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CMS comparison Liferay DXP vs Strapi

Liferay DXP vs Strapi

Liferay DXP is a closed-source enterprise DXP that you can host yourself or run on the vendor's cloud. Strapi is an open-source headless CMS 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.

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  • Liferay DXP Enterprise DXP · Closed source · 26 of 28 built in
  • Strapi Headless · Open source · 15 of 28 built in

Sources checked: Liferay DXP on 29 Sept 2026, Strapi 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
Liferay DXP vs Strapi feature comparison. Columns are the two platforms. Rows are features, grouped by area.
Platform
Liferay DXP Enterprise DXP
Strapi Headless
Overview
What it is Java platform for websites, portals and commerce, with a new object-based CMS. Self-hosted or run by Liferay as PaaS or SaaS.Open-source Node.js headless CMS with a visual content-type builder, self-hosted or run on Strapi Cloud. Paid plans add governance features.
Edition compared The product and release each column describes. Liferay DXP 2026.Q3, Enterprise Subscription. The Free Tier replaced Liferay Portal CE from 2026.Q1. Version 2026.q3.5, released 25 Sept 2026 Strapi 5 CMS, free Community edition with paid Growth and Enterprise plans for self-hosted projects Version 5.55.1, released 24 Sept 2026
Vendor Liferay, Inc. liferay.com Strapi strapi.io
Licence Closed source Proprietary, under the Liferay EULA. Free Tier activation key at no cost Open source MIT
Hosting Self-hosting Vendor cloud Free Tier suits smaller-scale use and gets no security patches, SAML or AI Hub. Self-hosting Vendor cloud Strapi Cloud removed its free plan in 2026. Hosting starts at the Starter plan.
Built with Java, OSGi, ReactTypeScript, Node.js, React
Database MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, Oracle, SQL Server, IBM Db2PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite
Pricing Public list prices only. Hosting and implementation are extra everywhere. Free to start Free Tier at no cost for smaller-scale use. Enterprise Subscription per server instance, price on request. Free to start Community free. Growth $45 per month with 3 seats, then $15 per seat. Cloud from $35 per project per month.
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 Definitions export to JSON and deploy from the repo as batch client extensions. 7 Built in Content types are schema.json files in the project. 19
Content model in the UI Admins can create and change content types and fields in the admin interface without writing code. Built in Objects and web content structures. 6 Built in Content-type Builder works in development mode only. 16
Reusable blocks Editors compose pages from reusable, typed components or blocks, and can reorder them. Built in Fragments on content pages. 11 Built in Components and dynamic zones. 216
Localization Editors translate content per locale inside the CMS, by field or by entry, without a separate site for each language. Built in Built in
Image transformations The CMS resizes, crops or converts images on request, through URL parameters or generated sizes, with no external service. Built in Adaptive Media generates set image resolutions. 8 Built in Generates small, medium and large sizes on upload. No crops on request. 15
APIs and delivery
REST API A documented REST or JSON HTTP API returns content. Built in Headless REST APIs. 9 Built in 2
GraphQL API The vendor or an official module provides a GraphQL API for content. Built in 9 Plugin or add-on Official GraphQL plugin. 14
Webhooks The CMS can call an external URL when content is created, changed or published. Built in Object actions call a webhook on add, update or delete. 10 Built in 218
Renders the website The CMS itself renders and serves the public pages through themes or templates. Headless-only products answer no. Built in Not available
Editorial workflow
Drafts Editors save changes as a draft and publish them later. The live version stays untouched until then. Built in Built in Draft & Publish. 2
Scheduled publishing An editor can set a future date and time for content to publish or unpublish. Built in Display and expiration dates. Paid tier Growth plan, by scheduling a Release. 6
Version history The CMS keeps earlier versions of an entry, and editors can compare or restore them. Built in Paid tier Content History keeps 14 days on Growth, 30 to 90 days on Enterprise. 7
Preview Editors can see unpublished content rendered as it will appear on the site before publishing. Built in Built in Basic preview is free. Side-by-side Live Preview needs Growth. 5
Visual editing Editors can click on the rendered page and edit content in place or in a side panel next to it. Built in Inline editing in the content page editor. 11 Paid tier On Growth, editors double-click content in Live Preview to edit it. 5
Approval workflows Content moves through review stages you configure, such as draft, review and approved, with permissions per stage. Built in Kaleo workflow, also included in the Free Tier. 3 Paid tier Review Workflows on Enterprise. 9
Content releases Editors group changes across several entries and publish them together as one release. Built in Publications group changes and publish them together. 12 Paid tier Releases on Growth and Enterprise. 6
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 A page locks while one editor has it open. 13 Not available
Access and governance
Custom roles Admins define their own roles with granular permissions instead of picking from a fixed set. Built in Built in Unlimited admin roles on Community. 28
Field-level permissions Admins can restrict access to single fields, on top of content types and entries. Not available Permissions apply per object, entry or asset. 14 Built in 8
Single sign-on Editors can sign in through SAML or OpenID Connect against a company identity provider. Built in SAML and OpenID Connect. The Free Tier lacks SAML. 315 Paid tier Enterprise, or a $150 per month add-on on Growth. 211
Audit log The CMS logs who changed what and when across the whole installation, and admins can review the log. Built in Audit framework with search and export of events. 16 Paid tier Enterprise plan. 10
Platform and extensibility
Multiple sites One installation or account can manage several separate websites or brands with shared users. Built in Not available
Extensible admin UI Developers can add their own components, views or fields to the editing interface. Built in Client extensions. 7 Built in 20
Plugin marketplace The vendor runs an official directory or marketplace of installable extensions. Built in Liferay Marketplace. 17 Built in Strapi Marketplace. 2
Form builder Editors can build and publish forms and collect submissions without code. Built in Liferay Forms. Not available
Site member accounts The platform handles sign-up and login for public site users or members, separate from editors. Built in Built in Users & Permissions feature for end users. 17
AI writing assistant A first-party AI feature in the editing interface generates, rewrites or translates content. Built in AI Hub writing tools in the new CMS. Not in the Free Tier. 418 Paid tier AI translation and image alt text on Growth. Not yet available on Enterprise. 212
Official MCP server The vendor publishes a Model Context Protocol server so AI agents can read or write content. Built in Built-in MCP server released in 2026.Q3, switched on by feature flag. 19 Built in Built in. Developers switch it on in the server config. 13

Liferay DXP sources

Checked 29 Sept 2026. Liferay DXP 2026.Q3, Enterprise Subscription. The Free Tier replaced Liferay Portal CE from 2026.Q1..

  1. Liferay DXP 2026.q3.5 release files
  2. Now available: Liferay DXP Quarterly Release 2026.Q3
  3. Liferay DXP Free Tier (Liferay Learn)
  4. Liferay DXP Free Tier: what it is, how to get it, and when to upgrade
  5. CE is sunsetted. What's your next move?
  6. Liferay Learn: Content Management System
  7. Liferay Learn: Client Extensions
  8. Liferay Learn: Using Adaptive Media
  9. Liferay Learn: Consuming GraphQL APIs
  10. Liferay Learn: Object actions
  11. Liferay Learn: Using Content Pages
  12. Liferay Learn: Publications
  13. Liferay Learn: Configuring Locked Pages
  14. Liferay Learn: Objects permissions framework integration
  15. Liferay Learn: Using OpenID Connect
  16. Liferay Learn: Audit Framework
  17. Liferay Marketplace
  18. Liferay AI Hub
  19. Liferay Learn: Using Liferay as an MCP Server
  20. Liferay Learn: Cloud

Strapi sources

Checked 29 Sept 2026. Strapi 5 CMS, free Community edition with paid Growth and Enterprise plans for self-hosted projects.

  1. @strapi/strapi on the npm registry
  2. Strapi CMS pricing
  3. Strapi Cloud pricing
  4. We're removing the Free plan from Strapi Cloud
  5. Strapi docs: Preview
  6. Strapi docs: Releases
  7. Strapi docs: Content History
  8. Strapi docs: Role-Based Access Control
  9. Strapi docs: Review Workflows
  10. Strapi docs: Audit Logs
  11. Strapi docs: Single Sign-On
  12. Strapi docs: AI for content managers
  13. Strapi docs: MCP server
  14. Strapi docs: GraphQL plugin
  15. Strapi docs: Media Library
  16. Strapi docs: Content-type Builder
  17. Strapi docs: Users & Permissions
  18. Strapi docs: Webhooks
  19. Strapi docs: Models
  20. Strapi docs: Admin panel customization

Considering more platforms? Compare Liferay DXP and Strapi with the rest of your shortlist in the CMS comparison tool.

Where they differ

Liferay DXP and Strapi get a different status on 13 of the 28 features and the same status on 15. Liferay DXP has 26 built in on its baseline edition, Strapi has 15. 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
Liferay DXP is closed source (Proprietary, under the Liferay EULA. Free Tier activation key at no cost). Strapi is open source (MIT).

Built in on Liferay DXP, a different answer on Strapi 12

  • GraphQL API Liferay DXP: Built in. Strapi: Plugin or add-on.
  • Renders the website Liferay DXP: Built in. Strapi: Not available.
  • Scheduled publishing Liferay DXP: Built in. Strapi: Paid tier.
  • Version history Liferay DXP: Built in. Strapi: Paid tier.
  • Visual editing Liferay DXP: Built in. Strapi: Paid tier.
  • Approval workflows Liferay DXP: Built in. Strapi: Paid tier.
  • Content releases Liferay DXP: Built in. Strapi: Paid tier.
  • Single sign-on Liferay DXP: Built in. Strapi: Paid tier.
  • Audit log Liferay DXP: Built in. Strapi: Paid tier.
  • Multiple sites Liferay DXP: Built in. Strapi: Not available.
  • Form builder Liferay DXP: Built in. Strapi: Not available.
  • AI writing assistant Liferay DXP: Built in. Strapi: Paid tier.

Built in on Strapi, a different answer on Liferay DXP 1

  • Field-level permissions Liferay DXP: Not available. Strapi: Built in.

More comparisons

Full write-ups with worked examples and costs: Strapi vs Payload.

Liferay DXP against other platforms

Strapi against other platforms

Open the CMS comparison tool to put up to six platforms in one table.

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