An online presence is essential for individuals and businesses in the rapidly changing digital world. However, for individuals on a limited budget, domain registration, and website hosting expenses may be a turn off. Thankfully, you can create an online presence cost-effectively by finding ways to obtain free website hosting and a domain name for a full year.

Many web hosting providers offer free domain registration for one year whenever a user subscribes to their web hosting package. If we are being honest here, it is tough to get free website hosting and domain for one year. However, you can get an excellent deal on web hosting plans due to heavy discounts to first-time customers, and then, on some plans, you can get free domain registration. 

We have compiled a list of several reliable platforms that offer these services and provided clear directions to make the procedure more seamless. Whether you're starting a small business website, personal blog, or online portfolio, this guide will become your go-to reference. 

If you want to expand your online presence without investing much capital, let’s understand how to look for providers who offer free website hosting and a domain for one year.

Things To Look For While Choosing a Free Website Hosting and Domain

When choosing a free website hosting and domain provider, several crucial factors must be considered to ensure a smooth and successful online experience. Below are some key things to consider while selecting a free website hosting and domain provider.

• Reputation and Reliability: Research the provider's reputation by reading reviews from existing customers. A reliable hosting provider should have a track record of uptime, security, and customer satisfaction.
• Storage and Bandwidth Limits: Even with free hosting, you'll need sufficient storage space and bandwidth to accommodate your website's content and visitors. Check the provider's limits and ensure they align with your current and future requirements.
• Domain Availability: If you're looking for a free domain, ensure the provider offers a wide range of domain extensions (e.g., .com, .net, .org) and that your desired domain name is available.
• Site Builder and CMS Support: Many free hosting providers offer site builders or support for popular content management systems (CMS) like WordPress. Evaluate if the provider's offerings meet your website's needs.
• Email Accounts: While not essential, having email accounts associated with your domain can enhance your online presence and brand reputation. Check if the free hosting plan includes email accounts and their limitations.
• Advertising Policy: Some free hosting providers may display advertisements on your website. Understand their advertising policy and ensure it aligns with your preferences and brand image.
• Backup and Security Features: Reliable backups and security measures are crucial for protecting your website's data and ensuring its safety. Look for providers that offer basic backup and security features, even with their free plans.
• Scalability and Upgrade Options: As your website grows, you may need to upgrade to a paid hosting plan. Consider providers that offer seamless upgrade paths and scalable solutions to accommodate your future needs.
• Customer Support: Efficient and responsive customer support can be invaluable, especially when new to website hosting. Evaluate the provider's support channels and response times.
• Terms of Service and Limitations: Carefully review the provider's terms of service, fair usage policies, and any limitations imposed on free plans. Ensure you understand and comply with their guidelines.

Top Free Website Hosting and Domain Providers for 1 Year

Several companies offer budget-friendly hosting plans that you can take advantage of. Look at some of the best free website hosting and domain companies, which provide great services for a year for free. To simplify your search, we have listed the top providers and their features, pros, and cons to help you compare the plans.

1. GoogieHost

GoogieHost is another great service for setting up a website, subdomains, and web hosting for free. It is one of the only free hosting companies that offers a free hosting control panel and Cloudflare.

This domain hosting provider offers a free website builder for small enterprises. It features simple drag-and-drop features and customizable templates. However, the free plan comes with limitations; upgrading to a paid plan is an option. Also, GoogieHost offers free short subdomains, like yourname.cu.ma. If you require a domain with standard TLD like .com or .in, registration fees are associated with it. They do not run any advertisements on your website. 

Features

It offers a free web hosting plan with non-standard domain names. Its free hosting packages include 1 website, 1000 MB of SSD storage, and even a free site builder. Additionally, its free plan includes features like:

• Free CMS installers, like Joomla and WordPress, can be installed with one click.
• Free website builder 
• 2 FTP accounts to manage your website files using FTP clients
• 2 MySQL databases 
• 1000 MB storage and 100 GB bandwidth
• Hotlink Protection to protect your website files from being copied
• Online file managers 
• Choose from PHP 5.3 to PHP 8.0.12 for better scalability and flexibility. 

Pricing

GoogieHost provides free webhosting service.

Pros 

• It offers quick and simple DNS management.
• GoogieHost offers websites without ads.
• One of the free hosting providers that permits hosting control panel usage.

Cons

• You cannot utilize multiple accounts
• It may not be easy to scale as the site grows.

2. InfinityFree

InfinityFree provides a free web hosting plan with PHP and MySQL. It offers the fastest hosting for free and is independently tested. It offers free web hosting services with no time limits or restrictions. Also, there is no limit on the number of websites you can host.  

InfinityFree allows you to bring your domain name or pick a free subdomain name from over 25+ domains. However, InfinityFree does not offer free domain registration. Some users might think free web hosting comes at the cost of running advertisements on the website, but that’s not true.  

Features

With robust security, 5GB space, and no-cost SSL service, InfinityFree is one of the best options in the market if you want to choose a budget-conscious option. Some of the features of this robust platform include,

• 99.9% uptime guaranteed 
• Free DNS service 
• PHP 8.2 
• MySQL 5.7 / MariaDB 10.4 with 400 MySQL databases
• Unlimited bandwidth
• Entire .htaccess support

Pricing

InfinityFree provides free web hosting.

Pros

• No ads are shown to host your website.
• Offers Softaculous automatic script installer from around 400 scripts, applications, and CMS. 
• Users can create their InfinityFree account within minutes and start hosting for free. 

Cons

• No live chat or phone support.
• No business email account integration.

3. Hostinger

Hostinger is a firm that provides web hosting and website domain registration. Since its foundation in 2004, it has been providing services ranging from risk-free starter hosting to cutting-edge VPS cloud architecture.

With malware scanning and the ability to host up to 100 websites per account, Hostinger is one of the best web hosting sites. In addition, it provides managed WordPress, limitless database storage, and much more.

Features

Hostinger has 150 website templates, firewall security, and easy incorporation of Google Analytics for your SEO needs. Furthermore, you can also subscribe to its premium plan to unlock more features, including,

• eCommerce support 
• Capability of hosting 300 websites
• Improved security and email functionality with a dedicated IP address

Pricing

Hostinger offers free domain registration for web hosting and cloud hosting plans. However, free domain is available only on Web Hosting’s Premium plan, which starts at $2.99/month with 3 months free. 

Pros 

• It provides hosting for up to 100 sites.
• The premium version provides unlimited free SSL.
• This free web host is excellent for getting Cloudflare DNS protection on all tiers.

Cons

• There are no daily backups available in its basic plan.

4. Bluehost

Bluehost has achieved notable advancements and established itself as the preferred web host, particularly among low-budget companies. The organization manages more than 2 million web pages.

Features

Website owners can benefit from Bluehost's multitude of options. Although they don't have a free plan, the first year of their paid hosting options includes a free domain. Their basic hosting package comes with the following features:

• Free domain for 1 Year
• Unmetered bandwidth
• 10GB SSD storage
• Free SSL certificate for 1 year
• Custom WordPress themes

Bluehost provides VPS, Dedicated, and WordPress hosting solutions in addition to higher-tier web hosting services for those with more complex needs. These plans come with extra features like:

• 0% network downtime
• Priority 24/7 customer support
• Easy WordPress management and integration.

Pricing 

Bluehost lets you choose the plan that best fits your budget and company needs. Their web hosting basic plan starts at $1.99/month and automatically gets renewed at the regular rate. 

Pros 

• It is essentially inexpensive.
• Routine backups of data.
• Free SSL certification for 1st year.
• Free domain name with round-the-clock help.
• Website builder for free with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Cons

• Its top-tier plan can only host 50 websites

5. HostPapa

In addition to content management, HostPapa offers website hosting, WordPress hosting, and virtual private server (VPS) hosting, among other services.

This free domain name and low-cost hosting service offer over 400 business apps, an intuitive Website Builder, and customizable website creation. Its high-performance servers ensure that all the websites hosted on its platform run quickly. Besides, you can even build a website with their builder or install WordPress with a single click. 

Features

The web hosting packages from HostPapa come with several useful features, such as standard SSL certificates, website staging, domain privacy, and a fully managed web application firewall with high-tiered plans. These are a few additional essential features from their most affordable Starter plan:

• 100 GB of SSD storage space
• 1 website
• 10 email addresses
• Free domain registration
• Standard SSL certificate 
• 99.9% uptime guarantee with 24/7 customer support
• cPanel web hosting control panel 
• Cloudflare-compatible servers and CloudLinux-based servers
• Softwaculous 400+ app installer and easy WordPress installation

Pricing

The basic plan, which comes with free domain registration, starts at $2.95/month. 

Pros 

• It offers top-notch web hosting plans with 99.9% uptime at cost-effective rates.
• It provides free domain transfer and website migration 
• Even with the basic plan, customer service is available 24/7 through phone, web, and chat.

Cons

• There is no website staging in the cheapest package.
• The basic plan doesn’t offer free automated backup. 

A Better Alternative to Get Free Web Hosting and Domain: Choose Neo Email Hosting

Digital presence is important for any business; however, we cannot undermine the importance of email marketing. This is where email hosting comes, especially Neo’s services. Neo’s email marketing platform allows businesses to create their domain for free using Neo’s domain name (.co.site). With the email domain, businesses can create an email account and deploy a one-page website. 

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The platform offers a 14-day free trial, and its paid plans are perfect for small businesses looking for affordable web and email hosting solutions. 

Key Features

• Neo offers a free one-page website and an email account, one of its primary features. This website comes with a complimentary matching domain name that is free with your Neo membership. It is intended to enhance your brand identity and reputation.
• Neo also provides several tools that increase efficiency, such as priority inboxes, read receipts, email templates, 'Send Later', and follow-up reminders. These tools are intended to assist you in streamlining your operations and concentrating on the more important areas of your business.
• Neo's Business Max package has strong features, such as Appointment Booking, Signature Designer, Campaign Mode, and Smart Write, if you're searching for a more all-inclusive solution. These features assist companies in streamlining their operations and boosting output.
• Neo also offers very reasonable costs; their Starter package, for example, is priced at just $1.99/month/per account when purchased with the yearly plan. This package gives your business a professional look with services like file sharing, calendaring, contact lists, and email hosting.

How do you get started with Neo’s free domain and web hosting?

If you are wondering how you can get started with Neo’s free domain and web hosting, then here are the steps you can follow:

Step 1. Visit Neo’s website and click on Get Started. 

Step 2. Click on the ‘I need a new domain name’ option. 

Step 3. Enter your desired domain name and see if it is available. If it is not, you can use domain name generators to create something new. 

Step 4. Click on the Get Free Domain button and then create your account. 

And the process is almost complete. Once you enter your details, you can enjoy your free trial plan for 14 days. Besides, you can buy the Starter plan to create, build, and deploy your one-page website for free. The platform provides a one-page website template, and customizing the templates becomes super simple using Neo’s drag-and-drop website builder. 

Wrapping up

Online presence is an indispensable tool for building your brand reputation and growing your business. Even if you’re working cost-consciously, you have several options to meet your website and domain hosting needs. While several web hosting solutions offer free domain registration for your first year, it is essential to understand which service best suits your business needs. So, follow this guide to compare the best plans for your scaling business and pick the best option now!

Frequently Asked Questions 

1. Is it possible to get a free domain and hosting for a full year?

Obtaining a free domain name and a full year of hosting is possible. Many website builders and hosting companies welcome new clients with promotional offers or free trials. To be sure you're receiving a decent price and won't be charged after the trial period finishes, it's crucial to read the terms and conditions thoroughly.

2. What are the limitations of free website hosting and domains?

Free domains and website hosting are fantastic ways to start your internet presence, but they have some restrictions. Free hosting packages, for instance, could have limitations on customer service, storage, and bandwidth. In addition to offering fewer customization options, free domains could not seem as polished as premium ones.

3. How can I transfer my website to a paid hosting and domain service?

You can move your website to a paid hosting and domain provider if you've outgrown your free hosting and service. This procedure usually includes exporting your database, updating your domain name servers, and backing up the files on your website. You must closely follow the instructions to guarantee your website stays operational throughout the transfer process.