An online presence is crucial for a small business, freelancer, or blogger. Free website maker sites are online tools that allow individuals or companies to create their own websites without needing advanced programming or design skills. These platforms typically come with pre-built templates, drag-and-drop features, and various customization options that simplify the process of building and launching a website.
A website gives you visibility, credibility, and access to a larger audience. With no-code website builders, you can handle everything for your website on your own, without needing help from a designer or developer. While there are so many website makers, here are key features to look out for when looking;
- Easy to use: The website builder should be easy to use without needing a developer and suitable for both beginners and professionals.
- Customization options: Evaluate each builder’s customization by considering its templates, drag-and-drop features, and style options.
- SEO: Review the SEO tools, including the ability to adjust titles, meta descriptions, sitemaps, and add-ons.
- Free plan: Verify if the free plan is genuinely free or pushes upgrades often, and identify which features require a paid plan.
Here are 20 of the best free website-maker sites
1. Wix
Wix provides a popular and free drag-and-drop website builder. If you’re looking to create a simple website, this platform is a great choice. It offers various templates with unique designs. As a result, you can easily customize your site. You can build a fully functional website without any upfront costs. Once your site is live, you can decide to upgrade. This upgrade unlocks premium features like connecting a domain and removing Wix ads.
2. GoDaddy
With GoDaddy’s free plan, you can easily set up a website using the drag-and-drop editor and built-in themes. You can create an online store that accepts PayPal payments and upgrade later for more payment options. In addition, the free site includes a yoursite.godaddysites.com domain, and if you upgrade to a paid account, you’ll receive a custom domain free for one year. GoDaddy’s website builder caters to various online businesses—from content creation to coaching to product sales—while emphasizing e-commerce and customer service features, making it ideal for online stores.
3. Webnode
Webnode is a user-friendly website builder that features built-in AI. The design process is straightforward. You select from three options: website, online store, or blog, and then choose to create your site with AI assistance or a template. A free plan is available, while paid plans start at $4.50 per month. You can change settings at the site level or for individual sections and rearrange elements using the drag-and-drop editor. Additionally, each page’s settings allow you to customize the URL, meta title, and description, as well as add custom header and footer codes.
4. Google Site
Google Sites creates public websites, company intranets, and private portals. It comes with the Google Workspace productivity suite but is also available for standalone Google or Gmail accounts. Users will find it easy to use, similar to Google Docs. Customization options are limited, allowing users to choose from 12 templates and 6 themes for their site’s appearance. This platform is ideal for those without extensive website experience. Surprisingly, SEO tools are non-existent and the value of the free plan is limited, making it suitable primarily for beginners.
5. Yola
This free website maker site guides you through the setup process, helping you choose the type of website you want. The platform features a block editor that allows you to create your website all in one place. Yola is ideal for both beginners and experienced professionals familiar with website building. It offers an intuitive, easy-to-use editor, customizable templates and options, and built-in SEO tools.
6. WordPress
WordPress.com provides a free version for users seeking flexibility. You can opt for the paid version to access additional features for your website, which includes a free domain for the first year. This platform caters to both beginners and experienced professionals who want to grow and scale their websites over time. Its features include numerous plugins like Yoast, WooCommerce, and Accessible, an SEO-friendly interface, and support from an online community.
7. HubSpot
HubSpot is a popular business software platform for sales, marketing, and service teams, offering a free website builder. It guides you through building your website with a step-by-step plan and shows your progress with percentages, helping you track how close you are to creating an effective site. Its features include the creation of landing pages with a drag-and-drop editor, customization options for adding videos and images, and blog management. Additionally, HubSpot supports advanced editing features like A/B testing, smart content rules, and adaptive tests.
8. Webflow
Webflow is one of the free website maker sites that allows you to design, build, and share websites in one place. Each website on the free plan includes a free domain with “webflow.io.” The platform features a library of websites created with its website-building tool, which you can filter by various themes, such as animation, portfolio, and eCommerce, to explore Webflow’s design capabilities. The tools are responsive, and you don’t need coding skills to use them.
9. Weebly
This free website maker site is good for clients with e-commerce stores and small to midsized businesses by offering web hosting functionality, custom domain registration, and responsive web design. It also includes a built-in content management system (CMS), SEO tools, and options for experienced designers and developers to utilize custom HTML and CSS files.
10. Squarespace
Squarespace provides clean and professional websites for your business and ranks among the most popular web design tools. You can create a professional website, portfolio, or online store using this all-in-one platform, which simplifies the process of building a fully functional site for your business. The website builder features hundreds of design templates to explore, each tailored to accommodate eCommerce businesses and facilitate easy product sales.
11. GetResponse
The website builder includes an AI-driven component that creates your website from scratch in just minutes using top UX practices. Simply specify how you want to build your site, choose a template, and start right away. It offers a library of pre-designed templates, allows you to create a custom website design, and lets you promote your website without leaving the GetResponse platform.
12. Jimdo
With Jimdo, you can easily sign up for a free account and answer a few questions about your website goals. This website builder allows you to choose a design that you can customize before publishing your site. Although Jimdo has limited features—lacking a blog, an app store, and advanced tools—its simplicity is ideal for beginners who want to quickly launch a website.
13. SITE123
SITE123 serves as a basic, easy-to-use site builder, providing packages for small businesses, e-commerce, bloggers, and more. You can launch a site for free using a subdomain under site123.com or choose a premium plan for additional features and a free custom domain for a year. SITE123 also offers website templates, allowing you to avoid starting your design from scratch. However, these templates feature simplistic, outdated designs that do not align with the modern design trends supported by some competitors.
14. Strikingly
Strikingly is one of the best free website maker sites for creating a mobile-friendly website easily. It focuses on one-page layouts, making navigation simple. This builder is ideal for small businesses that typically need a single-page site with minimal fuss. With Strikingly’s free plan, you receive a free subdomain, which appears as “name.mystrikingly.com.” However, you can apply for a custom domain by opting for Strikingly’s annual paid plan.
15. Dorik
Dorik offers over 80 stylish, free website templates that are perfect for any project. You can also create a single landing page at no cost. If you want to add a paid membership or a blog in the future, the platform provides premium options. This platform caters to experienced professionals who excel in website building. Its features include an easy-to-use drag-and-drop editor and built-in SEO tools.
16. Zoho Suites
Zoho helps rapid deployers and innovative thinkers seeking a perfect website without needing a developer. You can register a custom domain name with Zoho, and it includes free, reliable hosting. Zoho offers the ability to drag, drop, and create. It also provides standardized color palettes and headers, along with attractive B2B and B2C templates.
17. Ucraft
Ucraft offers an advanced website builder that lets you fine-tune styles like fonts, colors, and spacings. They provide 24/7 chat support, a rare feature in the industry. SSL security is included at no extra cost, but the free plan limits you to 15 pages. Their cheapest paid plan, called Pro, starts at $10 per month and includes features like multilingual sites.
18. WebStarts
The platform efficiently serves individuals and enterprises looking to create a free website, online store, or blog. It provides everything you need, including a domain name, hosting, and a visual page editor for easy website customization. You can get a free domain name to share with the world, and your site will be live within minutes. It offers search engine-friendly features, CRM capabilities, and live expert support.
19. Mozello
Mozello provides a user-friendly website builder and eCommerce platform, allowing you to easily and quickly create a beautiful website or online store. It helps you achieve your goals with a high-performing site. However, Mozello only offers a free domain when you purchase its premium plan. Key features include mobile compatibility, marketing and SEO tools, and the ability to create content in multiple languages.
20. Mailchimp
Mailchimp, originally known for its email marketing tools, now offers a comprehensive range of marketing services. Its free website builder features a drag-and-drop editor with the same user experience as its email platform. You can access free themes, designed color palettes, or create your own to align with your brand. It allows you to create unlimited web pages and publish your site using the mailchimpsites.com domain at no additional cost.
In conclusion, the best free website maker sites for you depend on your specific needs. Website builders simplify the process of building and maintaining your brand’s website, but regular upkeep is essential for success. Some functionalities may be limited by plan tiers. While some free website builders offer basic functionality, most provide only minimal features for free and require upgrades for advanced tools like e-commerce, email marketing, and analytics.