You’ve seen the ads.
“Get your website online for free!”
“No coding required. Just drag, drop, and publish.”
Free website platforms promise an easy start, but the true cost of free websites often shows up later — in limits, ads, or lost opportunities.
At Fjell Peak Digital, we’ve helped dozens of clients rebuild sites that started on “free” platforms. In this post, we’ll walk through why those sites can cost you more in the long run — in time, money, performance, and opportunity — and how to choose a better path from the start.
What Does “Free” Actually Mean?
Let’s be clear: we’re not knocking free platforms like Wix, Weebly, or GoDaddy Site Builder. They have their place. But it’s important to understand what you’re really getting (and what you’re not).
Here’s what “free” often includes:
- A drag-and-drop site builder
- A subdomain (like
yourbiz.freeplatform.com) - A few basic templates
- Limited design options
- Ads… for their platform, not your business
And what it doesn’t include:
- Custom branding
- SEO tools that actually matter
- Fast performance
- Flexibility to grow
- Ownership of your content (in some cases)
“Free” usually means free to start — not free to succeed.
The Hidden Limitations That Cost You Later
1. You’re Building on Borrowed Land
When you use a free platform, you’re playing in someone else’s sandbox. You don’t own the domain. You don’t own the infrastructure. In some cases, you don’t even fully own the design or content.
Want to move your site later? In many cases, you’ll have to rebuild it from scratch.
Our take: Your website is a business asset. It should be built on a platform you control — like WordPress on your own domain.
2. Slow Performance Hurts Your Traffic (and Sales)
Free website builders tend to load slowly, especially on mobile. Many use bloated code, generic hosting, and overloaded servers. And yes — Google notices.
A slow site means lower rankings, higher bounce rates, and frustrated visitors who don’t stick around long enough to buy or book.
Our take: Page speed is not a luxury — it’s a dealbreaker.
3. Design Limits = Brand Limits
Most free builders offer a limited selection of templates. You can change a few colors, maybe swap a font. But your ability to create something truly on-brand? Not so much.
You might end up with a site that looks… exactly like your competitor’s. Or like it came out of a box (because it did).
Our take: Your site should reflect your brand, not the limitations of a template library.
4. “Free” Features Stop Where the Fine Print Starts
Need to remove ads? Add an online store? Connect your domain? Suddenly, you’re looking at $10–$40/month — for basic functionality.
And if you want SEO tools, backup options, security upgrades, or email support? That’s extra.
Our take: Free plans are often a funnel to upsell you on things WordPress can do out of the box — for less, and with more control.
5. Support? Good Luck.
With most free builders, support is limited to help docs and community forums. If something breaks, you’re on your own — and good luck getting an actual human to troubleshoot with you.
Our take: Business websites deserve real support. Whether it’s a care plan or just a point of contact, you should never feel alone when something breaks.
What You Do Need to Budget For (And Why It’s Worth It)
Here’s a realistic list of what you should plan for when building a website that actually helps your business grow:
| Item | Typical Cost | Why it Matters |
|---|---|---|
|
Domain Name |
$15-$20/year |
Your professional home on the web |
|
Hosting |
$10–30/month |
Controls speed, uptime, and security |
|
SSL Certificate |
Usually free |
Builds trust + secures your site |
|
Theme/Design |
Free–$100 |
Your brand’s first impression |
|
Pro Plugins |
$50–200/year |
SEO, backups, performance boosts, custom functionality |
|
Ongoing Maintenance |
$50–200/month |
Keeps everything secure and up to date |
Want to keep costs low? Start small — but start smart. You can always scale up. We help clients do just that, every day.
Final Thoughts: You Don’t Need “Fancy,” You Need Flexible
We get it — sometimes a free website seems like a smart way to get started. And sometimes, it is. But if your goal is to grow your business, earn trust, or generate leads online, “free” can get expensive fast.
At Fjell Peak Digital, we believe your website should be:
- Easy to use
- Fast to load
- Built to grow
- And 100% yours
If that’s what you want — whether you’re just getting started or thinking about a redesign — we’d love to help.
👉 Reach out for a no-pressure consult and let’s talk about what the right website looks like for you.
