Cargo vs Semplice (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Semplice grades higher than Cargo: 2.0 against 1.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Cargo grades higher on ease of use. Semplice grades higher on value for money and platforms. They get the same grade on the free plan and features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Cargo
Site builder for designers and artists, one price for every site
Semplice
WordPress portfolio builder for designers, paid once
Which one is for you
Pick Cargo if
- Fits if you make several portfolio sites and want one price
- Works for studios where several people edit at once
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a free plan or trial, as neither is listed
- Watch out: each extra custom domain costs $2 a month yearly, or $3 monthly
- Tight if you need store details, since limits and sales fees are not stated
- Not for you if you are a student without a school domain contact: access needs a professor or administrator
Pick Semplice if
- Fits if you are a designer on WordPress who wants to pay once
- Makes sense if one domain is enough
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want a free plan or trial, as neither is listed
- Skip it if you need a multilingual site, as it is not compatible with WPML or Polylang
- Watch out: the vendor says it offers no refunds and no direct support, only a helpdesk and critical updates
- Tight if you run more than one domain: Single and Studio cover one, and Business is $699 for ten
How we grade them
| 1.6GPACargoWeak | 2.0GPASempliceFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C$14 a month billed yearly, between the middle ($12.80) and the dearer quarter ($20.83), for one plan that covers many sites. | A$119 once for 1 domain, under a year of the category's middle subscription (about $154). Studio is $168 and Business is $699 for 10 domains. |
| Free plan and trial | FNo free plan and no trial; students have to ask for access through a professor or administrator. | FNo free plan and no trial are listed, and the vendor offers no refunds. |
| Features | CTemplates, real-time editing by several people and a store, but the page states no limits on pages, storage or sales fees. | CA portfolio builder with grids, galleries and a code module, but Blocks, grids and Mailchimp need Studio, and it does not work with WPML or Polylang. |
| Ease of use | CNo rating on record, and you build the site yourself. | DNo rating on record, and it needs your own WordPress 6.7+, PHP 7.4+ and hosting. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only, with no integrations or API on record anywhere in the listing. | BWordPress only, with Mailchimp, Instagram and Dribbble listed. |
| Best for | portfolio sites for designers and artists | portfolio sites for designers, on WordPress |
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: Cargo and Semplice. How we grade
Where they differ
- Semplice can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Cargo also covers online store.
- Semplice also covers no-code.
At a glance
| Cargo | Semplice | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Paid |
| Starts at | $14 per month, billed yearly ($19 billed monthly) | $119 once, for 1 domain |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| Made by | Cargo | Semplicelabs GmbH |
| Price read from | cargo.site | semplice.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Cargo
- There is only one paid plan and the information page lists no free plan or free trial.
- One custom domain connection is included; each extra one costs $2 a month billed yearly, or $3 billed monthly.
- The pricing page does not state limits on pages, storage or products, or any fee on store sales.
- Student access needs a professor or administrator at an official school domain to request it.
Semplice
- It needs your own WordPress install and hosting (WordPress 6.7+, PHP 7.4+).
- The vendor says it offers no refunds and no direct support, only a helpdesk and critical updates.
- It is not compatible with multilanguage plugins such as WPML or Polylang.
- Single and Studio licenses cover one domain; Business covers ten.
Key features
Cargo
- Many sites under one account
- Publish a portfolio, client presentations, idea boards, a profile site and a shop, each with its own purpose, all on a single account and price.
- Real-time multi-user editing
- Several people can edit a site at the same time, which suits studios and design teams sharing one portfolio.
- Template library
- Start a site from an ongoing library of templates and edit and publish from there.
- Built-in commerce
- A commerce platform lets a site manage, sell and take payment for physical or digital goods.
- Free use for students
- Students, teachers and school administrators get free use after a professor or administrator at an official school domain requests membership.
Semplice
- Grid-based visual editor
- Pages are built by drag and drop on a grid with no templates and no code.
- Custom animations
- Hover effects, scroll animations and elements that move on load or click are built visually.
- Custom type
- Self-hosted or web fonts, including variable typefaces, feed a global type system.
- Advanced portfolio grid
- A homepage grid with page transitions and hover effects; the advanced grids are in the Studio and Business editions.
- Modules and private projects
- Galleries, a code module, Instagram and Dribbble modules, and password-locked pages or projects.
Plans
Cargo
Cargo$14
per month, billed yearly ($19 billed monthly)
The single plan: one or many public sites, real-time multi-user editing and a template library, with no tiers. One custom domain connection included.
Semplice
Single$119
one-time, 1 domain
Content editor, responsive controls, custom font sets, fullscreen cover, gallery slider, code module and private projects. Shown with $148 crossed out.
Studio$168
one-time, 1 domain
Adds Blocks, Instagram, gallery grid, before/after and Mailchimp modules, and advanced grids. Shown with $229 crossed out.
Business$699
one-time, 10 domains
All Studio features with 10 licenses for commercial client work, at $69 per license. Shown with $799 crossed out.
Ways to pay less
Cargo
- Education
Free use for students and teachers
Cargo offers free use to students, teachers and related administrators. A professor or administrator with an official school email must request membership.
Semplice
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Cargo or Semplice?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Cargo starts at $14 per month, billed yearly ($19 billed monthly), and Semplice starts at $119 once, for 1 domain.
Which has a free plan, Cargo or Semplice?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither Cargo nor Semplice has a free plan.
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.