9 Best Free Website Builder for Small Business in 2024

Are you looking for the best free website builder for small business?

Having a website for a small business is more important than ever. Although social media is great, it’s also limiting. In addition, creating a website makes your company look more professional.

However, as a small business owner, building a website from scratch can be an exhausting task, especially if you don’t have any technical skills.

Fortunately, a website builder for small businesses takes the burden off your shoulders. It helps you create and run a website without the need for professional help or knowing how to code.

In this article, we’ll walk you through the best free website builder for small business, helping you make an informed decision.

What is a Website Builder?

A website builder is a web-based tool that allows you to build a website without any coding experience. They usually have a drag-and-drop interface that makes it easier to add text, images, and other content to your website. In addition, many website builders also offer a number of templates and themes that you can use to customize the appearance and feel of your website.

What to Look For in The Best Free Website Builders?

There are several free web builders available, but not all of them are created equal. Here are some of the things to look for in the best free website builders:

• Ease of Use: The website builder will be easy to use, especially for beginners. The interface should be intuitive, and the drag-and-drop editor should be easy to navigate.
• Features: The free plan should offer enough features to create the website you want. This includes things like templates, pages, widgets, and forms.
• Storage and Bandwidth: The free plan should offer enough storage space and bandwidth for your website.
• Ads: Some free website builders will display ads on your website. If you don’t want ads, be sure to choose a builder that doesn’t have them.
• Domain Name: Check if the site builder allows you to use a custom domain name (your own .com, .net, etc.) or if it only offers subdomains.
• E-commerce Functionality: If you want to sell products or services online, check if the website builder offers e-commerce features. Some platforms have limitations on e-commerce capabilities in their free plans.
• SEO Tools: Check if the free website builder offers basic SEO tools to optimize your site for search engines.
• Data Portability: Check whether you can easily export your website content and move it to another platform if needed.
• Future Scalability: While you might be starting a website for free, consider whether the free website creator allows for future growth. Can you easily upgrade to a paid plan?
• Support: The website builder should offer good customer support in case you need help.

That being said, let’s explore the best free website builder for small business.

Top 9 Free Website Builder for Small Business in 2024

Below are some free small business website builders you can check out.

1. Wix

First on our list of the best free website builders is Wix. Wix is incredibly easy to use, has a tonne of features (even on the free plan), and provides you complete control over your site’s design thanks to its drag-and-drop editor.

Furthermore, if you don’t want to spend time designing your site, you may use a free AI website builder option called Wix ADI, which will ask you a number of questions and then build a site for you.

Wix, for example, will ask what industry you work in, what services you offer, and a few other questions before putting up the best site for you.

Plus, Wix offers free marketing tools and basic SEO optimization, which helps you rank higher on Google while also increasing your organic web traffic.

With its free forever site builder, Wix even includes web hosting, live chat widgets, and even more features.

Pros of Wix as a Free Website Builder:

• 900+ free, customizable website templates.
• Drag and drop 1000s of design features.
• Built-in SEO and marketing tools.
• 300+ apps to add more power to your site.
• Free SSL for data encryption.
• Auto-image compression and schema markup.
• AI logo generator.

Cons of Wix as a Free Website Builder:

• A free site comes with a domain ending in .wixsite.com and a Wix logo (which is quite usual for free site builders).
• The free plan only offers 500MB of storage, which is insufficient if you are thinking of building a large website.
• No Google Analytics to access your web stats.
• You can’t build an online store with a Wix-free plan.
• Can’t switch templates after publishing.
• Premium plans are more expensive than others on this list.

Paid Plans:

Pricing starts at $16/mo (billed annually) if you want to increase storage, connect your custom domain, and remove Wix’s branding.

Try Wix Free

2. Weebly

Weebly is a free eCommerce website builder owned by the well-known payment processing company Square. Most free site builders do not provide e-commerce functionality until higher-tier plans. However, with Weebly, you can run an online store for free with unlimited products and several payment transaction options.

Furthermore, Weebly’s site editor is section-based with little customization. Unlike most free drag-and-drop website builders on our list, you cannot simply add a section by hovering over the site builder. Instead, you must drag sections from the left-hand menu and then insert material into them.

The plus point with Weebly is that you can change your theme at any time without losing your previous work, unlike most other small business website builders.

Pros of Weebly as a Free Site Builder:

• Free SSL for data encryption.
• E-commerce integration to sell products.
• Built-in SEO tools for optimizing your online store.
• Built-in blog functionality to easily add blog posts to your website.
• Customized form for collecting leads.
• Ability to embed code.

Cons of Weebly as a Free Site Builder:

• Lack of customization options.
• Limited choice of themes.
• Free and basic paid plans display ads.

Paid Plans:

You may connect a custom domain for $10/mo (billed annually) or upgrade to the Pro plan for $12/mo (billed annually) to remove Weebly ads and access extra features.

Try Weebly Free

3. SITE123

Site123 is one of the easiest free website builders. You choose the type of website you want to create, then choose a ready-made template, enter your website name and contact information, and finally click “build website.”

The editor allows you to customize the website. You can customize your site by uploading your own images or by using royalty-free images.

Finish by selecting a domain name, and your website will be ready to go.

The entire process is quick and simple, but there is a tradeoff. There isn’t a lot of room for creativity. For example, you cannot change the items on the website. If you want to create a simple website, consider SITE123.

Pros of SITE123 as a Free Website Creator:

• Very easy to use.
• Templates are responsive.
• Hundreds of royalty-free images.
• Full access to SEO settings.

Cons of SITE123 as a Free Website Creator:

• No drag-and-drop editor.
• Outdated template designs.
• Extremely limited creative control.
• Unprofessional, non-customizable domain.
• No eCommerce functionality in the free plan.

Paid Plans:

Site123 only offers one ad-free plan, which starts at $5.80/mo. It includes a free custom domain for a year, eCommerce functionality, and extra storage and bandwidth.

Try SITE123 Free

4. Strikingly

Strikingly might be worth a look if you’re looking for a one-page solution for showcasing your portfolio or small business. It’s a great solution for individuals who find most website-building tools too complicated.

Once you sign up, you’ll be able to select hundreds of gorgeous themes that you can customize using an easy-to-use visual editor. This free website builder will also recommend several calls to action (CTAs), which is a useful tool for those with little to no design skills.

Pros of Strikingly as a Free Web Builder:

• Unlimited free sites.
• Up to five pages for multi-page sites.
• Invite collaborators.
• 24/7 customer support.

Cons of Strikingly as a Free Web Builder:

• No drag-and-drop editing.
• Only sell one product in the free plan.
• SEO features are subpar.

Paid Plans:

If you’d like to increase storage and connect your custom domain, pricing starts at $8/mo (billed annually). To remove Strikingly branding, you need a Pro plan, which costs $16/mo (billed annually). It also allows you to build a membership site and add multiple pages.

Try Strikingly Free

5. WordPress.com

Another well-known, best free website builder is WordPress.com. However, it should not be confused with WordPress.org, the popular self-hosted platform.

While it appears to be a free website builder, it is actually a blogging platform with builder add-ons. Despite that, WordPress is known for its streamlined editor for creating small business websites and online stores.

While the builder isn’t very difficult to use, some technical knowledge might be required to fully utilize its capabilities. If you want a simple blog and are prepared to learn some basic coding, WordPress is perfect for you.

Pros of WordPress.com as a Free Website Creator:

• As a hosted platform, it handles hosting, security updates, and maintenance.
• Create unlimited pages for your site.
• Website stats to measure success.
• Built-in subscription tools.
• Beautiful themes and pattern layouts.

Cons of WordPress.com as a Free Website Creator:

• Limited customization options.
• Shows ads on the free version.
• Limited support.

Paid Plans:

If you want a free domain name and remove ads, pricing starts at $4/mo (billed annually).

Try WordPress.com Free

6. Mozello

Mozello includes everything you need to start a blog, website, or online store. This free website platform will help you quickly create a professional-looking site with a few clicks.

The editor also makes it easy to manage and create your website by using the basic style to increase functionality.

One of the benefits of using Mozello is that it allows you to create a free multilingual website. This makes it an excellent option if your target client speaks multiple languages.

Furthermore, its free plan is less ad-heavy than the other website creators on this list, with only a little Mozello link at the bottom.

Pros of Mozello as a Free Website Platform:

• Free website with SSL security.
• Easily create a free multilingual website.
• Create an Online store with five products and accept payments through PayPal.
• Includes marketing features (Google Analytics, SEO, Social networks, etc).
• Unlimited bandwidth.

Cons of Mozello as a Free Website Platform:

• The range of themes is quite limited.
• Payment options other than PayPal need a higher tier.

Paid Plans:

For only $8/mo, you can get a free custom domain, remove the Mozello logo, and boost storage to 50 GB. Pricing for launching an online store with limitless products and all payment gateways starts at $16/mo.

Try Mozello Free

7. Jimdo

In comparison to the other best free website builders we’ve seen so far, Jimdo takes an entirely different approach to creating the perfect website.

Jimdo offers two website creation modes:

• Dolphin will create a customized design based on a few questions. It will also populate your site with content that is relevant to your selected niche. If you need to tweak the results, you can change most of the options. This is similar to the Wix ADI tool.
• Creator, on the other hand, offers you more customization options. Instead of using the questionnaire, you select a template that you may customize with a drag-and-drop editor. Advanced users can even add custom code.

Pros of Jimdo as a Free Website Builder:

• AI website builder for creating a free website in minutes.
• Free, high-quality images for every niche.
• Design your own business logo with Free Logo Creator.
• Mobile-optimized for all screens.
• SSL security.

Cons of Jimdo as a Free Website Builder:

• A free plan is limited to 5 pages only.
• No app market, blog, or password protection.
• SEO & social marketing tools are locked in the paid plans.

Paid Plans:

Pricing starts at $9/mo if you want to connect a custom domain name, remove ads, and access more advanced features.

Try Jimdo Free

8. Mailchimp

Mailchimp is a top email marketing platform that is also on our list of the best free email marketing services. It also offers a free website builder with unlimited pages and eCommerce. Weebly is the only other site builder that provides limitless eCommerce for free.

Mailchimp’s free website builder is simple to use, in part because it is one of the most design-limited editors. There are no templates. Instead, you’ll create your Mailchimp web pages with a section-based editor that contains a few options for different types of content blocks. The only design customization available is the option to select a font combination and a website color scheme.

On the plus side, integrating email marketing and setting up drip-, site visitor-, and customer behavior-triggered email automation is simple with Mailchimp’s site builder. Webforms and pop-ups make it easy to build your email marketing contact list. In addition, you may drive traffic to your website through organic search and advertising campaigns, and Mailchimp allows you to create an unlimited number of free landing pages.

Pros of Mailchimp as a Free Website Maker:

• Free email marketing with a monthly limit of 500 contacts and 1,000 sends.
• Integrations with over 300+ apps.
• Unlimited pages and bandwidth.
• Create an online store with unlimited eCommerce and cart abandonment.
• One-time appointments.
• Pop-ups and web forms.
• Easily connect Google Analytics for tracking.

Cons of Mailchimp as a Free Website Maker:

• Limited design tools.
• You are only allowed to customize colors and fonts.
• There are no templates and only a few customizations for different types of content blocks.

Paid Plans:

Mailchimp premium plan starts from $4.61/mo (billed annually).

Try Mailchimp Free

9. Webnode

Next on our list of free website builder for small business is Webnode. Webnode offers modern templates that are optimized for all devices. These templates provide an outstanding user experience while being SEO-friendly.

Customization is also a breeze. All of the items in the template may be moved around.

Webnode, in addition to the website builder, provides fast and reliable web hosting. You can also get a free Webnode-branded domain name or upgrade to a paid plan and have your own custom domain name.

Furthermore, Webnode allows you to create an unlimited number of pages for your website. This is a feature that not many free website builders offer.

In terms of SEO, Webnode offers a few optimization tools to help you rank higher in SERPs. For example, it allows you to create optimized page descriptions and titles.

But, to be honest, the free version of Webnode does not provide enough storage, bandwidth, or key functionality for many businesses. Still, like with Strikingly, if you only need a simple site but want it to seem professional and modern, this may be an excellent option.

Pros of Webnode as a Free Site Creator:

• Build your website using artificial intelligence.
• Hundreds of stylish & responsive templates.
• Create unlimited pages.
• The site and page-level SEO settings.

Cons of Webnode as a Free Site Creator:

• Storage isn’t very generous, with only 200 MB in the free plan.
• No app store for additional site features.

Paid Plans:

The Webnode premium plan starts from $4/mo (billed annually).

Try Webnode Free

How Do I Create a Free Website?

For all the website builders we list here, the creation process always consists of these steps:

• Sign up for a free website account. This will need an email address, password, and possibly a username.
• Choose a template. Most website builders offer a number of templates to choose from. Select a template that meets your needs and design.
• Customize your website. After you have chosen a template, you can start customizing your website. Add your own text, images, and videos.
• Publish your website. Once you are done with your website, you can publish it. Your website will then be accessible to the public.

For more, check out our detailed guide on how to make a website.

Is It Worth Upgrading to a Paid Plan?

As we’ve seen, free website builders can do a lot of things, but premium plans can do a lot more. And paid plans don’t have to imply pricey. You can have premium services for as low as $10 to $15 per month.

The following are the most typical benefits of paid plans:

• Remove Ads: Paid plans typically do not have ads, which can make your website look more professional.
• Use Custome Domain Name: You can use your own domain name instead of using yoursite.yourwebsitebuilder.com, which looks unprofessional.
• More Storage and Bandwidth: Paid plans usually come with more storage space and bandwidth than free options. This means your website will be able to handle more traffic and store more files.
• eCommerce Functionality: Most free site builders – apart from Weebly, which allows you to sell on its free plan – won’t let you unlock the eCommerce feature until you’ve upgraded to a premium plan. If you’re a small business or want to sell products and services to customers, you won’t be comfortable with a free plan for long.
• Better Support: Paid plans typically offer better support than free plans, such as the ability to get help from customer support 24/7.

Best Free Website Builder For Small Business: Conclusion

We’ve walked you through the pros and cons of nine free website builders for small businesses.

Wix is the best overall website builder on our list of the top nine free website builders, thanks to its excellent and extensive free plan.

Webnode comes in second, with a quick setup time and a beginner-friendly ADI builder. And, to finish off our top three, we have Weebly, which allows you to sell online for free.

Remember that free site builders almost often limit the features and functionalities available to you. Although this might be acceptable at the start, it could prove highly frustrating further down the line.

We suggest making use of the available free plans to create, play, and experiment with the different website builders available. However, we do not recommend remaining on a free plan forever.

If you’re serious about your website and want others to take it seriously, you’ll need to upgrade to a premium plan at some time.

There’s no need to rush. None of the builders on our list have a time restriction on their free plan, so you may stay on it for as long as you like. That is, until you are ready to take your site to the next level.

We hope your list helps you find the best free website builder for small business.

For more, check out these other helpful resources:

• 8 Best AI Website Builders [Create a Website in Minutes]
• 12 Best Website Builders for Small Business
• 7 Best Website Builders for SEO

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