Blog / How to spot hidden fees in a \"free website\" offer
How to spot hidden fees in a \"free website\" offer
Short answer: Ask seven questions about any free website offer: what hosting, domain, setup and upkeep cost, what the limits are, how long the contract runs, and what you lose if you cancel. The FTC's guide says a real \"free\" offer should state all its conditions clearly at the start.
A "free website" offer can be the real thing. It can also be a low starting price with the bills arriving later. To spot hidden fees, ask the seven questions below before you give anyone your details. If the offer can't answer them in plain words, treat "free" with care.
What does "free" mean?
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has a guide on the word "free," listed as 16 CFR 251.1. It says people expect "free" to mean they pay nothing for that item, and no more than the regular price for anything else they have to buy with it. It is a guide for sellers, not a ruling on any one offer.
The guide also says a seller should not make the money back by raising the price of what you must buy, or by swapping in a poorer product or service. And it says all the terms, conditions and obligations should be stated clearly, in close conjunction with the offer, at the outset. It says a footnote is not enough.
That gives you a fair test: can you see every condition before you sign up, without hunting for it?
The 7 questions
1. What does hosting cost? Hosting is the service that keeps your site online. Is it included, or does it start free and then charge?
2. What does the domain cost? The domain is your web address. Ask if you get your own .com, who pays for it now, who pays for renewals and who is the registered owner. Our post on who owns your website and domain goes through this.
3. Is there a setup fee? Ask about any fee to build, design or launch the site, even a small one.
4. What does upkeep cost? Ask what it costs to change your hours, prices or photos after launch. A site that is free to build but costs money to edit is worth knowing about before you start.
5. What are the credits or limits? Some free plans cap pages, edits, images or visitors. Ask what happens when you hit a limit, and whether it blocks you or bills you.
6. How long is the contract? Ask if there is a minimum term, if it renews on its own, and how you cancel. Save the terms as a screenshot or a PDF.
7. What do I lose if I cancel? Ask what happens to the site, the address and your content, and whether there is a fee to leave.
What about the domain fees?
ICANN, the group that oversees domain names, says people who register a domain are entitled to information on terms and pricing. It also says they should not face false advertising or hidden fees from their registrar, which is the company that sells the domain. You are also entitled to look over the agreement at any time. If a seller won't show you the terms, that tells you something.
A quick way to compare offers
Write the answers in a small table, one column per offer:
| Question | Offer A | Offer B |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting cost | ||
| Domain and who owns it | ||
| Setup fee | ||
| Cost to make changes | ||
| Limits or credits | ||
| Minimum term | ||
| Cost or loss if I cancel |
If any box says "ask later," you don't have your answer yet.
What bizhq's free plan includes and leaves out
Since we are asking others to be clear, here is our own list. The free bizhq site costs nothing, needs no credit card and has no hosting fee. You get three to five fixed pages (home, services, about and contact), and you edit them from your phone. Your address is yourname.bizhq.page, and the site carries a small "Free website by bizhq" link in the footer.
It leaves out an online store, payments, a booking calendar and a blog. Visitors reach you by call, text, email or the contact form, and a Book button can open the booking app you already use. You get one site per account, and your own .com is not available on the free plan. For how the free plans of the well-known builders compare, see free website builders that are actually free, or use our compare pages.
Your checklist
- Get answers to all seven questions in writing.
- Screenshot the offer page and the terms on the day you sign up.
- Set a reminder for the end of any trial or minimum term.
- Never enter a card for something called "free" unless you know what it will be charged for.
- Keep your own copy of your text, photos and logo.
See it on a sample site
These are made-up businesses built on the free plan, so you can see how a finished site looks and reads on your phone.
Want a free website for your business?
bizhq builds one for you to edit from your phone. No credit card, no hosting fee.
Sources
- FTC Guide Concerning Use of the Word "Free", 16 CFR 251.1, checked September 20, 2026
- ICANN: Domain Name Registrants' Benefits and Responsibilities, checked September 20, 2026
More from the blog
- Free website builders that are actually free (2026)
Wix, Canva, Carrd, Durable, GoDaddy, Google Sites and bizhq compared on what the free plan really gives a local business, using each company's own pages.
- Who owns your website and domain? 5 questions to ask
Before you hire a web person or sign up with a builder, ask these 5 plain questions about who owns your website and domain, the login, your content and the fees.
- Does a free web address hurt trust?
A free address is not your own .com. Here is an honest look at what that costs you, when it matters, and how to get your own domain later.