Creating a website can be a daunting task for beginners. Fortunately, websites such as oswd.org offer free HTML/CSS templates that can make the process easier.
Open Source Web Design, found at oswd.org, is a website that provides free HTML/CSS templates. These templates are created by community members and uploaded to the site where they can be downloaded by other users for personal or business use.
| Selection | Rating  |
OSWD.org has more than two thousand free templates from which to choose. This is an excellent selection, especially as they are all available in one place. Each free template can be viewed in full before being selected and most have user ratings and comments to illuminate any problems before download. In addition to the free templates available on the site there are also premium designs that are available for a modest fee, usually under $30.
| Quality of Templates | Rating  |
The free templates are quite good for someone who is just beginning to develop their own website. They are perfect for people with no coding experience who want a website that looks polished but lack the skills to create one themselves or the funds to hire someone else to do so.
For a more experienced web developer these would not be suitable as they are quite basic and some of the designs are a bit dated.
| Ease of Download | Rating  |
Download is super easy. There is a download button available under the thumbnail of the free template. There is also a download button running across a banner at the top of the live demo. Both options work quickly and are easy to see and use.
Conclusion
I would absolutely recommend oswd.org as a source for free HTML/CSS templates for beginners. The variety and quality offered are sufficient for those just starting out and the site is easy to navigate. Those with a bit more experience with web development might find them too simplistic or limited, however. Still, more experienced designers may find these useful as a temporary measure while a unique design is being created.