Building a business website is no longer an option in the digital era but a necessity to scale up your business and enhance your brand. Moreover, a well-designed website drives growth, converts leads, and engages customers. In fact, 75% of consumers decide a business’s credibility based on their website. However, many professionals think that a technical and design background is needed to build a professional website. While planning to hire a professional developer might sound like a good option, it can be too expensive sometimes. Hence, online website builders have emerged as a viable solution. 

With the help of online website builders, designing a unique and beautiful website that matches your branding has become easier than ever. These tools will help you to achieve a polished and captivating website that appeals to your audience without needing you to have zero coding or technical knowledge. So, now the big question is: which site builder should you choose? In this guide, we will review the top free online website builder for your small business to help you choose the best option. Let’s dive in and learn more!

What is a Website Builder, and How Does it Work?

A website builder is software that helps build a website from the ground up using templates, themes, and drag-and-drop functionality. Many free online website builders include hosting and file storage, as well as marketing capabilities like blogging, email, newsletters, and SEO features in-built, among others.

As most modern website builders are online, they offer no-code website design, so you can deploy your website even if you are a beginner or someone with no technical skills at all. You will also be able to edit the site through the website builder as often as you want, whether it's updating static pages or publishing new dynamic content. 

How to Choose the Best Online Website Builder?

Choosing the best-suited online website builders for your specific requirements involves considering several important factors, such as your goals, expertise, and budget. Let’s explore them.

• Ease of use: If you are not technologically inclined and not well-versed in coding, opt for a website builder with a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface or customizable templates. This will allow you to design a website seamlessly without any issues.
• Features and functionality: Review the features of online website builders to determine whether they suit your business needs. Some common features include blogging tools, e-commerce capabilities, off-page and on-page SEO tools, in-depth analytics, social media integration, and more. 
• eCommerce Capabilities: If you are planning to sell products online, choose a website builder with solid e-commerce features. These tools allow you to build an e-commerce store with options like product lists, payment gateways, inventory management, and customer service support.
• Customization: While having pre-designed templates helps build your site, you will ideally want to customize them to match your brand’s vision. Ensure the website builder you choose will allow you to modify the themes and templates as much as possible, such as colors, fonts, images, and more. These website builders should also let you upload your brand color, logo, theme, and other elements. 
• SEO-Friendliness: A good online website builder should provide tools to help you optimize your website for various search engines. This includes customizing meta tags, alt text for images, URLs, and more.

Best 7 Free Online Website Builders for Small Businesses in 2024

Do you know that the market for online website builders is expected to increase at a CAGR of 6.7% between 2024 and 2031? The market is buzzing with free website builders that are simple to use and packed with features. Here, we have rounded up 7 of the best options to help you create a stunning website without spending a dime.

1. Neo

Neo is a robust email hosting platform that offers a user-friendly and perfect platform for small businesses to build websites for free with all its plans. The intuitive interface makes it easy for you to build a professional one-page website with easy drag-and-drop functionality and customizable templates. As one of the simple online website builders, Neo shines in delivering fast page load time with mobile-responsive templates. 

You can also add or edit pre-designed elements and import your brand logos and diverse sections such as an About Us page and contact forms. Once you have created the page, you can publish it and go live with your website without any delay. 

Key features

• You can build your website without code with Neo’s intuitive editor. 
• Integrate your brand kit, social media handles, and product catalog on your single-page website. 
• As one of the simplest online website builders on the market, Neo offers email marketing features with its plan.

2. Wix

Wix is one of the greatest free online website builders for creating simple yet functional and aesthetically pleasing websites. With well-designed templates for almost any use case and drag-and-drop functionality, you can have your website up and running in no time. Its no-cost plan encompasses a Wix subdomain address, modifiable templates, and 500 MB of storage. However, some of its latest features may not be accessible to users of the free plan. 

You can also employ ADI (Artificial Design Intelligence), a web creator that creates your website automatically by asking a series of questions about your project. All you have to do is answer a series of relevant questions, and Wix ADI will create a comprehensive website that fits your preferences! This is a useful approach for beginners. 

Key features

• Easy website building with AI-powered features and fully customizable templates. 
• An app market that will let you add additional features like photo galleries, video players, appointment booking tools, and more.
• In-built SEO tools such as mobile-optimized website templates and on-page and off-page SEO to help you attract organic traffic. 

3. HubSpot

The website builder is a key component of HubSpot’s all-in-one marketing platform. As one of the leading free online website builders, this platform seamlessly blends advanced marketing tools, such as landing pages, with efficient website creation. Furthermore, the HubSpot website builder offers simple drag-and-drop modules and dynamic free themes and templates. 

The website builder also lets you see your website as you create it and offers custom domain support, making it one of the best website builders for all needs. 

Key feature

• Advanced SEO tools to attract organic traffic.
• Use your custom domain to create your website without any charges. 
• The platform combines the power of website creation with a Content Management System (CMS) to help you create dynamic content. 

4. Hostinger

Hostinger offers two types of website builders: an e-commerce store and a general website. This free tool swiftly helps craft a minimalist website with its drag-and-drop features. As one of the best free online website builders, Hostinger is an excellent choice for creating personal blogs and online stores without having any special technical skills. 

Furthermore, its user-friendly features create mobile-optimized sites. However, the free plan has limitations, including Hostinger branding and a generic domain. You can upgrade to Hostinger’s hosting plans for full website-building capacity without any additional charges. 

Key Features

• High-quality templates and a simple drag-and-drop interface.
• Design multi-language websites with ease. 
• In-built SEO capabilities are available even with the free plan.

5. Squarespace

Squarespace is one of the most popular online website builders. It offers a plethora of templates and intuitive interfaces for quickly building an appealing website for your business. Furthermore, you can also take advantage of a free custom domain, SSL certification, and eCommerce features by using the Squarespace website builder. 

Building a unique Squarespace website requires minimal effort thanks to the interaction of the Google search console. The website builder also has SEO settings and sitemaps for a straightforward approach to the creation process.

Key features

• Mobile optimization for SEO-friendliness.
• 100+ templates and easy-to-use dashboard
• AMP formatting for fast speeds

6. Webnode

Webnode, one of the best free online website builders, simplifies your website designing process with its seamless features. It is ideal for people who prefer ease of use and a practical platform over extensive customization functionalities. The website builder is known for its simple editor and solid template choices. 

Besides that, Webnode’s AI tools make the website creation process easier. This capability extends to generating unique content for your website and accessing thousands of images.

Key features

• Simple and user-friendly editor with diverse template selection.
• AI-powered website-building capabilities.
• A vast library of niche-specific website templates. 

7. GoDaddy

GoDaddy is one of the biggest names in the field of domain registrar, email and web hosting, and online website builders. As a feature-rich and easy-to-use tool, you will get 20 free templates across various categories, including art, fashion, health, online stores, restaurants, food, and more, to create your website. 

Furthermore, Godaddy’s website builder's user interface is easy to understand and use, making it a suitable option for beginners. The platform also offers various customization options. You can simply add sessions like audio and video, blogs and newsletters, products, contact pages, files, calendars, countdown times, FAQs, and more for a visually rich website. 

Key features

• Built-in marketing tools with social media integration to easily connect with your consumers.
• A robust image library and single-platform management are needed if you are creating multiple websites simultaneously. 
• Add elements like drop-down menus, promo banners, and email marketing tools for streamlined content and website operations. 

Comparison Table

All 7 online website builders offer unique features that will help you create and curate your website without any hassle. We will review and rate them to help you select the best option to create your website. Our review will be based on the platform’s features, ease of use, user-friendliness, and usability.

Wrapping Up!

Whether you are looking for a platform to start a blog or create a professional portfolio, a website builder can be an excellent choice. Online website builders are an excellent tool for those entrepreneurs who want to carve out their unique corner of the digital space and enhance their branding. These website builders provide you with pre-defined templates, easy-to-use no-code editors, and various other smart tools for building your site. Ultimately, the choice of your website builder depends on your individual needs, technical proficiency, and the complexity of the desired website. 

At Neo, we offer an intuitive platform for individuals who prioritize ease of use and quick setup. As one of the best free online website builders, we also allow you to cater to extensive customization and control over your site’s appearance and functionality. So, sign up for Neo today and begin building your website!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. Why are online website builders good?

Online website builders are user-friendly and require no coding skills. They are often available free of cost or cheaper than hiring a professional developer. Moreover, website builders have smooth drag-and-drop technology and an easy-to-use interface design, allowing you to type in text, upload images, change the theme, and more functionality to design a website.

Q2. Do I need online website builders?

Though using a website builder to develop your site is optional, many new entrepreneurs consider it the most convenient choice. The builders offer dynamic templates to choose from that will give your website a unique look and capabilities, allowing you to create seamless website designs with desired functionalities and achieve better outcomes. 

Q3. How do I select a website builder?

Look out for online website builders that fit your customization and pricing requirements. It should offer flexible design templates, drag-and-drop editors, and the option of inclusive custom code. The website builder should also be mobile-responsive so that you can preview your site across multiple platforms.