Best Self Hosted Alternatives to Framer

Silex is an open-source, visual website builder focused on creating fast static websites while still supporting dynamic data via APIs and CMS integrations. It can be used online or deployed on your own infrastructure, and also allows code-level control when needed.

Key Features

• Drag-and-drop visual editor for building static websites
• Built-in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript editors for advanced customization
• Plugin architecture for extending the editor and adding integrations
• Works well in composable/headless workflows (static front-end with external CMS/API)
• SEO-oriented static output and support for publishing/hosting workflows

Use Cases

• Building marketing sites and landing pages without writing code
• Creating static front-ends backed by a headless CMS or custom APIs
• Web studios producing client sites with a visual workflow and optional code control

Silex is a flexible option for teams and individuals who want a Webflow-like visual experience while keeping output based on web standards and portable static files. Its extensibility and headless-friendly approach make it suitable for modern JAMstack-style deployments.

Contao is an open-source content management system written in PHP that provides a full-featured CMS and web-application framework built on top of the Symfony full-stack framework. It targets professional websites and portals with a focus on accessibility, SEO, performance and predictable long-term support.

Key Features

• Symfony-based architecture with modular bundles and events/hooks for extensibility
• Contao Manager: a graphical Composer frontend for installing, updating and recovering installations
• Built-in SEO capabilities: editable meta tags, schema.org support and automatic XML sitemap generation
• Accessibility focus with compliance guidance for common European accessibility standards
• Performance features including deferred image resizing, support for HTTP/2, ESI and compatibility with HTTP caches (e.g., Varnish)
• Security features: modern password hashing, optional 2FA/passkeys, automatic account lockout and a public security advisory process
• Multi-site and multilingual support plus granular user permissions out of the box
• Managed Edition and Composer/Symfony bundle installation options to support varied deployment workflows

Use Cases

• Building accessible, SEO-optimized corporate websites, microsites and marketing portals
• Multi-language or multi-site deployments where centralized management and fine-grained permissions are required
• Integrating CMS features into existing Symfony applications via Contao’s bundle architecture

Limitations and Considerations

• Official database support is limited to MySQL/MariaDB (Contao uses Doctrine DBAL); other database engines are not officially supported
• Server requirements expect modern PHP versions and extensions; upgrading PHP or dependencies typically requires a Composer update and may require attention to installed third-party extensions

Contao is aimed at teams and agencies that need a stable, extensible CMS with a strong emphasis on accessibility, security and predictable LTS cycles. Its Symfony foundation and Composer-based workflow make it suitable both as a standalone CMS and as an embeddable bundle for Symfony applications.

Zenphoto is a standalone, open-source CMS designed for media-focused websites — primarily photo galleries but also supporting video and audio. It provides a compact admin UI, theme-driven frontends and an integrated Zenpage plugin for blogging and custom pages. (zenphoto.org)

Key Features

• File-system based media management with multi-file upload and dynamic albums (saved searches). (zenphoto.org)
• Native support for images, video and audio formats; integrated Zenpage for news/blogs and custom pages. (zenphoto.org)
• Theme-driven frontend with many official and third-party themes; previewable via an official demo site. (demo.zenphoto.org)
• Search engine with boolean expressions, multimedia metadata handling and album/collection organization. (zenphoto.org)
• Active release cycle with maintenance releases (latest 1.6.x series and recent 1.6.8 release). (github.com)

Use Cases

• Photographers, illustrators and designers hosting portfolio galleries with integrated blog/news pages. (zenphoto.org)
• Small media sites (film makers, musicians) needing a lightweight CMS that handles mixed media formats. (zenphoto.org)
• Developers building custom gallery themes or plugins who want a file-system-first media CMS and extensible plugin hooks. (github.com)

Limitations and Considerations

• Official testing and recommendations are primarily for Apache/PHP environments; non-Apache servers may require extra configuration. Server PHP extensions (GD or Imagick, cURL, mbstring/iconv, etc.) are expected and some are required for full functionality. (zenphoto.org)
• The project maintains compatibility constraints across PHP/MySQL/MariaDB versions; review release notes and requirements before upgrading production installs. (zenphoto.org)

Zenphoto is a compact, purpose-built CMS for creators who need straightforward media gallery management with blogging and theming capabilities. It emphasizes simplicity, file-system media handling and extensibility via themes and plugins, with active community development and an official demo for previewing themes. (zenphoto.org)

CMS Made Simple is an open source content management system for creating and maintaining websites with a focus on usability for editors and flexibility for developers. It provides a straightforward admin interface while supporting custom designs and extensions through a mature module and templating system.

Key Features

• User-friendly admin panel for content editing and site management
• Smarty templating engine for theme and layout development without embedding PHP in templates
• Extensible architecture with modules, tags, and an API for custom functionality
• Design freedom using standard HTML and CSS for building themes
• Ecosystem of third-party add-ons to expand site capabilities

Use Cases

• Company and organization websites with non-technical content editors
• Custom-designed marketing sites requiring full control over templates
• Feature-rich sites built by adding or developing modules (for example forms, galleries, or member areas)

CMS Made Simple is a solid choice when you want a traditional CMS that stays approachable for editors while still enabling developers to deliver fully custom themes and extend functionality through add-ons and custom modules.