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CMS comparison Decap CMS vs Webflow

Decap CMS vs Webflow

Decap CMS is an open-source headless CMS that you can host yourself or run on the vendor's cloud. Webflow is a closed-source site builder that runs on the vendor's cloud. The table below sets them side by side on 28 features. They get a different status on 21.

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  • Decap CMS Headless · Open source · 6 of 28 built in
  • Webflow Site builder · Closed source · 15 of 28 built in

Sources checked: Decap CMS on 29 Sept 2026, Webflow 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 Webflow feature comparison. Columns are the two platforms. Rows are features, grouped by area.
Platform
Decap CMS Headless
Webflow Site builder
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 visual site builder with a built-in CMS, hosting and a Data API. Designers build pages on a canvas. Run by Webflow, Inc.
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 Webflow Site plans, Starter to Enterprise SaaS, continuously updated
Vendor Decap CMS project (formerly Netlify CMS), maintained in Europe decapcms.org Webflow, Inc. webflow.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. No self-hosting Vendor cloud Publishing to a custom domain requires a paid Site plan.
Built with JavaScript, ReactHosted SaaS, Webflow Cloud for app hosting
Database Your Git repository on GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Gitea or AzureManaged by Webflow
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 Starter site. Basic $15, Premium $25 per site per month billed yearly. Team $2,500 per month.
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 Not available The Data API can create collections and fields. No schema files. 3
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
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 Components with properties. Limited seats build pages from designer-approved blocks. 1
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 Plugin or add-on Webflow Localize add-on from $9 per month. The Team plan includes it. 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 Generates responsive image sizes automatically. 10
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 Data API. 60 requests per minute on Starter, 120 on Premium. 111
GraphQL API The vendor or an official module provides a GraphQL API for content. Not available Not available
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 Data API webhooks for CMS items, forms and site publishes. 4
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
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 Paid tier Scheduled CMS item publishing on the Premium Site plan. 1
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. Limited Whole-site backups. Free Starter sites restore only the two most recent. 5
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
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 Paid tier Design approvals with designated reviewers on Enterprise. 1
Content releases Editors group changes across several entries and publish them together as one release. Not available Limited A site publish ships all staged changes together. No named release bundles. 1
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 Built in Available on every Workspace and Site plan. 6
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 Paid tier Enterprise. 1
Field-level permissions Admins can restrict access to single fields, on top of content types and entries. Not available Not available Enterprise access controls stop at pages and Collections. 1
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. 1
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 Paid tier Site activity log on Team, audit logs API on Enterprise. 1
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 A Workspace holds many sites with shared seats. Each site needs its own Site plan. 1
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 Apps can add Designer Extensions to the editor. 12
Plugin marketplace The vendor runs an official directory or marketplace of installable extensions. Not available No official extension directory. Built in Webflow Apps marketplace. 9
Form builder Editors can build and publish forms and collect submissions without code. Not available Built in 50 submissions on Starter, unlimited on paid Site plans. 1
Site member accounts The platform handles sign-up and login for public site users or members, separate from editors. Not available Not available Webflow retired User Accounts on 29 January 2026. 8
AI writing assistant A first-party AI feature in the editing interface generates, rewrites or translates content. Not available Paid tier Copy generation needs a paid Site or Workspace plan and uses AI credits. 1
Official MCP server The vendor publishes a Model Context Protocol server so AI agents can read or write content. Not available Built in Available on all Site plans, including free Starter. 7

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

Where they differ

Decap CMS and Webflow get a different status on 21 of the 28 features and the same status on 7. Decap CMS has 6 built in on its baseline edition, Webflow has 15. 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). Webflow is closed source (Proprietary).
Self-hosting
Decap CMS can be self-hosted. Webflow cannot be self-hosted.

Built in on Decap CMS, a different answer on Webflow 2

  • Content model in code Decap CMS: Built in. Webflow: Not available.
  • Localization Decap CMS: Built in. Webflow: Plugin or add-on.

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

  • Content model in the UI Decap CMS: Not available. Webflow: Built in.
  • Image transformations Decap CMS: Not available. Webflow: Built in.
  • REST API Decap CMS: Not available. Webflow: Built in.
  • Webhooks Decap CMS: Not available. Webflow: Built in.
  • Renders the website Decap CMS: Not available. Webflow: Built in.
  • Visual editing Decap CMS: Limited. Webflow: Built in.
  • Real-time co-editing Decap CMS: Not available. Webflow: Built in.
  • Multiple sites Decap CMS: Plugin or add-on. Webflow: Built in.
  • Plugin marketplace Decap CMS: Not available. Webflow: Built in.
  • Form builder Decap CMS: Not available. Webflow: Built in.
  • Official MCP server Decap CMS: Not available. Webflow: Built in.

Built in on neither, with different answers 8

  • Scheduled publishing Decap CMS: Not available. Webflow: Paid tier.
  • Version history Decap CMS: Not available. Webflow: Limited.
  • Approval workflows Decap CMS: Limited. Webflow: Paid tier.
  • Content releases Decap CMS: Not available. Webflow: Limited.
  • Custom roles Decap CMS: Plugin or add-on. Webflow: Paid tier.
  • Single sign-on Decap CMS: Limited. Webflow: Paid tier.
  • Audit log Decap CMS: Plugin or add-on. Webflow: Paid tier.
  • AI writing assistant Decap CMS: Not available. Webflow: Paid tier.

More comparisons

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

Decap CMS against other platforms

Webflow against other platforms

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

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