Small businesses need an online presence to compete in today’s economy, but many don’t have the budget to hire a web developer. That’s where free website builders come in. These tools allow you to create a website without any programming knowledge.
Many free website builders are available, so choosing the best one for your business can be challenging. To help you decide, we’ve compiled a list of the ten best free website builders for small businesses.
Website Builders: What are They?
A website builder is an online software that allows you to create, edit, and publish a website without any coding knowledge. You can use a drag-and-drop interface to add content, photos, and other elements to your website.
Most website builders include web hosting and a domain name in their monthly plans. This means you don’t have to worry about setting up your own hosting or buying a domain name.
If you are starting out with a limited budget, site builders can a good as starter websites. Once your business starts growing, you can always upgrade to a more robust platform.
What are the Benefits of Using a Website Builder?
There are several benefits of using a website builder, especially for small businesses.
It’s an affordable way to create a professional website
If you hire a web developer to build your site, it can cost thousands of dollars. Website builders are much more affordable, with monthly plans starting at just a few dollars per month.
You can create a website quickly and easily, without any coding knowledge
It can take weeks or even months to build a website from scratch. You can create a website in just a few hours with a website builder.
In addition, you don’t need any coding knowledge to use a website builder. All you need to do is drag and drop the elements you want to add to your website.
You’ll get access to professional templates and designs
Experienced web developers usually create custom website designs. However, this can be expensive and time-consuming.
With a website builder, you’ll have access to professional templates and designs that you can use for your site. This will save you both time and money.
Your website will be mobile-friendly
Most people now use their smartphones to browse the internet. So if your website isn’t mobile-friendly, you could be losing out on a lot of traffic.
When you use a website builder, you can be sure that your website will be mobile-friendly. This is because most website builders automatically create a mobile version of your site.
Most website builders include web hosting and a free domain name
When you use a website builder, you don’t have to worry about setting up web hosting or buying a domain name. This is all included in the monthly plan.
Moreover, most website builders come with a free SSL certificate. This is important because it protects your website from hackers and cyber attacks.
You can usually try out the builder for free before you commit to a paid plan
Most website builders offer a free trial, so you can test out the features before you commit to a paid plan.
Aside from that, most website builders have a free plan that you can use to create a basic website.
What are the Disadvantages of Using a Website Builder?
There are also some disadvantages to using a website builder.
You’re limited to the templates and features offered by the builder
Each website builder has its own selection of templates and features. This means you’re limited to what the builder offers.
If you stop paying for the service, your website will be taken down
If you cancel your subscription, your website will be taken offline. You’ll also lose access to any content or data you’ve stored on the platform.
You don’t actually own the content or the website
You don’t actually own your website when you use a website builder. Instead, the builder owns the website and can delete it at any time.
This is why it’s important to export your content before canceling your subscription. Otherwise, you could lose everything you’ve created.
You can’t sell the website should you decide to stop using the builder
If you ever want to sell your website, you won’t be able to do so. This is because you don’t own the website or the content.
If you’re planning to make money by selling the website in the future, it’s better to build the website yourself or hire a web developer to do it for you.
It can be challenging to move your website to another platform later on
If you decide to switch to another website builder or CMS (Content Management System), it cannot be easy to export your content and data. This means you may have to start from scratch if you want to move to a different platform.
In addition, your website’s URL will likely change if you switch to another platform. This can be confusing for your visitors and may negatively impact your SEO (Search Engine Optimization).
To sum up, a website builder is a great option for small businesses that want to create a professional website quickly and easily, without any coding knowledge.
However, you’re limited to the templates and features offered by the builder. In addition, if you stop paying for the service, your website will be taken down. Finally, it can be difficult to move your website to another platform later on.
Now that you know more about free website builders let’s look at the best ones for small businesses.
The Top 10 Free Website Builders for Small Businesses
There are hundreds of website builders that are free or have free plans. This can make it difficult to choose the best one for your business. To help you decide, we’ve compiled a list of the ten best free website builders for small businesses.
Here are the top 10 free website builders:
1. Wix
Wix is a popular website builder that offers users a high degree of creative freedom. Wix users can easily create unique website designs thanks to its drag-and-drop editor. There is no need to be a coding expert or hire a professional designer – with Wix; anyone can create a beautiful website.
In addition, Wix comes packed with features that make it easy to add content and customize the look of your site. For example, you can change the text, images, and background with just a few clicks. And if you make a mistake, no problem – Wix’s undo feature lets you quickly fix it.
Whether creating a personal blog or a professional website, Wix is an excellent choice.
2. Weebly
Weebly is a great website builder for small businesses for a number of reasons. First, its drag-and-drop editor is extremely user-friendly, making it easy to build a professional-looking website without any prior experience.
Second, Weebly has great SEO tools that help ensure your website is visible to potential customers.
Third, it offers a semi-professional free domain, which gives your business an added layer of credibility.
Finally, Weebly provides plenty of room for growth, so you can scale your website as your business grows. Taken together, these factors make Weebly the best free website builder for small businesses.
3. GoDaddy
GoDaddy offers a wide range of features that are perfect for small businesses, including domain name registration, email hosting, and website templates. However, where GoDaddy really shines is in its user-friendliness. The platform’s intuitive design interface and easy-to-use tools make it simple to create a professional website, even if you have no prior experience.
Additionally, GoDaddy’s SEO Wiz feature provides valuable insights into how you can improve your website’s search engine ranking, helping you attract more visitors. So whether you’re looking to build a basic website or take your online presence to the next level, GoDaddy is a great option.
4. Webflow
Webflow is a powerful but free website builder perfect for small businesses. It offers free web hosting, a drag-and-drop interface, and customizable templates.
Webflow is particularly well-suited for small businesses as it offers a wide range of templates and features that can be customized to fit your brand. In addition, Webflow provides excellent customer support and offers a free 14-day trial, so you can try out the platform before committing to it.
Webflow is a website builder that is geared toward web designers. It offers many customization options, which can be overwhelming for beginners. However, the format will be familiar to those used to working with padding and section blocks. Webflow also has an extensive set of tutorials to help users get started.
5. Jimdo
Jimdo is a free website builder that offers users the ability to set up an online store and sell through their site later. The platform is easy to use and offers a wide range of features, making it a good choice for those wanting to set up an online store.
One of the main advantages of using Jimdo is that it allows users to start selling without any upfront costs. There are no transaction fees so that users can keep all of the profits from their sales. Jimdo also offers a wide range of templates and designs, making it easy to create a professional-looking website.
In addition, the platform provides support for multiple languages, making it accessible to a global audience. Overall, Jimdo is a good choice of a free website builder for those wanting to set up an online store.
6. Site123
SITE123 is a popular website builder often lauded for its simplicity and ease of use. And it’s true if you’re looking to create a basic website without any bells and whistles, then SITE123 is a great choice.
The platform is intuitive and user-friendly, and you can have a website up and running in no time. However, if you’re looking for anything more than a basic site, then SITE123 is not your platform.
It’s constrained in terms of design customization, and the free domain you get is a jumble of letters and numbers, which is a huge downside.
So if you’re looking to create a simple website, SITE123 is a great option. But if you want anything more than that, you’ll need to look elsewhere.
7. Strikingly
There’s no denying that Strikingly is a great website builder for anyone looking to get online quickly and easily.
However, it’s important to note that this builder is best suited for personal rather than business websites. This is because you don’t have the same level of creative control as you would with some of the other builders on the market.
That being said, Strikingly is still an excellent option for anyone on a budget who wants to create a simple, stylish one-page website.
So if you’re looking for an easy-to-use website builder that won’t break the bank, Strikingly is worth checking out.
8. SimpleSite
If you’re looking for a website builder that lets you easily edit your site from your mobile device, SimpleSite is a great option. With its mobile editor, you can make changes to your website on the go.
SimpleSite is free to use, making it a great choice for hobby websites. However, it’s important to note that SimpleSite is only suitable for small websites.
If you’re looking to build a more complex website, you’ll need to choose a different platform.
9. Webnode
Webnode is a free website builder with over 30 million users worldwide. It’s easy to use and offers free web hosting, a drag-and-drop interface, and customizable templates.
Webnode is a decent choice for a free website builder if you’re looking for something with a low learning curve. It’s easy to use and doesn’t require much time commitment, but it does limit your creative potential compared to other builders on our list.
If you want a builder that will give you more freedom to be creative, we recommend checking out Wix or Weebly. However, if you’re just looking to create an essential website quickly and easily, Webnode is a good option.
10. Ucraft
Ucraft is a free website builder perfect for small businesses. It offers free web hosting, a drag-and-drop interface, and over 70 templates.
Ucraft is the perfect platform for website owners who want to focus on delivering a fantastic user experience. The image-driven platform makes it easy to showcase your products or services with large visuals, flashy fonts, and easy-to-use templates.
With simple customization tools on the left-hand side, you can easily make your site look just like you want. And because the main focus is on aesthetics, you’ll enjoy using this builder to create a beautiful website that your visitors will love.
Now that you know more about free website builders, it’s time to choose the best one for your small business. First, consider your needs and budget, then give one of these builders a try. Of course, you can always upgrade to a paid plan later if you need more features or resources.
Choosing the Right Free Website Builder
Now that you know more about free website builders, it’s time to choose the best one for your small business. First, consider your needs and budget, then give one of these builders a try. Of course, you can always upgrade to a paid plan later if you need more features or resources.
When choosing a free website builder, there are several things you should keep in mind:
Ease of use: Choose a builder that’s easy to use, even if you don’t have any technical experience.
Features: Ensure the builder offers the features you need, such as free web hosting, a drag-and-drop interface, and templates.
Pricing: Be sure to check the pricing before you sign up. Some builders offer free plans, but you may need to upgrade to a paid plan if you need more features or resources.
Customer support: Look for a builder that offers 24/7 customer support in case you have any questions or issues.
Final Thoughts
Free website builders are a great option for small businesses. They’re easy to use, offer plenty of features, and best of all, they’re free. Just be sure to choose the right builder for your needs and budget. And if you need more features or resources, you can always upgrade to a paid plan.
