The best free web hosting services: Expert tested
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Let's be real. Free hosting comes with its own set of challenges, like limited storage, slow speeds, and/or intrusive ads that the service places on your site. If you're starting a blog, testing a small project, or tackling something else, finding the best free web hosting service can be tricky.
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Our goal is to cut through the noise. We've researched and tested several free hosting services to identify which ones are actually worth your time.
What is the best free web hosting service right now?
After researching and testing several services, we've chosen InfinityFree as our top pick for the best free web hosting service in 2025. It gives you everything you need to start a small blog or business website, it doesn't force ads or branding on you, and it's easy to use for beginners. Read on for the rest of our top picks for free web hosting services, ranging from user-friendly to advanced.
The best free web hosting services of 2025
InfinityFree is a great pick if you want a free web hosting service that doesn't slap ads all over your site. You also get unlimited bandwidth, so you won't have to worry about traffic limits. InfinityFree used to offer unlimited storage, but the service changed that to 5GB. That's still plenty of space if you're planning to run a static site without a ton of content, like a site for a blog or a small business.
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You also get a free subdomain with InfinityFree, so you don't need to pay for a domain right away. This is nice if you haven't settled on a name yet but want to go ahead and get your project up and running now. You also get a free SSL certificate, which is pretty much a requirement for site security these days.
InfinityFree supports PHP and MySQL, and it works with WordPress, so you can set up a dynamic site pretty quickly if you know what you're doing. The control panel is pretty simple, but you might hit a bit of a learning curve if you aren't familiar with things like databases or PHP settings. Luckily, InfinityFree has Softaculous for one-click install, so initial setup doesn't have to be an issue.
The only downside is customer support, which is basically nonexistent. If you run into any issues, you'll likely need to use their knowledge base or community forum to figure things out.
It's not perfect, but for a free service, InfinityFree offers a lot. It's our top pick for free web hosting -- if you're OK with learning a bit along the way.
InfinityFree features: Unlimited bandwidth | Free SSL certificate | Simple control panel | One-click Softaculous installer
Though the name doesn't roll off the tongue very well, x10Hosting is a great choice for small websites or personal projects where you just need something up and running without too much of a hassle.
Like InfinityFree, x10Hosting offers unmetered bandwidth to keep traffic flowing smoothly. It also offers SSD storage, which is very nice for a free hosting service, but it's limited to 500MB.
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You'll also have access to DirectAdmin, which you may be familiar with if you've used other hosting services (it comes with a lot of them). This will save you a bit of time on the learning curve.
But x10Hosting also offers an in-house alternative that really simplifies things. This is the better choice if you're just starting out. It's super easy to navigate and understand for beginners.
Another big plus is that, like InfinityFree again, x10Hosting doesn't place ads all over your site, so you get that professional look straight out of the gate.
On the downside, advanced features are a bit lacking (which, honestly, is to be expected with free services). Also, though I didn't experience this myself during testing, there have been occasional reports of downtime. This isn't a huge issue if your site isn't running mission-critical applications, but it's something to keep in mind.
x10Hosting features: SSD storage | Free subdomains | Drag-and-drop site builder | Choice of cPanel or custom control panel
AwardSpace is a solid choice for anyone starting a WordPress site or small project. The free plan gives you 1GB of SSD storage, 5GB of bandwidth, and one MySQL database, which is enough for a basic website.
The Zacky Website Builder and one-click installers for WordPress, Joomla, and Grav make it easy to set up your site, even if you aren't tech savvy. You also get one free email account and the option to connect your own domain or create up to three subdomains for things like blogs or forums.
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Though the free plan is great for beginners, the storage and bandwidth limits can be a problem as your site grows. Free users have access to 24/7 support (though response times may be slower compared with paid plans), so if you ever outgrow the free plan, you can ask support to help you upgrade.
AwardSpace features: 1GB SSD storage and 5GB bandwidth | One-click app installers for WordPress | Zacky Website Builder | Built-in security features
ByetHost is a nice pick for developers looking for a free hosting platform with more-advanced features. It provides PHP and MySQL support, so you can build and test your applications without spending money.
You also get full FTP access for direct file management. This gives you more control over your projects. ByetHost includes a free subdomain, SSL certificate, and tech support, which isn't always something you get with free hosting providers. Response times from support may not be as fast as you'd like, however.
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All that said, ByetHost isn't the easiest platform for beginners. The interface is outdated and can be a bit annoying to navigate. If you know your way around FTP and databases, you'll be fine, but if you're new to web hosting, you may find the learning curve a bit steep.
Overall, ByetHost is a great option for the more-experienced users.
ByetHost features: Free subdomain and SSL certificate | Full FTP access for file management | PHP and MySQL database support
GoogieHost is a decent free hosting option if you're looking for advanced features. You get 1GB of SSD storage, 100GB of bandwidth, and a free SSL certificate, which is more than what most free hosts offer. The Softaculous one-click installer makes setting up WordPress or Joomla simple, and GoogieHost's cPanel-style dashboard works well enough for managing your site.
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Performance is solid, with quick load times and reliable uptime. But the interface is messy, and the ads can be pretty annoying -- they're placed where you're likely to accidentally click them. Customer support exists, but it's slow and not very helpful, so don't expect much.
GoogieHost is fine for small sites or personal projects if you don't mind some headaches. It's not ideal for anything more complicated.
GoogieHost features: 1GB NVMe SSD storage and 100GB bandwidth | Softaculous one-click installer | Free SSL certificate | Automated backups
Which is the right free web hosting service for you?
There's not a universally correct answer to this question. The service that's best for you depends on what you need. Here are some recommendations:
Choose this free web hosting service… | If you want… |
InfinityFree | Unlimited bandwidth and no ads, for small projects. |
x10Hosting | A user-friendly option with a drag-and-drop site builder for simple setup. Advanced features like PHP, MySQL, and full FTP access for testing and building applications. |
AwardHost | An easy start with WordPress hosting. |
ByetHost | Advanced features like PHP, MySQL, and full FTP access for testing and building applications. |
GoogieHost | A one-click installer, free SSL, generous bandwidth, and other advanced options. |
Factors to consider when choosing a free web hosting service
Just because something is free doesn't mean you should jump right on it. After all, you may outgrow the features the free plan offers and have to upgrade. Keep an eye out to make sure you choose the right service to help you grow.
Here's a rundown of things you should consider when making your decision:
- Reliability and uptime: Uptime is how often your site stays online. If your site is down a lot, people might think it's unreliable and stop visiting. To avoid this, look for a provider that guarantees at least 99% uptime.
- Storage and bandwidth limits: Free plans usually come with limits on how much stuff you can upload (like images, files, or videos) and how much traffic your site can handle. Make sure the limits fit your needs, especially if you plan to grow your site.
- Ads and branding: Some free hosts add their own ads or branding to your site, which can make it look less professional. If you're building a site for business or a portfolio, go for a host that doesn't force ads on you.
- Ease of use: If you're new to web hosting, pick a provider that's easy to navigate. Tools like drag-and-drop builders or one-click installers can save you a lot of time and frustration.
- Scalability: As your site grows, you might need more space or features. It's worth checking whether the host offers affordable upgrades, so you don't have to move your site to another provider later.
- Support and documentation: Free plans often don't come with great customer support. Look for providers with helpful guides, active forums, or at least some way to get answers when you're stuck.
How we test free web hosting services
To see how free-hosting providers compare, we sign up for each service, build a simple website, and throw a bunch of dummy content on it. This helps us test key features like site builders, one-click app installers, and so on, and determine how easy the platform is to use.
We also dig into how user-friendly the control panels are and test things like SSL setup and file management to see how well everything works. Plus, we look at security features like backups and virus protection (though often limited with free web hosting services), along with how clear the provider is about what's included in the plan (and what's not). We'll also ping customer support with a question to see how fast and helpful responses are (if we get one at all).
Finally, to guard against our own biases and get closer to the general "truth," we look at several user reviews to get a sense of what real people building real projects think about the service.
This process gives us a solid idea of which hosts are worth recommending. And keep in mind that just because something didn't make our list, doesn't mean it's not a good service. There are tons of free web hosting services out there that may suit you.
FAQs on web hosting services
What are the limitations of free web hosting?
Free web hosting is a good option for small projects, but it has its downsides. You'll usually get limited storage and bandwidth, which means your site can't handle large files or a ton of traffic. Most free plans also give you a subdomain (like yoursite.host.com) instead of a custom domain, and they may include ads or branding. And the subdomain and ads can make your site look less professional.
Other things to watch out for are performance and support. Free hosting often means slower load times and occasional downtime, since you're sharing servers with lots of other users. Plus, customer support is usually pretty basic, so you'll be on your own if something goes wrong. Free hosting is fine for starting out, but it's not great if you're planning to grow.
Can I host a professional website with free hosting?
Technically you can, but it's not always the best idea. Free hosting comes with a lot of limits -- like less storage and slower performance, and sometimes a subdomain instead of your own custom domain (i.e., yoursite.host.com). That can make your site look less polished.
If you're just starting out or you're building a small project, free hosting might work. But if you want your site to look professional and handle more traffic, you'll probably need to upgrade to a paid plan at some point. It's worth it for better features, faster speeds, and no ads.
Is free web hosting secure?
Free web hosting can be somewhat secure, but protection is usually pretty basic. Most free plans include an SSL certificate, so your site will have encrypted connections, but other features, like malware scanning, firewalls, or automatic backups, are often missing.
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With free hosting, you're sharing servers with a lot of other users, so there's also a higher chance of security risks from other sites. If your website handles sensitive info or needs stronger protection, you're probably better off with a paid hosting plan.
Do free hosting providers support e-commerce sites?
Some free hosting providers can support e-commerce sites, but it's usually pretty limited. You might be able to set up a basic store, but things like secure payment options, enough storage for your products, and advanced customization are often missing.
If you're just testing an idea or running a small hobby store, free hosting might be OK. But if you're serious about selling online, you'll need a paid plan that offers the tools and security your store needs to run smoothly.
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