Why We Built Unshift

The Problem We Kept Running Into

Every new project starts the same way: you need a website. Whether it's a SaaS landing page, a client project, or a side project you're finally shipping — the first step is always building the site.

And every time, you're faced with the same impossible choice:

1. Hand-code it — spend 2-3 weeks writing the same hero sections, pricing tables, and footer layouts you've built a hundred times before.
2. Use a website builder — get it done fast, but lose your code forever. Webflow, Framer, Wix — they all keep your work locked inside their platform.

Neither option is good. Hand-coding is slow. Builders are fast but come with vendor lock-in that developers hate.

What We Wanted

We wanted something that didn't exist:

• Visual speed — drag-and-drop building, pre-built blocks, templates you can customize instantly
• AI generation — describe what you want, get a real page in seconds
• Clean code output — TypeScript, TailwindCSS, shadcn/ui. The exact stack you'd choose if you were building from scratch
• Full ownership — export to GitHub, deploy anywhere, modify everything. Zero lock-in, ever

We looked at every tool on the market. Webflow is powerful but locks you in. Framer is beautiful but design-only. Lovable and Bolt generate code with AI but have no visual editor. V0 creates components but not full sites.

No one was building in the top-right quadrant: AI-powered AND full code ownership.

So We Built It

Unshift combines three things that shouldn't need to be separate:

1. A Block Library

300+ pre-built, production-ready blocks. Hero sections, pricing tables, feature grids, testimonials, CTAs, footers — every section you need for a professional website. All built with shadcn/ui components and styled with TailwindCSS.

2. A Visual Builder

Drag blocks onto your page. Rearrange them. Customize content, colors, and layout visually. See your changes in real-time. No code required (but the code is always there if you want it).

3. AI Generation

Describe what you want in plain English. Our AI generates complete pages using Claude and GPT — but instead of spitting out generic code, it uses your block library and design system to create consistent, production-ready output.

The Key Insight: Separation of Product and Service

Most website builders charge a monthly subscription. But when your product is downloadable code, a subscription creates a perverse incentive: users subscribe, export everything, and cancel. We call this the "download and churn" problem.

Our solution is simple:

• The product (blocks, templates, builder, exports) is a one-time purchase. Like Tailwind UI. Buy once, own forever.
• The service (AI generation) is pay-as-you-go. Like any API. Buy credits when you need them.

No subscriptions. No recurring charges for code that's already yours. No cancellation anxiety.

What's Next

We're just getting started. Here's what's on the roadmap:

• More blocks — we're adding new blocks every week across every category
• More templates — complete website templates for SaaS, agencies, restaurants, portfolios, and more
• Managed hosting — deploy your Unshift site with one click (optional — you can always self-host)
• Marketplace — community-created blocks and templates

If you're tired of choosing between speed and code quality, try Unshift for free. Build your first site in minutes, and if you love it, export the code and make it yours.

The website builder for developers. Visual speed, full code ownership.