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CMS comparison DatoCMS vs WordPress

DatoCMS vs WordPress

DatoCMS is a closed-source headless CMS that runs on the vendor's cloud. WordPress is an open-source traditional CMS that you host yourself. The table below sets them side by side on 28 features. They get a different status on 16.

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  • DatoCMS Headless · Closed source · 16 of 28 built in
  • WordPress Traditional · Open source · 13 of 28 built in

Sources checked: DatoCMS on 29 Sept 2026, WordPress 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
DatoCMS vs WordPress feature comparison. Columns are the two platforms. Rows are features, grouped by area.
Platform
DatoCMS Headless
WordPress Traditional
Overview
What it is Hosted headless CMS run by DatoCMS. It delivers content over a GraphQL API, with a REST API for content management.Open-source PHP CMS that renders sites through themes and extends through plugins. Teams self-host it or buy managed WordPress hosting.
Edition compared The product and release each column describes. DatoCMS SaaS, Free, Professional and Enterprise plans SaaS, continuously updated WordPress 7.1 core, self-hosted from WordPress.org Version 7.1.2, released 22 Sept 2026
Vendor DatoCMS datocms.com WordPress.org community project (Automattic is the largest contributor) wordpress.org
Licence Closed source Proprietary Open source GPL-2.0-or-later
Hosting No self-hosting Vendor cloud Self-hosting No vendor cloud Automattic's WordPress.com and many third-party hosts sell managed WordPress.
Built with Hosted SaaS with GraphQL delivery and REST management APIs, TypeScript clientPHP, JavaScript, React block editor
Database Managed by DatoCMSMySQL, MariaDB
Pricing Public list prices only. Hosting and implementation are extra everywhere. Free to start Free plan. Professional €149 per month billed annually, or €199 monthly. Enterprise on request. Free to start Free to download and self-host. Hosting and premium plugins cost extra.
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. Limited Migration scripts run by the DatoCMS CLI, auto-generated from environment diffs. 12 Built in Post types, taxonomies and meta registered in PHP.
Content model in the UI Admins can create and change content types and fields in the admin interface without writing code. Built in 1 Plugin or add-on ACF or Custom Post Type UI plugins. Core has no content type builder. 12
Reusable blocks Editors compose pages from reusable, typed components or blocks, and can reorder them. Built in Block library used in modular content and Structured Text fields. 1 Built in Block editor with patterns and synced patterns.
Localization Editors translate content per locale inside the CMS, by field or by entry, without a separate site for each language. Built in Field-level locales, 5 included and up to 10 with paid add-ons. 1 Plugin or add-on WPML or Polylang plugins. Core translates the interface only. 13
Image transformations The CMS resizes, crops or converts images on request, through URL parameters or generated sizes, with no external service. Built in Images API with imgix URL parameters. 3 Built in WordPress generates registered image sizes on upload.
APIs and delivery
REST API A documented REST or JSON HTTP API returns content. Built in REST Content Management API reads records. Delivery is GraphQL. 111 Built in 5
GraphQL API The vendor or an official module provides a GraphQL API for content. Built in 1 Plugin or add-on WPGraphQL, a canonical plugin on WordPress.org. 6
Webhooks The CMS can call an external URL when content is created, changed or published. Built in 1 Plugin or add-on WP Webhooks plugin. Core sends no outgoing webhooks. 16
Renders the website The CMS itself renders and serves the public pages through themes or templates. Headless-only products answer no. Not available Built in Block themes and classic PHP themes.
Editorial workflow
Drafts Editors save changes as a draft and publish them later. The live version stays untouched until then. Built in 1 Limited Edits to a published post go live on update. PublishPress Revisions adds pending drafts. 11
Scheduled publishing An editor can set a future date and time for content to publish or unpublish. Built in 1 Built in Scheduled publishing only. Scheduled unpublishing needs a plugin.
Version history The CMS keeps earlier versions of an entry, and editors can compare or restore them. Limited History kept 3 days on Free, 60 days on Professional. 1 Built in Revisions with a visual scrubber since 7.0. 2
Preview Editors can see unpublished content rendered as it will appear on the site before publishing. Built in 17 Built in
Visual editing Editors can click on the rendered page and edit content in place or in a side panel next to it. Built in Click-to-edit overlays on the site in draft mode. 17 Built in Block Editor and Site Editor edit content inside the theme's styles.
Approval workflows Content moves through review stages you configure, such as draft, review and approved, with permissions per stage. Paid tier Editorial workflows with stage permissions on Enterprise. 16 Plugin or add-on PublishPress plugins. Core has only the Pending Review status. 711
Content releases Editors group changes across several entries and publish them together as one release. Limited Publishing a record can also publish its linked records. No standalone releases. 1 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 Presence and live updates, but a record locks while one editor edits it. 4 Not available Pulled from 7.0. Still experimental in the Gutenberg plugin. 3418
Access and governance
Custom roles Admins define their own roles with granular permissions instead of picking from a fixed set. Built in Projects include Admin and Editor roles and can create additional roles. The Free plan is limited to 2 editor seats. 15 Plugin or add-on Plugins such as Members or User Role Editor. Core roles are fixed. 7
Field-level permissions Admins can restrict access to single fields, on top of content types and entries. Not available Rules apply per model, creator, locale and workflow stage. Locale rules need Enterprise. 5 Not available
Single sign-on Editors can sign in through SAML or OpenID Connect against a company identity provider. Paid tier Enterprise, with SCIM provisioning. 1 Plugin or add-on SAML or OIDC plugins, e.g. miniOrange SAML Single Sign On. 15
Audit log The CMS logs who changed what and when across the whole installation, and admins can review the log. Paid tier Enterprise. 1 Plugin or add-on Simple History or WP Activity Log plugins. 14
Platform and extensibility
Multiple sites One installation or account can manage several separate websites or brands with shared users. Built in Separate projects per site. 3 on Free, extra projects €39 a month on Professional. 1 Built in Multisite network in core, with shared users. 8
Extensible admin UI Developers can add their own components, views or fields to the editing interface. Built in Plugin SDK for field editors, sidebars and custom pages. 1 Built in Custom blocks, admin pages and meta boxes.
Plugin marketplace The vendor runs an official directory or marketplace of installable extensions. Built in DatoCMS Marketplace. 19 Built in WordPress.org plugin directory.
Form builder Editors can build and publish forms and collect submissions without code. Not available Plugin or add-on Form plugins such as WPForms or Contact Form 7. 17
Site member accounts The platform handles sign-up and login for public site users or members, separate from editors. Not available Built in Open registration with the Subscriber role. 7
AI writing assistant A first-party AI feature in the editing interface generates, rewrites or translates content. Plugin or add-on Official AI Translations plugin with your own OpenAI, Gemini, Claude or DeepL key. 89 Plugin or add-on Official AI plugin plus a connected provider. Core ships the AI Client only. 29
Official MCP server The vendor publishes a Model Context Protocol server so AI agents can read or write content. Built in Remote MCP server at mcp.datocms.com. 10 Plugin or add-on MCP Adapter plugin from the WordPress AI team. 10

Considering more platforms? Compare DatoCMS and WordPress with the rest of your shortlist in the CMS comparison tool.

Where they differ

DatoCMS and WordPress get a different status on 16 of the 28 features and the same status on 12. DatoCMS has 16 built in on its baseline edition, WordPress has 13. 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
DatoCMS is closed source (Proprietary). WordPress is open source (GPL-2.0-or-later).
Self-hosting
DatoCMS cannot be self-hosted. WordPress can be self-hosted.
Vendor cloud
DatoCMS has a vendor-run cloud. WordPress has no vendor-run cloud.

Built in on DatoCMS, a different answer on WordPress 7

  • Content model in the UI DatoCMS: Built in. WordPress: Plugin or add-on.
  • Localization DatoCMS: Built in. WordPress: Plugin or add-on.
  • GraphQL API DatoCMS: Built in. WordPress: Plugin or add-on.
  • Webhooks DatoCMS: Built in. WordPress: Plugin or add-on.
  • Drafts DatoCMS: Built in. WordPress: Limited.
  • Custom roles DatoCMS: Built in. WordPress: Plugin or add-on.
  • Official MCP server DatoCMS: Built in. WordPress: Plugin or add-on.

Built in on WordPress, a different answer on DatoCMS 4

  • Content model in code DatoCMS: Limited. WordPress: Built in.
  • Renders the website DatoCMS: Not available. WordPress: Built in.
  • Version history DatoCMS: Limited. WordPress: Built in.
  • Site member accounts DatoCMS: Not available. WordPress: Built in.

Built in on neither, with different answers 5

  • Approval workflows DatoCMS: Paid tier. WordPress: Plugin or add-on.
  • Content releases DatoCMS: Limited. WordPress: Not available.
  • Single sign-on DatoCMS: Paid tier. WordPress: Plugin or add-on.
  • Audit log DatoCMS: Paid tier. WordPress: Plugin or add-on.
  • Form builder DatoCMS: Not available. WordPress: Plugin or add-on.

More comparisons

Full write-ups with worked examples and costs: DatoCMS vs Payload and WordPress vs Payload.

DatoCMS against other platforms

WordPress against other platforms

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

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