The 10 Best CMS For NextJS: Comparison Guide

Looking for the best content management system for NextJS? This detailed comparison guide will help you understand the important features, advantages, and disadvantages of each CMS. Whether looking for scalability or user-friendly tools, this guide will help you choose the right CMS for your project.

Strapi

• Key Features: Customizable API, granular permissions, extensibility through plugins.
• Pros: Flexible, supports multiple databases, and has a strong community.
• Cons: There is a steep learning curve for beginners and limited documentation.
• Best For: Custom projects needing a robust API and scalability.

Ghost

• Key Features: Optimized for blogging, SEO-friendly, Markdown support.
• Pros: User-friendly, lightweight, fast performance.
• Cons: Limited to blogging and simple content structures.
• Best For: Bloggers and online publications.

Sanity

• Key Features: Real-time collaboration, portable text, extensive APIs.
• Pros: Highly customizable, great for complex datasets.
• Cons: Complexity can be overwhelming for small projects.
• Best For: Projects requiring detailed content relationships.

Contentful

• Key Features: Robust APIs, rich text editing, role-based access control.
• Pros: Scalable, strong integration capabilities.
• Cons: Premium pricing for higher plans.
• Best For: Enterprises and projects that need to scale.

Decap CMS

• Key Features: Git-based workflow, open-source, straightforward setup.
• Pros: Integrates with static site generators, free to use.
• Cons: Requires familiarity with Git, limited to simpler sites.
• Best For: Smaller projects and personal blogs.

ButterCMS

• Key Features: Marketing-oriented CMS, SEO support, multi-site support.
• Pros: Plug-and-play, provides a free trial, and is good for marketers.
• Cons: More expensive for higher-traffic sites.
• Best For: Marketing websites and blogs.

Prismic

• Key Features: Slices for component-based design, multi-language support.
• Pros: Intuitive editor interface, versatile content modeling.
• Cons: Customization requires more advanced development skills.
• Best For: Websites that require a high degree of custom content.

Kontent.AI

• Key Features: Cloud-native, API-first collaboration tools.
• Pros: Strong workflow management, and scalable content solutions.
• Cons: It can be complex for smaller teams.
• Best For: Large content teams and enterprise-level projects.

Storyblok

• Key Features: Visual editor, nested components, complete CMS backend.
• Pros: Great for managing dynamic content and real-time preview.
• Cons: Pricing can get high with increased usage.
• Best For: Creative teams needing a visual interface.

Directus

• Key Features: Open-source, direct database access, real-time APIs.
• Pros: High flexibility, database agnostic.
• Cons: It might require greater technical skills to utilize fully.
• Best For: Projects that require a custom database schema.

Summary

• Easy to Use: Ghost and Contentful are recognized for their user-friendly interfaces, which make them excellent choices for new CMS users or those who prioritize simplicity in content management.
• Best for Scaling: Contentful and Kentico Kontent are highly recommended for their scalability, making them suitable for both small startups and large enterprises due to their robust infrastructure.
• Best Documentation: Strapi and Contentful stand out for their comprehensive and helpful documentation, which assists developers in easy integration and effective problem-solving.
• Best for Customizability: Strapi and Sanity offer extensive customization options, allowing developers to tailor the CMS to their specific project needs.
• Best for Visual Editing: Storyblok is ideal for projects that benefit from a visual editor, providing a more intuitive interface for content creators and developers.
• Best for Blogging: Ghost remains the top choice for blogging due to its streamlined setup and focus on content publishing.
• Best Open Source Options: Strapi and Directus are excellent open-source alternatives that offer flexibility and no licensing costs, making them accessible for projects of any size.

After learning about these 10 best CMS for NextJS you will be well qualified to choose the right one for your current and/or next project. Each tool will change over time and we all have our own preference so them all a try if you can!