When starting a website, many people look for easy, affordable options. One popular choice is to pick a web hosting plan that includes a free website builder. This sounds convenient – after all, you get hosting and a tool to build your site all in one package. But is it really the best option for your website’s success?
In this post, we’ll explore the pros and cons of free website builders that come bundled with hosting plans, explain why many users quickly outgrow them, and show how standalone website builder software like UltimateWB – aka Ultimate Web Builder – offers more freedom, flexibility, and professional features.
What Are Free Website Builders Included in Hosting Plans?
Many web hosting companies offer a simple website builder as part of their service. These builders usually feature drag-and-drop interfaces, basic templates, and limited customization options. They’re designed to get you online quickly with minimal effort or technical knowledge.
These free builders are great if you want a basic online presence – say, a single page with your contact info or a simple portfolio. But they often lack the advanced tools and flexibility needed to build a fully featured, dynamic, and professional website.
The Drawbacks of Hosted Website Builders
One of the biggest downsides to free website builders included in hosting plans is that they tie you to that specific hosting provider. In other words, you’re renting your website – you don’t fully own it.
- Limited control: You often cannot download or export your website files. If you decide to switch hosting companies, you may have to rebuild your site from scratch.
- Locked-in domain and hosting: These companies may require you to keep your domain and hosting with them, limiting your freedom to shop for better deals or performance.
- Basic features: SEO tools, design customization, e-commerce capabilities, and integrations tend to be minimal or nonexistent.
- Lack of updates and support: The hosting company focuses on servers, not website builder software development, so new features and improvements are rare.
Why Choose Standalone Website Builder Software Like Ultimate Web Builder?
Ultimate Web Builder is different because it is software you own and control. You install it on your hosting provider of choice, giving you full ownership of your website files and complete flexibility.
Key Advantages Include:
- Freedom to choose hosting and domain registrars: You are not locked into one company. Want to switch hosting providers or domain registrars? No problem – just download your website files and move.
- Advanced features and customization: From SEO-friendly structures and tools to unlimited photo galleries, slideshows, and professional design templates, Ultimate Web Builder lets you create a site that stands out.
- Ownership and control: Because you own the files, you can back up, modify, or even move your website without being at the mercy of a hosting provider’s policies or restrictions.
- Professional support and updates: Ultimate Web Builder includes free professional installation and ongoing software updates to keep your site secure and running smoothly.
How Ultimate Web Builder Helps With SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) is crucial to driving organic traffic to your website. Many free website builders offer little to no SEO tools, making it difficult for your site to rank well in search engines.
Ultimate Web Builder is designed with SEO in mind:
- Clean, crawlable site structure that search engines prefer
- Customizable meta tags, URLs, and sitemaps to improve indexing
- Fast loading times that boost rankings and user experience
- Integration options with analytics and marketing tools to monitor and grow your site
Creating a Professional, Custom Website Design
Your website is often the first impression visitors have of your business or brand. Free hosted builders typically offer limited, cookie-cutter templates that can look generic and unprofessional.
With Ultimate Web Builder, you have:
- Flexible design tools to create custom layouts and styles
- Unlimited galleries and slideshows to showcase photos beautifully
- Options to add blogs, e-commerce, forums, and more for a rich user experience
- Control over branding and content to reflect your unique identity
Cost and Value Considerations
While free website builders included with hosting plans might seem attractive upfront, their limitations can cost you more time and money down the road.
Investing in a robust solution like Ultimate Web Builder gives you:
- Long-term control and ownership over your website
- Professional tools and features that grow with your needs
- Reliable hosting and domain packages with personalized setup and support
- A better return on investment by attracting more visitors and conversions through SEO and design
Ultimate Web Builder Hosting and Domain Packages
Ultimate Web Builder also offers all-in-one hosting and domain name packages that include:
- Free professional setup and installation of the software
- Ongoing software updates and support
- Personalized email addresses (e.g., your_name@your-website.com) included
- Flexible hosting options to suit your budget and traffic needs
It’s a complete package designed to give you everything you need to launch and maintain a professional website without the usual headaches.
Conclusion: Are Free Website Builders Included in Hosting Plans Good Enough?
If your needs are simple – just a few static pages or a personal blog – free website builders bundled with hosting might be sufficient. But if you want a professional, customizable, SEO-friendly website that you truly own and control, these builders often fall short.
Ultimate Web Builder offers the freedom, features, and professional quality that serious website owners need. Don’t get locked in or limited – try the Ultimate Web Builder demo today, compare it to free builders, and see the difference for yourself.
Rready to design & build your own website? 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.