Carrd makes beautiful one-page sites for a few dollars a year, and it's hard not to love. It's also a closed builder: no uploading your own HTML and no true multiple pages. If you're looking for a Carrd alternative for custom HTML or multi-page sites, here's an honest look at where each fits.
Last updated · Facts checked against Carrd's official pricing and documentation. Sources
htmlhost · real pages, your filesCarrd · one page, sections
Upload your own HTML
htmlhostYes
CarrdNo
Carrd sites are built in its editor; even a downloaded site "cannot be uploaded back."
Pages per site
htmlhostUnlimited
CarrdOne
Carrd sections "simulate the effect of having multiple pages on a one-page site."
Forms on the free plan
htmlhostYes
CarrdNo
Carrd forms start at Pro Standard ($19/year).
htmlhost vs Carrd: the short answer
Choose Carrd for a quick, inexpensive one-page site built in its editor, like a profile, link page or simple landing page. Choose htmlhost when you have HTML already (from an AI tool, a designer or a template), need real multiple pages, or want forms without a paid tier. htmlhost Free includes forms; on Carrd they start at Pro Standard ($19/year).
Side by side
Everyday workflows: Carrd vs htmlhost
The steps a typical person follows on each platform, from a finished HTML file to a live page.
Publish HTML you got from ChatGPT or Claude
4 vs 3 steps
Carrd4 steps
Start a new Carrd site from a template or blank
Rebuild the design with Carrd's elements (50 per site on Free)
Paste fragments into Embed elements (Pro Standard and up)
Publish to a .carrd.co address
htmlhost3 steps
Paste the HTML on htmlhost.co
Check the preview at computer and phone sizes
Press Publish and sign in
Add an About page and a Pricing page
3 vs 3 steps
Carrd3 steps
Add sections to the same page
Link to them so they act like separate pages
Everything stays one page, one design
htmlhost3 steps
Add pages in the file tree (or ask AI to create them)
The shared header and footer are added automatically
Publish: /about and /pricing go live
Feature by feature
htmlhost vs Carrd at a glance
Highlighted cells mark the stronger option for publishing and editing HTML sites. Ties are left plain.
htmlhost compared with Carrd, feature by feature
Feature
htmlhost
Carrd
Free plan
Free: 3 sites, 500 MB of storage, 50 form messages a month, 10 AI edits a day, sites that never expire by default.
Up to 3 sites, 50 elements per site, .carrd.co address with "Made with Carrd" branding.
Paid plans
Pro is a $12/month or $120/year pass with no auto-renewal: unlimited sites, 10 GB, unlimited custom domains, password protection, 5,000 form messages a month and 3,000 AI edits a month.
Yearly only: Pro Lite $9 (3 sites), Pro Standard $19 (10 sites), Pro Plus $49 (25 sites); larger tiers cost more.
Your own HTML, CSS and JS
Upload files, folders or ZIPs, or paste code.
No upload; custom code via Embed elements on Pro Standard and up.
Multiple pages
Unlimited real pages with clean URLs and shared header and footer.
One page per site; sections simulate pages.
Design editing
Visual editor, code editor and AI Edit.
Polished drag-and-drop builder with templates.
Forms
Forms deliver to a dashboard inbox and email with a built-in spam trap: 50 form messages a month on Free, 5,000 form messages a month on Pro with file attachments, Google Sheets and webhooks.
Pro Standard and up; integrations and payments on Pro Plus.
Custom domains
$5/yr each on Free; unlimited and included on Pro.
Pro Standard and up ($19/year), with SSL.
Password protection
Included in Pro ($12/month).
Pro Plus ($49/year).
Redirects
Every plan, up to 200 rules per site.
Pro Plus.
Export your site
Export site on every plan: all files plus form submissions as CSV.
Download on Pro Plus; forms don't work in the download, and it can't be uploaded back.
Carrd details as published on its official pages, checked ; plans change, so check the linked sources before you buy. htmlhost figures are read from the plan limits and pricing the app enforces.
In depth
Where Carrd and htmlhost differ
One page, by design
Carrd describes itself as "simple, free, fully responsive one-page sites for pretty much anything." Its sections let you divide that page into named regions you link between, to "simulate the effect of having multiple pages."
That's perfect for a profile or a single landing page. It becomes a constraint when a site needs separate pages for services, pricing, a blog post or a privacy policy, each with its own address and search listing.
htmlhost projects are sets of files. Each page has its own path (/about, /pricing, /blog/launch), shared headers and footers stay in sync across pages, and new pages inherit the site's styles.
Bringing your own HTML
Carrd has no way to import HTML files. Custom code goes into Embed elements, available from Pro Standard, and Carrd's docs note that a downloaded site "cannot be uploaded back to the Carrd platform."
If your page came from ChatGPT, Claude, v0, a designer or a template marketplace, htmlhost publishes it as it is: paste the code or drop the files, then edit visually or with AI.
TipAlready on Carrd Pro Plus? Download your site, drop the folder on htmlhost, and add a form there; Carrd notes its form elements don't work in downloads.
Pricing: where Carrd is cheaper
Carrd is inexpensive and billed yearly only: Pro Lite $9 (3 sites, no custom domains, forms or embeds), Pro Standard $19 (10 sites, custom domains, forms, embeds), Pro Plus $49 (25 sites, passwords, redirects, downloads, advanced forms). Renewal is optional, and there's a 7-day free trial without a card.
htmlhost Pro is $12/month or $120/year and covers unlimited sites, custom domains, 10 GB, 5,000 form messages a month, 3,000 AI edits a month, collaborators and version history. If you need a handful of single-page sites with a domain, Carrd costs less; if you need real sites from your own HTML, htmlhost does more.
An honest verdict
Carrd or htmlhost: which should you choose?
Choose Carrd if…
You want a polished one-page site built in a visual builder.
You need the lowest yearly price for a few simple sites.
A profile, link-in-bio or single landing page is all you need.
Choose htmlhost if…
You have HTML from an AI tool, a designer or a template.
Your site needs real separate pages with their own URLs.
No. Carrd sites are built in its editor. Custom code can go into Embed elements on Pro Standard and above, and Carrd's docs say a downloaded site can't be uploaded back. htmlhost hosts your own HTML, CSS and JavaScript files directly.
Can Carrd make multi-page websites?+
Carrd sites are one page. Sections can be linked to and switched between to simulate multiple pages. htmlhost supports unlimited real pages per site, each with its own URL.
How much does Carrd Pro cost?+
Carrd is billed yearly: Pro Lite $9 (3 sites), Pro Standard $19 (10 sites, custom domains and forms) and Pro Plus $49 (25 sites, password protection, redirects and downloads), with larger tiers for more sites.
Does Carrd's free plan include forms?+
No. Forms start at Pro Standard. htmlhost includes forms on its free plan, delivering to an inbox and email.
Official Carrd sources
Every Carrd claim on this page comes from these official pages. Last updated . Spotted something that has changed? Email hey@htmlhost.co and we'll correct it.
The check is free, needs no account, and reads public pages only.How the move works →
Generate a site
Free · uses your own AI account
Build a portfolio for my design and development projects, with case studies, a little about me, and a contact form. Use warm neutrals, large typography, and plenty of breathing room.
We write a design brief for your site, so it doesn’t look generic. Then bring the HTML back here to host it.