Carrd alternatives: 5 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.
Far more CSS control than Carrd and far more self-hosting responsibility.
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 CarrdWebstudio is overpowered for a one-page site and makes a free custom domain a hosting/deployment task.
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 custom-domain visual site on the free plan; comically overpowered for a one-page profile and branded accordingly.
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 CarrdFor a one-page profile, Plasmic is far more complex than Carrd and its free hosted result keeps a platform badge.
setupFree hosted output keeps Plasmic branding; codegen/self-deployment requires a Node/React project and deployment workflow
facts verified 2026-08-10
A visual one-page builder that exports plain HTML and costs nothing; publishing begins with a GitLab login.
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 CarrdSilex creates more publishing and layout work than Carrd's extremely simple one-page workflow.
setupThe stable hosted route starts with a GitLab account; the desktop build is still labelled alpha
facts verified 2026-08-10
Three generated and exportable sites a month for free; the templates retain a faint Bootstrap aftertaste.
licenseproprietary, free
runstheir cloud
installBrowser signup; projects can be hosted by Mobirise or exported as HTML, CSS and JavaScript
enginesProprietary text-to-site, copy, image and video generation; the underlying model providers are not disclosed
dataProjects are saved in the hosted builder; export downloads ordinary HTML, CSS, JavaScript and asset files
the catch vs CarrdMobirise AI is less minimal and predictable than Carrd for a single page, with a three-new-sites-per-month free cap.
setupThe permanent free allowance is capped at three distinct generated/exported projects per month
facts verified 2026-08-10
Three hosted funnels and a custom domain free; perfect when the one-page site is secretly collecting leads.
licenseproprietary, free
runstheir cloud
installHosted signup
dataContacts, funnels, course/community content, orders, emails and uploaded files in systeme.io's vendor-managed cloud; the underlying storage format is not published
the catch vs Carrdsysteme.io is a funnel platform with much less visual control than Carrd, so a simple profile page inherits marketing-oriented structure.
setupSelling requires connecting a payment gateway; the free plan is capped at 2,000 contacts, three funnels, one course, one community and one custom domain
facts verified 2026-08-10
latest recorded source check 2026-08-10 · check current terms at the source
GrapesJSA library for creating builders, not the one-page builder a normal person came to install.
| tool | license | running it | platforms | stars | active |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Webstudio | AGPL-3.0+ | self-host, real ops | web, self-hosted | 8,800 | 2026-08 |
| 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 |
| Mobirise AI | proprietary, free | they host it | web | — | — |
| systeme.io | proprietary, free | they host it | web | — | — |
They pay because the product costs almost nothing and removes all hosting/domain friction. The recorded subscription totals $18.96 a year before any costs of an alternative.
Questions about these alternatives
Is there a free alternative to Carrd?
Yes: Webstudio, Plasmic, Silex and 2 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 Carrd?
Our verdict is YES. A one-page static site generator with forms and custom domains is absolutely vibecodable; Carrd's price is so low that DIY only makes sense for control or learning. Review the scope, implementation prompt and trade-offs in the Carrd build guide.
