Best Free Website Builders: Are They Worth It?

Based on my experience testing popular free website builders, Wix offers the best overall free website builder plan. It gives users access to an extremely wide variety of premade templates, which I found easy to customise with Wix’s drag-and-drop editor. This means you can create a unique-looking website with limited technical expertise.

It’s important to note, however, that free website builders have limitations, such as displaying ads, so I recommend opting for a paid plan if you’re using your website for professional purposes. But if you’re on a tight budget, or need a website for a short-term project, a free builder gets the job done.

Wix is one of the best website builders out there to offer a free plan, but depending on your skill level and the purpose of your free website, it might not be the best option for you. I’ve tested and reviewed five free website builders in total, so you can make an informed choice.

1. Wix: Best All-round Free Website Builder

Wix is my pick for the best all-round free website builder. Wix’s free plan offers similar functionality to its premium plans, allowing you to create a multi-page website that’s mobile responsive (the layout automatically adapts to vertical screens), and that you can easily customise thanks to its drag-and-drop editor.

My experience with Wix

Wix has been adding more and more AI tools to its kit, including an AI website builder, which is available on the free plan. This sped up the website-building process, since Wix has so many templates, it can be hard to settle on one quickly. I was quite happy with the results since they matched the prompts I’d given, but I do recommend editing the website to make it more unique.

I particularly liked Wix’s tools for making my website mobile-friendly. Wix websites automatically reformat to a mobile-optimised version, and when previewing my website, I could easily switch between a desktop and mobile view to check the results. In an age where more than half of internet searches are made from mobile phones, this is an important feature.

On the Wix free plan, you’ll also get access to basic email marketing and customer management tools, such as contact forms. On the creative side, the free plan also includes a design suite for creating social media posts and brand logos. These extras aren’t offered on all free website builders, with GoDaddy being the only competitor on this page with similar tools. They’re very useful for creating a unified branded image.

The main downsides to Wix’s free website builder are that Wix ads will appear on your website, and your website URL will contain “wixsite.com”, which might seem unprofessional to visitors.

Additionally, although not difficult to use, the Wix editor and backend aren’t as easy to use and navigate as those of competitors GoDaddy and Webador. This is mainly because Wix has packed so many features into its backend that it can be overwhelming when you first start out.

How Does Wix’s Free Plan Compare to the Paid Versions?

Upgrading to a paid version of Wix automatically removes all Wix ads from your website, and allows you to purchase a custom domain, removing “wixsite.com” from your URL.

Paid Wix plans also include more storage space than the free plan – from 2GB to an unlimited amount – advanced marketing functions, such as automated marketing, and website analytics, which can help you track how many customers your site has reached.

On the £16 per month Wix Core plan, you can also start accepting payments, whether that be for services or goods, and allow repeat customers to save their payment information for a faster checkout.

As with most website builders, the more you pay per month, the more features you’ll get access to. You can find out more about Wix’s pricing and what you get for your money in our guide.

How Does Wix Compare to Other Free Website Builders?

Here’s how Wix’s free website builder compares to its competitors:

GoDaddy: Lets you accept appointments

Wix and GoDaddy are pretty much on par with each other when it comes to their free website builder. They both have a wide range of modern templates to choose from, although Wix has more (800+ compared to 200+), and come with tools for creating marketing content. GoDaddy is slightly easier to use than Wix, however, and lets you take appointment bookings for free, which Wix doesn’t offer on its free plan.

Square Online: Lets you accept payments

You can sell unlimited products online with a free Square website, which is the main advantage it has over Wix. Even on Wix’s most expensive paid plan, you have a limit of 50,000 products. However, in terms of design, Square is much more limited than Wix. You have to upgrade to a paid Square plan to access pre-built templates, and there aren’t any free stock images to use, unlike on Wix.

Webador: Easier to use than Wix

Webador’s free plan has far fewer pre-built templates than Wix (50 compared to 800+), and most of the designs look quite dated. You also have less creative freedom when it comes to changing the layout of your website on Webador compared to Wix, but that makes Webador much easier to use. You can also switch templates on Webador even after you’ve published your website, something not available on Wix, and you get unlimited storage, whereas Wix’s free plan is limited to 500MB.

PageCloud: Creates a more attractive website

PageCloud offers fewer templates than Wix (40+ compared to 800+), but the free templates it does offer trump Wix’s in terms of aesthetics – they’re highly modern and stylish. However, you can only create one page on a PageCloud free plan, whereas you can create multiple on Wix, and PageCloud’s editor, while it gives you almost endless creative freedom, isn’t as easy to use as Wix’s.

2. GoDaddy – Best for Accepting Bookings for Free

GoDaddy’s free website builder is the best free website builder for accepting appointment bookings online and is one of the fastest ways to create a website. This is largely thanks to its AI website builder tool – all I had to do was answer a few questions, and GoDaddy generated a site template for me in seconds.

My experience with GoDaddy

Overall, I found GoDaddy easier to use than Wix, mainly because there weren’t an overwhelming number of options for changing the website design. This does mean that some level of customisation is sacrificed in favour of ease of use, but if you’re not technically savvy, this is a good thing.

A standout feature of GoDaddy’s free plan is that it lets you accept one-time appointment bookings from customers (although they won’t be able to pay via your website), something not offered on the other free website builders featured in this list. This makes it a handy tool for service businesses like salons or clinics.

On other fronts, GoDaddy’s free plan is similar to Wix’s in that it has a drag-and-drop editor, and comes with basic marketing and customer engagement tools, such as the GoDaddy Studio, where you can create designs for logos, social media posts and emails, and a contact form.

There are some downsides, however. As I’ve noted, GoDaddy gives you less creative freedom when it comes to design than Wix, and its templates and AI-built websites aren’t as eye-catching as Wix’s. As with Wix, your site will also display a GoDaddy ad banner, and your website URL will contain “godaddysites.com”.

How Does GoDaddy’s Free Plan Compare to the Paid Versions?

Like Wix, signing up to a paid GoDaddy plan will remove the GoDaddy ad banner from your website, and allow you to purchase a custom domain.

You’ll also get access to a wider set of marketing tools, such as automated welcome emails and appointment reminders, and access to a wider range of pre-made designs in the GoDaddy Studio to use in your campaigns.

If you’re accepting bookings through your website, GoDaddy’s two most expensive plans allow you to let your customers book recurring appointments (as well as one-time ones), and sign up for group events (webinars, classes etc.).

To start taking payments on GoDaddy, you’ll have to upgrade to at least the £16.99 per month Premium plan, which lets you accept payments from bookings, and to sell products, you need to upgrade to the  £19.99 per month Ecommerce plan.

You can find out more about GoDaddy’s paid plans in our GoDaddy Pricing Guide.

How Does GoDaddy Compare to Other Free Website Builders?

Here’s how GoDaddy’s free website builder compares to its competitors:

Wix: Has more templates for niche uses

Wix has more pre-made templates than GoDaddy (800+ compared to 200+), but their free plans are quite evenly matched when it comes to design, and marketing features. However, you can’t accept bookings on the Wix free plan, unlike with GoDaddy, so if this is a priority for you, GoDaddy is the better option.

Square Online: Lets you accept payments

GoDaddy might let you accept bookings on its free plan, but customers won’t be able to pay for them via the website. This isn’t the case with a free Square website, where you can take payments with no monthly subscription fee. However, Square’s design choices are much more limited than GoDaddy’s. There aren’t any free stock images or website templates on the free Square plan for example – you’ll have to upload your own images – making it harder to create an attractive website.

Webador: Slightly easier to use than GoDaddy

GoDaddy is often touted as being the easiest and fastest-to-use website builder, but Webador actually has it beat in this department. It’s even more beginner-friendly than GoDaddy, although you will be sacrificing ease of use for aesthetics since Webador’s pre-made templates look quite dated compared to GoDaddy’s. There’s also no content creation studio on Webador’s free plan, so GoDaddy is the better option if you’re interested in creating marketing materials along with a website.

PageCloud: Allows for more website design customisation

GoDaddy’s editor is much easier to use than PageCloud’s, and its free plan lets you build multiple pages, as opposed to PageCloud’s one. PageCloud’s free plan also doesn’t offer much when it comes to marketing – there’s no creative suite for making logos, emails or social media posts. However, PageCloud is more customisable than GoDaddy, so if your goal is creating one stunning page for free, it’s a better option.

3. Square Online – Best for Creating a Free Online Store

Square Online is one of the only website builders that lets you create an online store and start selling for free – barring transaction fees. You won’t pay any monthly fees to create and publish your website, however, Square does take a 1.4% + 25p transaction fee, applicable to each sale. This is standard across the payment processing industry, so there’s no 100% free way to sell online.

My experience with Square

Square’s free plan is quite different from other website builders I tested. It doesn’t include free templates, instead offering one standard black-and-white website design, and doesn’t allow for layout customisations, or offer free stock images. These features are reserved for paid plans.

The upside to this is that it’s quite easy to use since all you have to do is populate your website with products and your brand name. You can also list an unlimited number of items on Square’s free plan, and accept payments using services such as Apple Pay, and Google Pay.

Square’s free plan is truly designed with one purpose, to sell online for cheap, with aspects like website aesthetics and customisation deprioritised. This is reflected in the feature enhancements Square tools out.

For example, last year Square added an AI copy generator to its website builder that can help you write or enhance product descriptions. If you’re a small business looking to set up quickly, this can speed up the process quite a bit. Sadly Square doesn’t yet offer an AI website generator, although if it did, it’s likely to be reserved for paid plans since the free plan only comes with one template.

Square’s free website, like Wix and GoDaddy, includes visible Square ads, and your URL will contain “square.site”.

How Does Square Online’s Free Plan Compare to the Paid Versions?

Upgrading to one of Square’s paid plans will, firstly, remove any ads, and allow you to purchase a custom domain. It’ll also give you access to a lot more sales and marketing features.

For example, you’ll be able to send order status alerts to customers, either via email or SMS, allow item preorders, and send abandoned cart recovery emails.

Square’s paid plans also offer better website customisation options than its free plan, although nothing near what website builders like Wix offer. On the paid plans, you’ll get access to stock images, a suite or ready-made website templates, and a wider range of page layouts.

If you sell in person as well as online, you might be interested in reading our review of Square POS. While Square provides website builder software, it’s first and foremost a payment processing service that sells card readers and POS systems.

How Does Square Online Compare to Other Free Website Builders?

Here’s how Square’s free website builder compares to competitors:

Wix: Has far more design and customisation options

Wix lets you choose from over 800 free pre-made website templates, while Square blocks its templates behind a paywall, so in terms of design flexibility, Wix is the clear winner. Wix also has a much better email campaign creator tool than Square, giving you more design choices and customisation options. That being said, the Wix free plan has zero ecommerce tools and doesn’t let you sell online, unlike Square’s.

GoDaddy: Is a faster tool for creating a website

Much the same as Wix, GoDaddy outstrips Square when it comes to design, from its pre-built templates to its marketing campaigns creation studio. It’s also faster to create a website with GoDaddy, since it gives you access to free stock images, whereas on Square’s free plan, you have to upload your own. However, GoDaddy’s free plan doesn’t let you accept payments, unlike Square’s, making the free appointment booking feature on GoDaddy fairly limited.

Webador: Offers free stock images

Webador is easier to use than Square, especially when it comes to its backend, although this is mainly because Webador contains far fewer features than Square. Webador’s main function is to create an informational page, so its backend doesn’t include extra tabs for order tracking or email marketing. Webador does, however, offer free templates and stock images on its free plan, unlike Square, which speeds up the website creation process.

PageCloud: Allows for more website design customisation

PageCloud’s editor is a little more tricky to use than Square’s, but it’s much more customisable, and there are some truly beautiful pre-made designs to choose from. There isn’t the option to sell online with a free PageCloud website, however, and in fact, you have to purchase an add-on, on top of a monthly subscription, to access any ecommerce features on PageCloud. Square, on the other hand, gives you these for free.

4. Webador – Best Free Website Builder for Total Beginners

Webador’s free website builder is a good option for total beginners who’ve never created a website before. It’s extremely easy to use, even easier than GoDaddy, thanks to its menu bar that lets you flip between the main editor, specific page editors, and the dashboard.

My experience with Webador

Part of what made Webador so easy to use was the simple backend design. When editing my website, all the elements I could add were neatly aligned in the sidebar menu, while the top bar menu allowed for easy access to sections in the main dashboard.

I was able to add page elements such as text blocks and buttons by dragging them from the sidebar onto the page as I was editing. Webador has also recently added a new tool to its sidebar menu that allows users to add new sections to a page by dragging the sections element, making it even easier to edit a page.

This year, Webador also launched its AI website builder. You can create a website using AI with a prompt, or use AI to redesign an existing website. I used this second feature and was pleased to see that the AI tool keeps all the existing copy when it changes the design. The new AI design was also more modern-looking than the pre-built template I was using.

Using the AI website builder is a way to circumvent one of Webador’s key disadvantages, the fact that its pre-made templates look quite dated.

Webador’s website builder also doesn’t come with any fancy design features like logo or social media post creators that you’d find on free website builders such as Wix or GoDaddy. Other popular features such as email templates are also absent from Webador.

But if you’re a newbie to website creation, and just want a simple informational website, Webador’s a solid choice.

How Does Webador’s Free Plan Compare to the Paid Versions?

Webador’s cheapest paid plan, the £4.50 per month, won’t actually get rid of ads, but what you’ll get for it is a custom domain, so “webadorsite.com” won’t appear in your URL.

To get rid of ads, and benefit from premium features, you’ll have to upgrade to Webador’s Pro or Business plans. These give you access to site analytics via Google Analytics and Google Search Console, and allow for slightly better website design options, such as the ability to create custom forms, and include a website search bar.

The Pro and Business plans also allow you to start taking payments through your website, with the Business plan offering unlimited products. Webador’s sale functions are quite limited, however, so if selling online is your priority, we’d recommend you look at our list of the best free ecommerce website builders.

How Does Webador Compare to Other Free Website Builders?

Here’s how Webador compares to other free website builders:

Wix: Creates a more modern-looking website

Wix has a wider selection of much more modern-looking templates than Webador (800+ compared to 50), and it gives you more creative freedom when it comes to adjusting a page’s layout. The Wix free plan also has a creative studio for designing marketing content, which is noticeably absent from Webador. That being said, with Webador you get unlimited storage, whereas with Wix it’s limited to 500MB, and you can change your website template after you’ve published, which you can’t do on Wix.

GoDaddy: Lets you accept appointments

Similar to Wix, GoDaddy has better design and customisation than Webador, with a bonus being that you can accept appointment bookings on the GoDaddy free plan. However, Webador has managed to dethrone GoDaddy from its spot as the easiest-to-use website builder, thanks to its highly intuitive editor and dashboard layout. Both are good options for beginners, but Webador is slightly better, especially if you just want a simple, informational website.

Square Online: Lets you accept payments

Square lets you sell online for free, whilst on Webador, you have to upgrade to a paid plan to do this. Square also has tools for creating email campaigns, which are absent from Webador’s offering. On the other hand, Webador is easier to use than Square, and it has free templates and stock images, which are hidden behind a paywall on Square.

PageCloud: Creates much more attractive websites

PageCloud and Webador are two sides of the same coin – they don’t include extra features like ecommerce tools or marketing suites, and are best for informational pages. However, they’re opposites when it comes to design and ease of use. PageCloud’s templates are much more stylish than Webador’s, and can be customised almost endlessly, but ease of use gets sacrificed in the process. It’s the other way around on Webador.

5. PageCloud – Best for creating an informational page

PageCloud’s free plan allows you to create a one-page website, making it a useful option for making informational pages with your key business details or showcasing a personal project. It has some truly stunning pre-built templates, making it a good choice for aesthetic-focused businesses like fine-dining restaurants.

My experience with PageCloud

Although the free PageCloud plan only allows you to create a one-page website, I was able to add as many sections as I wanted to that page, so the one-page nature of the site isn’t too limiting. However, the more sections you have, the more your visitors will have to scroll, so I’d recommend you avoid overfilling it.

What most impressed me about PageCloud was how visually appealing its pre-made templates were. Although it has far less than Wix (50 compared to 900), the ones it does have look magazine-worthy.

Like most website builders on this list, PageCloud has a drag-and-drop editor, which meant I could easily move and add elements anywhere on the page. However, it’s not the easiest editor to navigate. Functions aren’t clearly labelled or displayed, so I was never too sure what I was clicking on when I first started out. It’s definitely not a good choice for beginners or people who want to create a website quickly.

I did, however, appreciate that PageCloud had a toggle that let me easily see how my website looked on mobile and desktop, but, I didn’t feel like the website got properly optimised for mobile. The top section didn’t shrink to fit a vertical format for example. This could be a problem if you’re looking to create a business website since a lot of customers find you through a search on their phone.

How Does PageCloud’s Free Plan Compare to the Paid Versions?

A paid PageCloud plan will remove PageCloud ads from your website, and you’ll be able to purchase a domain, so that “mypagecloud.com” no longer appears in your URL.

Most importantly, you’ll be able to create a website with more than one page, between 100 and 300 pages depending on the plan, and you’ll be able to add features such as pop-ups and banners.

A paid PageCloud website also comes with advanced analytics, so you can monitor your website’s performance, and you’ll get access to SEO tools such as Semrush (a keyword research tool).

On the creative side, paid PageCloud plans have an AI assistant that can help you write engaging copy.

However, none of PageCloud’s paid plans come with an ecommerce function. To sell online, you have to purchase an ecommerce add-on, which starts at $9 per month (roughly £7), added on top of your website monthly website subscription.

How Does PageCloud Compare to Other Free Website Builders?

Here’s how PageCloud compares to other free website builders:

Wix: Lets you create a multi-page website

Wix offers more templates than PageCloud (800+ compared to 40+), and its editor is easier to use. You can also create a multi-page website on Wix, whereas on PageCloud’s free plan you’re limited to one. PageCloud’s designs however, are slightly more stylish than Wix’s, and it affords users who are tech-savvy more creative freedom.

GoDaddy: Is easier to use than PageCloud

Because GoDaddy and Wix’s free plans are so similar, the comparison is much the same here. GoDaddy has more templates than PageCloud, and allows you to create a multipage website, although PageCloud has more aesthetically pleasing designs. GoDaddy is also much more beginner-friendly than PageCloud, allowing you to create a website at a much faster pace.

Square Online: Lets you accept payments

Again, PageCloud wins out against Square in terms of the aesthetics of its templates, which Square doesn’t even offer on its free plan. However, if you want to sell online, Square is the way to go, since PageCloud doesn’t offer this on its free plan, and ecommerce functions aren’t even included in its paid plans – they come as paid add-ons.

Webador: Is the easiest option overall

PageCloud is much more customisable than Webador, and its pre-made templates are modern-looking, while Webador’s look slightly dated. Webador, however, is much easier to use than PageCloud, and allows you to create more than just a one-page website on its free plan.

Is a Free Website Builder Worth It?

In general, free website builders aren’t worth using long term, but they can be an affordable first option for businesses that are just starting out.

They’re most worth it for businesses simply seeking to create an informational website, with details of their services or menus, location, opening times, and contact information. Free ecommerce website builders such as Square can also be worthwhile for budding online sellers.

However, because most free website builders come with ads and the website builder’s name in your site URL, your free website will lose a bit of professionalism, which could put off some customers.

That’s why, if you do choose to go with a free website builder, it’s best to pick one based on what’s offered on the paid plan you intend to upgrade to. It’s much easier to upgrade to a higher-paid plan on the website builder you’re already using than to transfer your entire website’s content to a different website builder.

Some website builders also have free trials that last up to 14 days, giving you plenty of time to test them out and decide whether they’re right for your business before you commit to a subscription.

Buying Guide: How To Choose a Free Website Builder

Here’s what you should consider when choosing a free website builder:

• Ease-of-use: If you’re looking for a free website builder, chances are you want something that’s quick and easy to use. This doesn’t mean you need to go with the absolute easiest to use website builder out there, just make sure it fits your technical abilities.
• Design and customisation: Free website builders should give you a variety of website design options, and some degree of flexibility when it comes to customisation. A beautifully made website that’s unique will help your business stand out from the crowd, and increase customer confidence.
• Added features: Think about what features you want your free website builder to have, since what’s offered for free varies by website builders. Free website builders should, at the bare minimum, include a contact form, pre-made templates, and free stock images. If they don’t, there should be other features that interest you, such tools to sell online, or a marketing suite.
• Mobile responsiveness: The best website builders (free or not), should automatically reformat your page layout to fit a vertical screen, and if they don’t, they should give you the option to do this yourself in the editor. Over 60% of website traffic comes from mobile devices, so this isn’t a category to be overlooked.
• Potential costs: Make sure the website builder is actually free, and that there aren’t any hidden costs you’ll have to pay along the way, such as hosting to keep your website live. It’s also a good idea to look at how much the paid plans cost, and assess whether you’re willing to pay that amount should you decide to upgrade.

Are Free Website Builders Secure?

Whether a free website builder is secure or not is determined by the provider, not the free nature of the website.

Different providers have different security measures in place, such as dual-factor authentication, SSL certificates, and encryption tools. If a website builder has these security measures, they’ll apply to all websites made using it, both free and paid, so it’s best to check with individual providers.

How Easy Is it to Switch to a Paid Website Builder Plan?

Website builder providers want you to switch to a paid plan, so they make it easy for you. You can usually do this by going into account settings and clicking on “Subscription” or “Billing”. A lot of website builders will also include links for switching to a paid plan in the editor or backend, usually in front of features that can be unlocked by upgrading to a paid plan.

You’ll typically need to provide your card details and choose whether you want to pay monthly, or upfront for the whole year (most providers offer a discount if you choose this option).

How Did We Compare the Best Free Providers?

We’ve tested the free plans of each website builder we reviewed, evaluating their functionality, usability, integrations, and customer support so we can make the most useful recommendations to businesses.

Our rigorous testing process means these products have been scored and rated in six main categories of investigation and 33 subcategories. We then gave each category score a ‘relevance weighting’ to ensure the product’s final score perfectly reflects the needs and requirements of Expert Market readers.

Our main testing categories for website builders are:

• Website features: the capabilities and functionalities offered by a website builder, e.g. blog functionality, SEO capability, marketing capacity, and AI tools.
• Design functionality: the aesthetic appeal and visual layout of a website created using a website builder. It encompasses aspects such as page templates, customisable themes, and content display tools (accordions, tabs, etc.)
• Ease of use: how user-friendly and intuitive a website builder is for people with varying levels of technical expertise.
• Value for money: the balance between the cost of upgrades to the paid website builder and the benefits it provides. It considers factors such as pricing plans, subscription models, and available features.
• Reputation: external customer opinion; the feedback and ratings given by customers who have used a particular website builder – the market position and reputation a website builder holds.
• Help and support: the assistance and resources available to users when they encounter issues or need guidance while using a website builder. This can include tutorials, knowledge bases, and email or chat support.