What is a headless CMS?
A headless CMS separates the content (backend) from the presentation (frontend). Content is stored in the CMS and served through an API to your website, app or any other channel.
Traditional CMS vs. headless CMS
Traditional CMS (WordPress, Joomla): content and design are coupled. The CMS determines how content is displayed.
Headless CMS: content and an API, nothing more. You choose the technology that displays it — React, Next.js, a mobile app, or even a smartwatch.
Benefits of headless
1Technology freedom — pick your own frontend (React, Vue, Next.js)
2Omnichannel — the same content on web, app, kiosk, smartwatch
3Performance — static sites with a CDN are extremely fast
4Security — no direct database connection to the frontend
5Scalability — CDN + edge computing for millions of visitors
Popular headless CMS options
| CMS | Type | Price | Ideal for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strapi | Open source | Free (self-hosted) | Developers who want control |
| Contentful | SaaS | Free – €489/mo | Teams, enterprise |
| Sanity | SaaS | Free – custom | Real-time content, media |
| Directus | Open source | Free (self-hosted) | SQL databases |
| Payload CMS | Open source | Free | TypeScript-first projects |
Which headless CMS should you choose?
Small budget, technical team: Strapi or Payload (free, self-hosted)
Enterprise, multiple teams: Contentful or Sanity
Existing database: Directus (sits on top of existing SQL)
Next.js project: Payload CMS (TypeScript-native)
When is WordPress still right?
Not every project needs headless. WordPress is fine when:
Content editors use the CMS daily
There is no mobile app or other channel
The budget is limited
Need help choosing? We're happy to think along.