Finding the Best Free (and Nearly-Free) Web Hosting in 2025

If you're looking for a free hosting service, simply going to Google, searching for "free hosting," and clicking the first links you find might lead you into some trouble. Let me explain.

The Hidden Cost of Free

We all know that there's no such thing as a free lunch. If a stranger on the street offered you $1,000, wouldn't you be suspicious? You'd likely wonder, "What's the catch?" or "What do I have to give in return?"

In a similar fashion, whenever you get something for free online, there's always an associated cost. The problem is, that cost isn't always clear upfront. In this article, I'll list out the best free and nearly-free hosting services, giving you a complete picture of what you get and what the downsides are. This way, you can decide for yourself if the tradeoff is worth it, or if paying a small amount is better for the best possible hosting experience.

Let's get started.

1. WordPress.com

The first hosting provider I'd recommend for anyone just starting with website building or testing ideas is WordPress.com.

To be clear, WordPress.com is the hosted version of WordPress, and you can get started for completely free. There's absolutely no initial cost, and you can have a website up and running in just a few minutes with a couple of clicks.

However, the free plan comes with some limitations: - No Custom Domain: You can't connect a custom domain. Any website you build will have a URL like yourwebsite.wordpress.com. You can, however, upgrade to a paid plan to use a custom domain and unlock other features. - Limited Customization: You have limited customization options. You can't install just any theme or plugin, especially not all the premium ones you might want.

Despite these limitations, the paid subscription plans are very affordable and unlock new features with each tier. If you're just starting out, testing how to build a website, or thinking about starting a blog, WordPress.com is an excellent place to begin. Even a small business can use it to get started and then upgrade as needed.

2. Amazon AWS and Google Cloud

Next up are two hosting providers that are very similar in their pros and cons: Amazon AWS and Google Cloud.

Arguably, these are the two best providers that offer genuinely free hosting services. They are reliable, well-known, and power a massive number of websites on the internet. The hosting is legit.

Here's what you need to know: - Not Free Forever: Both Amazon and Google provide 12 months of free usage on a specific tier, which you can use for hosting a website, building an app, or other projects. - Built for Developers: A more critical point is that AWS and Google Cloud are not designed as simple website-building solutions. They are powerful hosting platforms intended for developers to build complex applications.

If you think you can go to AWS or Google Cloud and install WordPress in a few clicks like you would on Bluehost, you'll find it's not that simple. It requires significant technical knowledge to perform even basic tasks. While tutorials are available, as someone with over 6+ years of experience building websites, I wouldn't touch Amazon unless I knew exactly what I was doing. The learning curve is steep, and it can take a lot of time to get something simple running.

3. Bluehost

For most people reading this article, the next hosting provider will be the happiest medium: Bluehost.

To be clear, Bluehost is not completely free. It costs a very small amount of money. However, considering you often get a special deal for a reduced price and a free domain name for a year, the hosting itself is almost free.

It's one of the most popular hosting providers in the world, and even WordPress officially recommends it. Setting up a website is incredibly simple. You choose a plan (the least expensive is great for starting), fill in your details, and you can have a website with a free domain name ready in minutes. You can have a completely built website in under an hour. The pricing is very affordable, making it a near-free option when you factor in the free domain.

Bluehost is best for: - Small business websites - Casual hobby blogs (travel, gardening, pottery, etc.) - Anyone wanting to share their passion with an audience

You have complete control over your website, with no limitations on plugins and themes. If you run into resource limitations on the smallest plan, that's a good sign—it means you're getting a lot of traffic!

Other Nearly-Free Alternatives

If for some reason you don't want to use Bluehost, there are several other excellent hosting providers we can recommend. While Bluehost is often the cheapest, the price difference isn't huge.

• Hostinger: A great option, especially if you are building a presence in India, as they offer localized pricing and have a large presence there.
• SiteGround: Excellent for cloud hosting or specific e-commerce hosting needs.
• DreamHost and HostGator: Both are solid choices for building a basic website.

All these providers are nearly free and offer similar deals, including a free domain name, so you're not paying much to get started.

4. Weebly

Another hosting provider that offers a free plan is Weebly.

You can sign up for the free plan and build your website easily with their synchronized setup. However, keep in mind that Weebly uses a custom Content Management System (CMS). This means you might not find the diverse range of plugins and themes you'd get elsewhere.

A few other important points: - The free version does not support custom domains. - They will place ads on your site to monetize the free service.

For some, a few ads are perfectly fine. Weebly is a decent choice for a casual website or a local business promotion. It gets the job done without being too fancy.

5. Wix

The final hosting provider with a free plan is Wix.

Similar to Weebly, Wix has its own custom CMS, which means all functionality for building and customizing your site is limited to what their system offers. If you're not familiar with how Wix works, there might be a learning curve.

The most important thing to keep in mind with Wix is that the free plan is extremely limited. You get almost no features and will likely be forced to upgrade to a paid plan for any basic control. The paid plans can be pricey; for example, the basic plan can cost around $17 a month, and even that won't unlock all features. When you compare this to what you get with a provider like Bluehost for a fraction of the price, the value proposition is quite different.

Making Your Final Decision

If you're just trying things out, test which CMS is best for you. Try Wix, Weebly, and WordPress.com. There are also ways to test out WordPress locally on your own computer before you make a final call and commit to a hosting plan.