The hidden cost of a free website {and the truth about what you're actually getting}
The idea of getting a free website is very tempting, I know. As nonprofits (and many small businesses), your budget is tight and you need every extra dollar going into your programs and the people you serve. But as many have discovered too late, a “free” website might end up costing you more in the long run, both in terms of money spent and potential donors lost.
Let me be clear up front - this post isn’t to shame any website company and this isn’t an apples-to-apples comparison of one platform over another. Those posts are easily found on Google and typically loaded with affiliate links for one platform (bias, much?) This post is to highlight why “free” websites are rarely free and to explore what’s actually included (or excluded) and why it matters.
And as usual in this space, this is written with nonprofits in mind but can be helpful to small businesses seeking a new website, as well. As a former nonprofit executive and now consultant, I have a keen understanding of what it’s like to sit on that side of the desk. I understand the pressure to get your nonprofit the publicity and awareness it deserves but also the need to do that on a reasonable budget.
Unfortunately, the truth is that a free website has the potential to derail your work, set you up for a big disappointment down the road, and even cost you money you haven’t budgeted or planned to spend.
My hope is that by the end of this post, you’ll be more equipped to evaluate your options for a new website and make a more informed decision about what it is you really need and which platform can deliver that in a manner best for you.
So, what do I mean by a free website?
A quick Google search for “free website” returns a plethora of options (namely companies like Wix, Weebly, and WordPress) and with their slick ads and promises, it would be easy to get hooked in just a few minutes. These companies are usually offering free hosting which means you can design the website for free (no credit card required to create an account) and make it accessible to anyone without paying for a website host (need help understanding some basic web terms? You can find download my Six Things to Know worksheet over in the Nonprofit Resource Library)
Are free websites really free?
In a nutshell, sort of. For this post, I’m going to use Wix as an example. As I said before, I’m not throwing any platform under the bus because depending on your industry, the best choice for you might be different than the best choice for me. However, for demonstration purposes, Wix is a great example for me to highlight what free really gets you.
What you get for “free” from Wix
Note: the specifics and pricing here are likely to change - always double-check the website of the platform you’re considering for the latest costs.
You can create a Wix account for free and get free hosting - sort of. This free hosting comes with a whole host of limitations (see what I did there, haha). Their free hosting is limited to a Wix domain (like username.wixsite.com/sitename) which is super unprofessional and immediately lacks credibility. This free plan also limits you to 500MB of storage and 500MB of bandwidth which is bound to run out quickly for even a nonprofit of modest size.
Wix also gives you lots of ads for free — ads determined by them and placed on every page of your site. How nice of them. This adds up to annoying visitors and detracts from the message you’re trying to send to your audience. Plus, you have no control over which ads they display, meaning it could be for products or services that do not align with your organizational values.
Other limitations include only two hours of video (not ideal for anyone), only one user account with a single username and password (hello security issues), no chat support, and some major limitations with making your website mobile-responsive (they determine the site-width and allow very few adjustments for mobile devices). You’ll probably experience super slow load times (the time it takes for the website to appear in your browser window) because these free services put thousands of free websites on the same server.
A deal-breaker on the free plan, in my opinion, is that you cannot integrate Google Analytics while you’re on the free plan. This is because Google Analytics requires you to own your own domain, and oh, did Wix forget to tell you that costs extra?
There’s no integrated donation feature for ease of online fundraising, the capabilities to create forms are severely lacking and require a third-party app, and they don’t currently offer Apple Pay as a payment option even when you do shell out money to upgrade your plan.
To round out the list, you’ll be stuck with whatever template you choose (even if your nonprofit or small business needs change) because you can’t switch templates and preserve all the work you’ve already done if you change your mind. And if you’re moving from another website or need to redirect a user to another link, you’ll need to purchase their Premium plan to do that.
It’s important to note that some of these features are available with Wix if you choose their Pro or Premium plans that range from $250-$500 a year.
Are you starting to see why free doesn’t really tell the whole story? It can be intimidating for a nonprofit to think through all of these features in advance of choosing a website platform. In my experience with nonprofit clients, they are often unsure of what some of these features even mean or why they matter.
Your best alternative to a “free” website is to choose a paid service you can afford that offers at least 80-90% of what you need for a single base price, laid out from day one.
The majority of my client sites are built on the Squarespace platform. On average, it costs around $250 a year, and all of those limitations I mention above about Wix? You guessed it — none of that applies to Squarespace. It covers all those bases plus a whole lot more.
{I’ve also recently discovered Strikingly — a website builder that’s ridiculously simple to use and includes quite an impressive list of options, including:
A Pro Plan for an initial cost of $11.20/month!
Custom domain connection with SSL
20GB Storage per site
Commerce functionality for up to 300 products and 0% transaction fees
Custom forms
Pop-ups
24/7 chat support
And a whole host of other features
It’s looking like Strikingly might be a great website solution for small nonprofits, start-up businesses, or anyone who wants to turn their hobby or side hustle into a legit website to increase awareness. Best of all, you can do a free, 14-day trial to see if it’s the right fit for you.}
However, if you do decide to go with a free option, I highly recommend talking with colleagues who have also used that platform to get their feedback on its limitations and options for growth. While not every nonprofit will have the same needs and priorities, it should be easy to find ten or more other organizations that love the product and highly recommend it. If not, keep searching. Just like any business decision, especially financial ones, it’s important to get an outside perspective from someone you trust.
Should you hire a professional designer or go the DIY route?
Once you choose the best website builder for you, I also recommend at least talking with a website designer to help you decide if you need professional guidance or if you have the expertise on your team to create a site that’s functional with compelling design and content that will actually help you move the needle on growing your nonprofit’s reach and impact.
Why choose a designer if you can build a paid site on your own? You could do it yourself. Lots of people do. And it’s true that even the best platforms for those in the DIY market are sometimes referred to as a “drag and drop” platform for amateurs. (For the record, I do roll my eyes every time I hear that.) I believe a designer is the best choice for a few reasons:
✔️A great designer is going to take time to assess what it is you really need from your website platform, which options are non-negotiable and which are “nice to haves” and help you make an informed decision, even if you don’t ultimately hire them.
✔️Your time is valuable. While you could create the site yourself, you’re spending time doing something other than what you probably love (working with clients, running a nonprofit, talking with donors, etc.) Plus, it’s going to take the average person twice as long to do simple tasks simply because they are new. And time = money
✔️All sites are not created equal. Some industries need specific types of navigation, color schemes, typography, images, etc. The user experience is vitally important to the success of your site and if web design isn’t your main thing, your users are going to notice. Thoughtful design, considering many UX design factors, and building sites that Google is going to love is something designers are equipped to handle.
✔️A great designer is going to take your goals and build a site that converts visitors to customers or donors using specific techniques and the industry knowledge unique to those in this business. The ability to consider all of those factors goes way beyond being able to drag and drop into a template.
At the end of the day, it’s about being informed before you decide to trust your nonprofit’s reputation to a company that’s only telling you half the story. I hope by digging a little deeper into this example, you have a better understanding of the questions to ask before you invest your time in building a new website.
There is rarely just one right product for everyone and in this case, you’re fortunate to have so many choices available to build your nonprofit website. Just be sure to do your due diligence BEFORE you sign on to a free product that might end up costing you more in the long run.
Until next time, keep making a great first impression online!
Andrea Shirey
P.S. If you’re looking for resources to help you grow your nonprofit’s reach and build awareness, you’ll find some great tools you can use immediately over in the Nonprofit Template Shop! Below are a few of the best sellers ⇣