Silex

Overview

Silex is a free, open-source visual builder for static websites, combining a visual editor with CMS and data connections. It is a strong fit for web professionals, agencies and teams that want control over content sources and deployment; students learning design may also find that flexibility useful. Its no-cost routes are unusually broad, but cloud users must work within GitLab’s quotas, and the desktop app remains early alpha.

Key features

Silex connects to WordPress, Directus and Squidex, and can use any GraphQL API as a CMS or data source. That makes it more compelling for projects built around existing content systems than for people who want a builder’s own tightly integrated content workflow. Strapi and Supabase are coming soon, not current integration options.

Publishing can go through GitLab Pages, FTP/SFTP, ZIP download or CapRover. GitLab Pages supports custom domains and automatic CI/CD builds, a convenient option for small sites. Its free tier brings practical constraints: five users maximum per private group, 400 CI/CD minutes per month per namespace, and 10 GB total storage. Teams approaching those ceilings may prefer another deployment route or self-hosting.

The software is AGPL-licensed. The maker says Silex-built websites have no tracking or third-party cookies and that user data is not for sale. The desktop app includes an experimental on-device AI assistant and a local MCP server for AI integration; those are secondary capabilities, not a reason to treat an early-alpha app as a mature production environment. Community help is available through chat and forums, with paid support and consulting also offered.

Pricing

Silex’s plans are free, with no free trial. Cloud costs nothing and includes standard website-builder features, GitLab Pages hosting, a custom domain, CMS integrations, collaboration and versioning. The separate Cloud with a free gitlab.com account plan is also free, billed $0 forever, with the same core inclusions and suitability for small teams. Neither removes GitLab’s free-tier limits.

Desktop app costs nothing. It works offline, needs no account, includes all Silex features, publishes to a local folder and lets users host sites anywhere. Its early-alpha status is the key trade-off for anyone considering it for a dependable work pipeline.

Self-Hosted costs nothing and includes all features, custom storage backends, an own domain and self-managed infrastructure. The maker says self-hosted GitLab CE has no user or storage limits and supports Docker, CapRover or npx. This suits teams willing to own their infrastructure; it trades GitLab cloud convenience for management responsibility.

Platforms

Silex is available on the web and through self-hosting. Silex Desktop runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, edits offline and publishes to a local folder. The desktop release is early alpha, so it is a less cautious choice for workflows that depend on a stable local application.

Who it's for

Silex makes the most sense for web professionals building multiple sites, agencies scaling client work, and teams that value static-site performance and can choose their own content and hosting paths. Students learning design may appreciate the visual-building approach. It is less suitable for teams that need cloud collaboration beyond GitLab’s free caps or cannot accommodate an early-alpha desktop app.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Multiple publishing routes—GitLab Pages, FTP/SFTP, ZIP and CapRover—give teams more deployment control than a single-host workflow.
• Pro: WordPress, Directus, Squidex and any GraphQL API can supply content, which is useful when a project already depends on an external CMS or data source.
• Pro: Free cloud, desktop and self-hosted plans provide distinct ways to build and publish without a subscription price.
• Con: GitLab’s free tier limits private groups to five users, CI/CD to 400 minutes monthly per namespace, and storage to 10 GB, which can constrain growing teams and site collections.
• Con: The desktop app is early alpha, making it a risky foundation for workflows that require a mature local editor.

Alternatives

Framer is worth considering for readers who want a freemium builder with a free plan and trial, design pages, 10 CMS collections and 1 GB bandwidth on its Free plan.

Mailchimp is the more relevant alternative when the priority is email and audience management: its free plan allows 250 contacts, 500 emails per month, one audience and one seat.

Brizy AI may suit readers specifically seeking an AI builder; its Personal plan is $19 a month and includes one website and premium AWS hosting.

Tilda is an option for a simpler one-site start, with a free plan limited to one website and key blocks; its Personal plan is $15 a month and adds full block access and a custom domain.

Carrd is a more focused web alternative, with a free Basic plan allowing up to three sites per account.

Elementor is another self-hosted and web option for readers comparing website builders.

MailerLite may be preferable when landing pages and email campaigns matter together: its free plan includes one landing page, one website, 250 subscribers and 2,500 monthly emails.

Shogun is another freemium website-building alternative.

For broader comparisons, browse Landing Page Builders, Personal Website Builders, No-Code Website Builders or Website builders.

Verdict

Choose Silex if you want a free, open-source static-site builder with CMS flexibility and the choice of cloud, desktop or self-managed publishing. Its deployment range is the clearest reason to pick it. Look elsewhere if GitLab’s free-tier limits are too restrictive or an early-alpha desktop app is unsuitable for your workflow.