Jekyll vs Write.as

Jekyll is a free, open-source tool that turns plain text into static websites and blogs. It combines Markdown, Liquid, HTML, and CSS with layouts, producing static files ready for deployment. Blog features include permalinks, categories, pages, posts, and custom layouts. A plugin system with hooks can generate content and extend builds without changing Jekyll itself. Community-maintained themes provide templates and styles, and site content can override theme files. Generated sites may be deployed manually, through automation, or with third-party services. GitHub Pages is powered by Jekyll and offers free hosting with custom domain support. Jekyll supports Linux, macOS, Windows, and self-hosted use. Installation requires Ruby 2.7.0 or higher, RubyGems, GCC, and Make. Safe mode requires explicit plugin permission through a whitelist. A volunteer core team maintains the project.

Write.as is a publishing service for blogs and posts, with Markdown and Rich Text editing. It automatically saves work in the browser as users write. Readers can access posts in browsers, by email or RSS, on e-readers and through Mastodon; publishing and reader experiences are ad-free. The Free plan includes one personal blog and three posts per day, but is listed as closed for now. Pro supports up to three blogs on Write.as or a user's own domain; annual billing is $6 a month and monthly billing is $9 a month. Team supports collaborative editing, roles and up to five team members, at $25 a month billed yearly or $30 a month billed monthly. Other listed capabilities include scheduling, memberships, blog analytics, custom-code themes, APIs and command-line publishing. Users can export work or self-host with WriteFreely. The service says it does not track users or gather excessive data, but does not state encryption details or security certifications. Write.as has been founder-owned and operated in New York City since 2015.