Getting a website built for free: can it be legitimate?

Last updated: 22 October 2026 · By Maurice, freeehouse team · About 3 minutes to read

What a provider lives on when the build costs nothing

No business works for nothing. If the build costs nothing, the money comes in somewhere else. An offer is trustworthy when you know exactly where.

In practice there are four models.

• Hosting model: the build is free, you pay a fixed yearly price for hosting and care.
• Rental model: you pay monthly for a website that belongs to the provider. If you cancel, the site is gone.
• Advertising model: the site is free but shows ads or a third-party address, for example with free website builder plans.
• Upsell model: the build is free, then extra services are sold, often with a long term.

Warning signs in the offer

A free offer is only as good as its contract. Read these points critically.

• A long minimum term of 24, 36 or 48 months with no way out.
• Automatic renewal with a long notice period.
• A clause allowing the provider to adjust the price at any time.
• The website, the texts or the images remain the provider's property.
• The domain is registered to the provider instead of to you.
• A setup fee that only appears in the small print.
• No written offer, only a phone call.

One point alone is rarely the problem

A twelve-month term, for example, is common and no reason to worry. It becomes critical when several points come together: long term, permitted price adjustment and a website that stays with the provider. Then you pay for years without owning anything.

Why the contract matters especially for businesses

As a consumer, you are protected by § 309 no. 9 BGB (German Civil Code). Under it, an initial term of more than two years in standard terms and conditions is invalid, and a tacit renewal is only allowed if you can then cancel with at most one month's notice.

This does not apply to businesses. § 310 (1) BGB exempts contracts with businesses from § 309. Anyone ordering a website for their business is usually a business. Long terms and strict deadlines are then possible in principle. So read the contract in full before you sign. This text is not legal advice.

Ownership: the most important point

Ask in writing who owns the finished website. That means source code, texts, images and the rights to use them. Only if they belong to you can you later switch to another provider without rebuilding.

With website builders this is fundamentally different. According to the Wix help pages, a Wix website cannot be exported and run with another provider. That is how a website builder works. You just should know it beforehand.

Checklist before you say yes

Have these questions answered in writing. A reputable provider answers all of them without dodging.

• What does the build cost, and what does each further year cost?
• Is there a minimum term, and how long is the notice period?
• Can the price rise during the term?
• Who owns the website, source code, texts and images?
• Who is the domain registered to, and where are the email mailboxes?
• Do I get all files if I switch, and does that cost anything?
• When does the first invoice come?
• Do I see the website before it goes live and before I pay?

An example of an open model

At freeehouse the build costs nothing. You pay once a year for hosting with care, and less than your current plan. There is no minimum term, no price increase, the website including source code belongs to you, and domain and email stay with your current provider.

No matter whom you ask: lay the answers from the checklist side by side. Then you quickly see which offer is really cheap over three years.

If you want to check such a model yourself, you can request a free draft of your new website from freeehouse.

If you want your current website rebuilt without paying for the build: freeehouse builds it by hand, and you only pay for hosting with care, cheaper than today. Claim your spot on the waiting list

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• BGB § 309 Klauselverbote ohne Wertungsmöglichkeit, accessed 22 October 2026
• BGB § 310 Anwendungsbereich, accessed 22 October 2026
• Wix Help Center: Exporting or embedding your Wix site elsewhere, accessed 22 October 2026
• Wix: Premiumpakete und Preise, accessed 22 October 2026

Providers' prices and terms change often. What counts is what's in your customer account and your contract. Not legal advice.

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