Website builders range from completely free to $40+/month. This guide ranks every major option by annual cost, including the hidden fees like domain names and storage limits that inflate the real price.
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1. Google Sites - $0
Google Sites $0 - Completely Free
Google Sites is 100% free with a Google account. It is basic but functional - drag-and-drop pages, Google Drive integration, and automatic responsive design. No custom domain on free tier but works well for simple info sites.
- Free: Unlimited pages, Google Drive integration, responsive
- Custom domain: Use with Google Workspace ($6/user/mo)
2. Carrd - $19/Year
Carrd $1.58/mo - Best Value
Carrd builds beautiful one-page websites for $19/year (just $1.58/month). Pro plan includes custom domains, forms, and payment embeds for up to 10 sites. The cheapest way to get a professional-looking website.
- Free: 3 sites, carrd.co subdomain
- Pro: $19/year - 10 sites, custom domains, forms, analytics
3. WordPress.com - $0 Start
WordPress.com $0 - $4/mo
WordPress.com's free tier gives you a basic site on a wordpress.com subdomain. The Personal plan at $4/mo (billed annually) adds a custom domain and removes WordPress ads.
- Free: 1GB storage, wordpress.com subdomain, ads shown
- Personal: $4/mo - custom domain, no ads, 6GB storage
4. Wix - $0 Start
Wix $0 - $17/mo
Wix's free plan includes a website builder with Wix ads and subdomain. The Light plan at $17/mo adds a custom domain and removes ads. Wix AI can generate your site from a description.
- Free: Wix subdomain, Wix ads, 500MB storage
- Light: $17/mo - custom domain, no ads, 2GB storage
5. Squarespace - $16/mo
Squarespace $16/mo - Best Design
Squarespace is the priciest option here but offers the most polished templates. The Personal plan at $16/mo includes a custom domain (first year free), SSL, unlimited bandwidth, and stunning design.
- Personal: $16/mo - custom domain, unlimited pages, SSL
- Business: $33/mo - ecommerce, advanced analytics
Annual Cost Comparison
| Builder | Annual Cost | Custom Domain | No Ads |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Sites | $0 | With Workspace | Yes |
| Carrd Pro | $19 | Yes | Yes |
| WordPress Personal | $48 | Yes | Yes |
| Squarespace | $192 | Free 1st year | Yes |
| Wix Light | $204 | Yes | Yes |
Bottom Line
For the absolute cheapest option, Google Sites is free and functional. Carrd at $19/year is the best value for a professional-looking site with a custom domain. WordPress.com at $4/month gives you a full website with blogging capability. If design quality is worth paying for, Squarespace at $16/month is the standard.
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