21 Headless CMS Platforms That You Should Check Out
Forming your brand’s web presence is crucial; while doing that, you don't have to use complex platforms with non-customizable features.
In addition, you don’t need to worry about HTML development or web programming because headless CMS platforms will take care of that for you.
Headless CMS platforms are hit nowadays with their user-friendly and customizable structure.
We have compiled 21 headless CMS platforms that you can use by further research.
Let’s check them out and build your website smoothly!
What is a Headless CMS?
A headless CMS is a content management system that doesn’t have a front-end website building tool. Instead, it runs a content management layer on the backend instead of the front end.
Headless CMS platforms allow you to have complete control over all your data stored in the database and give you the option to easily integrate it with any other medium without worrying about complexity.
Removing all types of content from the CMS leaves only its structure and functionality. In that way, it becomes so much easier to replace your website from one web host to another.
Headless CMS refers to a content management system that powers decoupled applications or doesn’t rely on the CMS to provide a front-facing user interface.
This approach is referred to as Content API (Application Programming Interface) or headless architecture in the content management world as well.
Top 21 Headless CMS Platforms To Increase Conversion
We prepared a list of headless CMS after doing comprehensive research about so many platforms. Let’s check out the top 21 headless CMS platforms with their pros and cons, pricing details and ratings.
| Platform | User Interface | Ease of Use | Text Editor | Free Plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graph CMS | Practical | Great | Rich | Yes |
| Dot CMS | Complex | Average | Rich | No |
| Strapi | Simple | Excellent | Rich | Yes |
| Story Blok | Simple | Great | Rich | Yes |
| Contentstack | Modern | Great | Rich | No |
| Bold | Practical | Great | Poor | No |
| Magnolia | Complex | Average | Poor | No |
1. Strapi
Strapi is one of the most used headless CMS platforms. Strapi is an open-source headless CMS that is customizable and easy to use. Companies such as Walmart, eBay, Toyota, IBM use this platform.
Pros:
- Strapi has a modern and simple UI that is functional.
- Fast performance features with NodeJS and a modern codebase are available.
Cons:
- Limitations on community plan access.
- The documentation might not be clear and understandable for some people.
Pricing: Free trial is available.
G2 Rating: 4.6/5
Explore G2 reviews for Strapi.
2. Amplience
Amplience can be used as an e-commerce platform with its simplicity and customizability. It is an API-first, cloud-native and headless platform.
Pros:
- Integrates with so many platforms that you can use on your website.
- UI extensions are available.
Cons:
- Built-in shortcuts are limited and can be improved.
- Not suitable for using two different websites.
G2 Rating: 3.7/5
Read G2 reviews for Amplience.
3. Directus
Directus is an open data platform where you can turn SQL databases into an API. Furthermore, you can customize your content with this platform entirely since it is an extensible headless CMS platform.
Pros:
- Allows you to manage SQL database contents easily.
- API is user-friendly with different options.
Cons:
- More documentation is needed since new features might be complex at times.
- There is only one central installation option on a server. It can be challenging to deal with multiple applications.
Pricing: Has a forever free plan option.
G2 Rating: 5/5
Explore G2 reviews for Directus.
4. Ghost
Being an open-source publishing platform, Ghost can mainly be used for blogs and e-commerce. Since it is a headless CMS platform, it is highly customizable and anyone can use it.
Pros:
- Ghost CMS has a minimal admin dashboard which is manageable.
- Thanks to CMS features, configurations and installations are simple.
Cons:
- Some features, such as search bars, are not available on the free plan.
- It does not store previously used media and deletes their content if a user is deleted.
Pricing: Free trial is available. Starts from $29 per month.
G2 Rating: 4.1/5
Explore G2 reviews for Ghost.
Popupsmart integrates with this platform seamlessly so you can create a Ghost popup quickly!
5. Sanity
Sanity allows content creation as data with a headless CMS system. Nike, Cloudflare, Figma, Netlify and National Geographic use Sanity.
Pros:
- Personalization and content performance analytics are useful features.
- Customizable templated workflows, portals and sites, asset management makes content management more effortless.
Cons:
- Customization based on specific parts might be complex.
- Flexibility on different modules is limited.
Pricing: Free plan is available. The team plan starts from $99 per month.
G2 Rating: 4.8/5
6. Magnolia
Magnolia allows you to manage content in one hub. Also, you can reuse it on all your channels and the web easily. Furthermore, headless CMS personalization features make it possible to create unique websites.
Pros:
- Internal search, approval process, versioning and content authoring features make content creation easier.
- User community and access management features are functional for user experience.
Cons:
- The UI is a bit complex to understand. It would be better with more documentation and guides.
- Big changes in new versions of the site make it hard to migrate from other versions.
G2 Rating: 4.2/5
You can create a popup for Magnolia with Popupsmart quickly.
7. Contentful
Contentful integrates with many tools and helps you create your content quickly. It is mostly used for e-commerce websites.
Pros:
- Content of a website can be merged in a single hub.
- Teams can collaborate on a specific project easily.
Cons:
- Integrating apps with app frameworks can be complicated.
- It is not possible to clone content created on a different platform.
Pricing: Free plan is available. The team plan starts from $489 per month.
G2 Rating: 4.3/5
See G2 reviews for Contentful.
8. Agility CMS
Agility CMS is one of the most used content management systems. Page and module management is functional in this platform. Content editors and marketers can use this platform easily. Famous companies such as Pepsico, Mitsubishi Electric use Agility CMS.
Pros:
- The API of the website is high-speed.
- It has flexible navigation structures and enterprise scalability features.
Cons:
- The business plan is expensive.
- Search function is limited.
Pricing: Has a free plan for developers, which is limited to 5000 entries per month. The business plan starts from $900 per month.
G2 Rating: 4.4/5
Explore G2 reviews for Agility CMS.
9. Core DNA
Core DNA allows you to create websites and applications in one place. In addition, API-driven features make it easy to customize a number of elements on a website.
Pros:
- The UI is minimal and easy to understand.
- You can combine content management tools since it integrates easily with many platforms.
Cons:
- Starter plan is costly if you want to try it out first.
- Integration of third-party APIs can be complex.
Pricing: Starts from $1250 per month. Has a customizable enterprise plan as well.
G2 Rating: 4.5/5
Explore G2 reviews for Core DNA.
10. Cockpit CMS
With Cockpit CMS, it is possible to create dynamic websites using headless CMS. Furthermore, since it is an open-source platform, you can easily customize your website and create unique websites.
Pros:
- Allows you to see comprehensive data with a search option.
- Gives opportunity to utilize a normal stack of web technologies.
Cons:
- Documentation and community may not be sufficient at times.
- The interface is a bit complicated.
G2 Rating: 3.8/5
Explore G2 reviews for Cockpit CMS.
11. Hygraph
Hygraph accompanies you to achieve a more developed digital experience. Thanks to the number of integrations, you can also develop your website and customize it.
Pros:
- Has a rich text editor and content authoring features that help you create quality content.
- Shows analytics of the content performance so that you can measure your traffic.
Cons:
- Migration of data when you change your model might be complex.
- It is not mobile-friendly.
Pricing: Free-forever plan is available. Professional team membership starts from $299 per month.
G2 Rating: 4.8/5
You can create a Hygraph popup with Popupsmart since it integrates seamlessly with this platform!
12. Kontent.ai
Kontent.ai makes content production easier so marketers and content creators can use it without getting confused. It also aims to provide a better online experience.
Pros:
- Integrates with other platforms that can better content creation and marketing activities.
- UX and design are easy to use for starters.
Cons:
- URL slugs may not generate accordingly.
- Monthly payment is a bit expensive.
Pricing: Free plan is available. The Scale Plan that offers more features starts from $2,499 per month.
G2 Rating: 4.3/5
You can read G2 reviews for Kontent.ai.
13. Dot CMS
Using Dot CMS makes it possible to build content-enabled applications. You can easily create mobile apps, single-page apps, and websites with this headless CMS platform.
Pros:
- Content scheduling, rich text editor and content authoring features make content creation easier.
- Allows users to customize content and integrate with other platforms.
Cons:
- Software crashes occur from time to time.
- Hard to understand at first, UI would be more functional and easy to use.
G2 Rating: 4/5
14. Butter CMS
Butter CMS is an API-first headless CMS platform. Companies such as Salesforce, Indeed use this platform as well.
Pros:
- It has an automated publishing feature.
- Image management and reusable content are functional development features.
Cons:
- Creating interactive and dynamic content might not be possible since some features are limited.
Pricing: Starts from $83 per month.
G2 Rating: 4.8/5
Read G2 reviews for Butter CMS.
15. Prismic
Prismic is another API-based headless CMS platform that you can use to publish content.
Pros:
- Managing the content is functional with cloud service.
- Integrates with other platforms easily.
Cons:
- Filtering the contents might be difficult.
- Occasional crashes occur and load speed might be slow.
Pricing: Free plan is available. Starts from $7 per month.
G2 Rating: 3.7/5
16. Storyblok
Storyblok is a great headless CMS platform to create e-commerce websites and mobile applications.
Pros:
- Content authoring, content repository and rich text editor features make content creation more accessible.
- It supports various front-end frameworks and you can customize your website easily.
Cons:
- Does not support some platforms and their plug-in may not work properly.
- Lacks flexibility while creating models.
Pricing: Free plan is available. Starts from $90 per month.
G2 Rating: 4.6/5
Read G2 reviews for Storyblok.
17. Contentstack
Contentstack allows users to create their content quickly. Since it is a headless CMS, customizing certain parts of a website is also possible.
Pros:
- It has content scheduling, content authoring and content repository features.
- Internal search and rich text editor features make it more user-friendly.
Cons:
- It might be challenging to locate the input fields for some monitors.
Pricing: Starts from $995 per month.
G2 Rating: 4.8/5
Read G2 reviews for Contentstack.
18. Bold
With Bold you can create content effortlessly and distribute content to other platforms. Moreover, since it is a headless CMS platform, it is user-friendly and straightforward.
Pros:
- Integrates with many marketing tools.
- It has a quick website load speed.
Cons:
- Mobile version is not as easy to use as the desktop version.
- The text editor lacks some features.
Pricing: Starts from $99 per month.
G2 Rating: 4.4/5
Read G2 reviews for Bold.
19. Zesty
Using Zesty can build your website easily since it is an outcome-oriented platform. Being a headless CMS, Zesty allows you to optimize your marketing activities. Companies such as Epic Games, SONY use Zesty as well.
Pros:
- Drafting, editing and publishing content is easy since you don’t need a lot of technical expertise.
- Internal search of content is possible.
Cons:
- Publishing content takes some time.
- Minor bugs may occur when there is an update.
Pricing: Free trial is available. Starts from $475 per month.
G2 Rating: 4.7/5
Explore G2 reviews for Zesty.
20. Enonic
Developers and content editors can easily collaborate and work together using Enonic. Since it is a headless CMS platform, customizing and editing content is possible.
Pros:
- It integrates with other platforms properly.
- Easy to understand at first, thanks to comprehensive documentation.
Cons:
- It takes time while building and publishing new content.
Pricing: Free trial is available. Starts from $990 per month.
G2 Rating: 4.6/5
Explore G2 reviews for Enonic.
21. Prepr
Being a headless CMS platform, Prepr brings data and content together. So in that sense, it is possible to improve your website’s content and user experience.
Pros:
- Integrates with other platforms conveniently.
- API has a low response time and is easy to use.
Cons:
- Documentation might not be clear about some issues since it is not wholly completed.
Pricing: Free trial is available. Starts from $399 per month.
G2 Rating: 4.3/5
Explore G2 reviews for Prepr.
In Conclusion
That is all for headless CMS platforms! By using these platforms, you can quickly form your brand’s online presence. We explained their key features, pros and cons, pricing details, and ratings so you can choose the one that suits your business needs.
Popupsmart, which is a popup builder, integrates with these headless CMS platforms seamlessly. You can create your popups with Popupsmart and increase sales conversions on your website!
We hope you find what you have been looking for and build unique websites easily! Comment below which works best for your company, and share your thoughts with us! :-)
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I Need a Headless CMS?
It would be best if you had headless CMS since it allows customizing a website easily. If you have an e-commerce website or blog that you create content regularly, using Headless CMS platforms can be beneficial. You don't have to know complex coding; headless CMS platforms assist you in customizing your website correctly.
Since these platforms do not focus on front-end development, you can easily establish your website and edit your content according to your needs.
What are the Benefits of a Headless CMS?
A headless CMS is a content management system that allows decoupled software applications to provide a complete end-to-end content creation, management and delivery process without enforcing any proprietary systems.
Since you do not have to write any code, you can focus on building the platform itself. In that way, you won’t worry about technical issues. These platforms help you to concentrate on the platform itself. The performance of a website increases and becomes more effective.
With headless CMS, content resources become accessible and reusable as well. In addition, hosting and delivery are stored in the cloud with headless CMS platforms. So you can personalize your platform and connect with other platforms too.
Which is the Best Headless CMS?
We have listed 21 headless CMS platforms with their pros and cons. However, it can be said that Strapi, Ghost, Sanity, Hygraph are among the best headless CMS platforms that you can consider using. These platforms have higher G2 ratings and are easy to use.
It depends on your website’s and company’s needs for sure. You can choose from this comprehensive list of headless CMS platforms we have prepared according to your needs.
Feel free to look at these blog posts as well:
- 6 Most-Used Content Management Systems (CMS) / Pros & Cons
- 21 Best Content Creation Tools Marketers Will Fall in Love With
- The 13 Best Website Builders for Nonprofit Organizations
- 10 Best Website Builder For Small Business (With Honest Reviews)
