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Design · head to head

Framer vs Spacelift

Framer logo

Framer

Design

Design and publish stunning sites

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit FramerFull review
Spacelift logo

Spacelift

Developer Tools

Infrastructure-as-code orchestration for Terraform, OpenTofu, Pulumi and Kubernetes

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit SpaceliftFull review

The short version

  • Framer is a web design tool.
  • Spacelift is free; Framer starts at $10/mo.
  • Only Framer lists visual design editor; only Spacelift lists multi-tool orchestration.
  • Where Framer falls short: free tier limited to 500 credits and 1 GB bandwidth.
  • Where Spacelift falls short: three of the five tiers are quote-only, so a shortlist cannot be costed without entering a sales process with each vendor on it.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Framer and Spacelift actually diverge.

Attributes where Framer and Spacelift differ
AttributeFramerSpacelift
PlatformsWeb, macOSWeb, Self-hosted
CategoryDesignDeveloper Tools

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes).

Not yet recorded: pricing model for Framer, founded for Spacelift.

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Framer

  • Visual design editor
  • Interactive components
  • Responsive design
  • CMS integration
  • SEO optimization
  • Custom code
  • Team collaboration
  • Version control

Only in Spacelift

  • Multi-tool orchestration
  • Policy as code
  • Private workers
  • Spaces
  • Blueprints
  • Drift detection

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Framer

  • Marketing websitesnot Spacelift
  • Landing pagesnot Spacelift
  • Portfoliosnot Spacelift
  • SaaS productsnot Spacelift
  • E-commerce sitesnot Spacelift

Spacelift

  • Platform teams running infrastructure changes through approval gates rather than through application CInot Framer
  • Organisations standardising Terraform and OpenTofu across many teams with policy enforcementnot Framer
  • Estates needing private runners so cloud credentials never leave the networknot Framer
  • Teams wanting drift detection and reconciliation rather than plan-time checks alonenot Framer

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Framer

  • Free tier limited to 500 credits and 1 GB bandwidth
  • CMS collections capped at 10 on Pro tier; unlimited only on Enterprise
  • Free tier does not include custom domain support
  • Paid editor slots cost extra at $20/month per additional editor

Spacelift

  • Users are unlimited and private workers are metered, so deployment concurrency rather than headcount drives the bill, which inverts how most engineering budgets are built and is easy to under-forecast
  • There is no affordable paid entry point. The free tier stops at two users and the next tier is a five-figure commitment with nothing in between
  • Three of the five tiers are quote-only, so a shortlist cannot be costed without entering a sales process with each vendor on it
  • The self-hosted build lags the hosted one, has no public worker pool and lacks the Azure and Google Cloud integrations available in the SaaS product, with OIDC federation offered as the workaround
  • Stacks, Rego policies, Blueprints, Spaces and Spacelift-managed state are proprietary constructs, so leaving means rebuilding the orchestration layer rather than pointing it at a different runner

Pricing, plan by plan

Framer

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 500 credits
    • Free Framer domain
    • 1 GB bandwidth
  • Basic$10/mo
    • Custom domain
    • 2 CMS collections
    • 50 GB bandwidth
  • Pro$30/mo
    • All Basic features
    • 10 CMS collections
    • 100 GB bandwidth
  • EnterpriseOn request
    • Custom limits
    • Unlimited editors
    • 99.99% uptime guarantee

Spacelift

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Two users
    • Public workers only
    • No private workers
  • Starter PlusOn request
    • Unlimited users
    • Two public workers
    • One to two private workers
  • BusinessOn request
    • Unlimited users
    • Three private workers
    • Quoted
  • EnterpriseOn request
    • Unlimited users
    • Five to thirty private workers
    • Self-hosted option

Which should you pick?

Choose Framer if

  • You need visual design editor.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, macOS.
  • You also want interactive components.
Framer review

Choose Spacelift if

  • You need multi-tool orchestration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Self-hosted.
  • You also want policy as code.
Spacelift review

Questions people ask

Is Framer or Spacelift better?
Neither clearly leads. Framer starts at Free and Spacelift at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Framer or Spacelift?
Framer starts at Free and Spacelift at Free.
Does Framer or Spacelift run on more platforms?
Framer runs on Web, macOS. Spacelift runs on Web, Self-hosted.
Can I use Framer for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Framer best used for?
Framer is most often used for marketing websites, landing pages, portfolios, saas products. Of those, marketing websites and landing pages are not what Spacelift is typically brought in for.
What can Framer do that Spacelift cannot?
Framer covers Visual design editor, Interactive components, Responsive design, CMS integration. Spacelift covers Multi-tool orchestration, Policy as code, Private workers, Spaces.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Framer: What's included in Framer's free tier?

The Free plan provides 500 credits to try the platform, a free Framer domain, and 1 GB bandwidth for exploring the builder.

Source
Spacelift: How is Spacelift priced?

By tier and by private worker count rather than per user. Users are unlimited on every paid plan. The published figure on the pricing page carries no period label, and the FAQ describes the tier as an annual subscription, so confirm the period in writing.

Framer: Can I use my own custom domain with Framer?

Custom domains are included in Basic ($10/month) and higher plans. Free tier is limited to a free Framer domain.

Source
Spacelift: Does it support OpenTofu?

Yes, and Spacelift sponsors the OpenTofu project, which is a substantive hedge for anyone avoiding Terraform under the Business Source Licence.

Framer: What AI features does Framer offer?

Framer includes an AI design agent that works on the canvas to generate and refine designs in real-time, plus a CMS agent for managing content directly on the canvas.

Source
Spacelift: Is there a self-hosted version?

Yes, described as carrying Enterprise functionality, but it is priced on request and lags the hosted product on cloud integrations.

Framer: How many CMS collections can I create on different plans?

Basic ($10/month) includes 2 CMS collections, Pro ($30/month) includes 10 CMS collections. Enterprise plans offer custom limits.

Source
Spacelift: Why not just use the CI system we already have?

That is the real comparison. General purpose CI handles state, drift, approval gates and concurrency control for infrastructure poorly, and whether that is worth a five-figure floor depends on how much infrastructure change your organisation actually ships.

Framer: Does Framer support staging environments and previews?

Staging environments and branching with previews are included on the Pro plan ($30/month). Standard plan includes published-only access.

Source
Spacelift: What happens to our pipelines if we leave?

They do not port. Rego policies, Blueprints, Spaces and managed state are Spacelift constructs and the orchestration has to be rebuilt elsewhere.

Framer: What uptime guarantee does Framer provide?

Framer offers 99.99% uptime guarantee on paid plans. Enterprise plans include dedicated support and custom SLAs.

Source
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