You’ll get more out of website builders if you choose a paid plan, but unfortunately, not everyone has the budget for that. You will get more from website builders if you choose a paid plan. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford that. So how is someone able to create a good website for free without limiting future growth? How can someone create a great website without limiting its future growth?
The 5 Best Free Website Builders
Wix – Best overall free website builder
GoDaddy – For getting a free website online quickly
Square Online – For selling online for free
Pagecloud – For one-page websites
Webflow – For having limited ads
Well, many website builders offer free plans, letting you create and publish websites with zero cash transactions necessary. Many website builders offer free plans that allow you to create and publish your websites without having to pay any money. However, you get what you pay for. You get what you pay. These free plans often come with immovable ads and limited features, meaning you may find you need to upgrade to a premium plan after all. These free plans are often accompanied by immovable ads or limited features. You may need to upgrade to the premium plan.
Of these free builders, Wix is by far the best overall. Wix is the best free website builder. It offers the best editor and features to build your website, though you’ll have to contend with ads. It has the best editor, features and tools to build your website. However, you will have to deal with ads. Each builder has its own merits apart from just being free, and I’ll review them thoroughly below, starting with a helpful comparison table of their key features. I will review each builder in detail below, starting with an easy comparison table of the key features.
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This article was updated on 09/10/24 – find out more about the changes I’ve made:
This article was updated on September 24, 2009. Find out what I’ve changed: I’ve added more information about the features included each of the builders’ free plans to help you make the right choice.
I’ve added additional information about the features of each of the builders free plans to assist you in making the right decision. This includes SEO and marketing tools, as well as limits on bandwidth, site visitors, and blog posts – all important considerations for a range of different websites. This includes SEO tools and marketing tools as well as bandwidth limits, site visitors and blog posts. All of these are important considerations for different websites.
Compare the Top 5 Free Website Builders
Get all of the key information at a glance with our helpful comparison table:
Our comparison table will give you all the important information in a single glance. Swipe right to see more 0 out of 0 Swipe left to see more backward Backward forward Forward
| BEST IN TEST | Overall Rating | Cheapest Plan | Number of Free Templates | Storage Space on Free Plan | On-site Ad on Free Plan | Limited Ads | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wix | 4.8 | $17 | 900+ | 500MB | Sticky top banner | Limited Ads | Visit Wix |
| GoDaddy | 4.3 | $15.30 with code ‘TAKE10’ | 200+ | 500MB | Top banner | Limited Ads | Visit GoDaddy |
| Square Online | 3.6 | $9.99 | 50+ | Unlimited | Bottom banner | Limited Ads | Visit Square |
| Pagecloud | 3.5 | $29 | 50+ | Unlimited | Footer disclaimer | Limited Ads | Visit Pagecloud |
| Webflow | 3.2 | $20 | 40+ | Unlimited | Advertisement on site | Limited Ads | Visit Webflow |
Prefer to have someone talk you through the key highlights, pros, cons, and pricing of each builder?
Would you rather have someone walk you through the highlights, pros and cons, and pricing for each builder? Check out our video comparison!
Play Play 1.
1. Wix – Best Overall Free Website Builder
Editor’s Choice
Wix is the best overall website builder with a variety of free features. Outstanding 4.8 out of 5. Out of 5900+ customizable designs. Easiest builder to use. Tons of creative freedom. Free plan available.
Paid Plans:
$17 – $159 / month
Pros
- Plenty of features on the free plan
- 250+ apps to add more power to your site
- Free SEO wizard helps gain more traffic
Cons
- Free plan ads are very noticeable
- Can’t switch templates after publishing
- Cheapest upgrade costs $17/month
If you’re looking to make the best website for free, I can’t recommend Wix enough. Wix is the best option for creating a website that’s free. While all the free plans on this list come with some limitations, it’s the versatility of the Wix editor that makes even its free plan head and shoulders above the competition!
What I Like
- Customization options: I could drag anything anywhere, making it easy to line things up exactly how I wanted them!
- Text options were also incredibly varied, letting me choose between fonts, sizes, colors, shadows, and even letter spacing.
- Template choices & designs: I used Wix’s AI chatbot builder to build my chosen template after answering a few questions.
- SEO options: I’ve seen Wix’s SEO options greatly improve since we last tested the builder, and it now lets users access Google Search Console directly from the dashboard.
What I Dislike
- Ads: On the free plan, Wix places a banner ad at the top of your website, urging visitors to go check out Wix.
- No custom domain: You can’t use a personal domain with Wix’s free plan, so your domain will follow this format: yourusername.wixsite.com/yoursite.
- Limited storage: With only 500MB of storage on the free plan, I was limited by the number of images and videos I could have on my site.
To see a free Wix website in action, check out my demo site:
I created a free Wix website for an imaginary business called Lucy’s Cupcakes.
My Experience With Wix
On the free plan, you’ll get a choice of over 900 impeccably designed templates, ranging across a number of varying industries. You can choose from over 900 templates that are beautifully designed and cover a wide range of industries. When testing, I used Wix’s AI website builder which created a custom website template for me.
From Wix Booking, Wix Menu, Wix Video, Wix Forms, and a whole host of other free-to-install apps, Wix sets itself apart by giving you the best variety of features to use and make your website your own – no matter what type of website you want to make.
However, there are some drawbacks to the free plan. The free plan does have some limitations. You’re limited to only 500MB of storage, meaning your site cannot be too large to have too many images.
Additionally, while you do get a lot of customization options, I found Wix’s editor a little overwhelming with too many creative options at times – even on the free plan! Wix’s editor is a bit overwhelming at times, even with the free plan. It has too many creative options. If you do get stuck, Wix’s Help Center can guide you through its handy search bar directly in the editor.
A banner ad on my Wix demo site. As you can see, it takes up a lot of space and distracts from my website’s design.
Upgrade Cost: $17 per month
Wix’s pricing begins with the Light plan for $17 per month, billed annually. Wix pricing starts with the Light plan, which costs $17 per month billed annually. This plan removes any ads from your site, lets you use a custom domain, and increases your storage to 2GB.
If you’re looking to sell, you’ll need to upgrade to the Core plan, which begins at $29 per month.
These plans are slightly more expensive than others on this list, so I understand you may not be entirely convinced to upgrade. These plans are slightly higher priced than the others on this list. I understand that you may not be convinced to upgrade. But with all the features on offer, our research shows that Wix is still great value for money.
If you love getting deals, use the code TAKE10 at checkout to get 10% off your Wix plan.
Use the code TAKE10 to save 10% on your Wix plan.
Read our full Wix Review for more.
See Wix’s potential for an online store with our Wix Ecommerce Review.
2. GoDaddy – For Getting A Free Website Online Quickly
GoDaddy is a lot like Wix in that it comes with plenty of features and templates, even on the free plan. GoDaddy is similar to Wix, in that even the free plan comes with a number of templates and features. GoDaddy also features an AI builder and suggested I use it before looking at its templates.
GoDaddy has an AI builder, and it suggested that I use it first before looking at the templates. Ease of use is the name of GoDaddy’s game, and thanks to its AI functionality, the builder even matches Wix for user experience in our research. GoDaddy’s builder is easy to use, and its AI functionality even beats Wix in our research.
What I Like
- Efficiency: The speed at which GoDaddy set me up with a website template and then let me edit and publish it stands out among other free website builders.
- SEO features: By heading over to “Get found by Google” in the Settings, I could start optimizing my website in just a few clicks.
- AI builder: GoDaddy’s AI builder is simple to use and very effective.
What I Dislike
- Ads: GoDaddy places a “Powered by GoDaddy Websites + Marketing” banner at the top of your website.
- No custom domain: Your domain name will automatically have a .godaddysites.com placed at the end of it.
- SEO locked by upgrade: The full suite of SEO tools by GoDaddy is locked unless you upgrade, meaning you don’t get access to rank tracking or SEO tips on the free plan.
To see a free GoDaddy website in action, check out my demo site:
This is what the final design of my demo website homepage looks like.
My Experience With GoDaddy
With the support of AI and a breezy editor, I could build a polished GoDaddy website in under an hour. But this does reveal a weakness of GoDaddy’s, which is its lack of customization options.
GoDaddy offers a more limited range of options than other builders like Wix and Webflow. This may appeal to beginners who might struggle with creative choices when using a builder such as Wix or Webflow. However, if you want a lot of creative freedom, I wouldn’t recommend this.
I was impressed that, on the free plan, I could utilize the basic features of GoDaddy Studio to create visual content for my sites. I was also able to send marketing emails – albeit with a default GoDaddy domain.
Its range of features, as well as how easy it is to use, makes GoDaddy a great option if you want to experiment with website building for free before starting to sell online – which you’ll need to upgrade to GoDaddy’s Commerce Plan for. GoDaddy is a great choice for those who want to build a website for free, before deciding to start selling online. I was able to access the SEO features from the editor – but saw that to use more advanced SEO features I would have to upgrade.
A banner ad in my GoDaddy Demo site.
Upgrade Cost: $9.99 per month
GoDaddy’s pricing begins at $9.99 per month, when billed annually with the Basic plan. GoDaddy’s Basic plan starts at $9.99 per monthly bill, billed annually. With this plan, you get access to a custom domain, no ads, plus improved marketing capabilities like advanced SEO and the ability to send 100 emails per month for your business.
If you want to dive into the world of ecommerce, the dedicated Commerce plan is your go-to, setting you back $20.99 per month. This dedicated Commerce plan, which costs $20.99 per month, is the best option for those who want to get into ecommerce. It has everything you need – from selling on Facebook and Instagram to connecting with marketplaces like Amazon and Etsy.
It includes everything you need, from connecting with marketplaces such as Amazon and Etsy to selling on Facebook and Instagram.
Read our full GoDaddy Review for more.
More Information
Everything you need to know about building an online store in a flash with our GoDaddy Ecommerce Review.
Compare the differences between Wix vs GoDaddy and make an informed decision.
3. Square Online – For Selling Online For Free
Square Online is the only builder on this list that lets you sell for free. Square Online is the lone builder in this list that allows you to sell for free. This is a huge advantage for those who want to create an online store without breaking the bank in website costs. This is a great advantage for those who are looking to create an online shop without having to spend a fortune on website costs.
What I Like
- Selling for free: Being able to create an online store for free is Square Online’s biggest selling point.
- Dashboard: The editor is limited, but I could quickly switch to the dashboard and add products or change the settings of my store in a more intuitive way.
What I Dislike
- Ads: Square Online, like GoDaddy and Wix, brands your website with its logo. This time, it’s a large unmovable footer at the bottom of your website.
- No custom domain: On the free plan, your site’s URL will have .square.site/ following your website’s name.
- Lack of customization options: The free plan lacks many customization and feature options, trying to lead you into upgrading to a paid plan.
To see a free Square Online website in action, check out my demo site:
My finished Square Online homepage is pretty simple in nature.
My Experience With Square Online
With Square Online, I was able to access basic SEO tools, integrate social media, and choose from lots of widely accepted payment types – all for free. Square Online allowed me to integrate social media and choose from a variety of widely accepted payment methods. All this was free.
This builder does charge transaction fees for each purchase made on your site, meaning you’ll have to pay 2.9% + 30C/ on each transaction. This builder charges transaction fees on every purchase made on your website. You’ll need to pay 2.9% plus 30C/ for each transaction. However this is a common occurrence with most builders, and being able to make a profit (transaction fees notwithstanding) for free is an incredible feature, and one not shared by any other on this list.
Unfortunately, Square Online’s editor and design customization are some of the weakest I’ve tested. Square Online’s editor is one of the least customizable I’ve seen. Unless you upgrade, you won’t be able to access themes, remove Square Online ads, use custom fonts, or connect a custom domain.
You won’t be allowed to use custom fonts or connect a domain unless you upgrade. Once I uploaded a handful of products, I could then add sections for featured items or categories to the page. Once I had uploaded a few products, I was able to add sections for featured products or categories.
Square Online added a small banner to the bottom of my website featuring “Powered by Square Online”.
Upgrade Cost: $29 per month
Square Online’s pricing begins with the Plus plan for $29 per month, when billed annually. Square Online’s pricing starts with the Plus plan, which costs $29 per monthly bill when billed annually. This plan is more expensive than others on this list due to the fact Square Online is primarily an ecommerce platform, meaning it needs a wider range of features to accommodate businesses.
This plan is more costly than others in this list because Square Online is primarily a platform for ecommerce, which means it needs to have a wide range of features. These features include accepting PayPal, scheduled product drops, subscriptions, and personalized ordering – as well as giving users custom domains and no ads.
These features include accepting PayPal and subscriptions. They also offer personalized ordering, custom domains, and no ads.
Read our full Square Online Review for more.
More Information
Read our How to Customize a Square Online Website to get the most out of your plan.
4. Pagecloud – For One-Page Sites
Coming in fourth place on our list of the top five free website builders is Pagecloud. Pagecloud is ranked fourth on our list of top five free website builders. When building my demo website with Pagecloud, the editor and dashboard were fairly easy to navigate but it didn’t feel as intuitive or user-friendly as other builders, such as Wix.
What I Like
- Customization: Pagecloud gave me a ton of creative freedom thanks to its detailed editor.
- Drag-and-drop editor: The familiar drag-and-drop style made it easy to format the pages to my liking.
What I Dislike
- Ads: Pagecloud has a “Powered by Pagecloud” banner at the bottom of your page.
- No custom domain: Without a custom domain, Pagecloud’s free plan will present your site with .mypagecloud.com at the end of the URL.
- Lack of features: On top of only giving you one page on the free plan, Pagecloud also limits access to critical website features, such as AI tools, redirects, and team members for editing and management.
To see a free Pagecloud website in action, check out my demo site:
Setting up my homepage with Pagecloud was pretty easy with the template it provided.
My Experience With Pagecloud
I faced a lot of slow loading times when editing, and some steps felt unnecessarily complicated. I had to wait a long time for some things to load when editing. Some steps seemed unnecessarily complex. For example, I could edit text directly on the page, but editing an image opened up a separate menu, which was very frustrating.
Pagecloud’s free plan feels more like a free trial; it’s incomplete, and geared towards pushing you to upgrade to a paid plan. Pagecloud’s free plan is incomplete and designed to encourage you to upgrade to the paid plan. For example, it only lets you publish one page. It only allows you to publish one page. One-page website builders do exist, but they’re limiting in terms of the type of website you can make.
There are one-page website builders, but their limitations are limiting. Plus, you’ll be capped at 10 blog posts and 1,000 website visitors per month – limits that will be problematic for many ecommerce and personal sites. You’ll also be limited to 10 blog posts per month and 1,000 website visits – which will be problematic for ecommerce sites and personal websites.
That said, Pagecloud’s free plan would be a solid choice for certain types of portfolio websites – such as for a presentation or school project – that work well with the one-page format and won’t require a high volume of site traffic.
Pagecloud placed a small banner at the bottom of my website featuring “Powered by Pagecloud”.
Upgrade Cost: $20 per month
Pagecloud’s pricing begins at $20 per month, billed annually on the Launch plan. Pagecloud’s pricing starts at $20 per month for the Launch plan, billed annually. With this plan, you get 100 pages, redirects, no ads, a custom domain, plus free Google Workplace (priced at $72 value).
While the Launch plan is closer in price to an ecommerce plan, it doesn’t have sales features. The Launch plan is priced similarly to an ecommerce package, but it does not include sales features. If you require ecommerce functionality, Pagecloud’s ecommerce pricing begins with the Starter plan for $29 per month.
Pagecloud’s ecommerce plans start at $29 per month for the Starter plan.
5. Webflow – For Having Limited Ads
Webflow is the last on our list, known for having limited ads on their free plan. It offers a robust set of tools for designing and launching websites, though the free plan comes with some restrictions.