Free CSS Grid Generator (Sarah Drasner) Alternative
Sarah Drasner's CSS Grid Generator is a popular open-source tool hosted on Netlify that provides a clean, minimal interface for creating basic CSS Grid layouts. You specify the number of rows, columns, gaps, and units, then drag to create child divs and define grid areas. The tool generates CSS code with a single button click and is well-regarded for its simplicity and beginner-friendly design. It's completely free and privacy-respecting. Fixie's CSS Grid Generator offers similar functionality with the addition of preset templates for common layouts, making it faster to get started if you're building standard grid patterns like sidebars, dashboards, or magazine layouts.
Try CSS Grid Layout Generator Free →CSS Grid Layout Generator vs CSS Grid Generator (Sarah Drasner)
| Feature | Fixie CSS Grid Layout Generator | CSS Grid Generator (Sarah Drasner) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free forever | Free (open source) |
| Signup Required | No | No |
| Privacy / Data Handling | No data collected | No data collected |
| Visual Grid Builder | Yes — click to place grid items | Yes — drag to create child divs |
| Preset Templates | Yes — sidebar, header-footer, dashboard, etc. | No — build from scratch |
| Grid Track Units | px, %, fr, auto | px, %, em, fr |
| Gap Controls | Yes — row and column gaps | Yes — row and column gaps |
| Area Naming | Basic | Yes — visual area definition |
| Responsive Controls | Basic media query support | No |
| Ads | None | None |
Why Choose Fixie?
Sarah Drasner's CSS Grid Generator is a beautifully simple tool designed to help developers learn CSS Grid visually. The interface is minimal and focused: set your rows, columns, gaps, and units, then drag to create grid areas and see the CSS update instantly. It's perfect for understanding how CSS Grid properties work and for generating basic grid layouts without writing code from scratch. The tool is open source, hosted on Netlify, and completely free with no ads or tracking.
Fixie's CSS Grid Generator offers similar visual grid building but adds preset templates for common layout patterns. If you're building a sidebar layout, header-footer structure, dashboard grid, or magazine-style layout, you can start with a preset and customize from there instead of defining every row and column manually. This speeds up prototyping for standard layouts. Both tools let you define columns, rows, gaps, and alignment, and both generate clean CSS code you can copy instantly.
The core difference is starting point: Sarah Drasner's tool assumes you're building from scratch, which is great for learning and for custom layouts. Fixie assumes you might want a common pattern as a starting point, which is faster for typical use cases. Both are free, open source, and privacy-respecting. Use Sarah Drasner's CSS Grid Generator if you prefer a minimal interface and want to build every layout from scratch. Use Fixie if you want preset templates to speed up common layout patterns.
How to Use CSS Grid Layout Generator
Step 1: Visit the CSS Grid Generator
Navigate to fixie.tools/grid — no signup required, works entirely in your browser.
Step 2: Choose a Preset or Start Fresh
Browse preset grid layouts (sidebar, header-footer, dashboard, magazine) for quick starts, or begin with a blank grid and define your own column and row structure.
Step 3: Define Grid Structure
Set the number of columns and rows, adjust gaps between grid tracks, and configure alignment properties. Click to place grid items in specific cells or drag to create grid areas.
Step 4: Copy the CSS
Once your layout looks right, click the copy button to grab the CSS code. Paste it into your stylesheet and customize further as needed.