Best Portfolio Websites for Tattoo Artists: Your Instagram Is Not a Website
“I don’t need a website, I have Instagram.”
I said this for five years. Then Instagram changed its algorithm in 2023 and my post reach dropped by 40% overnight. Then they changed it again. And again. Every time, my booking requests dipped because fewer people were seeing my work.
Meanwhile, “tattoo artist [my city]” and “fine line tattoos [my city]” were being Googled thousands of times a month, and I wasn’t showing up because I had no website. Zero presence on the platform where people actively search for services.
An Instagram profile is rented space. Mark Zuckerberg can change the rules anytime. A website is property you own. Both matter, but only one is under your control.
Here’s how to build a portfolio website that actually drives bookings, and which platform to use.
What a Tattoo Artist Website Actually Needs
Forget the fancy features. Your website needs five things:
1. Portfolio Gallery (The Main Event)
Your 20-30 best pieces, organized by style. High-quality photos, clean layout. This is 90% of why anyone visits your site.
2. About Page
Who you are, how long you’ve been tattooing, what styles you specialize in, your approach. People want to know the person who’ll be putting permanent art on their body.
3. Booking Integration
A clear “Book Now” button that links to your online booking system (Porter, TattooPro, Square, Acuity). Don’t make people hunt for how to book.
4. Info Page (Services, Pricing, Policies)
What you offer, your shop minimum, your deposit and cancellation policy, your aftercare protocol. This eliminates 80% of repetitive DM questions.
5. Contact / Location
Address, phone, email, Instagram link, hours. How to find you and reach you.
That’s it. You don’t need a blog (unless you’re into SEO), you don’t need an e-commerce store (unless you sell flash), you don’t need a members area. Keep it simple.
The Best Website Builders for Tattoo Artists
1. Squarespace — Best Overall
Price: Personal $16/mo | Business $33/mo | Commerce $36/mo Best for: Most tattoo artists who want a beautiful, professional website without coding
Squarespace is the go-to for visual creatives, and tattoo artists are no exception. Their portfolio templates are gorgeous, and building a site takes an afternoon with zero technical skills.
Why it works for tattoo artists:
- Portfolio templates designed for visual work. Gallery layouts that make your tattoos look incredible. Grid, masonry, slideshow — pick your style.
- Built-in booking through Acuity. Squarespace owns Acuity Scheduling, so booking integration is seamless. Clients browse your portfolio and book directly on your site.
- Mobile responsive. Over 70% of your visitors are on phones. Squarespace sites look great on mobile automatically.
- Custom domain included. yourname.com with every plan.
- SSL certificate. Free, automatic. Your site is secure.
- Instagram integration. Auto-import your Instagram feed to keep your site fresh.
Template recommendations for tattoo artists:
- Paloma — Clean portfolio with large images
- Degraw — Full-bleed image galleries
- Myhra — Photography-focused, perfect for tattoo work
- Merida — Bold, modern, works well for studio branding
The $16/mo Personal plan covers everything most artists need. Upgrade to Business ($33/mo) if you need advanced analytics or want to remove the “Powered by Squarespace” tag.
2. WordPress + Portfolio Theme — Best for Control
Price: Hosting $5-15/mo + domain $12/year | Many free themes available Best for: Tech-comfortable artists who want maximum customization and lowest ongoing cost
WordPress powers 43% of all websites on the internet. It’s infinitely customizable, has thousands of portfolio themes, and can be cheaper than Squarespace long-term.
Pros:
- Lower cost ($5-10/mo hosting vs. $16-33/mo Squarespace)
- Unlimited customization
- Thousands of portfolio themes (many free)
- Great for SEO (more control over meta tags, structure, speed)
- Own your content completely (you can move hosts anytime)
Cons:
- More setup work (hosting, domain, theme installation, plugins)
- Requires occasional maintenance (updates, security)
- Steeper learning curve
- No built-in booking (you’ll use a plugin or embed your booking page)
Good portfolio themes for tattoo artists:
- Flavor (free) — Clean portfolio with filtering
- flavor — Portfolio-focused, fast
- Jesuspended (premium, ~$59) — Specifically designed for tattoo artists
- Flavor — Photography theme that works great for tattoo portfolios
Recommended hosting: SiteGround ($3.99/mo), Bluehost ($2.95/mo), or Cloudways ($14/mo for better performance).
My take: If you enjoy tinkering with websites or have a friend who’s tech-savvy, WordPress saves money and gives you more control. If you want to set it and forget it, Squarespace is less headache.
3. Wix — Easiest to Use
Price: Light $17/mo | Core $29/mo | Business $36/mo Best for: Artists who want the absolute easiest drag-and-drop experience
Wix has the simplest editor — literally drag elements around the page. If you can use PowerPoint, you can build a Wix site.
Pros:
- Easiest editor on the market
- Good portfolio templates
- Built-in booking tool (Wix Bookings)
- Free plan available (with Wix branding)
- AI site builder creates a starter site from your answers
Cons:
- Sites can be slower than Squarespace
- Templates aren’t as polished for visual portfolios
- Less professional reputation
- Once you pick a template, you can’t switch without rebuilding
My take: If tech is absolutely not your thing and you want the simplest possible build experience, Wix works. But Squarespace looks better for portfolios.
4. Carrd — Best Budget Single-Page Site
Price: Free (basic) | Pro $19/year Best for: Artists who want a minimal one-page site with portfolio, bio, and booking link
Carrd is a single-page website builder. It’s incredibly simple — your entire site is one scrollable page. Bio at the top, portfolio images in the middle, booking link and contact at the bottom.
Why it might be all you need:
- $19/YEAR (not per month). Insanely cheap.
- Custom domain support
- Looks clean and professional
- Embeds easily (booking widgets, Instagram feeds)
- Takes 30 minutes to build
Limitations:
- Single page only — no separate pages for about, services, etc.
- Limited gallery features
- No blog capability
- Very basic
My take: If you just need something that’s better than “link in bio” and don’t want to spend $16/mo, Carrd for $19/year is a legitimate option. Your portfolio, a brief bio, and a booking link on one clean page. Done.
5. Tattoo Platform Websites
Some tattoo-specific platforms include website functionality:
Porter — Creates an artist/shop page with portfolio and booking. Not a full website but serves as a decent landing page.
TattooPro.io — Includes a basic portfolio page with booking integration.
Tattoodo — A platform specifically for tattoo artists. Free profile with portfolio. Good for discovery but you don’t own the page or control the experience.
These work as supplements but shouldn’t replace your own website. Your own domain (yourname.com) is the foundation.
Portfolio Photography Tips
Your website is only as good as your photos. Bad photos of great tattoos will cost you clients.
Lighting: Natural daylight is best. Shoot near a large window on an overcast day. No harsh flash.
Background: Clean, neutral backgrounds. Avoid cluttered shop backgrounds. A white or grey wall works. Some artists use a dedicated photo area with consistent lighting.
Focus: Sharp focus on the tattoo. Use portrait mode or a camera with a macro lens for detail shots.
Skin prep: Clean the skin, apply a thin layer of aftercare balm to reduce glare, and photograph the tattoo while fresh (before wrapping).
Consistency: Use the same lighting and background setup for all portfolio photos. Consistency makes your portfolio look cohesive and professional.
Healed photos: Include healed photos alongside fresh ones when possible. Healed work is what clients actually care about. Fresh tattoos always look good — healed tattoos show your real skill.
SEO Basics for Tattoo Websites
Having a website is step one. Getting it found on Google is step two.
Page titles: Include your city and “tattoo artist” or “tattoo shop.” Example: “Jake Torres | Custom Tattoo Artist in Denver, CO”
Image alt text: Describe each portfolio image. “Fine line floral tattoo on forearm” not “IMG_4857.” This helps Google understand your images and can drive image search traffic.
Google Business Profile: Link your website in your Google Business Profile. This connects your GBP listing to your site and boosts both.
Mobile speed: Most visitors are on phones. Keep images optimized (under 500KB each) and avoid heavy animations. Squarespace handles this reasonably well by default.
Getting Started This Weekend
Here’s the fastest path to a live website:
- Buy a domain — yourname.com or yourstudioname.com (~$12/year through Squarespace, Google Domains, or Namecheap)
- Pick a platform — Squarespace for most, Carrd if budget is tight
- Choose a portfolio template — pick one, don’t agonize
- Upload your 20-25 best pieces — quality over quantity
- Write a brief about page — who you are, what you specialize in, how long you’ve been tattooing (4-5 sentences)
- Add your booking link — big, obvious “Book Now” button
- Add contact info — address, phone, email, Instagram
- Publish and add the link everywhere — Instagram bio, Google Business Profile, email signature, business cards
Total time: 3-5 hours for a polished, professional website.
Total cost: $16/month (Squarespace) or $19/year (Carrd).
Stop relying on Instagram as your sole online presence. Get a website this weekend. Your future self — the one who shows up on Google when someone searches “tattoo artist [your city]” — will thank you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do tattoo artists need a website if they have Instagram?
Yes. Instagram is rented space — algorithm changes can tank your visibility overnight. A website is owned real estate that you control. It also ranks in Google search, provides a professional booking experience, and gives you a place for detailed information about your services.
What is the best website builder for tattoo artists?
Squarespace is the best website builder for tattoo artists because of its stunning portfolio templates, built-in booking integration, and easy-to-use editor. For maximum customization, WordPress with a portfolio theme offers more flexibility at a lower ongoing cost.