what is the best free website
A clear, practical comparison of the top free website options — SEO, marketing potential, and ease of use for small businesses.
Free website plans can be useful for testing ideas, building a simple brochure site, or keeping costs down. This guide walks through the pros and cons of the leading free platforms and gives actionable tips so you can pick the right one for your business.
How to choose the best free website for your business
Not all "free" websites are equal. The right choice depends on three practical things:
SEO capability
Can you edit page titles, meta descriptions, headings, and URLs? Can you add analytics and a sitemap?
Marketing potential
Does the platform let you add conversion tools (contact forms, booking links, tracking pixels) and share content easily to social and email?
Ease of use
How fast can you build and update content? Is there a visual editor or do you need technical skills?
Quick decision rule: If you need a simple online brochure and don’t care about search traffic, a basic free plan can work. If you depend on Google or paid ads for leads, free plans often create limits that slow growth.
Top free website platforms (2025) — side-by-side
| Platform | SEO | Marketing potential | Ease of use | Typical limitations (free) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wix (free) | Basic—page titles & meta; limited URL control | Good: built-in forms, simple integrations; tracking needs upgrade | Very easy — drag & drop | Wix ads, subdomain wixsite.com, limited apps, slowish on free plan |
| Squarespace (trial/limited) | Good on paid plans; free trial limited | Solid templates for marketing; analytics on paid | Easy—design-first editor | No permanent free tier with full features; trial only |
| WordPress.com (free) | Limited: basic SEO tools; custom plugins require paid plan | Good for content; marketing plugins need upgrades | Moderate — editor improving but theme limits | WordPress.com ads, limited plugins, subdomain |
| Google Sites (free) | Minimal — basic indexing; no meta control | Very limited — good for internal info, not marketing | Extremely easy — very basic editor | No SEO features, no analytics integration, no forms without workarounds |
| Carrd (free) | Basic — simple one-page SEO possible | Good for landing pages and campaigns | Very easy — single-page focus | Limited to one page on free plan, Carrd branding, limited integrations |
| GitHub Pages (free) | Excellent if you manage HTML/SEO; full control | Strong for developers — can add analytics, tracking | Technical — requires Git, static site generator knowledge | No visual editor; learning curve for non-technical users |
| Webflow (free - staging) | Strong SEO on exported sites; full control with paid hosting | Powerful when combined with paid features; CMS on paid plans | Moderate — visual designer with learning curve | Free sites on webflow.io subdomain, limited CMS and forms |
| Recommendation (by use) | Content-first: WordPress.com / GitHub Pages | Campaigns/landing pages: Carrd or Wix | Non-technical: Wix, Carrd, Google Sites | If you want full control, GitHub Pages or paid hosting is required |
Notes: offerings change frequently. Always check current free-tier limits before committing to a platform.
SEO and marketing potential — what each free option really gives you
Below are the practical limits you'll hit on free plans and what you can do to work around them.
Wix (free)
- SEO: You can edit page titles and meta descriptions, but URL structure is restricted and the site includes Wix branding that can impact CTR.
- Marketing: Built-in forms and simple email integration on paid plans; pixels and some integrations require upgrade.
- Ease: Drag-and-drop editor, very fast to build pages; non-technical friendly.
Carrd (free)
- SEO: Good for single-page landing pages—can set title and description and optimise H1 content.
- Marketing: Excellent for targeted campaigns; integrates with forms and simple payment/subscribe tools on paid plans.
- Ease: Extremely user-friendly for fast landing pages.
GitHub Pages (free)
- SEO: Excellent—full control over HTML, meta tags, sitemap, and robots.txt.
- Marketing: Full tracking and integration possible (Google Analytics, conversion pixels), but requires setup.
- Ease: Technical—best for devs or those willing to learn static site tools.
WordPress.com (free)
- SEO: Basic SEO options available; advanced plugins and schema require paid plans or self-hosted WordPress.
- Marketing: Great CMS for content marketing, blog posts, and SEO-driven pages; many growth tools behind paywalls.
- Ease: Familiar interface for many; less flexible on free plan.
Google Sites (free)
- SEO: Almost no meta control; pages can be indexed but won't perform well in competitive searches.
- Marketing: Very limited — best for internal pages, directions, or temporary info pages.
- Ease: Very simple; ideal when speed and simplicity matter more than search traffic.
Webflow (free/staging)
- SEO: Full SEO control when hosted; precise HTML output and schema support possible.
- Marketing: Powerful interactions and CMS (paid) make it strong for content-driven marketing.
- Ease: Visual designer with a learning curve—best for designers or those willing to invest time.
Actionable tips for small businesses using free websites
Practical steps you can take today to get the most from a free website.
Get basic SEO right
- Write a unique page title and meta description for your homepage and primary service pages.
- Use one clear H1 per page and include the main service + location if you’re local (e.g., "Plumber in Brisbane").
- Keep URLs readable: use dashes and simple words. If you’re on a platform that locks URL structure, plan content around that limitation.
- Compress images (use 100–200 KB where possible) and add descriptive alt text.
- Submit your sitemap to Google Search Console (if the platform lets you) and add Google Analytics if supported.
Make marketing work without advanced features
- Use UTM parameters on links in ads and social to track where leads come from.
- Use a clear call-to-action (phone number, WhatsApp link, or booking link) prominently on the page.
- Collect leads with a simple Google Form (if your platform won’t support forms) and embed the link.
- List your business on Google Business Profile and link to your site; that boosts local visibility even if your site is basic.
Keep content focused
- Create 3–5 pages that matter: Home, Services, About, Contact, and a simple Testimonials or Projects page.
- Write clear, benefit-focused headings. People skim—use bullet points and short paragraphs.
- Update your site monthly with one new photo or a short post — fresh content helps search engines and builds trust.
Protect and maintain
- Use HTTPS — many free platforms include SSL, but check your site shows the padlock.
- Keep backups of images and copy offline (Google Drive, Dropbox) so you can migrate quickly later.
- Regularly test contact methods (submit the form, click the phone link) to make sure leads reach you.
When a free website is no longer the best option
Free sites are useful short-term. Consider upgrading if any of the following apply:
- You need a custom domain without platform branding (trust matters for conversions).
- You plan paid advertising and need reliable tracking pixels and analytics.
- Your site needs multiple pages, a blog, or an online booking system.
- Your site is slow or mobile experience is poor and is costing you leads.
Upgrade path options
Paid plan on the same platform — removes branding, adds domain and basic integrations.
Move to WordPress (self-hosted) for plugins and SEO control—requires hosting but scales well.
Managed services that include hosting, SEO, and ongoing updates for a predictable monthly fee.
Migration checklist — moving from free to paid or self-hosted
Keep these steps on hand to avoid downtime and loss of SEO value.
- Backup everything: download images, copy, and any form submissions or client lists.
- Get a custom domain: register your domain early and point it to the new host when ready.
- Preserve URLs: where possible, keep important URLs the same or set up 301 redirects from old URLs to new ones.
- Set up analytics & Search Console: add tracking to the new site before launch to keep continuity.
- Test forms and contact links: verify leads reach you after migration.
- Submit sitemap: send the new sitemap to Google Search Console and monitor indexing.
- Monitor traffic: compare traffic and leads for 2–4 weeks to confirm no major drops.
Frequently asked questions
Is a free website good enough for a new small business?
Will Google index a free website?
How can I track leads if the platform blocks analytics?
What costs should I plan for when upgrading?
Quick summary — which free website is best for you?
Wix or Carrd — fast to build, easy updates, but expect branding and tracking limits.
WordPress.com (or self-hosted WordPress when you upgrade) — great content tools but plugins require paid plans.
GitHub Pages or self-hosted sites — excellent performance and SEO, but technical.
Start with a free site to validate demand, but keep copies of your content and plan the migration path before you invest in paid marketing. That way you keep momentum and avoid losing months of SEO gains.
Need a simple decision: choose based on your technical comfort and marketing plan. If you want fast, low-effort presence — pick Wix or Carrd. If you plan to build ongoing organic traffic, plan to move to a paid plan or self-hosted solution within 6–12 months.
When to consider managed services
If your website needs to be a consistent source of leads (search or ads), managed services or a paid plan remove many hurdles: reliable hosting, analytics setup, SEO optimisation, and faster updates. This is an operational decision — factor in the time you save versus the monthly cost.
Tip: track your first 3 months on a free site — if you see steady traffic or ad interest, that’s a good signal to invest in a paid plan or migration.
