Thinking of starting a new business is like planting a seed. But then comes the tricky part – building a website for it. Suddenly, it feels like you need a tech wizard and a pile of cash just to get started. But don’t worry! You are not alone and definitely not stuck.
Your website is your business’s online home. It’s a place where people come to visit, learn about what you do, and decide if they want to buy your products or services. In fact, 71% of small businesses have a website [source: businessdasher], which shows just how important it is to be online if you want to grow and compete in today’s digital world.
But here is some good news. You don’t have to be a tech-savvy person or spend money to get started. There are many free website builders available online, like a magical toolkit that gives you everything to create a professional-looking site.
No coding, no stress, and no cost.
But Before You Pick A Website Builder, Make Sure You Consider These Important Points
- Easy to use (drag-and-drop)
- Mobile-friendly
- Free templates
- No coding needed
- Option to upgrade later
- Bonus: Some even offer free hosting and SEO tools
Here Are The Top 10 FREE Website Builders For Startups
1#. Wix – The Creative All-Rounder
Best For: Creative freedom. [Suits all types of businesses]
Key Features Of Wix:
- It has over 900 templates and an app market.
- It is easy to use and comes with a drag-and-drop editor.
- It’s super flexible and beginner-friendly.
- It’s best if you want creative control of how your website should look.
Wix Limitations: Shows ads on the free plan.
Active Users: Over 263 million users worldwide [source: Wix]
Wix Free Plan Details:
- The free plans help you build a website with a ‘yoursite.wixsite.com’ URL, and some Wix ads will appear on your pages.
- You will get just enough space and speed to get started, along with basic help if you need it.
- If you like it, you can upgrade later.
2#. WordPress.com – The Blogging Powerhouse
Best For: Blogs and content-heavy sites.
Key Features Of WordPress.com:
- You get 1GB of storage with built-in SEO and blog tools.
- It is trusted by bloggers and creators.
- You can build almost any type of website.
- It is scalable and has a large community support.
- It’s powerful but can feel a bit more complex than some simple drag-and-drop tools.
WordPress.com Limitations: Limited design control on free plans.
Active Users: Over 160 million worldwide [source: WordPress]
WordPress.com Free Plan Details:
- With free plans, you get a website address that includes ‘yoursite.wordpress.com.’ You will see WordPress.com’s name and logo on your site and a small amount of space to upload your content.
- You can choose from simple designs and basic tools.
Did You Know: WordPress is used by 43.4% of all websites [source: Hostinger].
3#. Strikingly – The Single-Page Master
Best For: One-page websites.
Key Features Of Strikingly:
- You get a mobile-first design with a beautiful, simple, one-page website.
- It offers blogs and contact forms.
- It-has a super quick setup and modern-looking templates, and is best for showing one main idea or service.
- It is best for creating online business cards, landing pages [for specific products], and portfolios.
Strikingly Limitations: Limited customization.
Active Users: Over 12 million users globally [source: Strikingly]
Strikingly Free Plan Details:
- Its free plan allows you to create as many one-page websites as you want.
- Each site will show the Strikingly name/ logo, but there is a limit to how much content you can upload [currently 500 MB per site] and how many people can visit [5GB of traffic/ month].
4#. Google Sites – The Simple And Integrated Option
Best For: Google Workspace users.
Key Features Of Google Sites:
- It’s a part of Google Workspace, but easy to use and great if you rely on Google products for your business.
- It offers a drag-and-drop editor with an auto-save feature that syncs with Google Drive.
- You can do real-time collaboration.
- It integrates seamlessly with Gmail, Docs, and Drive and is best for internal sites or quick launches.
- It’s free with no ads if linked to a custom domain from Google Workspace.
Google Sites Limitations: Very basic design options, no e-commerce or advanced SEO.
Active Users: 3 million+
Google Sites Free Plan Details:
- Its free plan has limited customization, and you get a long Google Sites subdomain ‘sites.google.com/view/yourbusiness.’
- You can’t sell products or use advanced tools to improve your site’s ranking on search engines.
5#. Carrd – The Minimalist’s Dream
Best For: Personal sites and portfolios.
Key Features Of Carrd:
- It offers a one-page builder and has a simple UI.
- You get a clean, modern, fast-loading, fully responsive website.
- It’s known for its clean look and ease of use.
- It’s great for a strong call to action and has extremely affordable paid plans if you upgrade.
Carrd Limitations: No blog or store features.
Active Users: 3 million+
Carrd Free Plan Details:
- With the free plan, you can build up to 3 simple websites.
- Each website [free plans] will show ‘yourbusiness.carrd.co‘ in the web address, and you won’t be able to use your own custom domain.
- Tools like contact forms or extra features are not included in free plans.
6#. Webbly – The E-Commerce Friendly Starter
Best For: Small online stores.
Key Features Of Webbly:
- Webbly offers an easy-to-use drag-and-drop builder that focuses on helping small businesses who want to sell online.
- It’s user-friendly, has good templates, and offers basic e-commerce functionality on the free plan.
- It has a built-in shopping cart, square integration, and mobile-ready themes.
- It is great for selling products without needing a tech team.
Webbly Limitations: Fewer design updates in recent years.
Active Users: 25 million+ websites and 37K+ active users [source: Electroiq]
Webbly Free Plan Details:
The free plan includes the subdomain ‘yourbusiness.weebly.com.’ However, it has ads, limited storage [500 MB], and basic e-commerce features.
7#. Jimdo – The AI-Assisted Quick Builder
Best For: Fast setup with minimal input.
Key Features Of Jimdo:
- It is known for simplicity and uses an AI tool called ‘Dolphin’ to help you create a website in minutes.
- It-has a user-friendly editor with a built-in legal page generator [helpful for privacy policy] that suits online stores.
- It offers AI-assistant design with mobile optimization and SEO basics.
- You can answer a few questions, and your site is ready.
- It is a great option for non-tech founders.
Jimdo Limitations: Limited customization and templates.
Active Users: 69K+ businesses using it for e-commerce [source: 6sense]
Jimdo Free Plan Details:
- Their free plan will have the subdomain ‘yourbusiness.jimdosite.com‘ attached to your site name, and their logo/ name will appear on your site.
- You get a small amount of space to upload content [500 MB], and there is a limit on how much traffic your site can handle.
8#. GoDaddy – The Quick Business Launcher
Best For: Quick business sites.
Key Features Of GoDaddy:
- It is easy and fast to build a site and integrate it with GoDaddy’s other services.
- It-also provides e-commerce features on lower-tier plans.
- It offers templates, marketing tools, and analytics.
- It provides an all-in-one builder with business tools.
GoDaddy Limitations: Limited free plan features.
Active Users: 20 million+
GoDaddy Free Plan Details:
- You can create a website with free basic tools, and your web address will include ‘yourbusiness.godaddysites.com.’
- If you want a custom domain name or to set up an online store fully, you can switch to a paid plan starting at $9.99/ month. You can try a paid plan for free before deciding.
9#. Webnode – The Multilingual Friendly Builder
Best For: Global startups.
Key Features Of Webnode:
- It’s easy to use and has good basic websites along with fast loading speeds.
- It has a helpful AI wizard and an easy website editor with no need to code.
- You get multi-language support, a form builder, and SEO tools.
- You can easily create websites in many languages, making it ideal for international reach.
Webnode Limitations: Limited e-commerce and blogging tools.
Active Users: 149K+ live websites.
Webnode Free Plan Details:
- The free plan website URL will include ‘yourbusiness.webnode.com,’ and their name will appear on your site.
- You get 100MB to upload your content, and there is a limit on how much traffic your site can handle.
- You-can keep running the website for as long as you like.
- You can’t use your own domain name or set up email accounts [unless you upgrade].
10#. SITE123 – The 1-2-3 Easy Builder
Best For: Total beginners.
Key Features Of SITE123:
- It has a simple, 1-, 2-, 3-approach to website building.
- It’s great to launch a website quickly and without fuss.
- You get responsive designs, a guided setup, a mobile-ready design, and a free subdomain.
- It is best for fast setup, and the site is ready within minutes.
SITE123 Limitations: Basic design options.
Active Users: 3 million+
SITE123 Free Plan Details:
- With the free plan, your website will have ‘yourbusiness.site123.me‘ in the address, and you will see ads on your pages.
- You get 250MB of space to upload content, and there is a limit on how many people can visit your site each month.
- You can’t use your own domain name, but it’s a simple way to build a basic website for free.
Some Other Website Builders You Can Consider [4 Bonus]
1. Webador – The Easy European Choice
Best For: Simple business sites.
Key Features Of Webador:
- It’s a European-based website builder known for its incredible ease of use, making it ideal for beginners.
- It offers unlimited storage, a fast editor, and forms.
- It has clean layouts and no learning curve.
- It’s easy to learn, has fast loading times, and has a good selection of responsive templates.
- It claims 0% commission on your online store sales.
Webador Limitations: Large banner ads.
Active Users: 2 million+
Webador Free Plan Details:
- The free plan will have ‘yourbusiness.webador.com‘ included in the URL.
- You get unlimited pages, storage, and data traffic.
- You can upgrade to advanced features like custom domains, mailboxes, and full e-commerce capabilities at an affordable price of about $5/ month.
2. Elementor [Cloud] – The WordPress Designer’s Choice
Best For: Landing pages and design control.
Key Features Of Elementor:
- It is primarily designed to work as a plugin for WordPress.
- Google Cloud hosting and AI layout tools.
- It offers a pro-level design without coding.
- You can drag and drop design flexibility with a vast variety of templates and widgets.
Elementor Limitations: Learning curve for total beginners.
Active Users: 15 million+
Elementor Free Plan Details:
There is no free forever plan by Elementor, but you get a free trial before using paid plans starting at $2.99/ month/ website.
3. Webflow – The Powerful Visual Developer [Free Plan]
Best For: Designers and visual thinkers.
Key Features Of Webflow:
- You get full design control and animations, almost like designing in Photoshop, but for the web.
- It’s best for startups with design skills.
- It offers freedom for non-coders and is popular among startups that want a unique, high-quality design without hiring a developer from scratch.
Webflow Limitations: Steep learning curve.
Active Users: Over 3.5 million designers across 190 countries.
Webflow Free Plan Details:
- The free plan includes ‘yourbusiness.webflow.io‘ in the URL.
- You can design up to 2 projects for free with Webflow branding.
4. Mozello – The Multilingual E-Commerce Starter
Best For: Multiple language websites.
Key Features Of Mozello:
- This European website builder helps you create blogs, stores, and multiple languages for websites.
- It’s best for reaching global customers from day one.
Mozello Limitations: Limited templates.
Active Users: 1 million+
Mozello Free Plan Details:
- The free plan gives 500MB of storage, and the URL includes ‘yourbusiness.mozello.com‘ branding.
- It allows you to sell up to 5 products with PayPal payments.
- You can upgrade to affordable plans starting at $9/ month.
No Code, No Cost, Just Click And Create!
Getting your startup online does not have to be a big, scary, expensive project. All thanks to these awesome free website builders, who can help you create a site that looks great and works well.
Want lots of design freedom? Wix is the way to go. Need a simple one-page site? Carrd has your back. Planning to sell products online? Weebly makes e-commerce easy. There is truly something for all startups. You can start building the website today.
As your business grows, you can upgrade or add more features later. So, go ahead. Your future customers are out there, and your website is how they will find you.
