Keystone vs Statamic
Keystone is an open-source headless CMS that you host yourself. Statamic is a closed-source traditional CMS that you host yourself. The table below sets them side by side on 28 features. They get a different status on 20.
- Keystone Headless · Open source · 6 of 28 built in
- Statamic Traditional · Closed source · 8 of 28 built in
Sources checked: Keystone on 29 Sept 2026, Statamic 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. | Laravel-based PHP CMS that stores content in flat files by default. Free Core edition. Pro adds users, APIs and multi-site. You host it. |
| 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 | Statamic 6, Core and Pro Version 6.34.1, released 23 Sept 2026 |
| Vendor | Thinkmill keystonejs.com | Statamic, LLC statamic.com |
| Licence | Open source MIT | Closed source Proprietary, source available. Core is free to use. |
| Hosting | Self-hosting No vendor cloud No managed hosting. Thinkmill offers enterprise support. | Self-hosting No vendor cloud |
| Built with | TypeScript, Node.js, GraphQL, Prisma, Next.js for the admin UI | PHP, Laravel, Vue |
| Database | PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite | Flat files by default, SQL databases via the Eloquent Driver |
| Pricing Public list prices only. Hosting and implementation are extra everywhere. | Free to start Free and open source. Enterprise support from Thinkmill on request. | Free to start Core free for one admin user. Pro $349 per site, then $99 per year for updates. Enterprise from $10k per year. |
| 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 Blueprints and fieldsets are YAML files in the project. 4 |
| 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 Blueprint builder in the Control Panel. 4 |
| 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 Replicator and Bard sets. 5 |
| 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 | Paid tier Multi-site and multilingual content need Pro. 61 |
| 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 Glide resizes and crops on request. 7 |
| APIs and delivery | ||
| REST API A documented REST or JSON HTTP API returns content. | Not available GraphQL only. Custom REST routes through extendExpressApp. 4 | Paid tier Read-only REST API on Pro. 8 |
| GraphQL API The vendor or an official module provides a GraphQL API for content. | Built in | Paid tier Read-only GraphQL API on Pro. 9 |
| 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 | Not available Laravel events only. No webhook settings in core. |
| 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 Antlers or Blade templates. |
| Editorial workflow | ||
| Drafts Editors save changes as a draft and publish them later. The live version stays untouched until then. | Not available | Paid tier Working copies of live entries need Revisions on Pro. Core has unpublished entries. 101 |
| Scheduled publishing An editor can set a future date and time for content to publish or unpublish. | Not available | Limited Future-dated entries stay private until their date. Set per collection. 11 |
| Version history The CMS keeps earlier versions of an entry, and editors can compare or restore them. | Not available | Paid tier Revisions on Pro. 10 |
| Preview Editors can see unpublished content rendered as it will appear on the site before publishing. | Not available | Built in 121 |
| Visual editing Editors can click on the rendered page and edit content in place or in a side panel next to it. | Not available | Limited Live Preview shows the edit form beside the page. No click-to-edit. 12 |
| Approval workflows Content moves through review stages you configure, such as draft, review and approved, with permissions per stage. | Not available | Not available Approval workflows are on the roadmap as planned. 19 |
| Content releases Editors group changes across several entries and publish them together as one release. | Not available | Not available |
| 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 | Plugin or add-on Free first-party Collaboration addon. Requires Pro. 18 |
| 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 | Paid tier Roles and permissions need Pro. 131 |
| Field-level permissions Admins can restrict access to single fields, on top of content types and entries. | Built in Field-level access control. 5 | Not available Field conditions depend on field values. User roles can't drive them. 4 |
| 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 | Paid tier Pro via Laravel Socialite providers such as SAML2. Enterprise tier lists SSO. 1521 |
| Audit log The CMS logs who changed what and when across the whole installation, and admins can review the log. | Not available | Paid tier Enterprise tier, from $10k per year, lists audit logging. 121 |
| Platform and extensibility | ||
| Multiple sites One installation or account can manage several separate websites or brands with shared users. | Not available | Paid tier Pro. 61 |
| 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 fieldtypes, widgets and Control Panel pages. 17 |
| Plugin marketplace The vendor runs an official directory or marketplace of installable extensions. | Not available | Built in Statamic Marketplace for addons. 18 |
| Form builder Editors can build and publish forms and collect submissions without code. | Not available | Limited Core allows one form. Pro removes the limit. 116 |
| 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 | Paid tier Member accounts, registration and login tags need Pro. 1416 |
| AI writing assistant A first-party AI feature in the editing interface generates, rewrites or translates content. | Not available | Not available |
| Official MCP server The vendor publishes a Model Context Protocol server so AI agents can read or write content. | Not available | Not available Third-party addons only, such as MCP Server for Statamic by Cbox. 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)
Statamic sources
Checked 29 Sept 2026. Statamic 6, Core and Pro.
- Statamic pricing
- statamic/cms release metadata on Packagist
- Statamic 6 release announcement
- Statamic docs: Blueprints
- Statamic docs: Replicator fieldtype
- Statamic docs: Multi-site
- Statamic docs: Image manipulation (Glide)
- Statamic docs: REST API
- Statamic docs: GraphQL API
- Statamic docs: Revisions
- Statamic docs: Collections and date behavior
- Statamic docs: Live Preview
- Statamic docs: Permissions
- Statamic docs: Users
- Statamic docs: OAuth
- Statamic docs: Forms
- Statamic docs: Extending the Control Panel
- Collaboration addon by Statamic
- Statamic roadmap
- MCP Server for Statamic addon by Cbox
- Statamic Enterprise
Considering more platforms? Compare Keystone and Statamic with the rest of your shortlist in the CMS comparison tool.
Where they differ
Keystone and Statamic get a different status on 20 of the 28 features and the same status on 8. Keystone has 6 built in on its baseline edition, Statamic has 8. 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). Statamic is closed source (Proprietary, source available. Core is free to use.).
Built in on Keystone, a different answer on Statamic 3
- GraphQL API Keystone: Built in. Statamic: Paid tier.
- Field-level permissions Keystone: Built in. Statamic: Not available.
- Site member accounts Keystone: Built in. Statamic: Paid tier.
Built in on Statamic, a different answer on Keystone 5
- Content model in the UI Keystone: Not available. Statamic: Built in.
- Image transformations Keystone: Not available. Statamic: Built in.
- Renders the website Keystone: Not available. Statamic: Built in.
- Preview Keystone: Not available. Statamic: Built in.
- Plugin marketplace Keystone: Not available. Statamic: Built in.
Built in on neither, with different answers 12
- Localization Keystone: Not available. Statamic: Paid tier.
- REST API Keystone: Not available. Statamic: Paid tier.
- Drafts Keystone: Not available. Statamic: Paid tier.
- Scheduled publishing Keystone: Not available. Statamic: Limited.
- Version history Keystone: Not available. Statamic: Paid tier.
- Visual editing Keystone: Not available. Statamic: Limited.
- Real-time co-editing Keystone: Not available. Statamic: Plugin or add-on.
- Custom roles Keystone: Limited. Statamic: Paid tier.
- Single sign-on Keystone: Not available. Statamic: Paid tier.
- Audit log Keystone: Not available. Statamic: Paid tier.
- Multiple sites Keystone: Not available. Statamic: Paid tier.
- Form builder Keystone: Not available. Statamic: Limited.
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Statamic against other platforms
- Adobe Experience Manager vs Statamic
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- Contentstack vs Statamic
- CoreMedia Content Cloud vs Statamic
- Craft CMS vs Statamic
- DatoCMS vs Statamic
- Decap CMS vs Statamic
- Directus vs Statamic
- Drupal vs Statamic
- EmDash vs Statamic
- FirstSpirit vs Statamic
- Framer vs Statamic
- Ghost vs Statamic
- HubSpot CMS vs Statamic
- Hygraph vs Statamic
- Instatic vs Statamic
- Joomla vs Statamic
- Kirby vs Statamic
- Liferay DXP vs Statamic
- Optimizely CMS vs Statamic
- Statamic vs Payload
- Prismic vs Statamic
- Progress Sitefinity vs Statamic
- Sanity vs Statamic
- Sitecore vs Statamic
- Squarespace vs Statamic
- Statamic vs Storyblok
- Statamic vs Strapi
- Statamic vs TYPO3
- Statamic vs Umbraco
- Statamic vs Wagtail
- Statamic vs Webflow
- Statamic vs Wix
- Statamic vs WordPress
- Xperience by Kentico vs Statamic
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