Side by side
Mela vs Ratals CMS
Both stand on agency website builders. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan APIWeb
Mela combines multi-site content management with site-level forms, analytics, localization, and developer tooling. Check the Free plan's site and member limits, and note that email sending and the listed form integrations require separate options.
Visit Mela Free plan Self-hostedWeb
Ratals CMS combines site building, forms, multi-site management, and URL-level search controls. The free CMS plan has no listed price, while Ratals Commerce is $79 a month and includes CMS.
Visit Ratals CMSThe facts
| Mela | Ratals CMS | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | API, Web | Self-hosted, Web |
| Lowest paid plan | Pro: $33 a month | Ratals Commerce: $79 a month |
| Plans published | 3 | 4 |
| Maker | Not published | Ratals CMS |
| Website | usemela.com | ratals.com |
| On agency website builders | #8 of 30 | #12 of 30 |
Mela: what it does well
- Sites are live and editable when created.
- Every site includes forms, a submissions inbox, and analytics.
- Includes localization, SEO controls, redirects, and role-based access.
- Free plan includes one site and two locales.
What to know first
- Free plan is limited to one organization member.
- Email Builder does not send emails.
- Email Builder lacks contact lists, scheduling, and engagement tracking.
- Brevo, Mailchimp, and Resend form connections cost $9/mo as add-ons.
Ratals CMS: what it does well
- Apache 2.0 core permits commercial modification and deployment.
- Sub-Item builder assembles page sections without developer work.
- One installation can manage multiple websites.
- Built-in forms support product and quote requests.
- Admin area provides one-click updates.
What to know first
- Ratals Commerce costs $79 a month.
- Download requires PHP 8.1+ and MySQL 8.0+.
Alternatives to Mela Alternatives to Ratals CMS The whole list