Best Free Website Builders 2025: Start for $0
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- 200+ templates included
- AI website builder available
- Integrated SEO tools
- 50+ templates included
- Provides detailed editing options
- Offers drag-and-drop intuitive tools
- 50+ templates included
- No upfront costs for new sellers
- Offers user-friendly dashboards
Our methodology
We updated our research methodology to rate these free builders’ overall scores using criteria our users value most, such as features and design.
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Wix is the best free website builder thanks to its easy-to-use editor and powerful features. Of course, you’ll get more out of a website builder if you choose a paid plan, but not everyone has the budget for that. So, how can you create a good website for free without limiting future growth? After over 300 hours of testing across 12 website builders, our in house researchers and I have handpicked four winners for 2025:
Our 5 Best Free Website Builders
- Wix – Great free features and flexibility
- GoDaddy – Get online quickly for free
- Pagecloud – Create free, one-page sites
- Square Online – Sell products online for free
Key Takeaways 🔍
- The free Wix plan is our top choice because of its easy-to-use editor, vast template library, and integrated SEO tools
- Square Online is the only builder on this list that will let you sell for free
- GoDaddy provides free access to AI tools and is the easiest free builder to use
- While free place are a great way to start, they typically come with limitations such as ads, limited storage, and a lack of custom domain names
- If you choose to upgrade, GoDaddy is the cheapest option with plans starting at $9.99 per month, while Wix and Pagecloud are more expensive
Comparing the Top Free Website Builders
Each builder has its own merits apart from just being free, but free plans can come with a lot of drawbacks too, such as ads. I’ll review each builder thoroughly below, starting with a helpful comparison table of their key features:
| BEST PICK  |  |  |  |
| Wix | GoDaddy | Pagecloud | Square Online |
| Overall Rating 4.9 | Overall Rating 4.3 | Overall Rating 3.7 | Overall Rating 3.1 |
| Cheapest plan | Cheapest plan $9.99 | Cheapest plan $22 | Cheapest plan $49 |
| Number of free templates 2000+ | Number of free templates 200+ | Number of free templates 50+ | Number of free templates 5 |
| Storage space on free plan 500MB | Storage space on free plan Unlimited | Storage space on free plan Unlimited | Storage space on free plan 500MB |
| On-site ad on free plan Sticky top banner | On-site ad on free plan Top banner | On-site ad on free plan Footer disclaimer | On-site ad on free plan Bottom banner |
| Start for Free | Start for Free | Read Review | Start for Free |
If you’re still not sure which free website builder to choose, check out the video below, where we go through the key considerations:
1. Wix: Great Free Features and Flexibility
- Paid plans: $17 – $159 per month
- Free site URL: https://carnagelucy.wixsite.com/lucyscupcakes
- Ads on free plan: Yes
- Read our Wix review
Wix is the best free website builder from our 2025 research. Not only is it our top-rated platform overall, but Wix’s intuitive editor offers impressive flexibility that puts its free plan head and shoulders above the competition.
What’s Included With Wix’s Free Plan?
Here’s what you can expect from Wix’s free plan:
✔️ 2000+ free customizable templates – these cover a wide variety of industries
✔️ Wix’s AI chatbot builder – this created a custom template for me in just a few minutes
✔️ Drag-and-drop editor – great for beginners and creatives
✔️ SEO features – for example, I could get personalized recommendations to optimize my site
✔️ 24/7 support – contact Wix via live chat, phone, or social media
✔️ AI features – some new tools include Wix’s AI theme assistant to help design pages and AI Site-Chat to manage customer relationships
✔️ Third-party apps – to add extra functionality to your free plan
❌ Free plan ads – Wix places a banner ad at the top of your free website
❌ 500MB storage space and 1GB bandwidth – the free plan will limit the size of your website and growth potential
❌ No custom domain name – you’ll get a Wix-branded domain name like the one in my demo site above, which can look unprofessional to visitors
New Free Wix Features
In August, Wix released an AI-powered Email Marketing Editor. Speak to the AI chatbot, and the tool will provide a personalized email draft for you, which can then be tweaked with follow up prompts. As well as this, the AI assistant can make timely email campaign suggestions based on your website content and available products.How Much Does It Cost To Upgrade Wix?
Wix’s pricing begins with the Light plan for $17 per month (billed annually). This plan removes any ads from your site, lets you use a custom domain, and increases your storage to 2GB. If you’re looking to sell, you’ll need to upgrade to the Core plan, which begins at $29 per month.
These plans are slightly more expensive than others on this list, but with Wix, you get a lot of bang for your buck, making it one of the best for pricing. You can also use the code “TAKE10” to get 10% off your Wix plan at checkout.
Should You Use Wix?
Wix’s free plan is a great starting point for small business owners and personal sites, thanks to its impressive range of features and templates, plus its user-friendly editor. It caters to a lot of industries and users, no matter your skill level.
And, when you’re ready to upgrade, you have four premium plans to choose from to grow your business further.
When should you upgrade?
You won’t need to upgrade from Wix’s free plan if you’re using it for a simple or temporary site, like a school project, since it has a lot of features on offer. But because of its limited storage space and absence of sales tools, business should only use the free plan to get familiar with the platform, which shouldn’t take more than a week or two. Once you’re ready to publish your site, upgrade to a premium plan to remove the unprofessional-looking ads.
2. GoDaddy: Get Online Quickly for Free
- Paid plans: $9.99 – $20.99 per month
- Free site URL: samspetgrooming.godaddysites.com
- Ads on free plan: Yes
- Read our GoDaddy review
GoDaddy ranks as our easiest free website builder as a result of its speed and user-friendly onboarding experience.
GoDaddy is a lot like Wix in that it comes with plenty of features and templates, even on the free plan. GoDaddy also offers an AI builder, and suggested I use it to set up my website.
What’s Included With GoDaddy’s Free Plan?
Here’s what you’ll get with GoDaddy’s free plan:
✔️ Fast setup experience – I could build a website with GoDaddy in minutes thanks to its breezy onboarding process
✔️ AI website builder – the AI builder is simple and not very inspired, but creates a custom template for you in seconds
✔️ Access to GoDaddy Studio – you won’t be able to use every feature of GoDaddy Studio on the free plan, but you’ll be able to create and edit visuals for your site
✔️ Email marketing – engage with your audience by creating personalized campaigns and newsletters
✔️ Offer appointments – this is great for service-based businesses on a budget
✔️ Create and schedule social content – create, post, and plan your social media content for platforms like Instagram
❌ Limited customization – GoDaddy’s designs and editor feel quite restrictive in comparison to Wix’s
❌ GoDaddy ads – your website will include a banner ad at the top of the page
❌ No custom domain name – your domain name will feature the GoDaddy brand
❌ No advanced SEO tools – you can make minor tweaks to your site’s SEO on the free plan, but you’ll need to upgrade to unlock the full suite of SEO tools, including rank tracking
New Free GoDaddy Features
GoDaddy has made plenty of upgrades to its design app, GoDaddy Studio, in recent months. Notably, users will have access to personalized design templates, smart suggestions based on saved brand kits, and free AI image credits to try GoDaddy’s AI tools.How Much Does It Cost To Upgrade GoDaddy?
GoDaddy’s pricing begins with the Basic plan for $9.99 per month (billed annually), making it the cheapest builder to upgrade on following the free plan. The Basic plan gives you access to a custom domain, no ads, plus improved marketing capabilities, like the ability to send 100 emails per month.
If you want to start selling online, you’ll need GoDaddy’s dedicated Commerce plan, which costs $20.99 per month (billed annually).
Should You Use GoDaddy?
GoDaddy is a great free option if you want to experiment with website building before starting to sell online. Unfortunately, GoDaddy lacks any advanced features and is really let down by its limited customization options. So, if you want to get creative, Wix is a better option.
When should you upgrade?
You won’t need more than a week or two to test things out on GoDaddy’s free plan. GoDaddy’s premium plans are incredibly affordable and great value for money, so you won’t have a big leap to take from the free plan. And, due to GoDaddy limiting your access to its full range of features, it’s best to upgrade as soon as possible to test out GoDaddy’s true capabilities.
3. Pagecloud: Create Free, One-Page Sites
- Paid plans: $22 – $69 per month
- Free site URL: lucys-cupcakes.mypagecloud.com
- Ads on free plan: Yes
- Read our Pagecloud review
Pagecloud had the third best free plan in our 2025 testing, with more free customization options than Square Online.
That said, Pagecloud limits you to a single page on the free plan, so there’s only so much designing you can do. Its editor and dashboard are really intuitive to navigate, but it isn’t as user-friendly as other builders, such as Wix.
What’s Included With Pagecloud’s Free Plan?
Here’s what you can expect from Pagecloud’s free plan:
✔️ Total creative freedom – Pagecloud’s drag-and-drop editor and design tools help you bring your vision to life
❌ Pagecloud ads – you’ll see an ad for Pagecloud at the bottom of your page, which feels slightly less intrusive than having an ad at the top of the screen
❌ No custom domain – like the others, Pagecloud includes its branding in your domain name on the free plan
❌ Limited free features – you’ll only be able to create a one-page site, and you won’t have access to important features, such as AI tools and collaborators
❌ 1,000 visitors per month – your site’s visitors will be capped each month, which isn’t ideal if you want to increase website traffic
New Free Pagecloud Features
Between May and August, Pagecloud has released a number of new features that enhance its customization:- Blog Theme Editor: You can now customize your blog’s fonts, colors, and formatting to match the rest of your website
- Page dividers: Have more control over your page layout with dividers and transitions between content blocks
- Font management: A dedicated area to upload and store your custom fonts, so you don’t have to upload them repeatedly
How Much Does It Cost To Upgrade Pagecloud?
Pagecloud’s pricing begins with the Launch plan at $22 per month (billed annually). It comes with 150 pages, redirects, no ads, a custom domain, plus a free Google Workplace account (priced at $72). Ecommerce functionality isn’t included, but it offers ecommerce add-ons for an extra cost on top of your main subscription.
Ecommerce add-ons range from $9 to $59 per month (billed annually), meaning running an online store could cost upwards of $31 per month (billed annually) – a higher price than Wix’s cheapest ecommerce plan.
Should You Use Pagecloud?
Pagecloud is a good choice for niche, personal, or portfolio websites that only require a single homepage – if you can get to grips with its complex editor and advanced creative controls. For example, it would be great for a presentation or school project, since the one-page format works well and your site won’t require a high volume of site traffic.
When should you upgrade?
Pagecloud’s free plan feels more like a free trial; it’s incomplete and geared towards pushing you to upgrade to a paid plan. The limits and restrictions on the free plan will be problematic for most ecommerce and personal sites, so I really recommend upgrading to one of Pagecloud’s premium plans as soon as you know you want to commit to using the builder.
4. Square Online: Sell Products Online for Free
- Paid plans: $49 – $149 per month
- Free site URL: lucys-cupcakes.square.site
- Ads on free plan: Yes
- Read our Square Online review
Square Online is the only builder on this list that lets you sell products on its free plan. This is a huge advantage for those who want to create an online store, test out a new business idea, or start a side hustle business without breaking the bank.
What’s Included With Square Online’s Free Plan?
Here’s what you’ll get with Square Online’s free plan:
✔️ Ecommerce functionality – sell unlimited products on your website and socials without needing to upgrade to a paid plan
✔️ Built-in SEO tools – the free plan handles SEO basics, such as optimizing your pages for search engines
✔️ Square POS integration – connect with Square POS to accept payments in person
❌ Square Online ads – your website will feature a large footer ad
❌ Transaction fees – pay 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction, so it won’t be completely free to sell online
❌ No custom domain name – as with all the other free plans I’ve mentioned, your domain name won’t be fully customizable
❌ Limited sales features – Square Online’s free plan doesn’t include abandoned cart recovery, product reviews, or analytics
❌ Lack of customization options – you’ll need to upgrade to unlock website templates (whereas Wix offers 2000+ for free!)
New Free Square Online Features
In October, Square Online released a new multi-menu management tool that’s ideal for food and beverage businesses. You can organize your digital menus across POS, delivery apps, online ordering sites, and kiosks in one place. This includes displaying specific items based on time or location and controlling which items show up on each touchpoint.How Much Does It Cost To Upgrade Square Online?
Square Online’s pricing begins with the Plus plan for $49 per month (billed annually). This starting plan is more expensive than the others on this list because Square Online is primarily an ecommerce website builder, meaning it needs to offer a wider range of features to help businesses sell online.
With Square Online’s $49 Plus plan, you can accept PayPal, schedule product drops, create subscriptions, and personalize ordering – as well as give users custom domains and no ads.
Should You Use Square Online?
Square Online stands out as the clear choice for new ecommerce sellers who don’t want to commit to a paid ecommerce plan. This is because Square Online has the only free plan on this list that you can sell products online with.
When should you upgrade?
You should make the switch to a premium plan once you have a few sales under your belt. Upgrading will help improve your website credibility, as you’ll get your own custom domain and won’t have ads on your site. Plus, you’ll unlock advanced sales features, such as product badges and subscriptions, which can be helpful as your business grows.
That said, if you’re testing out a new business idea, Square Online’s free plan helps you focus on profit instead of spending money on setting up your website.
What To Look For in a Free Website Builder
Free website builders will always be a lesser product than their premium upgrades. But, to help you choose a plan that meets your standards, there are three important questions to ask:
- Do the limitations outweigh the benefits?
- Will there be any additional costs to consider?
- Would you be better off with a paid subscription?
For example, if you want to build a free online store with Square Online, you have to take into account that its customization is weak and you’ll still have to pay transaction fees. In the end, it might be worth spending the money for a full ecommerce builder subscription.
How Do I Choose a Free Website Builder?
Need help making a final decision? Consider these pointers:
- If you need to sell… Square Online lets you sell products on its free plan, so it’s the best option if you need to build an online store.
- If you need to save money when upgrading… GoDaddy’s paid plans start from $9.99 per month (billed annually), making it the cheapest builder on this list for businesses that want to upgrade further down the line.
- If you want lots of free features… Wix has the most free features on the market, ranging from 2000+ templates to useful SEO recommendations. It’s ideal if you want the most functionality on your website for free.
- If you only need a simple, one-page website… Pagecloud is ideal for personal projects or portfolios that you need to share with a limited number of viewers. The free plan is capped at 1,000 visitors per month.
How We Test Free Website Builders
To bring you the best free website builders for 2025, we’ve spent over 300 hours examining each builder using our expert research methodology. I’ve also carried out hands-on testing with each free plan so I can share my personal experiences and insights with you.
- Website Functionality: 25%
- Design Features: 20%
- Pricing: 20%
- User Experience: 20%
- Help and Support: 10%
- Reputation: 5%
Why Wix Is Our Top Free Website Builder
Wix is the best free website builder overall because of its quality features, editing tools, and overall flexibility for users. It’s a great free platform to start with, allowing you to build and experiment with your site until you’re ready to upgrade.
It’s possible to create a website for free – as long as you don’t mind the limitations. It can lead to frustration down the line or as your business starts to grow, so it’s always worth planning to upgrade from the free plan eventually.
However, carefully read the small print before committing to a plan. Make sure you’re aware of billing cycles, increased costs at renewal, and understand how much you need to pay up front.
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