Side by side
Pelican vs WriteFreely
Both stand on blogging platforms. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan LinuxMacWindows
Pelican offers a text-based route to static sites with multiple content formats and deployment options. Its command-line workflow and custom-code theme customization may not suit people seeking a hosted, no-code site builder.
Visit Pelican Free plan APIiPhoneLinux+2
WriteFreely offers a lightweight publishing system with community controls and fediverse support. Use the free self-hosted software for server control, or choose managed Write.as hosting for paid yearly service.
Visit WriteFreelyThe facts
| Pelican | WriteFreely | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Linux, Mac, Windows | API, iPhone, Linux, Self-hosted, Web |
| Lowest paid plan | Not published | Write.as personal blog hosting (managed WriteFreely hosting): $6 a month |
| Plans published | None | 2 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | getpelican.com | writefreely.org |
| On blogging platforms | #49 of 125 | #45 of 125 |
Pelican: what it does well
- Free static site generator
- Accepts Markdown, reStructuredText, and HTML
- Supports themes, multilingual articles, and feeds
- Imports from WordPress, Dotclear, or RSS feeds
- Runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows
What to know first
- No free trial
- Theme customization uses custom code
- Community plugin support and interoperability may vary
WriteFreely: what it does well
- Free and open source under AGPLv3
- Distraction-free editor saves automatically
- Supports Markdown, HTML, media, and MathJax
- ActivityPub federation connects to fediverse platforms
- Provides API publishing and reading access
What to know first
- Self-hosting requires command-line experience
- No built-in memberships
- No blog analytics
- Mac app is marked “soon”
Alternatives to Pelican Alternatives to WriteFreely The whole list