Keystone vs Sitecore
Keystone is an open-source headless CMS that you host yourself. Sitecore is a closed-source enterprise DXP 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.
- Keystone Headless · Open source · 6 of 28 built in
- Sitecore Enterprise DXP · Closed source · 22 of 28 built in
Sources checked: Keystone on 29 Sept 2026, Sitecore 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
| Platform |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| What it is | Open-source Node.js headless CMS from Thinkmill that generates a GraphQL API and an admin UI from a TypeScript schema. | Sitecore's SaaS digital experience platform, formerly XM Cloud. Sitecore hosts the CMS. Sites render in a separate front-end app. |
| Edition compared The product and release each column describes. | Keystone 6, open source, from the @keystone-6/core package Version 8.1.0, released 31 Aug 2026 | SitecoreAI, formerly XM Cloud, Sitecore's current flagship SaaS platform SaaS, continuously updated |
| Vendor | Thinkmill keystonejs.com | Sitecore sitecore.com |
| Licence | Open source MIT | Closed source Proprietary |
| Hosting | Self-hosting No vendor cloud No managed hosting. Thinkmill offers enterprise support. | No self-hosting Vendor cloud SitecoreAI is SaaS only. Self-hosting needs Sitecore XP 10.5, a separate product. |
| Built with | TypeScript, Node.js, GraphQL, Prisma, Next.js for the admin UI | .NET, Next.js Content SDK |
| Database | PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite | Managed by Sitecore |
| Pricing Public list prices only. Hosting and implementation are extra everywhere. | Free to start Free and open source. Enterprise support from Thinkmill on request. | 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 Lists and fields are TypeScript config. 4 | Built in Templates serialize to files in the repo with Sitecore Content Serialization. 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 Templates are items edited in the Content Editor. |
| Reusable blocks Editors compose pages from reusable, typed components or blocks, and can reorder them. | Built in Component blocks inside the document field. 8 | Built in Page builder with reusable components. |
| Localization Editors translate content per locale inside the CMS, by field or by entry, without a separate site for each language. | Not available No locale support documented. Model translations yourself. 12 | Built in Language versions per item. |
| Image transformations The CMS resizes, crops or converts images on request, through URL parameters or generated sizes, with no external service. | Not available Image field stores originals. The Cloudinary field hands resizing to Cloudinary. 711 | Built in Experience Edge media CDN resizes images with query string parameters. 3 |
| APIs and delivery | ||
| REST API A documented REST or JSON HTTP API returns content. | Not available GraphQL only. Custom REST routes through extendExpressApp. 4 | Built in Content Items REST API since September 2026. Delivery through Experience Edge is GraphQL. 4 |
| GraphQL API The vendor or an official module provides a GraphQL API for content. | Built in | Built in Experience Edge delivery API. 5 |
| Webhooks The CMS can call an external URL when content is created, changed or published. | Not available No webhook settings. Call URLs from hooks in code. 10 | Built in Authoring webhooks and Experience Edge publish webhooks. 65 |
| Renders the website The CMS itself renders and serves the public pages through themes or templates. Headless-only products answer no. | Not available | Not available Headless. Sites render in a separate app, with built-in Vercel and Netlify integrations. 7 |
| Editorial workflow | ||
| Drafts Editors save changes as a draft and publish them later. The live version stays untouched until then. | Not available | Built in Saved changes stay unpublished until pushed to Experience Edge. 11 |
| Scheduled publishing An editor can set a future date and time for content to publish or unpublish. | Not available | Limited Publishing restrictions set availability dates. A publish must still run on the date. 89 |
| Version history The CMS keeps earlier versions of an entry, and editors can compare or restore them. | Not available | Built in Numbered item versions. |
| Preview Editors can see unpublished content rendered as it will appear on the site before publishing. | Not available | Built in |
| Visual editing Editors can click on the rendered page and edit content in place or in a side panel next to it. | Not available | Built in Page builder. |
| Approval workflows Content moves through review stages you configure, such as draft, review and approved, with permissions per stage. | Not available | Built in Item workflows with states and commands. 6 |
| Content releases Editors group changes across several entries and publish them together as one release. | Not available | Not available No release bundles. Publishing jobs cover items, subitems and related items. 11 |
| 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 | Limited Page builder saves concurrent edits per field. Others get a reload prompt. No live updates. 10 |
| Access and governance | ||
| Custom roles Admins define their own roles with granular permissions instead of picking from a fixed set. | Limited Roles are access-control functions written in code. No role editor in the admin. 5 | Built in Roles with item access rights. 12 |
| Field-level permissions Admins can restrict access to single fields, on top of content types and entries. | Built in Field-level access control. 5 | Built in Field read and field write access rights. 12 |
| Single sign-on Editors can sign in through SAML or OpenID Connect against a company identity provider. | Not available The auth package covers password login. SSO means custom session code. 6 | Built in SAML or OIDC through the Sitecore Cloud Portal. 13 |
| Audit log The CMS logs who changed what and when across the whole installation, and admins can review the log. | Not available | Limited Common Audit Log covers only the Cloud Portal and leaves out SitecoreAI content. Item actions show in CM logs. 1415 |
| Platform and extensibility | ||
| Multiple sites One installation or account can manage several separate websites or brands with shared users. | Not available | Built in Site collections with shared content. |
| Extensible admin UI Developers can add their own components, views or fields to the editing interface. | Built in Custom admin pages, navigation and field views. 9 | Built in Marketplace apps add custom fields, panels and dashboard widgets. 17 |
| Plugin marketplace The vendor runs an official directory or marketplace of installable extensions. | Not available | Built in Sitecore Marketplace. 16 |
| Form builder Editors can build and publish forms and collect submissions without code. | Not available | Built in Built-in Forms with webhook submission handling. 18 |
| Site member accounts The platform handles sign-up and login for public site users or members, separate from editors. | Built in createAuth works on any list, including site users. 6 | Not available Developers have to build visitor login in the front-end app. |
| AI writing assistant A first-party AI feature in the editing interface generates, rewrites or translates content. | Not available | Built in Content, variant and translation assistants. Brand kits need Stream Premium. 19 |
| Official MCP server The vendor publishes a Model Context Protocol server so AI agents can read or write content. | Not available | Built in Sitecore Marketer MCP server. 20 |
Keystone sources
Checked 29 Sept 2026. Keystone 6, open source, from the @keystone-6/core package.
- @keystone-6/core on the npm registry
- Keystone releases on GitHub
- Keystone homepage
- Keystone docs: System configuration
- Keystone docs: Access control
- Keystone docs: Authentication
- Keystone docs: Image field
- Keystone docs: Document field demo
- Keystone docs: Custom admin UI pages
- Keystone docs: Hooks guide
- Keystone docs: Cloudinary image field
- Keystone documentation index (llms.txt)
Sitecore sources
Checked 29 Sept 2026. SitecoreAI, formerly XM Cloud, Sitecore's current flagship SaaS platform.
- SitecoreAI documentation for business users
- Sitecore Content Serialization in SitecoreAI
- Sitecore Experience Edge for XM (media resizing)
- SitecoreAI changelog: Components, Content Types and Content Items APIs
- Experience Edge
- SitecoreAI webhooks
- Front-end hosting applications
- Schedule publishing availability of a page
- KB1003446: Specifics of publishing in SitecoreAI
- Editing in the Page builder (concurrent editing)
- Publish content in SitecoreAI
- The access rights
- Sitecore Cloud Portal single sign-on
- Sitecore Common Audit Log
- Logging in Sitecore XM Cloud (Fishtank)
- SitecoreAI Marketplace
- Sitecore Marketplace starter (extension points)
- SitecoreAI Forms
- Sitecore Stream tiers
- Sitecore Marketer MCP server
Considering more platforms? Compare Keystone and Sitecore with the rest of your shortlist in the CMS comparison tool.
Where they differ
Keystone and Sitecore get a different status on 21 of the 28 features and the same status on 7. Keystone has 6 built in on its baseline edition, Sitecore has 22. 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
- Keystone is open source (MIT). Sitecore is closed source (Proprietary).
- Self-hosting
- Keystone can be self-hosted. Sitecore cannot be self-hosted.
- Vendor cloud
- Keystone has no vendor-run cloud. Sitecore has a vendor-run cloud.
- Free option
- Keystone has a free option. Sitecore has no free option.
Built in on Keystone, a different answer on Sitecore 1
- Site member accounts Keystone: Built in. Sitecore: Not available.
Built in on Sitecore, a different answer on Keystone 17
- Content model in the UI Keystone: Not available. Sitecore: Built in.
- Localization Keystone: Not available. Sitecore: Built in.
- Image transformations Keystone: Not available. Sitecore: Built in.
- REST API Keystone: Not available. Sitecore: Built in.
- Webhooks Keystone: Not available. Sitecore: Built in.
- Drafts Keystone: Not available. Sitecore: Built in.
- Version history Keystone: Not available. Sitecore: Built in.
- Preview Keystone: Not available. Sitecore: Built in.
- Visual editing Keystone: Not available. Sitecore: Built in.
- Approval workflows Keystone: Not available. Sitecore: Built in.
- Custom roles Keystone: Limited. Sitecore: Built in.
- Single sign-on Keystone: Not available. Sitecore: Built in.
- Multiple sites Keystone: Not available. Sitecore: Built in.
- Plugin marketplace Keystone: Not available. Sitecore: Built in.
- Form builder Keystone: Not available. Sitecore: Built in.
- AI writing assistant Keystone: Not available. Sitecore: Built in.
- Official MCP server Keystone: Not available. Sitecore: Built in.
Built in on neither, with different answers 3
- Scheduled publishing Keystone: Not available. Sitecore: Limited.
- Real-time co-editing Keystone: Not available. Sitecore: Limited.
- Audit log Keystone: Not available. Sitecore: Limited.
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Full write-ups with worked examples and costs: Sitecore vs Payload.
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