Best headless CMS for Next.js
Ranked by our score, filtered to what fits this job. Same eleven tests, same scale. Filter and sort to match your constraints.
Best headless CMS for Next.js
If you're building on Next.js, the CMS you pick shapes your whole content workflow. Here's how the leading options actually compare for a Next.js stack.
Our top picks
1. Sanity, 9/10
Best-in-class structured content and developer experience. The default reach for serious Next.js teams. Overkill for simple sites.
Best for: Developers, structured content, multilingual, Next.js. From $15/seat/mo (Growth).
2. Payload, 9/10
The developer darling of 2026, runs inside your Next.js app, config-as-code, no separate infra. If you write code, this is the one to beat.
Best for: Code-first developers, Next.js apps wanting CMS in-app. From Infra only; Payload Cloud paid.
3. Contentful, 8/10
The safe enterprise bet with the deepest feature set, but the price cliff from free to $300 is brutal for small projects.
Best for: Enterprise content operations, large teams. From $300/mo (Lite).
4. Storyblok, 8/10
The best visual editing of the pure headless CMSs, bridges the developer/marketer gap better than most. Pricing steepens fast.
Best for: Visual editing, marketing teams, mixed-skill teams. From €99/mo (Growth).
5. Prismic, 7.5/10
Underrated for marketing sites, the 'slice' model is genuinely good and the free tier is generous. Less mindshare than it deserves.
Best for: Marketing sites, slice-based page building. From $10/mo (Starter).
6. Strapi, 8/10
The open-source default. Full control if you'll run it yourself; the managed Cloud tier removes the ops burden for a price.
Best for: Self-hosting, Node/TS teams, data ownership. From Cloud $18-450/mo; self-host = infra only.
How we picked
Every option is scored on the same criteria, pricing, hosting model, developer experience, and fit for this use case, independently, with no vendor sponsorship.
Data last verified 2026-07-15. Prices and plans change, so always confirm on the vendor's site.