Carbonmade alternatives: 6 open-source picks
These 6 Carbonmade alternatives replace it for $0, led by Webstudio, Publii and Plasmic. All 6 are open source. License, stars and last commit checked by hand on 2026-08-29. No trials, no crippled tiers.
Open-source visual design with real CSS control; self-hosting replaces Carbonmade's calm with operations.
licenseAGPL-3.0+
runsyour machine or their cloud
installHosted signup or desktop app; alternatively export the project or deploy the self-hosted builder/site
enginesWebstudio Inception AI and MCP integrations; the hosted model provider is not named in official documentation
dataProjects and assets live in Webstudio Cloud when hosted there; export/self-host routes produce source or static assets under the user's deployment
the catch vs CarbonmadeWebstudio has no portfolio-specific onboarding, discovery network or calm managed handoff comparable to Carbonmade.
setupThe free cloud plan publishes only to a Webstudio subdomain; a free custom domain requires export or self-hosting
facts verified 2026-08-10
A desktop portfolio publisher that produces a fast static site; hosting is your problem, server maintenance is not.
licenseGPL-3.0
runson your machine
installInstall the native Windows/macOS package or Linux AppImage
dataSource content and media in a user-selected local Sites Location; publishing generates static HTML, CSS and assets, with optional local backup archives
the catch vs CarbonmadePublii has no hosted portfolio service, discovery network or portfolio-specific presentation layer; publishing and hosting are separate.
setupPublishing still needs separate hosting plus SFTP, GitHub or Netlify credentials/configuration
facts verified 2026-08-10
A hosted visual portfolio with full layout freedom and a custom domain free; the Plasmic badge stays.
licenseMIT AND AGPL-3.0
runsyour machine or their cloud
installHosted signup; optional npm-installed Plasmic CLI for React code generation and deployment in your own repository
enginesPlasmic AI (beta); the official site does not name its underlying model provider
dataHosted projects and CMS records in Plasmic Cloud; codegen writes React components plus plasmic.json and plasmic.lock into the user's repository
the catch vs CarbonmadePlasmic lacks Carbonmade's ready-made portfolio onboarding, project-presentation defaults and creative discovery network.
setupFree hosted output keeps Plasmic branding; codegen/self-deployment requires a Node/React project and deployment workflow
facts verified 2026-08-10
A free visual builder that exports ordinary HTML; portfolio templates are less polished but your files are yours.
licenseAGPL-3.0+
runsyour machine or their cloud
installUse the hosted editor with a GitLab login, install the desktop alpha, or run the official Docker setup
enginesOptional desktop MCP workflow can connect to Ollama, OpenCode, Goose or Claude Code
dataProject JSON and assets in GitLab, FTP or local storage; publishing produces ordinary static HTML, CSS and JavaScript
the catch vs CarbonmadeSilex supplies fewer polished portfolio templates and none of Carbonmade's discovery or portfolio-specific guidance.
setupThe stable hosted route starts with a GitLab account; the desktop build is still labelled alpha
facts verified 2026-08-10
Publishing platform with memberships and paid newsletters built in. The self-hosted answer to Substack taking 10% of your revenue.
licenseMIT
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
Powers 40% of the web — themes, plugins, and full ownership of your site.
licenseGPL-2.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
What each one is, in full: Ghost · WordPress
last updated 2026-08-29 · no votes, no pay-to-list · just what's real
the usual suspects · recommended everywhere, rejected here
GrapesJSEveryone recommends it because the demo looks finished; the repo is an embeddable framework you must turn into a product.
how to choose a Carbonmade alternative
Easiest to get running
Publii — a one-click install, no server to maintain.
Most proven
Ghost, with 49,000 GitHub stars — the largest community of the 6, which usually means more answers when something breaks.
Runs on your own machine, no server
Publii — nothing to host, your data stays on your disk.
Needs real ops to self-host
Webstudio is capable but expects someone to run a server, updates and backups. Budget for that before choosing it.
what you give up by leaving Carbonmade
- general-purpose visual editing
- large template and component libraries
- CMS collaboration and client handoff
- managed hosting, forms, and analytics
- high-fidelity color, format, and export handling
None of the picks above covers all of it. The full verdict says which gaps matter.
Carbonmade alternatives at a glance
| tool | license | running it | platforms | stars | active |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Webstudio | AGPL-3.0+ | self-host, real ops | web, self-hosted | 8,800 | 2026-08 |
| Publii | GPL-3.0 | one-click install | macos, windows, linux | 7,300 | 2026-07 |
| Plasmic | MIT AND AGPL-3.0 | they host it | web, self-hosted | 6,900 | 2026-08 |
| Silex | AGPL-3.0+ | they host it | web, self-hosted | 2,919 | 2026-08 |
| Ghost | MIT | docker to self-host | self-hosted, web | 49,000 | 2026-08 |
| WordPress | GPL-2.0 | one-click install | self-hosted, web | 20,000 | 2026-08 |
why people still pay for Carbonmade
Carbonmade: A single site is easy to code. People pay for safe ongoing edits, templates, publishing, domains, collaboration, and no-maintenance hosting.
questions about switching from Carbonmade
Is there an open-source alternative to Carbonmade?
Yes: Webstudio, Publii, Plasmic and 3 more. Every tool on this page is open source: no trials, no crippled tiers.
Can open source really replace Carbonmade?
Our verdict is YES. Ghost (49k stars), WordPress (20k stars), Webstudio (9k stars) are mature open-source replacements for Carbonmade — self-host with docker and stop paying. The full verdict, and what you give up by switching, is at caniopensourceit.online/carbonmade.
What is the easiest open-source Carbonmade alternative to set up?
Publii — a one-click install, no server to maintain.
What is the most popular open-source Carbonmade alternative?
By GitHub stars, Ghost (49,000). WordPress is next with 20,000.
