TL;DR: Wix and Webflow free plans don’t allow custom domains — they want you to upgrade. The free workaround: redirect your domain to your free site URL using Domain-Forward.com (free plan). HTTPS included, 5-minute setup.
You have a website on Wix or Webflow. It’s the free plan — you’re not ready to pay for hosting yet, or maybe it’s a simple resume site that doesn’t justify a monthly subscription. You bought a domain and want it to point to your site.
Then you discover: Wix requires Premium ($17/month minimum) to connect a custom domain. Webflow requires a paid site plan ($14/month minimum). Your alternative is sharing a URL like yourname.wixsite.com/mysite or your-project.webflow.io.
There’s a middle ground. A domain redirect sends visitors from your custom domain to your free site. The only difference from a “connected” domain: visitors see the Wix/Webflow URL in their browser bar after the redirect. For a resume, portfolio, or simple business page, that’s perfectly fine.
Wix Free vs. Wix Premium: The Custom Domain Lock
| Feature | Wix Free | Wix Premium (Light+) |
|---|---|---|
| Custom domain | Not available | Included |
| Your site URL | yourname.wixsite.com/sitename | yourdomain.com |
| Wix branding | Shown | Removed (some plans) |
| Monthly cost | $0 | $17+ |
| Annual cost | $0 | $204+ |
Wix uses custom domains as a key reason to upgrade. If you don’t need Wix branding removed or other Premium features, a redirect lets you use your domain without paying.
Webflow Free vs. Webflow Paid: Same Problem
| Feature | Webflow Free (Starter) | Webflow Basic+ |
|---|---|---|
| Custom domain | Not available | Included |
| Your site URL | your-project.webflow.io | yourdomain.com |
| Monthly cost | $0 | $14+ |
| Annual cost | $0 | $168+ |
Webflow stages your free site at a .webflow.io subdomain. No way to connect a custom domain without paying.
The Fix: Redirect Your Domain to Your Free Site
Domain-Forward.com redirects your custom domain to any URL — including your free Wix or Webflow site:
- Automatic SSL certificates — HTTPS works immediately
- 301 permanent redirect — fast and clean
- Both www and non-www handled
- Analytics — see traffic coming through your domain
- Free plan — 5 domains, no credit card
Step 1: Find your free site URL
For Wix free sites:
Your URL is typically:
https://yourname.wixsite.com/sitenameFind it by viewing your published site — the URL shown in the browser is what you need.
For Webflow free sites:
Your URL is:
https://your-project.webflow.ioFind it in Webflow under your project settings → Hosting → Staging URL.
Step 2: Create your free account
Sign up at Domain-Forward.com. No credit card required.
Step 3: Add your redirect
Click “Add Redirect” and configure:
- Source domain:
yourdomain.com(add both root andwww) - Destination URL: Your Wix or Webflow free site URL
- Redirect type: 301 (permanent)
Step 4: Update your DNS records
At your domain registrar, update:
| Record Type | Host | Value |
|---|---|---|
| A | @ (root) | 138.68.125.144 |
| CNAME | www | edge.domain-forward.com |
Your email stays working. Only A and CNAME records change — MX records are untouched.
For registrar-specific instructions: GoDaddy, Namecheap, Hostinger, Bluehost, IONOS.
Step 5: Wait and test
DNS propagation takes 1-4 hours. Once active, test both http:// and https:// versions of your domain. Verify with our redirect tester tool.
When to Upgrade vs. When a Redirect Is Enough
A redirect is enough when:
- It’s a resume or simple portfolio site
- You’re sharing the domain on business cards or social bios
- You don’t care about the browser address bar showing Wix/Webflow
- You’re testing an idea before committing financially
- It’s a temporary site (event, project, seasonal)
Upgrade to paid when:
- You need Wix branding removed
- SEO is critical and you need the domain in Google’s index (redirects pass SEO value, but the indexed URL will be the Wix/Webflow one)
- You need other Premium features (e-commerce, forms, storage)
- The site represents a serious, long-term business
This Also Works for Other Free Website Builders
The same redirect approach works for any platform that doesn’t offer custom domains on free plans:
- WordPress.com free →
yoursite.wordpress.com - Carrd free →
yoursite.carrd.co - Google Sites →
sites.google.com/view/yoursite - Notion →
yourworkspace.notion.site/... - Strikingly free →
yoursite.mystrikingly.com
Just use the platform’s URL as your redirect destination.
Stop Sharing a URL That Screams “Free Plan”
A URL like yourname.wixsite.com/mysite tells every visitor you’re on the free plan. A domain redirect lets you share yourdomain.com instead — professional, memorable, and it costs nothing beyond the domain registration.
The fix takes 5 minutes: create your free account, paste your Wix or Webflow URL, update two DNS records, and you’re done. Save $200+/year compared to upgrading just for a custom domain. Your email keeps working — only web traffic records change.