If you're thinking about building a website, you've probably come across website builders advertising free plans. They sound appealing, particularly if you're starting a business or working with a limited budget. But what do you actually get with a free website builder, and are there any catches?
Free website builders can be a good way to experiment with creating a website or get a simple online presence without paying for a subscription. However, free plans often come with limitations that you might not notice until you start building your website.
In this guide, we'll explain how free website builders work, what's usually included and what to consider before deciding whether a free plan is right for you.
What Is a Free Website Builder?
A free website builder is an online tool that allows you to create a website without paying a subscription fee. Like paid website builders, they generally provide templates, editing tools and hosting, allowing you to create pages, add text and images and publish your website without needing to know how to code. The difference is that free plans usually provide access to a more limited range of features.
Some website builders offer a completely free plan that you can use indefinitely. Others provide a free trial that lets you test the software before deciding whether to purchase a subscription. It's important to understand the difference between these two options.
How Do Free Website Builders Work?
Most free website builders work in much the same way as paid website builders.
You typically:
- Create an account with the website builder.
- Choose a website template or design.
- Add your business information, text and images.
- Create the pages you need.
- Customise the design to suit your business.
- Publish your website.
The website builder provides the tools and hosting needed to make your website available online. However, the free plan may restrict how much you can customise, which features you can use and how your website address appears.
What's Included With a Free Website Builder?
What you get will depend on the website builder, but most free plans provide some basic tools to help you get started.
These might include:
- Website templates: Choose from a selection of ready-made designs and customise them with your own text, images and colours.
- Website editing tools: Add pages, change content and adjust the layout using a visual editor.
- Website hosting: Your website is stored online so visitors can access it through a web browser.
- Basic storage: Space to store your website content, images and other files, although storage limits may apply.
- Mobile-friendly designs: Many free website builders provide templates that automatically adjust to different screen sizes.
- Basic website features: You may be able to add contact forms, image galleries, maps and social media links.
These features can be enough to create a simple website. However, if you're planning to use your website to promote an established business, you may need more flexibility and functionality.
What Are the Limitations of Free Website Builders?
Free website builders can be useful, but it's worth understanding their limitations before you commit to one.
1. You May Not Get Your Own Domain Name
One of the most noticeable differences with a free website is the web address. Instead of having your own domain name, such as yourbusiness.co.nz, your website may use an address connected to the website builder. For example, it might look something like: yourbusiness.websitebuilder.com
This is known as a subdomain. While this is perfectly fine for experimenting with website building, it may not create the professional impression you want for your business. Having your own domain name makes your website easier to remember and gives you more control over your online identity.
2. Your Website May Display Advertising
Some free website builders display their own branding or advertisements on your website. This might appear as a small logo in the footer or a banner promoting the website builder. You may have little or no control over how these advertisements look or where they appear. If you're using your website to attract customers, having another company's branding displayed prominently may not be ideal.
3. Limited Design Options
Free plans may give you access to a smaller selection of templates and design features. You might be able to change colours, fonts and images but have limited control over page layouts or more advanced design elements. This can make it harder to create a website that looks exactly how you want it to.
4. Limited Website Features
Free plans often restrict access to some of the features available with paid subscriptions.
For example, you might find that you cannot:
- Add certain types of contact forms.
- Use advanced website features.
- Install additional applications.
- Add booking functionality.
- Create customer accounts.
- Access advanced website editing tools.
If you want your website to do more than display basic information, check that the free plan provides the functionality you need.
5. Limited eCommerce Functionality
If you want to sell products online, a free website builder may not provide everything you need. Some free plans don't include eCommerce functionality at all. Others may allow you to display products but require an upgrade before you can accept payments or manage orders. An online store needs more than product pages. You'll also need shopping cart functionality, payment options, shipping arrangements and order management. Before choosing a free website builder, check whether you can sell products online and what additional costs are involved.
6. Limited SEO Tools
Search engine optimisation (SEO) helps people find your website through Google and other search engines. Some free website builders restrict access to SEO features, which can make it harder to optimise your website.
You may have limited control over:
- Page titles and meta descriptions.
- Website URLs.
- Image descriptions.
- Sitemap settings.
- Other technical SEO features.
A free website can still appear in search results, but you need to make sure you have the tools to manage the important elements of your website.
7. Limited Customer Support
When you're building your own website, there may be times when you need help. Some free website builders only provide access to online help articles or community forums. Others reserve direct customer support for paying customers. This might not be a problem if you're comfortable working things out yourself. However, if your website is important to your business, having access to support can be valuable.
Are Free Website Builders Suitable for Small Businesses?
A free website builder can be a reasonable starting point for someone who wants to experiment with website building or create a simple website for a personal project. However, if you're creating a website for your business, there are a few more things to consider. Your website represents your business online. It needs to look professional, provide useful information and make it easy for potential customers to contact you.
You'll probably also want:
- Your own business domain name.
- A professional-looking design.
- No third-party advertising.
- Contact and enquiry forms.
- Good mobile-friendly layouts.
- SEO tools.
- The ability to add more pages as your business grows.
- Reliable hosting and customer support.
A free plan might not provide everything you need. It's worth considering whether the money you save is worth the limitations you'll have to work around.
Free Website Builders vs Paid Website Builders
The main difference between free and paid website builders is the level of functionality and control available.
Here's a general comparison.
| Feature | Free Website Builder | Paid Website Builder |
|---|---|---|
| Website templates | Usually limited selection | Often more options |
| Website hosting | Usually included | Usually included |
| Custom domain | Often restricted | Usually available |
| Website builder advertising | May be displayed | Usually removed |
| Storage | Often limited | Depends on plan |
| Design customisation | Basic options | More flexibility |
| SEO tools | May be limited | Often more comprehensive |
| eCommerce | Often unavailable or restricted | Available on suitable plans |
| Customer support | Often limited | More support options |
| Additional features | Restricted | More features available |
These are general differences rather than rules that apply to every provider. Some free website builders offer quite generous plans, while others have significant restrictions. Always check exactly what is included before signing up.
What About Free Website Builder Trials?
A free trial is different from a free website plan. Rather than providing a permanently free version, a free trial gives you access to a paid website builder for a set period. This allows you to try the editing tools, explore the templates and start building your website before deciding whether to purchase a subscription.
Free trials can be useful because you can get a better idea of how the website builder works and whether it suits your needs. However, check what happens when the trial ends. You may need to choose a paid plan to keep your website published. Also check whether any features are restricted during the trial.
What Should You Look for When Choosing a Free Website Builder?
If you decide to start with a free website builder, don't just choose the first one you find. Take some time to check what you're getting and whether the free plan will meet your requirements.
Here are some things to look at.
- Domain name: Can you connect your own domain name, or do you have to use the website builder's address?
- Design: Are there professional templates that suit your business?
- Customisation: Can you change the layout, colours, fonts and other design elements?
- Hosting: Is website hosting included, and are there any storage or traffic limits?
- SEO: Can you edit page titles, meta descriptions and other important SEO settings?
- Features: Can you add the forms, galleries, booking tools or other features you need?
- eCommerce: Can you sell products online, and are there additional transaction or subscription fees?
- Support: What help is available if you run into problems?
- Future costs: How much will it cost if you decide to upgrade?
It's also worth checking whether you can move your website to another provider if you decide to change website builders later. Some website builders make it difficult to transfer your design and content.
Can You Upgrade From a Free Website Builder Later?
Most website builders offer paid plans that allow you to upgrade when you need additional features.
For example, you might start with a free website and later decide you want to:
- Connect your own domain name.
- Remove website builder advertising.
- Add more pages.
- Access additional design options.
- Improve your SEO.
- Add an online store.
- Access better customer support.
Before starting with a free plan, check what upgrading involves and whether you can keep the website you've already created. You don't want to spend time building a website only to discover that moving to a paid plan or another provider means starting again.
Are Free Website Builders Worth It?
That depends on what you want your website to do. If you're creating a personal website, testing an idea or learning how website builders work, a free plan may be all you need. However, if you're setting up a website for your business, it's worth thinking about the impression you want to create and what you need your website to achieve.
A professional business website should give you control over your domain name, design and content. It should also provide the features you need to communicate with customers, promote your services and grow your business. Paying for a website builder doesn't necessarily mean spending a lot of money. The important thing is to find a plan that provides good value and includes the tools you actually need.
Building a Website for Your Business
If you're creating a website for your business, look beyond whether a website builder is free. Consider how you want your website to represent your business, what you need it to do and whether it will be able to grow as your business develops.
Website World provides a website builder designed for New Zealand businesses, with professionally designed templates, website editing tools, hosting, SEO features and eCommerce options. Rather than working around the restrictions of a free website plan, you can choose a website solution with the tools to create, manage and grow your online presence.
Want to see how it works? Explore Website World and try building your website with a free 30-day trial.
Posted: Thursday 24 September 2026
