Updated September 2026: Yes, you can host a WordPress site for free, but “free WordPress hosting” means different things. WordPress.com gives you a hosted WordPress site with a free subdomain and managed environment. Services such as InfinityFree and AwardSpace give you free PHP/MySQL hosting where you can install the self-hosted WordPress software.
The old version of this article listed many free hosts that are now outdated or discontinued. I would rather recommend three services I could verify in 2026 than keep a long list of dead signup pages.
Quick answer: Use WordPress.com Free if you want the easiest no-cost blog/site. Use InfinityFree if you want to experiment with self-hosted WordPress and PHP/MySQL. Use AwardSpace as another free self-hosted testing option. For an important business, affiliate or ecommerce site, I recommend low-cost paid hosting instead.
Best Free WordPress Hosting in 2026
| Provider | Best for | Storage | Custom domain | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WordPress.com Free | Beginners/blogs | 1 GB media storage | Free plan uses WordPress.com subdomain as primary address | Free sites show WordPress.com ads; less control than self-hosted WordPress |
| InfinityFree | Self-hosted WordPress testing | 5 GB | Bring your own domain or use free subdomain | Free hosting resources/support are not suitable for every production site |
| AwardSpace | Small tests/learning | 1 GB | One domain + free subdomains on free plan | 5 GB monthly bandwidth and entry-level resources |
1. WordPress.com Free — Best for Beginners
WordPress.com is the easiest way to publish a WordPress site without buying separate hosting.
Its current free plan includes:
- WordPress hosting;
- automatic WordPress updates;
- unlimited pages and posts;
- unlimited users;
- basic traffic stats;
- 1 GB media storage;
- a free
yoursite.wordpress.comaddress.
The free plan does not expire and does not require a credit card.
Important limitations
On the free plan, your WordPress.com subdomain remains the primary address. Setting a custom domain as the primary site address requires a paid plan.
WordPress.com also states that free sites display advertisements. Upgrading to a paid plan can remove those ads and unlock additional features.
For someone learning WordPress, starting a personal blog or testing content ideas, those limits may be acceptable. For a business brand, I prefer using your own domain.
Official references: WordPress.com plan features and ads on free WordPress.com sites.
2. InfinityFree — Best Free Self-Hosted WordPress Option
InfinityFree is a different model. Instead of giving you a managed WordPress.com account, it provides free PHP/MySQL web hosting where you can install WordPress.
InfinityFree currently advertises:
- 5 GB disk space;
- PHP and MySQL/MariaDB support;
- free SSL certificates;
- free subdomains;
- support for your own domain;
- no host-inserted ads;
- Softaculous installation for WordPress;
- no credit card requirement;
- no fixed free-plan expiry.
When I would use it
InfinityFree can be useful for:
- learning self-hosted WordPress;
- testing themes/plugins;
- student projects;
- temporary demos;
- small non-critical websites.
When I would not use it
I would not build a revenue-critical WooCommerce store or important business lead-generation site on free hosting. Free services necessarily have resource, support and abuse-control constraints that paid hosting can handle differently.
3. AwardSpace — Another Free WordPress Hosting Choice
AwardSpace also continues to offer a free hosting plan with WordPress installation support.
Its current free-hosting page lists:
- 1 GB disk space;
- 5 GB bandwidth;
- one domain plus up to three free subdomains;
- PHP/MySQL support;
- a CMS installer supporting WordPress;
- ad-free hosting;
- web-based file manager;
- no credit card requirement.
This is enough for learning or a very small project, but 1 GB storage and 5 GB bandwidth make the limitations more obvious than on a paid plan.
What Happened to 000webhost?
The old version of this page recommended 000webhost. That recommendation is now obsolete.
Hostinger announced in July 2024 that 000webhost would stop accepting new users and fully shut down on October 14, 2024. Therefore, any 2026 article still ranking 000webhost among active free hosts is outdated.
Official reference: Hostinger — 000webhost closes.
WordPress.com vs Free Self-Hosted WordPress
| Feature | WordPress.com Free | InfinityFree/AwardSpace + WordPress |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | Very easy | More technical |
| WordPress updates/server management | Managed by WordPress.com | You manage your WordPress install |
| Plugin/code freedom | Free plan has platform restrictions | Closer to normal self-hosted WordPress within host limits |
| Free address | WordPress.com subdomain | Host-provided subdomain |
| Custom domain | Paid plan needed to use it as primary address | Supported by the free hosts listed above |
| Best use | Blogging and easy publishing | Learning/testing self-hosted WordPress |
Is Free WordPress Hosting Good for SEO?
A website does not rank because its hosting is free or paid. Google needs to be able to crawl and index useful content, and users need a reliable site experience.
However, free hosting can create indirect SEO/business limitations:
- slower or less predictable resources;
- downtime/resource restrictions;
- limited control;
- subdomain branding;
- migration work later;
- reduced support when something breaks.
If the site is intended to become a serious business, affiliate project or content asset, starting on inexpensive paid hosting can reduce migration friction later.
Is Free Hosting Good for Affiliate Marketing?
For learning, yes. For a serious affiliate site, I usually prefer your own domain and reliable paid hosting.
Affiliate sites need trust, uptime, performance, analytics and the ability to manage redirects/plugins and disclosures. Your own hosting makes those workflows easier.
See my affiliate marketing beginner guide and best cheap WordPress hosting comparison.
Free WordPress Hosting for Students
If your objective is purely to learn WordPress development, you have several options:
- WordPress.com Free for publishing/content practice;
- InfinityFree or AwardSpace for a public self-hosted test site;
- a local WordPress development environment on your own computer when the site does not need to be public.
A local install can actually be better for plugin/theme experimentation because you are not limited by a free host’s public-server policies.
When Should You Upgrade to Paid Hosting?
I would upgrade when:
- the website starts generating leads or money;
- you need a professional custom domain;
- speed or resource limits become noticeable;
- you need better backups;
- you need ecommerce;
- you want staging or stronger developer tools;
- downtime would cost you customers;
- you need reliable support.
You do not need expensive hosting. My current cheap WordPress hosting guide compares low-cost plans by both signup and renewal price.
Free WordPress Hosting FAQ
Can I host WordPress for free forever?
Some services currently advertise free plans without a fixed expiry, including WordPress.com, InfinityFree and AwardSpace. Their features and terms can change, so verify before building a long-term project around any free provider.
Can I use my own domain with free WordPress hosting?
InfinityFree and AwardSpace advertise support for your own domain on their free hosting. WordPress.com requires a paid plan to make a custom domain the primary site address.
Does WordPress.com Free show ads?
Yes. WordPress.com states that free sites display advertising to help fund the service.
Is 000webhost still available?
No. Hostinger shut 000webhost down in October 2024.
Can I install plugins on free WordPress hosting?
On self-hosted WordPress installed at a free PHP/MySQL host, plugin capability depends on the host’s resource/security rules. WordPress.com’s free plan has more platform restrictions; paid WordPress.com plans unlock additional plugin/code capabilities.
What is the best free WordPress hosting?
For ease of use, WordPress.com Free. For learning self-hosted WordPress, InfinityFree is my preferred free option from the providers verified for this update.
Final Verdict
WordPress.com Free is the safest recommendation for someone who simply wants a free blog or website without managing hosting. InfinityFree is more useful if your goal is to learn the self-hosted version of WordPress, while AwardSpace is another legitimate free testing option.
For a real business, revenue site or serious affiliate project, I would not optimize for a $0 hosting bill. A few dollars per month can buy better resources, support and a cleaner path to growth.
Comments are closed.