Updated June 2026
How to set up a free website
Short answer
You can set up a free website in 2026 using Google Sites, WordPress.com's free tier, or Carrd's free plan. All three give you a working URL on a shared subdomain (e.g. yoursite.wordpress.com) with limited features and provider branding. For a business, expect to outgrow the free tier within 30 days — at minimum you'll want a custom domain ($12/year) to look credible.
Key facts
- Google Sites: truly free, no branding, ugly URL — fine for an internal hub, not a business
- WordPress.com free: 1 GB storage, WordPress.com ads on your pages, .wordpress.com subdomain
- Carrd free: one-page sites, .carrd.co subdomain, no custom domain
- Wix free: forced Wix branding banner — kills conversion on a business site
- GitHub Pages: actually free forever, but requires Markdown/HTML skills
Step-by-step
- 1
Pick honestly
Carrd for a one-pager. Google Sites for an internal page. GitHub Pages if you can write Markdown.
- 2
Sign up
Use a real email — you'll get the verification link there.
- 3
Use their template
Free tiers don't justify custom design time. Pick the closest template and edit text only.
- 4
Add a $12 domain
If it's for business, the subdomain kills trust. A .com is the single biggest credibility upgrade.
- 5
Plan to migrate
Free tiers don't export cleanly. Treat them as a 30-day MVP, not a permanent home.
Outgrown the free tier?
We migrate free-tier sites to a proper domain and platform in under a week. Flat rate.
Get a free audit →Frequently asked
Is a free website worth it for a business?
Only as a 30-day test to validate that you'll actually keep the site updated. For anything customer-facing, a $12/year domain plus a $16/month builder is the credible minimum.
What's wrong with a free Wix or WordPress.com site?
Forced provider branding ('Powered by Wix'), no custom domain, and ads on your pages. All three measurably hurt conversion and SEO.
Can I get a free domain?
Real .com domains are never free. Free .tk/.ml domains exist but Google often deindexes them and customers don't trust them.
Is there a free website builder with no ads?
Google Sites and GitHub Pages. Both are ad-free but limited — Google Sites is plain, GitHub Pages requires code.