We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
WiseGEEK

Advertiser Disclosure

Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.

How We Make Money

We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently from our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Internet

Should I Use Free Website Hosting for my Site?

By Ken Black
Updated May 17, 2024
Our promise to you
WiseGEEK is dedicated to creating trustworthy, high-quality content that always prioritizes transparency, integrity, and inclusivity above all else. Our ensure that our content creation and review process includes rigorous fact-checking, evidence-based, and continual updates to ensure accuracy and reliability.

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

Editorial Standards

At WiseGEEK, we are committed to creating content that you can trust. Our editorial process is designed to ensure that every piece of content we publish is accurate, reliable, and informative.

Our team of experienced writers and editors follows a strict set of guidelines to ensure the highest quality content. We conduct thorough research, fact-check all information, and rely on credible sources to back up our claims. Our content is reviewed by subject matter experts to ensure accuracy and clarity.

We believe in transparency and maintain editorial independence from our advertisers. Our team does not receive direct compensation from advertisers, allowing us to create unbiased content that prioritizes your interests.

For those who are just getting into the idea of website design, free website hosting may sound ideal. The website, and often the tools to help you create the pages, are all there. However, as with most things, those offering the service must make money on it in some way. That could lead to advantages and disadvantages with the choice.

For those who want a personal site to share information with other family and friends, a free website hosting service may be the best way to go. The biggest advantage is that there is no cost. There is no need to worry about what the domain name might be because you will know everyone visiting the page and can send them the URL address directly. Thus, for those people, free website hosting is an easy answer.

Also, for those who are bothered by pop-up ads, it is best to check ahead and see which ads may be utilized by a free website hosting service. Some may make heavy use of such ads. Others may use ads that shake annoyingly and are a nuisance. Others may use questionable advertising methods, such as telling each visitor they are the 10 millionth visitor to the site and they have won a prize. Such ads may reflect poorly on you, even though they are not your ads.

For those who may be looking at conducting business over the Internet, especially through the use of an online shop, free website hosting is not a good choice. A website host may not offer any commerce ability at all. The domain name may be long, and may not truly reflect your business. Further, some pop-up ads, and other ads on the page, are placed there strategically after searching through the text on the site. Therefore, ads on your website could be promoting a competitor.

In some cases, for those who may want to attract more people to the website, free website hosting may not be the choice either. Some search engines are programmed to automatically exclude free web hosting domains, meaning there is no chance your site would ever be picked up. Others may put them down lower in the search listings. So if there are thousands or millions of sites on that topic, it is just as bad as not listing it at all.

Free website hosting services appeal to a very particular niche. For some, they may be the right choice. For others, it could be a very bad experience. The best option you have, if considering a free website host, is to thoroughly research the options available. Read reviews and look at other sites from the host. Some hosts may be better than others.

WiseGEEK is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
See our Editorial Process Share Feedback

Related Articles

Discussion Comments

By sunshined — On Jun 16, 2011

Just because a website offers free hosting does not mean someone is not making money somewhere. On these free sites, that is usually from ads. There is a good purpose in having free websites and they suit the needs of many people.

I don't think you will find a free website that does not put ads on your site though. If that does not bother you, then you should have no problems at all. If you have created your website to sell products or services, this might be a disadvantage for potential customers.

Many people do not have extra funds when they are first starting out, so this can be a good way to get started. But as soon as you start making some profit, I would look in to a plan that does not have the ads.

By John57 — On Jun 15, 2011

Using a free website hosting service can be a great way to get started. Many people who have little computer experience or website design experience can create a nice looking free website and have it hosted for free as well.

If you are using this for your own personal use to keep in touch with friends and family, this is a great alternative. If you are wanting to create a website for a business, you may want to consider some other alternatives.

I used free website hosting with my first website, but quickly became frustrated at how slow the service was. This is not good if you are wanting to build a business, as most people don't have much patience for a site that loads slowly.

WiseGEEK, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGEEK, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.