Kiln
Kiln: A low-cost Git-based CMS with visual editing, approvals, and version control. Ranked #9 of 23 in Git-Based CMS by our editors (8.5/10); pricing: Free plan · 7-day trial; best for low-cost sites needing approvals and versions.
At a glance
- Editor score8.5 / 10
- PricingFree plan · 7-day trial
- Best forLow-cost sites needing approvals and versions
- Free planYes
- Paid from$4.99/site/mo
- Visual editorYes
- Facts checked20 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Free forever self-hosted plan under AGPL-3.0
- Inline editing with drafts, scheduling, approvals, and comments
- Named versions, restore previews, and advanced media handling
Where it doesn't
- Git-provider support is limited to GitHub
- Self-hosting requires running the worker and GitHub App
- Managed pricing is charged per site per month
Our verdict on Kiln
Kiln is an open-source CMS for static websites that lets editors change text and media directly on the page. Content is stored as plain HTML or content files in a GitHub repository, and each publish is recorded as a Git commit. It is suited to teams that want visual editing while keeping Git history, review controls, and repository ownership. Its feature set also covers blocks, tables, galleries, events, members-only pages and files, REST API access, and MCP access.
The pricing structure gives teams three operating models. Self-hosted is free forever and includes the AGPL-3.0 open-source software, while the customer runs the worker and GitHub App and provides the site host. Kiln Cloud costs $4.99 per site per month, with hosted sign-in and a hosted commit worker; the repository and hosting remain with the customer, and the plan includes a 7-day free trial. Fully managed costs $14.99 per site per month, with Kiln handling setup and hosting while content remains in the repository. The paid plans include 7-day free trials.
Kiln fits deployments built around GitHub and supports Cloudflare Workers, Cloudflare Pages, Vercel, Netlify, and GitHub Pages, along with Google sign-in. Editors can use suggest-only editing, reviewer comments, scoped access to pages or sections, named versions, and side-by-side restore previews. Image and document replacement includes compression and resizing. The main boundary is its GitHub-centered workflow: teams using another Git provider should choose a different CMS. Teams that want static-site publishing, approvals, and Git-based history at a low cost should consider Kiln, while teams seeking a provider-agnostic Git workflow should look elsewhere.
Your product? Our editors can test Kiln in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →
Kiln pricing
Kiln fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | $4.99/site/mo |
| Visual editor | Yes |
| Live preview | Yes |
| Git providers | Github |
| Content workflow | Approval |
| Media management | Advanced |
| Deployment method | Git_commit |
| Hosting model | Both |
| Free trial | 7 days |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Web |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 7 integrations: GitHub, Cloudflare Workers, Cloudflare Pages, Vercel, Netlify, GitHub Pages … |
| Pricing | Free plan · 7-day trial (source) |
| Website | kilncms.com |
| Facts checked | 20 Sep 2026 |
Kiln integrations
Kiln lists 7 integrations on its own site.
- GitHub
- Cloudflare Workers
- Cloudflare Pages
- Vercel
- Netlify
- GitHub Pages
- Google sign-in
Alternatives to Kiln
- CloudCannonA full editorial layer for teams managing static sites through Git.9.4
- CrafterCMSA broad Git-based CMS for enterprise teams that need APIs, workflows, and localization.9.2
- Decap CMSA flexible free Git CMS for teams building and editing static-site content.9.1
Also Ranked In
Kiln is ranked in 3 of our directories.
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Featured on iTechGuides
Kiln is listed in our Git-Based CMS directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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