Jimmy ParkerHosting a website is easier than ever. Things have changed a lot in the last 20 years. In the past, hosting your website was a huge chore that cost significant amounts of money. Now, you can host a website for almost nothing!
There’s quite a few Australian web hosting companies around, and some offer a free entry-level plan to try out their services. Free plans are great options for people new to hosting websites or unsure which provider to select.
The free plans offered by hosting companies are also helpful for people who are on a tight budget. If you are starting your website and don’t want to waste a lot of money, then free web hosting is right for you.
Unfortunately, there are some downsides to using free hosting plans. Free plans tend to lack some of the more advanced features needed for growing websites. Additionally, most free plans require your website to have ads which makes your website much less professional.
That being said, it is hard to say no to something free! There are many free web hosting providers in Australia, and choosing the best one for your needs can be difficult. This article reviews the top five free web hosts in Australia and gives pros and cons list for each.
Best Free Web Hosting Australia 2023
1. Hostinger – Best Almost-Free Web Host
Price
USD $2.89
Disk Space
20 GB
Support
Live Chat
Speed
<150ms
Hostinger is one of the most popular web hosting providers in the world, and they offer a variety of plans, including a free one. The company has servers in 178 countries, including Australia.
This company provides many services, including shared hosting, VPS hosting, and WordPress hosting. In addition to a free plan, they also have affordable paid plans.
Hostinger’s customer service is some of the best in the world. You can get in touch with them 24/7. Customer service can help you build the perfect website and answer any technical questions you may have.
Hostinger’s almost-free plan comes with an easy-to-use website builder. Even if you have never designed or built a website, you can quickly use the Hostinger builder to create your perfect website.
Hostinger’s free plan does have some shortcomings. You only get 1GB of storage. Furthermore, after 10GB, the bandwidth on your website will be restricted. If you get too many visitors, your website will load slowly.
Beyond the almost-free plan, one of the most appealing aspects of using Hostinger is the scalability of their plans. Hostinger has various paid plans, so you don’t have to pay for more than you need.
Honestly one of the best cheap hosts for Australia out there… A no-brainer imo!
Pros
- The option to use a separate email login increases security
- High-quality email service
- Excellent Customer Service
- Great uptime
Cons
- Some users have reported recent issues with the file manager
- Website maintenance can happen at inopportune times based on your time zone
- The website builder is not as easy to use as some other hosting companies
Build your site with Hostinger
2. Wix – Best Free Host and Website Builder
Wix is a free website builder and hosting service that has been around since 2006. It is one of the most popular web platforms in the world, with over 110 million users. Wix provides everything you need to create a beautiful website for your business, personal use, or blog. It is simple to use, and you can create a website in minutes. You can also use Wix to create a professional website for your business.
Wix’s website builder makes it easy to build the perfect website. You can customize your website’s colors, themes, galleries, and apps. Wix’s flexibility is one of the reasons it is so highly ranked on this list.
Wix is one of the best free web hosting services because it is reliable, easy to use, and provides many features. One of the best features of Wix is that you can create a website for free without any ads. You can also use a premium plan to get more features and remove the Wix ads.
Wix has the best free plan for any hosting website on this list. Wix gives you access to many premium features at no cost to yourself.
Pros
- Drag and drop website builder is easy to use
- Premade website designs are excellent
- Excellent customer support
- Excellent technical support
Cons
- Premium plans are expensive if you have to upgrade
- Download speeds can be slow depending on your location
- Technical support can take a long time
- The number of options can overwhelm a beginner
3. 000WebHost
000WebHost has been providing free web hosting services since 2007. Their service is easy to use and offers a wide range of features. However, their customer support is not very responsive, and their uptime is not excellent.
000Webhost is an excellent hosting service for small businesses. The website builder and templates are designed specifically with small businesses in mind. The website templates make it easy for you to build your website and start attracting customers in no time.
000WebHost’s free plan allows you to try out many premium features. However, your website has a lot of ads which is distracting. You can remove the ads by paying for one of their premium plans.
Pros
- Guaranteed 99.9% Uptime
- 10 GB transfer speed
- Free website building tool
- Great support for placing ads
Cons
- File size upload limits can be frustrating on the free plan
- There have been security issues in the past
- CPU usage is high
4. Awardspace.com
Awardspace.com is one of the most popular free web hosting providers in Australia. They have been in business since 1998 and offer their customers a wide range of features.
The company has won numerous awards for its service and support. They offer 24/7 customer support and have a very user-friendly control panel.
Awardspace.com has a drag-and-drop website builder that makes creating a website a breeze. You do not have to have any design or coding experience. You can do it on your own in a matter of minutes. The free plan also includes 1GB of storage for any files or images you place on the website. You also get one free email account.
Like other free plans, Awardspace.com puts ads on your website if you use the free plan. If you upgrade to a paid plan, the ads will disappear.
Pros
- Access to customer service 24/7
- Includes a free website builder
- You can install apps with one-click
- Paid plans are scalable and affordable
Cons
- Promotional prices on the paid plan are only valid for one year
- You have to pay for your domain name
- Customer service can take a while to get back to you
5. x10Hosting
x10Hosting is one of the best free web hosting providers in Australia. The company has been in business since 2010 and offers a variety of features that make it an excellent choice for individuals and companies alike.
One of the great things about x10Hosting is that it offers unlimited storage and bandwidth. Unlimited storage and bandwidth mean you can host as much content as you want on your website without worrying about exceeding your quota.
Another great feature of x10Hosting is its unlimited email accounts. Unlimited email accounts are perfect for businesses with multiple email addresses for different departments or employees.
x10Hosting also offers a free domain name when you sign up for a new account. A free domain name is a great perk if you are starting out with your website and don’t have a domain name yet.
You get access to many of these features in x10Hosting’s free plan. X10 Hosting’s free plan is perhaps the best free plan on this list.
The only downside to x10Hosting is that it doesn’t offer many features for advanced users. You may look elsewhere if you need more than just basic web hosting.
Pros
- 99.9% uptime
- SSD storage for quick downloads
- The free hosting plans have many premium features
Cons
- Customer service can be unresponsive
- Difficult to cancel paid plans
- It lacks the track record that other hosting websites have
How to choose a free web hosting provider in Australia
When it comes to web hosting, Australia has a lot to offer. There are many different web hosts out there, all with various features and price points. So, how do you choose the best free web host for your needs?
At the end of the day, choosing a web host comes down to the services and support that your website needs. If you are starting, your needs will differ from an established website that generates a lot of traffic. The best web host is one that meets your exact requirements.
Regardless of the current state of your website, here are some things to consider:
- What type of website do you need? If you need a simple website for personal use, you probably don’t need all the bells and whistles that come with more expensive web hosting packages.
- How much traffic do you expect to get? If you’re starting out, you probably won’t get much traffic, so you don’t need to worry about getting a lot of bandwidth.
- What are your budget constraints? Web hosting can be expensive, so knowing how much you’re willing to spend before you start looking is essential.
- What kind of support do you need? Some web hosts offer more help than others, so if you’re not very tech-savvy, you might want to choose a host that provides excellent customer service.
- What are your security needs? If you’re handling sensitive information on your website, you’ll need to ensure that your web host has robust security measures.
These are just some things to consider when choosing a web host in Australia. Once you’ve considered all of these factors, you’ll be able to narrow down your choices and select the best web host for your needs.
Free Web Hosting Questions
These are some commonly asked questions about selecting a free web hosting in Australia.
Is free web hosting safe?
Safety is a common concern when selecting web hosting. Some free web hosting providers offer excellent service and reliability, while others are nothing more than a data farm where your personal information is sold to the highest bidder.
The best way to find out is to read reviews of free web hosting providers. Check out multiple sources, as some hosts may be biased in their reviews.
Another great way to research free web hosting providers is to visit relevant forums and ask questions. Ultimately, the free plans from web hosting services have the same safety features as their paid plans.
Can I host my own website for free?
This question is common, and we get asked a lot. And the short answer is yes. You can host your own website for free. One of the easiest ways to do this is to host your website on your computer. You can host from your own computer for no cost.
The only requirements are that your computer is connected to the internet and you have purchased a domain name. Unfortunately, a website hosted this way is relatively hidden. Only people who know your IP address can see a website hosted in this manner. The best way to host a website for free is to use a hosting website that offers a free plan.
How much does web hosting cost in Australia?
This question is a common one asked by many Australians when they are first looking into setting up a website. The cost of web hosting in Australia can vary greatly depending on the type of website you want to create and the amount of traffic you expect to receive.
Many types of web hosting services are available, from shared hosting to dedicated servers, and the price will vary depending on the features and services you require. The cheapest plans on hosting websites are free. As your website gains traction and you need additional services, the paid plans can cost up to $5 per month.