In today’s digital environment, a business website is essential. An enterprise cannot succeed without establishing a digital presence . This applies to any type of digital presence : website, blog, social media channel or local listing online.

You might be tempted to believe that there is no free lunch. However, a website builder is free! We can help!

We’ve collected the best 11+ free website builders so that you don’t have to spend a lot to create a stunning website.

Are you ready to explore?

Let’s get started!

What does a website builder do?

Website builders are a tool or platform that lets you create a website without the need to design it or code any lines.

Site builders are designed to be easy to use. They have many drag-and-drop functions, preset styles, templates, and other options. This will allow you to create your layout and style and integrate your brand’s content and elements with a little bit of effort and some helpful tutorials.

Website builders are available in online and offline formats. The main difference is an internet connection.

• Online website builder. An online website builder can be downloaded instead of being downloaded from a builder’s site.

• Online website builder. Your computer stores your files on the offline builders until you’re ready to upload them. Although you can still work offline on your website, it will require some technical knowledge and experience. A plan must be purchased separately from your web host.

The website builder works basically like this: 

1. Choose the template that best suits your needs from your website builder’s collection.
2. Modify the templates’ built-in elements.
3. To personalize your website, add your content (texts and images, videos, social buttons)
4. Publish!

The benefits of using a website builder to help your business

Reduced time

Both designing your website yourself or hiring a web developer have one thing in common: It takes a lot of time to finish the product.

You will need to spend lots of time testing code and writing code to make sure your website works correctly. You might also have to wait several weeks if you hire a web developer.

In a matter of hours, a website designer can create a functional, attractive, and viable site.

Lower cost

It is no surprise that it is much cheaper to hire a web designer or have them do the work for you.

While some website builders come with hosting, others cost $5-$40 per month. It is easier to budget for a website builder than hiring a skilled professional.

Less room for errors

The website builder is pre-coded so there are fewer errors. Because they complement each other, the pieces you combine will work. You’re not trying to create new pieces for a website, but rather integrating pieces that have been tried and tested many times before.

Very little design or technical skills are required

We are all not computer wizards, let’s face it. That’s okay!

To use a website builder, you don’t have to be a web developer, graphic designer guru or even know HTML. Website builders have a great template library. These templates are integrated with clear designs, color theory and functional processes. These templates do the majority of the work for you so you don’t have to.

Maintenance is easy

Your website must evolve with your business. This could include adding new pages or products to your product line. It’s easy to make changes to your website with the drag-and-drop editor and user-friendly interface of the website builder.

More choices and flexibility

Are you worried about being stuck with a generic site that looks the same as every other.com? Don’t.

A great website builder will help you stand out among the rest. You can make your website unique with a wide range of layouts, design elements and customization options.

You can choose from many starter templates.

• Fonts

• Backgrounds

• Choose from a variety of colors

• Formatting

• Elements to Include on Every Page (texts and images, videos sign-ups, social sharing buttons, CTA buttons etc.)

• These elements should be placed in the right place

7 criteria to choose a free website builder

The needs and experiences of each user will determine what makes a website builder a good one. Website builders share several common characteristics that almost everyone agrees define their quality.

The essential features are listed below.

Use it quickly

The best website builders should make it easy to set up a website. If you are unsure of which website builder to choose, ensure that you pick one with an intuitive editing tool. This will allow you to quickly customize your website to look exactly how you want.

Drag-and-drop functionality can be a great feature to look out for. It allows you to move pages around in a matter of seconds, and is accessible by anyone, regardless of how much experience they have with web design.

You should also be able to edit existing content, change colors and upload media without needing any special skills.

Templates of high quality

Your audience can see a poorly designed website from miles away. You have one chance to make a good first impression. Choose a website builder that is clean, modern, mobile-friendly and customizable. Website builders generally involve a target audience in the creation of website template to consider the opinions of the audience at this stage of creating templates.

Options for customization

While templates and themes can make website creation easier, you still want to be original. Good website builders should offer many options for customizing your website.

You can add pages to your site, upload images, change colors and add buttons. Icons in all sizes and shapes are also possible. It is important to create something that represents you brand. Choose a website builder with lots of options to personalize the template you choose to make it your own.

Flexible options

It can be difficult to determine which devices people use to access your website. Mobile-friendly websites will work on all devices. A responsive website is the best way to achieve this.

Your website builder should make it easy to make your site responsive. Every element should be automatically organized to look great on any screen that a visitor may view.

Analytics and SEO tools

The web is a critical part of company growth. It’s important to keep track of how they perform on the internet. With analytical tools business owners can now track every interaction that a potential customer makes with their website.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO), tools that increase visibility on search engines can help a company have a higher likelihood of “popping-up” for a particular search.

This brings us to the next point: A great website builder must integrate these elements and explain them to users.

Social sharing features

The best case scenario is for customers to connect with you in multiple ways. Your site builder should allow you to display and link to social media icons to encourage visitors to your website – regardless of whether they are Instagrammers, Tweeters, or Facebookers. You should ensure that your social media platforms are seamlessly integrated into the builder you choose.

Good customer support

If you have any problems with your website or after it is live, you will want someone to assist you quickly. A website builder who offers 24/7 support and is available to help customers when they need it.

Although customer service is unlikely to be needed, it’s important to know that it’s available and reliable in case you do.

The top 11+ best free website builders

1. Shopify

In 2004, a young German man living in Canada started selling snowboards online. He quickly realized that other people could use his E-commerce platform.

Flash forward several years and Shopify is one of the most popular E-commerce tools available today. It has over 800,000 online shops, offices all around the globe, $63 billion in sales and more than 3,000 employees.

Shopify is an easy-to-use website builder for E-commerce. After you select your theme, there are very few design options and customizations, which can be good or bad. Shopify was built to help people focus more on business than website-building. Although it has all the necessary features for retailers, such as upsell options and promotion options, its design options are very limited. Shopify’s templates are attractive, but they may not be for you if your preference is unique or original design.

Pros:

• Interface that is user-friendly

• It is lightning fast to set up (although it may take longer if there are many products).

• All the features you need to sell, some already built in and others available as add-ons

• An all-inclusive package includes hosting

• Great for social media integration

• Customer satisfaction scores high

• Support available 24/7 by phone

Cons:

• Limited design options and templates make it difficult to customize.

• Shopify does not charge a transaction fee if you use Shopify Payments (not all locations).

• When you change themes, content doesn’t automatically transform

• Apps can become more expensive as you add additional features.

Pricing plans:

• Shopify Lite: $9 per month
• Basic Shopify: $29/month
• Shopify: $79/month
• Advanced Shopify: $299/month
• Shopify Plus: $2,000 – $40,000/month

Recommended for:

• Serious retailers who want to concentrate on sales and not design

• Amateur sellers and newbies who get their feet wet in E-commerce

2. BigCommerce

BigCommerce was founded in Australia by two Texans. They quickly expanded to San Francisco and Austin. BigCommerce is one of the most popular E-commerce platforms worldwide. It has over 100,000 stores and generated more than $17 billion in sales.

BigCommerce was specifically created for large retailers. New stores and startups will have to pay for extras and features they don’t require. It has everything for most retail businesses. 

Pros:

• The most scalable website builder

• There are more built-in features than any other competitor

• There are no transaction fees

• Solid SEO features

• Advanced sales options like cart abandonment tools and product reviews, as well as coupons, are available

• Unlimitless product variants

Cons:

• Steady learning curve

• Expensive

Pricing plans:

• Basic: $29.95/month
• Plus: $79.95/month
• Pro: $249.95/month

Recommended for:

• Expanding existing E-commerce businesses

• Enterprise retailers

3. Squarespace

Squarespace is the best choice if you want to build professional websites. Squarespace is a website builder that offers the highest quality designs and features. Although it may take some time to get used, the end results are well worth the effort.

Squarespace’s newest version 7.1 adds new features such as a Cover Page Builder, Getty Images and G Suite. However, the editor’s ease-of-use is the most important aspect. Editing live content is now possible without having to switch between preview mode and the site manager.

Pros:

• There are many out-of-the box features available

• Beautiful visuals and well-designed templates

• Mobile-responsive templates

• Integrations available with popular apps such as MailChimp and Open Table.

• Mobile editor

• 24/7 customer support

Cons:

• You can’t install plugins and additional modules, which results in a lack of flexibility.

• There are only 60 templates. You can create custom CSS to make your website stand out, but it will require some coding skills.

Pricing plans:

• Personal: $12/month (if paid annually)
• Business: $18/month (when paid annually).
• Basic Commerce: $26/month (if paid annually).
• Advanced Commerce: $40 per month (if paid annually)

Recommended for: Photographers, designers, artists, entrepreneurs, and anyone who loves design and wants their website to look as beautiful as the content.

4. Duda

Duda’s founders saw the importance of mobile websites when the iPhone first hit the market. This builder was established in 2008 and specializes in mobile websites.

Duda is more than just that. Duda combines strong team collaboration tools with client management tools to quickly build and monitor multiple websites. Duda offers a solid middle ground between convenience and customization.

Pros:

• Easy drag-and-drop editor

• There are a lot of great apps and widgets available.

• Multilingual websites are a great idea

• Comprehensive customization options, when compared to other builders that are “faster”

• There are more than 90 templates. Most of them have been well designed.

Cons:

• Quite expensive plans

• There is no app store

• Interface overwhelming with so many built-in functions

Pricing plans:

• Basic: $14/month (when paid annually).
• For a team, $22/month (if paid annually)
• Agency Fee: $44/month (if paid annually)
• Site for Life: $299

Recommended for:

• Websites for small businesses with interactive elements such as videos, pop-ups and promotions

• For those who are just starting out in business management and want to get into design,

5. Wix

Wix has been consistently ranked among the best website builders for small businesses. This is no surprise. Wix is a user-friendly platform that offers affordable pricing plans and a user-friendly interface. It powers more than 110 million users around the world and has won over website managers from many industries and business models.

Fully hosted platforms offer a drag-and-drop editor and a large selection of professionally-looking templates. These are ideal for small businesses or personal portfolios.

Pros:

• Easy-to-use drag-and-drop functionality

• A wide range of templates that look professional

• Attractive design options, such as animated effect

• There are endless possibilities for customizing

• The majority of features are included in the free plan

• Google Analytics and SEO tools built-in to help you monitor your website

• All-inclusive Package includes SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), and Hosting

Cons:

• A free plan domain name looks like this – accountname.wix.com/customname – which is not catchy enough

• You will need to pay for ads. Each page on your site will have a Wix ad.

• Once your site is live, you cannot modify your template.

• You will need to learn it slowly.

• Live chat is not available

Pricing plans:

• No cost
• Connect Domain plan (with ads), $4.50/month
• Combo plan: $8.50/ month
• Unlimited plan: $12.50/month
• VIP Plan: $24.50/month

Recommended for:

• People who want to create their own website but need guidance
• For those with web design experience who want to use a simple editor

6. Weebly

Open-source SaaS that offers domain registration, web hosting and web design. It also has E-commerce functions. This makes it ideal for startups and businesses. Weebly allows you to create websites that are compatible with any platform or device. It is also very easy to use.

Weebly is the best free website builder available for small businesses. This combination of its ease-of-use and excellent SEO tools makes it stand out. You can sell even if you’re not in the USA. However, there is a 3% transaction charge.

Pros:

• Simple drag-and-drop functionality

• There are a lot of responsive templates that can be used on mobile devices.

• For enterprises who want to be found on Google, it is important to have good SEO prompts

• A reasonable free plan domain name – yoursite.weebly.com

• A thorough onboarding process is a huge help to first-timers

• All-inclusive package includes hosting and support

• Integration of social media

• Additional design features include sliders, contact forms and photo galleries.

• App Center available with additional features

Cons:

• The free plan has limited features

• The pop-up advertisement in the left corner can be distracting

• Wix offers less creative freedom than Wix.

• There are very few tools for blogging

Pricing plans:

• No cost
• Connect: $5/month (payable annually)
• Pro: $12/month (if paid annually)
• Business: $25/month (paid annually)

Recommended for: People who like more design options but still need something simple and easy to use.

7. WordPress.com

There are two versions of WordPress, WordPress.com or WordPress.org. This can cause some confusion (read our beginners guide).

WordPress.com is a great place to start a website. WordPress.org is for those who are not afraid of technical territory. It is possible to build anything from a blog to an entire online store. You can place assets such as videos, contact forms and embedded content on multiple WordPress pages.

WordPress offers a simple back-end interface that is easy to understand and requires minimal to no programming for those who are not as experienced in web page creation.

WordPress will display many templates for you to preview and try out before you start. After you have chosen a theme, WordPress will provide a tutorial for how to edit it. Your template can be modified at any time.

You can quickly obtain a plugin if a template or the WordPress platform doesn’t contain what you need, such as a customer relation management system. A plugin is an add-on feature that is compatible with WordPress, but is generally managed by another company.

Pros:

• Great website builder for blogs. You can even use additional SEO plugins such as Yoast

• There are many themes, options, and customization options.

• A supportive community of people who are enthusiastic and offer tons of feedback and support

• The best domain name format for any free plan

Cons:

• It may take some time to learn.

• There is a limited number of plugins

Pricing plans:

• No cost
• Personal: $4/month (when paid annually).
• Premium: $8/month (if paid annually)
• Business: $25 per month (when paid annually).
• E-commerce: $45/month (when paid annually).

Recommended for:

• Blogs are a key component of SEO and content strategy for businesses.

• Experienced users, particularly those who have had previous experience with WordPress, are more likely to be successful.

• Designers who want maximum customization without sacrificing time

8. Boxmode

Boxmode provides everything you need in order to create a solid website for a particular business niche. Boxmode is not a simple drag-and-drop website creator with a limited set of tools. This platform is scalable and you will see the difference between it and its competitors. Boxmode offers a wide range of industry-specific templates and tools that can be used to enhance your website’s performance.

The platform’s scalable website building capabilities are designed to be a community-driven solution. It can also be used as a “cure”, if you will, to address the needs of web developers and creatives. The platform’s functionality is continually being expanded by the dev team. Box Mode allows you to unbox your online presence!

Pros:

• Website builder that is efficient and quick

• Interface that is user-friendly

• Widgets that can be customized

• Easy and quick setup

• Can be combined with Unsplash

• Rich collection of niche-specific templates

• A strong supportive community

• HTML iFrame

Cons:

• There is no font-preview option

• There are a few widgets

• No data export feature

Pricing plans:

• Boxmode domain free, ready-to-use templates, SSL certificate and basic SEO settings. Email support. 500MB storage. Unlimited bandwidth.
• Lite ($4.5/month), a free custom domain for 1 Year, with no Boxmode branding, ads, domain mapping, chat support, and 1GB storage
• Growth ($7.5/month: Advanced SEO and Marketing Tools, Project Analytics Tools, HTML iFrame. 5GB storage

Recommended for: Small-scale, growing businesses in web design, marketing and real estate. This is a great choice for portfolios, churches, barbershops and other small businesses.

9. Jimdo

Jimdo, a German company, is a great choice for international businesses. It offers the possibility to create a website in more languages than just nine. Jimdo works with tablets and mobile phones, and you can also use the mobile app to create a mobile-optimized website.

You will have 500MB of space, and you don’t need to limit the pages. This means that your site can be built with plenty of space. You can even use HTTP/SSL encryption to ensure that visitors’ information is kept safe. It also allows you to seamlessly integrate your website with social media accounts.

Pros:

• Removing ads from your website is free

• There are no banners or pop-up ads. Just a footer note.

• Available mobile apps for Android and iOS

• Team of passionate customer support

• Mobile-responsive templates

Cons:

• It is difficult to use drag-and drop functionality

• Only email support

• There are not many customization options.

• There is no credit card gateway, manual payments only or PayPal are accepted

Pricing plans:

• Play for free
• Start at $9/month (when paid annually).
• Grow: $15 per month (if paid annually)
• Unlimited: $39/month (when paid annually).

Recommended for:

• Start-ups and businesses with a limited budget

• Users or freelancers with little web design experience who are looking to create small portfolio websites.

10. TRIBE

Tribe is the best choice if you are looking to create an e-commerce shop at a fraction of the cost. Tribe is an e-commerce platform that can be customized using the laravel framework. Tribe includes a Drag and Drop CMS Builder that lets you design the front-end for your ecommerce store. The platform also features advanced ecommerce features like intuitive User-interface and shipping management. It supports multiple payment gateways. Tax management.

The platform is SEO-friendly, and it has a simple learning curve. Tribe is not like other free ecommerce platforms. There are no transaction fees and no recurring charges. Tribe is free and you will only be charged for any customizations.

Pros:

• Zero Setup cost & recurring fees

• Fully customizable platform

• Integration of social media accounts

• Unlimited Products

• Marketing features like product reviews, discount coupons, etc.

• Analytical reporting dashboard

• SSL Authentication

• Support team

Cons:

• Mobile phones are not mobile enough

• There are a few themes available

• Additional items are not available

Pricing plans:

• Support Service: – $12 USD/hour
• Design Service: $15 USD for non-exclusive rights, $20 USD for exclusive rights
• Migration Service:- 15 USD/Hr

Recommended for: Entrepreneurs looking to start an online e-commerce company with the right technology and within their budget.

11. SITE123

SITE123 lives up to its name. It allows you to create a site in as little as three minutes. SITE123 is a great builder because of its unlimited image library, professional fonts, creative DIY plans, and free image library.

It offers web hosting domain registration, Google Analytics and 500MB storage space. You won’t feel pressured into upgrading to a premium plan.

Pros:

• Interface that is easy to use and simple to learn

• Access to all SEO settings

• For additional features, check out the plugin library

• Stellar Live Chat Support and Help Available 24/7

• Premium plans allow you to modify the coding

Cons:

• End your domain name with “.me” instead of “.com”.

• There are limited options for website templates

• Very little creative freedom

• Only basic designs and features – nothing truly outstanding

Pricing plans:

• No cost
• Premium: $7.80/month (if paid annually)

Users who only require a basic site with minimal functionality are recommended

12. Webnode

Webnode, a Swiss company, was founded in 2008 to help people create and launch websites.

Webnode is popular for professionals as well as personal brands. It’s simple to use and you can create a website in any language or on any platform that suits your business.

Pros:

• Simple interface

• There are hundreds of templates available to choose from

• HTML/CSS code available

• Up to 20 languages supported

• Compatible with Android, iOS and Mac devices

• Get free statistics to track the success of your website

• Great for SEO

• Great backup and restore feature

Cons:

• Modern templates, but functional templates

• E-commerce features are limited

• It is not ideal for advanced blogging

• We have limited ability to fine-tune design

Pricing plans:

• No cost
• Limit: $3.95/month
• Minimal: $5.95/month
• Standard: $11.95/month
• Profi: $19.95/month

For: Bloggers, small business professionals, and online store owners who are looking to build a simple website quickly.

13. Mozello

Mozello was founded in 2015 in Latvia, to establish a strong foothold in the highly competitive DIY website building market. Mozello’s focus is to create a simple tool that allows anyone to set up a website and provides all the essential features needed to promote their brand or business.

Its infrastructure displays affordable cloud-hosting packages for newbie site builders. Thanks to simultaneous hosting from multiple servers at different datacenters, pages are guaranteed to remain online even if there is a problem in one area.

Pros:

• Free multilingual website creation tool.

• Easy steps to create a website

• The free plan includes an e-commerce option

• Excellent contact form

Cons:

• There are very few customization options

• Drag-and-drop complex system

• SSL security is not available

• Limited customer support

Pricing plans:

• No cost
• Premium: $7/month (if paid annually)
• Premium Plus: $14/month (when paid annually).

Recommended for:

• If you don’t have any experience, but are looking to start a website, blog or online store for your business, this is the place for you.

• Multilingual sites are a must for businesses.

14. WebStarts

WebStarts was founded in 2007 by Adam Barger. It is a top-rated website builder and hosting platform that offers a drag-and drop editor.

Adam Barger, who has a WebStarts bio, says that he was fed up with the long wait times and high costs of having professional web designers maintain his website. He decided to search for a DIY website builder. He is looking for something simple that anyone can use to create unique pages, without having to know any code or be restricted by other site builders.

The best part is that what you see while designing the site will be displayed to your audience when it goes live. This will take some of your guesswork out of the design process.

Pros:

• A large selection of beautiful templates

• Drag-and-drop interface that is user-friendly

• Video tutorials available for assistance

• No cancellation fees

• Includes email marketing and analytics

Cons:

• Limited customer support

• No money-back guarantee

• Some features require extra costs

• Mobile-optimized view not available on the free plan

Pricing plans:

• No cost
• Pro Plus: $7.16/ month
• Business: $19.99/month

Recommended for:

• Owners of small businesses who wish to increase their online presence at a low cost

• Brick-and-mortar companies that wish to expand their reach to the Internet in order to attract more customers.

15. Strikingly

Strikingly, a niche website builder, specializes in creating one-page websites. It is an excellent choice for personalizing a basic website thanks to its in-depth editor, and the support staff that is enthusiastic.

This builder has helped launch thousands of websites. Users can also choose from thousands of templates provided by site owners around the world. Website designs are available for E-commerce, startups, blogs and personal branding.

Pros:

• For beginners, simple interface

• A comprehensive editor allows for many customization options

• Subtle advertising about the free plan

• Excellent customer service available 24/7 via email and live chat (called “Happiness Officers”).

• Ability to sell 1 product per plan

Cons:

• The free plan does not include an SSL certificate

• Sites with one page only

• Template editing is limited

• Only basic features

Pricing plans:

• No cost
• Limit: $8/month
• Pro: $16/month
• VIP: $49/month

One-page websites such as landing pages and quick explanations are recommended

16. GoDaddy

GoDaddy is known for hosting and domain services. However, the company also offers a website builder that allows users to buy domains and create their own site.

GoDaddy launched Websites + Marketing, a new website builder in September 2019. This was a departure from GoCentral’s old editor. It placed a greater emphasis on small businesses and helping them grow their online presence.

Pros:

• Site setup lightning fast

• Interface that is user-friendly

• Numerous customization options

• It is easy to add features such as messaging and pop-ups

• Mobile devices can use the website editor

• Unlimited storage with the free plan

Cons:

• SEO isn’t exactly “optimal”.

• Limited chat support

• Premium plans are essential if you want to be serious about email marketing, SEO and social media.

Pricing plans:

• No cost
• Basic: $10 (when you pay annually)
• Standard: $15 (when paid each year)
• Premium: $20 (if paid annually)
• E-commerce: $25 (when you pay annually)

Recommended for: Anyone who wants an easy site editor

17. IM Creator

IM Creator is still a new player in the web design industry. It clearly knows how to make a first impression.

Founded in 2009 by a Wix employee, IM Creator continues to struggle to surpass the famed drag-and-drop platform. It also offers a Whitelabel plan, IM XPRS. This allows professional web designers to create client websites.

Pros:

• Eye-catching designs

• There are many basic features

• Students, NGOs, or charities may apply for a premium, ad-free theme at no cost

• Unlimited storage and bandwidth

• Unlimited domain hosting and web hosting

• Mobile-friendly and fully responsive

Cons:

• The clunky domain name (im-creator.com/free/yourname/your site)

• There is no E-commerce option

Pricing plans:

• No cost
• $8 per month Premium
• Unlimited Whitelabel Licenses and Unlimited Licenses: $350/year

Recommended for:

• Personal projects or small businesses

• People with a keen eye for design, but no coding experience

• Resellers and professional designers are available.

The bottom line

You have it! If you’re not sure which one is right for you, then try a few of these website builders. It is important to take into account your business requirements before choosing the right one.

This blog post should help you find the best solution for your company. We’d love to hear from you if there are any other free website builders we haven’t listed.