Yes, you can build a website for free: several platforms let you do it without paying a cent. But the word “free” hides very specific limits worth knowing before you start. Here are the best options available across Francophone Africa, and what they really involve.
The 7 platforms to build a free website
- WordPress.com — the free plan gives you a site on a subdomain, with ads and limited storage. Powerful but capped until you upgrade.
- Wix (free plan) — a very simple visual editor, but a yoursite.wixsite.com address and a forced Wix ad banner.
- Google Sites — truly free and ad-free, great for an internal page or a project, but very limited in design and SEO.
- Odoo — the free “one app” plan includes a website builder. Handy if you’ll also want to manage sales and stock later.
- Canva Sites — perfect for turning a nice visual into a mini-site, but poorly suited to SEO.
- Carrd — focused on single-page sites: profile, one link, mini showcase.
- Blogger — Google’s free blogging tool, simple but ageing.
What “free” really means
A free site is paid for in other ways. The most common trade-offs:
- A subdomain address (mybusiness.wixsite.com) that inspires little trust.
- Platform ads shown on your own site.
- No professional email like name@yourbusiness.com.
- Limited SEO and customization: hard to rank well on Google.
- No real ownership: if the platform closes your account, your site is gone.
- Locked features: online payment, booking, a full store.
Who free is enough for — and who it isn’t
Free is enough to test an idea, build a personal page, a student project or a temporary showcase. It stops being enough as soon as a business wants to be found on Google, sell online or inspire customer trust. At that point the subdomain and the ads become a commercial handicap. We break it down in Free website vs web agency.
Going from free to professional: the cost
The jump to a real pro site is more affordable than you’d think: a domain name and hosting cost a few thousand francs a year. To choose well, see our web hosting guide. If you’d rather start on solid ground, our how to create a website guide walks through each step.
FAQ
Can a website be 100% free?
Yes, but with a subdomain, ads and limited features. Truly free with no trade-off doesn’t exist.
Does a free site show up on Google?
It can be indexed, but free plans often limit SEO tools, which makes ranking harder.
Is free suitable for a business?
To start and test, yes. To sell and last, your own domain and dedicated hosting quickly become essential.
Need a site that earns trust from the first click? Let’s talk about your project.
