Over the last few years I’ve grown an online business that started from a hobby YouTube channel to a larger business with multiple income streams that help support our financial goals. I’ve done this all using mostly free websites so I could keep as much of the profit from this business as possible.
Today I’m sharing some of the best free websites I’ve used or recommend for others growing an online business. After learning so much about creating and growing an online business I’m happy to tell you that it’s one of the best ways to start a business because you don’t have a ton of upfront costs thanks to websites like these.
Canva – Canva is my go to free website for anything design related. I create all of my Youtube thumbnails, Instagram posts, and many of my digital products using Canva.
I currently pay for a pro subscription to the site but you can do so much with the free version of the site. It’s an incredible tool that is under utilized by many.
Alibaba.com – Alibaba.com is the first site I recommend whenever someone asks me about building a product based business instead of digital products. On Alibaba.com you can create a free account to research products, then also source manufacturers to create the products your want so you can order products to sell to your customers.
They make it easy to find products but also offer helpful tools like Trade Reassurance and Verified Seller accounts to make sure you are protected as you order products to build your business.
YouTube – This free website is obviously one of my personal favorites since it has allowed me to create a business, but it’s got so much potential for other business owners as well. You can create a channel to grow your influence in a specific area and then sell your services, coaching, or high ticket items.
You can also create a channel and grow your business revenue by monetizing your videos with ads or things like affiliate marketing. In fact you can create a profitable YouTube channel without even showing your face.
Trello – Once you’ve grown your business to a certain level you will likely need some sort of project management tool to help keep you on track for your deliverables.
With multiple YouTube channels and Etsy shops I realized I had to get organized so I tried out several options and discovered a love for Trello to help me create a better system for my content ideas and processes. Like many of the websites on this list Trello has a free and paid plan but so far the free plan has been more than enough for me to get better organized.
Trello can be a bit challenging to use at the beginning but it’s amazing how it lets you create projects and checklists that can then become daily and weekly tasks. It’s also excellent for keeping a running list of ideas which is something I always have going!
Google Drive – All of the free Google apps are amazing for helping run an online business without spending any money. Setting up a Google account gives you access to so many free amazing tools and one of my favorites is Google Drive.
With this free tool you can create documents, spreadsheets, presentations and more that are web based, easy to share, easy to edit, and accessible anywhere. I use Google docs to create all of my product outlines and blog posts and I know a lot of people use the tools to create products for sale like budgeting spreadsheets in Google docs.
Start Without Spending
These free websites have all been an amazing help to my online business growth. It’s amazing that there are so many powerful FREE tools out there now that you can use to start and grow an online business.
I started by online business using these free tools and I’ve grown it to surpass my day job income. I know from experience how you can utilize completely free resources online in order to grow. Not having money to start is no longer an excuse.
If you want to start and grow an online business you don’t have to put up huge amounts of money. All you truly need is some time and the desire to build something. I hope these free websites help you get started building your business.
Remember that you don’t have to be perfect, you just have to get started.
Mary is the founder of Pennies Not Perfection where she shares her journey to build wealth through online income. She quit her day job in 2021 after she paid off her debt and doubled her 9-5 salary.
Mary's favorite free financial tool is Personal Capital. She uses their free tools to track net worth and work toward to financial freedom.
Her favorite investment platform is M1 Finance, where she built a custom portfolio for free with no fees. She shares her portfolio growth and savings progress every month on YouTube.