if i were to download a free website template and put what i want in it and make money off the site will i at any point have to pay anyone(the website, the designer) in the long run for it?

If you manage to get a free website template, there is no need to pay the person that is giving away free templates. You should always credit the person who is offering you the template if they tell you to.

If you are running on a free website sponsor ( FreeWebLayouts, and others) than no. I think if you're with a host, (like 1on1) then you have to.

Moved to Webmaster's Corner.

If the person is giving it away for free and you credit, you're set. Just don't take anything that isn't meant for others to use, and don't redistribute it.

so if its free off a person then its mine, ok. now what if i get it off a website where there are galleries of templates? cant they track down where there designs end up and want money if your site made money whether it be ads or selling a product?

it can be a company or individual that makes a free layout. you just need to realize that even though it's free, it might only be free for personal use (meaning that if you DO make money off your website, then you can't use that layout).

if at the time you get the layout it's free for any use (unless it says otherwise in their terms of use), then they can't charge you for it.

Read the terms of using the layout on the website that you got the template from.

Simple as that.