How much can a free website do? Scope and capabilities that should be known.

Free websites are an appealing option for small businesses or individuals looking to create a website without making an initial investment. However, despite the advantages in terms of cost savings, using these services comes with limitations and restrictions that you should be aware of before making a decision.

The scope and capabilities of free websites.

Basic website creation 

Free websites often come with user-friendly website builders. You can choose from a variety of ready-made templates and customize the content, such as text, images, and videos, to create a basic webpage for your business or project. This is suitable for those who have no coding knowledge.

The limited number of pages.

Free website services often limit the number of pages you can create, which is suitable for businesses or websites with minimal content, such as an About Us page, contact information, and various services. However, if you want to add more content or pages, you may need to consider using a paid service.

Storage space (Storage)

Free website storage space is often limited, typically ranging from 500MB to 1GB, which is sufficient for storing small files or a few images. However, if your website requires large media files, such as high-definition videos or a significant number of documents, you may need to consider upgrading.

Subdomain name. (Subdomain)

Most free websites will allow you to use a domain name that is a subdomain of the service provider, such as "yourbusiness.websiteprovider.com," instead of a personal domain name (like "yourbusiness.com"), which may not appear professional to customers or website visitors.

SEO optimization (Search Engine Optimization) 

Free SEO tools on websites often have basic features such as adding a title, and meta description, and including certain keywords. However, advanced features for SEO customization may be lacking or may require additional payment, such as adding traffic analysis, connecting to Google Analytics, or creating a sitemap to submit to search engines.

Support for e-commerce 

Some free website services offer features for e-commerce, such as adding product pages and online payment options, but there may be limitations on the number of products you can display or the available payment features. Sometimes, free websites may lack a shopping cart system or credit card payment options, making them unsuitable for businesses looking to sell products online in a comprehensive manner.

Advertisements from service providers.

Using free websites often comes with advertisements from the service provider displayed on your web page. You cannot control or close these ads. These advertisements may make your website look unprofessional or disrupt the user experience.

Mobile usability support 

Many free platform websites offer mobile-responsive templates, which is essential in today's era where people increasingly access the internet through smartphones. However, additional customization for the mobile user experience may be limited.

Customer support 

Support from free website providers is often limited, such as access to a Help Center or community forums, while phone or live chat support is usually reserved for paying users.

Safety

Free websites may have basic SSL encryption for secure connections (HTTPS), but high-level data protection and security, such as malware protection or automatic backups, may not be fully managed.

Who is a free website suitable for?

• Those who are just starting a business and want to test the market before investing in a paid website.
• Those who want to promote a small business or service without needing complex features.
• Personal users or small projects that need an online space to showcase their work or personal information.

Free websites can be a good option at the beginning, but if your business grows or has increasing demands, upgrading to a paid service may be a worthwhile investment to enhance capabilities, improve your image, and build long-term trust with customers.