In today’s digital world, having a business website isn’t an option. It’s a must.
An online presence is the digital equivalent of a calling card or listing on a phone book’s yellow pages. It increases brand awareness and allows you to display products and services online.
Unfortunately, not all businesses see the benefit of having a website. A survey commissioned by Top Design Firms found that 27% of small businesses don’t have one — and the top reasons holding them back from getting one are cost and lack of technical know-how.
But here’s the good news: there are plenty of high-quality options for free website builders, many of which require little to no coding knowledge.
If you don’t know where to look, don’t worry. We’ve compiled 14 of the best free website builders. They offer robust functionality like SEO benefits, embedded analytics systems, mobile optimization, and professional-looking templates.
These builders are the next best thing if you’re on a tight budget. Better yet? Most of the free website builders we’ll show you have paid options if you need additional features as your business grows.
1. HubSpot Drag-and-Drop Website Builder
Designing a beautifully branded website doesn’t have to be complicated. If you’re taking the DIY-route to create your own website and don’t have coding experience, consider trying HubSpot’s drag-and-drop website builder.
It comes with everything you need to build a website, including content management system (CMS) tools, themes and templates, security features, and a built-in content delivery network (CDN) to ensure pages load quickly.
It also connects easily with HubSpot CRM. That lets you integrate contact forms, live chat requests, and more, making it ideal for businesses already using HubSpot’s CRM tool.
Features:
CMS tools
Themes and templates
Built-in security features
Free SSL certificate
Ability to connect to a custom domain
Advantages:
Personalization (thanks to HubSpot CRM)
Security
Responsive themes and templates
Disadvantages:
Multi-language blog functionality is still being implemented
No built-in e-commerce functionality
You’ll need to learn HuBL (HubSpot’s templating language) to build custom modules and coded templates.
Pricing: Limited free plan available. The premium CMS plans with additional features start at $23/month when billed annually.
Brands using HubSpot:
Botkeeper
ProArch
Eternal Works
2. Wix
With over 200 million users, Wix is one of the most popular free website builders. The easy-to-use, fully-hosted platform offers an easy drag-and-drop editor, an extensive collection of apps, and professional-looking templates. Wix can even propose a design for your site using its Artificial Design Intelligence (ADI) software, Editor X.
Features:
Drag-and-drop editor
Large collection of apps and templates
Analytics and reporting
Advantages:
Easy to use
Large collection of apps and templates
Optimized for mobile
Disadvantages:
The free version displays ads.
The premium plans are pricey when compared to others on this list.
Unable to switch templates when the site goes live. The only way to change templates is by creating a new site and transferring your premium plan to it.
Pricing: Limited free plan available. Premium plans start at $16/month when billed annually.
Brands using Wix:
Cotton’s Restaurant
Cau Steakhouse
P.S. & Co.
3. WordPress.com
WordPress is the world’s most popular free website builder, with a 43% market share in the content management space. When building websites with WordPress, you have two options: WordPress.org and WordPress.com.
WordPress.org lets you download WordPress’s open-source software so you can build and customize a website to fit your needs. However, there are a few caveats. Not only will you need a domain name and hosting before you get the website going (which comes at a cost), but you’ll also need to learn how to maintain and keep the website secure on your own.
In contrast, WordPress.com is much more beginner-friendly. It’s a fully-hosted free website building service offered by Automattic that uses the WordPress framework to provide a smooth website creation experience.
The only downside is that the free version is far less customizable than WordPress.org. For instance, you can’t customize plugins, and domain names are limited to [yourname].wordpress.com.
Still, WordPress.com’s free version empowers you to create visually stunning websites, blogs, and landing pages using the Classic Editor or the powerful new Gutenberg block-based editor. Below is an example of one of its pre-designed block-based templates:
Besides that, you can add assets like contact forms, videos, and embedded content to WordPress pages using plugins, an add-on feature compatible with WordPress but usually managed by another company.
For example, HubSpot offers a WordPress marketing plugin that lets you capture contacts through WordPress and track them in HubSpot’s free CRM.
Features:
Large collection of themes and plugins
Mobile-friendly and optimized for SEO
Managed website hosting and security
Advantages:
Customizable
Flexible
Mobile and desktop apps available
Disadvantages:
The free version displays ads.
More limitations compared to WordPress.org
Although intuitive, it’s more difficult to learn than other drag-and-drop builders.
Pricing: Limited free plan available. Premium plans start at $16/month when billed annually.
Brands using WordPress.com:
Anytime Fitness Australia
Activity Hero Blog
Outsource School
4. Elementor Website Builder
While WordPress makes site building beginner-friendly, WordPress page builders make refining your website and achieving your dream design easier.
Trusted by over 5,000,000 users, Elementor is a no-code drag-and-drop page builder that’s a great option for getting a customized WordPress site off the ground quickly. Choose from hundreds of mobile-optimized page templates without worrying about the underlying code.
Features:
Drag-and-drop builder
Live editing
Large library of mobile-responsive templates
Multiple partners building templates and add-ons for Elementor (e.g., Astra)
Advantages:
Beginner-friendly
Live editing
Third-party integrations
Disadvantages:
Limited functionality on the free plan
Compatibility issues with some plugins and themes
Pricing: Limited free plan available. Premium plans start at $49/year (without hosting).
Brands using Elementor:
Itho Digital
Australian Cosmetic Institute
Children and War Foundation
5. Webnode
With over 40 million users, Webnode is one of the more popular website builder tools for a good reason. It’s affordable, easy to use, and supports multilingual websites — up to 20 different languages.
Webnode is perfect for personal, professional, and small business websites, as it supports e-commerce stores.
Features:
Pre-designed templates
Ecommerce support
Mobile-ready
Advantages:
Multilingual support
Mobile-responsive pages
Backup and restore features
Disadvantages:
Webnode doesn’t come with a built-in app store, making it more complicated to add extra functionality to the website
Limited customization options
Limited blog and e-commerce functionality
Pricing:Limited free plan available. Premium plans start at $3.90/month when billed annually.
Brands using Webnode:
We-Eatse
20 Something Lessons
Craffox
6. Jimdo
Founded in 2007, Jimdo is a German-based company that provides AI-powered website builder tools for independent small businesses. The builder, Dolphin, asks users questions and suggests designs based on their answers. If you’re curious about what these AI-powered designs look like, Jimdo showcases a few examples on its page.
With 500 MB of space, you’ll likely have more than enough space to build your site, and it even provides HTTPS/SSL encryption, meaning your visitor’s information will be kept safe. Plus, you can integrate your site seamlessly with social media accounts.
Jimdo is also an excellent option for international companies because it lets you create mobile-optimized websites in over nine languages.
Features:
AI-powered website builder
SSL encryption
GDPR-compliant
Mobile app available
Advantages:
Easy to use
Mobile-responsive
Fast load speeds
Disadvantages:
Limited range of available features
Few design options
Pricing: Limited free plan available. Premium plans start at $9/month when billed annually.
Brands using Jimdo:
Curio Styles
Living Ginger Designs
Zaven Store
7. Mozello
Mozello has all the basic features you need to build a website: a drag-and-drop editor, template library, and even supports ecommerce functionality. One of the biggest selling points for Mozello is that the builder allows you to create a multilingual site for free.
You can check samples of websites built on Mozello on its portfolio page.
Features:
Drag-and-drop website builder
Template library
Advantages:
Easy to use
Support for multilingual websites
Ecommerce functionality
Disadvantages:
The drag-and-drop builder isn’t as intuitive as some others on this list.
Limited design customization
The free version displays ads
Pricing: Limited free plan available. Premium plans start at $8/month when billed annually.
Brands using Mozello:
8. Yola
Founded in 2007, Yola is a free website builder built to eliminate the hassle of creating a website.
It comes with a drag-and-drop builder, hundreds of customizable and mobile-optimized templates, and pre-designed blocks that allow you to create all kinds of websites — even online shops.
Features:
Drag-and-drop website builder
Free customizable templates
Support for multilingual websites
Advantages:
Ecommerce features available
Social selling features
Mobile-optimized
Disadvantages:
No blogging feature
The free version displays ads
Navigation and design limitations
Pricing: Limited free plan available. Premium plans start at $4/month when billed annually.
Brands using Yola:
9. Weebly
Weebly is an open-source software-as-a-service (SaaS) that offers web hosting, domain registration, web design, and e-commerce functions, making it suitable for businesses and startups. For a free website builder, Weebly’s particularly flexible — it’s compatible with every device and platform and easy to use.
Like Wix, Weebly has drag-and-drop functionality, an integrated CMS solution, and hand-coded HTML files. The in-house editor comes with SEO tools and Google Analytics.
Features:
Drag-and-drop editor
Integrated CMS solution
Free SSL certificate
SEO tools
Analytics and reporting
Advantages:
Helpful SEO resource tools
Good selection of paid and free apps in the app center
The free plan has e-commerce functionality
Disadvantages:
Limited choice of themes
The free and basic paid plans display ads.
Limited SEO functionality
Pricing: Limited free plan available. Premium plans start at $6/month when billed annually.
Brands using Weebly:
Caribeans Coffee and Chocolate
Kerlin BBQ
Argyle Yarn Shop
10. Webflow
While most of the other builders in this list are for people without a ton of coding knowledge, Webflow specifically targets advanced users, designers, and agencies that require a solution that gives them more design freedom than traditional website builder tools.
Although it’s a complex tool, Webflow tries to make it as easy as possible to get your business online. Webflow has a robust set of resources to help you — blog posts, forums, FAQ sections, and a library of websites built on Webflow that you can check for reference.
Features:
Drag-and-drop website builder
Widgets to add features like maps and media
Third-party integrations
Advantages:
Offers complete control over your site’s design
Drag-and-drop what-you-see-is-what-you-get (WYSIWYG) builder
Responsive interface
Disadvantages:
Purely a website builder. After building a website on Webflow, you need to transfer it to a content management system.
Requires some knowledge of HTML and CSS to access full features
It has a complex free and paid plan structure. You need to sign up for both a Site and Workspace plan.
Pricing: Limited free plan available. Premium plans start at $12/month when billed annually.
Brands using Webflow:
Michael Kors
Craft.do
Hologram.io
11. Ucraft
Ucraft is one of the more advanced and generous website builders on the list. Like the others, it’s got a drag-and-drop editor, a good selection of templates, and supports e-commerce functionality.
However, Ucraft stands out because it lets you connect an existing custom domain name with its free plan. It also comes with an SSL certificate and unlimited storage. Ucraft’s portfolio page shows sample websites built by its clients.
Features:
Drag-and-drop editor
Free hosting
Ecommerce functionality
Advantages:
Allows you to connect an existing domain name for free
Decent selection of free templates
Includes SSL and unlimited storage on free plans
Disadvantages:
Sporadic loading issues and bugs.
It has a steeper learning curve than most website builders on this list.
Pricing: Limited free plan available. Premium plans start at $10/month when billed annually.
Brands using Ucraft:
Yohji Yamamoto
TES Models
Kaffa
12. SITE123
True to its name, SITE123 lets you build a website in as easy as one, two, and three steps. After setting it up with a one-click installation wizard, you can customize your SITE123 website with a free library of images, graphics, and templates.
Moreover, SITE123 offers web hosting, domain registration, and 250 MB of storage space, so you won’t feel pressured to switch to a paid plan.
Features:
Free hosting and domain
Mobile-responsive design
Free image and icons library
Advantages:
Easy to use
Multilingual support
24/7 tech support
Disadvantages:
No drag-and-drop function
Limited storage on the free plan
Lacks advanced customization features
Pricing: Limited free plan available. Premium plans start at $5.80/month when billed annually.
Brands using SITE123:
Chocolate Bunnie Events
Better Living Nutrition
13. Strikingly
Launched in 2012, Strikingly is one of the newer website builder tools on the list. It helps users build websites with no programming skills required and sets itself apart from competitors by specializing in single-page websites such as portfolios, event pages, or landing pages.
The free plan includes unlimited free sites, a modest 5 GB monthly bandwidth, 500MB storage, and a branded domain.
Features:
Library of mobile-optimized templates
Ecommerce tools
Analytics
Advantages:
An affordable option for those who want to create multiple sites
Best for creating single-page websites
Responsive support team
Disadvantages:
No drag-and-drop function
Limited SEO functionality
Pricing: Limited free plan available. Premium plans start at $8/month when billed annually.
Brands using Strikingly:
14. GoDaddy
While GoDaddy is a brand synonymous with affordable web hosting and domains, it’s expanded its offerings to include an all-in-one website builder tool for beginners and small business owners that have purchased hosting and domains.
The website builder is basic, but it has everything you need to build a functional website, including a drag-and-drop editor, simple and clean templates, an SSL certificate, and social media tools.
Features:
Drag-and-drop website builder
Marketing and analytics dashboard
24/7 customer support
Advantages:
All-in-one solution
Easy to use
Mobile-optimized
Fast page load speeds
Disadvantages:
Limited SEO features
Limited app store features
Having your own web hosting and domain carries an initial cost
Pricing: Limited free plan — upgrade features at your own pace. Premium plans start at $9.99/month when billed annually.
Brands using GoDaddy:
Coco River Organics
Women Working in Technology
San Gabriel Valley Humane Society
Website Builder Features You Need
Choosing a website builder tool is easier when you know what you’re looking for. Here are 14 features to look out for:
1. Themes and Templates
Having an assortment of fully customizable website themes and templates on the website builder’s theme marketplaces makes it easier for users to change their site’s look.
In that sense, website builders should have theme options that cater to specific niches so users don’t waste time creating new templates from scratch. For example, the website builders on our list have options for blogs, portfolio websites, e-commerce websites, and more.
Templates should be pre-structured and pre-populated with images, text, and other elements commonly found on pages like the Homepage, About page, or Contact page. All you need to do is pick one and replace the sample content with your own.
Themes and templates should be easy to customize — with multiple options for backgrounds, layouts, fonts, and colors.
2. WYSIWYG Editor
Besides an assortment of themes and templates, the best website builder tools make it easy for users to customize their websites with drag-and-drop tools and what you see is what you get (WYSIWYG) editors.
There’s no need to learn how to code when you can update your site in a few clicks. Simply drag-and-drop elements to the page and see the changes implemented to your website immediately.
3. Malware Scanning
Security is a top consideration when choosing a website builder.
Security features vary depending on the website builder tool you select, but consider it a keeper if it offers malware scanning. Automated malware scanning allows you to address threats before it progresses into something catastrophic proactively.
4. Web Application Firewall (WAF)
A web application firewall (WAF) is another must-have security feature.
It often sits between your web server and the internet to protect your website from common attacks like SQL injections and cross-site scripting (XSS) by filtering, monitoring, and blocking malicious traffic from entering the network.
WAFs can come in the form of software-as-a-service (SaaS), and you can customize them to meet your website’s unique needs.
5. Content Delivery Network (CDN)
Besides site security, you should also consider optimizing for page speed. After all, it affects everything from customer experience to conversions and revenue.
According to Portent, a site that loads in one second has a conversion rate 5x higher than a site that loads in 10 seconds.
There are many ways to improve page speed, and a content delivery network (CDN) is one way to do it. CDNs store heavy and static content on distributed servers located worldwide and load the cached content from a location nearest to the user to speed up its delivery.
6. Web Hosting
What good are website builders when they can’t get your website online?
Some solutions only offer website builder tools to build your site — you have to pay separately for web hosting services to get your site online.
The best website builders make it convenient to start websites by offering web hosting. Free website builders offer limited bandwidth and storage — just for personal use. You can upgrade to shared, dedicated, or managed hosting for an additional fee.
7. Storage
Web hosting works by providing two services: bandwidth and disk space (or storage).
Most free website builders offer ample (limited) storage for a beginner site but require you to purchase additional storage should you need it.
8. Blogs
People often confuse websites and blogs with each other — they’re similar but not the same.
A blog is a type of website that contains information about different topics. They’re often updated with new articles or posts, while websites only receive updates when needed. In a nutshell, all blogs are websites, but not all websites are or have blogs.
Organizations build websites for different reasons: to sell, showcase a portfolio, or inform — and for those reasons, a blog can be helpful.
Blogs can help your website by:
Increasing visibility through SEO
Generating new leads
Building trust and loyalty
Creating brand awareness
Most free website builders come with basic blogging tools and post creation and comment management features.
9. SEO Capabilities
According to BrightEdge, 53% of traffic comes from organic search.
If you want to bring in more traffic and views, your website needs to be search engine-optimized.
Most website builders help with technical SEO by offering free SSL certificates and supporting schema markup and XML sitemaps. They also support on-page SEO by allowing you to enter and modify URLs, meta tags, and image alt attributes.
10. Customer Support
While using website builder tools, you’ll likely run into a problem you can’t troubleshoot. That is where customer support comes in.
Customer support assists you with anything you need help with — technical, sales, billing, payments, or experiences. Depending on the website builder, assistance can come in any (or a mix) of the following channels:
The best website builders keep a mix of channels and answer inquiries promptly.
11. E-commerce Capabilities
Are you planning on selling physical or digital products in the future? Consider choosing a website builder tool with e-commerce capabilities.
There are dedicated e-commerce website builders, but these are often paid solutions with robust functionality such as apps for payment and shipping.
Free website builders often integrate with a third-party e-commerce application or support a simple built-in store.
12. Third-party Integrations
There’s nothing worse than realizing your existing tech stack doesn’t work with the website builder you chose. Thus, it’s crucial to consider whether a website builder allows third-party integrations.
Your website builder should integrate with external tools, such as email marketing, e-commerce, and social software.
13. Media (Video, Photo, Audio, Graphics)
Solely having text on your website can be monotonous, so including different forms of media helps break up text and can help information stick because not everyone learns the same way.
Some website builders offer more robust media capabilities, with multiple gallery layouts, customization options, and editing features.
14. Analytics and Reporting
Your website builder should also have an analytics and reporting function to measure important metrics like the site’s popular pages, bounce rate, average duration per visit, and more.
Picking Your Website Builder
There you have it! Since most of these website builders are free, try out a couple if you’re unsure of the best fit. In particular, take note of what you really want to get out of your site to ensure your needs will be met by one of these builders.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in November 2018 but was updated in October 2019 for comprehensiveness.