Silex review
A free visual editor for static sites, with CMS connections and self-hosting options.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Silex is a free, open-source visual website builder for creating static sites with HTML and CSS. It is aimed at web professionals, designers, students, teams, and agencies making portfolios, blogs, or client websites. The online editor provides standard builder features, while desktop apps are available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Its focus is visual editing and static publishing rather than a bundled, managed website service.
Content-heavy static sites are a distinctive fit. Silex connects to WordPress, Directus, Squidex, Strapi, Supabase, and GraphQL APIs, and can generate dynamic lists and collection pages from content. Publishing uses static HTML and CSS with Eleventy. Sites can be hosted through GitLab Pages with a custom domain, or published through FTP/SFTP or ZIP download; CapRover is also listed as an integration. This gives teams options to match an existing content workflow, but requires choosing and managing a publishing route rather than relying on one all-in-one hosting arrangement.
The Cloud plan costs $0 forever and includes standard builder features, GitLab Pages hosting, custom domains, CMS integrations, collaboration, and versioning. The Desktop app is also $0 forever, works offline without an account, includes all Silex features, and supports local-folder publishing and a local MCP server for AI integration. Self-Hosted is $0 plus server, with all features, custom storage backends, and self-managed infrastructure. AI-assisted editing is described as alpha or early prototype, and the desktop app is early alpha. Pick Silex if open-source control, CMS-driven static pages, or self-hosting matter; choose another builder if you want a mature desktop app or a managed, end-to-end site service.
Silex pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Build static websites visually and publish HTML and CSS with Eleventy.
- Connect CMS and API sources to create dynamic lists and collection pages.
- Edit offline with the desktop app or self-host on your own infrastructure.
- Where it doesn't
- The desktop app is described as early alpha.
- AI-assisted page and style editing is an early-prototype capability.
- Self-hosting requires server infrastructure you manage.
Silex fact sheet, pricing and score →
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