Free can mean two very different things: software you actually own, or a no cost tier of a paid product. We separate true open source from generous free plans, then weight ownership, what the free tier really gives you, and how easily you can leave.
We weight genuine ownership and open source licensing first, then how usable the free tier is without forced ads or branding, plus how cleanly you can export and move your site. See the full rubric →
If you want to own your site outright, WordPress.org is the only mainstream pick that is genuinely open source. The software is free; you pay for hosting and a domain, and you accept more setup in exchange for full control and portability.
Carrd's free tier covers up to three simple one page sites, and Pro is only a few dollars a year. It is not open source and the free plan carries a small badge, but for a link page or quick profile nothing is cheaper.
The hosted side of WordPress runs on the same open source core but takes care of setup for you. The free plan shows WordPress.com branding and ads, yet it is a solid way to start a blog and you can export your content later.
Webflow's free Starter plan is a generous place to learn visual design and build two page prototypes on a webflow.io address. It is proprietary and you need a paid plan to launch on your own domain, but the free tier teaches a lot.
Wix gives you a permanent free plan with the full editor, so you can build a real site before paying. The catch is Wix ads and a wix.com address until you upgrade, and it is not open source.
Google Sites is completely free with a Google account and connects a custom domain at no cost, which is rare. The tradeoff is very limited design and SEO control, so it suits internal pages and basic personal sites more than a business presence.
Pricing verified as of June 2026. Vendors change plans often · check the vendor for current pricing.
Feature support verified as of June 2026 · check the vendor for current details.