Whether you want to trial run your design before launch, or get online as quickly and affordably as possible, you’re in luck: many top website builders offer free plans that allow you to create and publish a site, though with some trade-offs like ads or subdomains.
We’ve reviewed and ranked the best free website builders for small businesses in the UK, based on ease of use, functionality, and limitations of their free offerings.
Compare website builder free plans and trial periods
| Website builder | Free plan/trial duration | Ads/subdomain | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squarespace | 14 days | No | Design-focused brands |
| Site123 | Forever | Yes | Quick, simple sites |
| Wix | Forever | Yes | Creative control |
| Weebly | Forever | Yes | First-time users |
| Webador | Forever | Yes | All-rounder, ecommerce |
| GoDaddy | 7 days | No | Speedy setup |
1. Squarespace – Maximum creative freedom
Squarespace is all about stunning design. While there’s no forever-free plan, the 14-day free trial gives you full access to its powerful editor and premium templates that allow you to build a website without coding (though it also offers complete customisation with CSS and Javascript). It’s best suited to visually-led businesses like designers, photographers, or creatives.
Free Access: 14-day free trial only (no forever-free plan)
Pros:
- Premium, elegant templates – no coding needed
- Switch templates at any time
- Excellent customisation
Cons:
- Free trial only, no permanent free option
- Requires more time to learn
Pricing
| Plan | Price (paid annually) | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Free trial | £0/month | 14-day access to full features, cannot publish custom domain |
| Basic | £12/month | Custom domain, templates, 2 contributors, basic sales features |
| Core | £17/month | No transaction fees, advanced customisation |
| Plus | £29/month | Lower fees, advanced analytics |
| Advanced | £79/month | Enterprise-grade features and support |
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2. Site123 – Fastest for getting online
If you need a basic business site online within an hour, Site123 delivers. Its guided setup and AI tools create a ready-to-publish site after answering a few questions. While ecommerce features are only accessible on paid plans, it’s a solid free option for simple websites.
Free Plan Limitations: 250MB storage, SITE123 branding, subdomain
Pros:
- Very quick to set up
- Helpful support via live chat
Mobile-optimised templates -
Cons:
- Minimal storage
- Limited design flexibility
- Can’t change templates after going live
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Key features |
|---|---|---|
| Free | £0/month | Site123 subdomain, ads, 250MB storage |
| Premium | £9.50/month | Custom domain, 3GB storage, basic e-commerce |
3. Wix – Best design flexibility (with limitations)
Wix offers an enormous selection of templates (2,000+) and powerful design tools — even on its free plan. However, your site will show Wix ads and live on a Wix-branded subdomain. Still, if design freedom is important, it’s hard to beat.
Free Plan Limitations: Wix branding and ads, no custom domain
Pros:
- Excellent drag-and-drop editor
- AI builder (Wix ADI) for speed
- Huge library of templates
Cons:
- No custom domain on free plan
- Shows Wix ads
- Can’t switch templates later
Pricing
| Plan | Price (paid annually) | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Free | £0/month | Subdomain, limited features, no custom domain |
| Light | £9/month | Free domain for 1 year, 2GB storage, simple marketing tools, 2 users |
| Core | £16/month | 50GB storage, basic marketing and ecommerce tools, accept payments, 5 users |
| Business | £25/month | 100GB storage, enhanced e-commerce and marketing tools, 10 collaborators |
4. Weebly – Easiest to use for beginners
Weebly is an ultra-simple website builder owned by Square (the payments provider), making it strong on both usability and ecommerce. You can build your site with a WYSIWYG editor, and there are plenty of apps to expand its functionality over time.
Free Plan Limitations: Weebly branding and subdomain
Pros:
- Drag-and-drop simplicity
- Decent ecommerce tools
- Focused template selection
Cons:
- No AI setup
- Free plan is quite limited
- No domain connection
| Plan | Price | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Free | £0/month | Wix subdomain, ads, basic tools |
| Light | £9/month | Free domain, 2GB storage, basic site tools |
| Core | £16/month | Payments, 50GB storage, e-commerce support |
| Business | £25/month | Developer tools, restaurant management |
5. Webador – Best overall free plan
Webador offers one of the most generous free plans around. You can set up an online store, blog, or portfolio using its clean, modern templates and AI-powered website builder, and customise it with drag-and-drop. Unlike many competitors, Webador doesn’t charge any sales commission, even on the free plan, meaning you keep 100% of your profits.
Free Plan Limitation: Webador branding, subdomain
Pros:
- Very beginner-friendly
- Includes free ecommerce support
- No transaction fees
- 50+ clean, professional templates
Cons:
- Webador ads and subdomain (e.g., yoursite.webador.co.uk)
- Limited template variety
| Plan | Price | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Free | £0/month | Webador subdomain, ads, basic website tools |
| Lite | £4.50/month | Custom domain, remove ads, stats, 1GB storage |
| Pro | £8.50/month | E-commerce, custom email, 10GB storage, SEO tools |
6. GoDaddy – Quick setup, but short trial
GoDaddy’s AI-driven website builder makes it easy to create a business site in minutes. You’ll be prompted through a few questions and voilà — a live-ready site. But after the 7-day trial, you need to subscribe.
Free Access: 7-day free trial (no forever-free plan)
Pros:
- Simple and fast with ADI
- Flexible template switching
- Good for service-based businesses
Cons:
- Trial ends after 7 days
- Limited creative control
- No direct selling via social platforms
| Plan | Price (paid annually) | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | £0/month | 7-day access, no domain connection |
| Basic | £7.99/month | Custom domain, editing tools, email, analytics, AI-writing and content creation |
| Premium | £11.99/month | Email marketing to 25,000 users per month, appointment booking, take payments, create and manage ads on Meta and Google |
| Commerce | £14.99/month | Sell unlimited number of products, email marketing to 100,000 users per month, list on third-party marketplaces |
Further reading
Top five online businesses you can start today – Ground-breaking companies have been founded in garages, dorm rooms and home offices. Here are five online business ideas for inspiration
Your guide to starting an online business – A survey of small and micro-businesses found businesses with a website were 51 per cent more likely to grow than those without
What are the best 8 website builders for my small business? – Reviews of eight of the most popular off-the-shelf e-commerce platforms in Britain to help you choose the best website builder
