Free website builders let you design and publish a site without paying — useful for testing an idea, a personal project or an early-stage business. In exchange, free plans add the builder's branding, use a subdomain instead of your own domain, and limit storage, features and ecommerce.
We compared free plans on design quality, limits and the cost of upgrading to connect your own domain.
The bottom line
Wix has the most capable free plan for small business sites. WordPress.com is the best free option for blogs and content. Framer and Webflow are excellent free starting points for designers, and Square Online is the best free option for selling online.
Our top picks
- 1
Best free website builder overallWix8.2Editorial score 8.2 out of 10 - 2
Best free builder for blogsWordPress.com8.2Editorial score 8.2 out of 10 - 3FBest free builder for designersFramer8.0Editorial score 8.0 out of 10
- 4
Best free builder for learning pro-grade designWebflow8.1Editorial score 8.1 out of 10 - 5SOBest free builder for selling onlineSquare Online8.2Editorial score 8.2 out of 10
Scores are editorial assessments based on research. Prices are indicative.
Wix
ResearchedHundreds of templates and drag-and-drop design on a free plan, with an easy upgrade path.
Wix lets you build a website by dragging elements anywhere on the page, with templates, AI site generation, ecommerce, bookings and a large app market.
Ideal for: Small businesses testing their first website.
Watch out for: Free sites show Wix branding and use a Wix subdomain.
Pros
- Very flexible editor
- Large app market
- Bookings and ecommerce
Cons
- Templates hard to switch after launch
- Can feel cluttered
WordPress.com
ResearchedPowerful publishing and the WordPress block editor on a free plan.
WordPress.com is Automattic's hosted WordPress service. It handles hosting, updates, security and backups, with plans ranging from simple blogs to Business and Commerce tiers that allow plugins and themes. It is different from self-hosted WordPress.org software.
Ideal for: Content-focused sites and blogs.
Watch out for: Plugins require the Business plan.
Pros
- Maintenance handled
- Huge theme ecosystem
- Plugins on Business
Cons
- Plugins only on higher tiers
- Confusion with WordPress.org
Framer
ResearchedA design-tool canvas with animations and fast publishing on a free subdomain.
Framer lets designers build responsive, animated websites visually, with a CMS, localisation, AI-assisted layouts and fast hosting. It is popular for startup and portfolio sites and feels familiar to Figma users.
Ideal for: Designers and startups building marketing pages.
Watch out for: Free plan uses a Framer subdomain with branding.
Pros
- Beautiful animations
- Visual CMS
- Fast hosting
Cons
- No native e-commerce
- Per-site pricing
Webflow
ResearchedBuild with real web layout concepts and publish to a free subdomain.
Webflow combines a visual designer that outputs clean code with a powerful CMS, interactions and hosting. It is favoured by designers and marketing teams building custom sites.
Ideal for: Designers who want precise control.
Watch out for: Learning curve; free plan has page and CMS limits.
Pros
- Precise design control
- Powerful CMS
- Clean code output
Cons
- Steep learning curve
- Pricing structure complex
Square Online
ResearchedFree online store with Square payments, pickup and delivery options.
Square Online lets businesses already using Square POS launch an online store with synced inventory, pickup and local delivery. The free plan is fully functional with Square branding; paid plans add custom domains and features.
Ideal for: Restaurants and retailers already using Square.
Watch out for: Square branding on free; payments must use Square.
Pros
- Free plan with full selling
- Inventory sync with POS
- Pickup and delivery
Cons
- Limited design control
- Fewer apps
Comparison table
| Tool | Best for | Score | From (indicative) | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wix | Best free website builder overall | 8.2 | Free plan with Wix branding; paid from around $17 / month | Yes |
| WordPress.com | Best free builder for blogs | 8.2 | Free; paid from around $4–8 / month | Yes |
| FFramer | Best free builder for designers | 8.0 | Free; paid from around $10–15 / site / month | Yes |
| Webflow | Best free builder for learning pro-grade design | 8.1 | Free starter; site plans from around $14–18 / month | Yes |
| SOSquare Online | Best free builder for selling online | 8.2 | Free; paid from around $29–49 / month | Yes |
Feature matrix
| Feature | Wix | WordPress.com | Framer | Webflow | Square Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Custom domain on free | No | No | No | No | No (subdomain) |
| Builder branding | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ecommerce on free | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Blogging | Yes | Excellent | Yes | Yes (CMS limits) | Basic |
| Cheapest paid (indicative) | ~ $17 / month | ~ $4 / month | ~ $10 / month | ~ $14 / month | ~ $29 / month |
Based on vendor documentation and public plan pages; features change often, so confirm on the plan you intend to buy.
When a free website is enough
A free plan works for validating an idea, building a portfolio or creating a temporary event page. For an established business, a custom domain and no builder branding are worth the small monthly cost because they build trust with customers.
Planning the upgrade
- Connect a custom domain (often free for the first year on annual plans)
- Remove builder branding and ads
- Add more storage, pages or CMS items
- Enable ecommerce, bookings or memberships
- Get access to analytics and SEO tools
How we chose
- We started from every website builder we track, then filtered to products that fit this specific need using vendor documentation, public plan pages and trust/security pages.
- Each pick carries the same weighted score it has on its full review; the overall score is calculated from six criteria and never typed in by hand.
- We compared free-plan limits — branding, domains, storage, ecommerce — and the price of the first paid plan.
- Labels such as “best for” describe fit for a situation, so a lower-scoring tool can be the right choice. Products marked “Researched” were assessed from documentation and public information rather than hands-on testing.
- Prices are indicative and dated on each review. Confirm the current plan, limits and renewal price on the vendor's site before you buy.
Read our full scoring methodology →
Own your domain
Register your domain at a registrar you control, even if you start on a free subdomain.
Check export options
WordPress.com allows content export; most other builders make moving hard.
Think about SEO
Free subdomains are fine for testing, but a custom domain helps branding and search visibility over time.
Match the builder to the job
Wix for general business sites, WordPress.com for content, Framer and Webflow for design-led sites, Square Online for selling.
See every option we rank in Website Builders.
Buying checklist
Before you commit, confirm each of these on the exact plan you will buy:
- Templates that suit your industry
- SEO controls and redirects
- Forms, booking or ecommerce if needed
- Mobile editing
- Content export options
Avoid these mistakes: Choosing a template before planning your pages and content. Staying on a free plan with a subdomain for a business site. Ignoring how hard it is to export your site later.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free website builder?
Wix for most small business sites; WordPress.com for blogs.
Can I use my own domain with a free website builder?
Usually not. Most builders require a paid plan to connect a custom domain.
Is a free website good for SEO?
It can be indexed, but subdomains and branding limit credibility. A paid plan with a custom domain is better long-term.
Can I sell products on a free plan?
Square Online and Ecwid allow selling on free plans with limits.
Which free builder is easiest?
Wix is the easiest for most beginners.
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