I’m Kayla. I build small websites for real people. Coffee carts, school events, a yoga coach. I tried the v0 website builder for a month. I used it for three real projects. I’ll tell you what worked, what tripped me up, and what I’d do different next time.
If you’d like an even deeper, play-by-play breakdown of the code I shipped, you can skim through my full case study where I published every commit and screenshot.
You know what? I went in a bit unsure. I like simple tools. v0 writes code. But I stuck with it, and it surprised me—both good and bad.
So… what is v0?
Quick version: v0 lets you type what you want, and it spits out a full web page with React and Tailwind CSS. You can tweak the text, colors, and layout. Then you can push it to Vercel and go live. It’s not a pure drag-and-drop system like Wix or Squarespace.
For a broader look at how today’s top site makers compare, swing by Website Builder Awards — their rankings put tools like v0 in context.
If you’d like a step-by-step walkthrough of the whole v0 + Vercel workflow, this guide to the Vercel AI Website App Builder breaks everything down clearly.
I used the free beta while I tested.
Real Example 1: The Coffee Truck Page (Bean Truck)
A friend runs a coffee truck. She needed a one-page site fast. Menu, hours, and a weekly schedule.
What I asked v0 to build:
“Make a warm, cozy landing page for a mobile coffee truck. Big hero, headline ‘Bean Truck’. Menu grid with prices, weekly schedule, map link, and a simple form for catering.”
What v0 gave me:
- A clean hero with a big headline and a call-to-action button
- A 3-column menu grid with space for prices
- A schedule section with days of the week
- A contact form (name, email, message)
- Footer with socials
What I changed:
- Swapped in brand colors (warm brown and cream)
- Rewrote the menu text so it sounded like my friend, not a robot
- Made the schedule section use actual times
- Linked the “Find Us” button to Google Maps
What went wrong:
- Mobile spacing was tight; the menu felt cramped
- The form didn’t have labels that screen readers like, so I added them
- One button didn’t center on iPhone
Time to launch: 2 hours. We went live on Vercel that same afternoon. The truck sold out on Saturday. Was it the site? Maybe a little. The menu pics helped.
Real Example 2: PTA Fun Run Microsite
Our school needed a tiny site for a fun run. Dates, rules, a sponsor list, and a sign-up form.
My prompt:
“Make a bright, kid-friendly event page. Hero with date and location. A schedule timeline. Sponsor logos grid. Sign-up form that sends to email.”
What v0 gave me:
- A bold hero with a countdown timer (nice touch)
- A timeline with icons
- A logos grid with placeholders
- A form section
What I fixed:
- I replaced the countdown with plain text (less to break)
- I added alt text for sponsor logos
- I changed the form to a mailto fallback, then later wired it to a serverless function on Vercel (two lines of code with help docs)
What went wrong:
- The timer looked great but flickered on slow phones (I later compared how other builders handle smooth animations in this transition deep-dive)
- One section used very tiny gray text; I bumped the contrast
- The logos wrapped weird on tablets; I tweaked the grid
Launch time: 90 minutes. Parents said it was “clear” and “not annoying.” I’ll take it.
Real Example 3: Yoga Coach Portfolio
A yoga coach wanted a calm site with soft colors. She needed an about section, class cards, and a photo gallery.
My prompt:
“Create a soft, airy portfolio page. Pastel colors. Hero with tagline. 3 class cards with prices. Photo grid. Testimonials. Contact.”
What v0 gave me:
- A hero with a soft gradient
- Three neat service cards with price tags
- A masonry-style photo grid
- Testimonials with circular avatars
What I changed:
- The gradient felt loud; I toned it way down
- I replaced stock avatars with real students (with consent)
- I slowed the hover animations (it felt too busy)
What went wrong:
- The gallery jumped as images loaded; I added set heights
- One testimonial looked fake-sweet; we rewrote it as a plain quote
- The footer had too many links; I trimmed it
Time to launch: About 3 hours, since we picked photos together. She cried happy tears seeing her work look “grown up.” That part made my week.
What I Loved
- Fast starts: I had a real page in minutes, not a blank screen.
- Clean parts: Tailwind classes were tidy enough for me to read and tweak.
- Real code: If I wanted a custom piece, I could add it without fighting a visual editor.
- Good bones: Sections stacked well and felt modern out of the box.
- Easy deploy: Pushing to Vercel was smooth.
What Bugged Me
- Odd spacing: Mobile margins and padding needed hand fixes.
- Generic voice: The first draft copy sounded flat; I always rewrote it.
- Forms: They “worked,” but needed extra steps to send mail or store data.
- Heavy class names: Tailwind got long in some spots; I refactored a bit.
- No built-in content system: It’s not a CMS. I used simple JSON files for now.
Here’s the thing: I wanted no-code at first. But this sits in the middle—great for devs, okay for beginner tinkerers, not great for someone who never wants to touch code. If you’re in that “I just want drag-and-drop” camp, take a peek at my honest take on WYSIWYG builders to see which tools stay 100 % code-free.
For another perspective on how designers are using v0 to spin up beautiful apps, this article from Wolf No-Code Studio offers a solid overview: What is v0 & How to Design Beautiful Apps.
Who Should Use v0
- Makers who know a little React or are willing to learn basics
- Designers who want a strong starting layout they can reshape
- Small teams that need a fast MVP page this week
- Not perfect for folks who want pure drag-and-drop with zero code
Tips That Saved Me Time
- Write your copy first. Paste real text in your prompt. The layout fits better.
- Bring your own photos. Stock images made sites feel blah.
- Ask for sections by name: “hero, features, pricing, FAQ, contact.”
- Test on your phone. Fix spacing there, then desktop.
- Add alt text everywhere. It helps people and search.
- Keep color tokens simple: two main colors, one accent.
- Run a quick Lighthouse check. Fix big stuff like contrast and tap targets.
As an extra example, I wondered how a laser-focused landing page aimed at college audiences keeps conversions high without overwhelming visitors. I found a live page that does exactly that—its single CTA, bold imagery, and minimal copy make the funnel crystal clear—check out this “College Girls” example to see how tightly-scoped content plus a friction-free sign-up flow can drive clicks if you ever need inspiration for a similar niche site.
I also analyzed a hyper-local dating landing page targeting users around Charleston—Skip the Games Summerville—which shows how geo-specific copy, strong trust signals, and a streamlined chat sign-up can sharply boost engagement; it’s a handy reference if you’re building in the adult or dating space and want to see effective local-first tactics in action.
My Verdict
v0 helped me ship three real sites fast. I still had to polish. I still had to edit copy. But I wasn’t stuck staring at a blank canvas, and that matters.
Would I use it again? Yes—for first drafts, landing pages, and small projects with tight time. For a big site with lots of content, I’d pair it with a real CMS or pick a different tool.
Score: 4 out of 5. It’s quick, clever, and a little quirky—like me on a Monday.
If you try it, start small. Give it clear prompts. Keep your voice in the copy. And please, check the site on your phone before you brag about it. You’ll thank me later.
— Kayla Sox