Silex vs Website.com
Silex
silex.meWebsite.com
website.comSide by side
| Figure | Silex | Website.com |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $4/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 9 | 7 |
| Spec score · Website builders | 8.8 (#17) | 9.1 (#6) |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Headquarters | Paris, France | Vancouver, Canada (the vendor identifies this as the location of its hosting servers, not its headquarters). |
| Integrations | The services page lists WordPress, Directus, and Squidex as available CMS or data integrations, with Strapi and Supabase marked coming soon. | Listed integrations and embeds include Google Analytics, social media links, Facebook Messenger chat, YouTube, Vimeo, and SoundCloud. |
| Licence | Silex is released as free/libre software under the GNU AGPL licence. | The terms prohibit reverse engineering, reverse compiling and deriving source code or service structure, indicating a proprietary closed service. |
| 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 usage data is collected for service delivery, analytics, fraud prevention and security investigations, with sharing limited to service providers performing contracted tasks. |
| Product | Silex is a visual builder for static websites with a visual editor, CMS integration, and hosting options. | Website.com provides a website builder for creating and hosting websites, online stores, and business sites. |
| Rating on G2 | 4.5 out of 5 from 3 reviews | 3.6 out of 5 from 16 reviews |
| Rating on Trustpilot | 4.5 out of 5 from 8 reviews | 3.5 out of 5 from 40 reviews |
| Support | Users can get community help through chat and forums, report bugs, or purchase support and consulting services. | Premium plans include support, and the pricing page says live support is available by telephone, chat, or tickets. |
| System requirements | Node-based installations require Node.js 20 or newer and pnpm; the GitLab connector requires GitLab 16 or newer. | The FAQ says users need only an internet connection and web browser; no software installation is required. |
| What it does | Silex is a free visual builder for static websites that can also display dynamic data. | Website.com is a hosted, point-and-click website builder aimed at individuals and small businesses, with hosting, domains, email, stores and scheduling. |
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
Website.com
- Personal$4 a month
- Elite$7 a month
- Business Basic$15 a month
- Business Standard$20 a month
- Business Advanced$25 a month
- Free PlanFree
- Free Website Plan (30-day trial)Free
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.
Website.com
Website.com is a website builder for creating and hosting websites, online stores, and business sites. Its prebuilt layouts and more than 500 customizable templates are intended for users without coding experience. The editor works on Android, iOS, and the web, and the company says users can build a whole site from a phone. Listed tools include custom domains, contact forms, SEO controls, blogging, online stores, and booking and scheduling features; store and booking limits vary by plan. Integrations and embeds include Google Analytics, social media links, Facebook Messenger chat, YouTube, Vimeo, and SoundCloud. Hosting is included with free and premium plans, and paid plans list HTTPS security. The free option is a 30-day trial with no credit card required; it ends automatically if you do not upgrade. Personal costs $4 a month, Elite $7 a month, Business Basic $15 a month, Business Standard $20 a month, and Business Advanced $25 a month. Yearly premium plans include a year of domain registration for selected extensions.