Best Website Builder for Free | Templates + Steps to Build a Website

November 18, 2024
|
15 Minutes
Modified on:
November 18, 2024
|
Written by:
Swati Bucha
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Best Website Builder for Free | Templates + Steps to Build a Website

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A website needs to be present for you to enjoy the expansion of business online. Undeniably, most small businesses need more funds to engage a skilled developer to create websites. You need free website builders for this. So, you can make and publish websites with little money and no expertise in technical matters. 

Most platforms have an easy-to-use interface, and a drag-and-drop builder is available. From the control panel, you may select any element you want or need for your website, drag it, and change it on the page. You can update the website with your company details, make the necessary changes, and publish it. Due to technological advancements, it is now easy to create and establish a website.

Without further ado, let's explore these best website builders for free in more detail and decide which one best meets your company's requirements.

Top 5 Best Website Builders For Free

Now that you know the fundamentals, let's look at the list of the best website builders for free:

1. Neo

Neo offers a one-page website and an email-integrated form as part of an all-in-one solution. Additionally, the platform offers a personalized email domain, which makes it possible for your brand to have an efficient online presence through email marketing. Also, you can utilize Neo's custom domain name as the domain for your website.

Businesses looking for a simple, integrated solution for their one-page website and communication requirements can use this platform.

Key Features:

  • Lead gathering forms are connected to the mail. 
  • Using social media and WhatsApp to interact with customers. 
  • A calendar feature that is integrated to simplify scheduling. 

Pricing

Starter: $1.86, Standard: $3.74, Max: $7.49

Pros

  • Its UI is extremely user-friendly and easy to navigate through.
  • It helps build an online presence with minimal effort with the one-page website option.
  • Advanced features for email marketing and management, including read receipts, undo sent, and priority inbox.

Cons

  • Its mobile app is not as polished for use and could use further improvements.

Steps to Build the Website With Neo

Neo makes it easy to set up your online presence. This is your guide to developing a unique online presence:

Step 1: Sign Up for Neo

Registering with Neo is the first step. With Neo, you can register your email domain name easily for free and set up your business email account. With Neo's email address, you can deploy your website.

Step 2: Neo Site Editor Access

After completing the registration process, build your website using the Neo Site Editor. Remember that administrators are the only ones with site editor access and the ability to publish your site.

Step 3: Choose a Theme

Neo provides a range of themes that best capture your company's fundamentals. Select one that aligns with your vision and begin customizing it to your story.

Step 4: Changing the Specifics of Your Website

You can start by uploading your website logo. This can be your brand logo, or you can upload a customized version. Create a Meta Title and Meta Description for your Product and Service Pages. Here, you can add important information related to your website, such as important keywords related to different categories. You can also highlight Unique Selling Points that can attract your customers. Adding images to your service and product pages can help improve the user experience as well as improve the search engine ranking.

Step 5: Add and Edit the Content

Content is essential for a one-page website. So, highlight the bakery's history, commitment to traditional bread-making methods, and unique use of organic ingredients. Neo's Site Editor makes it easy to upload photos and descriptions, which makes it easier if you are listing many products on your website.

Step 6: Adding External Links and Social Media Customisation

You all know the importance of using social media to connect the one-page website to the bakery's Facebook and Instagram pages. Neo's platform makes this procedure easier by seamlessly integrating social media with the website and other platforms.

Step 7: Improving Chat and Forms For Communication

Adding a WhatsApp chat feature is simple using Neo's Site Editor. It allows to increase the user engagement as user can use this feature to communicate with you and get more details. 

Step 8: Going Live

The 'Publish' button is all needed to start the bakery online. Neo allows you to instantly change the website, which is useful for revealing new bread types or special offers throughout the year.

2. Wix

Whether you want to launch a landing page or a website, Wix is another one of the best options for website builders. The user-friendly, fully hosted platform features professional-looking themes, a large selection of apps, and a drag-and-drop editor. 

The most notable aspect of Wix is its emphasis on giving entrepreneurs all the resources they need to launch their companies online. When you set up your website, you select your business type. Wix builds a customized dashboard based on your choice, unlike other website builders, which use this data for internal purposes.

Key Features:

  • It provides additional branding tools, a customized logo, and a domain.
  • AI creates a webpage just for you based on the choices you make.
  • A list of complex aspects that can be used to improve the website's efficacy. 

Pricing

Light: $17, Core: $29, Business: $29, with each type providing different features to cater to more requirements.

Pros

  • Simple and easy-to-use editors. 
  • Templates with countless ways to personalize it. 
  • Plenty of integrations and apps for your company.

Cons

  • Slower loading times mean that SEO features are missing.
  • Only suitable for small-scale businesses with minimal content management options.

Steps to Build the Website With Wix

An easy-to-follow checklist outlines the primary phases of building a website and establishing your internet business. It will concentrate on creating a website using the Wix editor.

Step 1: Log In or Sign Up for Wix

Fill in the required information to create a new account for your business website.

Step 2: Choose your website type

After logging in, Wix will ask what kind of website you want to create, such as a portfolio, business, online store, or blog. Pick what works best for you, and Wix will automatically select the best templates for you.

Step 3: Choose a Template on Wix Editor

The Wix Editor option gives you access to the template library that is suitable for the requirements you previously filled in. You can preview the template and further edit it to customize the sections to your liking.

Step 4: Add and edit the content

Customize the template to add headers, footers, images, and sections. From the "Pages" menu on the left, add or remove pages such as "Home," "About," "Services," "Contact," etc. If needed, add new sections to each page, like testimonials, galleries, or product lists. Set up additional features for eCommerce and blogs and integrate your business's social media URLs into the website.

Step 5: Configure the website setting and domain name

If you have a registered domain name, you can connect that with your Wix template before publishing the website. In case you don't, Wix provides a free domain name, “username.wixsite.com/sitename”, for its free users. If you want to customize this, you can subscribe to their premium plans.

Step 6: Preview and Publish

Check the template once again to make sure all the selections are filled and customized to your requirements. When you think your design is good to go, go ahead and publish it.

3. WordPress

Another free website builder that offers a free version for users seeking flexibility is WordPress.com. If you need extra functionality for your website, you can always select the paid edition of this platform. It comes with a free domain for one year. This platform is suitable for both beginners and experienced professionals who wish to expand and scale their websites over time. 

Key Features:

  • SEO-friendly interface. 
  • Online community assistance. 
  • Numerous plugins (Yoast, WooCommerce, and Accessible)

Pricing

Personal: $48, Premium: $96, Business: $300, Commerce: $550 all charged annually.

Pros

  • Websites of any size, including blogs and e-commerce platforms, can be made with WordPress.
  • WordPress is easily adaptable and useful for many different tasks.
  • Offers SEO plugins that can aid with target keywords, page names, meta descriptions, and content optimization.

Cons

  • The free themes offer little customization options.
  • This is an open-source website, thereby less customer support.

Steps to Build the Website With WordPress

WordPress.com is the place to go whether you want to build a business, run a store, or share ideas. These five phases will offer you a strong foundation for your website's growth, regardless of the kind of website you design.

Step 1: Create Your Website

To create your new account in a few easy steps, go to WordPress.com and click on Get Started. In order to inform visitors of the purpose of your website, you will be required to select a name. After you've decided on the ideal name, go to General Settings and set it as your Site Title. Here, too, you can include an unforgettable tagline!

Step 2: Design Your Homepage

Make a good first impression by personalizing the homepage, or home page, of your website. To personalize the design, you can load any of these stunning themes and then change, add, or delete any components.

Here, you'll find your "blocks," which are the individual building blocks of your website. Blocks allow you to add almost anything to your pages, including galleries, photos, columns, videos, payment buttons, and much more.

Step 3: Make Additional Pages

A website's About page and Contact page are the most often visited pages, aside from the homepage. To start creating a new page, navigate to Pages > Add New Page from your dashboard.

Step 4: Setup Menu

The links that users can click to navigate a website are located in the menu at the top. Keep the menu easy to navigate to ensure a smooth user experience.

Step 5: Increase Your Online Presence on Social Media

Your website is the ideal platform for promoting your social media presence. Add links to your social media accounts, such as Instagram, Pinterest, and LinkedIn, to connect further with your target audience.

Once you have finished those five phases, your website will have a strong foundation. If you're ready to share it with the world, go ahead and launch it.

4. Zoho Sites

The ability to build your website is a relatively new addition to the web. The platform partnered with a trustworthy website builder hosting to provide a range of AI-powered tools that allow anyone to develop a website in minutes. Zoho is an appropriate platform for various quick deployers and creative thinkers who desire a flawless website without developer intervention. With Zoho, you can register a personalized domain name, which includes reliable and cost-free hosting.

Key Features:

  • Create, drag, and drop capabilities for template editors.
  • Appealing B2B and B2C templates. 
  • Standardized headers and color schemes. 

Pricing

Starter: $5/month, Pro Plan: $17/month and are billed annually.

Pros

  • Zoho Sites offers seamless integrations. 
  • Users can add text, images, audio, and video to their website easily. 
  • For the pricing, Zoho Sites is regarded as offering good value.

Cons

  • Compared to other website builders, Zoho Sites offers fewer third-party integrations.
  • No eCommerce integration is available for websites.

Steps to Build a Website With Zoho Sites

In the current digital world, businesses must have an online presence to be successful. A visually appealing website not only attracts visitors but also increases your brand's legitimacy and trust. AGSuite Technologies, an authorized Zoho partner, offers Zoho Sites, an effective website builder that lets you make eye-catching websites.

Step 1: Plan the Design and Structure of Your Website

Planning the structure and style of your website is essential before you start the production process. Think about your target audience, your website's goal, and the content you wish to highlight.

Step 2: Choose an Eye-Catching Drag and Drop Template

Zoho Sites provides a large selection of well-created templates appropriate for various sectors and uses. Look through the gallery to choose a template that fits your brand's needs and aesthetics.

Step 3: Personalize the Look and Feel of Your Website

After choosing a template, the next step is to make your website uniquely yours. With Zoho Sites, you can alter the look of your website with an easy-to-use editor. Change the backgrounds, fonts, and colors to align with your brand identity.

Step 4: Include Interesting Content

Any website's foundation is its compelling content. Use the user-friendly content editor in Zoho Sites to add text, photos, videos, and more. Make sure your writing is clear, interesting, and educational. Divide it up into sections and include headings, bullet points, and images to make it easier to read.

Step 5: Combine Widgets with Functionalities

Zoho Sites offers a wide range of built-in features and widgets to improve the operation of your website. You can include features that suit your company's requirements, such as social media integration, contact forms, e-commerce, and event registration.

Step 6: Make Your Devices Mobile-Friendly

Making sure your website is mobile-friendly is crucial because most internet users access websites via mobile devices. Zoho Sites' inbuilt mobile responsive optimization allows your website to adjust to various screen sizes easily.

Step 7: Publish

Use the preview tool in Zoho Sites before making your website public. Check every element of your website, from functionality to design, to ensure it meets your standards. Once you are happy with your website, click the publish button to make it live for everyone to see.

5. Yola

Yola is regarded as one of the best free website builders. After guiding you through selecting a website type (personal, business, store, or community), the setup procedure provides either a DIY template selection or an automatic AI builder. The biggest benefit is that you can always change the template later without losing any material you've created. 

Key Features

  • Yola's user-friendly drag-and-drop builder makes it simple to add content, change page layouts, and create eye-catching websites.
  • Yola offers integrated SEO optimization features such as Site Scan and Traffic Builder to make your website search-engine friendly.
  • Yola provides a free plan so that consumers can check out features before purchasing a premium subscription.

Pricing

Bronze Plan: $59.95, Silver Plan: $143.45, and Gold Plan: $287.45, all charged annually

Pros

  • Yola is meant for beginners and doesn't require any prior experience in coding. It features a help section and a drag-and-drop interface.
  • Yola has reliable customer support.
  • Yola has powerful marketing and SEO tools.

Cons

  • There is no blogging platform available for Yola.

Steps to Build a Website With Yola

It's never been simpler to create a professional-looking website! Yola's Template Gallery offers high-quality, eye-catching designs for both personal and professional use.

Step 1: Register your account

The first step is to register for a Yola account. To accomplish this, click Start for Free. You'll see a dialogue window labeled "Get Started." Enter your password, email address, and name, then select "Start building your website.”

Step 2: Pick a template

As soon as your account has been properly created, you will be directed to the Template Gallery page, where you can browse and choose a premade theme for your website.

Step 3: Preview the template and get started

You can hover over the thumbnail of any template to see additional details. A slide-up overlay will appear with the option to "View details." The template and its features are described in a larger thumbnail at the top of the page when you click View Details. Once you've decided which template to use, click Use This Template.

Step 4: Set up the Contact Page of the website

The first thing you see will be a space to enter your contact details so visitors can contact you. This space will be displayed on your Contact page. This is a fantastic spot to add your company's contact details if you have one. Your footer will also be related to this information. After entering your details, select "Finish Setup." By selecting "No thanks, I'll do this later," you may skip this step.

Step 6: Customize your template

You can customize the content of your template to suit your business's needs. You can also add pages for different sections of your business to smooth the user experience and keep it organized.

Step 7: Publish your site

Preview the site once you think you have met your requirements, and go ahead and publish it. You can use an existing domain or purchase one through Yola for a custom domain name. For free plan users, the website gets published under the Yola subdomain.

Templates To Build Your Website

Here are some templates from different website builders that you can use to build your website: 

1. Oak&Ash - Wix

2. Nature Pantry - Wix 

3. City Growers - Wix 

4. Impressionist - WordPress

5. Bute - WordPress

Free Website Builder Comparison

Website Builder Features Pros Cons Ratings
Neo Customizable templates, business management tools, and email marketing features.
Free custom domain name with the cheapest plan.
It provides free custom email domain names with its email hosting plans, and it can be used for one-page website deployment. It allows the deployment of a one-page website. 4.7/5
Wix Drag-and-drop capabilities AI design support tools for custom branding and domains. It offers advanced SEO tools. It provides reliable security and hosting. Wix is priced higher than other website builders. Doesn’t allow the use of a custom domain, and sites on the free tier are limited to the wixsite.com subdomain 4.5/5
WordPress SEO-friendly plugins like Yoast and WooCommerce, as well as online community assistance. It is ideal for blogs and eCommerce websites. It supports web accessibility standards, and there are many customizable themes, plugins, and SEO features. Limited customization options for free themes. 4.4/5
Zoho sites Drag-and-drop creation templates for standardized B2B and B2C design aspects. Helps in building excellent customer relationships with a built-in AI sales assistant. It offers extensive customization options. Templates are generic. 4.1/5
Yola Simple-to-use SEO tools and editor-adaptable templates. Its drag-and-drop option is user-friendly. It offers social features which are important for modern marketing. Yola has a few customization options. 4.0/5

Note: The ratings are based on different factors, like ease of use, AI capabilities, SEO, pricing plans, third-party integrations to enhance the website functionality, variety of themes, customization flexibility, and maintenance. 

Conclusion

A professional website is crucial in today's digital world, but financial restraints may limit possibilities. With the help of free website builders, small businesses and startups may create an online presence without having to make significant financial commitments. With the help of flexible, user-friendly tools from platforms like Neo, Yola, Weebly, and WordPress.com, you can easily build an aesthetically pleasing website with little technical expertise. These systems enable you to compete online effectively due to their mobile friendliness, SEO integration, and customizable templates.

Neo offers the best website builder for free, but users must subscribe to their email hosting plans, which start at $1.86/user/month. Neo can use these reasonably priced options to give customers a polished online presence for free, establishing itself as a resource for new businesses hoping to establish themselves online without paying for setup costs.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does Google offer a free website builder?

With a Google account, you can create a Google Site for free. Hosting and maintaining a Google Sites website only costs extra if you want to buy a custom domain.

2. Is it possible for a beginner to create a website?

Without knowing any code, you can design websites with the help of easy-to-use tools called website builders. They are ideal for beginners who wish to launch their website as soon as possible.

3. Is it possible to run a domain for free?

Yes, registering with Hostinger or another company that provides free domain names is the simplest way to obtain a free domain.

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