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Headless CMS · 2026
6 tools · 6 dimensions · Ranked by weighted score
Click any column to sort
| Weighted average | Overall | API design, SDK quality, and local development experience. | Content editor experience — non-technical user friendliness. | Flexibility of schema and content type definitions. | Free tier, pricing model at scale, and seat limits. | CDN delivery, caching, and query speed. | Framework integrations, plugins, and marketplace. | Monthly |
| ★Sanity Structured content platform with real-… | 90 | 92 | 90 | 95 | 82 | 88 | 88 | Free freemium |
| Payload CMS Next.js-native headless CMS — code-fir… | 84 | 88 | 72 | 90 | 92 | 85 | 75 | Free freemium |
| Directus Open-source data platform — wrap any d… | 84 | 82 | 85 | 85 | 90 | 82 | 75 | Free freemium |
| Contentful The enterprise standard for headless c… | 83 | 82 | 88 | 85 | 65 | 90 | 92 | Free freemium |
| Strapi Open-source headless CMS — self-host o… | 83 | 80 | 80 | 88 | 90 | 78 | 82 | Free freemium |
| Prismic Slice-based CMS for marketing and edit… | 80 | 78 | 85 | 75 | 80 | 85 | 78 | Free freemium |
Click tool names to see the full radar breakdown · Open screener for advanced filtering
Developer UX
API design, SDK quality, and local development experience.
Editor UX
Content editor experience — non-technical user friendliness.
Content Modelling
Flexibility of schema and content type definitions.
Price / Value
Free tier, pricing model at scale, and seat limits.
API Performance
CDN delivery, caching, and query speed.
Ecosystem
Framework integrations, plugins, and marketplace.
| Tool | Score | Developer UX | Editor UX | Content Modelling | Price / Value | API Performance | Ecosystem | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sanity★ | 90 | 92 | 90 | 95 | 82 | 88 | 88 | Free |
| Payload CMS | 84 | 88 | 72 | 90 | 92 | 85 | 75 | Free |
| Directus | 84 | 82 | 85 | 85 | 90 | 82 | 75 | Free |
| Contentful | 83 | 82 | 88 | 85 | 65 | 90 | 92 | Free |
| Strapi | 83 | 80 | 80 | 88 | 90 | 78 | 82 | Free |
| Prismic | 80 | 78 | 85 | 75 | 80 | 85 | 78 | Free |
Top Pick
Sanity
90/100
Best: Content Modelling (95)
Runner Up
Payload CMS
84/100
Best: Price / Value (92)
Third Place
Directus
84/100
Best: Price / Value (90)