free website · domain · small business
Free Website Builder or a Paid Website? What a Small Business Actually Needs
When a free website is enough, the limits nobody mentions, what the business.site shutdown taught small businesses, and the cheapest paid route.
This article is also available in Bahasa Indonesia
Contents · 8
A free website is enough to test an idea or cover a short-term need, but for a business that wants customers' trust, the one thing worth paying for is the domain. Free platforms usually give you an address containing their own name, cap the features and can change or end the service at any time. A domain you own keeps your address the same even when the platform or the developer changes.
What free options are there?
- Website builders with a free tier, usually on a subdomain with limited features.
- Google Sites, free with a Google account; to use your own address you need a domain you already own.
- Free blogging platforms, good for writing, less so for catalogues or bookings.
- Free link-in-bio tools, one page of links on the platform's template.
All of these are legitimate. The point is to understand their limits before the address is printed on signs, receipts and packaging.
What are the limits nobody mentions?
| Aspect | Free website | Paid website on your own domain |
|---|---|---|
| Address | A subdomain carrying the platform's name | yourbusiness.com or a local domain |
| Look | Often shows the platform's branding or ads | Entirely your brand |
| Features | Whatever the free tier allows | What you need: catalogue, booking, payments |
| Moving away | Often hard or impossible to export | Code and domain move with you |
| Continuity | Depends on the platform's decisions | As long as you renew the domain |
| Business email | Usually not available | Possible on your own domain |
What did the business.site shutdown teach small businesses?
Google used to offer free websites built from a Google Business Profile, on addresses ending in business.site. Google turned them off in March 2024; visitors were redirected to the business's profile until 10 June 2024, after which the addresses stopped working. Businesses that had printed a business.site address on signs or cards had to replace it.
The Business Profile itself still exists and still matters for Google Maps; only the website feature went. The lesson: use free services as tools, but make sure your main address is a domain you control. How to connect a profile to your website is covered in our Google Business Profile guide.
Why does your own domain matter, even for a simple site?
- The address survives change. Move platform or developer and the domain simply points to the new site.
- It is easier to remember and trust. A short address with your business name looks more credible on a receipt.
- It works almost anywhere. Even Google Sites supports a custom domain, provided you own one.
- It is affordable. At PintuWeb, domain and hosting renewal for a website is roughly IDR 300,000–500,000 a year from the second year.
More on choosing a domain is in domain and hosting basics.
When is free good enough?
- You are testing a business idea and are not sure it will continue.
- The page is for a one-off event, a community group or personal use.
- Nearly all your customers find you on a marketplace or social media, and the site is an extra.
When is it time to pay?
- Your web address is going on signs, receipts, packaging or ads.
- You want to be found on Google for your business name and services in your town.
- You need a catalogue, orders, bookings or payments that the free tier does not offer.
- You are paying for ads; a fast, clear landing page makes that spend work harder.
What does the cheapest paid route cost?
| What you need | PintuWeb package | Price | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|
| One bio page with links and one special feature | Link in Bio | IDR 100,000 – IDR 300,000 | 1–2 working days |
| One promotional page built to convert | Landing Page | IDR 100,000 – IDR 500,000 | 1–2 working days |
| A 3–5 page business website | Small Business Standard | IDR 500,000 – IDR 1,500,000 | 2–3 working days |
Each includes the first year of the domain; link-in-bio pages use a cheaper .my.id or .biz.id domain. Prices are in Indonesian Rupiah (IDR), and every package is on the pricing page. We are based in Tulungagung, East Java and work with clients anywhere remotely.
Frequently asked questions
Can a free website rank on Google?
It can be indexed, but the address carries the platform's name and you control few of the technical settings. Local businesses should also set up a Google Business Profile.
Can I start free and move to a paid website later?
Yes, though content often has to be rebuilt because not every free platform allows export. If the free address is already widely shared, set up a redirect to the new domain if the platform allows it.
Is a domain on its own enough?
A domain without a website shows nothing. At minimum, point it to one page with your profile, contact details and location, such as a landing page or link-in-bio page.
What does a paid website cost in year two?
At PintuWeb, domain and hosting renewal for a website is roughly IDR 300,000–500,000 a year from the second year, and we remind you before it is due.
Sources
AryaFounder & full-stack developer of PintuWeb. Building websites for small businesses since 2018, from the interface to the back end and database.
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