You’re starting a business, and the last thing you want is a $5,000 invoice for a landing page. I get it. Money is tight. You’ve probably seen the ads promising a "professional site in minutes" for zero dollars. It sounds like a dream, but honestly, most people get it wrong because they don't realize that "free" usually comes with a massive asterisk.
If you want to build a company website for free, you have to be smart about which corners you cut. You don't want your brand to look like a high school project from 2005.
The internet is littered with abandoned, ugly free sites that never show up on Google. Why? Because they’re hosted on subdomains like https://www.google.com/search?q=mybusiness.wixsite.com or they're cluttered with huge, distracting advertisements for the website builder itself. Google Discover—the holy grail of mobile traffic—won't touch those with a ten-foot pole. If you want to rank, you need to understand the trade-offs between "totally free" and "effectively free."
The "Subdomain" Trap and Why Google Might Ignore You
Let's talk about the biggest hurdle. When you use the truly free tier of platforms like Wix, Weebly, or HubSpot, you don't own your URL. You're renting a tiny corner of their neighborhood.
For a hobbyist, that’s fine. For a company? It's a credibility killer. Google’s algorithms generally prioritize top-level domains (.com, .org, .net) because they signal a level of commitment and permanence. While it’s technically possible to rank a subdomain, it’s like trying to win a Formula 1 race in a minivan. You’re starting from behind.
But wait. There’s a loophole.
If you use a platform like GitHub Pages or Cloudflare Pages, you can host a static site for free, and while they also give you a subdomain, the performance is so lightning-fast that Google takes notice. Speed is a massive ranking factor. If your site loads in 0.5 seconds, you're already beating 90% of the bloated WordPress sites out there.
Choosing Your Weapon: The Best Free Platforms in 2026
Don't just click the first ad you see. Most "free" builders are just bait-and-switch machines.
Google Business Profile (The Simplest Route)
Believe it or not, for local businesses like plumbers or coffee shops, a Google Business Profile is often more effective than a full website. It’s free. It puts you on the map. Literally. You can share updates, photos, and services that appear directly in search results and Discover feeds. It’s not a "website" in the traditional sense, but it does the job of converting customers better than a cheap, broken 5-page site.
Canva (The Visual Powerhouse)
Canva has quietly become a legitimate website builder. If you already use it for graphics, you can publish a single-page site directly through them. It looks stunning. The downside? SEO is limited. It's great for a digital business card or a simple portfolio, but it won't help you rank for competitive keywords like "best marketing agency."
WordPress.org (The "Almost" Free King)
Note the .org, not the .com. This is the software itself. It’s free. To use it, you need a host. Now, "free hosting" is usually terrible—slow, unreliable, and full of security holes. However, if you are tech-savvy, you can use the Oracle Cloud Free Tier or Google Cloud Platform's free tier to host a small WordPress instance. It requires some coding knowledge, but it's the only way to get a world-class CMS for $0 a month.
Content is the Only Way to Hit Google Discover
Google Discover is weird. It’s not about what people search for; it’s about what they might like based on their interests. To get your new company website there, you need "high-interest" content.
Don't just write "About Us." Nobody cares.
Write about the problems your customers are facing. If you’re a landscaping company, write "Why your lawn is turning brown despite watering it every day." Use high-resolution images. Discover loves big, beautiful visuals. If you use grainy stock photos, you're out.
You need E-E-A-T. That stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. Google wants to see that a real human with real experience wrote the content. Link to your LinkedIn profile. Mention real projects you’ve finished. If you’re building a company website for free, your biggest asset is your own knowledge. Use it.
The Technical Minimums You Can't Ignore
Even on a $0 budget, you have to nail the basics.
- Mobile Optimization: Over 60% of web traffic is mobile. If your free builder doesn't look good on an iPhone, trash it.
- HTTPS: Security isn't optional. Most free builders provide an SSL certificate now. If they don't, leave immediately. Google will flag your site as "Not Secure," and visitors will bounce.
- Alt Text: Every image needs a description. It helps blind users and tells Google what the image is. It’s a tiny task that pays off in SEO.
I once saw a local bakery build their entire presence on a free Carrd site. Carrd is mostly for one-page sites. They didn't have a blog. They didn't have "SEO optimization" tools. But they had incredible photos of their sourdough and a direct link to their Instagram. Within three months, they were the top result for "sourdough near me" because their engagement was through the roof.
SEO isn't just about keywords. It's about engagement.
Stop Trying to "Hack" the System
There are no shortcuts. You can't use AI to churn out 500 low-quality blog posts and expect to rank. Google’s 2024 and 2025 updates specifically targeted "scaled content abuse." If you’re using a free site, you’re already under scrutiny. Every word needs to be valuable.
Think about the user's intent. If someone wants to build a company website for free, they are likely an entrepreneur looking for a low-risk start. They want clarity, not fluff.
A Quick Reality Check on Costs
While the software and hosting can be $0, the domain name usually isn't. A .com domain usually costs about $10 to $15 a year. If you can swing that, do it. It’s the single best investment you can make. A free site on a paid domain looks 100x more professional than a free site on a free domain.
If you absolutely cannot spend $10, look into Freenom or similar services for .tk or .ml domains, but be warned: these are often flagged as spammy by search engines. It's a risk.
🔗 Read more: CEO Affair with Employee: Why it Costs More Than Just a Job
Actionable Steps to Launch Today
Don't spend weeks overthinking this. Perfection is the enemy of a live website.
- Pick your platform based on your skill level. If you're a designer, go Canva. If you're a techie, go GitHub Pages + Hugo/Jekyll. If you're a normal person who just needs to get it done, use the HubSpot free website builder—it’s actually surprisingly robust for SEO.
- Focus on one "Power Page." Instead of five mediocre pages, build one amazing homepage that explains exactly what you do, who you do it for, and why you’re better than the competition.
- Set up Google Search Console immediately. This is a free tool from Google that tells you exactly how they see your site. It’ll alert you if there are indexing errors or if your mobile usability is failing.
- Claim your social handles. Even if you don't use them, link your website to a Facebook business page or a LinkedIn company page. This creates a "web of trust" that search engines love.
- Write three "Helpful" articles. Not sales pitches. Real advice. If you're a consultant, write about the biggest mistake you see in your industry. This is your ticket to Google Discover.
Building a company website for free is a marathon, not a sprint. You're trading your time for the money you're saving. If you're willing to put in the work to create genuine, helpful content and keep your site fast and clean, you can absolutely outrank the "big guys" who are spending thousands on bloated, slow corporate sites.
Start by choosing one platform today. Don't look back. Just start building. Your future customers are already searching; make sure they can find you.