Free Church Websites

Cheap is great – but free church websites is even better!

Why Use Free Websites?

• Try before you buy. If you are just beginning to explore the possibility of a church website, then it might be to your advantage to go with a free service. Most church web site hosting companies will allow you to upgrade later on if you want. Or, you can always transfer your domain to a better service and create a paid site with them.
• Small churches may not need more than a few pages. Free church websites usually limit the number of pages you can have. Often pages are limited to the home page, a contact page, an about us page, and a couple others. Six to ten pages is usually about all you will get. But if that’s all you need – why pay for more?
• Churches may not want to make their site interactive. Paid church websites offer a variety of options. They typically offer an online directory feature, email contact feature, newsletter emails, a place for prayer requests, a calendar, and more. If you just want to put up a few pages that tell people about your church, you won't need all those extra features. This is especially true if you don't want to constantly update your site. Interactive sites need to be updated at least once a week.
• Your church might have a very tight budget. Even in good economic times, budgets are tight in churches. Yours is probably not an exception. Free is something every church can fit into their budget.
• You may need to convince others of the value of a church web site. You see the need for a site. But others in the church are not convinced. No one can argue with free. So start a free site and show people just how valuable a website really is. You can always upgrade later with the same service or transfer your domain to a better church web site hosting company.

The Problem with Free Church Websites

• Limited pages. Most churches need more than ten pages to accomplish what they need to do online.
• Limited bandwidth. Bandwidth is a measure of how much content can be transferred from your site to people’s computers. Basically, that means that only a certain amount of people can visit your site each month. If you go over your bandwidth limit, your site will be placed offline until the next month. This usually isn't a problem with churches who just put up a few pages. But if you want something more interactive, you may run into problems.
• Limited features. As I said above, paid church web site hosting services offer a number of options that free services don't. If you go with a free service, you will probably not be able to post sermons online, create a church directory, accept donations, or create email newsletters.
• Limited help. If you are not an expert at building web sites, you will inevitably need help. Free church websites aren't usually supported very well.
• There are very few companies offering free church websites. Because free costs a company money, there aren't very many church web site hosts that offer free sites. And some that do, put advertisements on your pages. Ads have a negative impact on people who visit your site.
• Your site address (URL) may be something like this: www.hostingcompanyname.yourchurchname.com. You will probably not get an URL that just has your church name in it.
• You get what you pay for. The bottom line is that you will make significant compromises if you want free church websites.

Where Can You Get Free Church Websites?

As I said above, there are few companies that offer free websites. Here are some of the ones I know of.

ChristianWorldHosting - If you are a new Church or a small Church with limited funds they offer free or discounted web hosting for Churches that qualify. Contact them to see if your Church qualifies. If your Church does not qualify for a free web hosting package, they may be able to offer you a heavily discounted rate.
• 2Mites.us. I have to mention this free church website hosting company. That's because they will create your site for free. However, you will pay $6 a month for hosting. That's still pretty cheap. But you won't get much for your money.
• ChurchWebsites.com. They limit your pages and features. But if you want free this might be your answer.
• >Ministry-Webs.net. It appears that they will post ads on your page.

I recommend that instead of looking for free church websites you look at some of my other recommendations.