Building a website for free sounds great on the surface — and for some, it's a great starting point. But if your goal is to grow a business, be found on Google, and look professional online, there's more to the story.
In this post, we'll walk through the free options out there, what they're good for, and why they often fall short when it comes to SEO, speed, and long-term growth. And when you're ready for something custom, we'll show you a better path forward.
Can You Really Make a Website for Free?
Yes — here's how most people do it:
- Wix: Easy drag-and-drop with free templates, but your site will have ads and a wixsite.com domain.
- WordPress.com: Offers a free tier with limited control and branding.
- Canva Sites: Surprisingly quick and stylish, but not built for SEO or performance.
These tools are great for getting something live quickly — a personal blog, a resume site, or even a basic landing page. But if you're serious about showing up in search results or converting visitors into leads, keep reading.
The Hidden Tradeoffs of Free Website Builders
Most people hit a wall pretty quickly. Here's why:
- Speed issues: Free sites often load slowly, especially on mobile — which hurts both user experience and rankings.
- SEO limitations: You can't edit meta tags properly, structure headings, add schema, or control your sitemap.
- Template lock-in: You're stuck working inside someone else's design framework, even if it doesn't match your brand.
- No real support: If something breaks, you're on your own unless you upgrade.
For a hobby project, these limits are manageable. But for a real business? It's like putting a “cheap and temporary” sign on your front door.
Free Website = Free Marketing?
The biggest myth is that a free website helps people find your business. In reality, it might hurt your visibility. Google rewards pages that are fast, well-structured, and technically sound. Most free websites fail those tests.
For example, at EDC Web Design, we carefully build every site with:
- SEO-optimized metadata and Open Graph tags
- Structured data (JSON-LD) for rich Google listings
- Lightning-fast performance and Core Web Vitals optimization
- Local SEO targeting for areas like Placerville, Folsom, and El Dorado Hills
So What's the Better Alternative?
You don't have to choose between “free” and “$10,000 agency site.” At EDC Web Design, we build custom, high-performing websites that are surprisingly affordable — especially when you consider what it could do for your business long-term.
Whether you need a one-pager to start or a full five-page site, everything is:
- Built with your brand in mind
- Google-ready from day one
- Mobile-first and lightning fast
- Easy to manage — because we do it all for you
And if you're still on the fence, I offer a free custom homepage mockup — so you can see exactly what your site could look like before you spend a dime.
Final Thoughts: Should You Build It Yourself?
If your goal is just to put something online quickly, a free website might work. But if you're trying to rank on Google, win over customers, and grow a brand — that free site might actually cost you in the long run.
Ready to build something real? Reach out for a free homepage mockup and let's take your online presence to the next level.
Want more tips and honest advice on web design and digital growth? Visit the EDC Web Design Blog for more.