head to head · open source
Builder vs Silex
Builder has 8,881 GitHub stars, 1,171 forks, 148 open issues and last shipped 4 days ago. Silex has 3,025 stars, 698 forks, 70 open issues and last shipped 4 days ago. Builder leads on adoption by 194% (8,881 vs 3,025 stars). Builder is written in TypeScript under MIT; Silex is written in TypeScript under AGPL-3.0. Builder has attracted 13% as many forks as stars, Silex 23%. Builder was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (nocode), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| Builder | Silex | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 8.9K | ★ 3.0K |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-10-30 | 2026-10-30 |
| Forks | ⑂ 1.2K | ⑂ 698 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Builder if
- You weight community size — 8.9K stars and counting
- You want the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick Silex if
- You want the Silex feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the AGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You evaluated both and Silex fits your workflow better
About Builder
Visual Development On Any Stack Turn Figma designs into code. Drag and drop your components. Publish with a click. How the Builder.io platform works Builder connects to your existing site or app, so you can visually edit and generate code using your existing components. Use Figma designs or our drag and drop editor. Export your code or publish your updates via our SDKs. Read more about How Builder works. Try it out Sign up for a free account to dive right in. What's in this repository This repo houses all of the various SDKs, usage examples, starter projects, and plugins. Join the community Questions, requests…
read the full Builder overview →
About Silex
Silex — the visual builder for static sites The web belongs to everyone. Silex is a free/libre visual website builder — no lock in, no subscription, no tracking. Design visually, export clean HTML/CSS, host anywhere. Try Silex online Documentation Download the desktop app Manifesto Why Silex? Most no code tools lock you in: proprietary formats, forced hosting, subscriptions. Silex is different. Your data is yours — standard HTML/CSS output, export everything, host anywhere, leave anytime Real web skills — everything you learn in Silex (HTML, CSS, JAMstack) is transferable knowledge Community owned — maintained…
read the full Silex overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Builder or Silex more popular?
Builder has 8,881 GitHub stars and Silex has 3,025. Builder has the larger community by that measure.
Are Builder and Silex free?
Both are open source. Builder is licensed under MIT and Silex under AGPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Builder and Silex?
Builder is written in TypeScript and Silex in TypeScript. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, Builder or Silex?
Choose Builder if you want the larger community (8,881 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose Silex if its feature set, stack or AGPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.