How Web Design

Best Free Website Builders in 2026

Updated February 2026•5 Builders Tested

I get it — you want to test the waters without spending money. I've tested every free website builder to find out which ones are actually usable and which ones are basically unusable without upgrading. Here's the honest breakdown.

Editor's Choice
#1
W

Wix

★4.8/ 5

The leader in website creation.

Best For:small businessportfoliosbeginners
4.8/ 5
Starting at
$16/mo
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#2
W

Weebly

★3.8/ 5

The easiest way to build a website.

Best For:beginnerssmall businesssimple stores
3.8/ 5
Starting at
$10/mo
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#3
C

Carrd

★4.8/ 5

Simple, free, fully responsive one-page sites.

Best For:landing pagespersonal profileslink in-bio
4.8/ 5
Starting at
$9/mo
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#4
F

Framer

★4.6/ 5

Design and publish your dream site.

Best For:designerslanding pagesportfolios
4.6/ 5
Starting at
$5/mo
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#5
W

WordPress.org

★4.5/ 5

The most popular CMS in the world.

Best For:bloggingpublishersdevelopers
4.5/ 5
Starting at
Free
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Head-to-Head Comparison

FeatureWixWeebly
Starting PriceFrom $16From $23
Editor Rating★ 4.8/5★ 4.7/5
Best ForBeginner FriendlyIntermediate
Support24/7 Phone & ChatEmail Only
Money Back Guarantee✓ 14 Days✓ 30 Days

Comparing our top picks: Wix vs Weebly

The Truth About Free Website Builders

Free website builders are genuinely useful, but they come with trade-offs you need to understand before investing your time. The good news: in 2026, free plans are more capable than ever. The bad news: every free plan has limitations designed to nudge you toward upgrading.

What You Get for Free

Most free website builders include:

  • A drag-and-drop editor to build your site visually
  • A selection of templates (though often fewer than paid plans)
  • Basic hosting with a subdomain (like yourname.wixsite.com)
  • SSL certificate for HTTPS security
  • Mobile-responsive design that works on phones and tablets

    • This is genuinely enough to build a functional website for personal use, a hobby blog, a student project, or a simple landing page.

    What You Do NOT Get for Free

    Free plans consistently lack these features:

  • Custom Domain: Your URL will include the builder's branding. This is the single biggest reason to upgrade, as it looks unprofessional for any business use.
  • No Builder Branding: Free sites display a "Made with Wix" or "Powered by Weebly" badge. This is removed on paid plans.
  • Limited Storage: Usually 500MB to 2GB. This is fine for text-heavy sites but restrictive if you have lots of images or video.
  • Ecommerce: Selling products online almost always requires a paid plan.
  • Analytics: Basic traffic stats may be available, but connecting Google Analytics or advanced tracking typically requires upgrading.

    • When Free Is the Right Choice

  • Personal projects and experiments: Testing a business idea, creating a portfolio for a class, or building a fan site.
  • Single-page sites: A link-in-bio page, event landing page, or simple personal site. Carrd excels here and even offers premium features for just $19/year.
  • Learning: If you have never built a website, a free plan is the perfect risk-free way to learn. You can always upgrade or switch platforms later.

    • When You Should Pay

  • Any business use: Customers trust sites with custom domains. A free subdomain signals that you are not invested in your online presence.
  • SEO goals: If you want to rank in Google, you need a custom domain, proper meta tags, and analytics — all of which require a paid plan on most platforms.
  • Growing an audience: Free plans often limit the number of pages, blog posts, or email subscribers you can have.

    • Free Plan Comparison

  • Wix Free: The most feature-rich free plan. You get a full editor, 500MB storage, and access to the Wix App Market. The main limitation is the Wix branding banner and subdomain.
  • Weebly Free: Clean editor with unlimited pages (a rarity for free plans). Good form builder and basic SEO tools included.
  • Carrd Free: Build up to 3 single-page sites. Extremely simple and fast, but limited to one-page designs.
  • Framer Free: Publish one site with Framer branding. Great for designers who want animation and interaction capabilities even on the free tier.
  • WordPress.com Free: 1GB storage and access to a limited set of themes. The most powerful option if you are willing to learn the WordPress interface.

    • Our Recommendations

  • Best Free Plan Overall: Wix — The most complete free experience with the most templates and features.
  • Best for One-Page Sites: Carrd — Dead simple, lightning fast, and the Pro plan is just $19/year if you need more.
  • Best for Unlimited Pages: Weebly — The only free builder that does not cap the number of pages you can create.
  • Best Free Design Tool: Framer — If design quality matters, Framer's free plan is the most visually impressive option.

    • How to Build a Free Website (Step by Step)

    Yes, you can build a real website for $0. It won't be perfect, but it'll work. Here's how.

    Step 1: Choose a Free Builder

    Wix has the most generous free plan — you get a drag-and-drop editor, hundreds of templates, and basic features. Weebly is another solid free option with a clean editor. Carrd lets you build one-page sites free — great for a personal link-in-bio page.

    Step 2: Accept the Trade-Offs

    Before you build, understand what free plans don't include:

  • No custom domain — your URL will be something like yourname.wixsite.com
  • Builder branding — most free plans show "Made with Wix" or similar on your site
  • Limited storage — usually 500MB to 1GB
  • No ecommerce — you can't sell products on most free plans

    • If you're building a personal project, hobby site, or testing an idea, these limitations are totally fine.

    Step 3: Pick a Template and Customize

    Free plans have access to the same templates as paid plans. Pick one that matches your purpose, swap out the placeholder content with your own text and images, and arrange things the way you like.

    Step 4: Add Your Essential Pages

    Keep it simple. Free sites work best when they're lean:

  • One homepage that explains who you are or what you do
  • One about/contact page with a way to reach you

    • Don't try to build a 20-page site on a free plan — it's not designed for that.

    Step 5: Publish and Decide Later

    Hit publish. Share your link. Use the site for a few weeks and see if it meets your needs. If it does — great, you spent $0. If you outgrow it, upgrading to a paid plan is a one-click process and you keep everything you've built.

    Free plans are meant for testing. There's zero risk in trying.

    Are free website builders really free?
    Yes — but with limitations. Free plans are fully functional but include builder branding on your site, use a subdomain (not your own .com), and have limited storage. You'll never be asked for a credit card on a free plan.
    Can I upgrade from a free plan to a paid plan later?
    Absolutely. Every builder on this list lets you upgrade seamlessly. All your content, design, and settings carry over — you just unlock more features, remove branding, and can connect a custom domain.
    What's the best free website builder?
    Wix has the most feature-rich free plan overall. Weebly is simpler and cleaner. Carrd is best if you only need a single-page site. It depends on what you're building.
    Can I sell products on a free plan?
    Most free plans don't include ecommerce. Weebly's free plan lets you list a few products, but you'll pay transaction fees. For serious selling, you'll need a paid ecommerce plan.

    Methodology: We selected these builders based on over 100 hours of testing specifically for free. Our rankings consider ease of use, pricing, feature set, and customer support quality.