Building a website used to require technical expertise, coding knowledge, and a sizable budget. Today, anyone can launch a professional-looking website in a matter of hours thanks to modern website builders. Even better, many of the best platforms offer free plans that allow you to get started without upfront costs. Whether you’re creating a personal blog, portfolio, online store, or business site, there are powerful tools designed to make setup easy and stress-free.
TLDR: The best website builders with free plans combine ease of use, attractive templates, and essential features without charging upfront. Wix, Weebly, WordPress.com, Squarespace, and Webflow stand out for their intuitive drag-and-drop interfaces and beginner-friendly tools. Free plans usually include branding and limited storage, but they’re perfect for testing ideas or launching small sites. Choosing the right one depends on your goals, design preferences, and future scalability.
What to Look for in a Free Website Builder
Before choosing a platform, it’s important to know what matters most. While “free” is appealing, not all free plans are created equal. Here are a few factors to consider:
- Ease of Setup: A true beginner-friendly platform should guide you step-by-step.
- Templates and Design: Modern, responsive templates make your site look professional instantly.
- Customization Options: Drag-and-drop editing, fonts, colors, and layout flexibility.
- Storage and Bandwidth: Free tiers often limit these resources.
- Branding: Many free plans display the platform’s logo or ads.
- Upgrade Path: Affordable premium options when you’re ready to expand.
If your goal is to quickly publish content or validate a business idea, free plans can be incredibly powerful stepping stones.
1. Wix – Creative Freedom Made Simple
Wix consistently ranks among the most popular website builders—and for good reason. Its intuitive drag-and-drop editor makes customization almost effortless. You can position elements exactly where you want them, offering more creative flexibility than many competitors.
Why Wix stands out:
- Over 800 professionally designed templates
- AI-powered site setup option
- Built-in SEO tools
- App Market for extra features
The free plan includes Wix branding and a Wix subdomain, but it’s perfect for personal projects, portfolios, or trial sites. If you want creative control without coding, Wix is one of the easiest platforms to start with.
2. Weebly – Straightforward and Reliable
Weebly is known for its clean interface and simplicity. Owned by Square, it integrates seamlessly with basic ecommerce tools, making it a strong contender for small online shops testing their products.
Key advantages:
- User-friendly drag-and-drop builder
- Basic ecommerce functionality on free plan
- Mobile-responsive themes
- Solid blogging features
The setup process takes minutes, not hours. While its design flexibility isn’t as advanced as Wix, it’s incredibly approachable for beginners who want a no-fuss experience.
3. WordPress.com – Ideal for Bloggers and Content Creators
Not to be confused with self-hosted WordPress.org, WordPress.com offers a hosted solution with a free plan. It’s particularly attractive for bloggers, writers, and content-focused websites.
What makes it special:
- Powerful content management system
- Built-in blogging and commenting tools
- Reliable hosting included
- Large theme selection
The free plan includes WordPress branding and limits plugin installation, but it provides a stable and scalable starting point. If your main focus is publishing articles or growing an audience, WordPress.com offers long-term flexibility.
4. Squarespace – Polished Design with Guided Setup
While Squarespace is better known for premium plans, it occasionally offers free trials and affordable entry-level options. Its polished templates make it a favorite among artists, photographers, and creatives.
Highlights include:
- Elegant, award-winning templates
- Integrated ecommerce tools
- All-in-one hosting and security
- Strong design consistency
Even though its free access is limited compared to others on this list, Squarespace excels in making websites look high-end with minimal effort. If design quality matters most, it’s worth exploring.
5. Webflow – More Advanced, Still Beginner-Friendly
Webflow bridges the gap between simple builders and professional web development. It offers a generous free plan for experimenting and building before launching.
Why choose Webflow:
- Pixel-level design control
- Visual coding interface
- CMS capabilities
- Hosting included on paid plans
Webflow can feel slightly overwhelming at first, but it provides a guided setup process and extensive tutorials. It’s ideal for users who want deeper customization without fully diving into code.
6. SITE123 – Fastest Setup for Complete Beginners
If speed is your priority, SITE123 lives up to its name. It simplifies the process into three main steps: choose your type of website, upload content, and publish.
Main strengths:
- Extremely fast setup
- Helpful onboarding wizard
- Multilingual site support
- Free hosting included
The design flexibility is somewhat limited compared to Wix or Webflow, but it’s a fantastic choice if you want something simple and live within the same day.
7. Jimdo – AI Website Creation in Minutes
Jimdo uses AI to generate websites based on your answers to a few quick questions. It’s particularly useful for small business owners who don’t want to manage intricate design settings.
Features include:
- AI-assisted design
- Mobile-optimized layouts
- Basic SEO tools
- Free plan with subdomain
The trade-off for ease is less custom design freedom, but it dramatically lowers the barrier to entry.
Common Limitations of Free Plans
Image not found in postmetaWhile free plans are attractive, understanding their limitations helps you avoid surprises. Most platforms include:
- Platform Branding: Advertisements or logos displayed on your site.
- Limited Storage: Restricted image and file uploads.
- Restricted Ecommerce: Limited or no payment processing.
- Subdomain URLs: Example: yoursite.platform.com instead of yoursite.com.
For hobby projects, small portfolios, or idea validation, these restrictions may not matter. However, businesses often upgrade once they gain traction.
How to Choose the Right Builder for You
Choosing a website builder isn’t about finding the “best” overall—it’s about finding the best for your needs. Ask yourself:
- Do I need ecommerce functionality now or later?
- How important is custom design flexibility?
- Will I publish blog content regularly?
- Do I want fast setup or advanced control?
If you value design freedom, go with Wix or Webflow. If blogging is key, WordPress.com is a reliable choice. For pure simplicity, SITE123 or Jimdo can get you live quickly.
Final Thoughts
The rise of website builders with free plans has democratized online presence. You no longer need technical expertise, large budgets, or weeks of development time to publish a professional website. From drag-and-drop editors to AI-powered setup tools, these platforms have turned what was once complex into something remarkably accessible.
Free plans are perfect for experimenting, learning, or launching passion projects. As your website grows, upgrading to a paid plan unlocks advanced features, custom domains, and professional polish. But until then, the options listed above offer powerful tools at zero initial cost.
With the right builder, your website can go from idea to live reality in just a few clicks. The only question left is: what will you create?
