Quick answer
Solo - Solo wins for most builders who want to launch a few real sites on a custom domain for free, while Umso is better if you only need a single-page homepage with built-in blog and analytics.
How the free tiers compare
Solo and Umso both offer a genuine free tier with no credit card required, but they optimize for different starting points. Solo is the better fit if your main need is to publish multiple small sites and use your own domain right away. Its free plan allows hosting one custom domain, publishing up to 3 sites, and inviting another editor, which makes it feel less like a teaser and more like a small production setup. Umso is narrower on the free tier, limiting you to a homepage only, but it gives you a blog, basic analytics, and support on that single page. If you expect to grow into multi-page marketing sites, Umso’s paid ladder stays simple and predictable. If you want more room immediately without paying, Solo is the stronger free-tier value.
Solo vs Umso free tier, side by side
| SoloFTV 53 | UmsoFTV 51 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free custom domainSolo lets you use a custom domain on the free plan; Umso does not. | Yes, connect and host your own domain | No, free subdomain only |
| Free site/page limitSolo is more generous for multi-site publishing; Umso is capped to a single-page site. | Up to 3 sites | Homepage only |
| Free editor accessSolo explicitly includes one extra editor on the free tier. | Invite 1 additional site editor | Not stated |
| Free analyticsUmso includes built-in basic analytics; Solo’s free tier mentions Google Analytics integration in the product description. | Google Analytics integration | Basic analytics included |
| Free supportUmso explicitly lists support on the free tier. | Not stated | Chat and email support included |
After you outgrow the free tier
Both products use flat per-site pricing after free, so costs are easy to predict. Solo starts at $20/month for Pro, then jumps to $85/month for Grow. Umso starts lower at $14 per site/month for Basic, with a $25 per site/month Pro plan above that. For a single site, Umso is cheaper at the first paid step; Solo becomes the stronger value only if the free-tier custom domain and multi-site allowance are enough to avoid paying at all. Neither product provided usage-based rates, so there are no call-volume style scenarios to calculate.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | Solo | Umso |
|---|---|---|
| 1 site needing a custom domain and more than a homepageUmso Basic adds custom domain support; Solo already allows a custom domain on the free tier, but its first paid plan is still $20/month. | $20/mo | $14/mo |
| 1 site with unlimited pages and advanced featuresSolo Pro includes custom code, while Umso Pro includes unlimited pages, advanced analytics, passwords, multilingual content, and site export. | $20/mo | $25/mo |
| 2 small sites on the free tierSolo’s free plan allows up to 3 sites; Umso’s free plan is homepage only. | Free | Not possible on free |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick Solo when…
- You need to publish more than one small site without paying yet.
- You want to connect and host your own custom domain on the free plan.
- You need to hand off work to one extra site editor from day one.
- You are testing multiple landing pages or microsites before choosing a paid plan.
- You want the free tier to feel like a lightweight production setup, not just a demo.
Pick Umso when…
- You only need a single homepage for a brand or campaign.
- You want a free blog attached to that page.
- You care more about basic analytics and support than multi-site flexibility.
- You expect to move to a paid plan for a single site rather than many sites.
- You want a simple upgrade path to 10 pages on the first paid tier.
Bottom line
For the most common builder case, Solo is the better free-tier pick because it lets you publish on your own domain and run up to 3 sites before paying. Umso is the better choice when your real need is just one small marketing page with a blog and basic analytics, and you expect to pay once you outgrow that. In other words, Solo gives more room for experimentation; Umso gives a cleaner path for a single-site launch.
Read the full listings: Solo and Umso. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.