Where to Create a Free Website
If you need a site without spending money, several platforms let you publish a functional website for free. The right choice depends on your goals, technical comfort, and whether you can accept platform branding or subdomains.
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Website Builders With Free Plans
Drag-and-drop builders are the fastest way to get a free site online. Most offer a free tier with limited storage, a subdomain, and platform branding. These tools work well for portfolios, simple business landing pages, and personal projects.
- Wix — generous free plan with a drag-and-drop editor and App Market
- Weebly — simple interface and solid ecommerce features on the free tier
- Google Sites — minimal design options but seamless Google integration
- Carrd — ideal for one-page sites and landing pages
- WordPress.com — free plan with blogging focus and limited customization
Open-Source Platforms You Host Yourself
Open-source software is free to use, but you still need hosting. Some hosts offer free tiers that cover basic sites. This route gives you full control and no platform branding, though it requires more setup.
- WordPress.org — the most flexible CMS, paired with free or low-cost hosting from providers like InfinityFree, 000webhost, or AwardSpace
- Ghost — lightweight and fast, best for publishing-focused sites
GitHub Pages for Static Sites
Developers and designers can use GitHub Pages to host static sites for free. It pairs with Jekyll or Hugo and gives you a clean GitHub.io subdomain. There is no visual drag-and-drop builder, so basic HTML and Git knowledge are required.
What Free Plans Usually Limit
Most free tiers come with trade-offs. You should expect a subdomain like yoursite.wixsite.com, limited storage and bandwidth, platform ads you cannot remove, and fewer design features than paid plans. Ecommerce functionality on free plans is often restricted to a small number of products or lacks checkout customization.
How to Choose
Pick a website builder if you want a visual editor and a quick launch. Choose WordPress.org with free hosting if you need full control and plan to learn a CMS. Use GitHub Pages only if you are comfortable with code. Start with a free plan, then upgrade as your traffic or feature needs grow.