Movable Type
Movable Type: A configurable CMS for organizations that need structured, controlled publishing. Ranked #42 of 125 in Blogging Platforms by our editors (5.2/10); pricing: 7-day trial; best for organizations needing advanced publishing controls.
At a glance
- Editor score5.2 / 10
- Pricing7-day trial
- Best forOrganizations needing advanced publishing controls
- Free planNo
- Paid from$499/yr
- Custom domainYes
- Founded2001 · Tokyo, Japan
- Facts checked21 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Scheduled publishing and expiration for entries and pages
- Detailed permissions, custom fields, and multilingual publishing
- Static and dynamic publishing with reusable templates and an API
Where it doesn't
- No free plan; the trial applies to the AMI Edition
- No integrations are supplied
- Self-managed deployments require server installation and administration
Our verdict on Movable Type
Movable Type is a self-hosted CMS and blogging platform from Six Apart Ltd. for organizations publishing websites and blogs, from small and medium-sized businesses to large enterprises. Its feature set is aimed at teams that need more control than basic post publishing: entries and pages can be scheduled or set to expire, publishing can be static or dynamic, and users can work with custom fields, reusable templates, asset management, roles, and detailed permissions. Multilingual publishing and a REST/JSON Data API extend its fit for structured editorial environments.
The published plans show two AMI Edition options for Movable Type on Amazon EC2: $0.07 per hour or $499 per year with annual billing. The AMI Edition also has a 7-day trial. Pro Unlimited is listed at $499 as a one-time plan with annual billing, supporting one server and unlimited users, with updates and upgrades included for one year. This gives buyers a choice between hourly or annual cloud-instance usage and a software license for a self-managed deployment. There is no free plan, so the product is better suited to organizations with a defined publishing budget and an operational plan for hosting.
Movable Type’s strongest case is depth of publishing control. Custom fields cover content, assets, categories, blogs, websites, and users, while its custom template language supports reusable presentation systems. Asset uploads include drag-and-drop uploads and image editing, and the API can support connected workflows. The tradeoff is ecosystem breadth: no integrations are supplied, so organizations looking for an out-of-the-box connected platform should consider an alternative. Choose Movable Type for permission-sensitive, multilingual publishing with flexible deployment options; choose elsewhere if minimal administration or a broad built-in integration set is the priority.
Your product? Our editors can test Movable Type in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →
Movable Type pricing
All 3 Movable Type plans and prices →
Movable Type fact sheet
| Free plan | No |
|---|---|
| Paid from | $499/yr |
| Custom domain | Yes |
| Author limit | Not verified |
| Theme customization | Custom code |
| Post scheduling | Yes |
| Built-in memberships | Not verified |
| Blog analytics | Not verified |
| Free trial | 7 days |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Support | Email, Docs |
| Built for | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Pricing | 7-day trial (source) |
| Website | movabletype.com |
| Facts checked | 21 Sep 2026 |
Alternatives to Movable Type
- WordPress.comAn all-in-one hosted platform with free publishing and scalable paid plans.9.4
- WordPressA highly configurable publishing system for teams that can manage self-hosted infrastructure.9.3
- GhostA flexible publishing platform for newsletters, memberships, gated content, and paid subscriptions.9.0
See all Movable Type alternatives →
Used Movable Type? Be the first to review it
The editor score above is our own research. What this page doesn't have yet is a reader's view — what you used Movable Type for, what worked and what didn't. No stars are seeded and no review is paid for; an editor reads every one before it appears.
Write a reviewTwo minutes · verified accounts only · read by an editor before it appears
Featured on iTechGuides
Movable Type is listed in our Blogging Platforms directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.
<a href="https://www.itechguides.com/products/movable-type/"><img src="https://www.itechguides.com/best/badge/movable-type.svg" alt="Featured on iTechGuides" width="230" height="46"></a>
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
Last updated · How we research and update