If you search "build a free website," you'll find dozens of platforms ready to help. Many Hong Kong businesses start this way — and there's nothing wrong with that. The problem is most people discover the trade-offs only after they've invested significant time building something on a platform that turns out to be the wrong fit.
This guide gives you the full picture upfront, so you can choose correctly from the start.
First: Is "Free" Really Free?
Almost every "free" website builder has limitations designed to push you toward a paid plan. These typically include:
- The platform's own branding on your site (e.g., "Made with Wix" or a subdomain like yourbusiness.wixsite.com)
- Severely limited storage and bandwidth
- No custom domain (e.g., yourcompany.com)
- No access to e-commerce features
- Limited or no SEO controls
For any business presenting itself professionally to clients, the free tier is rarely usable in practice. So the real comparison is between paid tiers of different platforms, not between "free" and "paid."
Quick Comparison: The Main Options
| Platform | Monthly Cost | Custom Domain | Code Ownership | Customisation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wix (Business) | ~HK$230/mo | ✓ | ✗ | Medium (drag & drop) |
| Squarespace (Basic) | ~HK$200/mo | ✓ | ✗ | Medium (template-based) |
| WordPress.com (Business) | ~HK$390/mo | ✓ | Partial | High (with plugins) |
| WordPress.org (self-hosted) | HK$50–150 hosting | ✓ | ✓ | Very high (full control) |
| Webflow | ~HK$250/mo | ✓ | Partial | High (visual + code) |
| Connet One (custom build) | HK$300–800/mo | ✓ | ✓ | Full (built for you) |
Breaking Down Each Option
Wix
Wix is the most popular drag-and-drop builder globally, and it's beginner-friendly. You can genuinely build a presentable site in a day without technical knowledge.
✓ Pros
- Very easy to use
- Large template library
- Good for portfolios and simple brochure sites
- Includes hosting and SSL
✗ Cons
- You cannot move your site off Wix
- SEO capabilities are limited
- Page speed can be slow
- Costs add up quickly with app add-ons
The biggest limitation is lock-in. Your site exists only on Wix's servers in Wix's proprietary format. If you outgrow it, you rebuild from scratch elsewhere — you can't export your work.
Squarespace
Squarespace is known for beautiful, design-forward templates. It's a strong choice for photographers, creatives, and lifestyle brands.
✓ Pros
- Excellent default design quality
- Good built-in e-commerce
- Reliable hosting included
✗ Cons
- Less flexible than Wix for layout customisation
- Also has lock-in (proprietary platform)
- Limited for non-standard functionality
WordPress (Self-Hosted)
Self-hosted WordPress (wordpress.org, not wordpress.com) is genuinely powerful and you fully own your code. It's the foundation of millions of serious business websites.
✓ Pros
- Full code and content ownership
- Enormous plugin ecosystem
- Very low hosting cost
- Highly SEO-capable
✗ Cons
- Requires ongoing maintenance (updates, security)
- Steeper learning curve
- Plugins can conflict and break things
- Design quality depends heavily on theme choice
"WordPress is genuinely great — but it requires either time or money to maintain properly. Many businesses underestimate the ongoing commitment."
Webflow
Webflow sits between a visual builder and a proper development platform. It produces clean code and is favoured by designers who want pixel-level control without writing CSS from scratch. It's powerful but has a steeper learning curve than Wix or Squarespace.
The Hidden Cost Most People Don't Calculate
When comparing platforms, people often only look at the monthly subscription fee. But the real cost includes:
- Your time building and maintaining the site (often 20–40+ hours initially)
- Add-on plugins or apps that quickly multiply the monthly cost
- Redesign costs when you want to update the look (often requires starting over in template-based systems)
- The cost of limitations — a slow site, poor mobile experience, or weak SEO directly costs you customers
A Wix Business plan starts at ~HK$230/month. Add a booking plugin (HK$80/mo), email marketing integration (HK$100/mo), and a chat widget (HK$60/mo), and you're at HK$470/month — for a platform you don't own and can't migrate from. A custom-built site on similar infrastructure might cost the same or less monthly, but actually fits your needs and you own it entirely.
Who Should Use What
Use Wix or Squarespace if: you're a solopreneur or very early-stage business, need a basic presence this week, and have no budget whatsoever for professional development. Accept the limitations now, plan to move later.
Use self-hosted WordPress if: you're comfortable with some technical management, want maximum flexibility and SEO control, and have access to someone who can help with maintenance. It's genuinely excellent for content-heavy sites and blogs.
Consider custom development if: you need features beyond what templates offer (booking systems, customer portals, e-commerce with custom logic, dashboards), you care about page speed and SEO performance, or you want to own your digital infrastructure without ongoing platform lock-in.
What About Zero-Cost Custom Development?
The landscape has changed significantly. AI-powered development has made custom websites — the kind that used to require HK$30,000–80,000 and two months — available at a fraction of the cost and time.
At Connet One, we build fully custom websites, web applications, and mobile apps with zero upfront development cost. You pay only for hosting and maintenance — which is often comparable to or less than a paid Squarespace or Wix plan.
You get full code ownership, no platform lock-in, and a site built specifically for your business rather than adapted from a generic template. For growing businesses, it's often the most cost-effective path.
The Bottom Line
There is no universally "best" website builder — it depends on your business stage, budget, and requirements. But go in with clear eyes about what each option actually costs and what you're trading away.
The worst outcome is investing 40 hours building something on a platform that can't grow with you, then paying to rebuild it from scratch 18 months later. Ask the question upfront: where do I want this website to be in two years, and can this platform get me there?