Free Website Builders

Choosing the best website builder: Tips for beginners

 

Possessing a personal website is becoming a must-have for most businesses. Thousands of e-commerce, blogs, portfolio, and multilingual sites boost their profits and attract more customers and visitors with the help of their web resources. 

 

Earlier, most websites were created and maintained by professional developers. However, these times are gone. Modern website builders allow creating a website of any type or level of difficulty with minimum efforts. Even beginner users with no technical or developing knowledge can cope with crafting their sites from scratch. But, why do most users are stopped hiring professional coders?

 

The truth that hiring a developer is incredibly expensive. A simple website will cost you over $2,000. In case you need a portfolio or online store, get ready to pay extra money. Moreover, maintaining your site by a pro will also lead to additional expenses. 

 

Luckily, we have lots of web builders to choose from. Creating the website by yourself will save you over $1,800 compared to hiring an expert coder. Furthermore, you will get a professional website with all the needed functions quickly and easily.

The website builder: the main features

How to build a free website? What should you start with? To create a website for free, you will need to know more about site creators. Here are just a few quick facts about free website builder software:

 

• The free website builder allows you to create your site with no need to get pro help

• Most site makers are easy and intuitively understandable

• You don’t need to have any technical background to craft your site

• Top free website builders have all the functions to craft any type of website

• You can buy an all-in-one solution, purchasing a domain and hosting along with the builder’s plan

• You will have access to the builder’s embedded SEO tools and can promote your site immediately after it goes live

• You can back up your site to feel more comfortable with making changes to your site

• Most platforms have a built-in drag and drop editor that allows adding and editing any elements with ease

 

Who use website builders for creating sites? 

 

How to build a free website? Thousands of businesses ask this question when deciding to create their sites. Crafting a free website is available to everyone! Below, you will find a list of types of users, who widely use web creators for launching their web resources:

 

• Bloggers

• Small businesses

• Musicians

• Artists

• Writers

• Photographers

• Wedding agencies

• Even agencies

• Marketing agencies

• Gardeners

• Designers

• Creative spirits

• Online stores and e-commerce solutions

• Non-commercial  organizations

 

The list is surely not completed - there are millions of websites that were created with the help of free builders. 

 

What should you know to choose the best free website builder?

 

What tools and options should you take into account when choosing the best builder for your project? How to build a website for free if you have limited time? This can be easy if you know what features you should look for. Below is a list of the most important things you should take into account when choosing a simple free website builder.

 

Customization. The easier the customization process is the faster you will complete developing your site. If you start using any builder and fail to learn how to use it, it might be a good idea to move to another solution. The truth is that learning the basic operations of your free website maker shouldn’t take hours of your free time. As a rule, the best free website builders 2019 are easy-to-use and user-friendly. Therefore, the interface of a chosen builder shouldn’t be too complicated. 

 

A number of templates. The template is key to your website. The matter is that the design of your site depends on the template you choose. The more fitting option you choose, the easier the dev process is likely to appear. That is why most free website builders offer a large number of templates in different categories to suit the needs of different users. 

 

Mobile-friendly design. We leave in the ear of mobile devices, so your website should look perfectly on portable devices. Flexible design is a must-have for any modern web resource. Therefore, it is highly recommended to double-check, whether the template you choose has a responsive design. By the way, most builders offer extra tools for editing your site’s mobile view. 

 

User-friendly interface. Most website builders offer user-friendly design to make your development process as easy as possible. In case you can effortlessly find any menu or button you need, you’ve picked up a good solution.

 

Loading speed. Fast websites are simply amazing. When you need to wait for the site to download plenty of time, you might become annoyed or frustrated. Most users will not visit a slow website one more time. To eliminate those risks, make sure your builder can create pages with good loading speed. 

 

Client reviews. To get real feedback about using a certain builder, it is really important to find customer’s reviews on the Internet. This way, you will be able to learn more about the drawbacks and weak points of any website creator. Furthermore, it is a good way to discover whether the builder will fit your needs and expectations. 

 

Uptime. Uptime is the time your web resource can be found and remain available to the customers. Uptime is connected with the server’s availability and the time it requires for updates.100% uptime is hardly possible but 98-99% will be the right coefficient for great web performance.

 

Free trial period. Free trial period is one of the excellent benefits offered by numerous web builders. This simple trick allows you to try using different functions and options to make sure you like a web creator. In case you find it difficult, you can easily move to another builder to pick up the best solution for your needs. This feature can save you lots of money, time, and efforts since you can purchase a certain plan only after you are completely satisfied with the free service.  

 

Drag and drop builder. Drag and drop builder is one of the most popular technologies for creating a website for users with no technical background. The builders that offer this technology are the most innovative solutions and will surely make you completely satisfied with the service they offer.

 

Ability to move to another service. In case creating a site with the help of the free builder is just a little part of your global content strategy, as well as if you are planning to move to another platform right after creating your site, make sure it is possible and easy. The matter is that transferring your site from one builder to another often appears to be challenging.

 

Price and the number of features. Web builders offer a completely different number of functions in various pricing plans. The difference between similar plans of two different builders can exceed $200. Therefore, it is highly recommended to compare plans of various website builders before making any purchases.

 

Support. The support channels of free web creators also vary. If you feel that you will need some professional assistance when crafting your site, it is better to check the builder’s support before buying a plan. You can make a simple test – write a simple question to support team and wait to get its response. This way, you will check the availability of the support team without any risks. In case it takes too long to get an answer, you can easily test another provider. Note: some builders offer premium support in case you purchase the most expensive plans, offered by the company.

Backup options. Ability to backup and restore your site is exceptionally important for your site’s safety. Moreover, having a secure backup allows you to have more freedom for experimenting with your project’s design and widgets. This way, you always have an opportunity to come back to the previous condition with no effort. Some builders offer the function of personal backup anytime you need, while the others do that automatically regularly (it can be every day or every week) However, some software lacks this function. 

Integration. Integration with other services and utilities is a vital feature of any builder. For example, some platforms offer personal app stores, so that you can buy any additional widget for your needs. Nevertheless, there are still a few builders that miss this function. 

Refund policy. This point is really important in case you choose a builder with no free trial period. If you are not satisfied with the service, offered by a certain builder, you can ask for a refund. The builders have a completely different policy- some will easily give your money back, while the others don’t offer this option. Therefore, if you hesitate about whether you will use a builder, it is better to learn more about its refund policy before purchasing any plans. 

 

How to make a free website? Top-rated builders for free sites

Ukit

 

Ukit is a perfect free builder for a wide range of various purposes. You can easily use the platform for creating a blog, portfolio site, e-commerce solution, etc. The tool is incredibly flexing and provides you with anything you might need for crafting your website from scratch.No coding needed - with an easy drag and drop builder you will be able to create your unique design in no time. The platform offers over 200 colorful templates for perfectly looking sites in any category. 

 

The builder is a highly-trusted solution with millions of active users globally. The program offers unlimited functions and advanced utilities for easy website creation and management. Moreover, SEO tools to boost your web presence are also available. 

 

Pros:

• Easy to use and simple

• Ability to connect or buy a domain name

• Unlimited disk space and traffic

• SMS notifications

• Premium templates and designs

• Hosting services

• Mobile-friendly templates

• Automatic and manual backups

• Powerful stats

• E-commerce tools

• 24/7 support

 

Cons:

• The cheapest plan will show Ukit copyright on your website

 

Pricing:

Ukit is perfect for limited budgets. The simplest plan will cost you only $4 per month, while the prices for more feature-rich options will not exceed $14. If you buy a subscription for over three months, you will get an additional discount. 

 

Wix

Wix is a unique platform that offers a smart AI technology for crafting your site. In just a few clicks, the Wix platform can create a personal website according to the data available in your profiles on social media. As a result, you get a personalized professional site with no need to code. 

 

The builder also has a well-known drag and drop builder in case you want to make a website design from scratch. The program has amazing freedom of customization along with a whopping number of responsive templates for any kind of website. The program has the largest number of active users and great customer reviews.

 

Pros:

• Over 300 unique templates

• Incredible freedom of customization

• Advanced features for stunning design

• Mobile-friendly: your site will look perfectly on any portable device

• Powerful SEO tools

• Tons of different fonts

• Scroll and parallax effects

• Personal app store

• Plenty of advanced business tools

• Minimum limitations for the free plan

• Easy to use

 

Cons:

• Shows Wix ads on the cheapest plans

• No analytical options for a free plan 

• No opportunity to create an e-commerce site in the free plan

• Support might be often overloaded

 

Pricing:

Wix Connect domain plan will cost you only $4 per month. The other plans vary from $8 to $25 depending on the number of features available.

Weebly

 

Weebly is a convenient web solution that continues to be one of the easiest free builders online. The program is known for its top-notch interface that is highly rated by most users. It is worth mentioning that Weebly is often chosen by beginner users, who have no technical or coding knowledge.

 

With the help of Weebly free builder, you will be able to create a site with minimum effort and within the shortest terms. The tool is likely to meet all your expectations and will become a great digital assistant in creating a perfect project. 

 

Pros:

• A large number of various templates

• Flexible design

• E-commerce utilities that are easy to implement and use

• Advanced blogging tools

• Ability to both buy or integrate a domain

• Lots of galleries and sliders

• Easy setup process

• Creating an account in a couple of minutes

• Handy contact forms

• A mobile app that allows customizing your site from a smartphone or tablet

 

Cons:

• 3% transaction fee for all the payments made with the help of Weebly-based  site

• No opportunity to insert your code

• Many templates look similar

 

Pricing:

The monthly cost for using the builder varies from $12 to $25 per month that is relatively low compared to similar programs. 

 

Jimdo

 

Jimdo is another popular software for creating sites that is focused on small businesses. In case you are planning to craft a portfolio site, a business card or a small online store, this program is a great option to consider.

 

The latest app’s version has been simplified, making the builder completely understandable by beginners. All the functions are grouped in convenient menus and are available right at hand. 

 

Pros:

• A good number of free templates

• Easy interface

• High-quality themes 

• Lots of additional applications and widgets 

• Deep customization

• Ability to add your code

 

Cons:

• The free account has a limited functionality

• Has no SEO tools in the free plan

• Inconvenient control panel

• Subdomain contains a ‘free’ word 

• Some templates are outdated

 

Pricing:

Jimdo offers more advanced pricing plans for 9, $15, $19, and $39per month. The more expensive the plan is, the higher the number of functions you will get. 

 

Strikingly 

 

Strikingly is hitting the top of the best builders for a one-page website. In case you are looking for a light and easily customizable website that is speedy and flexible Strikingly is the right choice. The program has a clean and fresh design that is miraculously simple. 

 

Unlike most analogs, Strikingly offers e-commerce tools in its free plan. The platform also offers a whopping 5GB of bandwidth compared for free plan compared to the only 500MB, provided by the app’s major competitors.

 

Pros:

• Great domain name for free plans

• Rich functionality

• A large amount of bandwidth for free plans

• Easy design

• Mobile application for iOS and Android devices

• No transaction fees

 

Cons:

• Single-page builder

• Limited SEO tools

• No SSL encryption for free websites

 

Pricing:

Aside from a free plan, Strikingly also offers plans for $16 and $49 per month. In case you buy a long-term subscription, you will have a great discount for all the plans. 

 

IM creator

 

IM creator is considered to be one of the most stylish solutions in the area of web development. All the templates, provided by the program, are looking innovative and excellent, as well as they are mobile responsive on any types of modern portable gadgets. 

 

With the help of easy drag and drop technology, embedded to the platform, all the users have an opportunity to create a single page website, business card, or any other type of website depending on your personal goals. 

 

Pros:

• Perfect design of the templates

• Adaptive web pages

• Easy customization

• Ability to make a website without signing in

• Suitable for various business areas

• Ability to add your code to the website

• Free hosting

• Simple knowledge center

 

Cons:

• No free domain option – your site will be placed on sub-pages of im-creator

• Slow drag-and-drop tool

• No option to  create an e-commerce site in a free plan

• No analytics in a free plan

• Switching between the templates might redesign an overall site 

 

Pricing:

The program has a flexible pricing policy. The more long-term subscription you purchase, the more money you will be able to save. The plans start from $8 per month billed annually. 

 

Google sites

 

Google sites is another popular software with incredible functionality. This is the only builder that is completely free for all users. The program has no paid plans - all its functions and options are accessible with no need to make any payments. 

 

Moreover, Google Sites offer free hosting and strong analytics for all the site owners. It provides with interaction with plenty of Google services, including Calendar, Calculators, Feeds, Analytics, Maps, and Webmaster.

 

Pros:

• Easy to use

• Flexible templates

• Free hosting

• Shared website access

 

Cons:

• Not suitable for businesses

• Lack of templates

• Limited e-commerce functions

• Limited blogging functions

• Not suitable for external sites

• Lack of SEO tools

 

Pricing:

No paid plans available. Google Sites is a completely free solution. 

 

Wordpress

 

The first thing you should know that Wordpress.org and Wordpress.com are completely different services. Wordpress.org is a content management system that requires some technical skills for building a website. Wordpress.com is a website builder that offers a much easier way to craft your website.

 

Pros:

• Good subdomain

• Easy to use

• Friendly and pleasant interface

• A wide variety of tools and options

• Great for beginners

• Mobile apps available

• Understandable statistics

• Social media sharing

 

Cons:

• Will automatically place its ads anywhere though your site - you can’t control it

 

Pricing:

The cheapest plan will cost you $4 monthly, while the most expensive one is available for $45 per month billed yearly. 

 

FAQ 

 

How can I create a free website step by step?

Creating a website step by step is not as difficult as most users think. The first thing you will need to start with is to choose your domain and hosting for your website. You can either pick up a domain and hosting from any third party provider or purchase it with the help of the chosen builder. In case you buy a domain, hosting, and building plan from a single web creator, your overall process of site development is likely to be much easier.

 

After you’ve done with this stuff, it’s time to pick up a template for your site. Your template is like a draft of your web resource. Here you will need to add and edit elements, media, and other types of content for your website. You can easily change templates and elements on your website pages.

 

When you finished customizing your project, you will need to click a few buttons to make your website go live. No coding needed here - becoming available online is completely automated.

 

There is one extra step that is highly valued by most developers. This is your website SEO. Currently, many builders offer this important feature for a reasonable price. If you optimize your web presence with the help of easy SEO tools, you will be able to boost your site score at Google and other search engines.

Where can I get a free domain name?

Getting a free domain name is possible for numerous free website builders. However, in most cases, you will see the builder’s ads right on your site. To remove the ads, you will need to upgrade your plan to the more expensive and feature-rich plan. 

 

What's the easiest free website builder?

Choosing the easiest website builder depends on your personal preferences and needs. Some platforms are focused on blogs, while others will perfectly suit an online store. The most necessary thing you need to consider to choose the easiest website builder is to decide, what kind of website you need. After that, you will be able to pick up the right software that will exactly meet your requirements and will be the easiest for you personally.

 

What is the best free website builder?

Different websites have various functions and advanced options, as well as they are often designed for different purposes. Generally, Ukit, Wix, and Weebly are among the leaders of the web development software on the market. These platforms are currently used for millions of sites in a wide range of areas. 

 

Are free website builders good for SEO?

Yes, choosing a free web builder might be life-saving, when it comes to promoting your project. Moreover, if you have no experience or knowledge in SEO, picking up the builder is a perfect choice. The truth is that most platforms offer simple SEO tools to promote your site. You will not need to learn the basics of search engine optimization - the builder will offer you to fill out the required parameters. In this case, your SEO can be done in minutes. 

 

Can I upgrade my website in the future?

Sure! When creating your first website, you will learn to edit your site’s pages. After that, you will not need to hire a developer to update the blogs and multilingual sites. Upgrading your website with new features and widgets can be done by yourself. Note: adding personal code might be unavailable in numerous builders. Therefore, make sure the software has the required functionality for your project. 

 

Which free website builder would you recommend for blogging?

Wordpress is considered to be one of the easiest platforms to start your blog. It is simple and understandable. Moreover, you can add thousands of widgets and advanced utilities to your site since Wordpress is the most flexible blogging system among its competitors. Creating a blog with the help of the platform can take you just a few hours. 

 

Which free website builder is the best for e-commerce?

Weebly is one of the leading platforms for online stores and e-commerce solutions. The program offers everything needed for arranging a business of buying and selling goods. Here you will find shopping carts, options for adding lots of various payment methods, as well as tons of feature-rich solutions for your e-commerce site. 

 

What is the best free website builder for small businesses?

Ukit will help create a web project for small businesses. The program has affordable pricing and tons of functions and settings to set up and customize your site. Moreover, SEO utilities are also available for your website quick and easy promotion. 

Do free builders are worth trying?

Most experts believe that free builders are a great option to start your blog or launch a business with no extra payments. Free solutions are incredibly useful for beginner users with limited budgets, who want to save money for more important needs. Free builders are surely worth money since they allow you to try creating your project with no additional expenditures. In case you are completely satisfied with what you get or if you want to use more functions, you can upgrade your plan anytime. 

 

What is the difference between free and paid builders?

Most free builders offer paid plans and services to all its users. As a rule, free plans offer limited functionality, platform’s subdomain, and ads that will be shown on your website. In most cases, free plans lack bandwidth, e-commerce tools, and have certain limitations on the number of pages. By the way, as a rule, you will be unable to create a multilingual site or heavy website with over 30 pages with the help of free tools. In case you would like to create a pro service, an online shop with different payment systems, or a stunning portfolio, it is recommended to choose a paid plan to fit all your needs. 

 

How can I start my web development process?

To begin with, decide the main purpose of crafting a personal website. When you successfully pick up the builder that is likely to suit your needs, start with its free plan. Here, you will need to choose a template that is supposed to become a draft of your project. Try to find a template that fit your requirements to make an overall process of developing the site easier. You will need to customize your site with the text and media. Therefore, you can look for the required media for your web resource in advance or choose the required pictures from the builder’s embedded gallery.