Jimmy ParkerSo you’re looking to host a site but don’t really want to spend the money on a premium host. We’ve been there, and luckily for us, there are quite a few free web hosts out there that can help out.
Before we get into it, we do have to point out that while free web hosting might be a good idea for people just starting out, I would recommend trying to switch to a premium Canadian web host when you can. Free hosting works, but usually comes with a host of downsides like bad support, lots of downtime, lack of security, and more.
That’s why our first recommend host is actually not fully free but one of the best cheap web hosts in Canada, the rest are though. Enjoy!
Best Free Web Hosting Canada 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 widely known and popular web hosting services. The company offers a wide range of services, and its paid plans are affordable. Hostinger is known for its high-quality customer service and technical support. Additionally, the hosting plans are feature rich.
Unfortunately, Hostinger is so successful and popular that it doesn’t have to offer a free plan like many other hosting services. You will have to pay a small fee to try out Hostinger’s hosting service.
Hostinger’s almost free option offers affordable hosting plans with some great features. For only $0.80/month, you can get started with Hostinger and get a free domain name for your website. You also get unlimited bandwidth, SSD storage, and a 99.9% uptime guarantee. The cons of using Hostinger are that no email accounts are included, and you can only host one website on their cheapest plan. The free plan also gives you 1GB of storage and 10GB of bandwidth.
The almost free plan is great for starting, but if your website starts to gain traction, you will have to upgrade to one of their paid plans.
Pros
- Responsive customer service
- 99.9% uptime
- You can use an email other than your website email to login
- Excellent email service
Cons
- Problematic file manager that can lose files
- Hostinger’s free website builder is not as accessible as other website builders
- Website maintenance occurs without warning and can happen at inopportune hours
Build your site with Hostinger
2. Wix – Best Free Host and Website Builder
Wix is a famous website builder and hosting platform. It offers users a free plan with limited features and bandwidth. Wix is an excellent option for those who want to create a simple website without hassle. The free plan includes:
- 500MB Storage
- 2GB Bandwidth
- Free Domain
- Connect Your Domain
- Ads on Your Site
One of the most significant benefits of using Wix is the quality of the website builder. Wix has one of the best website builders in the business. It is easy to use and gives you a ton of options so you can customize your website to your heart’s content.
In addition to the website builder, Wix also gives you many templates to choose from, making it easy to build your ideal website.
The cons of using Wix are that you will have limited storage space and bandwidth. You will also have ads on your site. However, the free plan is still excellent for creating a simple website.
Pros
- Excellent drag and drop website builder makes building websites a breeze
- A variety of website templates that you can choose from
- Highly rated customer and technical support
- Websites are highly customizable
Cons
- Pushes you to the paid plans that are more expensive than the competition
- It can take a long time for technical support to solve any problems
- The sheer number of options can make it challenging to build a website
- Some users report slow download speeds
3. 000WebHost
000WebHost is an excellent free web hosting service. It is known for hosting websites for small businesses. Their plans include access to a drag-and-drop website builder, making a website a breeze. The free plan includes:
- 1 GB of storage space
- 10 GB of monthly bandwidth
- 1 email account
- Free SSL certificate
- 24/7 customer support
Unfortunately, 000WebHost also places many ads on your website if you use the free plan. The number of ads can be intrusive and distracting. It does not look professional. If you plan on using 000WebHost for your business, you will probably upgrade to a paid plan quickly.
The company has been in business since 2004 and is based in the United States. 000WebHost is owned by Endurance International Group, which also owns Bluehost, HostGator, and A Small Orange.
Pros
- Guaranteed 99.9% uptime
- Blazing fast transfer speed
- The free plan includes an easy-to-use website building tool
- Excellent customer service
Cons
- The free plan has upload limits for files, limiting the usefulness of the free plan
- There was a security breach in the past that calls into question 000WebHost’s security
- CPU usage is higher than normal
4. FreeHosting.com
As its name suggests, FreeHosting.com provides free hosting. Unlike many free plans, FreeHosting.com is ad-free, meaning you will not have to deal with ads on your website. The lack of ads is a massive advantage over many other hosting companies. It makes using FreeHosting.com incredibly appealing, especially if you build a website on a budget. The free plan includes:
- 1 GB of storage space
- 5 GB of monthly bandwidth
- 2 email accounts
- 24/7 customer support
One of the most significant drawbacks of using FreeHosting.com is that the website builder is not as complete as some competitors. If you are building a website through FreeHosting.com, you will have to take more time and learn about designing a website. Building a website can be daunting for those unfamiliar with website design or coding.
One downside of FreeHosting.com is that it only offers 500MB of disk space and 10GB of monthly bandwidth. The storage and bandwidth are not a lot, especially if you plan to host videos or large images. However, if you are starting, this should not be a problem.
Pros
- Incredibly easy to design and set up a website
- The free plan includes many features
- The free plan doesn’t place ads on your website
Cons
- Customer service and technical support are slow and sometimes unresponsive
- Users report some technical problems
- You have to buy your domain name, which costs money
5. x10Hosting
x10Hosting is one of the best free web hosting services in Canada. The company has been in business since 2010 and offers a variety of features, including a free domain name, free SSL certificate, and free website migration.
x10Hosting is designed for small business owners. Many features are targeted directly at small business owners lacking website design experience. For example, the free plan includes a drag-and-drop website builder and one-click app installation. These features make it easy for people to get started. Plus, x10hosting has a wide variety of features that get added to their paid plans.
The cons of using x10Hosting include ads on your website and limited storage space. Additionally, the company is newer than some competitors and has no proven track record.
If you’re looking for a free web hosting service in Canada with no ads and more storage space, you may want to consider another provider. However, x10Hosting is still an excellent free hosting option for many individuals.
Pros
- 99.9% uptime
- SSD storage allows for quick downloads and uploads
- The free hosting plan includes many features that are paid for by other companies
Cons
- Poor customer service that can be unresponsive at times
- A newer company that doesn’t have the reputation of other web hosting services
- Users report it is hard to cancel paid plans
Free Hosting vs. Paid Hosting in Canada
All of these companies offer a free hosting plan. You might wonder, if the free versions are so good, why would I ever pay for hosting? That is a great question. Ultimately, as your website grows, you will need additional services, which are only available through the paid plans on hosting sites.
Free hosting is excellent for small, personal websites or blog sites. If you have a more extensive website with more traffic and complex needs, you must purchase a paid plan from one of these companies.
Paid hosting gives you access to a lot of premium features that are unavailable on the free plans. For example, most free plans have limited storage space and bandwidth. With paid hosting, you get unlimited storage space and bandwidth and access to features like a secure socket layer (SSL) certificate, e-commerce capabilities, and more.
Additionally, paid hosting plans come with 24/7 customer support, which is not always available with free hosting plans. Access to customer service is vital if you have a website that experiences a lot of traffic or a complex website that requires frequent maintenance.
Free Web Hosting Questions
These are some of the commonly asked questions about free website hosting.
Can I host my own website for free?
This question is a common one with a variety of answers. It depends on your needs and how much time and effort you’re willing to invest.
There are a variety of ways to host your own website. You can use a traditional web hosting company, a cloud-based hosting service, or even host your website on your own computer.
Each of these options has its own set of pros and cons. In short, you can host your own website for free, but you will lack access to many features that you get from a web hosting company.
How much does web hosting cost in Canada?
This question is difficult to answer because there are so many variables. The price of web hosting can range from a few dollars per month to hundreds of dollars per month. The price depends on the hosting you need, the features you want, and the size of your website.
You may want to look for a free web hosting service if you are starting out. Many free web hosting services are available, but they usually have limitations. For example, you may only be able to host a small website, or you may have to display advertisements on your site.
Where can I host my HTML website for free?
Numerous web hosting services allow you to host your HTML website for free. Services that host HTML websites include 000webhost, 50Webs, FreeHostingNoAds, FreeWebHostingArea, and more. Each web host has its pros and cons that you should consider before selecting one.
You’ll want to consider a few factors to choose the best free web hosting service for your HTML website. Some important factors include the storage space and bandwidth offered and the company’s uptime guarantee. You’ll also want to ensure that the web host provides customer support if you have questions or experience problems.
Is free web hosting safe?
This question is one that we hear a lot. And the short answer is: it depends.
There are some free web hosting providers out there that are perfectly safe to use. But, as with anything in life, some are not so great.
Here are a few things to look for:
- Make sure the provider has a good reputation. You can do this by reading reviews from other users.
- Make sure the provider offers SSL encryption. SSL encryption is necessary because it means your data will be safe and secure.
- Make sure the provider has a good customer support team.