When we hear the word “free domain hosting,” one common question that comes to the mind of most of us is that if free domain hosting is beneficial or not? Well, “free” is always good, but not in the long run.
That is, if you want to create a test website and not expect much from it, and if you don’t want to invest any money, then free domain hosting is undoubtedly the best for you. However, if you are looking for a domain name, in the long run, buying a cheap website hosting plan that provides a paid hosting is recommended.
Do you want to know which one is the best free domain website hosting available? Here in this post, we have mentioned some of the best free domain hosting to help you make a wise decision.
Limitations of Free Domain Hostings
If you have money, you can buy anything, and the same goes for domain hosting. But if you decide to use free domain hosting, then you might face some common issues.
Anything that has the word “free” can be very tempting. If you are a beginner and create a website for the first time, you would like to go ahead with a minimal budget and save a lot of money.
But you need to know that nothing is free in the world. Here are some of the disadvantages of using a free domain hosting:
- Allows you to create limited number of pages. So if you want to create a dynamic website, it can be a problem.
- Does not offer a custom domain name.
- The free domain hosting coems with ads, making it annoying for the users.
- Offers limited storage and bandwidth.
- Restricted features like no SSL certificate, or domain-based email accounts, and access to an online store.
- Limited or no customer support.
So let us dive into the different types of free domain hosting.
Ten best free domain hosting
1. Wix
Wix is a website builder, and it also comes with free domain hosting solutions. Wix hosting allows you to use unique website building features and is the most reliable website builder and domain hosting.
The Wix free domain hosting comes with subdomains, eye-catching templates that allow you to create engaging websites, provides 500 MB disk space, 500 MB bandwidth, comes with a content management system, free SSL certificate, and provides 24/7 customer support.
The Free Wix domain hosting plan comes with ads and subdomains. If you want a custom domain name, then you can use Wix’s paid plans.
Another drawback is that the eCommerce feature is not available in the free version, but you can use other features like booking, events, forums, and much more in just a few clicks.
2. Website.com
Website.com is a free domain hosting platform that allows you to build sites. It was launched in 2012, and by 2020, the card-based editor was launched, and the user base has grown to 230+ countries.
The main goal of Website.com domain hosting is to remove the technical and financial barriers that prevent people from creating their websites.
This domain hosting empowers individuals and business owners to create a website, sell products online, and reach a global audience.
The best news is that Website.com is the best for both beginners and website experts.
Pros
- Allows you to add ten website pages.
- Provides 500 MB storage space and 1 GB bandwidth
- Offers free online storage bundle.
- Free restaurant manager.
- One website language.
- Offers subdomain (example: yourwebsitename.website.com)
Cons
- No custom domain name
- No free SSL certificate
- No custom email accounts
- Does not offer premium customer support
- No PageSpeed optimization
- The free plan displays Website.com Ads
However, you can switch to the paid version if you want to create dynamic websites for your business.
3. WordPress.com
WordPress.com is a commercial and a hosted version of WordPress.org. With WordPress.com, you get an all-in-one CMS platform hosted for you. You can purchase a fully managed domain from WordPress.com or use a free subdomain that comes with the WordPress.com brand (example: yourwebsitename.wordpress.com).
Advantages of WordPress.com
- It allows you to add and edit content easily and is specially designed for beginners.
- WordPress.com is completely free. You can create a website without any charges. But you will have to pay for the cheapest plan, so you can use your domain name instead of using a WordPress-branded domain name.
- Offers hundreds and thousands of themes for your WordPress.com site. You can switch between themes easily from its dashboard.
- Allows you to check the statistics about how many people have visited your website from your dashboard.
- Easily switch from .com to .org if you decide to switch to a more flexible CMS.
Disadvantages of WordPress.com
- WordPress.com offers minimal monetization options with its basic business plan.
- You cannot add a custom domain name to your free plan.
- Although there are many plugins available on WordPress.com, there are not many available as there in WordPress.org.
- You do not have complete control over your website.
4. Blogger
Blogger is a free blogging service that was started in 1999 and was acquired by Google in 2003.
Blogger is a free domain and blog hosting service that allows you to create a blogging site for free. Since it is free, you get a free Blogspot domain name.
However, you can create a blog with a custom domain name. For that, you need to register a domain name through third-party domain registrars then connect it to your Blogger blog.
Pros
- Free hosting space.
- Blogger is written on Python making it flexible and scalable.
- Safe and secured platform.
- Easy to monetize your blog.
- You can add a custom domain name manually.
- Offer 20 professional themes.
- SEO-friendly.
- Amazon affiliate friendly.
- Offers effective support and help.
Cons
- You cannot migrate from one platform to another without losing traffic.
- Although you can control the basic deleting, publishing, and editing a blog, post, or comment but if you violate any rule of Blogger content policy then it can delete your blog without any notification.
- It offers very basic gadgets. For example, you cannot install SEO plugins on your blog.
5. Yola
Yola allows you to create free websites that are suitable for all devices. It was launched in 2007 and is the pioneer behind this free domain hosting is a marketing company Click2Customers.
Today there are over 12 million Yola users and this site builder is available in six different languages: English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish.
With Yola, you can create modest, incredible, and top-notch websites that are the best in the world. The best part is you need no technical skills.
The free plan allows you to create 2 websites that have 2 web pages, 2 languages and offers 1 GB storage. With the free plan, you can create a mobile-friendly website but it comes with a Yola subdomain (yourwebsite.yola.com).
Pros
- Easily create websites with the drag and drop editor.
- Can easily add and edit the HTML, JavaScript, and CSS allowing you to control the website.
- Customize your website easily by adding maps, photos, videos, maps, forms, and much more.
Cons
- You can create only 2 pages with the free plan.
- The site is only available in 2 languages.
- The paid plans can be a little costly.
6. Webnode
Webnode is a simple to use website builder launched in 2008 and has helped over 40 million users to create their own website for free. It allows you to create personal, business, and e-commerce websites. One of the best things about this domain hosting is its drag and drop editor. With the available tools, you can create a website in minutes without any programming languages.
Pros
- No advertisements on the free Webnode websites.
- Multi-language support allows you to create a website in 20 different languages.
- Drag and drop editor with full access to CSS.
- Offers SEO tools.
- eCommerce option is available.
- Competitive pricing in the paid plans, and offers 15 days money guarantee.
Cons
- The free templates are very simple.
- Blogging functions are very limited.
- Unlimited bandwidth only in paid plans.
- Webnode does not offer live chat or phone support. However, you can email for assistance.
7. Site123
Site123 is a free website builder that offers free domain and is a perfect solution for many private and corporate internet users. It allows you to create professional web designs without any prior coding or designing experience and allows you to handle your web designing without hiring a professional.
The free domain hosting plan offers 250 MB storage, 250 MB bandwidth, and offers a subdomain.
Pros
- Simple signup process.
- Simple and easy to use.
- Can create SEO-friendly websites.
Cons
- The free version has limited version. However, if you want to upgrade the plan, it can be a little costly.
- You cannot change the layout, does not offer a drag and drop editor, and you cannot edit the HTML and CSS.
Does not allow social media integration.
8. Weebly
Weebly is a website and offers eCommerce services to the users. If you want to create an online business from scratch or want to build your existing brand online, you can easily do it with Weebly.
THe powerful tools make it easy to create professional, mobile-optimized website and grow your business with integrated marekting and advanced analytics.
Weebly was started in 2007 and now powers millions of websites around the world.
Pros
- Free SSL certificate
- 500 MB storage
- Search engine optimization
- Get leads and contact forms.
- Large community support.
- Chat and email support.
Cons
- Does not offer phone support.
- No advanced site states.
- No pop-up notification
- Does not allow you to create eCommerce sites.
- Free plan comes with ads.
- Domain name with Weebly branding.
9. WebStarts
WebStarts is everything you need to create and maintain your own website. If you are using WebStarts you do not need any programming languages to create beautiful websites with the easy drag and drop editor making it easy to place photos, videos, text, and other visual elements.
WebStarts believes in “what you see is what you get” and empowers you to create unique websites that conveys the value of the product and services.
Pros
- Offers free advertising
- Can create unlimited pages
- 1 GB cloud storage
- 1GB bandwidth
- Offers notification center
- Offer live chat support
Cons
- Does not offer a custom domain name
- Not SEO-friendly
- No social integration
- Does not provide business emails
- No contact form
- No slideshows and galleries
- Free plan comes with ads.
Conclusion
Although free web hosting is not perfect, it is a good option in some cases. However, it is important to choose the right hosting provider that offers quality services.
In this article, we have mentioned the ten best free domain hosting options available online.
Wix: Offers free SSL certificate and 24/7 customer support.
Website.com: User-base in 230+ countries.
WordPress.com: All-in-one CMS platform that offers 100% flexibility.
Blogger: Offers 20 professional themes and is SEO-friendly.
Yola: Create websites easily with drag and drop editor.
Webnode: No ads on the free webnode websites.
Site123: Simple signup process and SEO-friendly.
Weebly: Large community support and offers chat and email support.
WebStarts: Create websites with unlimted pages.
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