Head-to-head · Static Site Generators
Gatsby vs Nanoc
Gatsby leads on 1 check, Nanoc on 0, and 4 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreGatsby · 9.4/10
- Free planboth
- Most featuresGatsby · 4 of 4
Gatsby scores higher on our rubric for static site generators: 9.4 against 8.4 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #9.
On content sources, Nanoc gives you Database where Gatsby offers Api. Gatsby offers cms integration; Nanoc doesn't.
Gatsby is the better fit for CMS-heavy React sites. Nanoc is the better fit for mature Ruby projects.
- Gatsby fits best
CMS-heavy React sites
- Nanoc fits best
Mature Ruby projects
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Side by side
| Feature | Gatsby 9.4/10 Visit ↗ | Nanoc 8.4/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 9.4 | 8.4 |
| Ranking | #1 in Static Site Generators | #9 in Static Site Generators |
| Best for | CMS-heavy React sites | Mature Ruby projects |
| Pricing model | Free | Free |
| Starting price | Free plan | Free plan |
| Free plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted | Desktop |
| Platforms | Web | macOS, Linux |
| Support | Community, Docs | Community, Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Features Gatsby 4/4 · Nanoc 3/4 | ||
| CMS integration | ✓ (best) | — |
| Incremental builds | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multilingual support | ✓ | ✓ |
| Local preview server | ✓ | ✓ |
| Specs | ||
| Content sources | Api | Database |
| Supported languages | JavaScript, Node.js | Ruby |
| Our review | ||
| Pros |
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| Cons |
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| Our verdict | Gatsby is an open-source, React-based framework for building websites and web applications. It generates static assets at build time, combines content from filesystems, APIs, CMSs, databases, and other services, and exposes that… Read the review → |
Nanoc is a free, open-source command-line static-site generator written in Ruby. It compiles content and layouts into deployable static files for websites ranging from personal blogs and portfolios to corporate sites. Its intended audience… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
Gatsby — where it wins
- GraphQL data layer connects files, APIs, CMSs, databases, and services
- Supports static generation, SSR, DSG, and incremental builds
- Integrates with major CMSs, Shopify, and multilingual routing options
Where it doesn't
- Requires JavaScript and Node.js development
- The broad feature set adds architectural choices for smaller sites
- Gatsby Cloud and Netlify Cloud are directing users to migrate to Netlify
Nanoc — where it wins
- Dependency-aware and incremental compilation with cached content
- Multiple data sources, markup filters, templates, and Ruby helpers
- Live reload, multilingual guidance, issue checks, and deployment targets
Where it doesn't
- Primarily supports macOS and Linux
- Requires Ruby and command-line-oriented local development
- No CMS integration is included
- Gatsby9.4/10 · Free plan
A broad React framework for static, dynamic, multilingual, and CMS-connected sites.
Visit GatsbyFull verdict → - Nanoc8.4/10 · Free plan
A free, open-source choice for Ruby developers building compiled static sites.
Visit NanocFull verdict →
More comparisons
All static site generators comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update