You’ve probably seen ads from services promising a free website for small business owners. That sure sounds like a dream – until it’s not. Let’s unpack what this free website offer means.
Before you get too far into any free website offer, please consider the following:
- What does the free website offer actually mean?
- Is there anything you need that’s not included?
- What are the fees you will actually end up paying?
Their Free Website Offer
There are web design guys who will build a basic WordPress website for you with a simple template for the design.
They will install free WordPress plugins for additional functionality.
Once done, they will upload the free website to your website hosting server.
If you’re okay paying for hosting and can tolerate time delays and limited design, a free website might work for you.
But just know that you will have to fend off upsells and upgrade later if you need a more polished look.
What These Companies Typically Offer
These free web design companies promise to build you a basic WordPress site with the following:
- 1–5 pages
- A pre-built theme with minimal tweaks
- Starter content (e.g. generic placeholder text, very basic design)
- Setup website hosting with their affiliate provider
One Reddit user in r/web_design explained it this way:
They basically get you into a “starter” site … installing WP, adding some plugins and a theme, and making very basic tweaks.
The Real Catch with a Free Website
Nothing is ever free, not even your free website. Let me show you where your expenses start adding up:
Website Hosting & Domain Name
You will be required to sign up for hosting through their affiliate. They earn a commission when you purchase hosting (and renew annually) from their affiliate.
- Expect to pay anywhere from $50 to $150 up front for your first year of hosting.
- Website hosting will require a payment; expect a jump in fees as you renew each year.
You will be required to sign up for a domain name through their affiliate. They earn a commission when you purchase a domain name (and renew annually) from their affiliate.
- Expect to pay anywhere between $15 to $30 for domain name registration.
- Domain names must be renewed each year.
Upsells Galore
Want a custom look that matches your brand? You will have to buy a premium theme for a more customized look.
Want to rank on Google so people can find you? You will need their premium paid SEO services to rank on Google. This is usually a costly monthly fee.
Want a secure site? You will have to purchase a security plan so your site is HTTPS (site security should never be a paid option!).
Website Edits & Maintenance
Like most businesses, you will need to update your content or add new web pages as your business grows. You might have questions and will need support.
One free website catch is you won’t be given privileges to make changes or additions to your own website.
For website updates, you will have to request edits and pay them their hourly rates. Basic edits and updates will be billed anywhere between $50 and $150 per hour.
Some free website builders make you subscribe to a paid maintenance plan. I’ve seen monthly plans as high as $200 per month (or $2400 a year!).
One Reddit commenter from r/website shared:
Very nice site. Their big catch is they want you to use them in the future for any follow‑up work at highly inflated prices.
Possible Hidden Risks with Free Websites
Aside from the overall quality of your free website being poor, there’s a concern that these free websites are built with cheap or pirated themes/plugins.
If you don’t pay for their secure services, your website will be at risk to hackers.
Another concern is your website is being added to a Private Blog Network (PBN).
Not only will this harm your SEO, it will hurt your credibility with Google because private blog networks violate Google’s guidelines.
You do not want your website – and business – associated with a PBN!
Should You Use a Free Website Offer?
It might be OK if you’re just starting out and need a basic web presence, you don’t care about additional costs, and you’re willing to be at risk for security issues and poor SEO concerns.
It won’t be worth it if you want full control and ownership of your website, plan to make regular updates and add new features, want reliable support, and care about long-term SEO and site security.
So – Is a Free Website a Scam?
These offers are not fraudulent. These free website companies are building you something and they are not stealing your money.
However, the way they market their free website offer is definitely misleading.
Getting a free website is conditional on having to buy hosting via their affiliate link (expect to pay an inflated fee for hosting) and needing the functions they upsell so you get a website that works for you.
The fine print matters. Hidden costs, limited ownership, and up-sells quickly add up.
For long-term success, it’s usually better to work with a website professional who:
- Is transparent about pricing and ongoing costs
- Gives you full access to your website
- Gives you full ownership of your website
- Builds a custom design with SEO, performance, and security in mind
