| Part | Free? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | ✅ yes | Cloudflare Pages, GitHub Pages, Netlify free tiers are real and permanent |
| Builder | ✅ mostly | Free tiers exist on every builder; expect their branding + limits |
| Custom domain | ❌ no | ~$15-20/year, everywhere — anyone promising a free custom domain is bundling its cost |
| Payments | ❌ per-transaction | Stripe/PayPal/Pinch take percentage fees, always |
| Your time | the real cost | DIY builders eat evenings; that's the hidden price |
| Option | Cost | Best for | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Business Profile site | free | Being findable on Maps/search | Template-only, one page |
| Carrd / free builder tier | free | Simple one-pagers | Branding, no custom domain on free |
| Cloudflare Pages + template | free | If you (or a friend) can edit HTML | Technical, no editor |
| tradez.au listing (AU tradies) | free listing | Tradies who want a real site without building it | Directory-branded subdomain; custom domain is the upsell |
tradez.au is an Australian tradie directory that auto-builds each listed business a mobile-ready site — you get found in the directory, and the same listing generates your web presence with local SEO basics (schema, sitemap) baked in. Payments work three ways: a Pay Now button, a printed QR sticker for the ute, and SMS payment links. The listing is free; the platform earns when you take payments through it.
List on tradez.au How it's engineeredIf the site must carry your brand exactly (custom design, your domain, no third-party branding), budget the ~$20 domain plus either your time or a builder subscription. Free tiers are for being findable, not for brand building.