Free platforms for creating websites: a list, advantages and disadvantages

Free platforms for creating websites - is the opportunity to develop your own resource (online store, business card, etc.) without special skills and skills in the field of web programming, without spending a penny. With the help of online services, you can not only create a website, but also design it in a favorite design with a ready-made template, fill with modules and text, and even adjust it yourself if necessary.

Of course, site designers, while simplifying web development, are much inferior in quality to the work of professionals. On the other hand, the free platform for creating your own website has its advantages:

• It is easy to use and does not require special skills;
• The design part is not interconnected with the text, which allows you to adjust the text and layout separately;
• Do not need to waste time designing the site, just select the template you like;
• Media files are easily downloaded;
• Changes are published promptly, immediately after the introduction;
• Do not care about storing backups, all data is located on the designer's server;
• Some platforms allow you to transfer the site to another hosting;
• The site can be easily adapted for mobile applications.

In this review you will find the top platforms for creating a website free of charge in Russian, as well as their key features (power, convenience, etc.), allowing them to be selected from a wide variety of such services. In the ranking are only time-tested and traffic-engine engines, which have proved themselves among various categories of users.

Wix

Wix is probably the best platform for creating a website for free, which is used by more than 55 million users around the world. The main advantage of Wix is its simplicity: an intuitive interface, easy editing, training materials. Everything is quite simple and accessible, and you do not need any special knowledge about writing the site code. Another advantage is the large number of functions and many (more than 500 templates) design options, as well as the ability to create your own.

As practice suggests, sites on this platform are more creative, so Wix is ideal for creative artists, photographers, bloggers, developers of small online stores of handmade products or unusual products.

Another useful bonus is the ability to install widgets that can be used for online counseling, a feedback system or a forum. Also, the Wix service is equipped with the functionality to move the site to the mobile version and is adapted for search engine optimization in Google and Bing. The technical side is completely on the shoulders of the customer support center, so there is no disruption to the site operation.

From the minuses I would like to note the inability to edit the template and html code, so professional web designers will most likely have nowhere to turn around, but beginners will not have difficulties with the creation of the site. Another drawback - a large number of paid services and the inability to disable advertising in the free version.

In general, with low costs and a complete lack of technical knowledge, during the choice of a platform for creating websites, it's worth paying attention to Wix.

UCOZ

The second in the list, but not least, the UCOZ platform is one of the oldest in the open spaces of the Runet, celebrating its decade in 2015.

The designer of UCOZ is really the most powerful tool for creating free Internet resources. It is equipped with a rich feature that allows you to do any type of site: business card, lending-page, online store, blog, forum and much more. If you chose to create, for example, an online storefront, you can be sure that there is everything you need to work with it.

As for the templates, the choice here is not so wide as on Wix, but for a small amount of $ 20-40 you can get an individual design from the developers that will not exactly meet you on the Internet.

To the pluses we will attribute a powerful SEO-module, which allows to easily promote the site to the top line of search queries.

Of the minuses. Free platforms for creating websites without ads are rarely bypassed, UCOZ was no exception, so an advertising banner can be removed only after payment of the premium. By the way about payment, tariffs for UCOZ are quite affordable and do not hit your pocket, and within the first 2 days after registration there is a 50% discount. Plus with a premium account, you can connect a second-level domain.

As a conclusion, nowhere you will find such an ideal "price-quality" ratio, however, it will be quite difficult for a beginner to understand the site from scratch, it will be much easier and more interesting for an experienced web designer.

Platform A5

The analogue of the foreign platform Wix - service A5 - can also be attributed to the top platforms for creating a website for free. It allows you to develop a site in html and flash, has design blanks for design and gives you the opportunity to create your own, easy to use and understandable in the interface, suitable for beginners, especially for which you can find video lessons on the service.

The only negative is the limitation on the free version, i.e. in the future work will have to purchase a premium account.

Setur

Another domestic analogue of Wix with a good functionality for creating online stores - Setur. As a rule, free platforms for creating websites include general design templates, on Setur you will find a lot of pieces broken for convenience in categories: "Education", "Business", etc. Also here you can order individual design development.

Why is it best to create an online storefront on the Setur platform? Firstly, this service gives a huge role to the search engine promotion, thanks to which the site falls into the top search queries, which means that it is better visited by potential consumers. Secondly, any data on the site, blocks, product information, fonts, etc. are easily adjusted. Thirdly, which is especially important for an online store, Setur offers a simple memorable domain name absolutely free of charge, to receive it you only need to fill in more than 5 pages of the site.

Of the drawbacks - all the same limitation for the free account, banner advertising, disabled only premium and minimal functionality for development, for example, business cards or lending.

Nethouse

Designer Nethouse does not reach its competitors in level, but, unlike top platforms, allows to use the site absolutely free of charge. In the free version, you will get only a little advertising and a limit on the number of uploaded images.

The designer has rather simple design patterns in comparison with Wix or Ucoz, which is hardly suitable for a business card site, where the quality and originality of the design is most important. Rather, the Nethouse platform is suitable for creating an online store, because there are templates of the Internet showcase with a basket, qualitative seo-promotion, acceptance of online payments, integration with other services, etc.

From the minuses - there is no integration with 1C, you can not always confirm the rights to the site on some resources, you can not modify anything in the html code, so other free platforms for creating websites will be more suitable for the experienced user.

Webydo

The only of the above is a paid platform for creating a site, but it is not accidentally mentioned here. It is a service for professional designers, allowing you to create unique and very high-quality and work, and for the design of landings, shops and business cards. Also from the advantages - great functionality, many modules, widgets and settings. For about $ 25 per month you get an expensive, unique, stylish website with a good engine.

Fo.ru

The service fo.ru has the simplest interface, understandable to beginners in working with sites, and a lot of interesting templates that can be modified during the creation process. In the free version there is no intrusive banner advertising, which is abused by other free platforms for creating websites.

Of the disadvantages - a weak level of technical support, the imposition of paid packages, a low level of opportunities for advanced users.

In general, fo.ru is a service for those who need a simple, fast and free resource without a powerful engine and serious seo-promotion or for those who are just learning to create websites.

Umi

Designer for professionals who need to create a site in 5-10 minutes. It is aimed mainly at creating shops, as it is said by its rich functionality, support for Drag & Drop, its own engine and excellent seo optimization. For beginners, perhaps, will be complicated in circulation. Among the shortcomings is high prices for redemption and transfer of the site to another domain.

Which platform should I choose?

The platform for the creation of the site is huge and none of them is not devoid of shortcomings. In order to choose the one close to you, perhaps, it is worth trying a few options. The most powerful are objectively Wix and Ucoz. Speed of action, quality and functionality, they justify even the money spent on paid accounts. As for other sites, for example, Nethouse, A5, Setur, it is advisable to use them only in the free version, otherwise for the same money it will be better to buy separate hosting and use free platforms for creating Joomla and Wordpress sites.

Instead of concluding

Platforms for creating websites for free are a great way to get your own resource, saving your money and time. However, you should understand that a site whose domain name indicates that it was created for free will look insolvent for large commercial sites, which should have enough finance to develop an individual Internet project. This option is likely to be suitable for starting a business when you want to declare about yourself, but do not yet have enough funds for marketing activities.

Choose platforms that for you seem simple and understandable, do not connect those functions and features that you do not intend to use. Does not mean better anymore.