Do you want to create a website for your brand, but don't know where to start? It can be easier than you think, and it's possible to develop it using a free website builder.You don't need to be an expert on coding or design to do that, many website builders already offer an intuitive interface.
You can use free pre-built templates, which gives you the necessary structure to start designing your pages. Use the website builder editor to customize details, like adding images and changing the colors and fonts.
It's possible to find free website builders that offer many features and enable you to take the first step towards expanding your business online. Enjoy that opportunity.
What Is a Website Builder?
A website builder is a service offered by many software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies that enable people to create their own pages online without having code or design skills.
It usually offers multiple tools in a single platform, where the website will be hosted and you can have access to a page editor to customize every piece of your website and, and update it regularly.
Many website builders provide pre-made templates with different themes, for example, for online stores, restaurants, hotels, businesses, portfolios, and blogs.
You choose the template that suits you better and personalize the page according to your needs by adding text, choosing the color palette, placing and sizing images, and much more.
To start using a website builder, you need to access the platform of your choice, create an account, and choose the plan that fits your needs. If you don't have a budget to enjoy a paid plan, it's possible to create websites for free, as many of those platforms offer free plan options.
What to Look for in a Free Website Builder
Easy-to-use Interface
If you are looking for a free website builder that doesn't require coding or design skills, it needs to have an intuitive interface, so you can easily navigate through it to enjoy the platform's features.
As it's for free, you can try more than one website builder and see which one suits you and your team better. Another tip is to look for customer reviews, so you can make your decision with more accuracy and without having to spend time testing more than one software.
Customization Tools
Pay attention if the free website builder of your choice gives you autonomy to personalize the pages as you wish. It should provide edition tools, such as a drag-and-drop editor where you can add content, and modify the page design elements.
Security
Free website builders must follow security protocols to guarantee your website data is protected. Having an SSL certificate, and HTTPS built-in makes a huge difference, also pay attention if the software offers the option to make a backup of your website. Security measures help with search engine optimization as well.
Storage Space
Usually, when you opt for a free website builder plan, the storage space and bandwidth are more limited, but it can be enough to begin. Besides, most of the platforms allow you to easily expand by choosing a premium plan when you feel the need.
Minimal Advertising
Commonly, free website builders put ads on your website, for example, Wix and WordPress do that, although Weebly and Strikingly don't. The most important thing is to avoid platforms that place an excessive amount of ads on your pages, in an intrusive way.
WordPress and Wix ads tend to be more subtle, and that helps to provide a better user experience. After all, it can be annoying to read a page where the content is full of ads, It can be very distracting and prevent the users from seeing the main content.
Ecommerce Functionality
Some free website builders don't offer the ecommerce functionality, and if you don't intend to sell online that won't be a problem, but if you do, pay attention to choosing a platform that allows you to build your store without having to pay for it.
6 Best Free Website Builders
1. Wix
With Wix, you can create your website, manage and develop content to keep enhancing it. You will find hundreds of pre-built templates to choose from, which can be customized using the drag-and-drop editor.
You can resize, rotate, align, and add new graphic elements. It's possible to have a website with different sections, like a blog, online store, portfolio, and online scheduling. Wix also helps you to make sure your website looks great on desktop and mobile devices by using responsive design.
Key features:
- Pre-built website templates
- Drag-and-drop editor
- SSL certificate
- SEO tools
- Analytics
- Responsive design
2. WordPress
Free website builders - WordPress
WordPress is one of the most popular website builders around the world and it also offers a free plan. To start, you can choose among thousands of customizable themes, and have different types of pages, a blog, portfolio, and an ecommerce, for example.
You can count on a fast and intuitive editor, which saves your work every few seconds. Use the drag-and-drop tool to add images and other graphic elements on each page. Share your blog posts on social media by automatically sending them to Facebook, and X.
WordPress also provides several SEO tools. Use the analytics features to keep track of your website performance, and get to know more about your customers' behavior.
Key Features:
- Customizable themes
- Mobile-friendly design
- 24/7 customer support
- Search engine optimized
- SEO tools
- In-depth stats
3. SITE123
Free website builders - SITE123
SITE123 is one of the best free website builders that offers multiple features such as responsive design, intuitive website editor, SEO tools, and free hosting. You can also create an online store and sell globally.
With just a few steps, it's possible to have your website running smoothly. Select a pre-built template, edit it to fit your brand, upload the content, review, and publish. If you have any questions or problems, you can count on the 24/7 customer support offered by the platform.
Key features:
- Intuitive website editor
- Responsive web design
- Free hosting
- SEO tools
- Sell online
- 24/7 customer support
4. HostGator
Free website builders - HostGator
HostGator provides solutions not only to create your website as you wish but also allows you to choose the shared hosting plan that suits your company better. It also offers a much more practical way to develop your website's design.
Instead of using a drag and drop editor, you will just need to answer some questions and the Gator Builder will automatically make your pages using an optimized layout and industry-specific design.
HostGator has analytics features as well, which enables you to measure and keep track of important metrics, understanding better your audience's behavior.
Key features:
- Intelligent builder
- Easy analytics
- Image Library
- Mobile responsiveness
- LogoMaker
- Search optimized
- 24/7 customer support
5. Webnode
Free website builders - Webnode
With Webnode, you can use predesigned pages and customize them by adding images and videos, changing colors and fonts, and inserting your brand's identity into it. It isn't necessary to download Webnode to your computer.
It's possible to set everything up online, and edit content using your smartphone. You have the option to create a new domain or use an existing one. The Webnode subdomain is for free.
You will also rely on safe and stable hosting servers, which enables you to get more space and higher bandwidth as your website traffic grows. Use the backup feature to make regular backups of your website and keep your data safe.
Key features:
- User-friendly website builder
- Reliable hosting
- SEO tools
- HTTPS for safe browsing
- Edit on any device
- Pre-built templates
- Responsive design
6. GoDaddy
Free website builders - GoDaddy
GoDaddy is a free website builder that allows you to develop your pages by selecting a pre-built template, editing it, then adding your content. In just a few minutes your website is ready to be published.
You can enjoy the backup feature, so you always have a backup of your site. Monitor your website performance by using GoDaddy web analytics features, you can track your search ranking, email campaigns, and orders, for instance.
Key features:
- Customizable themes
- Backup and restore
- Image library
- SEO tools
- Web analytics
- Marketing tools
- Sell on Facebook and Instagram
How to Create a Free Website?
The free website builders listed in this article follow a very similar process on how to create a website. First, you need to create an account. After that, you are going to select a pre-built template that fits the type of website and sections you wish to have, but you can develop a template in some cases, as well.
Once you have decided which template to use, it's time to customize it, for example, by adding text, images, videos, changing colors, resizing, and repositioning graphic elements. When finished, review the details, to make sure everything is set as you expected, then click to publish.
If your website also has an ecommerce, it takes more steps to make it available. You are going to need to set prices, payment, and shipping methods, among other things. But, usually, the website builders provide tools that will help you with that.
Don't forget to consider the SEO settings, for example, to create customized URLs according to the main keyword for each page, adding meta descriptions to your blog posts, and alt text to images.
Free Subdomain x Pay for a Domain
The domain name influences how easy it is for people to find your website, and remember its address. Free website builders usually offer the option to have a subdomain, for example, "www.yourcompany'sname.weebly.com". If you want a shorter address such as "www.yourcomany'sname.com", it's necessary to pay for it.
But, paying for a domain name can be worth it since you will be able to customize it as you wish, and register it, so no one uses the same domain. A good domain name helps to keep your brand website in the users' minds, the tip is to avoid using words that are hard to spell, and special characters.
If you aren't prepared to pay for a domain yet, you can start using a subdomain, and change it as your business and online presence grows.
Free Website Builders: FAQ
1. What is the best free website builder?
There isn't one best free website builder for everyone, it depends on your criteria and necessities. It's importatn to take into consideration what you value most about a website builder. Each case neeeds to be analyzed individually.
2. Are free website builders secure?
Yes, they are. The best free website builders follow security measures and offer tools to assure user data is stored securely, and that people can browse through your website and provide personal information without risks.
3. How long does it take to build a website?
It depends on the website builder you choose, and the type of website you want to create. If you wish to have a more personalized design or need to install several plugins before launching it, for example. But, in some cases, it's possible to have a website in 30 minutes.
4. Is it worth it to use a free website builder?
Using a free website builder may be worth depending on your needs or if you want to just make the website to test and then invest in a paid plan as it grows, for instance. The free plans have some limitations, but they are an interesting alternative if you don't have money to invest on a paid plan.
Selecting the Best Free Website Builder
Enjoy the opportunity of using a free website builder to have a website for your business. Nowadays, it's fundamental to cultivate a presence online, even if you don't plan to sell on the internet.
When a company has a well-constructed website, full of relevant content, it helps to build brand awareness, and authority, and expand its audience.
But, before starting to use the free website builder of your choice, make a plan of how to develop the looks and content of your pages. Study your target audience and define what you aim to achieve with your website.
