"Free website" can mean several different things: a permanently free plan with limited features, a short-term trial, or a free preview created by a vendor. Each option has trade-offs — from ads and poor SEO to missing domain ownership. This guide explains the real-world implications so you can decide quickly and confidently.
A free preview is perfect to test layout and copy, but it rarely includes domain ownership, local SEO, or ongoing support. A managed site (like Congero's) combines fast previews with real hosting, local SEO and unlimited updates for a low monthly fee.
Choose free options only when the limitations won't hurt your growth. Here are sensible use-cases.
Building a practice site to learn how websites work — a free builder is a low-risk option.
Temporary pages for a one-off event or RSVP where long-term SEO and brand ownership aren’t important.
If you're not seeking customers and just want a presence, free plans can be fine.
If your website must convert visitors into customers, invest a small monthly amount for reliability, SEO and ownership.
If you want enquiries, bookings or regular customers, free plans usually lack the conversion-focused features (analytics, schema, fast load) needed to win.
Example: Trades and local service businesses that rely on search traffic should prioritise a managed site with local SEO.
Congero offers a fully managed website, local SEO and unlimited updates for a flat $49/month — less than the cost of a single paid ad each week.
SEE A FREE PREVIEWUse previews to evaluate layout, copy and imagery before committing. Here's a simple 4-step workflow we recommend.
Click the demo link or text to our WhatsApp bot to start.
Share business name, services and location — 3–5 quick answers.
We generate a preview link you can review immediately.
Connect your domain and fully activate for $49/month, or keep the preview for evaluation.
Even limited sites can perform better with a few focused optimisations.
If possible, connect a domain (even if hosted elsewhere). Keywords and brand trust improve when you own the domain.
Avoid copy-paste templates. Write localised, service-specific pages (e.g., "Melbourne emergency plumber") to rank in local search.
Compress images and include descriptive alt text to improve load time and accessibility.
Remember: free builders often limit meta control and schema markup. For local business SEO, a managed solution that includes schema, local citations and analytics is far more effective.
Side-by-side trade-offs to help you choose.
Bottom line:
If you need real leads and local search visibility, the predictable $49/month managed option typically outperforms free solutions within weeks — especially for service businesses and trades.
Quick answers so you can move forward.
Often yes, but many free builders lock functionality, charge export fees, or make it hard to migrate. Always check export options before committing.
No — Google rewards helpful, original content. The key is to provide unique localised information and good user experience regardless of how the site was created.
With Congero you can get a preview in under 60 seconds via our free demo. No credit card required and you can decide afterward.
Yes — Congero offers a free preview/demo that creates a complete website preview in under 60 seconds with no credit card. To activate hosting, domain and ongoing management you can subscribe to the $49/month plan.
No lock-ins. You can evaluate the preview and decide. If you upgrade we help connect your domain and migrate the preview to production hosting.
They can, but limitations like subdomains, no schema, and poor performance make ranking harder. Investing in domain ownership, schema and local SEO dramatically improves results.
Hidden costs include platform ads, migration/export fees, lost leads from poor SEO, and time spent fixing limitations. Compare long-term ROI before choosing free forever.
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