Yes — many platforms offer free plans and drag-and-drop editors. But "free" often comes with compromises: branding, limited SEO, slow hosting, restricted features and transaction fees. This guide explains what's included, what costs appear later, and which option is best for trades and local service businesses who need enquiries, not just a pretty page.
We tested editors for speed, SEO controls, mobile responsiveness, and suitability for trades. Here are the most common names you'll encounter and a quick verdict.
Best for quick visual design. Free plans usually add provider branding and limit SEO features. Good for portfolios, less so for local trades relying on search traffic.
Use if: You want a simple brochure and low traffic expectations.
Flexible blocks allow richer layouts. Free tiers can still block custom domains or rich SEO schema. Slightly better control for mobile layouts.
Use if: You want layout control without code but can tolerate subdomain hosting.
Fast and SEO-friendly but require technical setup for hosting and forms. Free hosting options exist but not suitable for quick non-technical updates.
Use if: You have dev resources or want top performance and SEO control.
Fast to start but often monetise with transaction fees and feature paywalls. Good for hobby sellers, risky for high-volume local businesses.
Use if: You need an immediate listing and don't mind platform fees.
A free plan may look attractive, but many businesses discover the true cost comes from missed leads, poor local visibility and time spent managing workarounds.
Sites on provider subdomains and with provider ads convert fewer visitors. Customers prefer a custom domain and clear contact details — which free plans often restrict.
Free plans frequently limit meta tag editing, schema markup, and robots control. For local service businesses, missing structured data and proper meta tags means lower visibility for "near me" searches.
Without access to full analytics and conversion events you can't measure which service pages drive calls. That hurts marketing ROI and decision-making.
Free editors may require manual changes or have limited revision workflows. For trades who need frequent updates (pricing, specials, photos), that becomes a time sink.
Trades and local service businesses need steady enquiries from search and maps. A free website might get you online, but a managed, SEO-first site ensures you get leads.
Free builders win for speed, but not for capturing local customers. Congero's AI can build a professional lead-focused site in under 60 seconds and maintain local SEO automatically.
Rather than wrestling with a free editor, Congero lets you text updates and receives changes live—included in a predictable monthly fee. No hidden upgrade triggers.
Congero automatically configures meta tags, schema and local signals—essential for ranking in local searches. Free plans rarely provide this depth of optimisation.
Free demo — no credit card. Live site preview in seconds.
Use this quick checklist before committing to a free plan.
If you can’t use your own domain on the free plan, expect poor credibility and fewer calls.
Check you can edit title tags, descriptions and add structured data for local business schema.
Test the templates on phones — customers usually search from mobiles. Look for genuinely responsive layouts, not scaled desktop views.
Ensure you can integrate Google Analytics or equivalent to track calls, forms and visitor sources.
If you're starting on a free plan, follow these steps to reduce limitations and get enquiries.
Buy a domain (≈$10-$20/year) and connect it. This removes provider branding and improves trust and click-through rates.
Ensure NAP (name, address, phone) is consistent and add LocalBusiness schema to improve map rankings.
Make the phone number prominent on mobile — most enquiries for trades start with a call.
Real photos of work build trust. Upload and compress images with descriptive alt text for SEO.
Set up simple tracking for phone clicks and contact submissions so you can measure ROI.
If you want predictable leads, professional copy, and ongoing updates without the hassle, a managed solution like Congero can be more cost-effective than repeatedly paying for add-ons.
Follow these to get the best organic reach from a limited platform.
Include suburb and service area in titles and page copy (e.g., "Plumber in Brunswick East"). Local keywords drive map queries.
Keep titles ≈50-60 chars and descriptions ≈110-155 chars. Include key service + location and a call to action.
Compress images, use modern formats where possible, and prioritize visible content to load first for better mobile performance.
Congero automates these SEO tasks and delivers an optimised, mobile-first site with monthly analytics so you know what's working.
START FREE DEMOAnswers to common concerns about free website builders and managing a business site.
Yes — but indexing alone isn't enough. To rank for local queries you need proper meta tags, structured data, and consistent NAP information. Many free plans limit your ability to configure these elements.
Subdomains can rank, but they often lack the trust and brand clarity of a custom domain. For local businesses, a custom domain improves credibility and click-through rates.
It depends. Some platforms allow export of HTML or content; others lock your structure in. Plan for migration costs and possible redesign if you switch later.
Managed, SEO-focused subscriptions (like Congero's) often start from a flat monthly rate that includes domain, hosting, SSL, unlimited updates and local SEO — giving predictable cost and ongoing optimisation without surprises.
If quick and free is all you need, pick a free builder and follow our checklist. If you need reliable, predictable leads and local search presence, consider a managed approach that includes ongoing SEO and unlimited edits.
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