Freedom251 › Portfolio Website Builders
Semplice
What Semplice is
Semplice is a WordPress-based portfolio tool and theme for creating portfolio pages or microsites. Its visual editor uses drag-and-drop modules, so users can customize pages without writing code. Design options include portfolio grids, reusable blocks, gallery sliders, custom navigation, animations, and responsive layouts. You can upload self-hosted or variable fonts, add web fonts, and define global typography styles. Semplice supports blogging, custom domains, password-protected projects, Mailchimp, and video embeds for YouTube and Vimeo. Custom CSS or JavaScript can be applied globally or per page, while a code module accepts HTML or JavaScript. It is self-hosted and requires WordPress installed on your server rather than providing hosted service. Requirements include WordPress 6.7+, PHP 7.4+, MySQL 5.6+ or MariaDB 10.0+, and Apache mod_rewrite. Plans are paid once: Single 119.00 USD, Studio 168.00 USD, and Business 699.00 USD.
Who it suits
Semplice suits designers, artists, illustrators, and other creatives building self-hosted portfolios or microsites. It fits users who need custom domains, visual editing, blogging, and private project sharing.
What it does well
- Drag-and-drop editing without code
- Portfolio grids and gallery sliders
- Custom domains and blogging
- Password-protected private projects
- Global or per-page custom code
What to know first
- No free plan
- Requires self-hosted WordPress
- No direct support currently
- Not compatible with WPML or Polylang
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Single | one-time payment · 1 domain · individual creatives · Content Editor · responsive design · custom fonts · fullscreen cover · gallery slider · code module · password-protected projects | $119, paid once |
| Studio | one-time payment · 1 domain · Blocks · Gallery Grid · Before/After module · Advanced Grids · MailChimp module · includes Single features | $168, paid once |
| Business | one-time payment · 10 domains · commercial client use · all Studio features · $69 per license shown | $699, paid once |
As semplice.com lists them, read 15 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Verdict
Semplice combines visual portfolio building with WordPress hosting requirements and extensive typography, layout, and code controls. Check the server requirements and multilingual-plugin limitation before choosing a plan.
Facts from Semplice's own pages
- Animation builder
- A visual timeline supports hover, scroll, click and load animations, animated intros and custom transitions. · semplice.com, 15 Oct 2026
- API and SDK
- The developer material documents CSS, JavaScript, HTML, hacks and shortcodes, but does not present a public REST API or SDK. · semplice.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Audience
- The maker presents Semplice as a portfolio-building product for designers, artists, illustrators, and other creatives. · semplice.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Blog
- Semplice supplies designable blog templates that publish through WordPress. · semplice.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Changelog update
- Version 7.3.5, dated July 13, 2026, fixed page styling that failed to appear on the frontend. · semplice.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Company size and founding
- LinkedIn lists Semplice as a self-employed technology and internet company with 2–10 employees, founded in 2011. · linkedin.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Compatibility limit
- Semplice is currently not compatible with multilingual plugins such as WPML or Polylang. · semplice.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Custom code
- Global or per-page CSS and JavaScript, custom classes and an HTML/JavaScript Code Module are built in for extensions. · semplice.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Custom domain
- Yes · semplice.com, 20 Sept 2026
- Design tools
- Features include portfolio grids, reusable blocks, gallery sliders, custom navigation, animations, and responsive layouts. · semplice.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Documentation
- The help center covers requirements, hosting, installation, editor features, customization, settings, custom-code hacks and troubleshooting, plus video tutorials. · help.semplice.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Ecommerce limit
- Semplice says it is unsuitable for ecommerce or heavy publishing and has no WooCommerce or other ecommerce integration. · help.semplice.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Free plan
- No · semplice.com, 20 Sept 2026
- Hosting model
- Semplice requires WordPress installed on a server; the maker says it does not provide Semplice as a hosted service. · semplice.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- The feature page describes a Mailchimp module and video embed modules for YouTube and Vimeo. · semplice.com, 8 Oct 2026
- Language limit
- The pricing FAQ says Semplice is currently incompatible with WPML and Polylang multilingual plugins. · semplice.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Licence model
- Semplice is proprietary commercial software; its terms restrict copying, redistribution, resale and sublicensing, while allowing access to frontend code and files. · semplice.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: Instagram integration
- A Reddit user says Instagram embedding requires the third-party Behold service rather than a fully native integration. · reddit.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: Jetpack conflicts
- Reddit users report recurring project-page 404 errors associated with Jetpack, rewrite rules or slug conflicts. · reddit.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: learning curve
- Trustpilot reviewers describe a steep learning curve, difficult navigation and a need for coding workarounds for unsupported functions. · trustpilot.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: mobile and blocks
- Trustpilot reviewers report limited preset blocks and mobile layouts that can break words or require extra adjustment. · trustpilot.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: ownership costs
- Cloudways notes that Semplice is WordPress-only and requires separate domain and hosting expenses, making the total cost higher than the license alone. · cloudways.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: support response
- A Reddit user reported waiting ten days for a download link and receiving no response through the contact form or help email. · reddit.com, 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: WooCommerce
- A G2 reviewer reports no WooCommerce integration and says merchandise sales require a separate platform. · g2.com, 15 Oct 2026
Where Semplice stands on Freedom251
- Portfolio Website Builders#69 of 81
- Personal Website Builders#35 of 36