Your website is often the first thing potential customers see. An effective one engages visitors, builds trust, and drives conversions. According to Forbes, 78% of UK businesses have a website now. 83.5% of those said that their website plays a big part in their business. So, having a well-designed site is imperative! Yet despite this, bad websites still flood the internet, damaging brands, confusing users, and wasting marketing budgets.
So, what exactly makes a bad website? In this article, we dive into 32 of the worst websites the KIJO team could find. From poor layouts and confusing navigation to truly bad UX and outdated visuals, these examples highlight what not to do. This guide will help you spot the red flags of bad design – and ensure your website design doesn’t end up on a list like this!
Related Read: 20 Cool Designs for Website Design Inspiration
A bad website design will actively drive users away. That’s just a fact. Whether it’s clunky navigation, outdated visuals, or painfully slow load times, bad design and bad UX can cost you leads, conversions, and credibility. So, what exactly pushes a site into “worst website” territory?
One of the hallmarks of bad website design is a messy, outdated layout. A cluttered aesthetic overwhelms users, whilst overly complex navigation frustrates even tech-savvy visitors. If people can’t find what they need within seconds, they’ll leave.
In fact, 88% of users say they won’t return to a site after a bad experience (Forbes Advisor). Clear structure, modern visuals, and intuitive navigation are essential to avoid becoming another bad website example.
47% of users won’t wait longer than 2 seconds for a website to load (Forbes Advisor). If yours doesn’t, you’re already losing half your audience. A slow-loading site – whether due to bloated files, poor hosting, or unoptimised images – is more than a nuisance. It’s bad UX, bad design, and a fast track to being labelled one of the internet’s worst websites.
Related Read: Why Slow Loading Websites Are Bad For Business (and How to Fix It)
From intrusive pop-ups and inconsistent fonts to inaccessible features, bad UX design is a key culprit in bad websites. If your site isn’t screen reader compatible or lacks alt text on images, you’re not just excluding users – you’re risking legal consequences and alienating a sizable portion of your audience.
Good UX is clean, consistent, and inclusive. Bad UX? It’s chaotic, disjointed, and impossible to navigate.
Even with a good layout, irrelevant or badly written content can instantly discredit your brand. Outdated blog posts, weak copy, and grammatical errors make your site feel untrustworthy. Content should inform, engage, and reflect authority. Otherwise, it contributes enormously to the perception of a bad website.
Related Read: 7 Website Copywriting Tips To Refine Your Site
With mobile traffic dominating across most industries, a site that doesn’t adapt to mobile devices is a prime example of bad design. Google penalises non-responsive websites in its rankings, and 74% of users are more likely to return to a mobile-friendly site (uxcam). If your website isn’t optimised for all screen sizes, you’re frankly behind the times, and you’re actively losing potential business.
Related Read: How Implementing These 10 Responsive Design Essentials Can Maximise Your Online Presence
We challenged our expert team at KIJO to scour the internet in search of the worst websites out there. Their mission? To identify standout examples of bad website design and break down exactly what went wrong, so you know what to avoid on your own site.
Let’s take a look at their top bad design examples and the key lessons each one teaches.
Santa Pod Raceway is a motorsport event site based in Northants, UK.
Why this website isn’t working: The Santa Pod Raceway website is a prime example of bad website design. It feels outdated, with a lack of modern aesthetics that immediately makes the site look neglected. Navigation is clunky, with key information hard to find and some links leading to dead pages or outdated content.
From an accessibility standpoint, the site falls short; users with disabilities are likely to struggle due to missing features like alt text and screen reader compatibility. Add in slow loading speeds and poor mobile responsiveness, and you’ve got a frustrating, inconsistent user experience.
All of these issues combine to make the site feel untrustworthy and ineffective. This is an example of how bad UX and design neglect can damage an online presence.
Ash End House Children’s Farm is a farm that hosts family days out in Warwickshire, UK.
Why this website isn’t working: The website for Ash End House Children’s Farm is also a textbook example of bad website design. Its outdated visuals and cluttered layout immediately create a poor first impression. Navigation is far from intuitive, making it difficult for users to quickly locate essential information such as opening times, ticket prices, or event details.
The lack of mobile responsiveness further compounds the issue. On smartphones and tablets, the user experience is frustrating and disjointed. Inconsistent fonts, mismatched colours, and clashing design elements make the site visually unappealing and hard to engage with.
Overall, this site reflects many of the common traits found in the worst websites online: poor UX, confusing navigation, and a failure to meet modern design standards.
Discount Beds Belfast is a bed retailer based in Northern Ireland, UK.
Why this website isn’t working: Discount Beds Belfast is another clear example of a bad website that suffers from outdated design and a lack of professional polish. The layout is cluttered and poorly organised, making it hard for users to browse products or find key information with ease.
A major red flag is the site’s lack of mobile responsiveness. On smartphones and tablets, the experience is clunky and frustrating. Combined with inconsistent fonts, colour choices, and a noticeable absence of clear calls to action, the website feels chaotic and untrustworthy.
These elements contribute to a bad UX that’s likely to turn potential customers away, rather than convert them. It’s a reminder of how poor design decisions can lead to a worst website user experience that fails to support business goals.
Sutton Maddock Vehicle Rental is a vehicle hire company based in The Midlands, UK.
Why this website isn’t working: The Sutton Maddock Vehicle Rental website is a strong example of bad website design. Its outdated look and lack of modern aesthetics give it an unprofessional appearance right from the start. The cluttered layout and disorganised structure make it hard for users to navigate or quickly find relevant information. This is something that’s critical for a rental service.
Compounding the problem is the site’s lack of mobile optimisation. On smartphones and tablets, the user experience suffers significantly, with poor formatting and awkward navigation. Inconsistent use of fonts, colours, and imagery further weakens the visual appeal and overall usability.
These flaws result in a bad UX that can frustrate users and drive potential customers elsewhere placing this site firmly amongst the worst websites in its category.
Onyx Accountants is a business accountancy firm based in Birmingham and Wolverhampton in the UK.
Why this website isn’t working: Whilst the Onyx Accountants website presents a clean and professional appearance, it still falls short in several key areas making it an example of a bad website in disguise.
The homepage lacks engaging visuals and strong calls to action, which are essential for capturing user interest and guiding conversions. Although the navigation is functional, it could be better structured to help visitors quickly find what they need. Important content is not always easily accessible.
Additionally, the site suffers from sparse and underdeveloped content. With minimal detail and no case studies or service deep-dives, potential clients may struggle to understand the value the firm offers. These issues combine to create a poor user experience that fails to inform or engage, despite the site’s otherwise polished appearance.
The Gotham Garage overhauls and upcycles an eclectic collection of cars and trucks for profit. It’s based in California, USA
Why this website isn’t working: The Gotham Garage website is a clear example of bad website design that undermines the brand’s potential. Its outdated layout and lack of a cohesive visual aesthetic make the site feel unprofessional and visually unappealing.
Navigation is confusing and unintuitive, making it difficult for users to find key information without frustration. On mobile devices, the site performs poorly, indicating a lack of proper mobile optimisation. As noted, this is a serious flaw.
Content-wise, the site is sparse and lacks depth, offering little insight into Gotham Garage’s services or past projects. These combined issues result in a poor user experience that fails to represent the brand’s capabilities and risks pushing potential customers away.
Velden Engineering offers a range of precision engineering services for multiple industry sectors. The company is based in Lancashire, UK.
Why this website isn’t working: The Velden Engineering website falls short in several key areas, making it a clear example of a bad website with poor UX. The design feels outdated and lacks the clean, modern aesthetics expected from a professional engineering firm which undermines the business’s credibility from the first click.
The layout is cluttered and poorly structured, which makes navigation difficult and finding essential information unnecessarily time-consuming. This is further worsened by limited mobile responsiveness, resulting in a frustrating experience for users on smartphones or tablets.
The content is sparse and lacks detail about the company’s services, capabilities, or value proposition. This leaves visitors uninformed and disengaged. Overall, these shortcomings create a less effective digital presence, likely deterring potential clients rather than converting them.
Atlas Plastics is a professional plastics fabricator. The business is based just outside Bristol, UK.
Why this website isn’t working: Atlas Plastics earns its place on our worst websites list due to a combination of outdated design and poor user experience. The site’s layout is cluttered and unintuitive, making it difficult for users to find key information quickly. This will no doubt negatively impact conversions.
The lack of mobile optimisation only adds to the frustration, with formatting issues and navigation problems on smartphones and tablets creating a bad UX that turns users away. On top of that, the content is minimal and fails to clearly explain the company’s products or services, reducing both engagement and trust.
Altogether, these issues result in a bad website design that damages credibility and prevents the site from performing as an effective digital marketing tool.
Christmas Tree Farm is a farm that hosts family days out and is based in Bromley, UK.
Why this website isn’t working: The Christmas Tree Farm website makes our worst websites list due to its lack of imagination and poor user experience. The design is outdated, missing the charm and visual appeal you’d expect from a family-oriented brand. Navigation is unintuitive, and the site’s poor structure makes it difficult for users to find essential information quickly.
Like so many others on this list, it also lacks proper mobile responsiveness, creating frustrating experiences for users on smartphones or tablets. Inconsistent fonts and sizing further detract from the site’s professionalism, whilst minimal and poorly organised content leaves visitors confused or disengaged.
Overall, this is a clear example of bad website design. It’s one that not only underwhelms, but actively risks losing potential customers.
Brindleys are chartered accountants based in Birmingham, UK.
Why this website isn’t working: Brindleys secures the #10 spot on our worst websites list due to its outdated design and lack of user-focused structure. The layout feels uninspired and confusing, making navigation more difficult than it should be. This not only disrupts the user experience, but also undermines the site’s overall credibility.
Content-wise, the site lacks depth and fails to clearly communicate the company’s services or value proposition. Together, these issues reflect a bad website design that weakens the brand’s online presence and may turn away potential customers.
Bromley Education Matters is an information and resource website aimed at education professionals based in Bromley, London, UK.
Why this website isn’t working: Another entry on our worst websites list is Bromley Education Matters; a site that falls short due to its out-of-fashion design and lack of user-friendly features. The cluttered and visually unappealing layout makes navigation difficult and quickly detracts from the overall user experience.
The site also lacks proper mobile optimisation, which leads to a frustrating experience for users accessing it on smartphones or tablets. Beyond design issues, the content is sparse and fails to clearly communicate the organisation’s purpose, services, or value. This leaves visitors disengaged and confused.
These combined issues result in a bad website design that fails to build trust or effectively represent the organisation’s mission, weakening its digital presence significantly.
The Birth Partnership is a birth equipment hire company based in Lincolnshire, UK.
Why this website isn’t working: Number 12 on our worst websites list is The Birth Partnership. This is a site let down by a weak design, poor structure, and a lack of modern usability. The layout is disorganised and visually cluttered, making it hard for users to navigate or find key information efficiently.
In addition, the content is shallow and non-engaging, offering little insight into the organisation’s services or mission. As a result, the website fails to inform, inspire trust, or convert visitors. This makes it a prime example of bad website design that undercuts its purpose.
Related Read: How Implementing These 10 Responsive Design Essentials Can Maximise Your Online Presence
Home Birth Supplies is a home birth equipment rental company also based in Lincolnshire, UK
Why this website isn’t working: The Home Birth Supplies website is a strong example of bad website design that compromises both usability and professionalism. The layout is overly busy and visually outdated, making it difficult for users to navigate or focus on key information.
Surprise surprise, the site is also not optimised for mobile devices, which creates a frustrating experience for users on smartphones and tablets. This is such a major issue considering how most customers now browse. Additionally, the content is minimal and poorly organised, making it hard for visitors to locate relevant product or service details.
These combined factors result in a poor user experience that reduces engagement, trust, and the overall effectiveness of the site as a sales or support tool.
The Yale School of Art is based in Connecticut, USA.
Why this website isn’t working: The Yale School of Art website is a high-profile example of bad website design that struggles with both usability and accessibility. The colour scheme makes the content difficult to read, especially for users relying on screen readers or those with visual impairments, highlighting a major accessibility issue.
Navigation is overly complex and unintuitive, and the site is cluttered with inconsistent visual elements that make it hard to locate key information quickly. The lack of modern design aesthetics and poor mobile responsiveness contribute to an overall bad UX, particularly for users browsing on smartphones or tablets.
Content is also presented in a way that’s dense and difficult to digest, failing to clearly communicate the school’s programs, events, and unique offerings. These combined issues result in a disjointed and frustrating user experience. This is especially disappointing for an institution focused on design and creativity.
MRA Ireland is the governing body responsible for the promotion of Motocross, Enduro, Sidecarcross, Quadcross and Supermoto events in Ulster, Northern Ireland, UK.
Why this website isn’t working: The MRA Ireland website suffers from a combination of cluttered layout, poor usability, and terrible design placing it firmly on our worst websites list. The overall aesthetic feels unprofessional and uninspired, with navigation that’s confusing due to a lack of clear structure and modern design elements.
Sparse, poorly organised content further weakens the site’s ability to communicate the company’s services or value proposition effectively. Overall, the site delivers a bad UX and fails to engage users or represent the brand with any clarity or impact.
Haunted Happenings are a business offering overnight ghost hunts, haunted nights and weekend ghost hunts. They’re based in Nottingham, UK.
Why this website isn’t working: The Haunted Happenings website is a clear example of uninspired design. Visually, the site lacks cohesion with inconsistent fonts, clashing colours, and a “blocky” layout that detracts from its overall professionalism.
The user experience suffers further due to dense, overly long copy that’s difficult to scan and likely to discourage engagement. This not only affects readability but also undermines user retention and conversion potential.
With little visual interest or clear structure, the site delivers a bad website experience that fails to reflect the excitement and intrigue of the brand it represents.
The Cheese Shop Nottingham Ltd. is a cheesemonger based in Nottingham, UK.
Why this website isn’t working: The Cheese Shop Nottingham website suffers from many of the same problems seen across the worst websites; chiefly, a weak design and poor usability. Whilst it makes an effort with animations, these are undermined by inconsistent fonts, clashing colours, and noticeable copy inconsistencies (such as random capitalisation), which reduce trust and professionalism.
Navigation is also a challenge. Content is poorly structured, making it difficult for users to locate key information quickly. This is an especially frustrating experience for potential customers.
And like many on this list, the site is not mobile-optimised. Altogether, these issues lead to a bad website design that fails to effectively inform or engage its audience.
Sticking with cheesemongers, Monkland Cheese Dairy is based in Leominster, UK.
Why this website isn’t working: The Monkland Cheese Dairy website feels amateurish and lacks many essential user-friendly features. Inconsistent visuals combined with poor navigation make it frustratingly difficult for users to find key information quickly. The KIJO team even struggled to locate the dairy’s address!
The content is sparse, poorly organised, and fails to effectively showcase the products and services offered. And (you guessed it), it’s a dreadful experience on mobile too.
These factors combine to make it a clear example of bad website design that diminishes the brand’s professionalism and user engagement.
PNWX provides X-Ray equipment. It’s based in Oregon, USA.
Why this website isn’t working: The PNWX website looks like a spam site. The visually overwhelming layout, combined with inconsistent fonts and clashing colours, makes navigation confusing and seriously detracts from the overall user experience.
Unsurprisingly, the site is also not optimised for mobile devices and content is poorly organised and lacks clear, engaging information, making it difficult for visitors to find and understand key details quickly.
Most importantly, the website feels completely untrustworthy; an absolute dealbreaker for any business looking to build credibility and connect with customers.
Liberty Games are games room specialists. The business is based in Epsom, Surrey, UK.
Why this website isn’t working: The Liberty Games website suffers from challenging navigation that significantly detracts from the overall user experience. Its visually busy interface, combined with inconsistent fonts and colours, creates a confusing and overwhelming browsing environment.
Content is poorly organised, making it difficult for visitors to quickly find specific product information or promotions. Additionally, the photography and images are subpar, further diminishing the site’s visual appeal.
These factors combine to create an ineffective online presence that fails to engage or convert visitors. This is a textbook example of bad website design.
Blinkee provides glow-in-the-dark party and event supplies. The business is based out of Texas, USA.
Why this website isn’t working: Blinkee’s website suffers from a visually chaotic design, overwhelmed by excessive text and graphics. This clutter makes it difficult for users to focus on key information, whilst confusing navigation further frustrates visitors.
The layout lacks coherence and consistency, making it challenging to quickly find specific products or details. Together, these issues create a poor user experience that hinders the website’s overall usability and effectiveness.
If you can tell us what Arngren.net does from their website, 10 points to you! We believe the business (?) is based in Norway.
Why this website isn’t working: Arngren.net is a prime example of very bad website design. Like PNWX, it looks like a spam site. Each page is overwhelmed with excessive clutter; an overload of images, links, and text crammed together. This makes navigation confusing and frustrating for users.
The layout lacks clear structure or hierarchy, resulting in a messy visual experience that drives visitors away. Outdated design elements and a failure to meet modern web standards further contribute to its unprofessional appearance.
Effective websites should be user-friendly, visually appealing, and well-organised. These are qualities Arngren.net unfortunately lacks, placing it firmly on our list of worst websites.
Based in California, USA, SoA Marketing is a physical asset marketing company.
Why this website isn’t working: The SoA Marketing website faces several usability issues that undermine its effectiveness. A cluttered layout packed with excessive images and poor use of negative space makes navigation confusing and overwhelming.
Key information is often buried beneath too much promotional content, whilst inconsistent design elements hinder readability. The site also lacks clear calls-to-action (CTAs), and slow loading times further detract from the overall user experience.
For a marketing company, these design flaws are especially damaging, as the website fails to reflect their expertise or professionalism. Improving the site’s design and organisation would not only enhance usability but also strengthen their brand presence.
Related Read: Understanding the Importance of Calls to Action in Marketing
Edial Kennels is a boarding kennels and cattery based on the outskirts of Birmingham, UK.
Why this website isn’t working: The most glaring issue on the Edial Kennels website is the inconsistent typeface and font sizes, which create a disjointed and unprofessional look. Compounding this, the site lacks an SSL certificate, meaning it isn’t secure. This is a serious red flag that can deter visitors and harm trust.
Whilst the menu and information are relatively clear, the blurred, low-quality images further damage the site’s credibility. Overall, the design feels outdated and unprofessional, failing to inspire confidence in users.
Related Read: 8 Tips to Keep Your WordPress Website Safe & Secure
The Egg Shed @ Little Verzons Farm is a specialist food production unit based in Herefordshire, UK.
Why this website isn’t working: The Egg Shed @ Little Verzons Farm website struggles with a cluttered layout, featuring disorganised text blocks; some have grey backgrounds, others don’t. There are also scattered images, all of which make navigation confusing.
Key information is difficult to locate due to poor design and a lack of clear structure. The excessive use of centred text and inconsistent formatting further reduces readability. Weak visuals and minimal interactive elements fail to engage visitors, resulting in a diminished overall user experience.
To improve, the site needs a cleaner, more organised design that prioritises usability and visitor engagement.
Woodfield Building Services (Staffs) Ltd. are a building services company based in Staffordshire, UK.
Why this website isn’t working: The Woodfield Building Services (Staffs) Ltd. website suffers from a dated design that lacks visual appeal and comes across as unprofessional. Its cluttered layout, filled with excessive text and small images, hampers navigation and creates a frustrating UX.
Crucial information about services and contact details is not prominently displayed, blending into the dense body of text. The overall aesthetic fails to effectively convey the company’s expertise and reliability.
A modern, clean design featuring larger, high-quality images and better-organised content would greatly enhance the site’s usability and professional appearance.
La Cornue is a French kitchen design company and stockist.
Why this website isn’t working: The washed-out images on La Cornue’s website fail to make a strong impact, causing the site to feel dull and uninspired. Inconsistent typography and colours, combined with an untidy layout and unclear navigation labels, contribute to an overall sense of unreliability and underwhelm.
The value proposition is lengthy and difficult to digest, which risks losing visitor interest. Additionally, there are too few engaging animations, and the call-to-action (CTA) buttons are far too subtle, reducing their effectiveness.
Together, these issues create a poor user experience and weaken the website’s ability to engage and convert visitors.
Related Read: Understanding the Importance of Calls to Action in Marketing
Viking is a kitchen appliance company based in Mississippi, USA.
Why this website isn’t working: Joining our kitchen corner of worst websites, the Viking website suffers from inconsistent art direction that fails to inspire user confidence. The site features ugly promotional banners alongside mismatched fonts and colours, creating a visually chaotic experience.
This is further compounded by a cluttered, confusing layout and limited animation or motion, which reduces user engagement. The value proposition is unclear, and it takes too many clicks to reach product pages. Additionally, the overwhelming number of navigation links adds to the confusion and urgently needs simplification.
Bosch is a multinational engineering and technology company based in Germany.
Why this website isn’t working: The Bosch website features very basic art direction and a simple layout that feels underwhelming for such a well-known, reputable brand. The colour scheme lacks vibrancy, and the site offers no animation, with overly subtle hover effects and generic, stock-style photography.
A large text box covers much of the banner image, and excessive white space around visuals creates an unbalanced feel. Navigation can be overwhelming, whilst calls-to-action (CTAs) easily get lost within the design, reducing their effectiveness.
Chislehurst Caves are historic caves that were dug for chalk and limestone in order to build the city of London, as well as for flint for tinderboxes and flintlock guns. Now a showplace, the caves are based in Kent, UK.
Why this website isn’t working: The Chislehurst Caves website feels visually dated and cluttered, making navigation difficult and hindering users from finding key information quickly. The homepage is overloaded with excessive text and redundant links, which can overwhelm visitors.
Crucial details about tours and facilities are buried in dense paragraphs instead of being prominently highlighted for easy access. The site also lacks modern interactive features and engaging visuals, reducing overall user engagement.
Improving the design, streamlining the layout, and optimising content would significantly enhance the website’s usability and appeal to visitors.
TFM Superstore is an agricultural, farm and countryside equipment and construction supplier. A “bricks and mortar” business, it’s based in the West Midlands, UK.
Why this website isn’t working: The TFM Superstore website is well-organised but suffers from clutter, making navigation challenging for users. The homepage is overloaded with numerous categories and subcategories, creating an overwhelming experience that can deter visitors.
Its outdated design lacks visual appeal, which undermines the store’s professionalism and reliability. Additionally, pages can load slowly due to the heavy content, frustrating users who want to find products quickly.
Streamlining the layout and modernising the design would significantly improve usability and enhance the overall user experience.
Prestige Midlands Ltd. is an external residential home improvement company. It’s based in Wolverhampton, UK.
Why this website isn’t working: The Prestige Midlands LTD website suffers from a messy, cluttered layout that makes navigation confusing and frustrating. The homepage is overloaded with dense text and numerous links, lacking a clear visual hierarchy, which can overwhelm visitors.
The design feels outdated, with low-quality images and inconsistent fonts that undermine the brand’s professionalism. Additionally, the logo doesn’t align well with the company’s identity, weakening brand cohesion.
Crucial information is buried within long paragraphs, making it hard to read and digest. The lack of engaging visuals or interactive elements leads to a dull user experience that fails to capture or hold visitors’ attention.
Bad website design is undeniably harmful to business – it’s a simple truth. If your website isn’t up to scratch, users will quickly turn to competitors with better-designed, more user-friendly sites.
By sharing these examples of bad websites and our “worst websites” list, we hope you can take away some key lessons:
Related Read: 20 Cool Designs for Website Design Inspiration
If you feel your website could benefit from expert help in avoiding bad design pitfalls and improving user experience, get in touch with the professional team at KIJO today. We’re here and want to help you create a website design that works for your business.
