best free website design
The practical playbook for small businesses: pick the right free tools, design faster, and get found on Google.
You don't need to pay thousands to get a great website. This guide walks you through the best free builders and design apps in 2025, plus step-by-step SEO and marketing tips to turn visitors into customers.
Start with free tools
Congero demo to site (optional)
Mobile-responsive designs
Built for local SEO
Why start with free website design tools?
Free tools let you validate ideas, test messaging, and launch quickly without upfront cost. They’re perfect for:
- Trying different value propositions and hero headlines
- Getting live pages for Google to index fast
- Keeping budget for marketing (ads, Google Business Profile)
Quick reality check
Free tools come with limits: platform branding, limited storage, or subdomains (yourname.provider.com). But for many small businesses, that’s a fair trade to get live and start driving enquiries.
Best free website builders & platforms in 2025
Short list: pick a platform for speed (drag-and-drop builders) or control (static/site generator). Below are practical picks with pros, limitations and when to use each.
Wix (free tier)
Fast to launch with many templates and easy mobile editing. Free plan includes Wix branding and a subdomain.
- Great for service pages, portfolios
- Not ideal for advanced SEO without paid tier
WordPress.com (free)
Powerful blogging + CMS. Free plan has a wordpress.com subdomain and ads, but lets you build structured content that ranks.
- Excellent for SEO-rich content and blogs
- Limited plugin access on free plans
Google Sites
Excellent for very simple brochure sites, internal pages, or quick landing pages. No frills, but free and fast.
- Free with Google account, reliable hosting
- Limited SEO controls and templates
Carrd
Perfect for simple one-page services, contact details, and promos. Free version is generous and easy to style.
- Cheap upgrade path when you grow
- Best for single-page use cases
Webflow (free workspace)
Free to design in the workspace with staging URLs. Powerful for designers who want pixel control without coding every component.
- Excellent visual control and interactions
- Hosting requires paid plan for custom domain
GitHub Pages + Jekyll/Hugo
Best for tech-savvy owners or developers: no platform brand, super fast pages, and free SSL. Good for documentation, blogs, and portfolios.
- Free hosting and custom domain support
- Requires Git knowledge or developer help
Netlify / Render (free tiers)
Use with static site generators and Git for continuous deployment. Free tiers are generous for small business sites.
- CDN, SSL and build automation included
- Some features limited on free plans
Free design tools that make sites look professional
Use these free design tools to prototype, create hero images, and export assets — even if the final site is built in a different platform.
Figma
Create layouts, export PNG/SVG, and share clickable prototypes with your contractor or team.
Canva
Easy to use for non-designers — create banners, social posts and resized images quickly.
Framer / Wix Media Editors
Add subtle interactions to increase perceived quality. Framer has a free plan for basic projects.
Free wireframe checklist
- Clear headline that explains what you do in 5 words
- Prominent phone number and contact method
- Service list with pricing or clear "call for quote"
- One primary CTA above the fold
Free images, icons, fonts and video resources
High-quality visuals lift conversion rates. These are the best free sources:
Photos
- Unsplash — authentic business photos
- Pexels — commercial use friendly
Icons & SVGs
- Font Awesome Free — icons used across this page
- Heroicons / Feather — clean SVG icons
Fonts
- Google Fonts — reliable, fast-loading
Video & Audio
- Pexels Videos — short, free clips
- Mixkit — free music and clips
SEO essentials for free websites
Free builders often let you control basic SEO — use it. Follow these must-dos to help Google find and rank your site.
On-page SEO checklist
- Unique title tag for each page (include primary keyword)
- Meta description (clear CTA — e.g., call, quote)
- H1 on the page (one only) and H2s for sections
- Use short, descriptive URLs (example.com/plumber-melbourne)
- Alt text for images — describe the image and include keyword when relevant
- Schema: add LocalBusiness markup if possible
Performance & indexing
- Fast load time: aim <2.5s on mobile
- Mobile-first design and readable text
- Submit sitemap to Google Search Console
- Set up robots.txt and canonical tags if possible
- Install Google Analytics / GA4 for tracking
- Set up and optimise your Google Business Profile (hours, services, photos)
- Collect reviews and reply to them — reviews help local rankings
- Include city/region in page titles and service descriptions
Marketing tactics to drive traffic (low cost)
A website is only useful if people visit it. Prioritise these channels first:
Local search
- Google Business Profile: verify and keep NAP consistent
- Local citations: list on Yellow Pages, TrueLocal, etc.
Social & content
- Share projects and before/after photos on socials
- Use short videos/Reels for local reach
Paid ads (targeted)
- Start small with Google Local Services or Search Ads targeting your service + suburb
- Use remarketing to convert visitors who didn't call
- Place phone number top-right and inside header on mobile
- Offer a clear next step: book, call, or get a free quote
- Use urgency (limited slots, special offer) but be honest
A fast free-tool workflow: from idea to live in a day
Follow this practical workflow to launch a professional-looking, SEO-ready site using mostly free tools.
Plan your pages & keywords
- Decide 3 core pages: Home, Services (list), Contact
- Research 3 local keywords per service (e.g., plumber Melbourne emergency)
Design hero and CTAs
Use Figma or Canva to create a clear hero with headline, subhead, and primary CTA (call or quote button).
Build on chosen free platform
Add title tags, meta descriptions, and alt text. Keep pages focused and short — visitors want answers fast.
Launch & submit to Google
Connect Google Search Console, submit your sitemap, and verify Google Analytics (GA4). Post an initial social update linking to the new site.
When to upgrade or migrate off free plans
Free plans are great to start. Consider moving to a paid plan or managed service when any of these apply:
- You need a custom domain without provider branding
- Your site needs e-commerce or booking features
- Page speed suffers or you need server-level caching
- You want unlimited edits without paying hourly rates
Frequently asked questions
Is a free website good enough for my small business?
Will Google index my free-site URL?
How do I track leads and conversions on a free site?
I don't have time — can someone handle this for me affordably?
Ready to launch faster?
Start with free tools to test and iterate — or get a professional, managed site built quickly so you can focus on customers. Congero can launch a working site fast, manage local SEO, and handle unlimited updates for a flat monthly fee.
Tip: If you need help moving from a free subdomain to a custom domain or improving local SEO, Congero handles the technical work so you don’t have to.
