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
| Website Builder | Overall Rating | Cheapest Plan | Number of Free Templates | Storage Space on Free Plan | On-site Ads | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wix | 4.8 | $17/month | 900+ | 500MB | Sticky top banner | Visit Wix |
| GoDaddy | 4.3 | $15.30/month with code ‘TAKE10’ | 200+ | 500MB | Top banner | Visit GoDaddy |
| Square Online | 3.6 | $9.99/month | 50+ | Unlimited | Bottom banner | Visit Square |
| Pagecloud | 3.5 | $29/month | 50+ | Unlimited | Footer disclaimer | Visit Pagecloud |
| Webflow | 3.2 | $20/month | 40+ | 1GB | Advertisement on site | Visit Webflow |
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. Each builder is unique and has its own benefits, besides being free. I will review each one in detail below, starting with an easy comparison table of the key features.
In a rush? In a hurry? Take our free and speedy quiz to find out which website builder we recommend for you:
Take our quick and free quiz to see which website builder is best for you.
What type of website do you want to create?
What type of website would you like to create?
- Business (Including Online Store)
- Portfolio
- Informational
- Blog
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
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.
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BEST IN TEST
Wix, GoDaddy, Square Online, Pagecloud, Pagecloud, Webflow, Webflow
Overall Rating 4.8 Overall Rating 4.3 Overall Rating 3.6 Overall Rating 3.5 Overall Rating 3.2
Cheapest plan Cheapest plan$17$15.30 with code ‘TAKE10’Take $10 off $15.30 when you use the code ‘TAKE10 Cheapest planCheapest plan$9.99 Cheapest planCheapest plan$29 Cheapest planCheapest plan$20 Cheapest planCheapest plan$14
Number of free templatesFree Templates900+ Number of free templatesFree Templates200+ Number of free templatesFree Templates50+ Number of free templatesFree Templates50+ Number of free templatesFree Templates40+
Storage space on free planStorage space on free plan500MB Storage space on free planStorage space on free planUnlimited You can also find out more about Storage space on free planStorage space on free plan500MB Storage space on free planStorage space on free planUnlimited You can also find out more about Storage space on free planStorage space on free plan1GB
On-site ad on free planAdvertisement on site for free planSticky top bannerSticky top banner On-site ad on free planAdvertisement on site for free planTop bannerTop banner On-site ad on free planAdvertisement on site for free planBottom bannerBottom Banner On-site ad on free planAdvertisement on site for free planFooter disclaimerOn-site ad on free planAdvertisement on site for free planLimited adsLimited Ads
Visit Wix Visit GoDaddy Visit Square Visit Pagecloud Visit WebflowVisit Wix Visit Square Visit Pagecloud Visit Pagecloud 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!
Check out our video! PlayPlay1.
Wix – Best Overall Free Website Builder
Wix – Best Free Website Builder Overall
Editor’s Choice
Editor’s Choice
Wix
Best overall website builder with a variety of free features Best overall website creator with a wide range of free features Outstanding4.8 out of 5 Out of 5900+ customizable designs Easiest builder to use The easiest builder to use Tons of creative freedom Enjoy a wide range of creative freedom Free plan available Paid Plans: $17 – $159 / month Paid Plans: $17-$159 / month
Pros
- Plenty of features on the free plan Free plan offers a lot of features
- 250+ apps to add more power to your site Add more power to your website with 250+ apps
- Free SEO wizard helps gain more traffic Get more traffic with the free SEO wizard
Cons
- Free plan ads are very noticeable Free Plan Ads are Highly Visible
- Can’t switch templates after publishing After publishing, you can’t change templates
- Cheapest upgrade costs $17/month Upgrades start at $17/month
Wix Review Visit Site
Wix Review
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!
All the free plans in this list have some limitations. However, the Wix editor’s versatility makes it the best free plan.
What I Like
- Customization options: I could drag anything anywhere, making it easy to line things up exactly how I wanted them! Customization options: I was able to drag and drop anything anywhere. This made it easy for me to align things exactly how I wanted! The text options were also incredibly varied, letting me choose between fonts, sizes, colors, shadows, and even letter spacing. Text options were also very varied. I could choose from fonts, sizes and colors, as well as shadows and letter spacing.
- Template choices & designs: I used Wix’s AI chatbot builder to build my chosen template after answering a few questions. After answering a few simple questions, I used Wix AI chatbot builder’s template builder to create my chosen design. The generated template had great pre-made menu options and features based on my answers, saving me time in the design process. The generated template was pre-made with great menu options and features, based on my answers. This saved me time during the design process.
- 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. SEO options: Wix’s options have improved since our last test, and now users can access Google Search Console from the dashboard. It also has onboarding video tutorials to help teach website owners. It also offers video tutorials for website owners.
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. Ads: Wix’s free plan places a banner at the top of your site, encouraging visitors to check out Wix. This is quite distracting and may harm your website’s perceived professionalism. This can be very distracting and could harm the professionalism of your website.
- No custom domain: You can’t use a personal domain (a custom website address) with Wix’s free plan, so your domain will follow this format: yourusername.wixsite.com/yoursite. So, instead of lucyscupcakes.com, I was stuck with a much lengthier https://carnagelucy.wixsite.com/lucyscupcakes. So, instead of lucyscupcakes.com, I was stuck with a much lengthier https://carnagelucy.wixsite.com/lucyscupcakes.
- 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. Storage limit: With only 500MB on the free plan, the number of videos and images I could upload to my site was limited. You’ll also only get 500MB bandwidth, limiting how much traffic you can handle, though Wix will helpfully let you know when you’re close to exceeding this limit. You’ll only get 500MB of bandwidth, which limits how much traffic your site can handle. Wix will let you know if you’re about to exceed this limit.
To see a free Wix website in action, check out my demo site: carnagelucy.wixsite.com/lucyscupcakes I created a free Wix website for an imaginary business called Lucy’s Cupcakes.
I created a Wix website free for an imaginary business named Lucy’s Cupcakes. Click the image to see it in action! Click the image to view it in action! Source: Website Builder Expert
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. Wix’s AI Website Builder created a template for me when I tested it.
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. Wix offers a wide range of free apps including Wix Booking, Wix Menu and Wix Video. 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. Your site can’t be too big or have too many images because you are limited to 500MB. 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. If you get stuck, Wix’s Help Center will guide you with its handy search bar in the editor.
A banner ad on my Wix demo site. A banner ad in my Wix Demo site. As you can see, it takes up a lot of space and distracts from my website’s design. It takes up a lot space and detracts from the design of my website. Source: Website Builder Expert
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. This plan allows you to remove all ads from your website, use a custom-domain, and increase your storage space 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 are looking to sell your home, you will need to upgrade to Core plan which starts at $29 per monthly.
These plans are slightly more expensive than others on this list, so I understand you may not be entirely convinced to upgrade. I understand that these plans are slightly more costly than other plans on this list. 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. Our research shows that Wix offers a lot of features for a great price.
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. More information can be found in our Wix Review.
See Wix’s potential for an online store with our Wix Ecommerce Review. Our Wix Ecommerce Review will show you the potential of Wix for an online store.
What’s better? Wix AI vs Wix Editor? Wix AI or Wix Editor: Which is better? See our detailed breakdown to find out. Find out more with our detailed comparison.
2. GoDaddy – For Getting A Free Website Online Quickly
GoDaddy
Best for getting online quickly for free Get online quickly and for free Very Good Very Good 4.3 out of 5 Out of 5 User-friendly with ADI ADI is user-friendly Quickest builder to use Quickest builder to Use SEO Wiz to help optimize Free plan available Paid Plans: $9.99 – $20.99 / month Paid Plans: $9.99 to $20.99 per month
Pros
- Plenty of features on the free plan Free plan offers a lot of features
- Switch templates when you want You can switch templates whenever you want
- Improved site performance Improved site performance
Cons
- Lack of creative control Lack of creativity control
- No mobile editor No mobile editor
- Upgrade for custom domains Upgrade for custom domains
GoDaddy Review Visit Site
GoDaddy Review
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. Efficiency: GoDaddy’s speed in setting me up with a template, and then letting me edit and publish the website stands out from other free website builders. If you’re looking for the most painless building experience, this is it! This is the easiest way to build a website.
- SEO features: By heading over to “Get found by Google” in the Settings, I could start optimizing my website in just a few clicks. SEO features: By clicking on “Get Found by Google” under Settings, I was able to optimize my website with just a few mouse clicks. No need to soak up any SEO knowledge before building. No need to learn SEO before building.
- AI builder: GoDaddy’s AI builder is simple to use and very effective. AI builder: GoDaddy’s AI builder has a very simple interface and is highly effective. I used it during testing and it generated a different template every time, so I knew it was personalized to my answers. I used it for testing and it generated different templates every time. I knew that it was personalized based on my answers.
What I Dislike
- Ads: GoDaddy places a “Powered by GoDaddy Websites + Marketing” banner at the top of your website. Ads: GoDaddy will place a banner “Powered by GoDaddy Marketing + Websites” at the top of your site.
- No custom domain: Your domain name will automatically have a .godaddysites.com placed at the end of it. No custom domain: Your domain name will be automatically tagged with .godaddysites.com.
- 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. SEO locked by upgrade. The full suite of GoDaddy SEO tools is locked until you upgrade. This means you won’t have access to rank tracking and SEO tips with the free plan.
To see a free GoDaddy website in action, check out my demo site: samspetgrooming.godaddysites.com This is what the final design of my demo website homepage looks like. The final design of the homepage of my demo website. Click the image to see it in action!
My Experience With GoDaddy
With the support of AI and a breezy editor, I could build a polished GoDaddy website in under an hour. With the help of AI and an easy-to-use editor, I was able to build a GoDaddy website that looked great in less than an hour.
But this does reveal a weakness of GoDaddy’s, which is its lack of customization options. This does highlight a weakness for GoDaddy, which is the lack of customization options. This can appeal to beginners who may agonize over creative choices with a builder like Wix or Webflow, because GoDaddy gives you a much more limited array of options for creating a website. 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, I don’t recommend it if you’re looking for lots of creative freedom. I wouldn’t recommend GoDaddy if you want a lot of creative freedom.
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 impressed by the fact that I could create visual content on my site using the basic features of GoDaddy Studio. Plus, I was able to send marketing emails – albeit with a default GoDaddy domain. Plus, I could send marketing emails using a GoDaddy default 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. I was able access the SEO features through the editor, but I saw that I would need to upgrade to use the more advanced SEO features. Source: Website Builder Expert
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 a month when 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. This plan gives you 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. The 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 can be found in our GoDaddy Review. More Information Everything you need to know about building an online store in a flash with our GoDaddy Ecommerce Review. Our GoDaddy Ecommerce review will tell you everything you need to build an online store quickly. We compare the differences between Wix and GoDaddy to help you decide. Compare the differences between Wix vs GoDaddy and make an informed decision.
3. Square Online – For Selling Online For Free
Square Online
Best for selling online for free Free online selling is the best way to sell. Good Good 3.6 out of 5 Out of 5 Sell online for free Sell online for free Speedy set up Setup is quick Mediocre templates Templates that are not worth the money Free plan available Paid Plans: $12 – $79 / month Paid Plans: $12-$79/month
Pros
- Good value for money if upgrading Upgrades are good value for money
- Simple to navigate dashboard Simple to navigate dashboard
- Unlimited products on free plan Free plan: unlimited products
Cons
- Hard to customize Hard to customize
- Pay for the best features Pay for the best features
- Weak design options Weak design options
Square Online Review Visit Site
Square Online Review
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.
With every other website builder asking you to upgrade before accepting purchases, Square Online still allows for the cheapest way to start an online store, though notably limited in scope. Square Online is the cheapest website builder, but it’s also limited in scope. Dashboard: While the editor is limited in customization, I could quickly switch between it and the dashboard, allowing me to add products and change my store’s settings in a more user-friendly manner. Dashboard: The editor is limited, but I can quickly switch to the dashboard and add products or change the settings of my store in a more intuitive way.
What I Like
- Selling for free: Being able to create an online store for free is Square Online’s biggest selling point. 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 can quickly switch to the dashboard and add products or change the settings of my store in a more intuitive way. Dashboard: The editor is limited, but I can 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. Square Online, just like GoDaddy or Wix, will brand your website with their logo. This time, it’s a large unmovable footer at the bottom of your website. Square Online, just like GoDaddy or Wix, will brand your website with their 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. No custom domain: The URL of your website will include .square.site/ after your site’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. Lack of customization options. The free plan is lacking in customization and features, which tries to convince you to upgrade to a paid subscription. You even have to upgrade to get website themes!
Upgrade to get themes for your website! Upgrade to get themes for your website!
To see a free Square Online website in action, check out my demo site: lucys-cupcakes.square.site My finished Square Online homepage is pretty simple in nature. My Square Online homepage is simple. Click the image to see it in action! Click the image to see how it works! Source: Website Builder Expert
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. This is common with most builders. However, being able make a profit without paying transaction fees is a unique feature that no other builder on this list offers.
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. Source: Website Builder Expert
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. Square Online Review: Read the full review to learn more.
More Information More Information Read our How to Customize a Square Online Website to get the most out of your plan. To get the most from your plan, read our How to Customize a Square Online website.
4. Pagecloud – For One-Page Sites
Pagecloud
Best for one-page websites Best for single-page websites Average Average 3.5 out of 5 Out of 5 Not ideal for beginners Not suitable for beginners Lots of customization Customization is available in a wide range Drag-and-drop editor Drag-and-drop editor Free plan available Paid Plans: $20 / month Paying Plans: $20 per month
Pros
- Unique website elements Unique website elements
- Build with other people Build with others
Cons
- No autosave feature No auto-save feature
- Difficult to navigate Difficult navigation
Pagecloud Review Visit Site
Pagecloud Review
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. Pagecloud’s editor and dashboard are fairly easy to use, but they don’t feel as intuitive as other builders such as Wix.
What I Like
- Customization: Pagecloud gave me a ton of creative freedom thanks to its detailed editor. Customization: Pagecloud’s detailed editor gave me a lot of creative freedom. If you have the time to figure it all out, you can build something wonderful.
- Drag-and-drop editor: The familiar drag-and-drop style made it easy to format the pages to my liking. Drag-and drop editor: I was able to easily format the pages according to my liking using the familiar drag-and-drop style.
What I Dislike
- Ads: Pagecloud has a “Powered by Pagecloud” banner at the bottom of your page. Ads: Pagecloud displays a “Powered By Pagecloud” banner on the bottom of every page. Nothing too intrusive, but not as discreet as Webflow’s ad.
- No custom domain: Without a custom domain, Pagecloud’s free plan will present your site with .mypagecloud.com at the end of the URL. No custom domain: Pagecloud’s free plan does not include a custom domain. Instead, it will display .mypagecloud.com as 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. Lack of customization options. The free plan is lacking in customization and features, which tries to convince you to upgrade to a paid subscription. You even have to upgrade to get website themes!
To see a free Pagecloud website in action, check out my demo site: lucys-cupcakes.mypagecloud.com Setting up my homepage with Pagecloud was pretty easy with the template it provided. My Square Online homepage is simple. Click the image to see it in action! Click the image to see how it works! Source: Website Builder Expert
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. For example, I was able to edit text directly on the webpage, but editing images opened up a separate window, which was 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’s free plan is a good choice for certain types portfolio websites, such as those for presentations or school projects that are best suited to the one-page format. Pagecloud placed a small banner at the bottom of my website featuring “Powered by Pagecloud”. Pagecloud added a small banner to the bottom of my site that read “Powered by Pagecloud”. While not too big, it could still affect my professionalism, especially if I created a portfolio. It was not too large, but it could still have an impact on my professionalism, particularly if I created portfolio. Source: Website Builder Expert
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). This plan includes 100 pages, no ads, redirects, a custom-domain, and free Google Workplace.
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. Read our full Pagecloud Review for more. Pagecloud Review: Read the full review to learn more.
More Information More Information Read our How to Customize a Square Online Website to get the most out of your plan. To get the most from your plan, read our How to Customize a Square Online website.
5. Webflow – For Having Limited Ads
Webflow
Best free plan with limited ads The best free plan with limited ads Above Average Above Average 3.2 out of 5 Out of 5 Advanced customization Advanced Customization Section block editor Industry-specific themes Themes specific to industry Free plan available Paid Plans: $14 / month Paying Plans: $14 per month
Pros
- Virtual design assistant Virtual design assistant
- Ideal for experienced builders Ideal for experienced builders
- No ads on free plan No ads on the free plan
Cons
- Overwhelming for beginners Beginners can be overwhelmed by the amount of information available
- No drag-and-drop editor Hardest free builder to use
- No custom domain Hardest free builder for use
Webflow Review Visit Site
Webflow Review
Webflow is a website builder with advanced customization features and superb-looking templates, plus its free plan has the least amount of ads on it – a small, unintrusive “Powered by Webflow” at the bottom of the page! Webflow has a lot of customization options and beautiful templates. Its free plan also has the least amount ads – just a small “Powered by Webflow”, at the bottom of each page.
What I Like
- Template choices & designs: Webflow makes it clear which templates are best for certain industries, offering users a pretty wide selection of free themes (when compared with other builders). Templates & Designs: Webflow offers a wide range of free themes, compared to other builders.
- Creative freedom: Webflow gave me lots of creative control and its free plan comes with an array of customizable features, as well as adding comments for team collaboration. Webflow’s free plan offers a wide range of customizable features as well as the ability to add comments for team collaboration.
- Limited ads: While it’s a shame that Webflow couldn’t be devoid of any ads, I’m still giving it a special mention for having the least amount of ads. Limited ads: Although it’s a pity that Webflow could not be free of ads, it still gets a special mention because it has the least amount.
What I Dislike
- No drag-and-drop editor: Of the builders on this list, Webflow offers the most difficult user experience due to its confusing layout and reliance on code to add new features or templates. No drag-and drop editor: Webflow is the least user-friendly builder on this list due to its confusing interface and reliance on coding to add new templates or features.
- No custom domain: Once again, you must upgrade if you wish to have a custom domain. No custom domain: You must upgrade to get a custom domain. On the free plan, Webflow users will have .webflow.io at the end of their domain names.
To see a free Webflow website in action check out my demo website: lucys-cupcakes-e53b96.webflow.io A Webflow demo site for Lucy’s Cupcakes. Lucy’s Cupcakes demo site using Webflow. Click the image to see it in action! Click the image to see how it works! Source: Website Builder Expert
My Experience With Webflow
Webflow’s advanced customization features are pretty technical, and I had trouble feeling comfortable when using the builder. The advanced customization features of Webflow are quite technical and I found it difficult to use the builder. Webflow is designed with professional web developers in mind. Webflow was designed with web developers in mind. In my experience, I found the lack of a drag-and-drop editor to be a struggle. I found that the lack of a drag and drop editor was a real problem. For beginners, Webflow is difficult to get to grips with.
But, if you have web developer experience (or just the patience to learn), Webflow’s free plan will give you a great-looking website for free with limited ads. If you are a web developer (or have the patience to learn), Webflow’s free plan can give you an attractive website with limited ads for free. Although its editing capabilities are strong, Webflow’s free plan also caps your site at 1,000 monthly visitors, like Pagecloud. Webflow’s free plan, while offering powerful editing tools, also limits your site to 1,000 monthly visitors. This is similar to Pagecloud. You’ll also only have 1GB bandwidth to work with, making it best suited to simple static sites. You will also only have 1GB of bandwidth, which makes it best suited for simple static websites. I wouldn’t recommend Webflow’s free plan if you’re looking to build a content-heavy site, as it won’t be able to handle much traffic.
If you want to build a site with a lot of content, I wouldn’t recommend the free plan from Webflow. It won’t be able handle much traffic. The editor of Webflow can seem a little overwhelming at first, but after a few tutorials I got the hang of it. It can be a little confusing at first but I managed to get the hang of it after a few tutorials. Source: Website Builder Expert
Upgrade Cost: $14 per month
Webflow’s pricing is split between two types of paid plans: General and Ecommerce plans. Webflow offers two paid plans: Ecommerce and General plans. Of the general paid plans, the Basic plan costs $14 per month (billed annually). Basic plan costs $14 per monthly (billed annually). You’ll get:
- A custom domain Custom domain
- No ads No Ads
- Increase in traffic allowance from 1K visitors to 250K Increased traffic allowance from 250K to 1K visitors
- 150 pages to edit instead of just two Edit 150 pages instead of two
If you want ecommerce, the Standard plan starts at $29 per month, when billed annually. Standard plan, billed annually, starts at $29 a month. The plan gives you access to over 500 product slots to sell – this is disappointing when compared to Square Online which, for the same upgrade cost, gives you unlimited items to sell. The plan allows you to sell over 500 products. This is disappointing compared to Square Online, which offers unlimited items for the same upgrade price.
Read our full Webflow Review for more.
For more information, read our Webflow Review. More Information More Information See which of these website builders wins the battle of design in our Squarespace vs Webflow head-to-head. Squarespace vs. Webflow: Which website builder wins the design battle?
How To Choose a Free Website Builder
How to Choose a Free Web Builder
When choosing a free website builder, you must first accept that you’ll be receiving a lesser product than if you paid for it. You must accept that a free website builder will provide a lower quality product than one you would pay for. Website builders are businesses after all, and they charge subscription fees so they can make a profit where no one else can. Website builders are businesses, after all, so they charge subscription fees to make a profit.
That being said, it doesn’t mean you should lower your standards when looking for a free website builder. It doesn’t mean that you should lower your standard when searching for a free web builder. You can have it all if you know what to look for. If you know what to search for, you can have it all. That’s why we’ve come up with three important questions you should consider when looking over the potential candidates for your free website builder: We’ve compiled three questions that you should ask yourself when evaluating the candidates for your free web builder.
- Do the limitations outweigh the benefits? Do the limitations outweigh benefits?
- Will there be any other costs? Are there any other costs?
- Would you be better off with a paid subscription? Would you benefit more from a paid subscription than a free one?
You should consider each of these carefully when choosing. When choosing, you should carefully consider each of these. For instance, if you want to build a free online store with Square Online, you have to take into account that its customization is weak and you’ll still have to pay transaction fees. If you want to create a free online shop with Square Online, then you should take into account that its customization is limited and you will still have to pay transaction fees. In the end, it may be worth just spending the money for a full ecommerce platform subscription. It may be worth it to pay for a subscription to a complete ecommerce platform.
Can You Actually Make a Website for Free?
Yes, as long as you’re fine with the limitations. Yes, as long as you’re fine with the limitations. You can, if you accept the limitations. It all depends on the type of website you want to make. It depends on what kind of website you’re looking to create. If you want to start a business with a professional website front, then I recommend shelling out a bit to make sure you look like a trustworthy business someone could spend money with. If you’re looking to start a new business and want a professional-looking website, I recommend spending a little money to make sure you look like you are a reliable business that people can trust.
But if you just want a website to journal thoughts, post art, or info-dump on niche topics, a free plan on any of these builders mentioned is absolutely fine for that purpose. But if you just want a website to journal thoughts, post art, or info-dump on niche topics, a free plan on any of these builders mentioned is absolutely fine for that purpose. Ads, non-custom domains, and limited design options won’t matter if the website is predominantly for you – and if you can’t accept the ads or non-custom domain, the builders tend to do a thorough job of directing you to the upgrade button! If the website is primarily for you, it doesn’t matter that there are ads, non-customized domains, or limited design options. And if you don’t want to accept the ads, or non-customized domain, builders will direct you to the upgrade option!
If you want to use a website for a niche topic, such as to post art or journal your thoughts, a free plan is perfect. Ads, non-custom domains, and limited design options won’t matter if the website is predominantly for you – and if you can’t accept the ads or non-custom domain, the builders tend to do a thorough job of directing you to the upgrade button!
How We Test
How We Test
At Website Builder Expert, we pride ourselves on sharing data-led recommendations with our readers. We are proud to share data-driven recommendations with our readers at Website Builder Expert. To bring you the best free website builders on the market, our in-house research team has put over 50 builders through our expert research methodology. Our in-house team of researchers has tested over 50 website builders to find the best ones on the market.
While the most important aspect was whether they had a free plan or not, we also wanted to evaluate each free plan by its own merits. While the most important aspect was whether they had a free plan or not, we also wanted to evaluate each free plan by its own merits.
We wanted to consider each free plan individually, and not just based on whether or not they offered a free plan. We wanted to consider each free plan individually, and not just based on whether or not they offered a free plan. This involved changing the weighting of our research categories, so that website features and sales features counted the same because being able to sell for free is a significant advantage for a website builder. This involved changing the weighting of our research categories, so that website features and sales features counted the same because being able to sell for free is a significant advantage for a website builder.
It was necessary to change the weightings of our research categories so that both website features and sales capabilities were counted equally. It was necessary to change the weightings of our research categories so that both website features and sales capabilities were counted equally. This is because the ability to sell for free can be a significant advantage for website builders. This is because the ability to sell for free can be a significant advantage for website builders.
Here is the full list of our unique category weightings for free website builders:
Here is a list of all the categories that we have weighted for our free website builders.
- Website Features – 25%
- Website Features – 25%
- Sales Features – 25%
- Design Functionality – 15%
- Design Functionality – 15%
- Help and Support – 12%
- Help and Support – 12%
- User Experience – 10%
- User Experience – 10%
- Customer Score – 8%
- Customer Score – 8 %
- Value for Money – 5%
- Value for Money – 5%
5 Best Free Website Builders: Summary
Summary of the 5 Best Free Website Builders
To recap, I recommend Wix as the best free website builder. Wix is the best free website creator. While its ads and no custom domain can be annoying, the free plan offers the best features and editing tools of any builder on this list. Although its ads and lack of a custom domain can be annoying the free plan offers some of the best features and editing options among all builders on this list. You can truly build an extremely professional website with Wix, even for free. Even for free, you can create a professional website using Wix. It’s possible to create a website for free – as long as you don’t mind the limitations. You can create a website without paying anything if you don’t mind some limitations. They may not seem like much in the beginning, but they can lead to further frustration down the line once your website takes off. These limitations may not seem significant at first, but can cause frustration once your website becomes popular. That’s why I suggest you make the most of the free plans by building, playing, and experimenting with the different website builders, but I don’t recommend staying on a free plan forever. You can make the most out of the free plans if you build, play, and experiment with the different website builders. However, I do not recommend that you stay on a free plan for ever. There’s no time limit for the free plans, meaning you can have all the practice you need to nail the look and purpose of the website before upgrading to a paid plan. The free plans have no time limit, so you can get all the practice needed to nail down the look and purpose of your website before upgrading to the paid plan. So enjoy trying out our favorite free builders – come back and let us know which one you liked the most!
Enjoy our favorite free builders and let us know what you think!
