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CMS comparison CoreMedia Content Cloud vs Keystone

CoreMedia Content Cloud vs Keystone

CoreMedia Content Cloud is a closed-source enterprise DXP that you can host yourself or run on the vendor's cloud. Keystone is an open-source headless CMS that you host yourself. The table below sets them side by side on 28 features. They get a different status on 21.

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  • CoreMedia Content Cloud Enterprise DXP · Closed source · 18 of 28 built in
  • Keystone Headless · Open source · 6 of 28 built in

Sources checked: CoreMedia Content Cloud on 29 Sept 2026, Keystone on 29 Sept 2026. Plans and releases can change after those dates.

WAYF is an official Payload partner and top contributor. Every platform in the table is classified by the same published definitions, and each answer lists the vendor page it came from.

Feature comparison

Built inPaid tierPlugin or add-onLimitedNot available
CoreMedia Content Cloud vs Keystone feature comparison. Columns are the two platforms. Rows are features, grouped by area.
Platform
CoreMedia Content Cloud Enterprise DXP
Keystone Headless
Overview
What it is Java-based enterprise CMS with a Studio editor, a template engine and a GraphQL headless server. Runs on-premises or as CoreMedia's cloud service.Open-source Node.js headless CMS from Thinkmill that generates a GraphQL API and an admin UI from a TypeScript schema.
Edition compared The product and release each column describes. CoreMedia Content Cloud v13, or CMCC 13 Version 2512.1.1, released 10 Aug 2026 Keystone 6, open source, from the @keystone-6/core package Version 8.1.0, released 31 Aug 2026
Vendor CoreMedia GmbH coremedia.com Thinkmill keystonejs.com
Licence Closed source Proprietary Open source MIT
Hosting Self-hosting Vendor cloud Event Hub webhooks are an add-on for the CoreMedia cloud service only. Self-hosting No vendor cloud No managed hosting. Thinkmill offers enterprise support.
Built with Java, Spring Boot, TypeScript for StudioTypeScript, Node.js, GraphQL, Prisma, Next.js for the admin UI
Database Relational database: PostgreSQL, MySQL, Oracle, SQL ServerPostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite
Pricing Public list prices only. Hosting and implementation are extra everywhere. No free option Pricing on request. Free to start Free and open source. Enterprise support from Thinkmill on request.
Content modelling
Content model in code You define content types in files in your repository, review them like any other code and apply them from there. Imperative migration scripts alone count as limited. Built in XML files in the project workspace define content types. 3 Built in Lists and fields are TypeScript config. 4
Content model in the UI Admins can create and change content types and fields in the admin interface without writing code. Not available Content type changes need a developer and a deployment. 3 Not available
Reusable blocks Editors compose pages from reusable, typed components or blocks, and can reorder them. Built in Page grid placements hold reusable content items. 4 Built in Component blocks inside the document field. 8
Localization Editors translate content per locale inside the CMS, by field or by entry, without a separate site for each language. Limited Each locale is a derived site linked to a master site, with a translation workflow. 5 Not available No locale support documented. Model translations yourself. 12
Image transformations The CMS resizes, crops or converts images on request, through URL parameters or generated sizes, with no external service. Built in Named image variants and crops in the CAE and Headless Server. 6 Not available Image field stores originals. The Cloudinary field hands resizing to Cloudinary. 711
APIs and delivery
REST API A documented REST or JSON HTTP API returns content. Built in REST endpoints mapped from persisted GraphQL queries. 7 Not available GraphQL only. Custom REST routes through extendExpressApp. 4
GraphQL API The vendor or an official module provides a GraphQL API for content. Built in Headless Server. 7 Built in
Webhooks The CMS can call an external URL when content is created, changed or published. Plugin or add-on Event Hub add-on service for cloud service subscribers. 89 Not available No webhook settings. Call URLs from hooks in code. 10
Renders the website The CMS itself renders and serves the public pages through themes or templates. Headless-only products answer no. Built in Content Application Engine with FreeMarker templates. 1 Not available
Editorial workflow
Drafts Editors save changes as a draft and publish them later. The live version stays untouched until then. Built in Not available
Scheduled publishing An editor can set a future date and time for content to publish or unpublish. Built in Valid-from and valid-to dates plus a scheduled publication workflow. 11 Not available
Version history The CMS keeps earlier versions of an entry, and editors can compare or restore them. Built in Not available
Preview Editors can see unpublished content rendered as it will appear on the site before publishing. Built in Not available
Visual editing Editors can click on the rendered page and edit content in place or in a side panel next to it. Built in In-preview editing in Studio, also for headless frontends. 10 Not available
Approval workflows Content moves through review stages you configure, such as draft, review and approved, with permissions per stage. Built in Workflow Server with configurable publication workflows. 1113 Not available
Content releases Editors group changes across several entries and publish them together as one release. Limited Projects group content. A publication set carries linked items along. 1213 Not available
Real-time co-editing Two or more editors can work on the same entry at once and see each other's changes live. Not available Not available
Access and governance
Custom roles Admins define their own roles with granular permissions instead of picking from a fixed set. Built in Rights rules per group, folder and content type. 14 Limited Roles are access-control functions written in code. No role editor in the admin. 5
Field-level permissions Admins can restrict access to single fields, on top of content types and entries. Not available Rights apply per folder and content type. 14 Built in Field-level access control. 5
Single sign-on Editors can sign in through SAML or OpenID Connect against a company identity provider. Built in Studio login runs on Spring Security. A project swaps in a redirect-based SSO provider. 1516 Not available The auth package covers password login. SSO means custom session code. 6
Audit log The CMS logs who changed what and when across the whole installation, and admins can review the log. Built in Records who changed what and when; supports reversions. Retention, export and edition limits are not public: confirm in the contract. 16 Not available
Platform and extensibility
Multiple sites One installation or account can manage several separate websites or brands with shared users. Built in Not available
Extensible admin UI Developers can add their own components, views or fields to the editing interface. Built in Studio plugins. Built in Custom admin pages, navigation and field views. 9
Plugin marketplace The vendor runs an official directory or marketplace of installable extensions. Built in CoreMedia Marketplace. 17 Not available
Form builder Editors can build and publish forms and collect submissions without code. Plugin or add-on Formcentric for CoreMedia, a partner product from the Marketplace. 18 Not available
Site member accounts The platform handles sign-up and login for public site users or members, separate from editors. Plugin or add-on Elastic Social module manages site users and comments. 19 Built in createAuth works on any list, including site users. 6
AI writing assistant A first-party AI feature in the editing interface generates, rewrites or translates content. Plugin or add-on KIO Co-Pilot needs a licence with KIO enabled. 20 Not available
Official MCP server The vendor publishes a Model Context Protocol server so AI agents can read or write content. Not available None for content. The only official MCP server covers Engagement Cloud analytics. 20 Not available

Considering more platforms? Compare CoreMedia Content Cloud and Keystone with the rest of your shortlist in the CMS comparison tool.

Where they differ

CoreMedia Content Cloud and Keystone get a different status on 21 of the 28 features and the same status on 7. CoreMedia Content Cloud has 18 built in on its baseline edition, Keystone has 6. Two matching statuses can still name different paid tiers or limits, so read the notes in the table before treating a row as equal.

Licence
CoreMedia Content Cloud is closed source (Proprietary). Keystone is open source (MIT).
Vendor cloud
CoreMedia Content Cloud has a vendor-run cloud. Keystone has no vendor-run cloud.
Free option
CoreMedia Content Cloud has no free option. Keystone has a free option.

Built in on CoreMedia Content Cloud, a different answer on Keystone 14

  • Image transformations CoreMedia Content Cloud: Built in. Keystone: Not available.
  • REST API CoreMedia Content Cloud: Built in. Keystone: Not available.
  • Renders the website CoreMedia Content Cloud: Built in. Keystone: Not available.
  • Drafts CoreMedia Content Cloud: Built in. Keystone: Not available.
  • Scheduled publishing CoreMedia Content Cloud: Built in. Keystone: Not available.
  • Version history CoreMedia Content Cloud: Built in. Keystone: Not available.
  • Preview CoreMedia Content Cloud: Built in. Keystone: Not available.
  • Visual editing CoreMedia Content Cloud: Built in. Keystone: Not available.
  • Approval workflows CoreMedia Content Cloud: Built in. Keystone: Not available.
  • Custom roles CoreMedia Content Cloud: Built in. Keystone: Limited.
  • Single sign-on CoreMedia Content Cloud: Built in. Keystone: Not available.
  • Audit log CoreMedia Content Cloud: Built in. Keystone: Not available.
  • Multiple sites CoreMedia Content Cloud: Built in. Keystone: Not available.
  • Plugin marketplace CoreMedia Content Cloud: Built in. Keystone: Not available.

Built in on Keystone, a different answer on CoreMedia Content Cloud 2

  • Field-level permissions CoreMedia Content Cloud: Not available. Keystone: Built in.
  • Site member accounts CoreMedia Content Cloud: Plugin or add-on. Keystone: Built in.

Built in on neither, with different answers 5

  • Localization CoreMedia Content Cloud: Limited. Keystone: Not available.
  • Webhooks CoreMedia Content Cloud: Plugin or add-on. Keystone: Not available.
  • Content releases CoreMedia Content Cloud: Limited. Keystone: Not available.
  • Form builder CoreMedia Content Cloud: Plugin or add-on. Keystone: Not available.
  • AI writing assistant CoreMedia Content Cloud: Plugin or add-on. Keystone: Not available.

More comparisons

CoreMedia Content Cloud against other platforms

Keystone against other platforms

Open the CMS comparison tool to put up to six platforms in one table.

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