250 Spots.
Zero Cost.
One Full Year Free.
Our gift to the Greater Manchester community. 250 reserved spots so local businesses can get discovered by locals and visitors – completely free for an entire year.
Claim Your Free Spot → Joins #1,001–1,250 · First year free · No card required · Launch window only
What You Actually Get – For Free
This is not a “basic” free tier with stripped-back features. You get the full AroundManchester.com® business listing – everything the paying members have – for your entire first year. Valued at the prevailing annual service fee (currently £250 + VAT). On us.
Complete Business Profile
Your business name, address, phone, email, opening hours, description – presented professionally to every visitor who finds you.
360 Degree Virtual Tour
Immersive photography of your premises, letting customers explore before they visit. Builds trust, increases footfall.
Photo Gallery
High-quality images of your products, services, and atmosphere. No extra photographer. No technical headaches.
The Hook Incentive
Your own customer loyalty offer, displayed on your listing. You control it. No codes, no commission, no third-party systems.
All Links in One Place
Social media, online ordering, booking platforms, maps – everything connected to a single profile your customers can share.
Hosting Included
Zero hosting costs, zero maintenance, zero domain renewals. We handle the tech so you can focus on your business.
Full Year. Real Exposure.
Your free year begins on the official launch date of AroundManchester.com® – not when you sign up. That means if you register early, you benefit from exposure before the clock even starts.
The Honest Trade-Off
We believe in transparency. Here is exactly what the free tier means – no small print, no hidden consequences.
- You are joining as position #1,001 to #1,250. Businesses in the first 1,000 paid-tier join positions carry early-adopter status with locked-in discount tiers – those positions are still available if you would prefer to join that way.
- No early-adopter discount. After your free year, the prevailing service fee applies (currently £250 + VAT per year). There is no discounted renewal tier for free-tier joiners.
- Default sort starts at #1,001+. District and regional listings display in join-number order by default. Paying members in joins 1–1,000 will appear above you unless a visitor sorts by A–Z, category, or newest.
- After year one, you decide. Continue at the full prevailing service fee – no renewal discount applies to free-tier memberships – or let your listing lapse. Entirely your choice. No pressure, no penalty.
We’re Telling You This Upfront
Because we would rather have 250 businesses join with clear expectations than 250 businesses who feel misled. The paid tiers with early-adopter benefits are still open and filling fast – see the full pricing page.
And yes – these 250 free spots also help us grow. A fuller directory is a better directory for everyone, and more businesses at launch means more reasons for visitors to use it. We are not shy about saying that. You get free exposure for over a year; we get a stronger platform. That is a fair exchange, and we think you know it.
Why It Makes Complete Sense
A stronger directory benefits every business on it – the paying members, the free-tier members, and the customers who use it. These 250 spots exist because we want the Greater Manchester community represented at launch, and because we want local businesses to have every chance to be found. It costs you nothing.
Zero Financial Risk
You are not committing a single penny. No card details. No contract. No direct debit. You send one email, we set up your listing, and you get a full year to see whether AroundManchester.com® drives real customers through your door.
Twelve Months to Prove the Platform
Twelve months of exposure. Twelve months of customers discovering you through search, social sharing, and the growing AroundManchester.com® audience. If it works for your business – and we believe it will – renewing at the prevailing service fee will feel like the easiest decision you make all year.
Your Listing Goes Live Immediately
Free tier listings are published as soon as they are processed – not held until an official launch date. That means search engines can start indexing your business right away, building your rankings and online presence before the platform even officially opens to the public. Every day your listing is live before launch is a bonus day of visibility on us.
Your free year clock still starts on the official launch date, so any pre-launch exposure time is entirely on top of your twelve months. Paid-tier members have the flexibility to choose when their listing goes live.
An Upgrade Path Is Always Open
If at any point before or during your free year you decide you want to lock in the standard membership pricing and commit to a full paid tier, you can upgrade. The platform will always be there for businesses that recognise its value.
Think of It This Way
A full-page ad in a Manchester business magazine costs several hundred pounds – and lasts one month. Your free listing lasts twelve months, is interactive, includes virtual tours and photos, and lets customers find you, explore you, and link directly to your booking system or online store. For free.
The only thing you have to lose is the chance itself – once 250 spots fill, this offer is gone forever.
Free Tier vs All Paid Tiers – Side by Side
Here is how the free tier stacks up against all three paid join tiers. The earlier your join number, the stronger the long-term discount and the higher your default listing position. Paid positions are still open – see exactly what you could lock in.
| Feature | Free #1,001–1,250 |
Paid #501–1,000 |
Paid #101–500 |
Paid #1–100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 cost | £0 | £187.50 + VAT | £125 + VAT | £125 + VAT |
| Full business profile | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| 360 degree virtual tour | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Photo gallery | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| The Hook incentive | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Social & ordering links | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Hosting included | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Accessibility information | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Listing go-live | Immediate | Flexible date | Flexible date | Flexible date |
| Early-adopter discount | ✗ | 25% off – 10 yrs | 50% off 6 yrs, then 20% for life | 50% off for life |
| Default sort position | ✗ | #501–1,000 | #101–500 | #1–100 |
| Discount locked | ✗ | 10 years | For life | For life |
| Renewal rate | Full prevailing fee | Discounted rate | Discounted rate | Discounted rate |
The free tier gives you everything except the renewal discount and the default sort position advantage within the first 1,000. If any of the paid tiers appeal, visit the full pricing page – those positions are filling and will not be available indefinitely.
Questions We Know You Have
Is there really no catch?
No catch. This is a genuine community gift. We want local businesses to get discovered by locals and visitors from day one, and a richer directory benefits every business listed on it – free or paid. These 250 spots are our way of giving the Greater Manchester business community a head start.
Do I need to give card details or set up a direct debit?
No. You do not give us any payment information. You send an application email. We set up your profile. Your first year is free by default. Payment only becomes relevant at renewal, and only if you choose to continue.
What happens at the end of the free year?
You will hear from us before your year is up. You then choose: renew at the prevailing service fee (currently £250 + VAT per year), or let your listing lapse. There is no automatic renewal, no hidden charges, and no penalty for not continuing.
Am I missing out on anything important?
You are missing the early-adopter discount tiers and the default sort position advantage within the first 1,000. For most businesses in most searches, this matters less than having a great profile and a compelling Hook. Features and presentation are identical.
How long is this offer available?
Until all 250 spots are filled, or until we launch, whichever comes first. Once this offer closes, it closes permanently. There will be no second free-tier window.
When does my free year begin?
Two things happen at different times. Your listing goes live immediately once your application is processed – you are discoverable straight away. Your free twelve-month membership clock, however, starts on the official launch date of AroundManchester.com®. Any time your listing is live before that launch date is bonus exposure on top of your year, not counted against it.
Can I upgrade to a paid tier later?
Yes. If you decide mid-year that you want to commit to a full paid membership, you can upgrade. You will not be able to claim a retrospective early-adopter discount, but you will secure your paid membership at the prevailing standard rate and be counted among the active membership base going forward.
Is this just for Manchester city centre businesses?
No. AroundManchester.com® covers Greater Manchester – all districts and boroughs. If your business is in the Greater Manchester area, you are eligible to apply.
250 Spots. This Is the Last One We’ll Ever Offer Free.
Send us one email. Fill in the template. We handle everything else. Your business could be in front of Manchester customers by launch day – at zero cost to you.
Claim Your Free Spot → Opens your email client · Pre-filled subject and template · No card · No commitment · 250 places total