Masthead

Claimed

The website defines its own CMS

From $5/mo (free plan available)

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Tracked since2026

The Bottom Line

Updated Oct 5, 2026

Best for: Masthead is best for websites where the person building the website isn't the person managing it.
Price: From $5/mo (free plan available). Compare plans

Key facts

Open source & self-hostable — Run Masthead yourself or use the hosted version.
The website defines its own CMS — Themes define both the site and its editing experience.
Built for websites managed by their owners — Developers control the complexity; owners get a focused interface.

Not for

If you want to build your website by dragging things around a canvas, Masthead probably isn't for you.

What is Masthead?

On Masthead, whoever builds a website also decides how it gets managed. The theme declares what its owner can change. Masthead turns that into the site's admin, then hosts, publishes and serves the site.

Available on: Web

LCLouis CorneloupUpdated Oct 5, 2026 · how we evaluateSourcemasthead.site ↗

Key Features

Theme-defined editing
Content-first publishing
Custom domains
Reusable themes
Multi-site management
Open source & self-hostable

Pricing Plans

Free Trial

Pricing checked Oct 5, 2026

Masthead plans and prices, checked October 2026
Plan	Price	Details
Paid	$5/month	Your own custom domain — apex or subdomain TLS certificates provisioned automatically Invite collaborators to the site +1 moreShow less Website Visitor Statistics

View full pricing

Is Masthead worth the price?

Good value

At $5/month, Masthead is exceptionally affordable for a CMS with custom domain, automatic TLS, and collaborator support.

This is far cheaper than most mainstream website builders, making it a generous deal for users who need a simple, professional web presence without extra bells and whistles. Best suited for solo creators, small blogs, or hobbyists who prioritize low cost over advanced features.

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Best Masthead Alternatives

Top alternatives based on features, pricing, and user needs.

View full list →

WordPressFree

Build any site, from blogs to e-commerce, with a flexible CMS

3.5

SanityFreemium

Structure content as data for any application

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Agility CMSPaid

Empower teams to launch digital experiences faster with intuitive tools and flexible integrations.

4.3

October CMSFreemium

The Laravel-based CMS engineered for simplicity, designed by developers for developers.

4.7

GhostFreemium

Professional publishing platform

3.9

CloudCannonPaid

A Git-based CMS built for speed, security, and zero headaches, scaling with your website needs.

4.8

GravPaid

Build faster websites with a modern open-source flat-file content management system.

See all CMS tools →

Still deciding?

Most buyers shortlist 2 or 3 tools before committing. Pull a side-by-side comparison or browse the full alternatives shortlist below.

All Masthead alternatives7+ tools ranked, pricing + verdict per pick Masthead vs WordPressHead-to-head: features, pricing, who wins Masthead vs SanityHead-to-head: features, pricing, who wins Masthead vs Agility CMSHead-to-head: features, pricing, who wins

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Masthead FAQ

What is Masthead?

Masthead is the layer between a website and the person who manages it. A website's theme declares what its owner can change; Masthead turns that declaration into the site's admin and runs the site: hosting, domains, content storage and publishing.

How is Masthead different from WordPress?

A WordPress theme changes how a site looks inside an admin that stays the same, and new capabilities arrive as plugins. A Masthead theme also defines the admin: which settings exist, which fields posts and pages carry, and which page types can be created. There are no plugins, so the owner sees what the theme exposes and nothing else.

Can I build my own theme?

Yes. Start from the starter template, write the templates in Liquid, describe the settings in manifest.json and upload the zip. Keep it for your own sites or publish it to the marketplace.

Do I need to know how to code?

Not to manage a site: owners write in Markdown, or HTML if they prefer, and fill in the fields their theme provides. Building a theme takes HTML, CSS and Liquid.

Can an agency use Masthead for client websites?

That is one of the cases it's designed for. Build the theme, decide exactly what the client can change, connect their domain and invite them to the site. The client gets an admin that contains their website and nothing else. Custom domains, collaborators and statistics come with a site license.

Can I use my own domain?

Yes, with a site license. Point the domain at Masthead and it verifies ownership and provisions the TLS certificate. Every site also gets a free masthead.site subdomain with HTTPS.

Source: masthead.site

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