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CMS comparison Decap CMS vs FirstSpirit

Decap CMS vs FirstSpirit

Decap CMS is an open-source headless CMS that you can host yourself or run on the vendor's cloud. FirstSpirit is a closed-source enterprise DXP that you can host yourself or run on the vendor's cloud. The table below sets them side by side on 28 features. They get a different status on 20.

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  • Decap CMS Headless · Open source · 6 of 28 built in
  • FirstSpirit Enterprise DXP · Closed source · 19 of 28 built in

Sources checked: Decap CMS on 29 Sept 2026, FirstSpirit 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
Decap CMS vs FirstSpirit feature comparison. Columns are the two platforms. Rows are features, grouped by area.
Platform
Decap CMS Headless
FirstSpirit Enterprise DXP
Overview
What it is Open-source Git-based CMS. A React admin app added to your site edits Markdown, YAML or JSON files and commits them to your repository.Java-based enterprise CMS with in-preview editing and a CaaS layer for headless delivery. Runs as FirstSpirit Cloud or on-premises.
Edition compared The product and release each column describes. Decap CMS 3, open source. Decap Turbo hosted backend is in public preview. Version 3.16.3, released 22 Sept 2026 FirstSpirit 5.2 monthly release line, FirstSpirit Cloud and on-premises Version 2026.10 (5.2.261011), released 15 Sept 2026
Vendor Decap CMS project (formerly Netlify CMS), maintained in Europe decapcms.org Crownpeak Technology GmbH, part of Rezolve Ai since December 2025 firstspirit.com
Licence Open source MIT Closed source Proprietary
Hosting Self-hosting Vendor cloud Decap Turbo, a hosted backend for login and Git access, is in public preview. Self-hosting Vendor cloud
Built with JavaScript, ReactJava, ContentCreator web client, SiteArchitect desktop app
Database Your Git repository on GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Gitea or AzureBuilt-in repository, plus SQL databases such as PostgreSQL for data sources
Pricing Public list prices only. Hosting and implementation are extra everywhere. Free to start Free and open source. The Decap Turbo hosted backend, in public preview, has a Free plan and Pro at €19 per month. No free option Pricing 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 Collections and fields are defined in config.yml. 6 Built in Templates sync to files in Git through external synchronization and FSDevTools. 34
Content model in the UI Admins can create and change content types and fields in the admin interface without writing code. Not available Limited Developers build templates in SiteArchitect but write their forms as XML. 412
Reusable blocks Editors compose pages from reusable, typed components or blocks, and can reorder them. Built in List widget with variable types. 7 Built in Pages consist of sections based on section templates.
Localization Editors translate content per locale inside the CMS, by field or by entry, without a separate site for each language. Built in Side-by-side editing per locale, stored per folder, file or field. 8 Built in Language-dependent fields per project language.
Image transformations The CMS resizes, crops or converts images on request, through URL parameters or generated sizes, with no external service. Not available Media goes to the repo or an external media library. Built in FirstSpirit automatically generates the image resolutions defined per project.
APIs and delivery
REST API A documented REST or JSON HTTP API returns content. Not available Content is files in Git. Read them through the Git host API. 2 Built in CaaS REST API. 56
GraphQL API The vendor or an official module provides a GraphQL API for content. Not available Built in CaaS GraphQL API generated from the FirstSpirit data model. 56
Webhooks The CMS can call an external URL when content is created, changed or published. Not available Use the Git host's webhooks on commit. Limited CaaS Change Streams push change events over WebSocket. 6
Renders the website The CMS itself renders and serves the public pages through themes or templates. Headless-only products answer no. Not available Pairs with a static site generator. 2 Built in Generates pages from templates. CaaS covers headless delivery.
Editorial workflow
Drafts Editors save changes as a draft and publish them later. The live version stays untouched until then. Built in Editorial workflow keeps drafts on a branch until merged. 9 Built in Changes stay unreleased until the release workflow runs. 8
Scheduled publishing An editor can set a future date and time for content to publish or unpublish. Not available Limited Admins set up timed schedule entries. Editors have no per-item publish date. 10
Version history The CMS keeps earlier versions of an entry, and editors can compare or restore them. Not available History lives in Git. The CMS has no revision view. Built in
Preview Editors can see unpublished content rendered as it will appear on the site before publishing. Built in Preview pane with custom templates and styles. 10 Built in
Visual editing Editors can click on the rendered page and edit content in place or in a side panel next to it. Limited Preview pane beside the form. No click-to-edit on the live page. 10 Built in ContentCreator in-preview editing. Omnichannel Manager for headless frontends. 7
Approval workflows Content moves through review stages you configure, such as draft, review and approved, with permissions per stage. Limited Fixed Drafts, In review and Ready stages. No per-stage permissions. 9 Built in 8
Content releases Editors group changes across several entries and publish them together as one release. Not available Limited Release with dependencies publishes a page with its linked media and parents. 9
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 The Collaboration module adds comments on fields. No co-editing. 11
Access and governance
Custom roles Admins define their own roles with granular permissions instead of picking from a fixed set. Plugin or add-on Decap Turbo, in public preview, has a custom roles add-on at €19 per month on Pro. Core uses Git access. 1214 Built in Groups with permissions per store and node.
Field-level permissions Admins can restrict access to single fields, on top of content types and entries. Not available Limited Form rules hide or lock single fields per user group. 12
Single sign-on Editors can sign in through SAML or OpenID Connect against a company identity provider. Limited Sign-in runs through the Git host or Turbo. SAML only where the Git host enforces it. 413 Built in SAML and OpenID Connect login modules. 1314
Audit log The CMS logs who changed what and when across the whole installation, and admins can review the log. Plugin or add-on Decap Turbo, in public preview, has an activity log on its Free plan. Core has Git history only. 12 Built in Audit logging to the server log once enabled. 15
Platform and extensibility
Multiple sites One installation or account can manage several separate websites or brands with shared users. Plugin or add-on Decap Turbo organizations share members across sites. Turbo is in public preview. Extra sites €10/month. 1412 Built in Several projects per server. Multisite Management shares content between them. 16
Extensible admin UI Developers can add their own components, views or fields to the editing interface. Built in Custom widgets, preview templates and editor components. 1110 Built in ContentCreator and SiteArchitect plug-ins.
Plugin marketplace The vendor runs an official directory or marketplace of installable extensions. Not available No official extension directory. Built in FirstSpirit Marketplace. 17
Form builder Editors can build and publish forms and collect submissions without code. Not available Plugin or add-on Formcentric for FirstSpirit, a partner product. 18
Site member accounts The platform handles sign-up and login for public site users or members, separate from editors. Not available Not available
AI writing assistant A first-party AI feature in the editing interface generates, rewrites or translates content. Not available Plugin or add-on AI Suite module: Content, Analyze and Image assistants. 117
Official MCP server The vendor publishes a Model Context Protocol server so AI agents can read or write content. Not available Built in CaaS Platform MCP server builds and runs CaaS GraphQL queries. 19

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

Where they differ

Decap CMS and FirstSpirit get a different status on 20 of the 28 features and the same status on 8. Decap CMS has 6 built in on its baseline edition, FirstSpirit has 19. 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
Decap CMS is open source (MIT). FirstSpirit is closed source (Proprietary).
Free option
Decap CMS has a free option. FirstSpirit has no free option.

Built in on FirstSpirit, a different answer on Decap CMS 13

  • Image transformations Decap CMS: Not available. FirstSpirit: Built in.
  • REST API Decap CMS: Not available. FirstSpirit: Built in.
  • GraphQL API Decap CMS: Not available. FirstSpirit: Built in.
  • Renders the website Decap CMS: Not available. FirstSpirit: Built in.
  • Version history Decap CMS: Not available. FirstSpirit: Built in.
  • Visual editing Decap CMS: Limited. FirstSpirit: Built in.
  • Approval workflows Decap CMS: Limited. FirstSpirit: Built in.
  • Custom roles Decap CMS: Plugin or add-on. FirstSpirit: Built in.
  • Single sign-on Decap CMS: Limited. FirstSpirit: Built in.
  • Audit log Decap CMS: Plugin or add-on. FirstSpirit: Built in.
  • Multiple sites Decap CMS: Plugin or add-on. FirstSpirit: Built in.
  • Plugin marketplace Decap CMS: Not available. FirstSpirit: Built in.
  • Official MCP server Decap CMS: Not available. FirstSpirit: Built in.

Built in on neither, with different answers 7

  • Content model in the UI Decap CMS: Not available. FirstSpirit: Limited.
  • Webhooks Decap CMS: Not available. FirstSpirit: Limited.
  • Scheduled publishing Decap CMS: Not available. FirstSpirit: Limited.
  • Content releases Decap CMS: Not available. FirstSpirit: Limited.
  • Field-level permissions Decap CMS: Not available. FirstSpirit: Limited.
  • Form builder Decap CMS: Not available. FirstSpirit: Plugin or add-on.
  • AI writing assistant Decap CMS: Not available. FirstSpirit: Plugin or add-on.

More comparisons

Decap CMS against other platforms

FirstSpirit against other platforms

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

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