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The Cheapest Way to Build a Real Website With Your Own Domain
Free plans and what they cost you, the sub-$5 options that include a domain, and where the fees hide.
August 29, 2026 · 3 min read
Free plans
Wix, WordPress.com, GoDaddy, Weebly and Webflow have free tiers. All put you on their subdomain (yourname.wixsite.com) and most show their ads. Fine for testing; not for a business card.
Cheapest with a custom domain
- Hostinger Website Builder: $2.99/mo on a 48-month term, domain free year one.
- WordPress.com Personal: $4/mo billed yearly, domain free year one.
- GoDaddy Basic: $9.99/mo.
- Weebly Personal: $10/mo.
Where the fees hide
Domain renewal in year two ($15–$25); transaction fees on lower store plans (Squarespace Core 2%, Webflow 2%); paid templates (Shopify, Webflow); and the jump from intro to renewal (Hostinger $2.99 → $7.99).
» See the full rankings: Cheapest Website Builders With a Custom Domain, Best Free Website Builders .