Free Websites
We believe in being upfront: if a paid website service isn’t the right fit for your situation, we’d rather point you somewhere useful than leave you stuck.
Below are some of the most widely used free website builders. This is not a comprehensive list, and each option has real trade-offs worth understanding before you commit.
One thing to be aware of: most free plans do not include a proper domain name (your own web address, like yourbusiness.co.za) or professional hosting. You either get a branded subdomain (e.g. yourbusiness.wix.com) or you’ll need to pay extra for those separately. For a business that needs to look credible and be found on Google, this is worth factoring into the total cost.
Please do your own research before choosing the platform best suited for your business.
Figured out that you'd like someone else to handle your website?
Wix
- Wix allows anyone to build websites for business or personal use with a drag-and-drop editor
- One of the easiest builders to use — free plan includes an editor and built-in SEO tools
- In-house marketing and e-commerce features available
- Gives you a high degree of creative control, though the editor can feel clunky/odd for more complex layouts
- You cannot change your template once the site is live
- The wide range of options can feel overwhelming for first-time users
- The most useful features require a paid upgrades
Square Online
- A good option for small businesses or entrepreneurs who want to sell products online from the start
- Simple builder focused on e-commerce (online selling), with a generous free plan that includes basic sales features
- Square Online has a free plan that you can stay on for as long as you’d like, and two paid plans
- The editing interface can feel restrictive, and limited advanced features may make it harder to grow your website over time
WordPress
- WordPress.com is a powerful platform but not the most beginner-friendly option
- To get the most out of it, you’ll need to become comfortable with some basic technical concepts and settings
- A good choice if you’re building a large content-heavy website and have some technical confidence
- Free plan available, with four paid options for more features and your own domain name
If managing a website platform yourself sounds like more work than it’s worth, we handle everything for you — design, build, domain, hosting, maintenance and updates — from R1000 per year.
