Searching for a free website in Italy can lead to very different offers. A platform might let you build and publish a site yourself under its address. Another supplier may waive the first year of a paid service. An agency might remove the initial development fee and charge for an annual service only if you choose to publish.
Before you apply, find out which part is free and for how long. These seven questions help you examine a website offer for a business. If you want a platform-by-platform comparison instead, see our guide to five ways to get a free website.
1. Is the design free, the publication free, or both?
“Free website” does not define a service. Ask for design, copy, images, development, web address, hosting and maintenance to be listed separately. Find out which tasks the provider handles and which are yours.
With a free website editor, you usually supply structure and content yourself. You may spend no money at first, but you invest your own time. If somebody builds the site without an upfront development fee, ask how the project is funded after launch.
A clear answer might be: “Initial development is free; publication starts an annual service set out in the agreement.” A vague “everything is free” is not enough for a business decision. Ask to read the terms and see what you will receive.
2. Which address will you get, and who controls the domain?
A platform subdomain may be fine for a test or personal project. A business sharing its website in proposals, email, signage and printed material should consider whether it can use and retain its own address.
A .it domain is not included automatically with every free offer. As the official .it Registry explains, registration goes through a Registrar. Ask who the registered holder will be, who pays renewal charges and who keeps account access. If a domain is “free for one year”, ask what happens in year two.
The same questions apply if you prefer a different extension. Choose an address your business can keep and communicate consistently before printing material or circulating links.
3. What happens when the site goes live?
A preview may be free while publication starts a subscription. Ask which action triggers payment, whether you pay in advance and whether the quoted price is final. Check the service term, renewal process and how to end it.
For each offer, write down the amount due before you see the site and the amount due to keep it online for twelve months. Then add excluded work. A zero upfront fee may be attractive, but it does not mean zero total cost.
In E-ROE’s free website offer, initial development, normally valued at €1,500, is €0. You see the proposed site before deciding. Only if you choose to publish it, the annual service costs €480, paid in advance as the final price. Applications are assessed; some projects fall outside this offer. That distinction should be clear before you apply.
4. Who writes the pages, and what is included?
A site can be technically ready but still contain generic or missing information. Ask whether copy, image selection, mobile review and individual service pages are included. Find out whether you need finished content or whether the provider will turn your notes into publishable pages.
A small business may need only a few pages, provided each answers a customer question. A single page of interchangeable claims does a different job from one that explains audience, service, evidence and contact. Our guide to creating a business website in Italy includes a brief and pre-launch checks.
Also ask who prepares and reviews privacy and cookie information. It should match the forms and tools actually in use, rather than being generic text copied from another site.
5. Who updates and supports the site after launch?
Changing a contact detail is easy only when somebody has access, knows how and has a clear responsibility. Ask how services, opening hours, images and prices are updated, how long a fix takes and whether backups and technical work are included.
If you manage everything yourself, estimate the time available for the editor, images and checks. If support is included, ask what it covers. “Maintenance” might mean technical updates only, or it may include content and help with problems. Read our guide to website management and maintenance costs for the distinction.
6. What can you take with you if you change supplier?
Ask how to retrieve copy, images, domain access and account credentials. An exported file does not always recreate the design or functions on another platform. If the site uses a proprietary system, ask which parts transfer and what work a move would require.
Also clarify whether you can get a copy of the content and what happens to the live site when a service ends. You do not need to expect a move soon to want to know what remains under your control.
7. Does the site serve your business?
The deciding factor is not the “free” label. It is whether a visitor can understand your offer and contact you. Open the preview on a phone. Find the main service, test the form, check contact details and readability. If there is no preview yet, ask how you will approve the site before publication.
A free tool can produce a site that Google can access, but price does not create search visibility. Google’s SEO Starter Guide recommends useful content and understandable structure; its sitemap documentation says a sitemap can help discovery but does not guarantee indexing. Treat promises of a guaranteed top ranking cautiously.
Compare two offers on one sheet
Make rows for the cost before the preview, launch cost, annual cost, domain and registered holder, pages and copy, support, account access, export, service term and renewal. Fill them with written information and compare equivalent scope.
If a field is missing, ask. It affects the work you will do and the control you retain. Our website proposal checklist offers further questions.
E-ROE’s offer, with the two amounts separated
If you want a custom site without paying for initial development, read the full E-ROE free website terms. Applications are assessed. Initial development is €0; you see the site before deciding; and the €480 annual service starts only if you publish. E-commerce, private areas or advanced integrations may require a separately defined project.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a free website with a .it domain?
Some promotions include the domain for the first year, but check renewal and ownership. A free plan on a subdomain is different from a .it domain registered to your business.
Does free initial development mean no ongoing cost?
That depends on the offer. With E-ROE, initial development is €0. If you choose to publish, the annual service is €480 as the final price, paid in advance. Applications are assessed.
What should I ask before accepting a free website?
Ask what is free, which payment begins at launch, who owns the domain, who updates the site and how you can retrieve content and access if you change supplier.
Will a free website appear on Google?
The price does not determine indexing. Pages need to be accessible and useful; Google makes its own crawling and indexing decisions.
