6 Website Builders for Churches and Ministries (With Features & Benefits)

According to Grey Matter Research, 17 million Americans who don't regularly attend church have visited a church website. With a free website, your church can catapult straight into 2024 within minutes, making it easier for potential visitors to find you. Not only that, but easily integrate your podcast, church livestream, online giving, and volunteer event forms so all your church resources can be found in one place. Read on to see our top picks for 2025.

Do We Need a Church Website?

Yes. Around the world, 33% of church attendees watched their online church services prior to attending. In today's digital age, most people that are looking for a new church are browsing the top hits on Google in their local area. Good Google reviews and member testimonials showcased front and center on your website is what will make the difference for someone who is on the fence about visiting. Make it easy for visitors to say "yes" to attending your church. 

According to Pew Research, nearly 77% of adults look up organizations online before deciding to engage with them. For churches, this means your online presence could determine whether someone decides to visit in person.

How to Create a Church Website for Free?

Nowadays, there are a plethora of different "out of the box" website builders available, especially for smaller budgets. 15 years ago, building a website required engineers and know-how gumption. Nowadays, you can have a working skeleton online and ready in a couple hours.

What Should a Church Website Include?

1. Unless you're an all-white or all-black church, showing representation in the website media (photos, videos, testimonials) is very important. People of all backgrounds want to know they're welcome through the doors on Sunday.

2. A mission statement or belief statement. What exactly does your church believe? Do they fall under a denominational umbrella? Which one? What are your beliefs about scripture, church attendance, and Christianity? 

3. Meeting times and locations. Don't let someone find your website only to get lost attempting to figure out when and where to be on Sunday morning!

What Makes a Great Church Website?

A great church website is more than just a digital brochure; it's a powerful tool to connect with your congregation and community. It should be user-friendly, visually appealing, and informative. Clear navigation, easy-to-find information about services, events, and ministries, and a simple way to give online are essential. A blog can help keep visitors engaged with inspiring content, and social media integration encourages interaction. Ultimately, a great church website should reflect the values and mission of the church, providing a welcoming online space for all.

What to Expect from a Free Church Site

Even though there are great church website builders that are free and easy to use for the non-software engineer, it's good to manage your expectations. There might be some branding placement in the footers or throughout the website if you don't pay for a "premium plan". There also might be some coding limitations for the software engineer in your church or on your staff that wants to make custom edits. Website builders are great, but they are limiting if you want a completely custom website that was built from scratch.

The good thing: most churches don't actually need a completely from-scratch website. A website builder will usually suffice.

Tithe.ly Sites will have your new church website up and running before you can pass the cup and bread around your congregation!

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How to Find the Best Church Website Builder for You

Below we've done some digging for you to help you find the resource(s) that will work best for you. Sometimes what works for your best friend's church isn't necessarily the best fit for yours, so you'll want to approach the different options with open eyes.

Here are the best Church Website Builders for 2025

Jump to review:

• Tithe.ly Sites
• Ministry Designs
• Squarespace
• Mission
• Strikingly
• Jimdo
• Canva Websites
• Wix
• Weebly

Tithe.ly

Tithe.ly Sites is an easy to use custom website builder designer specifically for churches. From uploading sermons, and adding events, to changing features, and creating new pages with specific ministry designs, managing your church’s website is a breeze. You'll enjoy the convenience, ease, and design flexibility of this secure website building platform. Create the best church website you've ever had. It's so simple and perfect for beginners or experienced designers!

Think of a church website as the new front door to your church. When looking for a church, people are going to look for your church website before they visit. They want to know more about your church, your church leadership, your beliefs, and how to find important information like how to get there and what time to show up. Potential visitors can even use the Plan Your Visit tool to connect with you before they show up. Your church website can also be an incredibly useful platform to carry out the mission of your church to spread the gospel. With the Tithe.ly Sites website solution you can host a sermon player, produce blog content, and connect with your congregation through various tools you can choose to include on your site. It's why Tithe.ly Sites is one of the best website builders for your church.

Easily share your sermons, create a podcast feed, and make it easy for people to hear your message using the built-in Tithe.ly Sites sermon player. You can also easily embed your live-stream or premier into your church website. With the Tithe.ly Sites church website solution, embedding a live stream on your website with Facebook, YouTube, or Vimeo is easy like Sunday morning.

Start using Tithe.ly Sites with no contract. Have your website up in just minutes! Start now.

A good church website helps your church connect with your congregation and potential visitors. Did you know 80% of new visitors look at a church website before making a decision about attending church? It can be a very effective tool for carrying out the mission of your church to spread the gospel, by hosting your sermon content, podcasts, blogs, and more. It's a central space where members and visitors alike can find helpful information about your church, or learn about the Bible.

With Tithe.ly Sites, it will be easier than ever to choose from a wide variety of church app functionalities and church website templates. Whether you need contact forms, a custom domain, great calls to action, or other beautiful designs and church content, Tithe.ly Sites is our most popular website builder.

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Ministry Designs

Ministry Designs is created to "Reach, Teach, and Grow" your Christian Church. Reach with their website builder. Teach with their tools like "ministry bundles" that include content curated for churches. Grow with online giving and video teaching resources. Using their church website builder you will have ready-to-go church features on your website with media and content curated specifically for churches.

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Squarespace

You might remember hearing about Squarespace from a friend (or during a Superbowl commercial). Squarespace (like Wix or Weebly) is a standard website builder with several different plans available. Squarespace is a great way to build a website for someone who doesn't know where to begin. However, it's not made specifically for churches, so it may require more creativity than a builder with churches in mind.

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Mission

Mission wants to help you get more first time visitors with their web builder. Their pricing starts at $47 per month and will get you up and running for robust church features and resources needed for a good church website. Features include drag-and-drop snippets, code embeds, responsive designs, and more.

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Strikingly

Strikingly, like Squarespace, has a lot of options and plans. Geared for the "I don't know any code" type of person, Stringly is made similarly to Squarespace, but isn't as big of a company. Their cheapest plan is $8 per month and goes up from there. They have a lot of templates for businesses, startups, and organizations to help get your wheels turning.

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Jimdo

Jimdo isn't created specifically for churches, but might have some of what you're looking for in your church website building experience. Lots of templates available, a frontend shopping experience, and lots of media in their library. They have a free plan if you don't care about Jimdo branding everything (including in the domain), or they have more advanced plans starting at $10 per month.

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Canva Websites

Canva Websites is a simple, drag-and-drop website builder offered by Canva, known for its graphic design platform. It enables users to create visually appealing, responsive websites without needing technical expertise. While not tailored specifically for churches, its design flexibility and ease of use make it a practical option for creating clean, engaging websites. Canva Websites also integrates seamlessly with Canva's other design tools, ensuring a cohesive brand presence.

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Wix

Wix is known for its intuitive drag-and-drop editor and wide variety of customizable templates. It’s ideal for churches of all sizes, offering a free plan that includes web hosting, built-in SEO tools, and the ability to add features like event calendars, contact forms, and donation buttons. While the free version includes Wix branding and a subdomain, upgrading to a paid plan (starting at $17/month) allows you to connect a custom domain and unlock more advanced features.

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Weebly

Weebly offers an intuitive drag-and-drop editor, making it easy to build pages without any coding skills. The platform provides free templates that are mobile-responsive, ensuring your site looks great on any device. With Weebly’s free plan, churches can access basic features like hosting, a subdomain, and the ability to add forms, calendars, and basic donation tools. For more advanced features, such as connecting a custom domain or removing Weebly branding, pricing starts at $12/month.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Are free website builders really free?

Yes, many website builders offer free plans, but they often come with limitations. For example, free plans may include platform branding (e.g., "Powered by Wix"), limited storage, or subdomains like "yourchurch.wixsite.com" instead of a custom domain. If you want advanced features, like removing ads or connecting a custom domain, you’ll usually need to upgrade to a paid plan.

Can I use a custom domain name with a free website builder?

Most free plans don’t allow you to connect a custom domain name (e.g., "mychurchname.com"). Instead, you’ll get a subdomain, such as "yourchurchname.wixsite.com." If a custom domain is important, you may need to purchase it through the platform or a third-party domain registrar like GoDaddy or Namecheap.

Are free website builders secure for church websites?

Yes, most reputable website builders include SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificates even on their free plans. These certificates encrypt data and protect your website visitors. However, always confirm that the platform provides HTTPS for free and update your website regularly to maintain security.

Can I accept donations through a free church website?

Some website builders support donation tools, even on free plans. For instance:

• Wix offers integrations with third-party payment processors.
• WordPress allows plugins like wp-Tithely (built for Tithely Giving users) to accept donations.

What features should a church website include?

Here are some essential features every church website should have:

• Service Times and Location: Make it easy for visitors to find your church.
• Contact Information: Include an email, phone number, and address.
• Online Giving: Enable digital donations or tithing.
• Events Calendar: Keep members informed of upcoming services or activities.
• Sermons and Media: Share recordings, podcasts, or live streams for those who can’t attend in person.

Can I switch to a paid plan later if my church grows?

Absolutely! Most free website builders offer scalable paid plans that unlock more features as your church grows. For example:

• Upgrading to a paid plan can remove ads, allow you to connect a custom domain, and increase storage or bandwidth.
• If you’re building your church website with long-term growth in mind, look for a platform with affordable upgrade options.

What if my church doesn’t have a tech-savvy team?

If your church lacks tech expertise, choose a builder with intuitive tools and pre-designed templates. Additionally, many platforms offer support or tutorials to help you set up your site.

How can I make my church website mobile-friendly?

Most website builders automatically create mobile-responsive designs, meaning your website will look great on phones and tablets. Preview your site on different devices during the design process to ensure all elements are user-friendly.

What are the limitations of free website plans?

Free plans are great for getting started but typically come with these limitations:

• Storage and Bandwidth: Limited space for media files or high-traffic events.
• Ads: Most free plans include the platform’s branding or ads on your site.
• Subdomains: No ability to connect a custom domain.
• Advanced Features: Paid features like email marketing, custom templates, and donation tools may not be available. If these limitations are an issue, consider upgrading to a paid plan or using a platform like Tithe.ly that caters specifically to church needs.

How can I promote my church’s new website?

Here are some tips to promote your church website:

• Share the website link on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
• Add the URL to your church bulletins, flyers, and email newsletters.
• Encourage members to share the website with friends and family.
• Optimize your site for search engines by using local SEO tactics (e.g., include "church in [Your City]" in your content).

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Conclusion

Creating a website is essential for churches and ministries looking to expand their reach and engage with members online. Fortunately, many free website builders make this process simple and affordable. Many platforms offer intuitive tools, customizable templates, and essential features like event calendars, contact forms, and even donation integrations. While free plans typically come with limitations like subdomains and platform branding, they are an excellent starting point for some churches. As your budget allows, upgrading to paid plans unlocks more features such as custom domains, ad removal, and additional storage. By choosing the right platform and focusing on key elements—such as mobile responsiveness, clear service information, and online giving options—churches can create an effective website that connects with their congregation and attracts new visitors.