5 Best Free Website Builders 2024: The Definitive List
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Our methodology
We updated our 2023 research methodology to rate these free builders’ overall scores using criteria our users value most, such as features and design.
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You’ll get more out of website builders if you choose a paid plan, but unfortunately, not everyone has the budget for that. So how is someone able to create a good website for free without limiting future growth?
The 5 Best Free Website Builders
- Wix – Best overall free website builder
- GoDaddy – For getting a free website online quickly
- Square Online – For selling online for free
- Pagecloud – For one-page websites
- Webflow – For having limited ads
Well, many website builders offer free plans, letting you create and publish websites with zero cash transactions necessary. However, you get what you pay for. These free plans often come with immovable ads and limited features, meaning you may find you need to upgrade to a premium plan after all.
Of these free builders, Wix is by far the best overall. It offers the best editor and features to build your website, though you’ll have to contend with ads. Each builder has its own merits apart from just being free, and I’ll review them thoroughly below.
Compare the Top 5 Free Website Builders
In a rush? Get all of the key information at a glance with our helpful comparison table:
| BEST IN TEST  |  |  |  |  |
| Wix | GoDaddy | Square Online | Pagecloud | Webflow |
| Overall Rating 4.8 | Overall Rating 4.3 | Overall Rating 3.6 | Overall Rating 3.5 | Overall Rating 3.2 |
| Cheapest plan | Cheapest plan $10.99 | Cheapest plan $29 | Cheapest plan $20 | Cheapest plan $14 |
| Number of free templates 900+ | Number of free templates 200+ | Number of free templates 50+ | Number of free templates 50+ | Number of free templates 40+ |
| Storage space on free plan 500MB | Storage space on free plan Unlimited | Storage space on free plan 500MB | Storage space on free plan Unlimited | Storage space on free plan 1GB |
| On-site ad on free plan Sticky top banner | On-site ad on free plan Top banner | On-site ad on free plan Bottom banner | On-site ad on free plan Footer disclaimer | On-site ad on free plan Limited ads |
| Visit Wix | Visit GoDaddy | Visit Square | Visit Pagecloud | Visit Webflow |
Take our free and speedy quiz to find out which website builder is perfect for you:
1. Wix – Best Overall Free Website Builder
Wix
Best overall website builder with a variety of free features
- 900+ customizable designs
- Easiest builder to use
- Tons of creative freedom
Free plan available
Paid Plans: $17 - $159 / month
Pros
-
Plenty of features on the free plan - 250+ apps to add more power to your site
- Free SEO wizard helps gain more traffic
Cons
-
Free plan ads are very noticeable - Can’t switch templates after publishing
- Cheapest upgrade costs $17/month
If you’re looking to make the best website for free, I can’t recommend Wix enough. While all the free plans on this list come with some limitations, it’s the versatility of the Wix editor that makes even its free plan head and shoulders above the competition!
What I Like
✔️ Customization options: I could drag anything anywhere, making it easy to line things up exactly how I wanted them! The text options were also incredibly varied, letting me choose between fonts, sizes, colors, shadows, and even letter spacing.
✔️ Template choices & designs: I used Wix’s AI chatbot builder to build my chosen template after answering a few questions. The generated template had great pre-made menu options and features based on my answers, saving me time in the design process.
✔️ SEO options: I’ve seen Wix’s SEO options greatly improve since we last tested the builder, and it now lets users access Google Search Console directly from the dashboard. It also has onboarding video tutorials to help teach website owners.
What I Dislike
❌ Ads: On the free plan, Wix places a banner ad at the top of your website, urging visitors to go check out Wix. This is quite distracting and may harm your website’s perceived professionalism.
❌ No custom domain: You can’t use a personal domain (a custom website address) with Wix’s free plan, so your domain will follow this format: yourusername.wixsite.com/yoursite. So, instead of lucyscupcakes.com, I was stuck with a much lengthier https://carnagelucy.wixsite.com/lucyscupcakes.
❌ Limited storage: With only 500MB of storage on the free plan, I was limited by the number of images and videos I could have on my site. You’ll also only get 500MB bandwidth, limiting how much traffic you can handle, though Wix will helpfully let you know when you’re close to exceeding this limit.
To see a free Wix website in action, check out my demo site: carnagelucy.wixsite.com/lucyscupcakes
My Experience With Wix
On the free plan, you’ll get a choice of over 900 impeccably designed templates, ranging across a number of varying industries. When testing, I used Wix’s AI website builder which created a custom website template for me.
From Wix Booking, Wix Menu, Wix Video, Wix Forms, and a whole host of other free-to-install apps, Wix sets itself apart by giving you the best variety of features to use and make your website your own – no matter what type of website you want to make.
However, there are some drawbacks to the free plan. You’re limited to only 500MB of storage, meaning your site cannot be too large to have too many images. Additionally, while you do get a lot of customization options, I found Wix’s editor a little overwhelming with too many creative options at times – even on the free plan! If you do get stuck, Wix’s Help Center can guide you through its handy search bar directly in the editor.
Upgrade Cost: $17 per month
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, so I understand you may not be entirely convinced to upgrade. But with all the features on offer, our research shows that Wix is still great value for money.
If you love getting deals, use the code TAKE10 at checkout to get 10% off your Wix plan.
More Information
- See Wix’s potential for an online store with our Wix Ecommerce Review.
- What’s better? Wix AI vs Wix Editor? See our detailed breakdown to find out.
2. GoDaddy – For Getting A Free Website Online Quickly
GoDaddy
Best for getting online quickly for free
- User-friendly with ADI
- Quickest builder to use
- SEO Wiz to help optimize
Free plan available
Paid Plans: $10.99 - $20.99 / month
Pros
- Plenty of features on the free plan
- Switch templates when you want
- Improved site performance
Cons
- Lack of creative control
- No mobile editor
- Upgrade for custom domains
GoDaddy is a lot like Wix in that it comes with plenty of features and templates, even on the free plan. GoDaddy also features an AI builder and suggested I use it before looking at its templates. Ease of use is the name of GoDaddy’s game, and thanks to its AI functionality, the builder even matches Wix for user experience in our research.
What I Like
✔️ Efficiency: The speed at which GoDaddy set me up with a website template and then let me edit and publish it stands out among other free website builders. If you’re looking for the most painless building experience, this is it!
✔️ SEO features: By heading over to “Get found by Google” in the Settings, I could start optimizing my website in just a few clicks. No need to soak up any SEO knowledge before building.
✔️ AI builder: GoDaddy’s AI builder is simple to use and very effective. I used it during testing and it generated a different template every time, so I knew it was personalized to my answers.
What I Dislike
❌ Ads: GoDaddy places a “Powered by GoDaddy Websites + Marketing” banner at the top of your website.
❌ No custom domain: You domain name will automatically have a .godaddysites.com placed at the end of it.
❌ SEO locked by upgrade: The full suite of SEO tools by GoDaddy is locked unless you upgrade, meaning you don’t get access to rank tracking or SEO tips on the free plan.
To see a free GoDaddy website in action, check out my demo site: samspetgrooming.godaddysites.com
My Experience With GoDaddy
With the support of AI and a breezy editor, I could build a polished GoDaddy website in under an hour.
But this does reveal a weakness in GoDaddy, which is its lack of customization options. This can appeal to beginners who may agonize over creative choices with a builder like Wix or Webflow, because GoDaddy gives you a much more limited array of options for creating a website. However, I don’t recommend it if you’re looking for lots of creative freedom.
Upgrade Cost: $10.99 per month
GoDaddy’s pricing begins at $10.99 per month, when billed annually with the Basic plan. With this plan, you get access to a custom domain, no ads, plus improved marketing capabilities like advanced SEO and the ability to send 100 emails per month for your business.
If you want to dive into the world of ecommerce, the dedicated Commerce plan is your go-to, setting you back $20.99 per month. It has everything you need – from selling on Facebook and Instagram to connecting with marketplaces like Amazon and Etsy.
More Information
- Everything you need to know about building an online store in a flash with our GoDaddy Ecommerce Review.
- We compare the differences between Wix and GoDaddy to help you decide.
3. Square Online – For Selling Online For Free
Square Online
Best for selling online for free
- Sell online for free
- Speedy set up
- Mediocre templates
Free plan available
Paid Plans: $12 - $79 / month
Pros
- Good value for money if upgrading
- Simple to navigate dashboard
- Unlimited products on free plan
Cons
- Hard to customize
- Pay for the best features
- Weak design options
Square Online is the only builder on this list that lets you sell for free. This is a huge advantage for those who want to create an online store without breaking the bank in website costs.
What I Like
✔️ Selling for free: Being able to create an online store for free is Square Online’s biggest selling point. With every other website builder asking you to upgrade before accepting purchases, Square Online still allows for the cheapest way to start an online store, though notably limited in scope.
✔️ Dashboard: While the editor is limited in customization, I could quickly switch between it and the dashboard, allowing me to add products and change my store’s settings in a more user-friendly manner.
What I Dislike
❌ Ads: Square Online, like GoDaddy and Wix, brands your website with its logo. This time, it’s a large unmovable footer at the bottom of your website.
❌ No custom domain: On the free plan, your site’s URL will have .square.site/ following your website’s name.
❌ Lack of customization options: The free plan lacks many customization and feature options, trying to lead you into upgrading to a paid plan. You even have to upgrade to get website themes!
To see a free Square Online website in action, check out my demo site: lucys-cupcakes.square.site
My Experience With Square Online
Unfortunately, Square Online’s editor and design customization are some of the weakest I’ve tested. Unless you upgrade, you won’t be able to access themes, remove Square Online ads, use custom fonts, or connect a custom domain.
Square Online also charges transaction fees for each purchase made on your site, meaning you’ll have to pay 2.9% + 30¢ on each transaction for your store.
However, being able to make a profit (transaction fees notwithstanding) for free is an incredible feature, and one not shared by any other on this list.
Upgrade Cost: $29 per month
Square Online’s pricing begins with the Plus plan for $29 per month, when billed annually. This plan is more expensive than others on this list due to the fact Square Online is primarily an ecommerce platform, meaning it needs a wider range of features to accommodate businesses. These features include accepting PayPal, scheduled product drops, subscriptions, and personalized ordering – as well as giving users custom domains and no ads.
More Information
- Read our How to Customize a Square Online Website to get the most out of your plan.
4. Pagecloud – For One-Page Sites
Pagecloud
Best for one-page websites
- Not ideal for beginners
- Lots of customization
- Drag-and-drop editor
Free plan available
Paid Plans: $20 / month
Pros
- Unique website elements
- Build with other people
Cons
- No autosave feature
- Difficult to navigate
Coming in fourth place on our list of the top five free website builders is Pagecloud. When building my demo website with Pagecloud, the editor and dashboard were fairly easy to navigate but it didn’t feel as intuitive or user-friendly as other builders, such as Wix.
What I Like
✔️ Customization: Pagecloud gave me a ton of creative freedom thanks to its detailed editor. If you have the time to figure it all out, you can build something wonderful.
✔️ Drag-and-drop editor: The familiar drag-and-drop style made it easy to format the pages to my liking.
What I Dislike
❌ Ads: Pagecloud has a “Powered by Pagecloud” banner at the bottom of your page. Nothing too intrusive, but not as discreet as Webflow’s ad.
❌ No custom domain: Without a custom domain, Pagecloud’s free plan will present your site with .mypagecloud.com at the end of the URL.
❌ Lack of features: On top of only giving you one page on the free plan, Pagecloud also limits access to critical website features, such as AI tools, redirects, and team members for editing and management.
To see a free Pagecloud website in action, check out my demo site: lucys-cupcakes.mypagecloud.com
My Experience With Pagecloud
I faced a lot of slow loading times when editing, and some steps felt unnecessarily complicated. For example, I could edit text directly on the page, but editing an image opened up a separate menu which was very frustrating.
Pagecloud’s free plan also only lets you edit on one page. One-page website builders do exist, but they’re limiting in the type of website you can make. That said, they can be especially good for portfolio websites, making it a solid choice if you need a website for a presentation or job interview.
Upgrade Cost: $20 per month
Pagecloud’s pricing begins at $20 per month, billed annually on the Launch plan. With this plan, you get 100 pages, redirects, no ads, a custom domain, plus free Google Workplace (priced at $72 value).
While the Launch plan is closer in price to an ecommerce plan, it doesn’t have sales features. If you require ecommerce functionality, Pagecloud’s ecommerce pricing begins with the Starter plan for $29 per month.
5. Webflow – For Having Limited Ads
Webflow
Best free plan with limited ads
- Advanced customization
- Section block editor
- Industry-specific themes
Free plan available
Paid Plans: $14 / month
Pros
- Virtual design assistant
- Ideal for experienced builders
- No ads on free plan
Cons
- Overwhelming for beginners
- No drag-and-drop editor
- Hardest free builder to use
Webflow is a website builder with advanced customization features and superb-looking templates, plus its free plan has the least amount of ads on it – a small, unintrusive “Powered by Webflow” at the bottom of the page!
What I Like
✔️ Template choices & designs: Webflow makes it clear which templates are best for certain industries, offering users a pretty wide selection of free themes (when compared with other builders).
✔️ Creative freedom: Webflow gave me lots of creative control and its free plan comes with an array of customizable features, as well as adding comments for team collaboration.
✔️ Limited ads: While it’s a shame that Webflow couldn’t be devoid of any ads, I’m still giving it a special mention for having the least amount of ads.
What I Dislike
❌ No drag-and-drop editor: Of the builders on this list, Webflow offers the most difficult user experience due to its confusing layout and reliance on code to add new features or templates.
❌ No custom domain: Once again, you must upgrade if you wish to have a custom domain. On the free plan, Webflow users will have .webflow.io at the end of their domain names.
To see a free Webflow website in action check out my demo website: lucys-cupcakes-e53b96.webflow.io
My Experience With Webflow
Webflow’s advanced customization features are pretty technical and I had trouble feeling comfortable when using the builder. Webflow is designed with professional web developers in mind. In my experience, I found the lack of a drag-and-drop editor to be a struggle. For beginners, Webflow is difficult to get to grips with.
But, if you have web developer experience (or just the patience to learn), Webflow’s free plan will give you a great-looking website for free with limited ads.
Upgrade Cost: $14 per month
Webflow’s pricing is split between two types of paid plans: General and Ecommerce plans.
Of the general paid plans, the Basic plan costs $14 per month (billed annually). You’ll get:
- A custom domain
- No ads
- Increase in traffic allowance from 1K visitors to 250K
- 150 pages to edit instead of just two
If you want ecommerce, the Standard plan starts at $29 per month, when billed annually. The plan gives you access to over 500 product slots to sell – this is disappointing when compared to Square Online which, for the same upgrade cost, gives you unlimited items to sell.
More Information
- See which of these website builders wins the battle of design in our Squarespace vs Webflow head-to-head.
How To Choose a Free Website Builder
When choosing a free website builder, you must first accept that you’ll be receiving a lesser product than if you paid for it. Website builders are businesses after all, and they charge a subscription fees so they can make a profit where no one else can.
That being said, it doesn’t mean you should lower your standards when looking for a free website builder. You can have it all if you know what to look for. That’s why we’ve come up with three important questions you should consider when looking over the potential candidates for your free website builder:
- Do the limitations outweigh the benefits?
- Will there be any other costs?
- Would you be better off with a paid subscription?
You should consider each of these carefully when choosing. For instance, 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 may be worth just spending the money for a full ecommerce platform subscription.
Can You Actually Make a Website for Free?
Yes, as long as you’re fine with the limitations. It all depends on the type of website you want to make. If you want to start a business with a professional website front, then I recommend shelling out a bit to make sure you look like a trustworthy business someone could spend money with.
But if you just want a website to journal thoughts, post art, or info-dump on niche topics, a free plan on any of these builders mentioned is absolutely fine for that purpose. Ads, non-custom domains, and limited design options won’t matter if the website is predominantly for you – and if you can’t accept the ads or non-custom domain, the builders tend to do a thorough job of directing you to the upgrade button!
How We Test
At Website Builder Expert, we pride ourselves on sharing data-led recommendations with our readers. To bring you the best free website builders on the market, our in-house research team has put over 50 builders through our expert research methodology.
While the most important aspect was whether they had a free plan or not, we also wanted to evaluate each free plan by its own merits. This involved changing the weighting of our research categories, so that website features and sales features counted the same because being able to sell for free is a significant advantage for a website builder.
Here is the full list of our unique category weightings for free website builders:
- Website Features – 25%
- Sales Features – 25%
- Design Functionality – 15%
- Help and Support – 12%
- User Experience – 10%
- Customer Score – 8%
- Value for Money – 5%
5 Best Free Website Builders: Summary
To recap, I recommend Wix as the best free website builder. While its ads and no custom domain can be annoying, the free plan offers the best features and editing tools of any builder on this list. You can truly build an extremely professional website with Wix, even for free.
It’s possible to create a website for free – as long as you don’t mind the limitations. They may not seem like much in the beginning, but they can lead to further frustration down the line once your website takes off.
That’s why I suggest you make the most of the free plans by building, playing, and experimenting with the different website builders, but I don’t recommend staying on a free plan forever. There’s no time limit for the free plans, meaning you can have all the practice you need to nail the look and purpose of the website before upgrading to a paid plan.
So enjoy trying out our favorite free builders – come back and let us know which one you liked the most!
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