Now booking enterprise content platform builds for 2026. Contact us

Join us
Contact us

What we build

Who it's for

How we engage

Case studies

Industries

Partnerships

About

Writing

Tools

For startups Join us
Contact us
CMS comparison Sitecore vs Strapi

Sitecore vs Strapi

Sitecore is a closed-source enterprise DXP that runs 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.

Book a call
  • Sitecore Enterprise DXP · Closed source · 22 of 28 built in
  • Strapi Headless · Open source · 15 of 28 built in

Sources checked: Sitecore 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
Sitecore vs Strapi feature comparison. Columns are the two platforms. Rows are features, grouped by area.
Platform
Sitecore Enterprise DXP
Strapi Headless
Overview
What it is Sitecore's SaaS digital experience platform, formerly XM Cloud. Sitecore hosts the CMS. Sites render in a separate front-end app.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. SitecoreAI, formerly XM Cloud, Sitecore's current flagship SaaS platform SaaS, continuously updated 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 Sitecore sitecore.com Strapi strapi.io
Licence Closed source Proprietary Open source MIT
Hosting No self-hosting Vendor cloud SitecoreAI is SaaS only. Self-hosting needs Sitecore XP 10.5, a separate product. Self-hosting Vendor cloud Strapi Cloud removed its free plan in 2026. Hosting starts at the Starter plan.
Built with .NET, Next.js Content SDKTypeScript, Node.js, React
Database Managed by SitecorePostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite
Pricing Public list prices only. Hosting and implementation are extra everywhere. No free option Pricing 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 Templates serialize to files in the repo with Sitecore Content Serialization. 2 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 Templates are items edited in the Content Editor. 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 Page builder with reusable components. 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 Language versions per item. 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 Experience Edge media CDN resizes images with query string parameters. 3 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 Content Items REST API since September 2026. Delivery through Experience Edge is GraphQL. 4 Built in 2
GraphQL API The vendor or an official module provides a GraphQL API for content. Built in Experience Edge delivery API. 5 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 Authoring webhooks and Experience Edge publish webhooks. 65 Built in 218
Renders the website The CMS itself renders and serves the public pages through themes or templates. Headless-only products answer no. Not available Headless. Sites render in a separate app, with built-in Vercel and Netlify integrations. 7 Not available
Editorial workflow
Drafts Editors save changes as a draft and publish them later. The live version stays untouched until then. Built in Saved changes stay unpublished until pushed to Experience Edge. 11 Built in Draft & Publish. 2
Scheduled publishing An editor can set a future date and time for content to publish or unpublish. Limited Publishing restrictions set availability dates. A publish must still run on the date. 89 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 Numbered item versions. 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 Page builder. 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 Item workflows with states and commands. 6 Paid tier Review Workflows on Enterprise. 9
Content releases Editors group changes across several entries and publish them together as one release. Not available No release bundles. Publishing jobs cover items, subitems and related items. 11 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. Limited Page builder saves concurrent edits per field. Others get a reload prompt. No live updates. 10 Not available
Access and governance
Custom roles Admins define their own roles with granular permissions instead of picking from a fixed set. Built in Roles with item access rights. 12 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. Built in Field read and field write access rights. 12 Built in 8
Single sign-on Editors can sign in through SAML or OpenID Connect against a company identity provider. Built in SAML or OIDC through the Sitecore Cloud Portal. 13 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. Limited Common Audit Log covers only the Cloud Portal and leaves out SitecoreAI content. Item actions show in CM logs. 1415 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 Site collections with shared content. Not available
Extensible admin UI Developers can add their own components, views or fields to the editing interface. Built in Marketplace apps add custom fields, panels and dashboard widgets. 17 Built in 20
Plugin marketplace The vendor runs an official directory or marketplace of installable extensions. Built in Sitecore Marketplace. 16 Built in Strapi Marketplace. 2
Form builder Editors can build and publish forms and collect submissions without code. Built in Built-in Forms with webhook submission handling. 18 Not available
Site member accounts The platform handles sign-up and login for public site users or members, separate from editors. Not available Developers have to build visitor login in the front-end app. 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 Content, variant and translation assistants. Brand kits need Stream Premium. 19 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 Sitecore Marketer MCP server. 20 Built in Built in. Developers switch it on in the server config. 13

Sitecore sources

Checked 29 Sept 2026. SitecoreAI, formerly XM Cloud, Sitecore's current flagship SaaS platform.

  1. SitecoreAI documentation for business users
  2. Sitecore Content Serialization in SitecoreAI
  3. Sitecore Experience Edge for XM (media resizing)
  4. SitecoreAI changelog: Components, Content Types and Content Items APIs
  5. Experience Edge
  6. SitecoreAI webhooks
  7. Front-end hosting applications
  8. Schedule publishing availability of a page
  9. KB1003446: Specifics of publishing in SitecoreAI
  10. Editing in the Page builder (concurrent editing)
  11. Publish content in SitecoreAI
  12. The access rights
  13. Sitecore Cloud Portal single sign-on
  14. Sitecore Common Audit Log
  15. Logging in Sitecore XM Cloud (Fishtank)
  16. SitecoreAI Marketplace
  17. Sitecore Marketplace starter (extension points)
  18. SitecoreAI Forms
  19. Sitecore Stream tiers
  20. Sitecore Marketer MCP server

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 Sitecore and Strapi with the rest of your shortlist in the CMS comparison tool.

Where they differ

Sitecore and Strapi get a different status on 13 of the 28 features and the same status on 15. Sitecore has 22 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
Sitecore is closed source (Proprietary). Strapi is open source (MIT).
Self-hosting
Sitecore cannot be self-hosted. Strapi can be self-hosted.
Free option
Sitecore has no free option. Strapi has a free option.

Built in on Sitecore, a different answer on Strapi 8

  • GraphQL API Sitecore: Built in. Strapi: Plugin or add-on.
  • Version history Sitecore: Built in. Strapi: Paid tier.
  • Visual editing Sitecore: Built in. Strapi: Paid tier.
  • Approval workflows Sitecore: Built in. Strapi: Paid tier.
  • Single sign-on Sitecore: Built in. Strapi: Paid tier.
  • Multiple sites Sitecore: Built in. Strapi: Not available.
  • Form builder Sitecore: Built in. Strapi: Not available.
  • AI writing assistant Sitecore: Built in. Strapi: Paid tier.

Built in on Strapi, a different answer on Sitecore 1

  • Site member accounts Sitecore: Not available. Strapi: Built in.

Built in on neither, with different answers 4

  • Scheduled publishing Sitecore: Limited. Strapi: Paid tier.
  • Content releases Sitecore: Not available. Strapi: Paid tier.
  • Real-time co-editing Sitecore: Limited. Strapi: Not available.
  • Audit log Sitecore: Limited. Strapi: Paid tier.

More comparisons

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

Sitecore against other platforms

Strapi against other platforms

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

We're booking content platform
engagements for 2026.

Twenty-five minutes to walk through the work and decide if we're the right team for it. Scoping and a fixed price come after.

Book a 25-min call Or email us instead