What is the difference between Hugo and Eleventy?

Hugo is best for Developers wanting the fastest static site generator, while Eleventy is best for Developers wanting a simple, zero-config static site generator. Hugo starts at Free and Eleventy starts at Free.

Is Hugo or Eleventy cheaper?

Hugo starts at Free and is free. Eleventy starts at Free and is free.

Is there a free alternative to Eleventy?

Both Hugo and Eleventy offer free tiers.

Hugo vs Eleventy (2026) — notanothertool

At a glance

	Hugo	Eleventy
Best for	Developers wanting the fastest static site generator	Developers wanting a simple, zero-config static site generator
Starting price	Free	Free
Free tier	✓	✓
Open source	✓	✓
Free tier available	✓	✓
Open source	✓	✓
Data Cascade	—	✓
Fast Builds	✓	—
Go-Powered	✓	—
Multilingual	✓	—
Multiple Templates	—	✓
Plugins	—	✓
Themes	✓	—
Zero Config	—	✓

Hugo

Strengths

Open source and transparent
Includes Go-Powered as a core feature, purpose-built for website builder workflows
Fully open-source — you can self-host, audit the code, and avoid vendor lock-in
The core product is free with no paywalled essentials

Weaknesses

May lack some advanced features
Self-hosting is free but requires server maintenance and DevOps knowledge
Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
Performance and SEO control is limited compared to custom-coded sites

Try Hugo → Full review

Eleventy

Strengths

Open source and transparent
Includes Zero Config as a core feature, purpose-built for website builder workflows
Fully open-source — you can self-host, audit the code, and avoid vendor lock-in
The core product is free with no paywalled essentials

Weaknesses

May lack some advanced features
Self-hosting is free but requires server maintenance and DevOps knowledge
Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
Performance and SEO control is limited compared to custom-coded sites

Try Eleventy → Full review

The bottom line

Pricing: Both Hugo and Eleventy are free, so this decision comes down to features and philosophy rather than budget.

Feature gaps: Hugo offers Fast Builds, Go-Powered and Multilingual that Eleventy lacks. Eleventy brings Data Cascade, Multiple Templates and Plugins that Hugo does not have.

Team fit: Both tools target individuals teams, so the decision hinges on features and workflow fit rather than scale.

Open source: Both Hugo and Eleventy are open source, so self-hosting and code audits are on the table with either choice.

Where each tool shines: Hugo's biggest strengths are: open source and transparent. includes go-powered as a core feature, purpose-built for website builder workflows. Eleventy's biggest strengths are: open source and transparent. includes zero config as a core feature, purpose-built for website builder workflows.

Watch out for: With Hugo, users commonly note that may lack some advanced features. With Eleventy, the main complaint is that may lack some advanced features.

Choose Hugo if...

Your profile matches its sweet spot: developers wanting the fastest static site generator
You specifically need Fast Builds and Go-Powered
You care about includes go-powered as a core feature, purpose-built for website builder workflows

Choose Eleventy if...

Your profile matches its sweet spot: developers wanting a simple, zero-config static site generator
You specifically need Data Cascade and Multiple Templates
You care about includes zero config as a core feature, purpose-built for website builder workflows