How to Set Up a Free Website: Complete Step‑by‑Step Guide

Quick Takeaways

• Free website builders let you launch a site without spending a penny, but they have limits on storage, bandwidth, and branding.
• WordPress.com, Wix, Google Sites, GitHub Pages and Netlify are the most popular free options in 2025.
• Choosing the right platform depends on your goal - blog, portfolio, business page, or static site.
• All free services support a custom sub‑domain; you’ll need a paid upgrade for a true domain name (e.g., yoursite.com).
• Upgrade only when you need more storage, remove ads, or want advanced features like e‑commerce.

Ever wondered if you can launch a site without opening your wallet? The short answer is yes - you can build a functional, public‑facing website for free. In this guide we’ll explain what “free” really includes, walk through the best platforms, compare them side‑by‑side, and give you step‑by‑step instructions for the two most versatile services. By the end you’ll know exactly which free website builder fits your needs and how to get it live in minutes.

Understanding What a Free Website Offers

When a service markets itself as free, it usually trades features for revenue. The most common trade‑offs are:

• Free hosting with limited storage (often 500MB to 2GB) and bandwidth caps.
• A sub‑domain that includes the platform’s brand (e.g., yourname.wixsite.com).
• Platform‑placed ads or branding that you can’t remove without paying.
• Restricted access to plugins, themes, or custom code.
• Limited customer support - usually community forums only.

Knowing these limits helps you set realistic expectations. If you simply need a personal blog, a portfolio, or a landing page, a free plan often suffices. For a growing business that requires a custom domain, SSL, or e‑commerce, you’ll soon outgrow the free tier.

Top Free Website Builders in 2025

Here’s a quick rundown of the most reliable free platforms, each with its own sweet spot.

WordPress.com - Ideal for bloggers and content‑heavy sites. You get a powerful editor, hundreds of free themes, and built‑in SEO tools. Free plans include a .wordpress.com sub‑domain and limited storage (3GB).

Wix - Best for drag‑and‑drop design lovers. The free tier provides a .wixsite.com URL, 500MB of storage, and Wix branding at the bottom of each page.

Google Sites - Great for simple internal pages, documentation, or quick prototypes. It integrates tightly with Google Workspace and offers unlimited pages with a .sites.google.com address.

GitHub Pages - Perfect for developers who want a static site straight from a Git repository. You can host HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for free, with a .github.io domain.

Netlify - Similar to GitHub Pages but adds continuous deployment, serverless functions, and a modern UI. Free tier includes 100GB bandwidth per month and a .netlify.app sub‑domain.

Blogger - Google’s classic blogging platform. Provides a .blogspot.com address, unlimited posts, and easy integration with AdSense if you ever decide to monetize.

Feature Comparison of Free Platforms

Step‑by‑Step: Launching a Site on WordPress.com

1. Visit wordpress.com and click “Start your website”.
2. Sign up with an email address or Google account.
3. Choose a site name - this becomes your .wordpress.com URL.
4. Select the free plan when asked about pricing.
5. Pick a theme from the free gallery. You can customize colors, fonts, and layout later.
6. Enter the WordPress editor. Add a new page or post via the “+” button.
7. Publish your first piece of content. The site goes live instantly on the sub‑domain.
8. Optional: Connect a free Free domain from a provider like Freenom, then point it to WordPress using DNS A‑records (requires a paid plan for full domain mapping).

WordPress’s free plan also gives you built‑in SEO fields, a basic site analytics dashboard, and mobile‑responsive design out of the box.

Step‑by‑Step: Publishing a Static Site on GitHub Pages

1. Create a GitHub account at github.com if you don’t already have one.
2. Start a new repository named yourname.github.io. The exact name is crucial - GitHub uses it to serve the site.
3. Add an index.html file. A simple starter template:

   <!DOCTYPE html>
   <html lang="en">
   <head>
     <meta charset="UTF-8">
     <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
     <title>My Free Site</title>
   </head>
   <body>
     <h1>Hello, world!</h1>
     <p>This site is hosted for free on GitHub Pages.</p>
   </body>
   </html>

4. Commit the file to the main branch.
5. Navigate to https://yourname.github.io. Your site appears within minutes.
6. To use a custom domain, buy one from a registrar, then add a CNAME file with the domain name and update the DNS A and CNAME records as instructed in GitHub’s docs.

GitHub Pages also supports Jekyll, so you can write posts in Markdown and have them rendered automatically - a big time‑saver for developers.

When to Upgrade: Signs It’s Time to Pay

Free plans hold you back once you start needing:

• More than the allotted storage or bandwidth (e.g., a media‑rich portfolio).
• A custom domain without platform branding.
• Removal of ads for a professional look.
• E‑commerce tools like shopping carts or payment gateways.
• Advanced SEO plugins, custom JavaScript, or API integrations.

Most platforms make the upgrade path clear - a few dollars a month gets you a professional domain, higher limits, and priority support. Compare the cost against the value of a polished online presence; often the ROI is quick.

Pro Tips & Common Pitfalls

• Plan for growth. Choose a builder that offers an easy migration path to a paid tier; you don’t want to rebuild your site later.
• Back up your content regularly. Free services can change terms or shut down features with little notice.
• Optimize images before uploading. Smaller files keep you within storage limits and improve load speed.
• Use a free Free domain only for temporary projects. For credibility, a paid .com/.co.uk is worth the modest fee.
• Check mobile responsiveness. Even free themes today are usually responsive, but test on multiple devices before publishing.