website builder free best
How to pick the best free website builder for your small business — features, SEO, and ease-of-use explained.
Free website builders are great for testing ideas and launching quickly. This guide walks you step-by-step through the best free options in 2025, what to test before committing, and when a professional site (that converts) is the smarter investment.
Free plan available
Quick setup (basic)
Many free builders include meta tags
Most free tiers show branding/ads
Why use a free website builder?
Free website builders are useful for testing business ideas, launching a simple brochure site fast, or creating a temporary landing page. They remove financial risk and often include templates, hosting, and a built-in editor.
What they do well
- Fast, guided setup with templates
- No hosting or server setup required
- Beginner-friendly drag-and-drop editors
- Free plan to explore before paying
What to expect (trade-offs)
- Branded footer or ads on free plans
- Limited SEO features and URL control
- Restricted custom code or integrations
- Performance limitations at scale
Top free website builders in 2025 (shortlist)
Below are commonly used free builders. Each has strengths — choose based on the features you need, not just the price.
Wix (free tier)
Drag-and-drop visual editor with many templates. Free tier shows Wix ads and uses a wixsite.com subdomain.
- Very easy to use
- Large template library
- Built-in apps for simple features
- Ads on free plan
- SEO tools basic on free tier
- Hard to migrate
WordPress.com (free tier)
Free hosted WordPress with subdomain, theme library, and community support. Paid plans unlock plugins and full SEO controls.
- Best blogging & content tools
- Large theme ecosystem
- Good for content-driven sites
- Free plan has ads & limited SEO
- Plugins not available on free plan
Google Sites
Extremely simple, reliable editor tied to your Google account. Great for internal pages or very basic public sites.
- Fast setup and free hosting
- No ads, Google subdomain via Workspace
- Good uptime and reliability
- Very limited SEO and design flexibility
- No e-commerce
GitHub Pages
Free static site hosting for developers. Great for landing pages, documentation, and custom static sites built with static site generators.
- No cost, supports custom domains
- Fast and version-controlled
- Requires developer skills
- No WYSIWYG editor
Carrd
Simple one-page sites with clean designs and a generous free tier. Ideal for single-service pages or landing pages.
- Super simple and fast
- Good for lead capture with integrations
- Limited to single-page designs (free)
- Advanced features require paid plan
Webflow (free workspace)
Designer-focused visual builder. Free to design, but publishing and custom domains require paid plans.
- High design fidelity and clean code
- Powerful CMS for content-driven sites
- Steeper learning curve
- Limited publishing on free plan
Note: feature sets and free plan limits change frequently. Always check the provider's current free plan details before committing.
SEO capabilities to test on the free plan
A site's SEO determines whether people find you. Not all free builders give you the controls you need. Test the items below before you invest time in building content.
On-page SEO controls
- Editable page title and meta description
- Custom H1/H2 headings and URL slugs
- Alt text for images
Technical & indexing
- Custom robots.txt or sitemap generation
- Support for custom domain (avoid subdomain long-term)
- HTTPS (SSL) on the free plan
Performance & structured data
- Fast page loads on mobile (test with PageSpeed)
- Ability to add Google Analytics or tag manager
- Custom schema (structured data) support
Local SEO features
- Make NAP (Name, Address, Phone) easily visible
- Google Business Profile linking
- Schema for local business (if supported)
Ease-of-use checklist (what to try in 10 minutes)
Open each builder and try the following — your experience will tell you whether it's a good match.
- Template selection: Is there a template that suits your industry?
- Editor speed: Can you edit text and images without lag?
- Mobile preview: Does the editor provide a trustworthy mobile preview?
- Publish flow: How many clicks to publish — and does it give a clear URL?
- Integrations: Can you add analytics, contact forms and basic marketing tools?
- Migrations: Is it easy to export content or move to a custom domain later?
Quick scoring method
Give each builder 0–3 points per item above. A simple 15-point test will quickly show which platforms are actually usable for your needs.
Step-by-step: Choose the best free website builder for you
Step 1 — Define the job
Is this a one-page brochure, a blog, a booking page, or an MVP product page? Match the tool to the job. Example: Carrd for single-page lead capture, WordPress.com for content-heavy blogs.
Step 2 — Run the 10-minute usability test
Use the checklist above. If editing, SEO settings and publish flow are blocked on the free plan, mark it as “test-only”.
Step 3 — Evaluate SEO & analytics
Can you edit meta titles, add Google Analytics, and use a custom domain? If not, consider a paid plan or a different platform for long-term growth.
Step 4 — Check the upgrade path
If you plan to get customers from Google, you’ll likely need a paid plan later. Confirm migration steps, domain linking, and how much the upgrade costs.
When a free builder is enough: Simple, low-traffic brochure, test pages, or MVPs.
When you need conversions, brand control, or local SEO, a professional subscription or custom site pays for itself in leads.
See How It WorksWhen to upgrade from a free builder
Free is great for experimentation. Upgrade when your site must do one or more of the following:
- Rank in local search and show up in "near me" results
- Collect payments or run reliable e‑commerce
- Remove platform ads and use a custom domain
- Require advanced integrations, forms, or booking systems
- Need fast, consistent performance for paid ads
Professional option — why it’s different
A professional service (subscription or agency) bundles design, hosting, SEO, and marketing know-how so your site converts. For small businesses, the real cost isn't the monthly fee — it's missed leads when the site doesn't perform.
Example: Congero builds mobile-optimised, SEO-ready websites quickly and handles unlimited updates, hosting, domain and analytics for a predictable monthly fee — ideal when you want results, not experiments.
Quick comparison: Free plans at a glance
| Platform | Custom domain | Ads/branding | Edit SEO | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wix | No | Yes | Limited | Fast visual sites |
| WordPress.com | No | Yes | Basic | Blogs & content |
| Google Sites | No | No (simple) | No | Internal or basic pages |
| GitHub Pages | Yes | No | Full (if you control code) | Developers & docs |
| Carrd | No | No | Limited | One-page landing |
| Professional Subscription | Yes | No | Full | Small businesses that need results |
Use the table to narrow candidates, then run the 10-minute tests described earlier.
Frequently asked questions
Are free website builders bad for SEO?
Can I move my site from a free builder later?
Is it cheaper to use a professional subscription than upgrade a free plan?
Which free builder is best for a local trades business?
Start smart: test free, plan to grow
Use free builders to prototype quickly. If you need consistent leads, local SEO, or removal of platform restrictions, switching to a professional, managed website often pays for itself in enquiries and time saved.
If you want a quick professional path: Congero builds mobile-optimised, SEO-ready websites fast and manages hosting, domain and updates for a predictable monthly fee — a low-risk way for busy businesses to get a site that actually converts.
Last updated: 2025. Always verify free plan details with each provider before committing.
