PlainSite
Write plain text, drop in a few simple tags, get a fast static site — no CMS, no frameworks, no build step, no JavaScript knowledge required.
regular people who want a personal page, wedding site, side-project landing, or simple business page without learning web dev
- Text-first editor with simple HTML-like tags for interactivity (a contact form, an RSVP, a countdown) — no JavaScript written by the user
- One-click publish to a free subdomain or custom domain, with Lighthouse-perfect performance out of the box
- Built-in widgets for link-in-bio, contact form, RSVPs, and opening hours that work without any client-side code
- Friendly preview mode that explains every tag as the user hovers it, like inline documentation
The htmx movement proves that simple HTML beats complex frameworks for 90% of sites; users are visibly exhausted by bloated page builders and forced accounts.
Reddit thread asking for static-site generators for non-developers exists but is 3 years old with limited engagement; the cited 'Let's make the worst Htmx' HN post only got 52 points (modest). The htmx movement is developer-driven, not regular-user driven, so the target persona's actual demand signal is thin.Does anyone know a static site generator for non developers? ↗
Carrd dominates the simple one-page site space at $19/year with a drag-and-drop UI that's arguably easier than learning tags; Markdown Space, Notion, Linktree, Google Sites, Wix, and Squarespace all crowd this segment. The 'plain text + simple tags' angle is differentiated but the target user almost certainly finds Carrd's visual editor simpler than any tag syntax.Carrd - Simple, free, fully responsive one-page sites ↗Markdown Space ↗
Carrd proves non-developers will pay, but only ~$19/year — extremely price-sensitive segment. Markdown Space charges $55/year for premium. Free tiers from Carrd, Google Sites, Notion compress willingness to pay; non-developers have low tolerance for any learning curve that isn't visual.Carrd Pro Plans ↗Markdown Space ↗
Personal and micro-business sites are a permanent need
Straightforward to build — essentially a markdown/static-site pipeline (Eleventy, Hugo, or custom) with a text editor UI, tag parser, and one-click deploy to Netlify/GitHub Pages. Core engineering is well-trodden; main cost is UX polish and hosting infrastructure.Eleventy is a simpler static site generator ↗