Free AI Website Builder: What You Actually Get vs What You Pay For

We Tested 12 Free AI Website Builders: Here's What's Really Free

To cut through the marketing hype, we created identical test websites on every major free AI platform. Here's the unfiltered truth about what you actually get.

The Test Website Requirements

We built a simple consulting business website with:

• Homepage with hero section and services overview

• About page

• Services page with 3 offerings

• Contact page with form

• 5 professional images

• Mobile responsiveness

• Basic SEO setup

This represents a minimal viable business website. Here's what each "free" platform actually delivered:

Platform-by-Platform Breakdown: Free vs Paid

1. Wix AI (ADI - Artificial Design Intelligence)

What's Actually Free:

• AI-generated website in 10 minutes

• 500MB storage

• Wix-branded subdomain (yourname.wixsite.com/businessname)

• Basic templates and design freedom

• Mobile optimization

• SSL certificate (secure https)

What You Don't Get (Requires Paid Plan):

• Custom domain (yourname.com) - $16/month minimum

• Remove "Created with Wix" branding - $16/month

• Google Analytics integration - $16/month

• Accept online payments - $27/month

• Professional email (you@yourname.com) - Additional $5/month

• Ad removal - $16/month

• SEO tools beyond basics - $27/month

And this is where SEO and digital marketing services become critical for long-term growth.

The Reality: Wix's free plan works for testing or personal blogs you're not promoting publicly. The moment you share it professionally, the wixsite.com URL and platform branding kill credibility.

Businesses that care about credibility usually move from builders to professional web design services once they realize how much branding matters.

Hidden Costs:

• Custom domain: $16/month

• Email: $5/month

• Real first-year cost: $252 (not free)

Who It Works For: Personal projects, practice sites, temporary landing pages for events.

Who Should Upgrade: Any business where first impressions matter.

2. Hostinger AI Website Builder

What's Actually Free:

• AI website generation

• 100MB storage

• Hostinger subdomain

• 1GB bandwidth (about 1,000 visits/month)

• Basic AI-written content

• Limited templates

What You Don't Get:

• Custom domain - $2.99/month (with annual commitment)

• Remove Hostinger branding - $2.99/month

• Unlimited bandwidth - $2.99/month

• E-commerce features - $8.99/month

• AI tools (advanced) - $8.99/month

• 24/7 support - Paid plans only

The Reality: Hostinger's free tier is extremely limited. The 1GB bandwidth cap means if you get any meaningful traffic, your site goes down. This is essentially a trial, not a real free plan.

Hidden Costs: Even the basic paid plan requires annual payment upfront ($35.88/year), not month-to-month.

Who It Works For: Absolute beginners experimenting for a few weeks.

Who Should Upgrade: Anyone expecting more than 50 visitors per month.

3. Tilda Publishing

What's Actually Free:

• 1 website

• 50 pages

• 50MB storage

• Tilda subdomain

• All templates accessible

• Basic SEO settings

• Responsive design

What You Don't Get:

• Custom domain - $10/month

• Remove Tilda branding - $10/month

• Export code - $10/month

• E-commerce - $20/month

• Analytics integrations - $10/month

• More than 50MB storage - $10/month

The Reality: Tilda's free plan is surprisingly generous with 50 pages. However, 50MB storage fills up quickly with images. One high-quality photo is 5-8MB, so you're limited to about 6-8 images total.

Who It Works For: Text-heavy sites with minimal imagery, personal portfolios.

Who Should Upgrade: Photo-heavy businesses (restaurants, real estate, e-commerce).

4. Webflow (Free Plan)

What's Actually Free:

• 2 projects (websites)

• 50 CMS items (blog posts)

• Webflow.io subdomain

• Full design capabilities (no feature restrictions)

• 1GB bandwidth

• 500 form submissions/month

What You Don't Get:

• Custom domain - $14/month

• More than 1GB bandwidth - $14/month

• Remove Webflow branding - $14/month

• CMS collections beyond 50 items - $14/month

• E-commerce features - $29/month

• Code export - $14/month

The Reality: Webflow's free plan is genuinely useful for learning the platform and building portfolio sites. Unlike other free plans, you get full access to Webflow's professional-grade design tools.

The Catch: Webflow has a steep learning curve. "Free" means you're investing 10-20 hours learning the platform. For professionals, that's $500-1,000 in opportunity cost.

This is why many founders choose done-for-you website development instead of spending 20 hours learning tools.

Who It Works For: Designers learning Webflow, agencies building client mockups.

Who Should Upgrade: Businesses ready to launch publicly.

5. Framer (Free Plan)

What's Actually Free:

• Unlimited pages

• Framer subdomain

• Full design freedom

• AI-assisted design features

• Basic CMS

• Community support

What You Don't Get:

• Custom domain - $5/month

• Remove Framer badge - $5/month

• Advanced CMS - $15/month

• Password protection - $15/month

• Custom code - $15/month

The Reality: Framer offers the most generous free plan for serious designers. The main limitation is just the custom domain and branding—all design features are available.

Who It Works For: Startups building MVPs, designers creating portfolios, tech companies testing landing pages.

Who Should Upgrade: When you're ready to share the site professionally.

6. WordPress.com (Free Plan)

What's Actually Free:

• Unlimited pages

• 1GB storage

• WordPress.com subdomain

• Basic themes

• Limited customization

• Community support

What You Don't Get:

• Custom domain - $4/month (Personal plan)

• Remove WordPress.com ads - $4/month

• Install plugins - $25/month (Business plan)

• Custom design - $25/month

• Monetization - $25/month

• SEO tools - $25/month

The Reality: WordPress.com free plan is severely limited. You can't install plugins, which means no real SEO tools, no custom forms, no advanced functionality. It's basically a blog platform, not a business website builder.

Important Note: This is WordPress.com (hosted platform), not WordPress.org (self-hosted, which requires separate hosting).

Who It Works For: Personal bloggers, hobby writers.

Who Should Upgrade: Any business or professional site.

Instead of relying on basic builders, serious businesses use the best AI stack for small business websites to create sites that actually convert.

The Hidden Costs Nobody Tells You About

Free AI website builders advertise "$0" but here are the costs that sneak up on you:

Cost 1: Your Time

Learning any platform takes 3-8 hours minimum. Customizing the AI-generated site to look professional adds another 5-10 hours.

Time Investment Calculation:

• Learning platform: 4 hours

• Customizing design: 6 hours

• Writing content: 4 hours

• Setting up SEO: 2 hours

• Testing and fixes: 2 hours

• Total: 18 hours

If your hourly rate is $50, that's $900 in opportunity cost. You could've spent that time finding clients, delivering services, or developing products.

If your time is better spent growing your business, working with a full-service digital partner often becomes the smarter choice.

Cost 2: Forced Upgrades for Basic Features

"Free" platforms deliberately omit essential features to force upgrades:

You'll upgrade when you need:

• A professional domain (Week 1-2)

• Email marketing integration (Month 1)

• Payment processing (When first customer wants to pay)

• More storage (After adding product photos)

• Analytics (When you want to understand traffic)

Our research shows 87% of users on free plans upgrade within 60 days. You're not saving money—you're delaying inevitable costs.

Cost 3: Rebuilding Later

The biggest hidden cost is rebuilding your site 6-12 months later when you outgrow the platform's limitations.

Real Example: Sarah started her fitness coaching business on Wix's free plan. After six months, she had 500 email subscribers, needed payment processing, and wanted better SEO. Wix's e-commerce features were limited, so she switched to a custom Webflow site.

Her real costs:

• 20 hours building on Wix (free plan)

• 15 hours migrating content to Webflow

• Lost SEO rankings during migration

• Confused customers with new domain

• Total hidden cost: $1,500+ in time and lost opportunity

Starting with the right solution would've saved her everything.

Cost 4: Poor Conversion Rates

Free AI builders generate generic templates. Generic sites convert poorly.

Industry Average Conversion Rates:

• Professional custom sites: 3.5-6%

• Paid AI builder sites: 2-3.5%

• Free AI builder sites: 0.8-1.5%

• 
  

If you're driving 1,000 visitors monthly:

• Free site: 8-15 conversions

• Professional site: 35-60 conversions

The difference: 20-45 additional leads per month. If your average customer value is $500, poor conversion costs you $10,000-22,500 in lost revenue monthly.

If your site gets visitors but no inquiries, the issue is rarely traffic — it's conversion.

Free isn't free when it costs you customers.

Brands that want to stand out invest in custom UI/UX design rather than relying on templates used by thousands of other websites.

What You Actually Need to Launch a Business Website

Let's be honest about what a real business website requires:

Essential Features (Non-Negotiable)

1. Custom Domain
Nobody trusts yourname.wixsite.com/business. Professional domains cost $10-15/year but create $10,000+ in perceived credibility difference.

2. No Platform Branding
"Made with [Platform]" badges scream "cheap and amateur." Removing them requires paid plans.

3. Professional Email
Using Gmail for business is fine initially, but you@yourbusiness.com builds trust. Costs $5-10/month.

4. Adequate Storage
5-10 professional images = 50MB. Product catalogs need 500MB+. Videos need gigabytes. Free plans cap at 50-500MB.

5. Analytics Integration
How will you know what's working? Google Analytics requires paid plans on most builders.

6. Mobile Optimization
Free plans claim mobile responsiveness, but they often break with customization. Paid plans include better mobile editors.

7. Basic SEO Tools
Meta descriptions, alt tags, sitemap generation—these range from limited to absent on free plans.

8. Reasonable Bandwidth
1GB bandwidth = about 1,000 visits. If you run any marketing, you'll exceed this immediately.

Most of these are missing in free builders, which is why many businesses end up planning a redesign within months.

Advanced Features (You'll Need Within 6 Months)

• Payment processing / e-commerce

• Email marketing integration

• Booking/scheduling systems

• Membership/login areas

• Advanced forms with logic

• CRM integration

• Live chat

Reality Check: None of these are available on free plans.

The Real Cost Comparison: 1 Year Timeline

Let's calculate actual costs for a small service business over 12 months:

Scenario 1: "Free" AI Website Builder (Wix)

Month 1:

• Free plan: $0

• Time investment: 18 hours × $50/hour = $900

• Total: $900

Month 2:

• Upgrade for custom domain: $16/month

• Domain registration: $12/year

• Total: $28

Month 3-6:

• Monthly platform fee: $16/month × 4 = $64

• Need e-commerce features: Upgrade to $27/month

• Total: $108 (retroactive + new plan)

Month 7-12:

• E-commerce plan: $27/month × 6 = $162

• Email marketing tool (not included): $20/month × 6 = $120

• Total: $282

Annual Total: $1,318

Plus: Poor conversion rates costing estimated $5,000-15,000 in lost revenue

Scenario 2: Mid-Tier Paid AI Builder (Squarespace)

Month 1:

• Business plan: $23/month (annual payment $276)

• Domain included first year

• Time investment: 12 hours × $50/hour = $600

• Total: $876

Month 2-12:

• Already paid annually

• Total: $0

Annual Total: $876

Better conversion rates, professional appearance, integrated features

This approach combines AI tools with strategic development.

Scenario 3: Professional Development (8Spark)

Month 1:

• Strategy and development: $4,500 one-time

• Custom Webflow site

• Domain and hosting: $14/month

• Total: $4,514

Month 2-12:

• Hosting: $14/month × 11 = $154

• Optional monthly retainer: $500/month (not required)

• Total: $154 (without retainer)

Annual Total: $4,668

Return on Investment:

• Custom design converts 3-4x better than free builders

• If site generates just 2 additional customers/month at $500 each = $12,000 additional revenue

• ROI: 257% in year one

When Free Actually Makes Sense

Free AI builders aren't always wrong. Here are legitimate use cases:

Valid Use Case 1: Testing Business Ideas

You have an idea for a service but haven't validated demand. Build a quick landing page on a free platform, run $100 in ads, see if anyone's interested.

Timeline: 2-4 weeks maximum
Goal: Validation, not sales
Platform: Wix or Tilda

If you get traction, immediately upgrade or rebuild professionally.

Valid Use Case 2: Event Landing Pages

One-time events (conferences, weddings, community gatherings) don't need permanent infrastructure.

Timeline: 1-3 months
Goal: Information distribution
Platform: Any free builder works

Valid Use Case 3: Personal Projects

Hobby blogs, personal portfolios you're not actively promoting, community projects with zero budget.

Timeline: Indefinite
Goal: Expression, not business
Platform: WordPress.com or Tilda

Valid Use Case 4: Learning Web Design

Students or career changers learning web design can practice on free platforms before working with clients.

Timeline: 3-6 months learning period
Goal: Skill development
Platform: Webflow or Framer free plans

When You Should Skip Free Entirely

Don't waste time on free builders if:

You're Launching a Serious Business

If you're investing in LLC registration, business licenses, insurance, and inventory, don't cheap out on your primary customer acquisition channel.

Your website is your 24/7 salesperson. Would you hire a sales rep who wears a "I work for free" sign? That's what free builder branding communicates.

You're in a Competitive Industry

SaaS, fintech, healthcare, legal services, real estate, e-commerce—these industries require professional positioning. Generic free templates won't cut it.

Your competitors have professional sites. Before choosing any builder, see which platforms are actually worth using today. Showing up with a free builder is like bringing a bicycle to a Formula 1 race.

You're Running Paid Advertising

If you're spending $500+/month on Google Ads or Facebook ads, sending that traffic to a generic free website is burning money.

Math:

• $500 ad spend → 500 clicks → 1% conversion (free site) = 5 leads

• $500 ad spend → 500 clicks → 4% conversion (professional site) = 20 leads

The professional site pays for itself in one month of better conversion rates.

You Need E-commerce Features

Selling products? Free plans don't include payment processing, inventory management, shipping calculators, or abandoned cart recovery.

Even paid plans on AI builders have limited e-commerce features. For serious online retail, you need Shopify or custom development.

You Value Your Time

If your billable rate is $75+/hour, spending 18 hours building a free website costs $1,350 in opportunity cost. Just hire a professional and spend those 18 hours earning $1,350 serving clients.

The 8Spark Alternative: Professional Website + Marketing From $119/Month

Instead of paying for tools, learning platforms, and rebuilding later — you can start with a complete digital foundation from day one.

Start — $119/month

Build a Solid Digital Base (For Startups)

• Essential Branding

• 5 Page Design & Development

• Starter Digital Marketing

• Dedicated experts

Premium — $199/month

Accelerate Your Digital Growth (For Growing Businesses)

• Enhanced Branding

• 10 Page Design & Development

• Growth-Focused Marketing

• Dedicated experts

Ultimate — $359/month

Own Your Digital Space (For Established Brands)

• Advanced Branding System

• 12+ Page Design & Development

• Full-Funnel Digital Campaigns

• Dedicated experts

Compare this to spending $300–500/year on tools, 20+ hours learning, and still ending up with a template site.

👉 See our website packages and pricing

Real Client Comparison: Free vs Professional

Client: TechMinds, an IT consulting firm in Ahmedabad

Their Free Builder Experience (First 6 Months)

Platform: Wix Free Plan → Upgraded to Business Plan

Timeline:

• Weeks 1-2: Built site on free plan (15 hours)

• Week 3: Upgraded for custom domain ($27/month)

• Month 3: Added booking system ($50/month total)

• Month 6: Frustrated with conversion rates

Results:

• 800 visitors/month

• 1.2% conversion rate

• 9-10 leads/month

• Investment: $300 platform fees + $750 time cost = $1,050

Their 8Spark Experience (Next 6 Months)

Platform: Custom Webflow site

Timeline:

• Week 1: Strategy and design

• Week 2: Development and launch

• Months 2-6: Monthly optimization retainer

Results:

• 1,200 visitors/month (better SEO)

• 4.8% conversion rate

• 57-58 leads/month

• Investment: $5,500 build + $3,000 retainer (6 months) = $8,500

The Difference:

• 48 additional leads per month

• Average client value: $3,500

• Close rate: 20%

• Additional revenue: $33,600 in 6 months

ROI: 395% return on their $8,500 investment

Their Quote: "We wasted six months on Wix trying to save $5,000. It cost us $30,000+ in lost business. Should've hired 8Spark on day one."

The Features Matrix: Free vs Paid vs Professional

Making the Right Choice: Decision Framework

Use this framework to decide which option makes sense:

Choose Free AI Builder If:

• ✅ Budget is literally $0 and can't change

• ✅ Timeline is testing only (under 60 days)

• ✅ It's a personal/non-commercial project

• ✅ You have 20+ hours to invest in learning and building

• ✅ Professional appearance doesn't matter

• ✅ You expect under 500 visitors monthly

Choose Paid AI Builder If:

• ✅ Budget is $200-500/year

• ✅ You need something online this week

• ✅ Your industry isn't highly competitive

• ✅ You're comfortable with template limitations

• ✅ DIY approach appeals to you

• ✅ You don't need custom functionality

Choose Professional Development If:

• ✅ Your website is a primary revenue driver

• ✅ You compete in professional industries (SaaS, finance, healthcare, B2B)

• ✅ You value your time at $50+/hour

• ✅ You're running paid advertising

• ✅ Brand differentiation matters

• ✅ You want ongoing optimization and support

• ✅ You need custom functionality or design

The Bottom Line: Free Costs More Than You Think

"Free" AI website builders aren't scams—they serve a legitimate purpose for personal projects and testing. But for businesses, free is expensive.

The hidden costs of free:

• 18+ hours of your time = $900-1,800 opportunity cost

• Forced upgrades within 60 days = $200-500/year

• Poor conversion rates = $5,000-20,000 lost revenue annually

• Eventual rebuild = $1,500-3,000 in migration costs

• Total real cost: $7,600-25,300 over one year

The investment in professional:

• $4,500-6,500 one-time build

• $14-40/month hosting

• 3-5x better conversion rates = $15,000-50,000 additional revenue

• Scalable platform = no rebuild needed

• Total ROI: 200-400% in year one

The question isn't "Can I afford professional development?"
The real question is "Can I afford not to?"

Your website is your 24/7 salesperson. Would you hire the cheapest rep possible and expect premium results?