pinterest has 537 million monthly active users and works as a visual search engine rather than a social media platform. This difference makes it a powerful tool that web designers often overlook when looking for inspiration beyond design sites.

Pinterest key features

Pinterest has several features that work great for website design inspiration:

• Visual discovery engine – Users search for content like Google but get images and videos as results
• Business account benefits – You get live analytics, rich pins, advanced ad options, and marketing materials
• Enhanced rich pins – Your site’s metadata shows up right on pins, including live price updates for products
• Pinterest Trends tool – You learn about trending topics, keywords, and what audiences do
• Long content lifespan – Posts last much longer than social media’s typical 24-hour lifecycle and grow in value
• Vertical image optimisation – The platform works best with vertical images at 2:3 ratio (1000 x 1500 pixels)

Why Pinterest stands out

Pinterest does more than design galleries by working as both inspiration source and traffic generator. Other platforms just showcase work, but Pinterest links users straight to original websites and drives valuable traffic back.

Pinterest’s approach differs from typical social media platforms. The search-based system helps content stay visible for longer periods. Content often becomes more popular as time passes instead of vanishing quickly.

Users make 2 billion monthly searches on the platform, which creates huge exposure opportunities. This becomes even more significant since 48% of users come to Pinterest to shop.

Best use cases for Pinterest

Web designers find Pinterest useful in several ways:

The platform helps create detailed mood boards during the first project phases. Designers can gather visual references from different categories at the same time thanks to Pinterest’s organisation structure.

SEO-focused design research works well here too. Pinterest’s search engine nature shows which visual content appeals to specific search queries.

Portfolio work gets better exposure on Pinterest. Designers who pin website screenshots with the right keywords attract potential clients looking for specific design styles or industries.

Pinterest brings together the visual organisation you’d expect from design galleries with search engine discovery features. This combination makes it a valuable resource for website inspiration.

Instagram

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Instagram has become a surprising powerhouse for website inspiration. The platform sees over 51% of users who keep taking them. This photo-sharing social platform has evolved from a simple social network into a tool that designers increasingly use for creative input.

Instagram key features

The platform provides several elements that are a great way to get insights for website designers:

• Visual-first approach – The image-based interface makes it ideal for sharing vibrant and bright design content
• Stories and IGTV – These features help designers showcase process work and behind-the-scenes glimpses
• Polling functionality – Users can get direct feedback from potential customers about design priorities
• Portfolio capabilities – The platform works as a mini portfolio for design work
• Extensive reach – With 112.5 million users by 2020, the platform gives substantial visibility

Why Instagram stands out

Instagram differs from other website inspiration sites because it serves as both an inspiration source and business development tool. Designers can showcase their work and connect with prospective clients at the same time.

The platform shines through its connection capabilities—60% of users find brands through the platform. This creates a space where designers can show their process and build relationships with potential clients.

The visual nature of Instagram makes it perfect for designers to stay current with latest web design trends. It acts as a living laboratory where professionals share new techniques and approaches.

Best use cases for Instagram

Instagram proves most valuable to web designers who are:

Looking for current design trends—many UX and web designers share finished work, their optimised workflows, design processes, and ideas

Creating curated feeds of inspiring content—Instagram combines inspiration sources in one scrollable feed instead of visiting multiple websites

Connecting directly with potential clients—designers report major business growth after consistent Instagram Stories and showing their faces

Building an audience through educational content—sharing mini-trainings on website improvements gets more and thus encourages more engagement while building expertise

All the same, the real value comes when designers use Instagram with purpose and focus on engagement quality rather than follower counts.

Godly

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Godly has made its mark as a specialist platform that showcases exceptional web design examples. The platform promises to deliver “astronomically good web design inspiration every single day.” This fresh addition to design inspiration sites takes a unique approach to design collections and puts the spotlight on innovative and interactive elements.

Godly key features

The platform offers impressive capabilities that resonate with professional designers:

• Video-based showcases – Most platforms show static screenshots, but Godly displays videos that capture animations, hover effects, and the complete interactive experience of websites
• Animated thumbnails – A blend of animated and still thumbnails helps provide instant visual context while browsing
• Regular updates – New inspiring content appears on the platform daily
• Curated excellence – The collection features only the most outstanding designs
• Organised categories – The content follows a well-laid-out structure with types like agency, personal, and SaaS websites

Why Godly stands out

Godly’s value comes from its emphasis on motion design and interactivity. Of course, many websites look stunning in static form, but Godly understands that modern web experiences depend heavily on movement and user interaction. The platform shows these dynamic elements to paint a complete picture of state-of-the-art design.

Endless, a design agency, manages the platform which adds professional credibility. The strict curation standards ensure users see exceptional examples instead of average content.

Best use cases for Godly

Designers get the most value from Godly while looking for:

Inspiration to create high-end animations and experimental UI/UX approaches

Creative ideas that raise websites beyond static designs through interactive elements

Motion design techniques that boost user experience

Professional reference materials in portfolios, e-commerce, and startup websites of all types

Designers who need sophisticated visual inspiration without creative limits will find Godly a great resource. The platform emphasises dynamic, interactive aspects that define modern web design.

Admire The Web

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Admire The Web serves as a specialised inspiration hub where web designers can find categorised design concepts and ideas quickly. The platform curates exceptional web design examples and makes them available through an accessible interface that prioritises user convenience.

Admire The Web key features

Admire The Web offers several practical features that make finding inspiration easier:

• Category-specific inspiration – The platform organises content by both industry (professional, product, food) and type (mouseover, hover, HTML5). This allows designers to conduct targeted research
• Interactions library – Users who create an account get access to a specialised collection of interaction design elements
• Tag-based navigation – Tags in the upper right corner help designers find themed inspiration quickly
• Sleek, relaxing format – The clean interface helps reduce visual fatigue during long browsing sessions
• Constant database updates – The team adds exceptional designs regularly to keep the collection fresh and relevant

Why Admire The Web stands out

Admire The Web sets itself apart from other website inspiration sites through its dual approach to categorization. While many platforms offer simple filtering, this platform provides both industry-specific and technical-feature sorting at the same time. This creates a more precise system to find what you need.

The platform’s interactions library provides exceptional value. Rather than just showing static designs, designers can study specific interactive elements on their own—something you rarely find on other platforms.

The clean and relaxing format creates a distraction-free experience. Designers can focus completely on finding inspiration without dealing with a cluttered interface.

Best use cases for Admire The Web

Admire The Web becomes most valuable when designers need to:

Research specific interaction techniques like mouseovers or hover effects for upcoming projects. The dedicated interactions library makes this process quick and simple.

The tag system helps find industry-specific inspiration fast, which works great for client work in specialised sectors.

The platform works best for designers who want a curated experience instead of sorting through less selective galleries. Admire The Web maintains high quality standards for all included designs.

Brutalist Websites

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Brutalist Websites curates a collection that pushes back against sleek minimalism by showcasing raw functionality and unpolished design elements. The platform celebrates websites that move away from popular conventions. These sites create memorable, rugged web experiences that stick with visitors.

Brutalist Websites key features

Brutalist web design is characterised by several distinctive elements:

• Clashing colour palettes – Colour theory is purposely abandoned to create bold, shocking statements
• Minimal CSS – Grid-like layouts with text-focused design and little styling
• Non-standard navigation – Intentionally rejecting traditional information hierarchy
• Raw, unpolished aesthetics – A very simple approach that puts functionality before form
• Repeating patterns – Modular or grid-based geometric components with sharp edges
• Transparent functionality – Focus on honest presentation without decorative distractions
• Web-safe colours – Often monochromatic schemes with solid backgrounds

Why Brutalist Websites stands out

Pascal Deville founded Brutalist Websites, which serves as the definitive collection for this design movement. The site’s characteristically bare appearance and plain Courier font embody brutalism’s philosophy.

Brutalism in web design represents “a reaction by a younger generation to the lightness, optimism, and frivolity of today’s web design”. The platform goes beyond being just a gallery. It takes a philosophical stance against mainstream design conventions.

Best use cases for Brutalist Websites

Brutalist design approaches work well for:

Portfolio sites for artists, designers, and musicians who want to make strong first impressions

Brands that want to highlight individuality, creativity, and non-conformity

Projects that need faster loading times through lightweight design

Businesses looking to create authenticity and honesty in their digital presence

Brutalism might not suit elegant or conservative brands. However, it shines in creative industries that value standing out more than conventional user-friendliness. This approach proves most valuable when first impressions matter more than typical business transactions.

Httpster

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Httpster started in 2012 as a simple collection of bookmarked websites and grew into the world’s largest mobile and web design reference library. The platform embraces a “less-is-more” philosophy and showcases hand-picked designs that feature striking typography and minimalist approaches.

Httpster key features

Httpster sets itself apart with several unique elements:

• Diverse style categorization – Users can explore fourteen distinct styles from Colourful, Brutalist, Dark, Fullscreen, Grid, Illustrative, Interactive, Light, Minimal, Monotone, Photographic, Responsive, Retro, to Typographic
• Industry-specific filtering – The platform covers designs in 25+ types from Advertising and Architecture to Fashion, Ecommerce, and Sports
• One-click live site access – Users can visit featured websites instantly which streamlines their research process
• Curated quality control – The team carefully selects each site instead of mass collecting them
• Opinionated curation – Dominic Whittle founded and still hand-codes the platform with Tom Fitzgerald’s co-curation

Why Httpster stands out

The platform began as a solution to designers losing track of emailed inspirational links and evolved into a respected cornerstone of the web design community. The clean, minimalist presentation lets designs speak for themselves, while the platform provides a quality-over-quantity approach to inspiration.

Httpster has managed to keep its dedication to featuring “websites that hit different” for 13 years – ancient by website standards. The collection now has 3,116 hand-picked examples that expand conventional design boundaries.

Best use cases for Httpster

Designers will find this platform valuable when looking for:

• Inspiration with typographic, minimal, and brutalist vibes
• Creative designs that surpass templated web approaches
• Examples of excellent typography and thoughtful colour palettes
• Smart layout solutions in a variety of industries
• Unconventional design approaches to break creative blocks

Httpster ended up becoming an opinionated inspiration source that helps designers stay current in the digital world. It provides a carefully curated alternative to larger, less selective galleries.

Commerce Cream

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Commerce Cream stands out as a specialised gallery that showcases the best Shopify-powered online stores. Designers can find the perfect inspiration for their e-commerce projects through this carefully curated collection. The platform serves as a great resource to lift your online retail presence with exceptional design examples.

Commerce Cream key features

Commerce Cream gives e-commerce designers several unique benefits:

• Shopify exclusivity – Every featured website is built using the Shopify platform
• Retail-focused curation – Dedicated fully to showcasing exceptional e-commerce experiences
• Visual emphasis – Presentations highlight design elements that boost conversions
• Brand diversity – Stores from fashion to home goods of all types
• Inspiration specificity – Targeted ideas for online retail environments

Why Commerce Cream stands out

Commerce Cream’s unique value comes from its singular focus on one platform. Most galleries show websites built with different technologies, but Commerce Cream exclusively showcases Shopify-powered stores. This specialised approach creates a highly relevant resource for anyone in the Shopify ecosystem.

The platform connects abstract design concepts with real-world implementation in a specific technical framework. Shopify developers and store owners no longer face the frustration of finding beautiful designs that won’t work on their chosen platform.

Best use cases for Commerce Cream

The platform brings value at different stages of e-commerce design:

Designers can see what’s possible within the platform’s capabilities before starting a Shopify store. Commerce Cream shows practical examples of working navigation systems and checkout flows during wireframing. The collection gives fresh ideas to boost existing Shopify implementations for 2-year old stores planning redesigns.

Commerce Cream shines as a resource for designers and brands that want to see how visual aesthetics create functional shopping experiences in the Shopify ecosystem.

Webflow Showcase

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Webflow Showcase serves as a creative hub where designers share their Webflow projects and find website inspiration. This 2025-old platform brings together newcomers, observers, and experts through an impressive collection of portfolio websites, creative designs, and practical ideas.

Webflow Showcase key features

The platform gives web designers several unique capabilities:

• Cloneable templates – Users can copy and paste designs they love directly into their CMS, which saves huge amounts of development time
• Community participation – Works like a social network where users can like, share, and comment on projects
• Complete categorization – Projects are sorted by type including eCommerce, animation, CMS, interaction, and portfolio
• Visual search functionality – Users can find designs by popularity, recency, or most liked
• CSS exploration – Users can open sites in Webflow Designer to study their structure

Why Webflow Showcase stands out

Webflow Showcase differs from typical website inspiration sites by combining visual inspiration with hands-on implementation. The revolutionary cloning feature reshapes how designers work – they no longer need to rebuild admired elements from scratch.

The platform creates a welcoming space for designers to promote their work and connect with peers. Many established names like Flowbase provide great resources from templates to JavaScript code.

Fresh designs appear on the showcase regularly, which helps users stay current with trends and techniques.

Best use cases for Webflow Showcase

The sort of thing I love about Webflow Showcase includes:

Learning from website designs in a variety of categories.

The clone function speeds up development – you find a design element you like and add it to your project quickly.

You can learn CSS construction by opening sites directly in Webflow Designer.

Webflow Showcase bridges the gap between concept and execution for designers who need both inspiration and practical tools. It provides visual examples and useful resources in one place.

Landbook

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Landbook started in 2013 and became a leading website inspiration platform that focuses on landing page designs. This 10-year old resource transformed from a simple gallery into a detailed design inspiration hub that serves creative professionals.

Landbook key features

Designers looking for high-quality website inspiration will find several powerful tools in Landbook:

• Extensive curated collection – A carefully selected library of over 20,000 website examples in multiple categories
• Categorised website sections – More than 200,000 specific elements including Heroes, Testimonials, Pricing, and Footers
• Advanced filtering system – You can sort by component, colour, style, industry, type, desktop/mobile view, website type, and page type
• Full-screen previews – Complete desktop and mobile screenshots give you a detailed visual reference
• Historical versions – The Pro version lets you see how websites changed over time

Why Landbook stands out

Landbook differs from other website inspiration sites through its unique dual organisation approach. The platform shows complete website inspiration and individual section examples, which helps designers focus on specific components they need to work on.

The platform offers a flexible tiered access model with a free Basic and paid Pro version at £4.76 monthly based on your project needs. While the free version gives you basic inspiration, the Pro version adds unlimited boards, mobile previews, and ad-free browsing.

The platform’s Experts Directory adds extra value by connecting you with talented web professionals from freelancers to established agencies.

Best use cases for Landbook

Landbook works best in these scenarios:

The categorised collection helps you find inspiration quickly for specific website sections

The platform excels at showcasing landing page designs from every industry, thanks to its original focus

Designers can save and organise their favourite designs for different clients using the board system

The sector-based filtering helps you discover design patterns that work well in specific markets

Abduzeedo

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Abduzeedo started as a personal blog in 2006 and grew into a thriving design inspiration platform. Brazilian designer Fabio Sasso, now a senior designer at Google, created this influential site that draws over 100,000 design enthusiasts daily. The platform reaches nearly three million visitors each month.

Abduzeedo key features

The platform offers these distinctive elements to designers looking for inspiration:

• Diverse design disciplines – Content spans 3D design, branding, editorial design, graphic design, illustration, typography, and UI/UX design
• In-depth tutorials – Daily inspiration pairs with practical guides that help designers recreate trending styles
• Case study approach – Detailed project backgrounds showcase client information, design decisions, and key elements
• Automatic night mode – Night mode activates based on your computer’s time or manually with the “N” key
• Clean, minimal interface – A distraction-free browsing experience remains intact despite advertisements

Why Abduzeedo stands out

The platform’s longevity and growth set it apart from other design inspiration sites. The site has gone through 8-10 redesigns in its 14-year history. This shows the founder’s dedication to staying current with design trends.

Abduzeedo maintains its independence by limiting sponsored content. This choice keeps the platform focused on authentic inspiration rather than commercial interests.

The founder believes that “a good designer is like a triathlon athlete… not the best runner, nor biker, nor swimmer, but does those 3 things together like no one else”. This philosophy shapes how the site showcases excellence across multiple design disciplines.

Best use cases for Abduzeedo

The platform becomes most valuable when you need to:

Find inspiration from multiple design disciplines to tackle problems differently Study detailed case studies with project and brand background information Learn from practical tutorials while getting visual inspiration Discover content that challenges creative boundaries beyond algorithmic recommendations

Footer

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Footer stands out as the only gallery that showcases outstanding website footer designs, unlike most design inspiration platforms that focus on complete websites. This resource helps designers tackle one of the most overlooked yet significant website elements.

Footer key features

The platform provides several specialised features to help designers find footer-specific inspiration:

• Type and style categorization – Browse footer designs sorted by aesthetic approaches and functional categories
• Curated excellence – Each footer goes through careful selection to ensure only the best examples join the collection
• Single-element focus – Pure focus on footer design without other website components getting in the way
• Gallery format – Simple, clean presentation that lets the designs speak for themselves
• Professional curation – The core team at Moshimbo, an independent brand design studio with expertise in visual identity, manages to keep the quality high

Why Footer stands out

The platform’s laser-focused specialisation sets it apart from other website inspiration sites. General galleries might show footers now and then, but this platform puts this underappreciated element front and centre. Nielsen Norman Group research shows users do scroll below the fold, and they spend just 57% of their viewing time in the upper portions of websites.

Footers have grown beyond simple utility areas into vital reference points that serve multiple purposes. They work as second chances to convince visitors and become the last resort to find hard-to-find content. Footer recognises this rise and gives designers targeted inspiration for this vital website component.

Best use cases for Footer

The platform really shines in these scenarios:

Designers need to create website footers with essential elements like contact information, privacy policies, and copyright notices.

They want fresh approaches to traditional footer components that work well while boosting their brand identity.

The sort of thing I love is how it helps structure complex footer navigation for large websites with extensive content hierarchies.

This resource is a great way to get reference material for designers who know the footer gives them one last chance to convert visitors before they leave a site.

Comparison Table

Conclusion

Designers need fresh website inspiration to create standout digital experiences. This piece explores 27 hidden gems that pros use but rarely talk about. Each platform brings something special to the table – from complete galleries like Best Website Gallery and siteInspire to niche collections like Commerce Cream for Shopify stores and Footer for footer-specific inspiration.

These resources are valuable because they show work that goes beyond mainstream trends. Of course, popular sites like Awwwards and Dribbble make great starting points, but creative breakthroughs often come from unexpected places. The options we looked at help with different parts of the design process – from original concept exploration on Pinterest to specific component research on Landbook.

The digital design world changes faster than ever, with AI now shaping 60% of design processes. Designers need access to carefully picked inspiration more than ever before. These platforms help them break free from algorithmic suggestions and find innovative approaches.

Here’s my take: bookmark several of these resources instead of sticking to just one or two. Each project needs its own kind of inspiration. To cite an instance, an e-commerce project could get great ideas from Commerce Cream’s specialised focus, while a creative portfolio might draw from Brutalist Websites’ unconventional approaches.

Note that inspiration should be your starting point, not a template to copy. The best designers use these resources to spark original thinking rather than duplicate existing work. So visit these sites often, save what strikes a chord with you, and let them stimulate your creative trip toward developing your unique design voice.

Have you found any other hidden gems for website inspiration? Share them in the comments below!