Websites using Stackbit

Okay, let s break down Stackbit, covering its overview, revenue (or lack thereof, as it s now an open-source project), alternatives, historical pricing information, and what you can expect in terms of customer care (since its transformation).

Overview of Stackbit

• What it Was: Stackbit was a visual platform designed to build websites using the Jamstack (JavaScript, APIs, and Markup) architecture. It aimed to be a no-code/low-code solution allowing users to create, edit, and deploy websites by connecting to various headless CMSs (Content Management Systems), static site generators, and frontend frameworks. The core idea was to provide a user-friendly interface for content editing, visual design, and website management without deep coding knowledge.

• Key Features (Before Transition):

  • Visual Editor: A drag-and-drop interface for designing page layouts and styling elements.
  • Headless CMS Integration: Connect to popular headless CMSs like Contentful, Sanity, Netlify CMS, DatoCMS, Strapi, and more.
  • Static Site Generator Support: Works with generators like Gatsby, Next.js, Hugo, Jekyll, and others.
  • Theme Marketplace: A library of pre-designed themes and templates.
  • Content Modeling: Define content structures and relationships.
  • Cloud Deployment: Integrated with deployment platforms like Netlify and Vercel.
  • Live Preview: See changes in real-time as you edit.

• The Transition: In early 2023, Stackbit announced a significant shift. The company decided to open-source its core technology and refocus its efforts on a new product called Layer0 for Next.js (now part of Vercel). The original Stackbit platform as a hosted service was discontinued.

• Current Status (Open Source): The core Stackbit technology is now available as an open-source project, primarily focused on providing a visual editing experience for Next.js applications. It s essentially become a developer tool rather than a fully managed platform. You can find the code and documentation on GitHub.

Revenue

• Past Revenue (as a Company): As a private company, Stackbit did not publicly disclose its revenue figures. Estimates varied, but it was generally considered a smaller player in the Jamstack ecosystem compared to companies like Netlify or Vercel.

• Current Revenue: Since Stackbit s core tech is now open-source, it generates no direct revenue in its current form.

Alternatives

When considering alternatives, it s crucial to understand whether you need:

1. A fully managed, visual Jamstack website builder.
2. A developer tool that provides visual editing capabilities for your existing Jamstack projects.

Here are alternatives based on those two needs:

• Alternatives (Managed Platform - Similar to Old Stackbit):

  • Plasmic: A visual builder for React that integrates with various data sources and frameworks. Strong focus on visual fidelity and complex layouts.
  • Webflow: A popular no-code web design platform, though less focused on the Jamstack specifically. It offers a visual builder, hosting, and CMS. (More of a traditional full-stack solution.)
  • Editor X (by Wix): A more flexible and design-focused platform compared to Wix s standard builder. Aimed at designers and agencies.
  • DhiWise: A low-code platform specifically for React, Node.js, Flutter, and Laravel applications. Focuses on code generation and rapid development.
  • TeleportHQ: A front-end platform with code generation, allowing you to design visually and export clean code for various frameworks.

• Alternatives (Developer Tools - Visual Editing within Jamstack):

  • TinaCMS: An open-source, Git-backed CMS that integrates seamlessly with Next.js, Gatsby, and other static site generators. Provides a visual editing experience directly within your code repository. A very strong and popular choice for modern Jamstack development.
  • Sanity Studio: Sanity s open-source CMS editor, highly customizable and extendable.
  • Netlify CMS: An open-source, Git-based CMS suitable for simple websites.
  • Decap CMS (formerly Netlify CMS): Open-source CMS solution, offering similar functionalities as Netlify CMS.
  • Vercel Visual Editing: Vercel acquired Layer0 and integrated it s functionality (which Stackbit refocused on) into the Vercel platform. If you re using Next.js and Vercel, this could be a good choice.
  • Builder.io: Headless CMS that lets developers create content-driven experiences with a visual editor. Has integrations for Next.js, Gatsby, and other frameworks.

Pricing (Historical)

As Stackbit has changed it s business model and is now open source, there are no current Stackbit pricing plans. * Former Pricing Model: * Stackbit used to offer a tiered pricing model. They offered a free option and then paid options, where prices increased with features. * Free Plan: Limited features, suitable for small projects. * Paid Plans: Varied based on the number of team members, sites, and features like custom domains, asset storage, and support.

Customer Care

• Past Customer Care: When Stackbit was a commercial platform, they offered customer support via email, documentation, and community forums. Paid plans likely had prioritized support.

• Current Customer Care (Open Source):

  • Community Support: The primary form of support is now through the open-source community. This involves:

    • GitHub Issues: Reporting bugs, requesting features, and asking for help.
    • Community Forums/Discord: (If a community has formed around the open-source project.)
    • Documentation: Referencing the official documentation for the open-source project.

  • No Dedicated Support: There is no longer a dedicated customer support team to provide guaranteed response times or personalized assistance.

In Summary

Stackbit, as a managed platform, is no longer available. The technology lives on as an open-source project, primarily geared towards developers seeking visual editing capabilities within the Jamstack, particularly Next.js. If you need a fully managed, visual website builder, you should explore the alternatives listed above. If you re a developer comfortable with code and open-source tools, the Stackbit open-source project (or alternatives like TinaCMS) might be a good fit for adding visual editing to your Jamstack projects.