Free Website In 2023: TOP 9 Free Website Builders

In the past, websites were exclusive. Setting one up required either detailed programming knowledge or lots of money to pay a developer to do it for you. Thanks to website-building software, anyone can create a digital presence. Some site builders even offer free (limited) versions of their platforms.

We reviewed 11 website builders, comparing their user-friendliness, design tools, and features. Should you want unlimited access to everything they have to offer, you'll need to reach for your wallet and purchase a monthly subscription. In most cases, these include hosting and domain costs, making website builders a practical 'one-stop-shop' for anyone looking to digitally get things done.

With that said, some providers market free, limited versions of their platforms. For example, you might be able to build a site at no cost, but have to pay for hosting. In other cases, both the builder and hosting (via the provider's subdomains) are free, but you'll need to pay for storage space or tolerate advertising banners on your site.

Should you be able to make do with these limitations, or just want to try it before you buy it, we'll show you what free site-building options are out there:

Thanks to its numerous features, intuitiveness, and loaded app marketplace, Wix came first in EXPERTE.com's exhaustive website builder review. The service only sets a few limits on creativity, thanks to its more than 800 design templates and wide selection of content elements.

Wix has two editors: In the default drag and drop version, you can freely arrange elements, which does require some Web design skills. For beginners, the service offers a slimmed-down ADI editor, which limits your options but guarantees visually harmonious results.

Limitations in the Free Version

• Domain: https://username.wixsite.com/webaddress
• Advertisement(s): Wix banners at the top of each page
• Premium version: No ads; unique domains starting at around $10/month

In addition to ads and domain limitations, those looking to create a free website with Wix won't have access to certain features. Storage and bandwidth are capped at 500 MB and 1 GB (respectively), and Google Analytics cannot be integrated. In addition, you won't be able to accept payments. This is only possible with one of the three business packages ("Basic", "Unlimited", and "VIP"). Said differently: You can't create an online shop for free.

Unlike Wix, Webflow doesn't specifically target newcomers to the world of site building: Tapping into the site builder/content management system (CMS) hybrid's full potential requires some understanding of coding principles (or at least, a willingness to learn them). Instead of building separately from the back end, you'll organize content in so-called boxes, which are edited and arranged by dragging and dropping them.

All of this makes Webflow more complicated than most other site builders from our sample, however, the trade-off is enhanced creative freedom.

Limitations in the Free Version

• Domain: https://websitename.webflow.io
• Advertisement(s): Small banner in the lower right corner
• Premium: Unique domain from $12/month

Webflow's free version includes two projects, but no access to features like website password protection, project transfers to other Webflow accounts, and code export.

Weebly impressed us with its unrivaled mobile app for building on the go, intuitive drag and drop editor, and versatile ecommerce tools. The service also has a well-stocked app center, and, even out of the box, comes packed with features and content elements. Rest assured: You won't need any coding skills to create well-performing websites and online shops with Weebly.

Our only issue with the platform is that the selection of available templates is somewhat limited in comparison to Wix. Apart from that, we couldn't find much to complain about.

Limitations in the Free Version

• Domain: https://websitename.weebly.com
• Advertisement(s): "Powered by Weebly" tag on the bottom of your site's pages
• Premium version: Unique domains from $6/month ("Personal"); no ads and access to ecommerce features from $12/month ("Professional")

In addition to Weebly branding and being bound to the service's domains, free users only get 500 MB of storage space and can't use ecommerce features. Advanced page statistics and hotline support are likewise restricted to paying customers.

Between creative freedom and ease of use, SITE123 definitely favors the latter: The provider limits what users can do in order to make their experience as convenient as possible. This works, since with a few clicks and adjustments, it's possible to quickly put together a personalized and professional-looking homepage.

With SITE123, you'll build by fitting digital puzzle pieces together, as opposed to dragging and dropping them at will: Unlike other editors, you're not able to freely add elements, and can only customize ready-made sub-pages, like a team page, gallery, or contact form.

Limitations in the Free Version

• Domain: https://random-id.site123.me
• Advertisement(s): SITE123 floating tag at the bottom of each page
• Premium version: Ad-free and a unique domain from $12.80/month

In addition to SITE123 branding and an assigned subdomain, the free version also limits your storage to 500 MB and bandwidth to 1 GB. The builder's ecommerce features are only accessible to paying customers meaning that you won't be able to open a web store as a free user.

What sets Jimdo apart from the other services we reviewed is its simplicity. You'll notice this when using its Dolphin editor, with which you can create a professional-looking site in a matter of minutes. Simply answer a few questions about the site's design and what you intend to use it for, and the friendly Dolphin handles the rest. Since Jimdo's standard editor is already easy enough to use, we only recommend Dolphin for absolute beginners.

Despite all of the positives, Jimdo does come up a bit short in terms of its design templates, and the service lacks a third-party app center. So far as support is concerned, Jimdo's staffers are knowledgeable, but they could be a bit quicker.

Limitations in the Free Version

• Domain: https://websitename.jimdofree.com
• Advertisement(s): Relatively discrete Jimdo floating tag at the bottom of each page
• Premium version: No ads and a unique subdomain starting from $9/month

Jimdo's free version includes access to all basic features, allowing you to publish your website on a Jimdo subdomain. Storage is limited to 500 MB, and you'll have to make do with a bandwidth of 2 GB. In addition, you'll only be able to create five pages, won't have access to SEO or statistics, and will be on your own in drafting things like your site's privacy policy. Similar to the other services we've assessed here, only paying customers can create an online shop.

Strikingly focuses on single-page websites, which are easily made using its intuitive editor in no time flat. While you can create online shops in the same way, doing so as a multi-page website makes much more sense, and for that, you'll need a paid subscription.

Overall, Strikingly is a good option for those with less experience and interested in creating a simple, single-page website.

Limitations in the Free Version

• Domain: https://websitename.strikingly.com
• Advertisement(s): Strikingly logo on the page footer
• Premium: User-defined domain from $8/month

With Strikingly's free version, you'll only be able to create single-page websites. You'll be given 5 GB of bandwidth per month and 500 MB of storage space. Since only one product can be offered per page, the free version isn't practical for creating an online store. Compounding this, you'll be charged a 5% transaction fee on each purchase.

Like Jimdo, Webnode emphasizes accessibility to users of any experience level: Its intuitive editor doesn't take a lot of getting used to, and anyone can quickly create a site with it. You'll be offered around 100 design templates, all of which should aid help you craft a homepage with as little fuss as possible.

This simplicity comes at a price though: Instead of dragging and dropping elements like with other platforms, Webnode's editor is more like a puzzle and slightly limits your freedom. Greater variety in content elements would be nice, while for ecommerce, some features, like the ability to offer coupons or gift cards, are sorely missed.

For those without extravagant wishes looking to quickly create a functioning website, Webnode is definitely worth a look.

Limitations in the Free Version

• Domain: https://websitename.webnode.com
• Advertisement(s): Webnode floating tag at the bottom of each page
• Premium version: Ad-free and a unique domain from $5.95/month

In the free version, storage is limited to 100 MB and bandwidth to 1 GB. Like most of the other services mentioned in this article, only paying subscribers can create online shops.

Webador is ideal for simple projects, like small online boutiques, personal blogs, or basic websites for businesses or clubs. Its editor is user-friendly and won't take long to get used to. All important aspects of site building, from navigation to content editing, are easy to do.

However, Webador doesn't offer too many features: Digital sales can only be made by using a workaround, you're limited to how much you can customize design templates, and there's no app market. As such, for larger or more intricate projects, you might want to look elsewhere.

Limitations in the Free Version

• Domain: https://websitename.webador.com
• Advertisement(s): Webador ad banner across page footers
• Premium: Ad-free and unique domain starting from $10/month

As might be expected, Webador's free version doesn't include many of the service's advanced features. For example, you won't be able to make multilingual websites, integrate search features, or create user-defined forms. It also isn't possible to set up an online store.

GoDaddy takes users by hand when designing a website. Instead of freely moving elements around the editor's interface, you'll only have to worry about filling ready-made content blocks with text and images. This approach makes designing a website nearly foolproof, but also drastically reduces the amount of creative freedom users have.

As such, GoDaddy's website builder is great for simple projects and anyone who wants to spend as little time as possible designing or worrying about what their web presence looks like.

Limitations in the Free Version

• Domain: https://websitename.godaddysites.com
• Advertisement(s): GoDaddy banner across your site's header
• Premium: Ad-free and a unique domain for around $10/month

If using GoDaddy's free version, apart from a GoDaddy domain, you'll also need to make do without an online store. Should you opt for a premium (paid) subscription, you won't be able to revert to the free version.

Creating a free website varies from platform to platform. With that said, the steps below are common to almost any site builder:

1. 1.
   Create an account: In order to build a website, you'll need an account with the provider you've selected. Among services that offer free versions, this shouldn't take long as you won't need to input any payment information.
2. 2.
   Select a template: Site builders work their magic by using design templates with ready-made layouts. Free versions often offer only a limited selection of these.
3. 3.
   Edit the template: Once you've settled on a design template, you'll be able to adjust it to your preferences in the editor. Things like colors, fonts, backgrounds, or other aspects can always be modified.
4. 4.
   Add menus and pages: Websites generally consist of multiple pages and sub-pages. When using a site builder, these are easy to add and integrate into your website's navigation menu.
5. 5.
   Add text, images, and other content: By default, design templates are filled with placeholder content (usually text). When adding your texts, images, or videos to your website, you'll replace this. Of course, you can then edit your content's appearance in the site builder's editor or add new elements (such as forms, testimonials, or blogs). If using a platform's free version, chances are that you'll only be given limited access to these features.
6. 6.
   Publish your website: Once you're satisfied with your website's appearance, all that's left to do is publish it. For this, you can select a premium domain, or host it for free using your site builder's domain.

How this entire process actually goes depends on the site builder you've selected. If you'd like to see how things went with EXPERTE.com's top performance, Wix, you can check out our step-by-step guide.

As we mentioned above, free versions of premium site builders are only suitable for personal or small projects. They have a few major disadvantages, which we've summarized below for you:

The good news: You can upgrade from a free version to a premium one with a unique domain very easily.

As you can see, free site builders are really only suitable for smaller or personal websites. If you'd like to sell products and accept payments, your choices are reduced to a handful. We're only aware of a few ecommerce platforms that allow non-paying users to make sales and/or accept payments.

Of these, Ecwid is the best choice: With its free version, you can up to 10 physical products. You won't be able to offer coupons, use inventory management, take advantage of automatic tax calculations, or access advanced SEO tools, however. One nifty feature is that your free Ecwid shop can easily be integrated into another site builder.

Do you want a free website? You can easily have one but will need to accept a few limitations: Ugly provider subdomains and branding, as well as storage and bandwidth caps, which will hamper its growth sooner or later.

For basic projects, personal blogs, or trying out a platform before purchasing a subscription, you'll do well with the free services we've described above. And in case you do want to make the figurative jump from free user to paying subscriber, upgrading is easy on any of the platforms we've looked at.

Detailed reviews on all 11 website builders we've assessed, including those that don't offer free versions, can be found in our extensive EXPERTE.com evaluation.