If you bought a custom domain name from a domain provider like Wix, GoDaddy, Squarespace, or Namecheap to start a simple website or blog, you may have run into an annoying surprise: all the “free” website builders charge a monthly subscription fee just to let you connect your own domain name – except for one. Ironically, it’s the one that got out of the domain name selling business years ago.
If you’re on a tight budget, a quick Google search for free alternatives can quickly send you down a rabbit hole of developer platforms like GitHub Pages, Cloudflare, or Vercel. Before long, you’re reading about repositories and deployments that make the whole process seem far more complicated than it needs to be.
The good news is that if you’re an absolute beginner who simply wants a free place to publish content, you don’t need to learn how to code or manage a developer workflow.
Here’s how to host your website for free, connect your own custom domain, and keep everything as simple as possible.
The Easiest Free Route: Google Sites
If your goal is to create a simple website, portfolio, or personal blog, Google Sites is one of the easiest solutions available. And it’s totally free to use – a free website builder, free web hosting, and free to connect your custom domain name to it. Note, of course, you do still have to buy your custom domain name from somewhere.
Here’s how it all works:
Your Domain Registrar (where you bought your domain)
This is wherever you purchased your domain name (Wix, GoDaddy, Squarespace, Namecheap, etc.). You can leave your domain exactly where it is – you don’t need to transfer it anywhere.
Your Website Builder & Host
This will be Google Sites.
To connect the two, you don’t have to change your nameservers (Wix and Cloudflare don’t let you) or transfer your domain. You can simply update a few DNS records so your domain points to Google’s servers.
If you eventually outgrow Google Sites, there are affordable professional alternatives that offer far more flexibility without forcing you into expensive monthly subscriptions. We’ll come back to that later below.
Step-by-Step: Connecting Your Domain to Google Sites
1. Create Your Google Site
Log into your Google account and create your website in Google Sites.
Once your site is ready, click the Settings gear, choose Custom domains, and click Start setup.
Enter your custom domain (for example, www.yourdomain.com) and follow Google’s ownership verification process.
2. Update Your DNS Records
Next, log into the company where you purchased your domain (Wix, GoDaddy, Squarespace, Namecheap, or another registrar).
Locate the DNS Management, DNS Zone Editor, or Manage DNS section.
Instead of updating your nameservers, you’ll update one important DNS record.
CNAME Record
Find the record named:
www
Change its destination (sometimes called Points To or Value) to:
ghs.googlehosted.com
If your registrar reports that the value is invalid, double-check that there are no extra spaces before or after the text.
After saving the change, DNS propagation may take anywhere from a few minutes to 24 hours. Once the update has propagated, visitors who type your custom domain into their browser will be taken directly to your Google Site.
Understanding What’s Actually Happening
Many beginners think they need to move their domain to another company.
You don’t.
Think of your domain like your home’s mailing address.
The domain registrar simply owns the address.
Your website host stores the actual website.
Changing DNS records is simply telling the internet where the website lives. Your domain registration stays exactly where it is.
When Free Website Builders Become Too Limited
Google Sites is an excellent place to start.
However, as your website grows, you’ll probably begin wanting things like:
- A unique, professional design
- Better SEO controls
- Membership features
- Forums or online communities
- E-commerce
- Directories or listings
- Advanced page layouts
- Greater control over every part of your website
This is where many people discover that “free” website builders eventually become limiting – and you may wonder: Are free website builders worth it for small businesses? – Or do free website builders hurt more than they help?
Besides a lack of features or customizability, if you want to integrate Google Adsense on your website, you can’t do it with Google Sites: Is Google AdSense Allowed on Free Website Builders Like Google Sites?
Read our review on Google Sites: Google Sites Review: A Simple Start, But Limited Potential
Related: Signs Your Website Builder Isn’t as Customizable as You Think
A Better Long-Term Upgrade Path
When you’re ready for more than a basic website, UltimateWB offers a powerful upgrade path without forcing you into ongoing software subscription fees.
The UltimateWB Promo version is available for a one-time payment of just $19, yet includes an extensive collection of professional features built directly into the platform. Including a contact form, Styles Manager, and SEO tool. You can compare the features in each of the 5 UltimateWB website builder versions available.
Instead of relying on dozens of third-party plugins, UltimateWB integrates lots and lots of features directly into the core software. This creates a platform that’s fast, secure, and easier to maintain. You just choose to use which features you want.
As your website grows, UltimateWB grows with it.
Built-In Features
Create blogs, membership websites, directories, classifieds, forums, e-commerce stores, photo galleries, forms, and much more using integrated functionality.
Complete Design Freedom
Use the built-in Styles Manager to customize your site’s appearance without being locked into restrictive templates. No coding required, though it is optional for those who would like to add their own CSS.
SEO Tools Included
Built-in SEO features help you optimize your website without purchasing any SEO plugins.
Developer Friendly
You never need to write code to build your website, but if you ever want to customize it further, UltimateWB is fully extendable – add HTML, CSS, JS, PHP, MySQL.
Affordable Hosting
When you’re ready to launch, secure, high-performance hosting is available starting at under $5 per month.
If you’re a beginner, but think you might want to get into web design and development later on, UltimateWB is right there with you, as we cover in: How to Choose a Website Builder That Works for Both Beginners and Developers?
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to transfer my domain name?
No.
Your domain can remain with the company where you originally purchased it. Simply update your DNS records to point to your website host.
What is the difference between changing DNS records and transferring a domain?
A domain transfer moves your domain registration to another company.
Changing DNS records simply tells the internet where your website is hosted while leaving your registration exactly where it is.
Why do Wix and Cloudflare restrict updating nameservers while other traditional domain registrars do not?
It comes down to their business models. Traditional registrars (like Namecheap or Porkbun) primarily make their money selling domain addresses, so they give you complete freedom to point your nameservers anywhere immediately. GoDaddy does too, though they have a website builder and web hosting to sell you as well, along with upsells here and there…so it just comes down to: Because they don’t want to.
In contrast, all-in-one ecosystem builders like Wix and specialized security/CDN networks like Cloudflare lock your nameservers to their systems because their models depend on keeping your traffic flowing directly through their platforms. Wix restricts it to encourage you to buy their premium hosting packages, while Cloudflare locks it because their security proxy features literally require control over your nameservers to work. Fortunately, as we covered above, you can easily bypass these nameserver restrictions on both platforms for free by editing your individual DNS Records (A and CNAME records) instead.
Does connecting a domain name to the hosting via nameservers make your website load faster than updating an A Record?
No. There is zero difference in actual website speed. No matter how a domain is connected, every single website on the internet ultimately relies on an A Record to find its hosting server. A nameserver is simply a map that tells a web browser where to look to find that A Record. Once the browser finds it, your website’s loading speed depends entirely on how fast, lightweight, and well-optimized your hosting server is.
Does my website need a dedicated IP address, or is a shared IP okay?
Google Sites doesn’t offer a dedicated IP address for purchase, but other hosts do. A shared IP address is completely standard and works beautifully for the vast majority of websites. Think of a shared IP like a high-end apartment complex: the building itself has one main street address (the IP address), and modern servers instantaneously check the name on the digital envelope (your domain name) to route visitors straight to your website’s folder. If you opt to use UltimateWB software later on, know that it is coded cleanly from the core without third-party plugin bloat, so your site will run blazingly fast on our servers without the expense of a dedicated IP.
Why do GitHub Pages, Cloudflare, and Vercel seem so complicated?
GitHub Pages and Vercel are excellent platforms for developers, but they assume you’re deploying code and managing repositories.
If you simply want to create a website visually without programming, Google Sites offers a much easier starting point if you want to start from free.
Related: Pros and Cons of Hosting Static Websites for Free: GitHub Pages, Netlify, and Cloudflare Pages
ChooseWebsiteBuilder.com Tutorial: How to Host Your HTML, CSS & JS Website on GitHub Pages for Free — Step-by-Step Guide with Themes & Custom Domains
Do I still have to pay for my domain name with Google Sites?
Yes.
Regardless of where your website is hosted, you will need to continue paying your domain registrar’s yearly renewal fee to keep ownership of your domain name.
However, you don’t have to pay a monthly website builder or hosting subscription just to connect that domain if you choose a platform like Google Sites that supports custom domains for free.
Can I upgrade my website builder away from Google Sites later without changing my domain name?
Absolutely.
You can begin with Google Sites, build your content, establish your online presence, and later move to a more powerful platform like UltimateWB whenever you’re ready.
Your custom domain can stay the same – you simply update your DNS records to point to your new website, allowing your visitors to continue using the same web address throughout your website’s growth.
Follow this guide to make sure you keep all that SEO juice you have built: Maintain SEO Power During Your Website Migration & Rebuild: A Smooth Builder Switch
Looking for a website builder that doesn’t limit you? Learn more about UltimateWB! We also offer web design packages if you would like your website designed and built for you.
Got a techy/website question? Whether it’s about UltimateWB or another website builder, web hosting, or other aspects of websites, just send in your question in the “Ask David!” form. We will email you when the answer is posted on the UltimateWB “Ask David!” section.