Silex vs Universe
Silex
silex.meUniverse
univer.seSide by side
| Figure | Silex | Universe |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $12/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 9 | 4 |
| Spec score · Personal Website Builders | 8.6 (#11) | 7.9 (#30) |
| Headquarters | Paris, France | 51 Nassau Ave 2-F, Brooklyn, NY 11222, United States |
| Integrations | The services page lists WordPress, Directus, and Squidex as available CMS or data integrations, with Strapi and Supabase marked coming soon. | The maker lists Google Analytics, Simple Analytics, Meta Pixel, Google Workspace, Fastmail, and other email providers as integrations. |
| Privacy | The privacy policy says local operation stores files on the user's device and Silex does not collect or store those local files. | The privacy policy says Universe may collect account details, usage logs, cookies, and device information, and may share personal information with service providers to provide its services. |
| Product | Silex is a visual builder for static websites with a visual editor, CMS integration, and hosting options. | Universe is a visual, no-code website builder with a drag-and-drop Grid Editor for building sites on a phone, tablet, or computer. |
| Support | Users can get community help through chat and forums, report bugs, or purchase support and consulting services. | The maker provides a Help Center and support contact; the Complete plan includes a 24-hour response time for human ticket responses. |
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.
Universe
Universe is a visual, no-code website builder centered on a drag-and-drop Grid Editor for making sites on a phone, tablet, or computer. Its stated uses include online stores, portfolios, event pages, blogs, and fan sites. Users can begin with one of hundreds of templates, start from scratch, or use AI to generate website elements. Commerce features cover physical products and digital downloads, inventory, shipping labels, and coupons; Apple Pay and PayPal are listed payment options, and transactions are scanned for fraud. Universe publishes and hosts sites, supplies TLS certificates, and includes DDoS and bot protection. Published sites are automatically optimized for search engines. Users can buy a domain through Universe or connect an existing one, and invite others to manage a site. Integrations include Google Analytics, Simple Analytics, Meta Pixel, Google Workspace, Fastmail, and other email providers. Native iPhone, iPad, and Mac apps are available alongside the web app. The free plan allows 5 pages and up to 1GB of asset storage. Paid plans start at $12 a month; higher tiers offer larger limits and different commerce fees.