Best Free Website Builders (No Code) in 2026

~10 min read · Published February 27, 2026

Table of Contents 1. Why No-Code Matters in 2026 2. Top 5 Free Website Builders 3. Feature Comparison Table 4. Choosing the Right Builder 5. Getting Your First Site Live 6. FAQ

1. Why No-Code Matters in 2026

The no-code movement has gone from niche to mainstream. In 2026, over 70% of new websites are built without writing a single line of code. The tools have matured to the point where you can build professional landing pages, portfolios, blogs, and even full web apps using drag-and-drop editors.

Here is why no-code website builders are more relevant than ever:

Speed: Go from idea to live website in under an hour. No waiting on developers, no setup headaches.
Cost: Most builders offer generous free tiers. You can launch a fully functional site for $0.
Quality: Modern no-code tools produce clean, responsive, fast-loading websites that rival hand-coded sites.
AI integration: Many builders now include AI-powered design suggestions, copy generation, and image creation built right in.
Iteration: Make changes instantly. Test ideas, swap layouts, and update content without touching code.

Whether you are a solo founder validating an idea, a freelancer building a portfolio, or a small business owner who needs a web presence, no-code builders eliminate the biggest barrier to getting online.

2. Top 5 Free Website Builders

1. GitHub Pages

GitHub Pages is the gold standard for free static site hosting. It is completely free, supports custom domains, includes free SSL, and has no bandwidth limits for reasonable usage. If you are comfortable with HTML/CSS templates (or using a static site generator), this is the most powerful free option available.

Step 1: Create a free GitHub account at github.com
Step 2: Create a new repository named yourusername.github.io
Step 3: Upload an index.html file (use a free template from HTML5 UP or similar)
Step 4: Go to Settings > Pages and select your branch
Step 5: Your site is live at yourusername.github.io within minutes

Best for: Developers, technical founders, anyone who wants full control and zero cost. Also great for documentation sites and project pages.

2. Carrd

Carrd is a minimalist one-page website builder that is perfect for landing pages, personal sites, and link-in-bio pages. The free plan gives you up to 3 sites with a carrd.co subdomain. The interface is extremely intuitive and you can have a polished page live in under 15 minutes.

Step 1: Sign up at carrd.co (no credit card needed)
Step 2: Pick from dozens of free templates or start blank
Step 3: Customize text, images, buttons, and layout using the visual editor
Step 4: Click Publish
Step 5: Your page is live at yourname.carrd.co

Best for: Personal branding, link-in-bio, quick landing pages, MVPs, and anyone who wants simplicity above all else.

3. Wix

Wix is one of the most popular website builders globally, with over 250 million users. The free plan includes hosting, 500MB storage, 500MB bandwidth, and access to the full drag-and-drop editor. Wix also offers an AI site builder that generates a complete site from a text prompt.

Step 1: Go to wix.com and click "Get Started"
Step 2: Answer a few questions about your site type, or choose "Use Wix Editor" directly
Step 3: Pick a template from 800+ options organized by industry
Step 4: Drag and drop elements, edit text, upload images
Step 5: Hit Publish and your site goes live on a username.wixsite.com subdomain

Best for: Small businesses, restaurants, portfolios, event pages, and anyone who wants maximum template variety.

4. Webflow (Free Plan)

Webflow bridges the gap between no-code and professional web development. It gives you visual control over HTML, CSS, and JavaScript without writing code. The free plan includes 2 projects, a webflow.io subdomain, and 1GB bandwidth. The learning curve is steeper than Wix or Carrd, but the output quality is significantly higher.

Step 1: Create a free account at webflow.com
Step 2: Start a new project (blank or from a template)
Step 3: Use the visual designer to build your layout with full CSS control
Step 4: Add interactions and animations without code
Step 5: Publish to yourproject.webflow.io

Best for: Designers, agencies, SaaS landing pages, and anyone who wants pixel-perfect control without coding.

5. Google Sites

Google Sites is the simplest option on this list. It is completely free with no limits, integrates seamlessly with Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Drive, Calendar, Maps), and requires absolutely zero technical knowledge. The trade-off is limited design flexibility, but for internal pages, documentation, or basic business sites, it works perfectly.

Step 1: Go to sites.google.com (sign in with any Google account)
Step 2: Click the + button to create a new site
Step 3: Choose a template or start from blank
Step 4: Add text, images, and embed Google Docs, Sheets, YouTube videos, or Maps
Step 5: Click Publish and choose your URL

Best for: Internal team pages, documentation, school projects, simple business pages, and anyone already in the Google ecosystem.

3. Feature Comparison Table

Feature	GitHub Pages	Carrd	Wix	Webflow	Google Sites
Price (Free Tier)	100% Free	Free (3 sites)	Free (ads)	Free (2 projects)	100% Free
Custom Domain	Yes (free)	Paid only	Paid only	Paid only	Yes (Workspace)
Free SSL	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Storage	1GB repo	Unlimited	500MB	1GB	Unlimited
Bandwidth	100GB/mo	Unlimited	500MB	1GB	Unlimited
Drag & Drop Editor	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
E-commerce	No	Paid only	Limited free	Paid only	No
AI Builder	No	No	Yes	Yes	No
Templates	Community	50+	800+	1,000+	20+
Learning Curve	Medium	Very Low	Low	Medium-High	Very Low
Best For	Devs, docs	Landing pages	Small biz	Designers	Internal sites

4. Choosing the Right Builder

The best website builder depends entirely on what you are building and how much control you need. Here is a simple decision framework:

Choose GitHub Pages if:

You want 100% free hosting with custom domain support
You are comfortable using templates or generating HTML
You need fast, reliable hosting with no bandwidth worries
You want full version control and the ability to collaborate via Git

Choose Carrd if:

You need a single-page site (landing page, portfolio, link-in-bio)
Speed matters more than features
You want to go from zero to live in under 15 minutes

Choose Wix if:

You want the most templates and built-in features
You need things like booking forms, restaurant menus, or event calendars
You value a large ecosystem of apps and integrations

Choose Webflow if:

Design quality is your top priority
You want granular control over layout, animations, and interactions
You are building a SaaS landing page or agency portfolio

Choose Google Sites if:

You want the absolute simplest option
You are building an internal team page or documentation hub
You already use Google Workspace and want seamless integration

5. Getting Your First Site Live

No matter which builder you choose, the process follows the same general pattern. Here is a universal checklist for launching your first website:

Step 1: Define Your Goal. What is this site for? A portfolio? A landing page? A business site? Write one sentence describing its purpose.

Step 2: Pick Your Builder. Use the comparison table above. Match the builder to your skill level and needs.

Step 3: Gather Your Content. Before opening the builder, prepare your headline, subheadline, 3-5 bullet points of value, a call-to-action, and any images or logos.

Step 4: Build Your Page. Start with a template. Change the text and images to match your content. Do not overthink the design on the first version.

Step 5: Test on Mobile. Over 60% of web traffic is mobile. Preview your site on a phone-sized screen and fix any layout issues before publishing.

Step 6: Publish. Hit the publish button. Your site is live. Share the link.

Step 7: Iterate. Your first version will not be perfect. Launch it, get feedback, and improve over time. A live imperfect site beats a perfect site that never ships.

The most important thing is to start. Every successful website began as a first draft. Pick a builder, spend 30 minutes, and get something live today.

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6. Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a custom domain with a free website builder?

Yes, but it depends on the builder. GitHub Pages supports custom domains for free. Wix, Webflow, and Carrd require a paid plan to connect a custom domain. Google Sites supports custom domains through Google Workspace. If a free custom domain is important to you, GitHub Pages is the best option.

Will my free website have ads on it?

It depends on the platform. Wix shows a small Wix banner ad on free sites. Carrd shows a "Made with Carrd" badge. GitHub Pages, Webflow, and Google Sites do not add any ads or branding to your free site. If a clean, ad-free experience matters, avoid Wix's free tier or upgrade to remove the banner.

Which free website builder is best for SEO?

For SEO, Webflow gives you the most control over meta tags, structured data, clean URLs, and page speed. GitHub Pages is also excellent because you control the raw HTML. Wix has improved its SEO significantly and includes built-in SEO tools. Google Sites is the weakest for SEO due to limited customization. Carrd is fine for single-page SEO but limited for multi-page sites.