Google Sites alternatives for a business
Updated October 3, 2026
If you already have a Google Site, you're probably wondering whether it's good enough for a business or whether it's time to move. You want a site that looks like a real company, shows up when someone searches your trade, and doesn't eat your evenings. Here's how the three options stack up.
Why does Google Sites fall short for a business?
Google Sites costs nothing to build and host with a Google account, so price is never the problem. Control is. According to nDash, which tried the new builder, Google Sites does not offer a custom meta description for each page. Their words: "Google Sites does not have this option." Google writes the snippet from your page text instead, so the line a customer reads under your name in search is not one you choose.
That's fine for a club page or a wedding site. For a plumber, a dentist, or a landscaper, that snippet is free advertising every searcher sees, and you don't get to write it.
How do the three options compare?
The table below covers the three choices most owners weigh. The cells marked "check before buying" are gaps in this research. I didn't verify the form and page-description features on Wix or Squarespace, so confirm those on their pricing pages before you pay.
| Google Sites | DIY builder (Wix Light or Squarespace Basic) | Done-for-you (Front Step Sites) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost per year | Free, plus your domain | $204 (Wix Light, billed yearly) or about $228 (Squarespace Basic at $19 a month) | $99, domain included, no setup fee |
| Who makes changes | You | You, whenever you have time | You ask in your account: 2 requests a month on the $99 plan, done within 2 business days |
| Page descriptions | No custom meta descriptions (per nDash) | Check before buying | Ask before you sign |
| Forms | Embed a Google Form | Check before buying | Ask before you sign |
| Leaving | Check before relying on it | Check before buying | Take your domain with you, no transfer fee |
Front Step Sites is the only option in that table where the domain comes with the price. Read Front Step Sites vs Wix for a small business website if Wix is the one you're weighing.
What does each option cost over three years?
A yearly price hides the real gap, since you pay it every year. Here are three years on each option. The DIY totals leave out domain fees, since those vary by registrar.
- Google Sites: $0, plus your domain
- Wix Light: $612 ($204 a year)
- Squarespace Basic: $684 (about $228 a year)
- Front Step Sites, $99 plan: $297, domain included
- Front Step Sites, Grow plan: $870 ($290 a year), with unlimited changes the same business day and your Google reviews shown on the site
The $99 plan is the cheapest paid option here, but it caps changes at two a month. If you update your hours, menu, or service list often, the Grow plan's price is the one that matches how you work.
What should you ask any builder before you pay?
Ask these questions in writing, whichever option you pick. Get the answers before you put a card on file.
- Can I set a page title and a description for each page, and where do I edit them?
- Is the contact form on my plan, and where do the emails go?
- Whose name is the domain registered in, and can I take it with me?
- What does it cost to leave, and what happens to my pages when I do?
When is Google Sites still the right choice?
Google Sites is the right call for a temporary page, like a sign-up for a three-week fundraiser or a placeholder while you decide what you need. It's free, you can build it in an afternoon, and a volunteer can pick it up later. Once customers find you through search and you need control over what they read, move to a business site.
Frequently asked questions
Is Google Sites free for a business website?
Yes, to build and host it with a Google account, there's no hosting fee. The domain name is the one cost you still pay if you want your own address. It's the cheapest option on paper. You still do all the work, though, and the snippet problem doesn't go away.
Can I connect my own domain to Google Sites?
Yes. Google's Workspace help describes mapping a custom web address to a Google Site. The steps differ depending on whether you use a Workspace account or a free Google account, so follow the current help page rather than an old tutorial.
Is a $99 site really better value than a free one?
It depends on what you value. A free Google Site costs less, but the $99 plan includes the domain, hosting, and a person who makes your changes. Over three years, that's $297 for the plan against your own hours, which add up faster than most owners expect.
The short version
Google Sites is free and fine for a temporary page, but it can't set custom meta descriptions, so Google writes your search snippet. Wix Light and Squarespace Basic cost about $204 to $228 a year, and you do the editing. Front Step Sites is $99 a year with the domain included, and you ask for changes in your account.