COMPARED OCTOBER 2026
Best free website builders (2026)
We scored 10 free website builders on the 7 things that decide what a free plan is really worth, the same way for all of them, including Zarla, which is ours.
Free to build · Pay when you publish
Key takeaways
- Canva placed first: 9 of 14 points across seven tests, level with Webflow but with fewer crosses.
- Pick by what matters most: if you need enquiries and bookings before you pay for anything, Square.
- Zarla, which is ours, placed ninth of ten, with 2 points; its weak spots are in the table like everyone else's.
- None of the ten gets a tick on "Your own domain, free".
- Every competitor verdict comes from the builder's own pages, with the date we read it. When we asked ChatGPT, it named seven of these builders, and not Zarla.
What's the best free website builder?
For most small businesses, Canva is the best free website builder, by a nose: it's level with Webflow on 9 of 14 across the seven tests we ran on ten builders, with fewer crosses, and it gives you the most without paying (level with Google Sites).
If you need enquiries and bookings before you pay for anything, pick Square. Wix (8) and Google Sites (7) are close behind.
The full scores are below, with every builder's weak spot, ours included.
More about building your site with Zarla for free, and publishing when you're ready.
Build the website
Start your website now
Add what you do, your town and your business name to the sentence, and Zarla builds the site, with a page for each service and town you list. You edit it in chat and publish when you're ready.
Already have a website? Bring it across →Zarla keeps your old page addresses where it can and redirects the ones that change, helping you keep the Google standing you've built.
Zarla for small businesses, in plain facts
Zarla is an AI website builder for small businesses. Describe your small business in a sentence and it writes the whole site, every page and every word, in about 30 seconds; after that you change it by typing what you want.
- The AI writes the whole site for free, and you can preview and change it for as long as you like before you decide.
- Price: Free to build and preview. You pay when you publish, on the Premium plan, which includes booking, the leads inbox and invoices.
Zarla isn't free to publish: building and previewing cost nothing, and a live site needs the Premium plan.
In this comparison: ninth of ten, with 2 of 14 points.
THE SCORES
How do the free website builders compare?
A tick is worth 2 points, a dash 1, a cross nothing, and every test counts the same, so the most anyone can score is 14.
| Test | Canva | Webflow | Square | Wix | Google Sites | GoDaddy | WordPress.com | Carrd | Zarla | Squarespace |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A live site, free for good | Yes — Up to five free live sites on a Canva address | Yes — Free Starter plan on a webflow.io address | Yes — Square Free, $0, on a square.site address | Yes — Free plan stays live on a wixsite.com address | Yes — Free with a Google account; publish in one click | Yes — The free site stays live after a 7-day trial | Yes — Free plan, no expiry, on its own address | Yes — Up to three free sites on a carrd.co address | No — Free to build and preview; pay to publish | No — No free plan; the 14-day trial site is private |
| Your own domain, free | Partly — Only a domain bought through Canva; yours needs Pro | No — Your own domain needs a paid Site plan | No — Your own domain needs Square Plus | No — Your own domain needs a paid plan | Partly — Your own domain, but only as a www address | No — Your own domain needs a paid plan | No — No custom domain on the free plan | No — Your own domain needs Pro Standard | No — Your own domain comes with publishing | No — No free live site |
| No ads or builder branding | Partly — A "Designed with Canva" footer | Partly — A "Made in Webflow" badge | Partly — A small Square banner in the footer | No — Wix ads on every page | Partly — No ads; a small Google info icon stays | No — A GoDaddy banner ad at the top | No — Its ads shown to your visitors | Partly — A "Made with Carrd" credit in the footer | No — No free published site | No — No free live site |
| Room on the free plan | Partly — 45 pages, 10 sections a page, 5 GB storage | Partly — Two pages, 1 GB bandwidth | Partly — No page or storage limit stated | Partly — 500 MB storage, 1 GB bandwidth | Partly — No page limit stated; your Google storage | Partly — No free-plan page or storage limit stated | Partly — Unlimited pages, 1 GB storage | No — One page, with an element limit | No — No free published site | No — No free live site |
| AI writes it, free | Partly — 20 AI uses a month; no whole-site AI | Yes — AI writes the whole free site (two pages) | No — AI text needs Plus or Premium | Yes — Free AI builder writes pages, layout and words | No — No AI in its help centre | Partly — Its AI suggests text; free-plan scope not stated | No — The AI builder and agent are on paid plans only | No — No AI | Yes — Whole site written free; preview only | Partly — AI writes a whole site, in the 14-day trial only |
| Enquiries on the free plan | Partly — Forms that email you; no booking or selling | Partly — Forms only, 50 submissions | Yes — Contact form, booking and a store, all free | Partly — Four free forms; booking and payments are paid | Partly — A Google Form; no booking or payments built in | Partly — Contact form; booking and payments are paid | Partly — A free form block; payments need Premium | No — Forms are on Pro only | No — Forms work once the site is published | No — No free live site |
| Found on Google, free | Yes — A search title and description per page | Yes — Indexed; a title and description per page | Yes — Indexed; a search title and description per page | Yes — Indexed; a search title and description per page | Partly — Indexed; no search title or description per page | Partly — Its SEO tool is on "most" plans; free not stated | Partly — Indexed; search title tools need Premium | Yes — Your own title and description; automatic sitemap | No — Not on Google until you publish | No — The trial site is private, not on Google |
| Score | 9 / 14 | 9 / 14 | 8 / 14 | 8 / 14 | 7 / 14 | 6 / 14 | 5 / 14 | 5 / 14 | 2 / 14 | 1 / 14 |
Checked on each builder's own website and help pages on October 17, 2026. When two builders tie on points, the one with fewer crosses goes first.
WHICH ONE FITS
Which builder fits your business?
For each kind of business, the builders that scored highest on the tests that matter most to it, from the same table. Where three or more are level, we list them as level rather than pick one.
| Your business | Top scorers | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Owners who can't spend anything yet | Canva or Google Sites | 5 of 8 on "A live site, free for good", "Your own domain, free", "No ads or builder branding" and "Room on the free plan", the top score on these tests. |
| Owners who want the site written for them | Level: Webflow, Wix, Zarla | Three builders score 2 of 2 on "AI writes it, free", so pick on what else matters to you; the table shows the differences. |
| Businesses that need enquiries from day one | Square | Contact form, booking and a store, all free. |
| Local businesses that need to show up on Google | Level: Canva, Webflow, Square and two more | Five builders score 2 of 2 on "Found on Google, free", so pick on what else matters to you; the table shows the differences. |
THE LIST
The best free website builders, ranked
- 1
Canva
Best forOwners who care most about getting the most without paying.
What it costsCanva Pro, $144 a year, connects a domain you already own; on the free plan you can buy a new domain through Canva instead. Free sites publish on a Canva address. (their pricing page, checked 17 Oct 2026)
Features- Turn a Canva design into a website of up to 45 pages, free on a Canva address
- Set each page's title, web address and search description
- Forms that email you each response
The CatchFree sites carry a "Designed with Canva" footer and up to 10 sections a page, they can't sell online, and a domain you already own means Pro.
- 2
Webflow
Best forDesigners and agencies who want full control and may export the code.
What it costsBasic is $15/mo billed yearly, with your own domain; code export needs a paid Workspace plan. A free Starter plan publishes two pages on a webflow.io address. (their pricing page, checked 17 Oct 2026)
Features- Its AI site builder makes a multi-page site with a theme of colours, fonts and images
- Fine design control in a visual editor, with code export on paid Workspace plans
- An automatic sitemap, and AI-written page titles on paid plans
The CatchThe free plan is two pages with a "Made in Webflow" badge, on a webflow.io address.
- 3
Square
Best forOwners who care most about taking enquiries and bookings without paying.
What it costsSquare Free, $0/mo, includes the online store, online ordering and the booking site on a Square address. Your own domain needs Square Plus, $49/mo per location billed monthly, after a 30-day free trial. Card payments carry Square's processing fees. (their pricing page, checked 17 Oct 2026)
Features- Online ordering for pickup and delivery, synced with Square's point of sale
- Square Appointments' booking site, with clients choosing their staff member
- Estimates, invoices and card payments in one account
The CatchYour own domain needs Square Plus, a small Square banner stays in the footer, and its AI writing needs a paid plan.
- 3
Wix
Best forA strong all-rounder if you like building and fine-tuning the site yourself.
What it costsCore, the cheapest plan with bookings, is $29/mo billed yearly. Light is $17/mo without bookings, and there's a free plan on a wixsite.com address. (their pricing page, checked 17 Oct 2026)
Features- An AI builder that writes your pages from a description
- Aria, an AI agent in the Harmony editor that edits the site and adds pages by chat
- Wix Bookings with online payments and deposits
The CatchFree sites carry Wix ads and stay on a wixsite.com address, storage is 500 MB, and booking and payments need a paid plan.
- 5
Google Sites
Best forOwners who care most about getting the most without paying.
What it costsNo plan to buy: it's free with a Google account, and publishes on a sites.google.com address or a domain you own (the domain itself is paid for wherever you register it). (its help page, checked 17 Oct 2026)
Features- Free to build and publish with a Google account, with no ads
- Connect a domain you already own at no extra cost
- Google Forms, Calendar, Maps, YouTube and Docs on your pages
The CatchGoogle makes it for team and project sites, so there's no AI, no booking or payments, and no search title or description for each page.
- 6
GoDaddy
Best forHandy if you already get your domain and email from GoDaddy.
What it costsBasic is $9.99/mo billed yearly ($16.99 monthly), with your own domain; online booking needs Premium, $14.99/mo billed yearly. A free plan stays live on a GoDaddy address, with a GoDaddy banner. (their pricing page, checked 17 Oct 2026)
Features- A free Websites + Marketing plan that stays live on a GoDaddy address
- Online appointments with a deposit, on Premium
- Domain, email and website from one company
The CatchFree sites carry a GoDaddy banner ad and stay on a GoDaddy address, and GoDaddy doesn't say what the free plan's limits or AI are.
- 7
WordPress.com
Best forFor owners who want full control and don't mind choosing and looking after plugins.
What it costsPersonal is $4/mo billed yearly; form file uploads need Business, $25/mo billed yearly. Plugins can add their own cost. (their pricing page, checked 17 Oct 2026)
Features- An AI website builder on paid plans
- An AI assistant that edits and creates pages, on every paid plan
- Thousands of plugins
The CatchFree sites show WordPress.com ads, there's no AI and no domain of your own on the free plan, and storage is 1 GB.
- 8
Carrd
Best forA sole trader who needs one clean landing or link-in-bio page for next to nothing.
What it costsPro Standard, $19 a year, adds your own domain and forms; Pro Lite, $9 a year, removes the branding. The free plan publishes on a carrd.co address. (their pricing page, checked 17 Oct 2026)
Features- Free one-page sites, up to three per account
- $19 a year adds your own domain, plus contact and payment forms
- An automatic sitemap, with your own search title and description
The CatchEvery site is one page, and a contact form or your own domain means paying for Pro.
- 9
Zarla
Best forFor owners who want the site written for them, with leads, quotes, invoices and payments in the same place.
What it costsFree to build and preview. You pay when you publish, on the Premium plan, which includes booking, the leads inbox and invoices.
Features- The AI writes the whole site for free, and you can preview and change it for as long as you like
- Type changes in plain words, or ask for a new page, and the site updates
- When you publish: your own domain, booking, a leads inbox and invoices
The CatchBuild my website — freeIt isn't free to publish: building and previewing cost nothing, and a live site, on your own domain or ours, needs the Premium plan.
- 10
Squarespace
Best forGood if polished design matters most and you don't mind adding a separate booking tool.
What it costsBasic is $19/mo and Core $29/mo, billed yearly, after a 14-day free trial. Online booking is a separate Acuity Scheduling subscription. (their pricing page, checked 17 Oct 2026)
Features- Blueprint AI writes a multi-page starting site
- Design-led templates
- Invoices and online payments on every plan
The CatchThere's no free plan: its 14-day trial site is private, so nothing goes live until you pay.
SEE ZARLA BUILD ONE
What Zarla's AI does, in under a minute
A real recording of our product: a business described in one sentence, and the site Zarla writes from it. It's ours, so weigh it as you would any builder's demo; the scores above are the comparison.
What should you check before choosing a free website builder?
Free plans are built to get you started and to make the paid plan look worth it, so the useful question is what the free plan publishes, and what it leaves out.
- A site that stays up. No trial clock, no surprise when the trial ends.
- An address that looks like a business. Your own domain if the free plan allows it; otherwise know the builder's address will be in your link.
- No one else's ads. A badge in the footer is one thing; ads for other companies are another.
- Enough room. A page for each service, your contact details and your reviews, without hitting a cap.
- A way to be found and contacted. A form that reaches you, and pages Google can read.
How did we score the free website builders?
The 7 tests, and what it takes to get a tick:
- A live site, free for good. A free trial isn't a free website. Tick: a free plan that keeps a site live for anyone to visit, with no time limit. Dash: free for a limited time only. Cross: you can build for free but pay to publish.
- Your own domain, free. yourbusiness.com looks like a business; yourbusiness.builder.com looks like a test. Tick: you can connect a domain you own on the free plan (buying the domain itself costs money anywhere). Dash: only with a condition, such as a domain bought through the builder or a www address only. Cross: free sites live only on the builder's address.
- No ads or builder branding. Someone else's ads on your site send customers away. Tick: the free site carries neither ads nor the builder's branding. Dash: a small badge, icon or footer credit. Cross: ads or an advertising banner, or no free live site at all.
- Room on the free plan. A business site needs more than a page. Tick: the builder says its free plan allows ten pages or more, with storage it doesn't cap tightly. Dash: fewer pages, a storage or bandwidth cap you could hit, or limits it doesn't state. Cross: a single page, or no free live site.
- AI writes it, free. The AI draft is where most of the time is saved. Tick: the AI writes the whole site on the free plan, pages and words. Dash: the AI writes some of it. Cross: no AI on the free plan.
- Enquiries on the free plan. A website that can't take an enquiry is a brochure. Tick: a contact form that reaches you, plus booking or payments, on the free plan. Dash: a contact form only. Cross: no form on the free plan, or no free live site.
- Found on Google, free. A free site nobody finds doesn't help. Tick: the free site can show up on Google and you can set each page's search title and description. Dash: it can show up, but without those settings. Cross: hidden from search, or no free live site.
How we picked them. When we asked ChatGPT "What is the best free website builder? Give me your top 5." on October 17, 2026, two times, its answers named Wix, Google Sites, WordPress.com, Carrd, Square Online, WordPress, Canva and Webflow. We score the general builders that appear on every page in this series, Wix, Squarespace, GoDaddy (its Websites + Marketing builder) and WordPress.com, whether ChatGPT named them this time or not, plus Canva, Webflow, Square, Google Sites and Carrd from its answer. Zarla is ours.
How we scored them. Same tests for everyone, each worth the same. We checked every answer on the builder's own website and help pages on October 17, 2026. godaddy.com and Webflow's help centre block automated reading, so we read their pages through a page-reading service, some of GoDaddy's on its other English editions of the same help articles. Where two of a builder's own pages disagree, we score the lower answer and say so. When two builders tie on points, the one with fewer crosses goes first.
What we didn't score. Paid plans, because this page is about the free ones (each builder's paid price is on its card, and Zarla's is on our pricing page), and page speed, which our small-business comparison measures on real sites. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
The same method elsewhere. the best AI website builders and the best website builders for small business, and trade by trade for 32 kinds of business on our comparisons page.
Questions owners ask
Not in the way this page scores. Zarla is free to build and preview: the AI writes the whole site and you can change it for as long as you like without paying. Publishing it, on your own domain or ours, needs the Premium plan, so Zarla gets a cross on every test about a free live site. On those scores Canva takes first place and Zarla is ninth. If you want to see your site before you spend anything, that's what Zarla's free plan is for.
None of the builders here has it built in. It comes with a condition on Canva (only a domain bought through Canva; yours needs Pro); Google Sites (your own domain, but only as a www address). Webflow, Square, Wix, GoDaddy, WordPress.com, Carrd, Zarla and Squarespace keep free sites on the builder's own address, or have no free live site at all. We read each on the builder's own pages on October 17, 2026.
A small credit in the footer is one thing; ads for other companies are another. None of the builders here has it built in. A small badge or credit stays on Canva (a "Designed with Canva" footer); Webflow (a "Made in Webflow" badge); Square (a small Square banner in the footer); Google Sites (no ads; a small Google info icon stays); Carrd (a "Made with Carrd" credit in the footer). Wix, GoDaddy, WordPress.com, Zarla and Squarespace show ads or a banner on a free site, or have no free live site at all. We read each on the builder's own pages on October 17, 2026.
Yes: Canva placed first of ten here, with 9 of 14 points. It gets a tick on "A live site, free for good" and "Found on Google, free". The catch: free sites carry a "Designed with Canva" footer and up to 10 sections a page, they can't sell online, and a domain you already own means Pro.
Build your site for free, and publish when it's ready.
Describe your business in a sentence and Zarla builds the first draft, free. You pay only when you publish, on the Premium plan.
Already have a website? Bring it across →Zarla keeps your old page addresses where it can and redirects the ones that change, helping you keep the Google standing you've built.