Summary
Kiln is an open-source, click-to-edit CMS for static websites. Invited editors can update text, images, documents, blocks, galleries, events and calendar content directly on the site; edits are saved as Git commits in a repository owned by the site owner. The workflow includes drafts, scheduled publishing, named versions, history and restoration. Owners sign in with GitHub, while invited editors can sign in with Google and be restricted to particular pages or sections. Reviewer seats can comment without editing, and suggest mode lets owners approve or decline proposed changes field by field. Kiln connects to GitHub repositories and hosts that redeploy on a push, including Cloudflare Pages, Netlify, Vercel and GitHub Pages. Its REST API and kiln-mcp enable scoped, sanitized edits by scripts and agents; optional AI assistance uses an API key supplied by the user. Content stays as plain HTML in the customer's repository, including after leaving Kiln. Self-hosted is 0.00 USD per free; Kiln Cloud is 4.99 USD per month and Fully managed is 14.99 USD per month, each with a 7-day free trial.
Who it is for
Kiln suits people building static sites who want clients or other non-technical editors to update content themselves. It also fits owners who want edits retained in their own GitHub repository.
What is good
- Edits are saved as Git commits in the owner's repository.
- Editors can be limited to pages or sections.
- Includes drafts, scheduled publishing and restoration.
- Free self-hosted plan is open source.
What to know first
- Uploaded documents are limited to 15 MB each.
- Self-hosted users run the worker and GitHub App.
- Eleventy, Hugo and Jekyll adapters are planned, not listed as available.
Verdict
Kiln pairs on-page editing with Git-based change history and review controls. Its static-site focus and file limit are worth checking against the site and content you need to manage.
Kiln plans and pricing
All plansCompared on content management systems
- Free plan
- Yeskilncms.com
- Paid from
- $4.99/mokilncms.com
Facts
- What it does
- Kiln is an open-source, click-to-edit CMS for static sites; invited editors change content on the page and each edit becomes a Git commit in a repository they own.kilncms.com · 29 Sept 2026
- Editing
- Editors can change text, images, documents, blocks, galleries, events, and calendar content from the site itself.kilncms.com · 29 Sept 2026
- Publishing
- Kiln supports drafts, scheduled publishing, named versions, history, and restoration, with publishes saved as Git commits.kilncms.com · 29 Sept 2026
- Access controls
- Site owners sign in with GitHub, while invited editors and members can use Google sign-in without GitHub accounts; editors can be scoped to pages or sections.kilncms.com · 29 Sept 2026
- Review workflow
- Kiln provides comment-only reviewer seats and a suggest mode where owners approve or decline proposed changes field by field.kilncms.com · 29 Sept 2026
- Integrations
- Kiln works with GitHub repositories and hosts that redeploy on push, including Cloudflare Pages, Netlify, Vercel, and GitHub Pages.kilncms.com · 29 Sept 2026
- API and AI
- A REST API and kiln-mcp let scripts and agents edit scoped, sanitized fields; optional AI assist uses an API key supplied by the user.kilncms.com · 29 Sept 2026
- Security controls
- The setup guide says the GitHub App can access only repositories selected during installation, and invited Google-email addresses are the only ones allowed to sign in as editors or members.kilncms.com · 29 Sept 2026
- Data ownership
- Site content remains plain HTML in the customer's GitHub repository on every plan, and the site can be kept after cancelling or leaving Kiln.kilncms.com · 29 Sept 2026
- File limit
- Uploaded documents are limited to 15 MB per file.kilncms.com · 29 Sept 2026
- Supported site types
- Kiln supports static HTML sites and documents a source mode for Astro-generated sites; the docs say Eleventy, Hugo, and Jekyll adapters are planned to follow.kilncms.com · 29 Sept 2026
- Support
- Self-hosted plans include community support on GitHub, while Fully managed includes priority support.kilncms.com · 29 Sept 2026
- Intended users
- Kiln describes itself for people who build static sites and want clients or other non-technical editors to update site content themselves.kilncms.com · 29 Sept 2026
Best Kiln alternatives
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Where it ranks on Everything Xiaomi
- Best Content Management Systems in 2026#29 of 165
- Best Git-Based CMS in 2026#5 of 23
Is Kiln yours?
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Sources
- kilncms.com· checked 29 Sept 2026
- kilncms.com/docs· checked 29 Sept 2026
- kilncms.com/pricing· checked 29 Sept 2026