Good news, you don’t need to spend a dime or know how to code to get online. In fact, WordPress powers over 43 % of all websites, and many entrepreneurs start with a free website builder before upgrading. We’ll walk through every step of free website making, from choosing a platform to publishing your site.
Key takeaway: You can build, customize, and publish a polished website at zero cost by choosing a free builder, picking a design template, and connecting your domain.
Compare free website builders
Before you dive in, explore top free website building sites. Here’s a quick overview:
| Platform | Free plan highlights | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Wix | 500 MB storage, Wix ads, subdomain | Portfolios, small shops |
| Weebly | 500 MB storage, Weebly ads, subdomain | Local businesses, service pages |
| WordPress.com | 3 GB storage, WordPress ads, subdomain | Blogs, content-rich sites |
| Google Sites | No ads, up to 100 MB pages, subdomain | Simple info pages, internal sites |
Weebly stands out as a free website builder for small business thanks to its built-in ecommerce features and intuitive editor. If you need a one-page landing spot, Google Sites can deliver a clean look without any ads.
Customize your design
Good news, templates can handle most of the heavy lifting. Explore free website templates and free website design templates to find a starting point that matches your brand. Then use free website design software or built-in editor tools to tweak:
- Colors and fonts to match your logo and style
- Layouts for clarity (keep menus and calls to action visible)
- Images that showcase your products, services, or personality
- Mobile view to confirm it looks great on phones
A clean, consistent design builds trust and keeps visitors engaged.
Launch and connect your domain
Most free builders give you a subdomain like yoursite.wixsite.com/name. That’s fine for testing or personal projects. To grow your brand, you might want a custom web address. Here’s how to get there:
- Choose a domain name that’s short and memorable
- Compare prices on registrars (often $10-$15 per year)
- Use your builder’s domain-mapping feature and follow its help guides
- If you prefer no-cost hosting under your own name, look for limited-time promos offering a free website domain
Using your own address looks more professional and helps with SEO.
Maintain and grow your site
Building your site is just the start. Keep it fresh and discoverable with simple routines:
- Update content regularly (blog posts, new projects, updated menus)
- Follow basic SEO: use clear headings, descriptive image alt text, and relevant keywords
- Track visitors with free tools like Google Analytics
- Link to your social media and encourage sharing
- Backup your site if the builder supports exports
Good news, maintaining a small site usually takes 10–15 minutes per week once it’s set up.
Quick recap and next step
- Compare top free platforms.
- Pick and tweak a template.
- Publish on a free subdomain or map your own domain.
- Add new content and monitor performance.
Ready to launch? Follow our step-by-step guide to create a free website, choose one platform, and start building your online presence. You’ve got this.
