However they usually have the advantage of being easy to set up, and you can often use simply a web browser to edit and maintian your site. Thus, even if your only access to the internet is through a public library, you can still have a web site, and share yourself with the world. UNIX is easy. Computers are easy. Lack of money will not stop you from having a cool web site.
Content is the key.
Content is something money can't buy. The only thing standing between you and getting something done with a computer is a little bit of knowledge, and the biggest thing to fear is fear itself. I prefer the versatile method of learning UNIX, and using it along side whatever other operating system I happen to interact with on a regular basis. For instance, I might create most of my pages on a macintosh, but if I need to change something on my web site, I can log in from anywhere in the world and edit or create files using UNIX and the free software available in my UNIX computer account, the place my pages are served from.