Video summary

Best Free Website Builder — I Built the Same Website 20 Times

Main summary

Key takeaways

Product Review

Product reviewed / compared

This isn’t a single product review. It’s a head-to-head test to find the best free website builder, where the creator builds the same “band website” 19 times using different free website builders (with a separate category for AI builders).

What the creator tested & how

  • Started with 36 website builders.
  • Narrowed down to those with a truly free plan.
  • Eliminated:
    • Builders that were effectively free trials
    • Builders that didn’t allow publishing for free
  • Built the same “Bamboo” band website on each remaining option to compare results.

Common limitations found on “free” website builders (key cons)

  1. Ads / branding everywhere

    • Many “free” plans add ads or builder branding.
    • Examples mentioned:
      • Wix: distracting ads; even “scroll alongside you.”
      • WordPress.com: banner + scrolling ad (called the worst).
    • Creator’s rule: removed builders when ads were too large.

  2. Page limits

    • Example: Webflow free plan limited to 2 pages → eliminated.

  3. Responsive / mobile issues

    • Example: Canva desktop layout behavior shrank the layout on mobile → “terrible” for responsiveness.

  4. Domain limitations

    • Core point: no truly free custom domain
      • Custom domain typically costs about ~$20/year
    • Most builders provide only subdomains
      • e.g., yoursite.buildername.com
    • Some free subdomains were considered ugly (random numbers/odd strings).
    • Some builders didn’t let you change the subdomain → eliminated.
    • In the final set, remaining builders had to allow subdomain customization.

AI website builders (separate category)

The creator tested AI builders like Base44 and decided they aren’t ideal for their workflow.

Main issues (cons)

  • Not drag-and-drop
    • Requires chatting/prompts to edit and position elements.
  • Editing is slow
    • Prompts can take noticeable time (example: ~8 seconds).
  • Credits run out fast
    • Example: Base44 provided 5 credits/day
    • Creator ran out within 10 minutes, couldn’t finish.

Mixed outcomes (pros / upsides)

  • AI could produce solid layouts
    • Creator even preferred one AI-generated tours page layout vs Squarespace.
  • But AI spacing/navigation sometimes looked “weird”
    • Creator often had to fix issues manually.

Verdict on AI builders

  • AI builders were removed from the main “best free” list.
  • They were treated as a separate category because prompting + credit limits weren’t workable for the creator.

Final ranking: best free website builders (4)

After removing AI builders, the creator’s top pick set includes four finalists.

1) Google Sites — “best free website builder” (overall)

Pros

  • No ads
    • Only a small info bubble (per creator).
  • Easy to use
  • Best feature for free custom domains:
    • It’s the only builder in the video that allows connecting a real .com domain name on a free plan
    • Creator connected a purchased .com to the free Google Sites site
    • Domain cost estimate: ~$20/year
    • (Still not “free,” but works with a free site)

Cons

  • Not very flexible
    • Layouts often look similar
    • Missing features: can’t add an online store or blog
  • Includes a search bar in navigation that can’t be removed

User experience note

  • Domain connection is described as technical
  • Steps include avoiding “Try Google Workspaces” (which would link to $22/month)
  • Use “use my existing domain,” then add a TXT record for verification.

2) Framer

Pros

  • Small ad on the free plan
  • “Pretty good” domain/subdomain
  • Highly customizable
    • Designers can build more varied sites than typical builders

Cons

  • Steep learning curve
    • Creator had to learn frames and relative positioning
    • Beginners may need days to weeks to learn

Verdict

  • Best for people who want custom design and can invest time learning.

3) Square (Square Online / Square-based builder)

Pros

  • Free plan includes the most generous e-commerce features of all tested
  • Creator described the subdomain and ad as relatively unobtrusive
  • Easy to use

Cons

  • Not super customizable
    • Creator couldn’t easily move social icons in the footer
    • Footer felt visually unbalanced

Why it’s generous (creator’s comparison/insight)

  • Square is a financial services company
  • They likely profit from processing credit cards
  • So the free site works as a funnel for payments
  • Best recommendation from the video:
    • Choose Square if you want e-commerce on a free plan

4) Card — “one-page builder”

Pros

  • Very small ad on the free plan
  • Cheap paid upgrade if needed:
    • $19/year mentioned
    • (compared with many builders that charge about ~$19/month)
  • Learning curve exists, but creator suggests you can get going in a few days

Cons / trade-off

  • Only for one-page websites
    • You must fit everything onto a single page

Verdict

  • Best if you want minimal ads and can accept a single-page layout.

Comparisons made (explicit)

  • Squarespace (paid) as a benchmark:
    • Creator liked it and paid $16/month
    • Some AI layouts (e.g., Base44 tours page) were sometimes preferred over Squarespace
    • But AI credit limits prevented finishing
  • Google Sites vs others:
    • Google Sites is singled out as the only free-plan option allowing connection of a real domain
  • AI builders vs drag-and-drop builders:
    • AI felt more tedious due to prompts and credits
    • Traditional builders are faster with manual editing

Overall pros/cons summary from the video

  • Big pro theme: You can make a free website work, but you must accept constraints and choose carefully.
  • Big con theme: Most free builders monetize via ads, subdomains, page limits, and/or restricted features.

Unique points mentioned (complete list of distinct ideas)

  • Build the same band website repeatedly to identify the best free builder.
  • Many “free plans” are actually hidden trials/limitations.
  • Siter: free plan doesn’t support public sharing.
  • Replit: published website auto-goes down after 30 days (not truly free).
  • 16 builders had no real free plan → removed.
  • Common free-plan penalty: ads / branding.
  • WordPress.com worst ads: banner + scrolling ad.
  • Webflow free plan limited to 2 pages → eliminated.
  • Canva mobile behavior shrinks desktop site on mobile → eliminated.
  • Domains:
    • No truly free custom domains; expect ~$20/year
    • Most builders provide subdomains
    • Some subdomains were ugly/random
    • Some builders didn’t allow subdomain changes → eliminated
  • AI builders:
    • Use chat prompts instead of drag-and-drop
    • Prompts can take seconds (example ~8 seconds)
    • Editing requires writing prompts repeatedly
    • Credit limits:
      • Example Base44 5 credits/day
      • Ran out in 10 minutes
    • AI can improve layout but may cause weird spacing/navigation requiring manual fixes
  • Final non-AI top four:
    • Framer: small ad, highly customizable, steep learning curve (days/weeks)
    • Square: easy to use, not very customizable, best free e-commerce due to payments model
    • Card: one-page only, tiny ad, $19/year paid option
    • Google Sites: easy with flexible limitations, missing store/blog, includes unremovable search bar, no ads, only builder allowing free-plan custom domain connection; domain connection is technical and warns against $22/month Google Workspaces
  • Creator recommends being creative and working within constraints (even though paid is better).

Multiple-speaker views

  • The video appears to have a single main speaker/creator narrating the comparison.
  • No distinct opinions from other speakers are present in the subtitles.

Concise verdict / recommendation

  • Best overall free website builder (per this video): Google Sites
    • Mainly because it has no ads and is the only option shown that allows connecting a real custom domain without paying for the builder.
  • If you need stronger design freedom: Framer
  • If you need the most free e-commerce features: Square
  • If you can accept a one-page site and want minimal ads: Card
  • AI website builders are generally not recommended by the creator due to prompt complexity and fast credit depletion.

Original video