Keystone vs Wix
Keystone is an open-source headless CMS that you host yourself. 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 23.
- Keystone Headless · Open source · 6 of 28 built in
- Wix Site builder · Closed source · 21 of 28 built in
Sources checked: Keystone 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
| 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. | 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. | Keystone 6, open source, from the @keystone-6/core package Version 8.1.0, released 31 Aug 2026 | Wix website builder with Wix CMS, in Wix Editor and Wix Studio SaaS, continuously updated |
| Vendor | Thinkmill keystonejs.com | Wix.com Ltd. wix.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 Wix Headless serves the same content to a frontend you host. |
| Built with | TypeScript, Node.js, GraphQL, Prisma, Next.js for the admin UI | Hosted SaaS, JavaScript through the Wix IDE, CLI and SDK |
| Database | PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite | Wix CMS collections, managed by Wix |
| 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 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 Lists and fields are TypeScript config. 4 | 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 Component blocks inside the document field. 8 | 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. | Not available No locale support documented. Model translations yourself. 12 | 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 Image field stores originals. The Cloudinary field hands resizing to Cloudinary. 711 | 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 GraphQL only. Custom REST routes through extendExpressApp. 4 | Built in Data Items REST API. 3 |
| GraphQL API The vendor or an official module provides a GraphQL API for content. | Built in | 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 No webhook settings. Call URLs from hooks in code. 10 | 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 | Built in |
| Editorial workflow | ||
| Drafts Editors save changes as a draft and publish them later. The live version stays untouched until then. | Not available | 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 | 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. | 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 |
| Approval workflows Content moves through review stages you configure, such as draft, review and approved, with permissions per stage. | Not available | 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. | Limited Roles are access-control functions written in code. No role editor in the admin. 5 | 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. | Built in Field-level access control. 5 | 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. | Not available The auth package covers password login. SSO means custom session code. 6 | 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. | Not available | Not available Not documented publicly. |
| Platform and extensibility | ||
| Multiple sites One installation or account can manage several separate websites or brands with shared users. | Not available | 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 admin pages, navigation and field views. 9 | 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 | 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. | Built in createAuth works on any list, including site users. 6 | 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 |
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)
Wix sources
Checked 29 Sept 2026. Wix website builder with Wix CMS, in Wix Editor and Wix Studio.
- Wix plans and pricing
- Wix blog: Wix Premium plans (May 2026)
- Wix Data Items API
- The Wix GraphQL API
- The Wix MCP
- Wix Help: creating custom roles for collaborators
- Wix Help: Studio Editor collaborating on a site
- Wix Help: enterprise approvals for site changes
- Wix Help: restoring CMS collections with backups
- Wix Help: SSO login for your organization
- Wix Help: managing collection item statuses
- Wix Help: Release Manager
- Wix CLI: data collections extension files
- Wix Help: Wix Multilingual overview
- Wix Media: URL image transformation
- Wix Developers: about webhooks
- Wix Developers: about dashboard extensions
- Wix Help: Studio Editor AI text creator
- Wix Help: inviting collaborators
- Wix Help: CMS overview
Considering more platforms? Compare Keystone and Wix with the rest of your shortlist in the CMS comparison tool.
Where they differ
Keystone and Wix get a different status on 23 of the 28 features and the same status on 5. Keystone 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
- Keystone is open source (MIT). Wix is closed source (Proprietary).
- Self-hosting
- Keystone can be self-hosted. Wix cannot be self-hosted.
- Vendor cloud
- Keystone has no vendor-run cloud. Wix has a vendor-run cloud.
Built in on Keystone, a different answer on Wix 2
- Content model in code Keystone: Built in. Wix: Limited.
- Field-level permissions Keystone: Built in. Wix: Not available.
Built in on Wix, a different answer on Keystone 17
- Content model in the UI Keystone: Not available. Wix: Built in.
- Localization Keystone: Not available. Wix: Built in.
- Image transformations Keystone: Not available. Wix: Built in.
- REST API Keystone: Not available. Wix: Built in.
- Webhooks Keystone: Not available. Wix: Built in.
- Renders the website Keystone: Not available. Wix: Built in.
- Drafts Keystone: Not available. Wix: Built in.
- Scheduled publishing Keystone: Not available. Wix: Built in.
- Preview Keystone: Not available. Wix: Built in.
- Visual editing Keystone: Not available. Wix: Built in.
- Real-time co-editing Keystone: Not available. Wix: Built in.
- Custom roles Keystone: Limited. Wix: Built in.
- Multiple sites Keystone: Not available. Wix: Built in.
- Plugin marketplace Keystone: Not available. Wix: Built in.
- Form builder Keystone: Not available. Wix: Built in.
- AI writing assistant Keystone: Not available. Wix: Built in.
- Official MCP server Keystone: Not available. Wix: Built in.
Built in on neither, with different answers 4
- Version history Keystone: Not available. Wix: Limited.
- Approval workflows Keystone: Not available. Wix: Paid tier.
- Content releases Keystone: Not available. Wix: Limited.
- Single sign-on Keystone: Not available. Wix: Paid tier.
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Wix against other platforms
- Adobe Experience Manager vs Wix
- Contentful vs Wix
- Contentstack vs Wix
- CoreMedia Content Cloud vs Wix
- Craft CMS vs Wix
- DatoCMS vs Wix
- Decap CMS vs Wix
- Directus vs Wix
- Drupal vs Wix
- EmDash vs Wix
- FirstSpirit vs Wix
- Framer vs Wix
- Ghost vs Wix
- HubSpot CMS vs Wix
- Hygraph vs Wix
- Instatic vs Wix
- Joomla vs Wix
- Kirby vs Wix
- Liferay DXP vs Wix
- Optimizely CMS vs Wix
- Wix vs Payload
- Prismic vs Wix
- Progress Sitefinity vs Wix
- Sanity vs Wix
- Sitecore vs Wix
- Squarespace vs Wix
- Statamic vs Wix
- Storyblok vs Wix
- Strapi vs Wix
- TYPO3 vs Wix
- Umbraco vs Wix
- Wagtail vs Wix
- Webflow vs Wix
- Wix vs WordPress
- Xperience by Kentico vs Wix
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