HTMLy
Databaseless PHP blogging platform. A flat-file CMS that allows you to create a fast, secure, and powerful website or blog in seconds.
HTMLy vs WriteFreely
Two self-hosted Blogging Platforms apps, compared on the facts we track: GitHub popularity and activity, license, language, Docker images and a rough hosting estimate.
Side by side
| HTMLy | WriteFreely | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | Databaseless PHP blogging platform. A flat-file CMS that allows you to create a fast, secure, and powerful website or blog in seconds. | Writing software for starting a minimalist, federated blog — or an entire community. |
| GitHub stars | 1,367 | 5,283 |
| Forks | – | – |
| Open issues | – | – |
| Commits (12 months) | 52 | 206 |
| Last activity | 2026-01-25 | 2026-09-28 |
| Latest release | v3.1.1 (2025-11-03) | v0.17.2 (2026-08-10) |
| Maintenance health | Maintained | Active |
| License | GPL-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language / platform | PHP | Go |
| Docker Hub image | – | – |
| Docker pulls | – | – |
| Est. server size | ~1 GB, 1 vCPU | ~512 MB, 1 vCPU |
| Est. hosting from | $5/mo | $3.5/mo |
| Categories | Blogging Platforms, Content Management Systems (CMS) | Blogging Platforms |
| Links | Website · Source | Website · Source |
What the numbers say
- WriteFreely is more popular on GitHub: 5.3k stars vs 1.4k for HTMLy.
- WriteFreely had more commits in the last 12 months (206 vs 52).
- WriteFreely has more recent repository activity (2026-09-28 vs 2026-01-25).
- WriteFreely published a release more recently (v0.17.2 on 2026-08-10; HTMLy's latest is v3.1.1 on 2025-11-03).
- HTMLy is licensed under GPL-2.0, WriteFreely under AGPL-3.0.
- HTMLy is written in PHP; WriteFreely in Go.
- Our rough hardware estimate is lighter for WriteFreely (~512 MB server) than HTMLy (~1 GB); this is an estimate from the stack and category, not a benchmark.
Summary: WriteFreely leads on GitHub popularity, commit activity and recent activity. The right choice depends on the features you need — read both project descriptions and docs.
This summary is generated from GitHub, Docker Hub and awesome-selfhosted data as of 2026-11-05. It does not rate features or quality.
Frequently asked questions
Is HTMLy or WriteFreely more popular?
WriteFreely has more GitHub stars (5,283 vs 1,367 for HTMLy, as of 2026-11-05). Stars measure interest, not quality.
Which is more actively maintained, HTMLy or WriteFreely?
WriteFreely had more commits over the last 12 months (206 vs 52). The last recorded activity was 2026-01-25 for HTMLy and 2026-09-28 for WriteFreely. Our health labels: HTMLy is “Maintained”, WriteFreely is “Active”.
What licenses do HTMLy and WriteFreely use?
HTMLy: GPL-2.0. WriteFreely: AGPL-3.0.
Can I run HTMLy and WriteFreely with Docker?
We did not detect a Docker Hub image for either app. Check each project's documentation for install options.
Read more
WriteFreely
Writing software for starting a minimalist, federated blog — or an entire community.
Browse all self-hosted Blogging Platforms apps.