KilnKiln
Pricing

100% free to run yourself. Your repo stays yours.

Kiln is free and open source to self-host. The two paid tiers take the infrastructure off your plate: we run the sign-in & commit worker and the GitHub App, so there is no worker for you to deploy or look after. Your site lives in your own GitHub repository on all three.

Run it yourself

Self-hosted

Free forever. Open source, GNU AGPL-3.0.

$0forever

No account, no card. The two pieces you run sit on free tiers.

  • Every editor feature, no limits
  • You deploy the sign-in worker and your own GitHub App — the npx wizard automates both
  • You keep the repo, the host, and the editor files
  • Community support on GitHub
Install steps
We run the worker

Kiln Cloud

Self-serve, for people who can prep their own site.

$4.99/ month per site

7-day free trial, no card to start. Monthly, recurring. Cancel any time.

  • Run npx github:kilncms/kiln#release on your repo and add two script tags to your pages. You choose what's editable: auto-tag a first pass, click-to-tag in the browser, or use your AI
  • On-page visual editing of your live website
  • Changes committed straight to your own GitHub repository
  • Invite editors, plus drafts, edit history, and scheduled publishing
  • No servers to run — we host the worker and the app
Start your free trial
Done for you

Fully managed

For people who want it set up for them.

$14.99/ month per site

7-day free trial, no card to start. Monthly, recurring. Cancel any time.

  • Everything in Kiln Cloud
  • We set up your existing site on Kiln for you — you don't touch any code
  • Hosted editing and priority support
  • Email forwarding on your domain — we set up you@yourdomain.com → your inbox at onboarding (receive-only)
  • Your content still lives in your own GitHub repository
  • Optional Concierge setup & tagging: a one-time $399 — we hand-tag everything (tables included), configure menus and per-editor access with you, and include one revision round after a week of real use
Start your free trial
Billing is monthly and recurring, and you can cancel any time to stop future renewals. Payments are securely processed by Lemon Squeezy, our authorized reseller and merchant of record. You sign up and subscribe from the Kiln dashboard; see our Refund Policy, Terms of Service, and Privacy Policy for the details. New here? The Get started guide walks you from repo to editing in six steps.

Prefer to run it yourself?

Kiln is open source. Self-hosting is free forever — you run the worker and your own GitHub App, and you keep the repo and host. The two paid plans simply take that infrastructure off your plate.

Compare the routes on Self-hosted (free), Kiln Cloud ($4.99/mo), and Fully managed ($14.99/mo). Your content lives in a GitHub repository you keep on all three, so changing routes later never moves your site. The sign-in setup and your list of editors are redone on the new route: what that takes.

Billing questions.

Who charges my card?

Lemon Squeezy is our merchant of record and authorized reseller. Your subscription and payment are processed by Lemon Squeezy; their name appears on your statement and receipts.

Can I cancel any time?

Yes. Subscriptions are monthly and renew automatically until you cancel. Cancelling stops future renewals; you keep access through the end of the period you already paid for.

What about refunds?

Refunds are handled through Lemon Squeezy. See our Refund Policy for how to request one.

Do I keep my website if I leave?

Always. Your site is plain HTML in your own GitHub repository, and every edit is a commit to that repository. If you cancel, the content is already yours — nothing to export, nothing to move.

What is the difference between the plans?

Self-hosted is free: you deploy the sign-in & commit worker and your own GitHub App (the wizard automates both) and keep everything on your own accounts. Kiln Cloud ($4.99/mo) is self-serve: one command (npx github:kilncms/kiln#release) copies the Kiln files into your repo, you add two script tags to your pages, install our GitHub App on the repo and subscribe. We run the worker, the app, and Google sign-in for your editors, while your repo and host stay yours. Fully managed ($14.99/mo) is done for you: we set your existing site up on Kiln, host it, and set up receive-only email forwarding on your domain at onboarding — you never touch code, with priority support. All three commit to your own GitHub repository.

Is there a free trial?

Yes. Both Kiln Cloud and Fully managed include a 7-day free trial. It starts when you add your site in the Kiln dashboard, with no card, and you can edit straight away. You are charged only if you subscribe, which you can do from the dashboard at any point. If you have not subscribed when the 7 days are up, editing switches off until you do; your site and your repo are not touched. The 7 days belong to the site's address, so removing a site and adding it again does not restart them.