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CMS comparison Decap CMS vs Prismic

Decap CMS vs Prismic

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

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  • Decap CMS Headless · Open source · 6 of 28 built in
  • Prismic Headless · Closed source · 16 of 28 built in

Sources checked: Decap CMS on 29 Sept 2026, Prismic 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 Prismic feature comparison. Columns are the two platforms. Rows are features, grouped by area.
Platform
Decap CMS Headless
Prismic Headless
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.Hosted headless page builder where marketers compose pages from developer-built slices. Run by Prismic, with SDKs for Next.js, Nuxt and SvelteKit.
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 Prismic SaaS, Free to Enterprise plans SaaS, continuously updated
Vendor Decap CMS project (formerly Netlify CMS), maintained in Europe decapcms.org Prismic prismic.io
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. No self-hosting Vendor cloud
Built with JavaScript, ReactSaaS with SDKs for Next.js, Nuxt and SvelteKit
Database Your Git repository on GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Gitea or AzureManaged by Prismic
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. Free to start Free plan. Starter $10, Small $25, Medium $150, Platinum $675 per repository per month, billed yearly.
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 Model files live in the project. The Prismic CLI pushes and pulls them. 2
Content model in the UI Admins can create and change content types and fields in the admin interface without writing code. Not available Built in Type Builder in the web app. 3
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 Slices with variations. 4
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 2 locales on Free, 8 on Platinum, custom on Enterprise. 1
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 Image optimization and processing on all plans. 1
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 Document API. 15
GraphQL API The vendor or an official module provides a GraphQL API for content. Not available Built in 15
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. Built in 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 Not available
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
Scheduled publishing An editor can set a future date and time for content to publish or unpublish. Not available Built in Scheduled through releases on every plan. 18
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 Full revision history on every plan. 1
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 Shareable previews on every plan. 17
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 Page Builder shows live slice previews from your site next to the fields. 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 Limited Writer and Publisher roles from Medium. No configurable review stages. 9
Content releases Editors group changes across several entries and publish them together as one release. Not available Built in Up to 200 pages per release. 8
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 In progress with a waitlist. A status indicator shows who is editing. 10
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 Limited Enterprise only. Fixed Read-only, Writer or Publisher levels set per locale. No role builder. 19
Field-level permissions Admins can restrict access to single fields, on top of content types and entries. Not available Not available
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 Paid tier Enterprise. 19
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 Not available Not documented publicly.
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 Each site is a repository on its own plan. Spaces group content inside one. 111
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 Limited Integration fields load external catalog data into a picker. No custom UI code. 12
Plugin marketplace The vendor runs an official directory or marketplace of installable extensions. Not available No official extension directory. Not available Integration guides only. No installable marketplace. 13
Form builder Editors can build and publish forms and collect submissions without code. Not available Not available
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 Limited Beta on request: AI translation and SEO metadata suggestions. 114
Official MCP server The vendor publishes a Model Context Protocol server so AI agents can read or write content. Not available Built in Hosted at mcp.prismic.io, activated per repository. 15

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

Where they differ

Decap CMS and Prismic get a different status on 16 of the 28 features and the same status on 12. Decap CMS has 6 built in on its baseline edition, Prismic has 16. 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). Prismic is closed source (Proprietary).
Self-hosting
Decap CMS can be self-hosted. Prismic cannot be self-hosted.

Built in on Decap CMS, a different answer on Prismic 1

  • Extensible admin UI Decap CMS: Built in. Prismic: Limited.

Built in on Prismic, a different answer on Decap CMS 11

  • Content model in the UI Decap CMS: Not available. Prismic: Built in.
  • Image transformations Decap CMS: Not available. Prismic: Built in.
  • REST API Decap CMS: Not available. Prismic: Built in.
  • GraphQL API Decap CMS: Not available. Prismic: Built in.
  • Webhooks Decap CMS: Not available. Prismic: Built in.
  • Scheduled publishing Decap CMS: Not available. Prismic: Built in.
  • Version history Decap CMS: Not available. Prismic: Built in.
  • Visual editing Decap CMS: Limited. Prismic: Built in.
  • Content releases Decap CMS: Not available. Prismic: Built in.
  • Multiple sites Decap CMS: Plugin or add-on. Prismic: Built in.
  • Official MCP server Decap CMS: Not available. Prismic: Built in.

Built in on neither, with different answers 4

  • Custom roles Decap CMS: Plugin or add-on. Prismic: Limited.
  • Single sign-on Decap CMS: Limited. Prismic: Paid tier.
  • Audit log Decap CMS: Plugin or add-on. Prismic: Not available.
  • AI writing assistant Decap CMS: Not available. Prismic: Limited.

More comparisons

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

Decap CMS against other platforms

Prismic against other platforms

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

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