9 Cheapest Website Builders in 2026 (Free & Under $20/mo)

The cheapest website builder is Carrd (from about $9/year) for a simple one-page site, but the cheapest option that lets you actually get booked and paid is Julip at $19/month with 0% fees. The "cheapest" choice depends on whether you just need a page online or need to run a business. True cost includes your monthly subscription, transaction fees, add-on software, and domain registration.

How We picked the Best Cheap Website Builder

Finding the best cheap website builder requires looking past marketing stickers to evaluate total operating costs over time.

What "cheap" really means

True cost is calculated using this formula:

True Cost = Subscription Fee + Transaction Fees + Add-on Software + Domain Cost.

Many platforms advertise a low subscription rate but charge up to 10% in transaction fees on sales or require separate paid apps for client scheduling, forms, and digital downloads. A $5/month tool that requires $40/month in extra app subscriptions and takes a cut of your revenue ends up being far more expensive than a flat-fee all-in-one platform.

The Cheapest Website Builders: Ranked by What You Need

Carrd - The Cheapest Website Builder Overall (one-page)

Verdict: Cheapest for single-page landing pages and basic portfolios.

Carrd is a minimalist site builder designed exclusively for responsive, single-page websites. It serves personal landing pages, basic portfolios, and simple email signup forms. Starting at $9 per year, it is the lowest-priced option on the market for anyone needing a basic online footprint without complex monthly bills.

• Starting price: $9/year (Pro Lite).
• Free plan: Yes, with a Carrdco subdomain and limits.
• Transaction fees: N/A (uses external payment embed widgets).

Pros:

• Extremely low sticker price ($9 to $19 per year).
• Clean, fast-loading, mobile-responsive templates out of the box.

Cons:

• Strictly limited to single-page sites; no multi-page navigation.
• Requires third-party tools to handle booking, ecommerce, or advanced forms.

Value vs. Julip: Carrd beats every platform on raw price if you only need a single static page. If you need integrated scheduling, service booking, or native digital asset sales, adding third-party plugins to Carrd makes it more expensive and complex than Julip's unified platform.

Julip - The Most Affordable All-In-One Website Builder for Creators and Freelancers

Verdict: Cheapest overall value for service providers, creators, and freelancers who sell online.

Julip is an all-in-one workspace that replaces separate site builders, booking apps, link-in-bio pages, and digital checkout tools. It provides built-in tools for showcasing portfolios, service packages, calendar scheduling, digital product delivery, and contact capture. Operating at $19 per month with 0% transaction fees, it keeps your overhead predictable while replacing multiple paid subscriptions like Calendly or Linktree.

• Starting price: $19/month.
• Free plan: 14-day full-access free trial.
• Transaction fees: 0% platform fee.

Pros:

• 0% transaction fees ensure you keep all earnings from services and digital sales.
• Eliminates extra subscriptions like Calendly, Linktree, and separate landing page software, saving $200+ annually.
• Includes built-in calendar scheduling, client intake forms, portfolio showcases, and email capture.

Cons:

• Higher entry sticker price compared to basic single-page tools.
• Focused on service businesses and creators rather than enterprise inventory management.

Value vs. Julip: While not the lowest base sticker price on this list, Julip delivers the lowest total cost of ownership for active freelancers and creators by eliminating third-party software subscriptions and removing revenue cuts.

Google Sites - The Least Expensive Website Builder

Verdict: Cheapest for completely free, basic informational pages.

Google Sites is a basic web design tool included free with any standard Google account. It works for internal team wikis, basic school projects, and zero-budget community information pages. Because it connects directly with Google Drive, Docs, and Forms, you can assemble simple informational pages without worrying about hosting bills or platform display ads.

• Starting price: $0.
• Free plan: 100% free with no ad banners.
• Transaction fees: N/A (no native payment processing).

Pros:

• Completely free with full access to custom domain mapping.
• Seamless integration with Google Drive, Docs, Forms, and Slides.

Cons:

• Very limited visual customization, typography, and design elements.
• No native payment processing, shopping carts, or automatic scheduling.

Value vs. Julip: Google Sites costs nothing, but its design limitations make it difficult to establish a high-converting, professional commercial brand. Julip offers a dedicated client experience with seamless booking and payments.

Wix (Free/Light) - Best Cheap Builder with a Free Tier and Room to Grow

Verdict: Best for users wanting drag-and-drop design flexibility with options to expand later.

Wix is a visual drag-and-drop website editor offering hundreds of templates across every business category. Its entry-level Light plan offers a custom domain and design freedom for standard informational sites. However, you must upgrade to higher business tiers if you plan to accept direct payments or run a full store.

• Starting price: $17/month (Light plan).
• Free plan: Yes (includes Wix ads and a wixsite.com domain).
• Transaction fees: Standard payment gateway processing fees on commercial plans.

Pros:

• Pixel-perfect design control with extensive template options.
• App market offers thousands of integrations for extra functionality.

Cons:

• Free tier displays prominent banner advertisements on your site.
• The basic entry plan does not support online payment processing.

Value vs. Julip: Wix becomes expensive quickly once you upgrade to commercial tiers to accept payments or install paid apps. Julip includes full business functionality out of the box at $19/month without requiring app add-ons.

Hostinger Website Builder - Cheapest Builder that Includes Hosting + Domain

Verdict: Cheapest option for multi-page sites needing cheap hosting and a free domain bundled together.

Hostinger combines site hosting, an AI-powered site builder, and a domain name into a low-cost subscription package. It targets users who want an automated way to generate multi-page websites quickly. It is ideal for small businesses that need a traditional multi-page website on a budget, provided you are willing to lock in a multi-year term.

• Starting price: ~$2.99/month (requires multi-year upfront contract commitment).
• Free plan: No.
• Transaction fees: 0% on select ecommerce setups.

Pros:

• Includes a free custom domain for the first year on long-term plans.
• Generous multi-page limits and artificial intelligence layout tools.

Cons:

• Lowest rates require paying for 2 to 4 years upfront.
• Renewal prices increase significantly after the initial term expires.

Value vs. Julip: Hostinger offers cheap initial entry for general information sites. However, Julip provides a workspace optimized for client acquisition, service delivery, and workflow automation without long-term multi-year contracts.

Weebly / Square Online - Cheapest Free Option for a Simple Online Store

Verdict: Cheapest way to start listing physical products online for free.

Square Online (formerly Weebly) allows store owners to build a functional e-commerce catalog connected to Square payment hardware. It allows you to list products and collect payments online without paying an upfront monthly subscription fee. This makes it a practical entry point for boutique brick-and-mortar setups or new retail sellers.

• Starting price: $0/month.
• Free plan: Yes (allows selling physical goods).
• Transaction fees: Standard Square processing fees (typically 2.9% + 30¢).

Pros:

• Free plan allows listing and selling unlimited physical items.
• Automatic sync with physical Square POS retail setups.

Cons:

• Free plan displays Square branding in the footer.
• Custom domain usage requires upgrading to a paid tier.

Value vs. Julip: Square Online targets physical retail inventory. If you sell services, client packages, or digital products, Julip provides a cleaner client portal, lower fees, and integrated appointment scheduling.

WordPress.com - Cheap and fFexible for Content-Heavy Sites

Verdict: Best value for high-volume content, blogs, and publishing sites.

WordPress.com is a managed hosting service built on the open-source WordPress content management platform. It gives content creators and bloggers structured SEO controls and deep scalability for long-form writing. While entry tiers are cheap, monetizing requires navigating transaction fee tiers or upgrading to plugin-enabled plans.

• Starting price: $4/month (billed annually).
• Free plan: Yes (very limited storage and features).
• Transaction fees: 8% fee on lower tier payment features (drops to 0% on higher tiers).

Pros:

• Exceptional blogging capabilities and SEO controls.
• Easy scalability to handle large volumes of articles and pages.

Cons:

• Lower plans charge up to an 8% transaction fee on direct payments.
• Installing custom plugins requires upgrading to higher-tier business plans.

Value vs. Julip: WordPress.com is built for text publishing and content distribution. Julip is engineered for client conversions, eliminating complex setup steps while taking 0% of your revenue.

Beacons - The Best Free Way for Creators to Get Online

Verdict: Cheapest quick setup for social media creators needing a mobile mobile-first link page.

Beacons is a link-in-bio platform offering mobile-first landing pages tailored for social content creators. It helps creators pool social media links, gather emails, and set up simple digital sales directly from an Instagram or TikTok bio. While free to build, its revenue cuts on sales can become expensive as your creator business grows.

• Starting price: $0.
• Free plan: Yes.
• Transaction fees: 9% transaction fee on the free tier.

Pros:

• Fast setup with mobile optimization for Instagram and TikTok traffic.
• Built-in tools for link redirection, basic store items, and email capture.

Cons:

• Heavy 9% revenue cut on sales using the free tier.
• Mobile-first layout options look limited on larger desktop screens.

Value vs. Julip: Beacons works well for simple social links, but its 9% transaction fee quickly erodes profits. Making just $220/month in sales on Beacons costs more in fees than Julip's full $19/month subscription.

Linktree - Cheapest Simple link-in-bio

Verdict: Cheapest option for basic link navigation across social channels.

Linktree is a dedicated link-in-bio tool designed to direct followers from social platforms to external web pages. It offers a clean, straightforward way to list multiple destinations behind a single social profile link. While easy to set up for free, it functions primarily as a link directory rather than a complete, conversion-focused website.

• Starting price: $0.
• Free plan: Yes.
• Transaction fees: Platform fees vary based on monetization integrations used.

Pros:

• Simple setup process for routing link traffic.
• Broad brand recognition across social media channels.

Cons:

• Restricted design options and layout structures.
• Lacks full website structures, client portals, or portfolio displays.

Value vs. Julip: Linktree is a simple directory page, not a website. Julip provides a full portfolio, booking system, and store, offering a far more professional presentation for client-facing work.

Affordable Website Builder vs. Free: What's the Catch?

Free website builder tiers almost always include trade-offs that limit business growth.

• Forced platform ads: Free tiers display ads for the builder on your site.
• No custom domain: Free plans force you to use subdomains like yourname.wixsite.com or carrd.co.
• High transaction fees: Free platforms monetize by taking cuts (up to 9%-10%) on every sale you make.
• Missing payments or bookings: Free tiers usually block online booking tools and payment collection entirely.

What's the Least Expensive Website Builder that Still Looks Professional?

The least expensive path to a professional site depends on your operating model:

1. For a single page: Carrd ($9/year) paired with a $12/year custom domain delivers a clean, ad-free page for under $22 total per year.
2. For a service business or creator: Julip ($19/month) delivers custom design, booking tools, zero sales fees, and direct client payments without looking like a budget template.

Is the Cheapest Website Builder Always the Best Value?

Focusing only on monthly subscription price often leads to higher total costs.

If you pay $5/month for a budget builder, you may still need:

• A scheduling tool like Calendly ($10/month)
• A link-in-bio tool ($5/month)
• Digital asset delivery software ($10/month)
• Transaction fee payouts (5% to 10% per sale)

In this scenario, your budget builder costs $25+/month plus transaction fees. An all-in-one platform like Julip at $19/month with 0% transaction fees offers lower actual costs for working professionals.

How to Choose the Cheapest Website Builder for you

• If you just need a simple single page: Choose Carrd or Google Sites.
• If you want to start as a creator for free: Choose Beacons or Linktree.
• If you want to get booked and paid with zero platform fees: Choose Julip.
• If you need a free basic store for physical goods: Choose Square Online / Weebly.
• If you want cheap multi-page hosting with a free domain: Choose Hostinger.

FAQs

What is the cheapest website builder in 2026?

Carrd is the cheapest overall builder starting at $9/year for a single-page site. Google Sites is completely free with no ad banners. For an all-in-one business setup with booking and payments, Julip is the cheapest total-cost option at $19/month.

What is the cheapest website builder with no transaction fees?

Julip offers $19/month pricing with 0% transaction fees on all sales, services, and digital products. Hostinger also offers 0% platform fees on select business plans.

Is there a free website builder that is actually good?

Yes. Google Sites is great for free informational pages without ads. Square Online is ideal for basic physical stores, and Linktree or Beacons work well for simple link lists.

What is the cheapest website builder for a small business/freelancer/creator?

Julip provides the best total value for freelancers and creators. It replaces booking tools, link pages, and digital storefronts for a flat $19/month with no extra transaction fees.

Cheapest website builder that includes a domain?

Hostinger offers low-cost plans that include a free custom domain for the first year.

Cheapest way to sell products / take bookings online?

Square Online is the cheapest option for physical inventory on a free plan. Julip is the cheapest, most efficient platform for taking service bookings and selling digital products without transaction cuts.

Is a cheap website builder worth it, or should I pay more?

A cheap builder is worth it if it meets your core requirements without hiding transaction fees or requiring multiple paid add-on apps. Calculate your total software stack cost before deciding.

Cheapest One-Page Website Builder?

Carrd is the cheapest one-page builder, costing $9/year for its entry-level paid plan.

Finding the best cheap website builder comes down to looking beyond the subscription tag to your total monthly software costs. If you only need a digital business card, Carrd or Google Sites will get you online for next to nothing. If you run an active service or content business, Julip offers the best value by combining scheduling, selling, and portfolios into one $19/month setup with 0% platform fees. You can test Julip with a 14-day free trial.