A Complete Guide to Headless CMS: Comparing Free & Paid Plans and Choosing the Right One
A practical guide to Headless CMS, from the basics to real-world comparisons of Contentful, Strapi, Prismic, Sanity, Storyblok, and Directus. Learn the differences between free and paid plans, ideal use cases, and how to choose the right CMS without costly mistakes.
Headless CMS has become the standard for modern web and app development, but it can be confusing to navigate. With options like Contentful, Strapi, Prismic, Sanity, Storyblok, and Directus, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Each system has a different philosophy, ideal audience, and use case, and picking the wrong one can cause frustration later.
This guide breaks down Headless CMS from the basics to real-world use, highlighting what you need to know to choose the right CMS for blogs, websites, or product platforms.
What is a Headless CMS?
A Headless CMS is a content management system where the backend (where content is created and stored) is separated from the frontend (where content is displayed). Unlike traditional CMSs like WordPress, where the system handles both content and presentation, a Headless CMS provides content via APIs (REST or GraphQL) so it can be used anywhere.
Benefits include:
- Reusing the same content across websites, mobile apps, or other platforms.
- Giving frontend developers full control over design and performance.
- Easier multi-language and multi-channel deployment.
- Allowing content creators and developers to work independently.
Think of it as a content infrastructure rather than a site builder.
Who Should Use a Headless CMS?
Headless CMS is not necessary for every project. It excels when:
- You want complete control over frontend design and user experience.
- You are managing multiple platforms (website + mobile app).
- You plan to scale to multiple languages or channels.
- Developers are actively involved in implementing and maintaining the frontend.
For simple personal blogs or sites that do not need API flexibility, a traditional CMS may still be easier.
Key Considerations Before Choosing a CMS
Two key factors should guide your choice:
1. SaaS vs Self-Hosted
- SaaS (Contentful, Prismic, Storyblok): Quick setup, no server maintenance, but pricing scales with usage.
- Self-hosted (Strapi, Directus): Full control, lower long-term cost, but requires server setup and maintenance.
The choice is not about which is better, but where you want to place your operational responsibilities.
2. Who Will Manage the CMS
- Developers only
- Marketers or editors only
- Both developers and marketers together
Misalignment here can make even a technically excellent CMS cumbersome in practice.
Major Headless CMS Compared
Here’s a practical overview of the most widely used Headless CMS, focusing on purpose, free vs paid capabilities, and ideal team setups.
Contentful – Enterprise-Ready and Highly Structured
Contentful is designed for structured content and multi-channel distribution. It uses “Content Types” and “Entries,” making content reusable across different platforms.
- Free plan: Basic content modeling and API access, suitable for testing or small projects.
- Paid plan: Supports multiple environments, advanced role-based access, and higher API limits.
Ideal for: Global businesses, complex content structures, teams with clear editor/developer separation.
Strapi – Flexible Open-Source CMS
Strapi is self-hosted and Node.js-based, easy to run locally, and generates REST and GraphQL APIs automatically.
- Free plan: Full functionality, including content types, authentication, and permissions.
- Paid plan: Enterprise support, advanced role-based access, and SSO.
Ideal for: Startups, developer-led projects, personal portfolios, small SaaS apps.
Prismic – Editor-Friendly with Slices
Prismic organizes content in blocks called “Slices,” making it intuitive for non-technical users.
- Free plan: Basic slice management and API access.
- Paid plan: Multi-user access, workflow management, and advanced roles.
Ideal for: Corporate websites, landing pages, marketing-heavy projects.
Sanity – Real-Time, Developer-Centric CMS
Sanity allows defining content schemas in code, with real-time collaboration and highly customizable workflows.
- Free plan: Real-time editing and schema customization for small projects.
- Paid plan: Supports larger datasets, teams, and enterprise SLAs.
Ideal for: Developer-driven product platforms, complex apps, and highly customized workflows.
Storyblok – Visual Editor with Headless Flexibility
Storyblok combines API-based access with a visual editor, allowing developers and marketers to collaborate seamlessly.
- Free plan: Testing and small personal projects.
- Paid plan: Multi-language support, workflow automation, and team management.
Ideal for: Marketing-driven websites managed alongside developers, especially for multi-language content.
Directus – Database-First Headless CMS
Directus adds a CMS interface and API to an existing database, making it ideal for data-centric projects.
- Free plan: Almost all features including API and permission management.
- Paid plan: Support and enterprise SLA.
Ideal for: Data-driven apps or projects with existing databases.
Practical Implementation Flow
No matter which CMS you choose, the setup typically follows these steps:
- Decide on SaaS vs self-hosted.
- Define minimal content models and structure.
- Connect the CMS API to your frontend (Next.js, Nuxt, React, etc.).
- Set up preview and publishing workflows.
- Iterate and expand content models based on actual use.
Tip: Start small. Avoid over-engineering your content structure before understanding how it will be used.
Choosing the Right Headless CMS
There’s no single “best” CMS. The right choice depends on your team, project size, and workflow:
- Individual or small teams: Strapi, Sanity
- Marketing-driven projects: Prismic, Storyblok
- Large-scale or enterprise: Contentful
By choosing based on workflow and team structure rather than hype, you can prevent costly mistakes and ensure your content infrastructure scales with your project.
Conclusion
Headless CMS is not about picking the most popular or “trendy” tool.
It’s about choosing a platform that matches your workflow, team structure, and scale.
- Individual or small teams → Strapi, Sanity
- Marketing-driven → Prismic, Storyblok
- Enterprise, multi-region → Contentful
With the right choice, your content infrastructure will scale with your project instead of becoming a bottleneck.
Fumi Nozawa
Digital Marketer & Strategist
Following a career with global brands like Paul Smith and Boucheron, Fumi now supports international companies with digital strategy and market expansion. By combining marketing expertise with a deep understanding of technology, he builds solutions that drive tangible brand growth.
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