Why it's an alternative to WordPress: A focused, modern publishing platform with newsletters and memberships built in, with no plugin sprawl to maintain.
made by
John O'Nolan
John O'Nolanself-reported revenue: ~$11.1M ARR
3 indie alternatives · No-Code Makers
Indie alternatives to WordPress (2026)
WordPress powers a large share of the web, but running it means managing hosting, plugins, updates and security. People who just want to publish often prefer simpler, managed tools. Below are 3 alternatives built by independent makers — Ghost, Feather and Unicorn Platform — with what each does differently, who makes it and any revenue they have shared publicly.
WordPress alternatives at a glance
Jump to any product for the full write-up.
| # | Product | Maker | Status | Reported revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ghost | John O'Nolan | Active | ~$11.1M ARR |
| 2 | Feather | Thibault Louis-Lucas (Tibo) | Active | — |
| 3 | Unicorn Platform | John Rush | Active | — |
The 3 best indie alternatives to WordPress
Each product is made and run by an independent maker or a small, self-directed team.
Why it's an alternative to WordPress: Write in Notion and Feather publishes it as a fast, SEO-optimized blog, with no CMS to maintain.
made by
Thibault Louis-Lucas (Tibo)
Thibault Louis-Lucas (Tibo)
Why it's an alternative to WordPress: Drag-and-drop builder for landing pages, blogs and directories with hosting included, aimed at busy founders.
made by
John Rush
John RushWhy choose an indie-made tool?
You talk to the maker
With a small product, support requests and feature ideas usually reach the person who wrote the code, and many makers build in public and reply to users directly.
Focused and fairly priced
Small teams tend to do one job well instead of bundling every feature into enterprise tiers, and many indie tools offer one-time licenses, open-source editions or free plans.
Built by real people
These 3 alternatives come from 3 makers in France. Paying them funds a sustainable, independent business.
Meet the makers: John O'Nolan, Thibault Louis-Lucas (Tibo), John Rush.
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WordPress alternatives FAQ
What are the best indie alternatives to WordPress?
IndieMakerList lists 3 indie-made alternatives to WordPress: Ghost (by John O'Nolan), Feather (by Thibault Louis-Lucas (Tibo)) and Unicorn Platform (by John Rush).
Why do people look for alternatives to WordPress?
WordPress powers a large share of the web, but running it means managing hosting, plugins, updates and security. People who just want to publish often prefer simpler, managed tools.
Who builds these WordPress alternatives?
They are built by 3 independent makers from 1 country, including France, rather than a large company. Each maker has a profile on IndieMakerList with their other products and links.
Are these WordPress alternatives still maintained?
Yes. As far as IndieMakerList knows, all 3 are active and still run by the makers who built them.
How much revenue do indie alternatives to WordPress make?
Publicly reported figures include Ghost: ~$11.1M ARR. These numbers are self-reported by the makers and not independently verified.
Built an indie alternative to WordPress? Submit a maker to IndieMakerList →