BuiltWith & Wappalyzer Alternatives (Free, 2026)
Free BuiltWith and Wappalyzer alternatives to check what a website is built with: CMS, framework, analytics and hosting. No signup or extension needed.
The best free BuiltWith and Wappalyzer alternative for one-off checks is a web-based tech checker like LeadWebia's CMS checker: paste a URL and get the CMS, framework, analytics, hosting and CDN with no signup or extension. WhatCMS.org is good for rare CMSs, and BuiltWith is still the choice for paid lead lists of sites using a technology.
BuiltWith and Wappalyzer are the two best-known ways to see what a website is built with. Both are good at it. But if all you need is to check a site's CMS or tech stack now and then, a paid plan, a signup wall or a browser extension can be more than the job requires.
Here are the free alternatives worth knowing, what each one is good at, and which to use for what.
What BuiltWith and Wappalyzer do
- BuiltWith looks up the technologies a website uses and keeps a historical record of them. Its paid plans are built around lead lists: every site using a given technology, for sales prospecting.
- Wappalyzer is best known as a browser extension that shows the tech stack of the page you are on. It also offers paid lookups, bulk analysis and an API.
Both detect CMSs, frameworks, analytics, e-commerce platforms, CDNs and more. The free tiers are limited, and the lead-list and bulk features are where the pricing starts.
Free BuiltWith and Wappalyzer alternatives
1. LeadWebia CMS & Tech Checker
Our free CMS checker detects the CMS (WordPress, Wix, Shopify, Squarespace, Webflow, Drupal, Joomla and more) plus the wider stack: framework, analytics, hosting, CDN, web server and security. No signup, no extension, no limit on checks. Best for: quick one-off checks in the browser.
2. WhatCMS.org
A dedicated CMS detector that says it recognizes over 1,200 CMSs and other website technologies. Best for: identifying less common CMSs.
3. CMS Detect
A focused CMS detector, available as a website and a Chrome extension. Best for: people who want a lightweight extension instead of Wappalyzer's.
4. SEO suite free tools
SEO platforms such as SE Ranking offer free CMS detectors alongside their paid audits. Best for: if you already use that platform.
5. Checking the source yourself
No tool needed: view the page source and search for signatures like /wp-content/ (WordPress), wixstatic.com (Wix) or cdn.shopify.com (Shopify). We list them all in how to tell what CMS a website is using. Best for: confirming a result or checking a site that blocks tools.
Which one should you use?
| You want to… | Use |
|---|---|
| Check one site's CMS and stack, free, no signup | LeadWebia CMS checker |
| Identify a rare or niche CMS | WhatCMS.org |
| See the stack of every page you browse | A browser extension (Wappalyzer or CMS Detect) |
| Build lead lists of every site using a technology | BuiltWith (paid) |
| Find local businesses to sell websites to | LeadWebia (see below) |
What is this website built with? How to answer it in one minute
- Paste the URL into a free tech checker: you get the CMS, framework, analytics and hosting.
- If the CMS comes back "unknown", look at the framework in the stack list: the site is probably custom-built (Next.js, Laravel) or uses a headless CMS.
- For WordPress sites, the folder after
/wp-content/themes/in the page source is the theme name.
If you are checking tech stacks to find clients
Many people use BuiltWith or Wappalyzer for prospecting: finding businesses on an old CMS or a DIY builder to pitch a redesign. If your clients are local businesses, LeadWebia is built for exactly that. It finds businesses by city and niche, detects the CMS and PageSpeed of each one, flags the ones with no website at all, and extracts contact details. The free plan includes 50 leads, no credit card.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free alternative to BuiltWith?
Yes. For checking a single site, LeadWebia's free CMS checker shows the CMS and full tech stack with no signup. WhatCMS.org and CMS Detect are other free options. BuiltWith's paid plans are mainly worth it for lead lists of every site using a technology.
What is a good Wappalyzer alternative?
If you want a browser extension, CMS Detect is a lightweight option. If you prefer not to install anything, a web-based checker such as LeadWebia's CMS checker gives you the CMS and tech stack from just the URL.
How can I tell what a website is built with?
Paste the URL into a free tech checker to see the CMS, framework, analytics and hosting. You can also view the page source and look for signatures like /wp-content/ (WordPress), wixstatic.com (Wix) or cdn.shopify.com (Shopify).
Why does a tech checker not find the CMS?
The site may be custom-built on a framework like Next.js or Laravel, use a headless CMS, or block automated requests. The framework and hosting in the stack list usually still reveal how it was built.
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