Carbonmade alternatives: 4 free & open-source picks
Compare recorded free and open-source options, their capabilities and operating requirements. Source dates are shown below; licenses, hosted limits and project activity can change.
Open-source visual design with real CSS control; self-hosting replaces Carbonmade's calm with operations.
licenseAGPL-3.0+
runsyour machine or their cloud
installHosted signup or desktop app; alternatively export the project or deploy the self-hosted builder/site
enginesWebstudio Inception AI and MCP integrations; the hosted model provider is not named in official documentation
dataProjects and assets live in Webstudio Cloud when hosted there; export/self-host routes produce source or static assets under the user's deployment
the catch vs CarbonmadeWebstudio has no portfolio-specific onboarding, discovery network or calm managed handoff comparable to Carbonmade.
setupThe free cloud plan publishes only to a Webstudio subdomain; a free custom domain requires export or self-hosting
facts verified 2026-08-10
A desktop portfolio publisher that produces a fast static site; hosting is your problem, server maintenance is not.
licenseGPL-3.0
runson your machine
installInstall the native Windows/macOS package or Linux AppImage
dataSource content and media in a user-selected local Sites Location; publishing generates static HTML, CSS and assets, with optional local backup archives
the catch vs CarbonmadePublii has no hosted portfolio service, discovery network or portfolio-specific presentation layer; publishing and hosting are separate.
setupPublishing still needs separate hosting plus SFTP, GitHub or Netlify credentials/configuration
facts verified 2026-08-10
A hosted visual portfolio with full layout freedom and a custom domain free; the Plasmic badge stays.
licenseMIT AND AGPL-3.0
runsyour machine or their cloud
installHosted signup; optional npm-installed Plasmic CLI for React code generation and deployment in your own repository
enginesPlasmic AI (beta); the official site does not name its underlying model provider
dataHosted projects and CMS records in Plasmic Cloud; codegen writes React components plus plasmic.json and plasmic.lock into the user's repository
the catch vs CarbonmadePlasmic lacks Carbonmade's ready-made portfolio onboarding, project-presentation defaults and creative discovery network.
setupFree hosted output keeps Plasmic branding; codegen/self-deployment requires a Node/React project and deployment workflow
facts verified 2026-08-10
A free visual builder that exports ordinary HTML; portfolio templates are less polished but your files are yours.
licenseAGPL-3.0+
runsyour machine or their cloud
installUse the hosted editor with a GitLab login, install the desktop alpha, or run the official Docker setup
enginesOptional desktop MCP workflow can connect to Ollama, OpenCode, Goose or Claude Code
dataProject JSON and assets in GitLab, FTP or local storage; publishing produces ordinary static HTML, CSS and JavaScript
the catch vs CarbonmadeSilex supplies fewer polished portfolio templates and none of Carbonmade's discovery or portfolio-specific guidance.
setupThe stable hosted route starts with a GitLab account; the desktop build is still labelled alpha
facts verified 2026-08-10
latest recorded source check 2026-08-10 · check current terms at the source
GrapesJSEveryone recommends it because the demo looks finished; the repo is an embeddable framework you must turn into a product.
| tool | license | running it | platforms | stars | active |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Webstudio | AGPL-3.0+ | self-host, real ops | web, self-hosted | 8,800 | 2026-08 |
| Publii | GPL-3.0 | one-click install | macos, windows, linux | 7,300 | 2026-07 |
| Plasmic | MIT AND AGPL-3.0 | they host it | web, self-hosted | 6,900 | 2026-08 |
| Silex | AGPL-3.0+ | they host it | web, self-hosted | 2,919 | 2026-08 |
Carbonmade: A single site is easy to code. People pay for safe ongoing edits, templates, publishing, domains, collaboration, and no-maintenance hosting.
Questions about these alternatives
Is there a free alternative to Carbonmade?
Yes: Webstudio, Publii, Plasmic and 1 more. These are recorded free or open-source options. Compare their feature limits, licenses, hosting costs and current availability before choosing.
Should I just build my own Carbonmade?
Our verdict is KINDA. The visible portfolio builder loop is buildable, but a credible replacement needs more than the first screen. Carbonmade earns its keep through editor, CMS, hosting, polish, so expect a weekend or multi-day build and a narrower personal scope. Review the scope, implementation prompt and trade-offs in the Carbonmade build guide.
