7/month removes ads and lets you connect a domain. The Business plan at $36/month adds e-commerce.
**Best for:** Photographers, portfolio sites, and service businesses who want to test their concept before committing to a paid plan.
Squarespace (Free Trial Only)
Squarespace does not offer a permanently free plan — only a 14-day free trial. This matters because it's often listed in "best free website builder" roundups without this clarification.
**What the trial gives you:**
- Full access to all features
- Beautiful, design-forward templates
- Built-in e-commerce from day one
**After the trial:**
- Personal plan: ~$23/month (no e-commerce)
- Business plan: ~$33/month (includes basic e-commerce)
- Commerce plans: ~$36–$65/month
**Best for:** Small businesses in creative industries — fashion, photography, food, interior design — where design quality is a competitive differentiator.
Google Sites (Free, Always)
Google Sites is genuinely free with no paid upgrade path. It's simple, integrates with Google Workspace, and produces clean, fast-loading pages.
**What you get:**
- Free custom domain connection (if you own the domain)
- Unlimited pages and storage
- No ads
**What you don't get:**
- Design flexibility (very limited templates)
- E-commerce
- Marketing integrations
- SEO controls
**Best for:** Internal company wikis, event pages, or a basic online presence for businesses that don't plan to do any digital marketing.
WordPress.com (Free Tier Available)
WordPress.com (not to be confused with self-hosted WordPress.org) has a free tier that gives you a WordPress subdomain, basic themes, and 1GB of storage.
**Free plan limitations:**
- WordPress.com subdomain
- Limited plugins
- WordAds on your site
- Basic themes only
**Cost to go professional:** The Personal plan (~$9/month) removes ads and allows a custom domain. The Business plan (~$25/month) unlocks plugins and advanced SEO tools.
**Best for:** Bloggers who want to test the WordPress ecosystem before committing to self-hosted.
We.Inc (Free Trial)
We.Inc is not a permanently free website builder — it offers a free trial rather than a free-forever plan. But it earns a place in this comparison because it represents the best value for small businesses that need more than just a website.
[We.Inc's website builder](/website-builder) is a drag-and-drop editor built for businesses that want their website to actually do something: capture leads, book appointments, trigger email sequences, and feed into a CRM — all within a single platform.
**What sets it apart:**
- Professional templates designed to convert, not just look good
- Built-in [sales automation and CRM](/sales-automation) — no integrations required
- [Social media scheduling](/social-scheduler) included in the same workspace
- Native email tools and automation
- No third-party middleware or Zapier required to connect your tools
**Best for:** Service businesses, consultants, agencies, and SaaS companies that want a website that's also a marketing engine — not just a digital brochure.
**Honest cost:** See the [current pricing](/pricing) for what's included at each tier. For businesses replacing separate website, CRM, email, and social tools, the math often favors consolidation.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Platform | Permanently Free | Custom Domain (Free) | E-commerce | SEO Controls | Built-in Marketing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wix | Yes (limited) | No | No (paid only) | Basic | Limited |
| Squarespace | No (trial only) | No | Yes (paid) | Good | Limited |
| Google Sites | Yes | Yes | No | Minimal | None |
| WordPress.com | Yes (limited) | No | No (paid only) | Good (paid) | Plugin-dependent |
| We.Inc | Trial | Yes (paid) | Yes | Strong | Full suite built-in |
How to Choose by Business Type
Freelancer or Consultant
You need a professional portfolio and a way to capture leads. Wix's free plan works to get started, but the branded subdomain will cost you credibility. Budget