20 Free Website Builders For Small Business (2024)

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Having a business website is critically important in today’s digital ecosystem. It is almost impossible for a small business to succeed without establishing some sort of digital presence, whether it be a website, blog, social media or local listings online.

The good news is you don’t have to be a master businesswebsite builder to create your business website, and not every start-up can afford to spend money on a shiny, new website. You can use a free easy to use simple website builder to give your company a digital presence with all the basic tools you need to get up-and-running.

Business Website

Having a business website opens your company to more opportunities. Unlike your brick and mortar store which is limited by local customers, a website with eCommerce capabilities literally opens a world of customers to you. an online website builder, whether it is free or a premium version makes this possible.

The market is now full of free and premium tools individuals without any coding experience can use to create their business website.In 2010, Small Business Trends compiled a list of its top seven website building platforms. But a lot has changed since then, and so, here’s an update, a listing of 2018’s top 20 free business website builders.

20 Free Website Builders

1. Weebly

Weebly has been around for a while, and so it’s definitely one of the most popular website builders out there. There are no hidden costs involved in constructing a new website — and although premium and ecommerce versions do exist, a vast majority of small businesses are unlikely to need them. Weebly’s top feature is its intuitive, drag-and-drop interface that makes Web creationdead simple for even the most IT-challenged individuals.

2. Wix

Wix boasts a similarly easy-to-use interface, and is immensely popular because the site offers users hundreds and hundreds of free design templates to choose from. It doesn’t matter what industry you’re operating in. Chances are, Wix will have a free template that caters specifically to your needs. After selecting a template, the site’s drag-and-drop feature makes drafting your first website a quick and painless process.

3. Webs

Webs is an ideal website builder for small businesses because it offers an unrivalled level of SEO functionality. Built-in search indicators can help you to optimize your new website so that your small business starts to generate organic traffic quicker. The platform’s themes are well-designed. Changes can be made instantly and all of the layouts are relatively intuitive.

4. DudaOne

DudaOne is an innovative website builder that focuses largely on producing responsive mobile sites. It has a clear interface, intelligent social media integration and a great built-in analytics system. By setting up a free site, small business owners gain a fast, natively responsive website, Web hosting on Amazon Cloud and crucial community support. From there, users can upgrade to various business and ecommerce packages that come with multi-language sites, push notifications and unlimited product categories for online stores.

5. SiteBuilder

SiteBuilder is still one of the simplest and most intuitive website design tools available online. Its platform is incredibly user-friendly, and comes with all of the tools you’ll need to get a dynamic small business website immediately live. SiteBuilder also includes basic ecommerce features and premium plans with a wide range of custom design tools.

6. Squarespace

Squarespace is a professional website building platform designed largely for those operating within creative industries. The site has loads of high-caliber templates geared at photographers, musicians, writers and art venues. Squarespace’s templates are extremely visual-based — and although they aren’t quite as customizable as thetemplates some other platforms may offer, small business websites built on Squarespace are some of the Web’s most clean and responsive.

7. WordPress

WordPress is still a small business favorite, and for good reason. WordPress is one of the easiest building platforms for beginners, and it offers some of the Web’s most well-designed free templates. WordPress also comes with a wide selection of free analytics and SEO tools that make it fairly simple to keep track of how your site is performing. Bearing all that in mind, it’s little wonder around one in five sites on the Internet are now constructedusing WordPress.

8. Yola

Yola is a Web-based tool that makes life easy for small business owners who are after a simple, code-free way of producing a professional commercial website. Yola operates a drag-and-drop interface with fully-integrated social features and quite a few handy widgets. It’s worth pointing out that Yola’s free accounts don’t include access to the platform’s useful blogging tool — and so small business owners may ultimately need to go premium in order to unlock Yola’s full potential.

9. IM Creator

IM Creator is another simple drag-and-drop system that offers a wide range of professionally-designed Web templates that are hugely responsive. With IM Creator’s free package, users can take advantage of a second level domain and a respectable 50MB of storage. The platform also updates its selection of templates on a regular basis — meaning it’s a relatively quick and painless process to give your small business website a complete makeover.

10. Sitey

Sitey is an intuitive platform that offers small business owners incredibly professional-looking websites in the blink of an eye. With each free account, you’ll receive 50MB storage, 5MB file upload and 1GB worth of bandwidth. Better yet, you’ll gain access to Sitey’s database of excellent templates, image galleries and simple social media integration.

11. Jimdo

Jimdo is another well-established website builder, and is quite useful for those who are a little bit more comfortable with coding. Jimdo enables users to create free, mobile-friendly HTML5 sites. The platform’s top strength is its free online store as most website builders tend to charge an arm and a leg for this feature. Jimdo also offers a generous 500MB of storage and great customer support.

12. WebStarts

WebStarts provides a rapid solution for small business owners who need a website quick. The platform’s templates boast intelligent layouts, and its design interface is extremely easy-to-use. That said, those in need of a large website or more integrated features will most likely need to upgrade to a premium plan. WebStarts’ free version includes just 10MB of storage for a five page website.

13. Moonfruit

Moonfruit is home to some of the Web’s most creative design templates. The platform’s free version enables small business owners to create a website of up to 15 pages on a second level domain. But Moonfruit does a whole lot more than host a few free templates. It also enables you to create an optimized mobile version of your site, and can be fully integrated with your company’s social media profiles.

14. DoodleKit

DoodleKit offers some of the best editing functionality of any free website builder. Although its free version is limited, it does enable you to create a site up to five pages in under five minutes. You can also take advantage of the site’s free blogging platform, which is an immensely useful tool in order to expand your brand’s digital profile. DoodleKit includes a range of great design templates and hosts a useful forum that can help to inspire you when constructing your own site.

15. Voog

Established site Edicy has recently relaunched under the name ‘Voog’, but it’s still a fast and simple website builder that will help you to establish an online presence in the blink of an eye.Voog doesn’t come with the most all-encompassing user experience, but its free trial version does offer free lifetime hosting, generous storage space and allows you to register more than one editor in order to manage the site.

16. Mozello

Mozellois a website builder which lets you create multilingual sites for your business. According to the company, it’s the only free bilingual version on the market today. The free plan lets you build your own blog and features 500 MB of free.

See Also:5 Tips for Building a Great Website for Your Business

17. Webnode

Webnode offers a dynamic solution for small businesses in need of a simple, online store. The platform’s free ecommerce package includes 1GB bandwidth, 10MB storage space and enables you to sell up to 10 products. In order to expand that store, you’ll need to upgrade to one of Webnode’s premium packages — but its free offerings are ideal for a part-time micro-business.

18. emyspot

emyspot is an all-encompassing website builder with an attractive range of free features. A small business site on emyspot has got no page limit, and enjoys use of a blog and unlimited bandwidth. Meanwhile, the platform’s free version offers a generous 250MB worth of storage. Dynamic ecommerce templates are available for an additional fee.

19. GoDaddy

GoDaddy might be better known for its hosting services, but the company also offers a user-friendly website construction platform. GoDaddy users enjoy quite generous storage limits, and a clear, drag-and-drop interface. The platform also includes decent photo editing software. That being said, users will need to go premium in order to take advantage of GoDaddy’s ecommerce, mobile and blog features.

20. Zoho Sites

Zoho Sites is another useful drag-and-drop editor. It’s a crystal clear building tool, and includes an ecommerce upgrade that is fully integrated with PayPal. The platform’s top feature is definitely its form builder. Users can take advantage of an unprecedented level of fields. Including drop-downs, URLs and file uploads.

Before committing to a website builder, you should always do your homework. After all, no two businesses are alike, and so you’ve got to come up with an idea of what it is you’re after in a website. But once you’ve figured that out, it doesn’t matter what industry you’re operating in orhow comfortable you are with the Web. There’s definitelya website builder out there that’s perfect for you and your small business.

Photo via Shutterstock

20 Free Website Builders For Small Business (2024)

FAQs

Is there any completely free website builder? ›

Google Sites is the only website builder that is 100% free. They don't even offer paid plans.

What website builder can I connect a domain for free? ›

With Github (if you're a student), you can get a free custom domain and connect it to a website builder that allows custom domains for free (such as Shift4Shop, ConvertKit, Ucraft, and WordPress).

What is the safest free website builder? ›

  • The Best Free Website Builders of 2022.
  • GoDaddy.
  • Wix.
  • Mailchimp.
  • Weebly.
  • WordPress.
  • Webflow.
  • Ucraft.
13 Nov 2022

What is the best website builder for small businesses? ›

Here is the list of the best website builders for small business:
  • Wix.
  • HubSpot.
  • Websitesimple.
  • Squarespace.
  • Hostgator.
  • Weebly.
  • Shopify.
  • BigCommerce.

Is Wix permanently free? ›

The starting Wix plan is free forever but comes with ads. For ad-free plans you can upgrade to paid subscription starting at $8.50 per month. The premium plans offer advanced tools such as Site Booster, email campaigns, custom favicons and form builder.

Is Wix site really free? ›

Wix gives you everything you need to create a stunning website, including free web hosting. You can choose to get even more benefits and features by upgrading to one of our Premium plans.

How can I create a website free of cost? ›

  1. Wix. Website: www.wix.com. Free plan: Yes. ...
  2. Site123. Website: www.site123.com. Free plan: Yes. ...
  3. Square Online. Website: www.squareup.com. Free plan: Yes. ...
  4. Weebly. Website: www.weebly.com. ...
  5. Strikingly. Website: www.strikingly.com. ...
  6. Ucraft. Website: www.ucraft.com. ...
  7. Lander. Website: www.landerapp.com. ...
  8. Jimdo. Website: www.jimdo.com.
30 Nov 2022

Can I use my own domain with Wix for free? ›

Wix's free plan allows you to neither buy a custom domain from Wix nor connect a domain name that you bought elsewhere. All Wix free plan websites are hosted under Wix's subdomain – like YOURSITE.wixsite.com . Wix's Connect Domain plan allows to connect a custom domain name to your site.

How do I get a free website after buying a domain? ›

Here's a recap of the seven steps to take after you buy a domain name:
  1. Register for a web hosting plan.
  2. Connect the domain name to the nameservers.
  3. Create your website using WordPress or a website builder.
  4. Add website pages.
  5. Create an email address with your domain name.
  6. Submit your website to search engines.

Does Google offer a free website builder? ›

Yes! You can build a Google Site at zero cost. Plus, since it doesn't have pricing tiers, you get all of its features for free.

What is the easiest website to build for beginners? ›

Which Is the Easiest Website Builder for Beginners?
  • Wix — Best website builder for beginners.
  • Jimdo — Easiest website builder to use.
  • GoDaddy — Best for a quick initial set up.
  • Squarespace — Best design templates.
  • Zyro — Lowest cost option.
  • 1&1 IONOS — Best for multilingual websites.
6 Jul 2022

What is the easiest program to build a website? ›

The Best Website Design Software
  • Wix – easy to use editor with great support, beautiful templates and innovative features and apps, free plans available or from $16/mo.
  • Squarespace – a design oriented website builder, with templates that look good on all devices, from $16/mo.
24 Nov 2022

How do I create a free small business website? ›

How to create a free website
  1. ​Sign up for a free website builder. Choose what kind of website you want to create.
  2. ​Customize a template or get a website made for you. Choose your starting point.
  3. Drag and drop 1000s of design features. ...
  4. ​Get ready for business. ...
  5. Publish your website and go live. ...
  6. Drive traffic to your site.

How much should a beginner charge to build a website? ›

A simple website for small businesses can cost you between $100 and $500 to build. But this cost could increase depending on your goals. A custom-built website with lots of features can have a cost as high as $30,000 or more. To get started with a website for your business, you'll need a domain name and web hosting.

Does Wix take a percentage of sales? ›

Yes. Wix uses the industry-standard processing fee of 2.9% of the sale amount plus $0.30.

What happens after 1 year of free domain Wix? ›

The voucher entitles you to a free domain for one year. After that, you will need to pay for any additional years you want to add to your subscription. The voucher is valid for the following extensions: .com, .

What are the disadvantages of Wix? ›

The disadvantages of Wix
  • Free plan's Wix branding. ...
  • Disadvantages of Wix: No interchangeable templates. ...
  • No free tracking & analytics. ...
  • Hard to migrate data. ...
  • Disadvantages of Wix: Lacking SEO features. ...
  • Disadvantages of Wix: Hidden fees. ...
  • Poor customer support. ...
  • It's limited compared to WordPress.
1 May 2022

How does Wix make money if its free? ›

Wix makes money by displaying ads on free websites. These ads are usually displayed in the sidebars or header/footer of the site. If you upgrade to a premium plan, you can remove these ads from your website. Wix also makes money by selling premium plans that give users access to more features and storage.

Why am I being charged by Wix? ›

The automatic payment that was taken is most likely for the renewal of one of your subscriptions, such as your Premium plan, domain, Google Workspace mailbox or app upgrade. You can see exactly what the payment was for by checking your invoices. Click here to learn more about viewing your invoices.

How long do free Wix websites last? ›

You can use Wix for free for as long as you want; however, there are some limitations to using the free plan. For example, you'll have a Wix branded website and you won't be able to use your own domain name. Plus, you'll be limited to 500MB of storage and 1GB of bandwidth.

Is Godaddy free to use? ›

Your free, mobile-friendly site comes with built-in marketing and 24/7 support. Keep it free forever, or upgrade to a paid plan for more business-building features.

How much does Wix domain cost after free year? ›

2. Wix domain name cost (only free for first year of annual plans) Wix domains are free for the first year, after which most domains cost $14.95 per year.

Does Wix charge monthly or yearly? ›

Wix offers 3 Premium plan subscriptions for you to choose from. Longer plans offer better savings and additional benefits (e.g. a domain voucher), whereas shorter plans give you more flexibility. Monthly subscription: You are charged on a monthly basis. Yearly subscription: You are charged once for the entire year.

How much is Wix If you already have a domain? ›

Registing Your Domain Name With Wix

Registering a domain name with Wix costs $14.95 / year. Private Registration for your domain name costs an additional $9.90 / year.

Can you be sued for owning a domain? ›

If you take the domain name registrant to court and win, the court will order the domain name registrant to transfer the domain name to you and may award you money damages as well. A lawsuit is always an option, whether or not you pursue ICANN's dispute resolution process.

Is Google sites free with domain? ›

Create a website with your domain for $0. No coding skills necessary. Simply add text and drag and drop in your own photos, videos, and more. Your website will automatically work on both desktop and mobile — all with zero coding.

Do you get a free email when you buy a domain? ›

Many web hosting companies offer free email domains if you purchase one of their plans. Some of them are a real bargain, and you can easily connect them to your Gmail account. Alternatively, if you don't want any associated costs, there are other solutions that might suit you better.

Is WordPress still free? ›

WordPress is a free open-source platform, but it still comes with costs attached. The main cost associated with WordPress is hosting, which starts at around $3.95/month. Other common costs include domains, themes, and plugins.

Is Google my business website free? ›

Stand out on Google with a free Business Profile. Turn people who find you on Google Search and Maps into new customers with a free Business Profile for your storefront or service area.

What is the number 1 website builder? ›

  • The Best Website Builders of 2022.
  • Weebly.
  • GoDaddy.
  • 1&1 IONOS (MyWebsite)
  • Squarespace.
  • HostGator.
  • Wix.
  • Shopify.
28 Nov 2022

What is the simplest type of website? ›

Personal websites

Most personal websites are fairly simple, with images and a lot of text. Since personal websites are shared with friends, family, and colleagues manually, they don't typically require any lead generation tools or SEO.

How long does it take a beginner to build a website? ›

Looking over both development timelines, one can conclude that a simple website with content can be done in about a month, while large and complex projects may require months of work. From the initial planning to the launch, each stage may take more or less time. A site's purpose and complexity is a significant factor.

Is Wix or WordPress easier? ›

Is Wix easier to use than WordPress? Wix is easier to use than WordPress. Wix comes with an easy-to-use drag-and-drop editor, web hosting, SSL, themes, and everything needed to get a site up and running. On the other hand, you'll need to buy web hosting, SSL, themes, etc., for WordPress.

Can a beginner make a website? ›

As it turns out, learning how to build your own website is A LOT EASIER than you might think. Not only is it actually possible to build a website for free, but you can build one with virtually no coding experience. It's true and I will teach you how to make a website today in just 6 easy steps: Choose a Site Builder.

How do I create a website without a website builder? ›

How to make a website without a website builder
  1. Register a domain name. The first thing you'll need to do is select a name for your website. ...
  2. Select a host. Many experts will recommend selecting a web hosting provider separate from your domain registrar, but often the two come hand in hand. ...
  3. Choose to code or not to code.

Is starting a website worth it? ›

84% of today's consumers think a website makes your business more credible than companies who only have social media profiles. Your website is also the perfect place to show off any professional certifications or awards your business has.

How much should I pay someone to run my website? ›

If you choose to use a website builder, it could cost you as little as $6 per month, whereas using WordPress increases that monthly price to anywhere between $11 and $50. Hiring a website designer is the most expensive option, with an upfront price tag of over $10,000.

How many hours does it take to build a website? ›

The time it takes to develop a website ranges from 150 to 500 hours. The website building process will go through various stages if you are getting it built from a technical partner. The project discovery phase, design phase, development phase, and website improvements phase.

Does Wix report to IRS? ›

One of the questions we get asked often is whether Wix reports sales to the IRS. The answer is no. Wix does not report sales to the IRS. This is because Wix is not an ecommerce platform and does not process payments for goods or services.

Do I own my website on Wix? ›

For free sites: The owner of any sites or content is the owner of the Wix account under which the content was created. In most cases, the owner of the account is considered to be the person or entity who has access to the email address listed in Wix's records.

Do I need a business license to sell on Wix? ›

The answer is yes! You can sell products and services on Wix without a business license. However, there are a few things you should keep in mind.

Is squarespace free forever? ›

The website builder is accessible through a web browser and can be used on a desktop or a mobile device. PRO TIP: While Squarespace does offer a free trial, it is not free forever. Once the trial period is over, you will be charged for the subscription plan you choose.

Is Google sites free forever? ›

Google Sites is 100% free forever.

The first is if you want to use a custom domain – e.g., yoursite.com instead of sites.google.com/view/yoursite . Google Sites does not charge you to use a custom domain, but you will need to purchase the domain itself.

Why did Squarespace charge me $20? ›

When you create a new account on Squarespace, you are given the option to pay with a credit card or PayPal. If you choose to pay with PayPal, you are charged a 2.9% + $0.30 fee, which brings the total cost to $20.00.

Why is Squarespace so difficult to use? ›

In conclusion, Squarespace can be difficult to use because it is a complex platform with a lot of features and options. Additionally, the website builder is not well-organized, which can make it difficult to find what you're looking for.

What are the downsides of using Squarespace? ›

  • Customizing the sites can be highly UN intuitive.
  • Navigation for editing the sites can be difficult and frustrating.
  • Squarespace has different versions and it's hard to know which version you're on. You can't switch after you start making a site with one version.

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