WordPress.com alternatives
Top Website Builders like WordPress.com
The most popular alternative to WordPress.com is WordPress, which has a free version. Other great alternatives to WordPress.com are Wix, Squarespace, Ghost, and Substack.
Most alternatives to WordPress.com are in the Website Builders category, compared here by price, platform and features.
All WordPress.com alternatives
WordPress is a free, open source content management system that you install on your own web hosting. Its block editor handles pages and posts, and thousands of themes and plugins add features such as forms, SEO tools or an online store. Because it is self-hosted, you keep full control over your files, your data and your choice of host.
9 WordPress alternativesPros
- Thousands of themes and plugins for almost any need
- Full control over files, data and choice of host
- Free and open source, with a huge community
Cons
- You handle hosting, updates, backups and security yourself
- Plugin sprawl can slow sites and introduce vulnerabilities
- Block editor takes time to master for complex layouts
Cost / LicenseFreeOpen sourceCategoriesPlatformsWix is a hosted website builder that lets you design pages by placing elements freely on a canvas or by starting from a template. Hosting, domains, an online store, bookings and blogging are built in, and an AI tool can draft a first version of a site from a few questions. It suits small businesses and individuals who want everything in one place.
12 Wix alternativesPros
- Free-form canvas lets you place elements anywhere
- Online store, bookings and blog built in
- AI tool drafts a first version from a few questions
Cons
- Switching templates later means rebuilding the site
- Free plan shows Wix ads and uses a Wix subdomain
- Sites cannot be exported to another host
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesSquarespace is a hosted platform for building websites, portfolios and online stores from designer templates. It bundles hosting, domains, e-commerce, email campaigns and appointment scheduling, with a section-based editor that keeps layouts consistent. It appeals to creatives and small businesses who care about design and prefer not to manage plugins.
12 Squarespace alternativesPros
- Polished designer templates with consistent layouts
- Hosting, commerce, email campaigns and scheduling in one place
- No plugins to install or keep updated
Cons
- No free plan beyond the trial
- Less layout freedom than canvas-based builders
- Fewer third-party extensions than WordPress
Cost / LicenseFree trialProprietaryCategoriesGhost is an open source platform for independent publishers that combines a website, a newsletter and paid memberships in one product. Writers publish in a clean editor, send posts by email and charge for subscriptions through Stripe, with no revenue share taken by Ghost. It can be self-hosted for free or run on the managed Ghost(Pro) service, and is maintained by a non-profit foundation.
9 Ghost alternativesPros
- Website, newsletter and paid memberships in one product
- No revenue share taken on subscriptions
- Open source and free to self-host
Cons
- Fewer themes and integrations than WordPress
- Self-hosting needs technical skills and an email delivery service
- Ghost(Pro) gets expensive as your member list grows
Cost / LicenseFreemiumOpen sourcePlatformsSubstack lets writers start a newsletter with a web archive, podcast and video hosting, and turn on paid subscriptions when they are ready. Publishing is free: Substack takes a share of subscription revenue instead of charging for a plan. Its reader app, Notes feed and cross-recommendations connect publications into a network that helps writers find readers.
7 Substack alternativesPros
- Free to publish, with no setup or hosting to manage
- Built-in paid subscriptions, podcasts and video
- Notes and cross-recommendations help writers find readers
Cons
- Takes a share of revenue from paid subscriptions
- Limited design and branding customization
- Your audience lives inside Substack’s network rather than your own brand
Cost / LicenseFreeProprietaryCategoriesJimdo is a German website builder aimed at small businesses, freelancers and people with no web experience. A guided setup asks a few questions about your business and assembles a site you can then edit, and paid plans add a domain, an online store and basic SEO settings. Options are deliberately limited so that a site can go live and be maintained with little effort.
8 Jimdo alternativesPros
- Guided setup gets a site online quickly
- Easy to maintain for people with no web experience
- Free plan to get started
Cons
- Limited design and layout options
- Free plan shows Jimdo branding on a Jimdo subdomain
- Online store features are basic
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesPlatformsHostinger Website Builder, formerly known as Zyro, is a drag-and-drop editor included with Hostinger hosting plans. It offers templates, an AI generator that creates a first draft of a site from a description, and AI tools for writing text and producing images. Plans include hosting, a domain and basic e-commerce, making it a simple all-in-one option for small sites.
8 Hostinger Website Builder alternativesPros
- Hosting, domain and builder bundled in one plan
- AI generator drafts a first version of the site
- Drag-and-drop editor that is easy for beginners
Cons
- No free plan is available
- Less design flexibility and fewer integrations than larger builders
- Best prices require long upfront commitments
Cost / LicensePaidProprietaryCategoriesPlatformsWebflow is a browser-based visual builder that exposes real HTML and CSS concepts such as boxes, flexbox and classes, so designers can produce custom, responsive sites without writing code. It includes a CMS for structured content, interactions and animations, hosting and localization. It is aimed at designers, agencies and marketing teams who want more control than template builders offer.
9 Webflow alternativesPros
- Visual control over real HTML and CSS concepts
- Flexible CMS for structured content
- Interactions and animations without writing code
Cons
- Steep learning curve for non-designers
- Pricing is complex, with separate site and workspace plans
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesPlatformsFramer is a website builder that works like a design tool: you lay out pages on a canvas, add animations and effects, then publish directly with hosting included. It offers a CMS, localization, built-in analytics and AI features that can generate a starting layout from a prompt. Designers and startups use it for landing pages, portfolios and marketing sites.
12 Framer alternativesPros
- Design-tool canvas with fine control over layout and animation
- Publishing and hosting included in one step
- Built-in CMS, localization and analytics
Cons
- Paid plans get costly as sites grow
- Learning curve for people new to design tools
- Sites stay hosted on Framer, with no official code export
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesCarrd is a minimal builder focused on single-page websites such as personal profiles, link pages, portfolios and product landing pages. You start from a template, edit sections in a straightforward editor and publish to a carrd.co address, or to your own domain on a paid plan. Its deliberately narrow scope makes it very quick to learn.
9 Carrd alternativesPros
- Very quick to learn thanks to a deliberately narrow scope
- Good-looking templates for profiles and landing pages
- Low-cost paid plans unlock custom domains
Cons
- Limited to single-page sites
- No blog or full online store
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesPlatformsDurable is an AI website builder for small businesses and solo service providers. You describe your business and it generates a complete site with copy and images, which you then adjust in a simple editor. Alongside the website it offers tools for running a small business, such as a basic CRM, invoicing and AI-assisted marketing content.
7 Durable alternativesPros
- Generates a full site with copy and images from a short brief
- Simple editor suited to non-technical business owners
- Bundles a basic CRM, invoicing and marketing tools
Cons
- Generated sites look generic without manual editing
- Less design control than traditional website builders
Cost / LicenseFreemiumProprietaryCategoriesPlatforms
WordPress.com vs its alternatives at a glance
Pricing, platforms and the key features of WordPress.com, compared with its most popular alternatives.
| App | Pricing | Platforms | Blogging | Content management (CMS) | Custom domains | Plugins & extensions | SEO settings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 WordPress.com | Freemium | Web, iPhone, Android | |||||
 WordPress | FreeOpen source | iPhone, Android, Self-hosted | |||||
 Wix | Freemium | Web, iPhone, Android | |||||
 Squarespace | Free trial | Web, iPhone, Android | |||||
 Ghost | FreemiumOpen source | Web, Self-hosted | |||||
 Substack | Free | Web, iPhone, Android |
WordPress.com alternatives: frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to WordPress.com?
The most popular alternative to WordPress.com is WordPress: Open source CMS for building websites, blogs and online stores. Other great alternatives are Wix, Squarespace, Ghost, and Substack.
Is there a free alternative to WordPress.com?
Yes, 9 alternatives are free or have a free plan, including WordPress, Wix, Ghost, and Substack.
Is there an open source alternative to WordPress.com?
Yes, 2 open source alternatives are listed, including WordPress and Ghost.
Is WordPress.com free?
WordPress.com has a free plan, with paid plans that unlock more features.
Compare WordPress.com with its alternatives
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