Yes. Most website builders offer free plans. You can create your free website and keep them for a lifetime.
My Quick Take
Most website builder platforms offer free plans so users can try out the platforms. However, most free plans do come with limitations. Before I discuss the limitations of using a free website builder, let’s talk about the benefits of free website builders.
Benefits
Here are some advantages of free website builders
- They come at no cost. No monthly fees or maintenance cost
- You don’t need a developer to effect changes or update your website. This allows you to work at your own pace
- You have the opportunity to express yourself, your brand, or your business to the world as you really want it
- Get access to online documentation, training, customer support, and online communities when you need help
- Fast time to market. You can get online today
- Design templates are free, modern, attractive, and easy to update
- You do not need to pay for hosting
- You do not need to worry about security
- Enjoy on-site analytics to see how your website is performing
- Do complex task without coding skills
- Enjoy eCommerce features. For example, Square Online free website builder offers features such as automatic sync with Square POS, SSL security, local delivery, inventory management, sales coupons, Google Pay integration, Instagram integration, curbside pickup, in-house delivery, and much more
- Enjoy content management system with Webflow website builder
- You can connect domain names to free website builders like Google Sites and Ucraft
Limitations
Here are some limitations of free website builders
- You may encounter a steep learning curve
- If you decide to leave, you cannot take your site with you
- You’re limited to the templates provided by the website builder platform
- Free website builders are not the best for SEO rankings
- Free website builders often add advertisements to your website
- You may be unable to switch providers if you decide to leave
- An upgrade may be overpriced
- You may be limited to having a given number of webpages
- You cannot connect custom domain name to most website builders
- Limited storage or disk space
- Limited features such as no blogging, content management, and eCommerce
- No customer support or it may be limited
Top 10 Best Free Website Builders
What are the best free website builders?
1. Square Online
Square Online is an excellent free website builder I highly recommend to small business owners. With Square Online, you can take your business online for free without compromising almost any eCommerce feature. It is easy to use and user-friendly. You even get customer support on a free plan.
With Square Online you enjoy features such as automatic sync with Square POS, in-house and on-demand delivery, Curbside and in-store pickup, Instagram integration, Local delivery, Accept Square gift cards, Google Pay, Apple Pay, Sales coupons, Inventory management, SEO tools, and SSL security.
If you want to get your business online with a free website builder, Square Online is your best option.
The only compromise you have to deal with is the small advertisement on your page. The benefits and features you enjoy definitely outweigh the advertisement on your page.
2. Google Sites
Google Sites is the ultimate free site. This is so because they don’t even offer any paid plans. I recommend Google Sites to anyone who wants to create a static informational website. For instance, if you’re self-employed and need some internet presence – you just want people to get information about you or your brand or business. You should check out Google Sites.
Another great benefit is the ease of use. More so, you can connect your custom domain for free and connect other Google products such as Google Calendar, Google Maps, Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Forms seamlessly.
Google Sites also comes with some limitations. Its major limitation is the lack of features blogging and eCommerce features. Also they don’t come with attractive themes like other free website builders.
3. Ucraft
Ucraft is exemplary because you can connect custom domains with Ucraft on your free plan. Their template repository seems to be fresh and attractive. More so, your free website builder comes with SSL security.
You are limited to 15 pages on the free plan and your website carries a big sticky ad as users scroll up and down your page and SEO is limited.
4. Site123
The Site123 platform offers a free website builder that’s easy to use. They also have modern templates you can use to make your website attractive. The free websites are responsive, come bundled with SSL, and also they are SEO-friendly.
Site123 free website builder has two major drawbacks – subdomain is a random combination of strings and numbers and sticky ads.
5. Webflow
Webflow offers a high degree of flexibility for your website. You can create, design, and build your website from the ground up. Webflow is recommended for those with some design skills.
The Webflow website builder comes with a content management system feature that allows you to create new pages. Webflow requires some learning curve and includes a small advertisement on free websites.
6. Jimdo
Jimdo is a fast and easy-to-use website builder. The platform is simple and beginner-friendly. The paid plans are affordable if you decide to upgrade in the future.
Asides from the 5-page limit Jimdo imposes on free accounts, Jimdo is a good free website builder you should consider.
7. Strikingly
Strikingly helps you create a free one-page website. Their intuitive website builder is user-friendly and easy to use. They have a good repository of modern-looking templates.
Strikingly provides a free one-page website that displays a large advertisement at the top. Creating multiple pages requires a paid plan.
8. GoDaddy
GoDaddy is easy to use and beginner-friendly. It also comes with important features such as email marketing, blog, membership, and appointment scheduling.
A major drawback here is that you cannot use a custom domain name, you cannot sell with an online store. When you’re ready to upgrade, be ready for some upselling.
GoDaddy free website builder displays a sticky advertisement at the top which can be annoying.
9. WordPress
WordPress is the most popular content management software in the world. This may be an option if you’re looking for a free content management system with WordPress for blogging.
You can create a free website with the WordPress website builder. The drawback is that WordPress puts too many ads on your website that hampers user experience.
10. IM Creator
The IM Creator free website builder has no advertisement on the free website. Choose your template from a well-grouped library of attractive, responsive, cross-platform templates.
The challenge using the IM Creator is the subdomain name. It’s quite long and difficult to remember. Another drawback is that you can’t have more than 100 people visit your website per day.
FAQs
Are website builders free?
Yes. Website builders offer free and paid plans. You can start free upgrade when you want premium features for your website.
Website builders offer free packages to attract new customers to their platforms. These platforms are packed with features but offer basic features to newbies with the hope of converting new customers to paying customers.
Oftentimes, these basic features may just be enough for some people. As long as you don’t violate their terms of service, you can keep your website for “forever”.
What website builders are free?
Here’s a list of free website builders.
Conclusion
Are free website builders free?
This is a common question I get in the mail. Yes. Free websites are truly free. In fact, you can create a free website with most website builders and own your website for a lifetime.
Free websites are actually and completely free to use for eCommerce, blogging, small business, portfolio, and anything you can think of.
You can create a completely free Square Online eCommerce store at zero cost. You can also create a free website with Google Sites. Furthermore, you can create a blog site with WordPress.
Free websites are completely and actually free, you just need to understand that they come with limitations. These limitations could be low storage space, unprofessional-looking subdomain names, annoying ads, and page limits. Let’s discuss the limitations in detail.
However, free website builders come with limitations. But regardless of the limitations, they are free to use.