Side by side
Lume vs Zola
Both stand on static site generators. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan Self-hostedWeb
Lume offers a free Deno-based route to static sites with extensible formats, processors and plugins. Its static-only output is an important constraint for projects that need interactive features.
Visit Lume Free plan LinuxMacSelf-hosted+1
Zola provides a free route from Markdown to static HTML, with built-in styling and highlighting tools. Note the PowerShell ISE limitation and the different licenses for newer and earlier code.
Visit ZolaThe facts
| Lume | Zola | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Self-hosted, Web | Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | lume.land | getzola.org |
| On static site generators | #12 of 35 | #8 of 35 |
Lume: what it does well
- Free plan is available.
- Supports multiple content and template formats.
- Plugins add SEO and image-processing options.
- Content stays in movable repository files.
- Supports deployment to several listed hosts.
What to know first
- Deno must be installed before setup.
- Generates static websites only.
- Interactive features need separate approaches or integrations.
Zola: what it does well
- Distributed as a single executable.
- Includes Sass compilation and syntax highlighting.
- Supports multilingual sites and custom taxonomies.
- Search can run without servers or third parties.
- Deployment guides cover four named services.
What to know first
- Does not work in Windows PowerShell ISE.
- Prebuilt binaries are listed for macOS, Linux and Windows.
- Code after version 0.22 uses a different license from earlier code.