Best Free Website Builders 2026: Start for $0

I’ll review each builder in detail below, but you can start with a helpful comparison table of their key features:

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BEST PICK
Wix	GoDaddy	Square Online
Overall Rating 4.9	Overall Rating 4.3	Overall Rating 3.1
Cheapest plan $17 $15.30 with code “TAKE10”	Cheapest plan $9.99	Cheapest plan $49
Number of free templates 2000+	Number of free templates 200+	Number of free templates 5
Storage space on free plan 500MB	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 Bottom banner

You can also watch our video to help you choose which free website builder is right for you:

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How Much Do Free Website Builders Cost to Upgrade?

Following our 300+ hours of analysis and hands-on testing, Wix is the best free website builder. Wix’s intuitive drag-and-drop editor has AI support, and its free plan comes with a wide range of features, including an AI assistant and over 2,000 professional templates. Because of this, it’s a good starting point for small business owners and personal sites.

How Much Does It Cost To Upgrade With Wix?

Wix’s premium plans range from $17 to $159 per month (billed annually):

GoDaddy is the easiest free website builder I tested, offering a speedy and user-friendly onboarding process, as well as a simplified dashboard that I found straightforward to navigate.

GoDaddy also boasts a range of built-in features on the free plan, including integrated marketing tools and an AI builder, though the AI building process isn’t as fluid or conversational as Wix’s.

How Much Does It Cost To Upgrade With GoDaddy?

GoDaddy’s pricing ranges from $9.99 to $20.99 per month (billed annually):

Square Online is the only free website builder we’ve recommended that lets you sell products on its free plan. An ecommerce-capable free plan is a huge benefit for anyone creating an online store, testing out a new business idea, or starting a side hustle.

That said, Square Online’s free plan includes a 3.3% + $0.30 processing fee per sale, meaning the plan isn’t entirely free.

How Much Does It Cost To Upgrade With Square Online?

Square Online’s pricing ranges from $49 to $149 per month (billed annually):

When choosing a free website builder, prioritize storage limits, the visibility of ads, and the long-term cost of upgrading to a paid plan.

Do the free plan limitations outweigh the benefits?

A lack of storage space, visible ads, and limited features mean free plans are only really viable for personal projects, informational sites, or as a starting point for new businesses.

Are there additional or hidden costs to consider with a free plan?

Most free plans restrict what you can do with your website, so there aren’t many hidden costs until you look to upgrade your plan. For example, you can’t connect a custom domain name on a free plan. That said, Square Online charges processing fees per sale, so this is another cost to budget for.

How much does it cost to upgrade your plan?

Upgrade costs will vary depending on your chosen website builder, but our top three recommendations range from $9.99 to $49 per month (billed annually). You should view a free plan as a temporary solution, so make sure your business budgets for a subscription as part of your long-term strategy.

To bring you the best free website builders, 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, from assessing the visual impact of free plan ads on a page to the frustration of features being locked behind a premium plan.

To form our rankings, we prioritized builders that offer free plans – not free trials. We also wanted to evaluate each free plan by its own merits. This involved changing the weighting of our six core research categories to focus on the areas that have the most impact on a free plan:

• What features are available on a free plan? (25%): We looked at the range of features a website builder includes with its plans, such as email marketing and SEO, as well as the limitations of a free plan, such as restricted storage space and no custom domain.
• Can I get a professional-looking website for free? (20%): We looked at the quality of free templates available, AI building support, and the placement of free plan ads on your frontend site.
• How much does the website builder cost? (20%): When you’re ready to upgrade, we reviewed the available premium plans, hidden fees, and value for money.
• Is the platform easy to use? (20%): We carried out hands-on testing with each platform to highlight how easy a free plan is to use, and if there are any frustrations.
• Can I get reliable help and support if I have a problem? (10%): We investigated which customer support channels are available, their responsiveness, and the free online resources you can use to upskill, such as knowledge centers and video tutorials.
• Can you trust the builder and its free plan? (5%): We compared each builder’s reputation in the market through reviews, online ratings, search volume, and general popularity.

Wix is the best free website builder overall because of its quality features, editing tools, and flexibility for users. It’s a great platform to start with, allowing you to build and experiment with your site until you’re ready to upgrade.

Professional growth, especially for small businesses, requires upgrading from a free plan as soon as possible to remove ads and branded domains. Plus, the best features a website builder has to offer will be locked behind its premium plans.