Framer vs Xperience by Kentico
Framer is a closed-source site builder that runs on the vendor's cloud. Xperience by Kentico 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 13.
- Framer Site builder · Closed source · 14 of 28 built in
- Xperience by Kentico Enterprise DXP · Closed source · 19 of 28 built in
Sources checked: Framer on 29 Sept 2026, Xperience by Kentico 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
| Platform | | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| What it is | Hosted visual site builder with a CMS, hosting and AI agents. Designers build pages on a canvas. Run by Framer. | Kentico's .NET digital experience platform for websites, email and headless channels, sold as Kentico-hosted SaaS or a private-cloud licence. |
| Edition compared The product and release each column describes. | Framer 3.0 site plans, Free to Enterprise SaaS, continuously updated | Xperience by Kentico Version 31.9.0, released 24 Sept 2026 |
| Vendor | Framer B.V. framer.com | Kentico kentico.com |
| Licence | Closed source Proprietary | Closed source Proprietary |
| Hosting | No self-hosting Vendor cloud A paid plan is required to connect a custom domain. | Self-hosting Vendor cloud |
| Built with | Hosted SaaS with React code components | .NET, ASP.NET Core |
| Database | Managed by Framer | Microsoft SQL Server |
| Pricing Public list prices only. Hosting and implementation are extra everywhere. | Free to start Free plan. Basic $10, Pro $30 per site per month billed yearly. Extra editors $20 per month. | No free option Pricing on request. Licensed per channel in Standard and Advanced tiers, plus AIRA credit packages. |
| 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. | Not available You build collections in the editor or sync them through the Plugin and Server APIs. 313 | Built in Continuous Integration serializes content types to files in the repository. 3 |
| Content model in the UI Admins can create and change content types and fields in the admin interface without writing code. | Built in 13 | Built in Field editor in the Content types application. |
| Reusable blocks Editors compose pages from reusable, typed components or blocks, and can reorder them. | Built in Components with properties that content editors can change on-page. 14 | Built in Page Builder widgets and sections, plus reusable content items. |
| Localization Editors translate content per locale inside the CMS, by field or by entry, without a separate site for each language. | Plugin or add-on Translation locales add-on, $20 per locale per month. One free locale to try. 117 | Built in Language variants per page and content item. |
| Image transformations The CMS resizes, crops or converts images on request, through URL parameters or generated sizes, with no external service. | Built in Generates 512 to 4096 px variants served through srcset. 8 | Built in Image variants with configured crops and sizes. 4 |
| APIs and delivery | ||
| REST API A documented REST or JSON HTTP API returns content. | Limited Server API in open beta, through the framer-api package over WebSocket. No plain REST. 23 | Limited The Management REST API is for local development only. Headless delivery is GraphQL. 56 |
| GraphQL API The vendor or an official module provides a GraphQL API for content. | Not available | Paid tier Headless channels need the Advanced tier. 6 |
| Webhooks The CMS can call an external URL when content is created, changed or published. | Not available Webhooks cover form submissions only. 10 | Not available No outgoing webhooks. Content events need custom handler code. 7 |
| Renders the website The CMS itself renders and serves the public pages through themes or templates. Headless-only products answer no. | Built in | Built in ASP.NET Core website channels. |
| Editorial workflow | ||
| Drafts Editors save changes as a draft and publish them later. The live version stays untouched until then. | Built in CMS items can stay in draft. 13 | Built in 8 |
| Scheduled publishing An editor can set a future date and time for content to publish or unpublish. | Not available No native scheduling. Third-party Marketplace plugins add it. 18 | Built in Schedule publish and unpublish. 8 |
| Version history The CMS keeps earlier versions of an entry, and editors can compare or restore them. | Built in Version history and rollback of published versions. 67 | Built in View and restore previously published versions. 9 |
| Preview Editors can see unpublished content rendered as it will appear on the site before publishing. | Built in | Built in Preview mode and shareable preview URLs. |
| Visual editing Editors can click on the rendered page and edit content in place or in a side panel next to it. | Built in Canvas editing and on-page editing of the live site. 14 | Built in Page Builder. |
| Approval workflows Content moves through review stages you configure, such as draft, review and approved, with permissions per stage. | Limited Editors review and merge Pro branches. Only Deploy permission publishes. No stages. 45 | Built in Custom workflow steps with role permissions. 10 |
| Content releases Editors group changes across several entries and publish them together as one release. | Paid tier Branching on Pro groups changes and ships them in one merge. 15 | Limited Cascade publishing sends linked items with the parent. No standalone release bundles. 11 |
| Real-time co-editing Two or more editors can work on the same entry at once and see each other's changes live. | Built in Free workspaces allow up to three editors. 1 | Not available Content locking lets one user edit an item at a time. 12 |
| Access and governance | ||
| Custom roles Admins define their own roles with granular permissions instead of picking from a fixed set. | Limited Fixed roles plus Design, Content and Deploy permissions per project. No role builder. 4 | Built in Roles with application, workspace and page permissions. 13 |
| Field-level permissions Admins can restrict access to single fields, on top of content types and entries. | Not available | Not available Permissions stop at application, workspace and page level. 13 |
| Single sign-on Editors can sign in through SAML or OpenID Connect against a company identity provider. | Paid tier Enterprise. 116 | Built in OpenID Connect for the administration, for example Microsoft Entra ID. 14 |
| Audit log The CMS logs who changed what and when across the whole installation, and admins can review the log. | Not available Not documented publicly. | Limited Event log records system events. Version history shows who changed versioned items. 159 |
| Platform and extensibility | ||
| Multiple sites One installation or account can manage several separate websites or brands with shared users. | Built in A workspace holds many site projects, each on its own plan. 4 | Paid tier Several main website channels need the Advanced tier. Standard adds only microchannels. 2 |
| Extensible admin UI Developers can add their own components, views or fields to the editing interface. | Built in Plugins add custom panels and tools to the editor. 11 | Built in Custom React UI pages and form components. 16 |
| Plugin marketplace The vendor runs an official directory or marketplace of installable extensions. | Built in Framer Marketplace. 12 | Built in Integrations directory on the Kentico Community portal. 17 |
| Form builder Editors can build and publish forms and collect submissions without code. | Built in Native forms. Submissions can also go to a webhook. 10 | Built in Form Builder. |
| Site member accounts The platform handles sign-up and login for public site users or members, separate from editors. | Not available | Built in Members with registration, login and member roles. 18 |
| AI writing assistant A first-party AI feature in the editing interface generates, rewrites or translates content. | Built in Agents write, rewrite and translate content. AI credits meter usage. 115 | Built in AIRA text generation and translation on both tiers. Licences include 200,000 credits a year. 219 |
| Official MCP server The vendor publishes a Model Context Protocol server so AI agents can read or write content. | Not available No MCP server. External Agents, in preview, link AI tools through a CLI and skills. 9 | Limited Management MCP server works on local development instances only. 205 |
Framer sources
Checked 29 Sept 2026. Framer 3.0 site plans, Free to Enterprise.
- Framer pricing
- Framer update: Server API (February 2026)
- Framer Developers: Server API introduction
- Framer Help: members, roles and permissions
- Framer: collaboration with branches, reviews and staging
- Framer: publish with staging, hosting and rollback
- Framer Help: staging and versions
- Framer Help: how Framer optimizes images
- Framer External Agents
- Framer Help: connect Framer forms to a webhook
- Framer Developers: plugins introduction
- Framer Marketplace plugins
- Framer CMS
- Framer Help: on-page editing
- Framer blog: Framer 3.0 with Agents and Branching
- Framer Enterprise
- Framer Help: localization
- Framer CMS Scheduler plugin (third party)
Xperience by Kentico sources
Checked 29 Sept 2026. Xperience by Kentico.
- Xperience by Kentico changelog (Refresh 31.9.0, 24 September 2026)
- How to buy Xperience by Kentico
- Continuous Integration
- Content item assets and image variants
- Configure the Management MCP and management API
- Headless channel management
- Handle content events
- Edit and publish pages
- Content versioning
- Workflows
- Content items and cascade publishing
- Content locking configuration
- Role management
- Administration external authentication
- Event log
- Extend the administration interface
- Kentico Community integrations
- Registration and authentication for members
- AIRA pricing, usage and policies
- Management MCP server
Considering more platforms? Compare Framer and Xperience by Kentico with the rest of your shortlist in the CMS comparison tool.
Where they differ
Framer and Xperience by Kentico get a different status on 13 of the 28 features and the same status on 15. Framer has 14 built in on its baseline edition, Xperience by Kentico 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.
- Self-hosting
- Framer cannot be self-hosted. Xperience by Kentico can be self-hosted.
- Free option
- Framer has a free option. Xperience by Kentico has no free option.
Built in on Framer, a different answer on Xperience by Kentico 2
- Real-time co-editing Framer: Built in. Xperience by Kentico: Not available.
- Multiple sites Framer: Built in. Xperience by Kentico: Paid tier.
Built in on Xperience by Kentico, a different answer on Framer 7
- Content model in code Framer: Not available. Xperience by Kentico: Built in.
- Localization Framer: Plugin or add-on. Xperience by Kentico: Built in.
- Scheduled publishing Framer: Not available. Xperience by Kentico: Built in.
- Approval workflows Framer: Limited. Xperience by Kentico: Built in.
- Custom roles Framer: Limited. Xperience by Kentico: Built in.
- Single sign-on Framer: Paid tier. Xperience by Kentico: Built in.
- Site member accounts Framer: Not available. Xperience by Kentico: Built in.
Built in on neither, with different answers 4
- GraphQL API Framer: Not available. Xperience by Kentico: Paid tier.
- Content releases Framer: Paid tier. Xperience by Kentico: Limited.
- Audit log Framer: Not available. Xperience by Kentico: Limited.
- Official MCP server Framer: Not available. Xperience by Kentico: Limited.
More comparisons
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Xperience by Kentico against other platforms
- Adobe Experience Manager vs Xperience by Kentico
- Contentful vs Xperience by Kentico
- Contentstack vs Xperience by Kentico
- CoreMedia Content Cloud vs Xperience by Kentico
- Craft CMS vs Xperience by Kentico
- DatoCMS vs Xperience by Kentico
- Decap CMS vs Xperience by Kentico
- Directus vs Xperience by Kentico
- Drupal vs Xperience by Kentico
- EmDash vs Xperience by Kentico
- FirstSpirit vs Xperience by Kentico
- Ghost vs Xperience by Kentico
- HubSpot CMS vs Xperience by Kentico
- Hygraph vs Xperience by Kentico
- Instatic vs Xperience by Kentico
- Joomla vs Xperience by Kentico
- Xperience by Kentico vs Keystone
- Xperience by Kentico vs Kirby
- Xperience by Kentico vs Liferay DXP
- Xperience by Kentico vs Optimizely CMS
- Xperience by Kentico vs Payload
- Xperience by Kentico vs Prismic
- Xperience by Kentico vs Progress Sitefinity
- Xperience by Kentico vs Sanity
- Xperience by Kentico vs Sitecore
- Xperience by Kentico vs Squarespace
- Xperience by Kentico vs Statamic
- Xperience by Kentico vs Storyblok
- Xperience by Kentico vs Strapi
- Xperience by Kentico vs TYPO3
- Xperience by Kentico vs Umbraco
- Xperience by Kentico vs Wagtail
- Xperience by Kentico vs Webflow
- Xperience by Kentico vs Wix
- Xperience by Kentico vs WordPress
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