Cargo vs Silex
Cargo
cargo.siteSilex
silex.meSide by side
| Figure | Cargo | Silex |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $2/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 13 | 9 |
| Spec score · Website Design Software | 9.1 (#4) | 8.7 (#11) |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Rating on G2 | 4.3 out of 5 from 2 reviews | 4.5 out of 5 from 3 reviews |
| Rating on Trustpilot | 1.9 out of 5 from 17 reviews | 4.5 out of 5 from 8 reviews |
| What it does | Cargo is a site-building platform aimed at designers and artists for portfolios, presentations, idea boards, profile sites and shops. | Silex is a free visual builder for static websites that can also display dynamic data. |
Plans
Cargo
- Cargo subscription — annual billing$14 a month
- Cargo subscription — monthly billing$19 a month
- Additional custom-domain connection — annual billing$2 a month
- Additional custom-domain connection — monthly billing$3 a month
- Cargo Commerce add-on — annual billing$5.50 a month
- Cargo Commerce add-on — monthly billing$9 a month
- Student useFree
- Additional custom-domain connection (annual billing)$2 a month
- Additional custom-domain connection (monthly billing)$3 a month
- Cargo Commerce add-on (annual billing)$5.50 a month
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.