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CMS comparison Decap CMS vs Wix

Decap CMS vs Wix

Decap CMS is an open-source headless CMS that you can host yourself or run on the vendor's cloud. Wix 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 22.

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  • Decap CMS Headless · Open source · 6 of 28 built in
  • Wix Site builder · Closed source · 21 of 28 built in

Sources checked: Decap CMS on 29 Sept 2026, Wix 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 Wix feature comparison. Columns are the two platforms. Rows are features, grouped by area.
Platform
Decap CMS Headless
Wix 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 website builder with a CMS, business apps and hosting, run by Wix.com Ltd. Wix Studio adds an editor and workspace for agencies.
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 Wix website builder with Wix CMS, in Wix Editor and Wix Studio SaaS, continuously updated
Vendor Decap CMS project (formerly Netlify CMS), maintained in Europe decapcms.org Wix.com Ltd. wix.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 Wix Headless serves the same content to a frontend you host.
Built with JavaScript, ReactHosted SaaS, JavaScript through the Wix IDE, CLI and SDK
Database Your Git repository on GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Gitea or AzureWix CMS collections, managed by Wix
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. Light $17, Core $29, Business $39, Business Elite $159 per month billed yearly in the US.
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 Limited Only Wix CLI apps and headless projects define collections in TypeScript files. 13
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 20
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 Editors add and reorder sections and saved components on the canvas.
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 Wix Multilingual, with manual or automatic translation. 14
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 Resize and crop through image URL parameters. 15
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 Items REST API. 3
GraphQL API The vendor or an official module provides a GraphQL API for content. Not available Built in GraphQL endpoint over the same data as the REST API. 4
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 App webhooks, or an HTTP request step in Wix Automations. 16
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 Draft status on CMS items, on by default for new collections. 11
Scheduled publishing An editor can set a future date and time for content to publish or unpublish. Not available Built in Scheduled status changes on CMS items. 11
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 CMS keeps weekly and manual collection backups. Restores replace whole collections. 9
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 Approvals for site changes in the Wix Studio enterprise solution. 8
Content releases Editors group changes across several entries and publish them together as one release. Not available Limited Release Manager publishes whole site versions and test sites. No grouped item releases. 12
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 Built into the Studio Editor. 7
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 Not every permission is available to custom roles. 619
Field-level permissions Admins can restrict access to single fields, on top of content types and entries. Not available Not available CMS permissions apply per collection. 20
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 OpenID Connect only, with the Wix Studio enterprise solution. 10
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 One account or Studio workspace manages many sites, each on its own plan.
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 Dashboard extensions add custom pages and widgets. 17
Plugin marketplace The vendor runs an official directory or marketplace of installable extensions. Not available No official extension directory. Built in Wix App Market.
Form builder Editors can build and publish forms and collect submissions without code. Not available Built in Wix Forms.
Site member accounts The platform handles sign-up and login for public site users or members, separate from editors. Not available Built in Members Area handles sign-up and login.
AI writing assistant A first-party AI feature in the editing interface generates, rewrites or translates content. Not available Built in AI text creator in the Wix and Studio editors. 18
Official MCP server The vendor publishes a Model Context Protocol server so AI agents can read or write content. Not available Built in Wix MCP for docs, code and site API calls. 5

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

Where they differ

Decap CMS and Wix get a different status on 22 of the 28 features and the same status on 6. Decap CMS has 6 built in on its baseline edition, Wix has 21. 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). Wix is closed source (Proprietary).
Self-hosting
Decap CMS can be self-hosted. Wix cannot be self-hosted.

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

  • Content model in code Decap CMS: Built in. Wix: Limited.

Built in on Wix, a different answer on Decap CMS 16

  • Content model in the UI Decap CMS: Not available. Wix: Built in.
  • Image transformations Decap CMS: Not available. Wix: Built in.
  • REST API Decap CMS: Not available. Wix: Built in.
  • GraphQL API Decap CMS: Not available. Wix: Built in.
  • Webhooks Decap CMS: Not available. Wix: Built in.
  • Renders the website Decap CMS: Not available. Wix: Built in.
  • Scheduled publishing Decap CMS: Not available. Wix: Built in.
  • Visual editing Decap CMS: Limited. Wix: Built in.
  • Real-time co-editing Decap CMS: Not available. Wix: Built in.
  • Custom roles Decap CMS: Plugin or add-on. Wix: Built in.
  • Multiple sites Decap CMS: Plugin or add-on. Wix: Built in.
  • Plugin marketplace Decap CMS: Not available. Wix: Built in.
  • Form builder Decap CMS: Not available. Wix: Built in.
  • Site member accounts Decap CMS: Not available. Wix: Built in.
  • AI writing assistant Decap CMS: Not available. Wix: Built in.
  • Official MCP server Decap CMS: Not available. Wix: Built in.

Built in on neither, with different answers 5

  • Version history Decap CMS: Not available. Wix: Limited.
  • Approval workflows Decap CMS: Limited. Wix: Paid tier.
  • Content releases Decap CMS: Not available. Wix: Limited.
  • Single sign-on Decap CMS: Limited. Wix: Paid tier.
  • Audit log Decap CMS: Plugin or add-on. Wix: Not available.

More comparisons

Decap CMS against other platforms

Wix against other platforms

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

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