Blocs vs Publii (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Publii grades higher than Blocs: 2.8 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Publii grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money, features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Blocs
Visual website builder for Mac that exports code you host yourself
Which one is for you
Pick Blocs if
- Fits if you own a Mac and want to build a Bootstrap site you host yourself
- Works for people who prefer one payment to a subscription
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use Windows or Linux, as the editor is Mac only
- Tight if you stay free: no code export and no publishing
- Pricey if you want WordPress themes or custom interactions, which are Plus at $179.99
- Watch out: no hosting is included, and e-commerce needs third-party integrations
- Watch out: moving from Blocs 5 to 6 is a paid upgrade
Pick Publii if
- Fits if you want a free site editor and already have or will pick a host
- Works for people who like keeping site files on their own computer
Look elsewhere if
- Watch out: you must arrange and pay for your own hosting
- Watch out: premium themes and plugins are paid extras
- Not for you if you need shop, login or database features, as the output is static
- Tight if several people edit one site, as content lives on one computer
How we grade them
| 2.4GPABlocsFair | 2.8GPAPubliiGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A$112.99 one-time for Standard, under a year of the category's middle subscription ($144). Plus is $179.99. | AThe app is free and open source, with unlimited sites and no account, against a category where the cheaper quarter pays $6.75 a month; hosting is extra. |
| Free plan and trial | CA free version for unlimited sites, but no code export and no publishing, so you hit the cap before launch. | AFree outright, with no cap on sites and no sign-up. |
| Features | CStackable sections, interactions, code export, WordPress themes on Plus and website import. No hosting is included, and e-commerce works only through other services. | COffline editing, several editors, many publishing targets and a WordPress importer, but static output only, with no database or hosted multi-user editor. |
| Ease of use | CNo rating on record. You build the site from sections and learn the editor. | CNo store rating on record, and you pick a theme, build the site and set up your own host. |
| Platforms and integrations | CThe editor runs on Mac only. iPad and iPhone apps are separate companions, so it is one family of devices. | CWindows, Mac and Linux desktop only, with publishing links to GitHub Pages, Netlify and S3. |
| Best for | a Mac app that builds Bootstrap sites | a free desktop app that makes static sites |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Blocs and Publii. How we grade
Where they differ
- Blocs can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Publii is open source, according to its own site.
- Publii also covers Markdown.
At a glance
| Blocs | Publii | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $112.99 one-time (Standard, price shown as including tax) | Free |
| Free plan | Build unlimited websites with interactions, animations and add-ons, but no code export and no publishing to your hosting. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Blocs | TidyCustoms |
| Price read from | blocsapp.com | getpublii.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Blocs
- The desktop editor runs on macOS only; iPad and iPhone are separate companion apps.
- The free version cannot export code or publish, so a real launch needs Standard or Plus.
- No hosting is included, and e-commerce works only through third-party integrations.
- Updates are free within Blocs 6, but moving from Blocs 5 to 6 is a paid upgrade.
Publii
- You must arrange and pay for your own hosting; the app only generates the files.
- Premium themes and plugins on the Publii marketplace are paid extras.
- The published site is static, with no database or PHP behind it, so dynamic features need outside services.
- Content is edited on one computer; there is no hosted multi-user editor.
Key features
Blocs
- Stackable page sections
- Pages are assembled from pre-made Bloc sections and Bric components such as carousels, modals and media players, on Bootstrap 4 and 5.
- Code export or own hosting
- Standard and Plus export sites as code or publish them to your own hosting; the free version cannot.
- Interactions and scroll effects
- Standard interactions, animations and Scroll FX are in every edition; custom interactions need Plus.
- WordPress themes
- Plus can build custom WordPress themes from a Blocs design.
- Templates and add-ons
- Site templates are included and add-ons can be installed in every edition.
- Website import
- Plus can import content from existing websites and extract images, fonts and colors from live sites.
Publii
- Offline desktop editing
- Write and change settings without a connection or cloud account; files stay on your computer until you publish.
- Three editors
- Compose posts with a block editor, a WYSIWYG toolbar or a Markdown editor, depending on how you prefer to write.
- Many publishing targets
- Publish to GitHub Pages, GitLab Pages, Netlify, Amazon S3, Google Cloud, FTP or SFTP, or export a folder of files.
- WordPress importer
- Brings in posts, pages, images, authors and menus from a WordPress export file, with a report listing unresolved links.
- SEO, privacy and AI-crawler tools
- Sitemaps, feeds, JSON-LD data and cookie controls are built in; plugins add an llms.txt file and AI crawler rules.
- Unlimited sites per app
- Each site has its own content, settings and publishing destination, with no per-site fee for the application.
Plans
Blocs
Blocs 6 Free$0
Unlimited sites, styling, interactions and add-ons; no code export or publishing.
Blocs 6 Standard$112.99
one-time, inc tax, 1 Mac
Adds code export, publishing to your hosting, custom fonts and browser preview.
Blocs 6 Plus$179.99
one-time, inc tax, 2 Macs
Adds custom interactions, WordPress themes, website import, image editing and advanced SEO.
Publii
Publii app$0
Free, open-source desktop app; unlimited sites with no per-site fee and no account needed.
Ways to pay less
Blocs
- Education
25% student discount on Standard
Full-time college or university students over 16 may get 25% off a first Blocs Standard license; it cannot be combined with other promotions.
Publii
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Blocs or Publii?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Blocs starts at $112.99 one-time (Standard, price shown as including tax), and Publii is free.
Which has a free plan, Blocs or Publii?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Blocs and Publii have a free plan.
Which platforms do Blocs and Publii run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Blocs lists an iOS app and only Publii lists Windows and Linux apps. Both list a macOS app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.