best website building sites free
Honest, practical comparisons of the top free website builders, their limits, and how to decide whether a free plan is right for your business — plus when to upgrade to a managed solution.
Which free website builders are worth using in 2025?
Short answer: several, depending on your goals. Below we review the most popular free builders, what you get for free, typical limitations, and the ideal use case for each.
Best for Quick Personal Sites
Carrd — super simple, low learning curve, great for a single-page personal site or landing page.
Best for Local Businesses
Wix (free plan) or WordPress.com — easy templates and useful local SEO basics; limited branding on free plans.
Best for Tech-Savvy Projects
GitHub Pages or Netlify (free tiers) — full control, no branding, ideal for static sites if you can manage code.
Best free website building sites — quick comparison
We look at features, limits on free plans, SEO readiness, and the ideal user for each platform.
Wix (Free)
Drag-and-drop editor, lots of templates, free Wix subdomain, Wix branding on your site, and limited storage/bandwidth on free plan.
- Beginner-friendly editor
- Wix ads on free sites
- Basic SEO tools on free/paid plans
WordPress.com (Free)
Hosted WordPress with free subdomain and basic themes. Good for blogs and content-heavy sites. Plugin access and custom themes require paid plans.
- Strong content tools
- WordPress.com ads & limited customization
- Built-in SEO basics
Carrd (Free)
Extremely affordable single-page sites. Free plan includes Carrd branding and limited customisation; premium is inexpensive.
- Fast to launch
- Not suited for multi-page businesses
GitHub Pages / Netlify (Free)
No branding, free custom domain support, and great performance — but requires knowledge of static site generators or build tools.
- No forced ads or branding
- Requires technical setup
Google Sites (Free)
Very simple and reliable for internal pages, wiki-style sites, or small project pages. Limited templates and SEO controls.
- Easy for non-technical users
- Not ideal for growth-focused businesses
Important: free ≠ unlimited
Free plans are great to test ideas or run personal projects. For business use you'll likely hit limits: storage, bandwidth, ads/branding, lack of custom domain, or poor SEO tools. Read the fine print before committing.
When to stay on a free plan — and when to upgrade
Use this checklist to match your business needs with the right path.
Free plan is a good fit if:
- You're experimenting or building a personal portfolio
- You don't need a custom domain yet
- Traffic and conversions aren't critical right now
Consider upgrading if:
- You need a professional domain and no platform ads
- You want reliable local SEO and analytics
- You want unlimited edits without time-consuming DIY
Prefer hands-off web presence for your business?
Congero offers a managed, AI-driven website service for $49/month — instant setup, text-in updates, domain & hosting included, and built-in local SEO. Perfect for trades and busy service businesses that need leads, not admin.
How to pick the best free website building site for your needs
Follow these practical steps to avoid common pitfalls.
1. Define Goal
Lead generation, portfolio, blog, or brochure site? Your goal drives the choice.
2. Check Features
Custom domain support, SEO tools, templates, storage, and mobile responsiveness.
3. Try It
Build a quick page and test editing flow and mobile preview before committing.
4. Measure & Upgrade
If traffic or conversions matter, plan to upgrade for analytics, removal of branding, and SEO features.
SEO tips to get the most from a free website builder
Free plans often lack advanced SEO features — here’s how to maximise what you do have.
Meta titles & descriptions
Write concise titles (under 60 chars) and descriptions (under 160 chars). Include your primary keyword and location for local searches.
Local signals
Display consistent NAP (name, address, phone) across your site and Google Business Profile. Free builders often let you add this content easily.
Speed & images
Compress images and use descriptive ALT text. Free plans may limit speed; use lightweight layouts and lazy-loading where possible.
Need full SEO without the DIY?
Congero automates meta tags, schema markup and local SEO from day one — ideal when you want leads, not SEO admin.
Pros & cons of free website builders
A pragmatic look so you can avoid common frustrations.
Pros
- Free to start and test ideas
- Fast to build with templates
- No hosting or maintenance worries
Cons
- Platform branding & ads on free plans
- Limited SEO, analytics, and customisation
- Hard to scale for growing businesses
Frequently asked questions about free website builders
Short answers to help you decide quickly.
Most free plans do not include a custom domain — you’ll use a platform subdomain (example.platform.com). Some builders allow custom domains only on paid plans.
No. Google evaluates content quality and relevance. However, free plans often limit SEO features (schema, meta control, speed), which can affect rankings indirectly.
Upgrade to a paid plan on the same platform for a custom domain, remove platform ads, and unlock better SEO and analytics. Alternatively, move to a managed service like Congero to avoid the technical work altogether.
Reputable platforms include SSL and basic security even on free plans. For advanced security or regulatory compliance you’ll want a paid or managed solution.
Want a professional, lead-generating website without the hassle?
Congero builds mobile-responsive, SEO-optimised websites in under 60 seconds. Includes domain, hosting, SSL, unlimited updates via text, and clear monthly analytics — all for $49/month, no lock-in.
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