7 Best FREE Web Hosting for Nonprofits in 2024

If you’re serious about getting some traction for your nonprofit, it’s essential to establish its online credibility. Therefore, choosing the right free web hosting service is not just a matter of budget, but a strategic decision crucial for expanding impact and reach. Your host should be reliable and secure, yet hassle-free and capable of growing with your nonprofit.

As a part-time animal rescuer, I understand that online visibility is essential for donations and community support. To ease your tech stress, I carefully selected 7 of the best free web hosts for nonprofits.

From all the options I tested, Wix delivers the best free web hosting for nonprofits. You can easily create a site with one of its nonprofit templates and receive a generous discount if you decide to opt for a premium plan. Read on for more details on why Wix is the best option for nonprofits or to explore some other noteworthy hosts.

What We Look For in the Best Free Web Hosting for Nonprofits

It can be overwhelming to find the best free web host for your nonprofit. I prioritized the following criteria while testing each option to determine suitability for nonprofits.

• Cost effectiveness. It’s imperative for nonprofits to minimize expenses. Choosing a web host that offers maximum functionality at no cost ensures that you can allocate more resources to your core mission.
• Reliability and performance. A reliable host keeps your website accessible around the clock, which is crucial when you depend on it to engage with donors, volunteers, and the communities you serve.
• Security features. Nonprofits handle sensitive data, making robust security measures non-negotiable. It’s also key that web browsers recognize your website as safe so visitors can trust it. I prioritized hosts that provide strong protections against breaches and data theft.
• Ease of use and support. Because not every nonprofit can afford IT specialists, I value web hosts that make it easy for you to build and manage your site with excellent support.
• Scalability options. As your nonprofit grows, your web host should offer premium plans that can accommodate your new needs for a fair price. You don’t want to be stuck with a good free option that suddenly becomes expensive when you need better features

1. Wix: Free Reliable Hosting Plus 70% Off Premium Plans for Nonprofits

Wix stands out as an exceptional web builder with hosting for nonprofits, primarily because it offers premium capabilities at no cost. You get access to a superior content delivery network (CDN) to ensure your site performs well for audiences everywhere, including in other countries. And if you’re expecting low traffic, the 500 MB of cloud storage and bandwidth that’s included will be sufficient.

Creating a polished website is straightforward with Wix thanks to its 800+ free templates, and plenty tailored to nonprofits. The platform’s intuitive site builder eliminates the need for extensive tech skills, but it also comes with advanced customization settings – even on the free plan. This makes it perfect for nonprofits looking to establish a unique online presence quickly.

Additionally, Wix’s partnership with TechSoup gets your nonprofit a 70% discount on Wix’s premium Core plan for a two-year term. This offer is available in 37 countries. Although you’ll need to request a new coupon code every 2 years, you get access to important benefits like 50 GB of storage, a marketing suite, and e-commerce capabilities.

Features

• AI website builder. Wix’s AI platform can help non-tech-savvy nonprofits launch their online presence. By simply answering questions about your organization, Wix’s AI configures a professional site tailored to your mission and needs. The AI assistant will also help you build fundamental components like donation pages and contact forms.
• Online scheduling. Manage volunteers and events with Wix’s intuitive online scheduling tool. It allows for easy sign-ups and integrates seamlessly with other Wix features, enhancing operational efficiency for nonprofit organizations.
• Wix mobile app. Stay connected and manage your nonprofit’s website from anywhere with the Wix mobile app. Update events, manage content, and communicate with volunteers and donors directly from your phone.
• Full security suite. Wix provides a comprehensive security suite that includes 24/7 monitoring, HTTPS, SSL certificates, and robust defenses against hacking and DDoS attacks, ensuring your nonprofit’s data remains safe and secure.

Read our expert Wix review to learn more about why we recommend it.

2. Hostinger: No-Catch Free Hosting and 50% Off .org Domains

Hostinger has a free hosting service that’s perfect for nonprofits that want quality for good value. Its free hosting plan includes 300 MB of SSD storage and 3 GB of bandwidth, plus free SSL to keep your site secure. Hostinger’s 50% discount on .org domains ensures you can give your nonprofit a more professional, trustworthy online presence.

Although the no-catch free hosting is nice, I’d consider a paid plan to fully leverage Hostinger’s best features. Hostinger’s paid plans usually have major discounts for long-term plans and even the non-discounted prices are relatively low. I find the Premium plan, which starts at $2.99, to offer the most value – you’ll get 100 GB of storage, unlimited bandwidth, and unlimited SSL certificates, along with free professional email and WordPress management.

Like Wix, Hostinger’s affordable paid plans include a website builder with e-commerce capabilities – I’d recommend this if you want to sell merchandise or take donations. Integration with Google Analytics and other marketing tools can extend your nonprofit’s reach and help engage your audience​ more effectively.

Features

• 1-click WordPress installation. Hostinger’s 1-click installations make it easy to launch a WordPress site with just one click (or any other CMS of choice). This feature is ideal for nonprofits seeking a quick setup without the hassle of complex installations.
• Drag-and-drop builder. Create beautiful, functional websites with no coding required using Hostinger’s drag-and-drop builder. It’s user-friendly and perfect for nonprofits that need to frequently update their site with new events or information.
• Global data centers. With 9 data centers located around the world, Hostinger ensures your website quickly loads no matter where your visitors are. This global reach is crucial for nonprofits looking to impact an international audience.
• AI SEO tools. You can enhance your nonprofit’s visibility with Hostinger’s AI-driven SEO tools. They help optimize your content to rank higher in search results, making it easier for potential donors and volunteers to find you.

Learn more about Hostinger’s best features in our in-depth review.

3. InterServer: Free Unlimited Resources for Your Growing Nonprofit

InterServer is another great choice for nonprofits, especially those anticipating growth. As long as you’re a legally registered US nonprofit, you’ll get free hosting with generous resources like unlimited storage, emails, SSL certificates, and data transfers. Notably, your website will reside on shared servers operating at only 50% capacity – so if you experience an uptick in traffic or resources, your server can handle the surge without any interruptions.

InterServer’s proprietary security technology, InterShield, is also a major help for safeguarding donor information. Even in the worst-case scenario, its InterInsurance feature offers a comprehensive response to breaches. That includes investigation, restoration, and prevention measures, removing the burden of technical issues from your team.

While InterServer’s offer to nonprofits is rather unique and generous, you’re required to place a text at the bottom of your homepage that credits and links to InterServer’s site. In my opinion, this requirement is rather minimal when you consider the overall advantages to its offer.

Features

• Global content caching. InterServer enhances your nonprofit’s website performance through effective content caching, which speeds up load times for visitors from any location.
• Ready-to-install e-commerce features. If your nonprofit sells goods or takes donations online, you can easily set up an online store with InterServer’s ready-to-install e-commerce solutions. They’re perfect for facilitating fundraising and merchandise sales for nonprofits.
• Free site migrations. If you have an existing website, InterServer offers free site migrations, making the transition smooth and hassle-free for your nonprofit organization.
• Free Cloudflare CDN. Gain additional protection and speed with free access to Cloudflare CDN, which also reduces the risk of downtime by distributing your content across multiple servers worldwide.

To see how well InterServer performed in our tests, read our detailed hosting review.

4. DreamHost: Free Hosting for US-Based Nonprofits (No Credit Card Required)

DreamHost is a solid solution for US-based 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(19) nonprofits. With DreamHost, you get free shared hosting that includes unlimited traffic, 50 GB of ultra-fast SSD storage, free SSL, and unlimited email accounts with a custom domain. You won’t even need a credit card to sign up – and this free offer lasts for the lifetime of your account.

Consider DreamHost if you’re keen on using WordPress. It offers a one-click installation for WordPress, daily backups and free WordPress migrations, and a proprietary WordPress site builder. And in case you’re nervous about setting up your site, its dedicated team of in-house WordPress experts can assist you at any step.

What stands out about DreamHost is its 100% uptime guarantee, which is quite rare. The only downside is that our independent testing found DreamHost falls short on speed performance. This shouldn’t be a deal-breaker for low-traffic nonprofit sites. Still, you should keep this in mind should your site become more popular.

Features

• 200+ WordPress templates. DreamHost offers over 200 templates that are great for getting your nonprofit up and running quickly, with a professional look tailored to various causes and initiatives.
• Beginner-friendly onboarding. Streamline your website setup with DreamHost’s Quick-Start Wizard. This tool guides you through the initial configuration, helping you launch your site efficiently without technical hurdles.
• Real-time SEO recommendations. Optimize your nonprofit’s visibility with DreamHost’s real-time SEO guidance. This feature provides actionable tips to improve your site’s search engine ranking, helping you reach a broader audience.
• Custom control panel. Manage your site with ease using DreamHost’s custom control panel. It’s tailored for intuitive navigation, making website management accessible even for those with limited technical expertise.

For more features, check out our in-depth analysis of DreamHost.

5. DigitalOcean: Credits and Discounts for Premium Hosting

When it comes to support for nonprofits, DigitalOcean offers up to $2,500 in one-time infrastructure credits for self-hosting. These credits can go toward any of DigitalOcean’s hosting products, including Droplets, which are scalable virtual private servers (VPS) that you can deploy in seconds and customize for a variety of applications.

While DigitalOcean’s VPS offerings may be a bit on the technical side, your nonprofit can take advantage of discounts from Cloudways, its managed hosting platform, where you’ll get $100 in infrastructure credit. Since it’s all cloud based, you can scale your servers with one click to manage any sudden traffic spikes with no downtime.

Its managed plans are also quite generous, with the most basic one staring at just $5.00. This gives you 1 GB of RAM, 25 GB of storage, and 1 TB of bandwidth – more than enough for a growing nonprofit website. Just be aware that Cloudways doesn’t offer as many beginner-friendly perks like ready-to-use themes or site builders. You’ll have to install the right plugins to get access to these features, but you can chat with customer support if you need any help.

Features

• Cloudflare Enterprise CDN. For an extra add-on cost you can ensure optimal performance and security worldwide with Cloudflare Enterprise CDN, reducing load times and safeguarding your nonprofit’s data.
• CloudwaysBot. This automated tool monitors your hosting environment in real-time, offering updates and alerts to maintain performance and security efficiently.
• Team accounts. You can set granular access to our accounts for security. DigitalOcean accounts allow you to set roles, including owners, billers, and members. If you have a large nonprofit organization, this helps you set ownership and accountable roles.
• 1-Click WordPress SafeUpdates. Cloudways provides a hassle-free way to update WordPress installations automatically and safely, ensuring stability and security without disrupting your site’s functionality.

Explore our full DigitalOcean review to see if it’s right for your organization.

6. InMotion Hosting: Bulk Pricing Discounts for Education-Based Nonprofits

InMotion Hosting’s free shared hosting account is an enticing option for nonprofit educators. You can make use of its program if you’re formally associated with an educational institution. Better yet, if you happen to be a student that’s starting a nonprofit, you’ll qualify for 50% off its hosting plans. Alternatively, you can get bulk pricing discounts for a class of students. Even without an .edu email, you can contact support to see if your nonprofit qualifies for the discount.

But even if you don’t qualify for the free or discounted hosting, InMotion Hosting has generous resources at low costs. For me, the Power plan offers the best value since you get a free domain, SSL certificate, unlimited websites, bandwidth, emails, and NVMe SSD storage. No need to worry about overage fees or extra costs since everything is already included.

Additionally, InMotion Hosting gives you free ad credits so you can get your nonprofit’s name out there. You can get $150 in Microsoft advertising credits after an initial spend of $25, which can significantly boost online visibility for your organization.

Features

• Monarx security. InMotion Hosting includes Monarx security to protect your nonprofit’s website from malware and other security threats, ensuring a safe online environment.
• No-downtime migrations. Transition to InMotion Hosting without losing site availability. The no-downtime migration policy ensures your website remains operational during the move, critical for maintaining engagement and operations.
• Choice of data center. You can select from multiple data center locations, including California, Virginia, and Amsterdam. This choice allows for better site performance and reduced latency for your visitors.
• Drag-and-drop builder. With InMotion’s drag-and-drop builder, you can create and customize your website effortlessly. It offers a simple interface, customizable templates, and the ability to add various elements – all while ensuring your site is mobile-responsive.

For more InMotion Hosting benefits, take a look at our full review.

Another Notable Free Web Host for Nonprofits

7. Googiehost

Googiehost is best for up-and-coming nonprofits with very limited resources. Its free hosting comes with 1000 MB of SSD storage and 100GB of bandwidth, which is enough to get you started. There’s also a WordPress manager, free business email, and no forced advertisements, which is a significant plus.

However, Googiehost’s free service will only get your nonprofit so far. There are plenty of more secure and established premium hosts out there and it’s likely you’ll outgrow Googiehost’s free plan as your nonprofit evolves. When that day comes, Googiehost’s paid plans are decent, but don’t provide as much value as the options higher on this list.

Opt for One of the Following Best Free Web Hosting for Nonprofits

Running a nonprofit can be challenging enough as it is, so it’s important to find a web host that is not only affordable but convenient. The good news is that there are plenty of worthwhile hosts that offer heavy discounts and even free hosting to nonprofits.

For an all-in-one solution with a generous discount on premium plans, Wix is the best host to try out. You can access over 800 free templates to build a good-looking, professional site and enjoy quality hosting without paying a fortune thanks to Wix’s generous discount for nonprofits.

If you’re working with a bit of a budget and want a powerful host you can grow with, Hostinger’s free plan is a solid option. Its paid plans also offer great value for the money thanks to the generous storage and WordPress management.

In case you need unlimited hosting resources for your nonprofit but can’t afford to splurge, InterServer has an attractive offer too. You won’t ever worry about running out of storage or going over bandwidth caps if you’re a registered US-based nonprofit.

FAQ

Can a non-profit get a free website?

Yes, nonprofits can get free web hosting, particularly if they’re registered as a 501(c)(3) organization in the US. For instance, InterServer offers free web hosting for US-based nonprofits. That said, if your nonprofit is outside of the US you’d be better off with a website builder like Wix, since you’re eligible for a 70% discount off its premium plans.

What is better, free or paid web hosting for nonprofits?

While free hosting is great for minimizing costs, paid hosting offers better support, reliability, and additional features that can be crucial for growing nonprofits. While you can get a free hosting plan with Hostinger, its reliable and inexpensive paid plans are a good option if you’re looking for premium hosting.

What TLD is best for a nonprofit organization website?

For nonprofit organizations, a .org is the most recognized and trusted top-level domain (TLD). It’s specifically intended for nonprofits, foundations, and charitable institutions, making it the ideal choice for signaling your nonprofit status to the world​. Hosts like Wix include free domains with premium plans, which include the .org TLD as an option.

What are the most important features of nonprofit web hosting?

This can depend on your nonprofit’s needs. But most commonly, you should look for reliable hosts like Hostinger or DreamHost who have uptime guarantees, strong security measures, and responsive customer support. However, if you can’t decide between the two, here’s our full comparison of Hostinger vs. DreamHost.