best free website builders 2025 wix vs wordpress vs google sites vs carrd
A clear, unbiased comparison of Wix, WordPress, Google Sites and Carrd — features, costs, SEO and real-world suitability for small businesses in 2025.
If you're choosing a free or low-cost builder, this guide helps you pick the right tool — and explains when a managed, all-in-one website + SEO service may save time and grow enquiries faster.
Short on time? Here's the TL;DR:
Wix — Visual editor for fast, design-first websites
Wix is a leading drag-and-drop website builder that focuses on visual design, templates and an easy editor. It offers a free plan with Wix branding and paid plans to unlock custom domains, e-commerce and advanced features.
Pros
- Intuitive visual editor — build pages quickly without code
- Large template library and built-in design tools
- App Marketplace for common add-ons (booking, forms)
- Hosting included and managed
Cons
- Free plan shows Wix branding and ads
- Not as flexible as self-hosted WordPress for advanced features
- Performance can vary; some templates add bloat
- Migration off Wix is possible but not trivial
WordPress — The most flexible & extensible platform
WordPress powers a large share of the web. WordPress.com offers hosted plans (including a free tier), while self-hosted WordPress (WordPress.org) gives full control but requires hosting, maintenance and plugins.
Pros
- Extremely flexible — themes + plugins for nearly every feature
- Full ownership of content and SEO control
- Scale from simple blogs to large e-commerce sites
- Large developer ecosystem and documentation
Cons
- Requires hosting, updates, backups and security management (unless using managed hosting)
- Plugins can conflict; quality varies
- Steeper learning curve for non-technical users
- Free hosted plans have limitations and branding
Google Sites — Free, extremely simple, limited
Google Sites is a free, no-frills website tool included with Google accounts. It's designed for basic information pages and internal sites rather than marketing or SEO-driven websites.
Pros
- Truly free and fast to set up
- Integrates with Google Workspace (Drive, Docs, Calendar)
- Simple, low-maintenance hosting via Google
Cons
- Very limited design and customization options
- Not built for advanced SEO or marketing features
- Templates and structure are basic — not ideal for conversions
- Ownership and export options are constrained compared to self-hosted solutions
Carrd — Minimal, single-page focus with speed
Carrd excels at simple, beautiful one-page websites and landing pages. It’s affordable and fast, with a small learning curve and options to connect a custom domain on paid plans.
Pros
- Extremely fast to build and publish one-page sites
- Clean, minimal templates focused on conversion
- Low-cost paid plan unlocks custom domain and forms
- Great for landing pages, portfolios and micro-sites
Cons
- Not suitable for multi-page sites or complex features
- Limited SEO features compared to WordPress
- Integrations are more limited than marketplace-driven platforms
Feature & Cost Comparison — At a glance
| Feature | Wix | WordPress | Google Sites | Carrd |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free tier available | Yes (with branding) | WordPress.com: Yes / Self-hosted: No | Yes | Yes (limited) |
| Custom domain on free | No | No (self-hosted yes) | No | No |
| Ease of use | Very high (visual) | Moderate — steep for advanced | Very high (very simple) | High (one-page focus) |
| SEO control | Good (paid plans better) | Excellent (best with plugins & setup) | Limited | Basic |
| Extendability | Medium (apps) | Very high (plugins & custom code) | Low | Low–Medium (integrations) |
| Performance | Varies by template | Depends on hosting | Fast for simple pages | Very fast (lightweight) |
| Maintenance required | Low | High (self-hosted) / Low (managed) | Very low | Low |
| Total typical cost (starter) | $0–$17/month* | $0 (WordPress.com) – $5–30+/month hosting* | $0 | $0–$9/year (paid) |
*Costs vary by plan, region and optional add-ons. Free tiers usually include platform branding and limitations.
SEO, performance and conversion — what matters in 2025
When choosing a builder, consider how it helps you rank and convert visitors:
-
Page speed
Lightweight builders (Carrd, Google Sites) can be very fast, but lack advanced SEO tools. WordPress can be fastest with good hosting and optimisation. Wix performance depends on template and apps.
-
Technical SEO
WordPress gives the most granular control (meta tags, structured data, sitemaps). Wix and Carrd offer simpler built-in tools; Google Sites is limited.
-
Conversion-focused design
A well-designed page with clear CTAs and local SEO often beats a feature-rich but messy site. Templates and professional design help greatly.
-
Maintenance & updates
If you want updates handled without technical hassle, managed services or platforms with included support are worth the monthly fee.
Which builder should you pick?
Choose Wix if…
You want a visually polished site fast with a friendly drag-and-drop editor and don't plan to manage complex server or plugin setups.
Choose WordPress if…
You need full control, advanced SEO, e-commerce or custom integrations — and you're comfortable with (or willing to pay for) hosting and maintenance.
Choose Google Sites if…
You need a free, extremely simple page for internal teams or a basic public page and want near-zero maintenance.
Choose Carrd if…
You need a fast, attractive one-page landing or portfolio with minimal fuss and very low cost.
A common middle-ground many small businesses miss
Free tiers save money initially but can cost time, rankings and leads. If your priority is more enquiries and less technical overhead, an all-in-one managed website + SEO service can combine the best of both worlds: polished design, domain & hosting, local SEO setup and ongoing updates — for one predictable monthly fee.
Ownership, migration and long-term costs
Free builders differ in how easily you can export or move your site. If you want to keep control of your domain and content, check ownership policies before choosing a platform.
- Wix: You own your content but moving full site structure elsewhere is difficult.
- WordPress: Self-hosted WordPress offers the most portable setup — you can migrate between hosts freely.
- Google Sites: Easy to copy content but limited export options for a full site rebuild.
- Carrd: Export options limited; best used for simple, single-page needs.
Frequently asked questions
Is the free plan good enough for a business?
Which builder ranks best in Google?
How hard is it to migrate away later?
What about ongoing updates and support?
What we recommend in 2025
If you only need a tiny, one-off landing page, Carrd or Google Sites can be perfect. If you want long-term SEO, growth and ownership, WordPress with managed hosting or a professional-managed subscription is usually best. Wix is a strong middle-ground for owners who want visual editing without the server chores.
If you value results over tinkering — polished design, local SEO, hosting, domain and unlimited updates with predictable monthly pricing — a managed, all-in-one website + SEO service reduces risk and frees you to run your business instead of maintaining a site.
No single tool is perfect for every use-case — choose based on your goals, time and technical willingness. For many small businesses, predictable, managed services deliver faster lead growth with less hassle.
