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CMS comparison Keystone vs Progress Sitefinity

Keystone vs Progress Sitefinity

Keystone is an open-source headless CMS that you host yourself. Progress Sitefinity 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 21.

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  • Keystone Headless · Open source · 6 of 28 built in
  • Progress Sitefinity Enterprise DXP · Closed source · 22 of 28 built in

Sources checked: Keystone on 29 Sept 2026, Progress Sitefinity 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
Keystone vs Progress Sitefinity feature comparison. Columns are the two platforms. Rows are features, grouped by area.
Platform
Keystone Headless
Progress Sitefinity Enterprise DXP
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.Progress's .NET CMS and DXP for websites, run self-hosted or on the Sitefinity Cloud PaaS, with ASP.NET Core and Next.js renderers.
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 Sitefinity CMS 15.4 DX edition, self-hosted or on Sitefinity Cloud Version 15.4.8639, released 29 Sept 2026
Vendor Thinkmill keystonejs.com Progress Software progress.com
Licence Open source MIT Closed source Proprietary
Hosting Self-hosting No vendor cloud No managed hosting. Thinkmill offers enterprise support. Self-hosting Vendor cloud
Built with TypeScript, Node.js, GraphQL, Prisma, Next.js for the admin UI.NET, ASP.NET Core and Next.js renderers
Database PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLiteMicrosoft SQL Server
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. DX and DX+Enterprise editions, self-hosted or on Sitefinity Cloud.
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 Export for deployment writes module and field changes to files for source control. 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 Module Builder.
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 editor widgets.
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 Multilingual content 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 Resize through URL parameters and thumbnail profiles. 4
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 OData REST web services. 5
GraphQL API The vendor or an official module provides a GraphQL API for content. Built in Built in GraphQL on the web services layer. 6
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 Service hooks with a webhook action, available on all licences. 7
Renders the website The CMS itself renders and serves the public pages through themes or templates. Headless-only products answer no. Not available Built in ASP.NET Core, Next.js or legacy MVC renderers. 1
Editorial workflow
Drafts Editors save changes as a draft and publish them later. The live version stays untouched until then. Not available Built in
Scheduled publishing An editor can set a future date and time for content to publish or unpublish. Not available Built in Scheduled publish and unpublish per item. 9
Version history The CMS keeps earlier versions of an entry, and editors can compare or restore them. Not available Built in Revision history.
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 editor with widgets.
Approval workflows Content moves through review stages you configure, such as draft, review and approved, with permissions per stage. Not available Built in One or two approval levels, or a custom workflow. 8
Content releases Editors group changes across several entries and publish them together as one release. Not available Not available Publishing and scheduling work per item. 9
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 Pages lock while another user edits them. 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 11
Field-level permissions Admins can restrict access to single fields, on top of content types and entries. Built in Field-level access control. 5 Limited Module Builder types only, in the classic editing UI. Built-in content types have none. 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 OpenID Connect and external providers such as Azure AD. 13
Audit log The CMS logs who changed what and when across the whole installation, and admins can review the log. Not available Paid tier DX + Enterprise includes Audit Trail. Progress sells it as an add-on for DX. 142
Platform and extensibility
Multiple sites One installation or account can manage several separate websites or brands with shared users. Not available Built in Multisite with shared content and per-site permissions. 15
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 Custom fields, widgets and AdminApp extensions.
Plugin marketplace The vendor runs an official directory or marketplace of installable extensions. Not available Built in Sitefinity integrations directory. 16
Form builder Editors can build and publish forms and collect submissions without code. Not available Built in Forms module with a drag-and-drop builder.
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 Built in Front-end users with registration and login widgets.
AI writing assistant A first-party AI feature in the editing interface generates, rewrites or translates content. Not available Plugin or add-on Sitefinity AI subscription for text generation and agents. 17
Official MCP server The vendor publishes a Model Context Protocol server so AI agents can read or write content. Not available Plugin or add-on Sitefinity MCP Server, 15.4.8633 or later, needs a Sitefinity AI subscription. 18

Considering more platforms? Compare Keystone and Progress Sitefinity with the rest of your shortlist in the CMS comparison tool.

Where they differ

Keystone and Progress Sitefinity 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, Progress Sitefinity 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). Progress Sitefinity is closed source (Proprietary).
Vendor cloud
Keystone has no vendor-run cloud. Progress Sitefinity has a vendor-run cloud.
Free option
Keystone has a free option. Progress Sitefinity has no free option.

Built in on Keystone, a different answer on Progress Sitefinity 1

  • Field-level permissions Keystone: Built in. Progress Sitefinity: Limited.

Built in on Progress Sitefinity, a different answer on Keystone 17

  • Content model in the UI Keystone: Not available. Progress Sitefinity: Built in.
  • Localization Keystone: Not available. Progress Sitefinity: Built in.
  • Image transformations Keystone: Not available. Progress Sitefinity: Built in.
  • REST API Keystone: Not available. Progress Sitefinity: Built in.
  • Webhooks Keystone: Not available. Progress Sitefinity: Built in.
  • Renders the website Keystone: Not available. Progress Sitefinity: Built in.
  • Drafts Keystone: Not available. Progress Sitefinity: Built in.
  • Scheduled publishing Keystone: Not available. Progress Sitefinity: Built in.
  • Version history Keystone: Not available. Progress Sitefinity: Built in.
  • Preview Keystone: Not available. Progress Sitefinity: Built in.
  • Visual editing Keystone: Not available. Progress Sitefinity: Built in.
  • Approval workflows Keystone: Not available. Progress Sitefinity: Built in.
  • Custom roles Keystone: Limited. Progress Sitefinity: Built in.
  • Single sign-on Keystone: Not available. Progress Sitefinity: Built in.
  • Multiple sites Keystone: Not available. Progress Sitefinity: Built in.
  • Plugin marketplace Keystone: Not available. Progress Sitefinity: Built in.
  • Form builder Keystone: Not available. Progress Sitefinity: Built in.

Built in on neither, with different answers 3

  • Audit log Keystone: Not available. Progress Sitefinity: Paid tier.
  • AI writing assistant Keystone: Not available. Progress Sitefinity: Plugin or add-on.
  • Official MCP server Keystone: Not available. Progress Sitefinity: Plugin or add-on.

More comparisons

Keystone against other platforms

Progress Sitefinity against other platforms

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