best free website builders 2025 wix wordpress github pages netlify google sites carrd
A practical, neutral comparison of six popular free builders — what they do well, where they fall short for small businesses, and which trade-offs matter most when you want good SEO, modern design, and real ease of use.
Quick comparison — at a glance
| Builder | Free tier | Design | SEO control | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wix | Yes (ads & subdomain) | Templates + visual editor — easy | Basic meta tags, limited schema | Small businesses wanting drag‑and‑drop |
| WordPress.com | Yes (subdomain, limited plugins) | Flexible themes; paid upgrades for full design control | Good on paid plans; limited on free | Blogs, content-first sites |
| GitHub Pages | Yes (static sites via repo) | Depends on templates; developer-focused | Full control if you build it (good for SEO) | Developers, tech demos, documentation |
| Netlify | Yes (free hosting for static sites) | Design depends on framework/templates | Full control and fast performance (good SEO) | Static sites, JAMstack projects |
| Google Sites | Yes (simple & free) | Very basic templates, limited styling | Minimal SEO controls | Internal pages, simple business info |
| Carrd | Yes (one-page sites on subdomain) | Fast one-page design, very simple | Basic SEO fields | Landing pages, minimalist portfolios |
Free tiers work when your needs are minimal. As soon as you need domain, performance, structured data or local SEO, limitations appear.
Wix — visual building with limits
Wix provides a WYSIWYG editor and many templates, making it simple for non‑technical users to create attractive sites quickly. The free plan includes Wix ads and a subdomain.
- Huge template library and visual design tools
- Built-in features (forms, bookings, eCommerce on paid plans)
- Beginner-friendly editor
- Free plan shows ads and uses Wix subdomain
- SEO controls limited on free/cheaper plans
- Some designs can be heavy and slow without optimisation
When to choose: if you need quick visual results and don’t mind upgrading later for SEO or custom domain. For local SEO and structured data, the free tier is restricted.
WordPress.com — content power, some friction
WordPress.com’s free tier is ideal for blogs and content-heavy sites. It’s powerful but true flexibility often requires paid plans or self-hosted WordPress.
- Excellent content management and blogging tools
- Large ecosystem of themes and plugins on paid plans
- Good baseline SEO when configured
- Free plan is limited (no plugins, WordPress branding)
- Customisations often require paid upgrades or self-hosting
- Performance and security depend on chosen hosting
When to choose: content-first businesses comfortable with gradual upgrades or technical migration to get full SEO and plugin benefits.
GitHub Pages — free static hosting for developers
GitHub Pages serves static sites directly from a repository. It’s free, fast, and supports custom domains — ideal if you can work with templates or static site generators.
- Free, reliable hosting with custom domain support
- Great performance (fast TTFB) and version control
- Full SEO control if you manage HTML and metadata
- Developer knowledge required (git, static site generators)
- No built‑in CMS unless you add one
- Not suited for frequent content edits by non-technical users
When to choose: developers who want a free, fast, SEO-friendly host and can manage updates via git or CI.
Netlify — modern static hosting with features
Netlify’s free tier supports JAMstack workflows, continuous deploys, and edge features. It’s powerful for static sites built with modern frameworks.
- Fast CDN, automatic deploys, and serverless functions
- Good for SEO when static HTML is generated well
- Simple custom domain setup and HTTPS on free plan
- Requires build tooling and developer workflow
- Design/UI not provided — you supply templates or frameworks
- Managing frequent content updates needs a CMS integration
When to choose: teams or devs building performant static sites and comfortable with build pipelines and CMS integrations for content editors.
Google Sites — quick and extremely simple
Google Sites is free and simple — great for internal pages, event sites, or quick business info pages. Styling options are intentionally minimal.
- Very easy to use, no learning curve
- Integrates with Google Workspace tools
- Free with Google account, no hosting worries
- Limited customization and template choices
- Poorer SEO controls, no advanced metadata
- Not designed for growth or complex sites
When to choose: internal teams or non-commercial pages that need to exist fast with minimal maintenance.
Carrd — minimalist landing pages
Carrd focuses on single-page sites and landing pages. The free plan is excellent for simple, attractive one-pagers with fast load times.
- Beautiful, minimal one-page templates
- Fast and lightweight — great for simple funnels
- Very low learning curve
- Limited to primarily one-page layouts on free plan
- SEO features are basic
- Not suited for multi-page business sites
When to choose: landing pages, simple portfolios, or short campaigns where one page is enough.
SEO, design and ease‑of‑use — what to expect
Free builders are attractive, but the main trade-offs fall into three categories:
Netlify and GitHub Pages give full technical control and performance — great for SEO if you implement metadata and structured data yourself. WordPress can be excellent for content SEO, but free plans limit plugins and schema. Wix and Carrd provide basic SEO fields; Google Sites offers the least control.
Wix and Carrd make attractive design simple. WordPress themes are flexible but may need configuration. GitHub Pages / Netlify rely on your templates — offering unlimited design potential if you can build it. Google Sites is intentionally limited.
Google Sites and Wix are easiest for non-technical users. Carrd is excellent for simple one-pagers. GitHub Pages and Netlify require developer skills. WordPress sits in the middle depending on plan and setup.
If you want maximum control and have developer resources, GitHub Pages or Netlify can deliver excellent SEO and performance for free. If you want an easy visual editor, Wix or Carrd are faster to a presentable result. For continuing content growth, WordPress is the common compromise but often needs paid upgrades for full power.
When a managed subscription can make sense
Free builders are useful, but many small businesses prioritise leads and local visibility over saving a few dollars. Managed subscriptions (month-to-month) can offer:
- Built-in local SEO and schema without doing technical work
- Professional, mobile-first design that converts visitors
- Unlimited content updates handled for you (no dev hours)
- All-inclusive hosting, SSL and domain setup
If your goal is to be found locally, look polished, and avoid the hidden costs of time and upgrades, a managed option that focuses on SEO, design and ease-of-use can be a better investment than wrestling with platform limits.
Frequently asked questions
Is "free" always the cheapest option long term?
Which builder is best for local businesses?
Can I migrate from a free builder later?
Ready to compare results, not just features?
If you want good SEO, professional design, and the ability to update your site without developer time, consider testing a managed workflow — many businesses find it delivers better enquiries and predictable cost.
