Free Downloadable Web Design Programs
Best free website builder
Welcome to CoffeeCup Software We created the first HTML Editor in 1996 and have been creating dozens of cool apps ever since. Our latest mission is to make a series of apps that allow for front-end designers and website owners to visually design cool responsive sites & newsletters.
Read on for our detailed analysis of each service
Creating a website used to be the domain (geddit?) of professional designers and coders, but thanks to free website builder applications, these days it's something anyone can tackle.
The problem is that there are so many website creation applications and services vying for attention that it can be difficult to know which one to opt for – this is where we can help.
We've collated the very best free website builders available, including a mixture of offline software and online tools.
It's usually quicker, easier and more efficient to create and edit a site entirely online with a WYSIWYG editor, but if you want complete control over every aspect of your site's design and web hosting, you'll need a desktop-based free website builder.
So whether you're looking to create a site for your business, a new blog, or you just fancy creating an online presence for yourself, here are the best free website builder services to help you out.
- If you want website builders with more oomph and features, check out our best website builder shortlist which includes paid-for services.
1. Wix
A truly powerful website builder which is highly polished
Wix is a big-name website builder which offers a free plan, enabling you to have the run of this service without having to put your hand in your pocket. And you benefit from one of the most impressive website editors in the business.
This editor can be run in ADI (Artificial Design Intelligence) mode, which has a very basic interface to keep everything really simple and user-friendly. This is great for beginners, as you can create a basic site without even remotely breaking a sweat (a range of attractive templates are provided, as well).
Those who want to get more involved with tweaking the design of their website can step up to the full Wix editor, which boasts powerful functionality, and the ability to really hone your website and get it looking just as you want. Visual previews of page elements make it easy to pick what you need for any particular part of a web page, too.
Wix is so polished that putting together your site using the editor feels more like using a native application rather than a website builder, and it also sports excellent support for a diverse range of media, and quality customer support as well, even on the free plan. In addition, Wix Turbo was recently released which improves the performance and speed of all Wix websites.
Powerful blogging functionality rounds things off nicely, and you’re getting a truly high quality offering with the free version of this website builder.
2. Weebly
Build a website with a user-friendly wizard and a WYSIWYG editor
Weebly offers you two ways to build your website. Both involve creating it online, and both are as quick and painless as possible.
The simplest option is to use the basic editor builder which will guide you through a series of questions before automatically creating a site for you. There is scope for customization, but the focus here is really on fast results for anyone who is terrified of designing websites.
A more hands-on approach is available if you decide to use the standard Editor. There are literally hundreds of stylish templates to choose from – and, yes, they are genuinely impressive – which you can tweak and tailor to your needs using a beautiful WYSIWYG editor.
Despite being a cloud-based website builder, Weebly gives you a great degree of control over the look of your site and placement of page elements. You can also liven it up using additional features such as a newsletter and live chat. This power and flexibility make Weebly a top-notch website builder.
3. WordPress
Ideal for static sites, portfolios, online stores and blogs
Causing a slight degree of confusion, there are actually two different versions of WordPress. The more complex variant can be downloaded from wordpress.org, and you will need to upload it to your own web space and install it using the automated online installer. You can then customize the templates and use add-ons to make the site your own.
This is the route many bloggers go down, but there is a simpler option for people who don’t want the hassle of fiddling about with scripts and getting dirty with hardcore editing.
The hosted version of WordPress lets you create your own site on wordpress.com. You can create everything from a blog or photo site, to a fully fledged online store, and there are a number of templates to choose from. Additionally, Mailchimp users have a benefit of adding a Mailchimp block, which can grow your mailing list among other things.
Whether you're creating a static site, or a blog-style site with regularly updated content, the online editor is a joy to use and allows just about anyone to create an impressive, professional-looking site. The only downside is the limited range of plugins and templates compared with the desktop website builder.
4. Incomedia WebSite X5
A desktop website builder that has a free version.
Incomedia WebSite X5 received an overhaul in April 2019 with new templates, an updated interface, new paid versions and more. The main thing to note is that the service now has a free version for everyone (note that the free version for TechRadar readers is still available to download). There are two paid versions, Evo and Pro, priced at $79.99 and $229 respectively. This is a one time purchase and naturally, both versions come with additional and improved features compared to the free one. There is also a demo version of both paid versions that you can try out.
Unlike WordPress and Wix, WebSite X5 is a desktop website builder, which means you can work on your site offline and have more freedom to make your website look exactly the way you want.
There's a range of ready-made templates to choose from, or you can create your own design from scratch. Next, build up your site map, showing the hierarchy of your pages and how they connect to one another – a feature you won't find in most web-based site builder apps.
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Once that's done, you're ready to start building your pages using Website X5's simple drag-and-drop interface, which includes tools for editing both rich text and photos.
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If you don't want to be tied down to an online site builder, WebSite X5 is the tool for you.
5. CoffeeCup Free HTML Editor
Ideal for hand-coding, and packed with timesaving extras
CoffeeCup Free HTML Editor is one of a dying breed of web building programs that don't use a CMS (content management system). While not in the same league as the likes of Adobe Dreamweaver, Free HTML Editor packs quite a professional punch. With split screen code/preview views, it's possible to see the effect the changes you make have straight away.
To help you get started quickly, there are a number of templates built into the program, and there are some very nice features such as tag and code suggestions as you type.
For absolute beginners, the program might seem a little overwhelming to start with, but it's worth sticking with – assuming you have some HTML knowledge. There is one slight issue; a number of features, such as spell-checking and code optimization, are only included in the paid-for version of the program.
6. Joomla
Another free website builder with online and offline versions
Joomla is a well-known name in the CMS world. It may not be as popular as WordPress, but it offers the same two options: build a site using the web app at launch.joomla.org and have it hosted on the company's servers, or download the software from joomla.org and host it yourself.
If you choose the latter option, you'll notice that the interface is much less approachable than WordPress. It's not completely impenetrable, but there are lots of menus and options to work through and it doesn't feel quite as polished as WordPress.
Joomla's online website builder is nearly as complex, but doesn't involve the same setup process, making it a better option for beginners. Its key selling point is a huge collection of themes and extensions, which provide endless ways to customize the way your site looks and works.
You might also want to check out our other website hosting buying guides:
Creating a website is a great way to promote a business or start a personal brand, but making something that looks professional for cheap can be difficult. There are templates online that can help guide you through web design and blog formats while keeping a website looking simple and clean.
However, for those wanting to start from scratch, web design can be trickier. You can hire a web designer to create something unique but, depending on how complicated you want it to be, that could cost quite a bit of money. Instead, you can download free software, which will hold your hand through the various steps of programming, or sit back and let you do your thing.
CoffeeCup Free HTML Editor
Best for: Beginners who prefer to work from templates
Because this is the free version of the original software, which will run you $79, it doesn’t have all the features that come with the full version. That being said, it still has enough tools to build a fully functioning site. It includes a Help feature which can walk a beginner through set up and design, and it includes templates that you can tweak if you’re wary of programming. You can easily turn off this help function if you already feel comfortable with your web design coding talents.
Komodo Edit
Best for: Beginners and those needing bilingual websites
Komodo Edit, which is part of the Active State suite, is great for basic HTML and CSS work. Though it doesn’t have as many features as CoffeeCup, it is a great way for beginners to play around with some more interesting coding tricks. One of Komodo’s best features is its simple method for adding different languages and special characters. This is a great fit for a bilingual company or anyone trying to expand their reach around the world.
PageBreeze
Best for: Basic needs and those with little to no programming experience
PageBreeze is utilitarian by nature; it’s the most basic of the basic, but it will get the job done. This is for those who want a simple but professional page. PageBreeze walks the user through every step, so even someone with no knowledge of programming can use it with ease. The only catch is that it’s only compatible with Windows, and Internet Explorer must be installed.
Bluefish
Best for: Improving existing pages
Bluefish is one of the most complete offerings on this list. Some of its many features include autocomplete, in line spell-check, and full screen editing. It also easily allows you to add graphs, charts, and video to a page.
Alleycode
Best for: Seeing changes in real-time and SEO improvements
One of the coolest things in Alleycode is Synchroview, which allows you to see changes you make in real time. Another unique feature is its focus on Search Engine Optimization. Alleycode provides you site rankings and gives suggestions on how to improve your site’s meta data, which could increase its visibility to search engines.
Brackets
Best for: Real-time edits and those who like a clean work space
Brackets keeps desktop clutter to a minimum by getting rid of large tool boxes and multiple windows. Like Alleycode, changes are made to the page immediately without having to save or refresh every time. This makes it easier to see results quickly.
OpenBEXI
Best for: Those with absolutely no programming experience
OpenBEXI makes web design as easy as it possibly could be. All the user has to do is drag and drop pictures, graphs, and text. It can be hard to format items once they are on the page, but if your needs include quick site design, OpenBEXI is just what you need.
BlueGriffon
Best for: Dedicated Firefox users
BlueGriffon boasts that it is “powered by Gecky, the rendering engine on Firefox,” so pages made with this software won’t be altered if opened in Mozilla’s browser. Whether that means anything to you is another matter. Nevertheless, BlueGriffon is a solid pick if you need web design software. BlueGriffon offers an extensive help feature, but it often leads you back to their homepage, which can get frustrating.