How It Works
The Free Website Foundation is the simple way to get your business online without the expensive development costs.
We created this foundation to remove the technical and financial hurdles of going digital. We build professional websites for free, allowing you to focus on your mission while we handle the code.
Our focus is on straightforward, well-designed websites that provide a high-impact online presence without unnecessary complexity or "feature bloat".
Our approach is streamlined to get you online quickly without compromising on quality. We take a few details about your business, then design and build a simple website that works perfectly on every device. This includes the structure, layout, and core pages most businesses need to get started.
Elevate Your Brand
What’s Included and What’s Not
This service is designed to give you a proper online presence without any unnecessary cost or complexity. To keep things simple and free to build, we focus on the essentials and leave out more advanced features.
Included
Professional design, mobile optimised
Up to five core pages
Contact form
SEO Ready
Performance hosting
Not Included
Email hosting
Blog
E-commerce
Third-party integrations (CRM, API etc)
Custom applications or complex features
The Process
Tell us about your business
Send us a few details about what you do and what you’d like on your website.
We design and build your site
We create a clean, professional website based on your information.
You review and approve
We make any small changes required before your new website goes live.
Your new website is live
Once approved, your new website is published and ready to use and share.
There’s no charge for building your website. You only pay for your domain and low-cost hosting, which we provide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it really free?
There is absolutely no charge for designing or building your website. You only pay for your domain (which you may already have), and low-cost hosting that we provide.
Why do you offer this for free?
The Free Website Foundation was set up to help small businesses, freelancers and start-ups get online at a time when costs are high and budgets are tight. A professional website can make a real difference to brand integrity, but many people rely on social media alone because a proper website can cost £000's to be developed. We wanted to offer a straightforward way to change that by providing a clean, professional website without a large upfront cost. This isn’t about selling complex services. It’s about helping people get started with something solid and credible.
Are you a charity?
No. The Free Website Foundation is not a registered charity. This solution was created by Tollgates Consulting Ltd to help businesses get online at a time when costs are high. By removing the cost of building a website, it allows businesses to focus their limited budgets on what matters most. The aim is to support businesses in getting established and growing, while contributing positively to the wider business community. The focus is on providing a simple, professional starting point rather than generating profit from the build itself.
Do you accept all applications?
Not always. We carefully consider each application to make sure it’s a suitable fit for this service. We focus on simple, professional websites and only take on projects that align with our values. We don’t support anything involving illegal or unethical activity. If it’s not the right fit, we’ll let you know. While we consider every application carefully, we’re not always able to provide detailed feedback on every decision.
What do I actually pay for?
There’s no charge for designing or building your website. The only costs are your domain name and hosting, which keeps your website online. Hosting is £35 per month, billed annually (£420 per year). If you don’t already have a domain, we can register one for you (subject to availability) and simply pass on the cost.
Are there any hidden costs or subscription fees?
No. There are no hidden fees. There’s no charge to design or build your website. You only pay for your domain and low-cost hosting with us (see "What do I actually pay for?" for additional information.
How can you afford to do this?
We keep the service focused on simple, effective websites, which allows us to offer the build at no cost.
The Free Website Foundation was set up to help businesses get online during a time when costs are high. It’s not designed as a profit-making service. The only cost is your domain (which you may already have) and low-cost hosting that we provide. We do offer additional services if you need them, but there’s no obligation to use.
Do I need to have a domain name already?
No. If you already have a domain name, that’s great. We can help you point it to your new website. If not, we can help you choose one you can buy and help you get it set up.
I already have a domain and hosting, is that OK?
We require that your new website is hosted on our platform, as this allows us to build and manage everything properly without complications. You’re welcome to keep your existing domain name. We help you connect your existing domain to your new website, so your web address stays the same.
Why not just use a platform like WIX or Squarespace?
You can, and for some people they work well. With those types of platforms, you’re doing everything yourself. You choose a template, set it up, and make it all work. Those templates are used by thousands of other sites, so it can be difficult to create something that feels distinct to your business. With The Free Website Foundation, we design and build your website for you. You don’t have to figure things out or work around templates, and the result is a clean, professional site that’s put together properly from the start.
Can I make changes to the website?
The website is managed by us, so you won’t be making changes directly yourself.
We’re happy to make minor text updates for you, especially during the build process and shortly after launch. If you need more extensive changes or a redesign later on, we can discuss that with you before any work begins.
What if I change my mind and want to cancel?
That’s not a problem. If you decide not to go ahead before your website is live, there’s nothing to pay. Once your website is live, you can cancel at any time. Your website will remain active until the end of your current hosting period.