btw vs Silex
btw
btw.soSilex
silex.meSide by side
| Figure | btw | Silex |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $8.25/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 9 |
| Spec score · Personal Website Builders | 8.3 (#21) | 8.6 (#11) |
| Headquarters | Singapore | Paris, France |
| Intended users | The maker says btw is for people who want to write online and connect with like-minded individuals. | The maker describes Silex as suited to web professionals building multiple sites, students learning design, teams needing static-site performance, and agencies scaling client work. |
| Open source | The maker describes btw as open source and links to its GitHub repository. | Silex is free and open-source software licensed under AGPL. |
| Self hosting | The GitHub repository says users can use the open source version to self-host btw. | A full multi-site instance can be run from source with Node.js, Docker or a CapRover deployment. |
| Support | The site lists an email contact and a Discord community link. | Users can get community help through chat and forums, report bugs, or purchase support and consulting services. |
Plans
Silex
- CloudFree
- Desktop appFree
- Self-HostedFree
- Cloud with a free gitlab.com accountFree
- Cloud with a free gitlab.com accountFree
- Desktop appFree
- Self-hostedPriced on request
- Self-HostedFree
- Custom developmentPriced on request
In their own words
Silex
Silex is a visual builder for static websites, with a visual editor, CMS integration, and several publishing choices. It is free and open source under the AGPL license, and can be used as a cloud service, desktop app, or self-hosted setup. The Cloud option publishes through GitLab Pages and supports custom domains and automatic CI/CD builds. Listed CMS and data connections include WordPress, Directus, and Squidex; any GraphQL API can also serve as a CMS or data source. Publishing choices include GitLab Pages, FTP/SFTP, ZIP download, and CapRover. The free GitLab tier has a five-user maximum per private group, 400 CI/CD minutes per month per namespace, and 10 GB total storage. Self-hosted GitLab CE has no user or storage limits, according to the maker, and supports Docker, CapRover, or npx. Silex Desktop is an early-alpha app for Windows, macOS, and Linux; it edits offline, publishes to a local folder, and needs no account. An experimental on-device AI assistant is included in the desktop app, and a local MCP server is listed for AI integration. The maker says sites have no tracking or third-party cookies and user data is not for sale. The listed Cloud and Self-Hosted plans are free, and Desktop is free.