A free website costs nothing to start. The cost shows up later, when nobody keeps it up.
Free builders and one-time builds both get a site online. The catch is what comes after: whose name is on it, who fixes it, and what happens when the free plan changes.
Getting the call · 2 minute read · Updated October 27, 2026 · Sources
How a cheap site goes stale
- 1Start
The site goes up
From a free builder, or a one-time build from a friend or a designer.
- 2Drift
Nobody updates it
Hours, services, and photos stay the way they were on day one.
- 3Cost
Homeowners notice
Old hours or a dead form make the business look closed, so they call the next one.
Free plans come with someone else's name
Free can be switched off
Google used to let owners make a free site from their Business Profile. It turned those sites off in March 2024, and after June 10, 2024 visitors got an error page. [2] Owners who hadn't moved lost their site.
A one-time build ages too
A site paid for once is only as current as the day it was finished. Every change after that is a new bill or a favor, so most never happen.
What CornerWick does about it
- No setup fee and no build fee: the site is part of the monthly price
- Your own domain, registered in your name
- Hours, prices, and photos changed when you ask, up to 2 requests a month, done within 5 business days
- Cancel anytime and keep your Google profile, your listings, and a zip of your site files
Sources
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