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 – The Best Free Website Builder Overall
| BEST IN TEST | GoDaddy | Square Online | Pagecloud | Webflow | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 4.8 | 4.3 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.2 | |
| Cheapest Plan | $17 | $15.30 with code ‘TAKE10’ | $9.99 | $29 | $20 | $14 |
| Number of Free Templates | 900+ | 200+ | 50+ | 50+ | 40+ | |
| Storage Space on Free Plan | 500MB | 500MB | Unlimited | 1GB | Unlimited | |
| On-site Ad on Free Plan | Sticky top banner | Top banner | Bottom banner | Footer disclaimer | Limited ads | |
| Visit | Visit Wix | Visit GoDaddy | Visit Square | Visit Pagecloud | Visit Webflow |
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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
Wix’s pricing begins with the Light plan for $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.
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!
- 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.
- 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
With the support of AI and a breezy editor, I could build a polished Wix website in under an hour. However, this does reveal a weakness of Wix’s, which is its lack of customization options.
I was impressed that, on the free plan, I could utilize the basic features of Wix Studio to create visual content for my sites. Plus, I was able to send marketing emails – albeit with a default Wix domain.
GoDaddy – To Get A Free Website Online Quickly
| BEST IN TEST | GoDaddy | Square Online | Pagecloud | Webflow | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 4.3 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.2 | |
| Cheapest Plan | $9.99 | $15.30 with code ‘TAKE10’ | $29 | $20 | $14 |
| Number of Free Templates | 200+ | 50+ | 50+ | 40+ | 900+ |
| Storage Space on Free Plan | 500MB | 500MB | Unlimited | 1GB | Unlimited |
| On-site Ad on Free Plan | Top banner | Bottom banner | Footer disclaimer | Limited ads | Sticky top banner |
| Visit | Visit GoDaddy | Visit Square | Visit Pagecloud | Visit Webflow | Visit Wix |
Pros
- Plenty of features on the free plan
- Free plan offers a lot of features
- Switch templates when you want
- Improved site performance
Cons
- Lack of creative control
- No mobile editor
- Upgrade for custom domains
GoDaddy’s pricing begins at $9.99 per month, when billed annually with the Basic plan. This plan gives you access to a custom domain and no ads. It also offers improved marketing capabilities, such as advanced SEO, and the ability to send up to 100 emails per month. 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.
GoDaddy is a lot like Wix in that it comes with plenty of features and templates, even on the free plan. GoDaddy also features an AI builder and suggested I use it before looking at its 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.
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.
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. However, this does reveal a weakness of GoDaddy’s, which is its lack of customization options.
I was impressed that, on the free plan, I could utilize the basic features of GoDaddy Studio to create visual content for my sites. Plus, I was able to send marketing emails – albeit with a default GoDaddy domain.
Square Online – Free Online Selling
| BEST IN TEST | Square Online | GoDaddy | Pagecloud | Webflow | Wix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 3.6 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 3.2 | 4.8 |
| Cheapest Plan | $12 | $15.30 with code ‘TAKE10’ | $29 | $20 | $14 |
| Number of Free Templates | 50+ | 200+ | 50+ | 40+ | 900+ |
| Storage Space on Free Plan | Unlimited | 500MB | 1GB | Unlimited | 500MB |
| On-site Ad on Free Plan | Footer disclaimer | Top banner | Bottom banner | Limited ads | Sticky top banner |
| Visit | Visit Square | Visit GoDaddy | Visit Pagecloud | Visit Webflow | Visit Wix |
Pros
- Good value for money if upgrading
- Simple to navigate dashboard
- Unlimited products on free plan
Cons
- Hard to customize
- Pay for the best features
- Weak design options
Square Online’s pricing begins with the Plus plan for $29 per month, when billed annually. This plan includes features like accepting PayPal, subscriptions, personalized ordering, custom domains, and no ads.
Square Online is the only builder on this list that lets you sell for free. This is a huge advantage for those who want to create an online store without breaking the bank in 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.
- 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. This builder does charge transaction fees for each purchase made on your site, meaning you’ll have to pay 2.9% + 30ยข on each transaction.
Unfortunately, Square Online’s editor and design customization are some of the weakest I’ve tested. You won’t be allowed to use custom fonts or connect a domain unless you upgrade.
Pagecloud – For One-Page Websites
| BEST IN TEST | Pagecloud | Square Online | GoDaddy | Webflow | Wix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 3.5 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 3.2 | 4.8 |
| Cheapest Plan | $20 | $12 | $15.30 with code ‘TAKE10’ | $20 | $14 |
| Number of Free Templates | 50+ | 50+ | 200+ | 40+ | 900+ |
| Storage Space on Free Plan | Unlimited | Unlimited | 500MB | 1GB | Unlimited |
| On-site Ad on Free Plan | Footer disclaimer | Footer disclaimer | Top banner | Limited ads | Sticky top banner |
| Visit | Visit Pagecloud | Visit Square | Visit GoDaddy | Visit Webflow | Visit Wix |
Pros
- Unique website elements
- Build with other people
Cons
- No autosave feature
- Difficult to navigate
Pagecloud’s pricing begins at $20 per month, billed annually on the Launch plan. With this plan, you get 100 pages, redirects, no ads, a custom domain, plus free Google Workplace (priced at $72 value). If you require ecommerce functionality, Pagecloud’s ecommerce pricing begins with the Starter plan for $29 per month.
Coming in fourth place on our list of the top five free website builders is Pagecloud. 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.
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. 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.
Webflow – For Having Limited Ads
| BEST IN TEST | Webflow | Pagecloud | Square Online | GoDaddy | Wix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 3.2 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 4.8 |
| Cheapest Plan | $14 | $20 | $12 | $15.30 with code ‘TAKE10’ | $29 |
| Number of Free Templates | 40+ | 50+ | 50+ | 200+ | 900+ |
| Storage Space on Free Plan | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | 500MB | 500MB |
| On-site Ad on Free Plan | Limited ads | Footer disclaimer | Footer disclaimer | Top banner | Sticky top banner |
| Visit | Visit Webflow | Visit Pagecloud | Visit Square | Visit GoDaddy | Visit Wix |
Pros
- Unique website elements
- Build with other people
Cons
- No autosave feature
- Difficult to navigate
Webflow’s pricing begins at $14 per month for the Basic plan, which includes unlimited projects, 100 pages, and no ads. For more advanced features, the CMS plan is available at $29 per month.
Webflow offers a powerful platform for creating highly customizable websites with limited ads on the free plan. While it provides a range of design tools, some users may find the interface less intuitive compared to other builders.
What I Like
- Customization options: Webflow provides extensive design flexibility.
- Limited ads: The free plan includes limited ads, making the website appear more professional.
What I Dislike
- Ads: Even with limited space, Webflow places ads on the free plan.
- No custom domain: Custom domains are not available on the free plan.
- Complexity: The builder can be overwhelming for beginners due to its advanced features.
To see a free Webflow website in action, check out my demo site:
My finished Webflow homepage showcases a clean and professional design.
My Experience With Webflow
Building with Webflow provided a lot of creative freedom, but the learning curve was steep. The interface is packed with features that can be overwhelming for new users. However, once familiar, it offers unparalleled customization options.
Comparison of the Top 5 Free Website Builders
Get all of the key information at a glance with our helpful comparison table:
| Feature | Wix | GoDaddy | Square Online | Pagecloud | Webflow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 4.8 | 4.3 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.2 |
| Cheapest Plan | $17 | $9.99 | $12 | $20 | $14 |
| Number of Free Templates | 900+ | 200+ | 50+ | 50+ | 40+ |
| Storage Space on Free Plan | 500MB | 500MB | Unlimited | 1GB | Unlimited |
| On-site Ad on Free Plan | Sticky top banner | Top banner | Bottom banner | Footer disclaimer | Limited ads |
| Visit | Visit Wix | Visit GoDaddy | Visit Square | Visit Pagecloud | Visit Webflow |
Prefer to have someone talk you through the key highlights, pros, cons, and pricing of each builder? Check out our video comparison!
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.
Conclusion
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. 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.
Of these free builders, Wix is by far the best overall. It offers the best editor and features to build your website, though you’ll have to contend with ads.