2025-07-14

By Henry Williams on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs

Whether you want to trial run your design before launch, or get online as quickly and affordably as possible, if you’re a small business looking to build a professional website for free, you’re in luck. Many top website builders offer free plans that allow you to create and publish a site — though with some trade-offs like ads or subdomains.

We’ve reviewed and ranked the best free website builders for small businesses in the UK, based on ease of use, functionality, and limitations of their free offerings.

Compare website builder free plans and trial periods

1. Webador – Best overall free plan

Why it stands out:
Webador offers one of the most generous free plans around. You can set up an online store, blog, or portfolio using its clean, modern templates and drag-and-drop editor. Unlike many competitors, Webador doesn’t charge any sales commission, even on the free plan, meaning you keep 100% of your profits.

Free Plan Limitations: Webador branding, subdomain

Pros:

Very beginner-friendly

Includes free ecommerce support

No transaction fees

Clean, professional templates

Cons:

Webador ads and subdomain (e.g., yoursite.webador.co.uk)

Limited template variety

Pricing

Check out Webador

2. Site123 – Fastest for getting online

Why it stands out:
If you need a basic business site online within an hour, Site123 delivers. Its guided setup and AI tools create a ready-to-publish site after answering a few questions. While ecommerce features are locked behind paid plans, it’s a solid free option for simple sites.

Free Plan Limitations: 250MB storage, SITE123 branding, subdomain

Pros:

Very quick to set up

Helpful support via live chat

Mobile-optimised templates

Cons:

Minimal storage

Limited design flexibility

Can’t change templates after going live

Pricing

Check out Site123

3. Wix – Best design flexibility (with limitations)

Why it stands out:
Wix offers an enormous selection of templates (900+) and powerful design tools — even on its free plan. However, your site will show Wix ads and live on a Wix-branded subdomain. Still, if design freedom is important, it’s hard to beat.

Free Plan Limitations: Wix branding and ads, no custom domain

Pros:

Excellent drag-and-drop editor

AI builder (Wix ADI) for speed

Huge library of templates

Cons:

No custom domain on free plan

Shows Wix ads

Can’t switch templates later

Pricing

Check out Wix

4. Weebly – Easiest to use for beginners

Why it stands out:
Weebly is an ultra-simple website builder owned by Square (the payments provider), making it strong on both usability and ecommerce. You can build your site with a WYSIWYG editor, and there are plenty of apps to expand its functionality over time.

Free Plan Limitations: Weebly branding and subdomain

Pros:

Drag-and-drop simplicity

Decent ecommerce tools

Focused template selection

Cons:

No AI setup

Free plan is quite limited

No domain connection

Check out Weebly

5. Squarespace – Maximum creative freedom, but only free for 14 days

Why it stands out:
Squarespace is all about stunning design. While there’s no forever-free plan, the 14-day free trial gives you full access to their powerful editor and premium templates. It’s best suited to visually-led businesses like designers, photographers, or creatives.

Free Access: 14-day free trial only (no forever-free plan)

Pros:

Premium, elegant templates

Switch templates any time

Excellent customisation

Cons:

Free trial only, no permanent free option

Requires more time to learn

Check out Squarespace

6. GoDaddy – Quick setup, but short trial

Why it stands out:
GoDaddy’s AI-driven website builder makes it easy to create a business site in minutes. You’ll be prompted through a few questions and voilà — a live-ready site. But after the 7-day trial, you’ll need to subscribe.

Free Access: 7-day free trial (no forever-free plan)

Pros:

Simple and fast with ADI

Flexible template switching

Good for service-based businesses

Cons:

Trial ends after 7 days

Limited creative control

No direct selling via social platforms

Check out GoDaddy

Further reading

Top five online businesses you can start today – Ground-breaking companies have been founded in garages, dorm rooms and home offices. Here are five online business ideas for inspiration

Your guide to starting an online business  – A survey of small and micro-businesses found businesses with a website were 51 per cent more likely to grow than those without

What are the best 8 website builders for my small business? – Reviews of eight of the most popular off-the-shelf e-commerce platforms in Britain to help you choose the best website builder

The post The 6 best free website builders for small businesses appeared first on Small Business UK.

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