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Guide

The best CMS for Next.js in 2026

Next.js has the widest choice of any framework: code-first backends, headless platforms with visual editing, and Git-based editors. These ten cover the range, with what each asks of you and what it costs.

We make Siteshare, and it is on this list. Siteshare is first because it's the one we'd pick for a site you hand over to a client. The rest are ordered from code-first and self-hosted to hosted platforms. Only tools with official Next.js support are listed. Prices and features were checked on each product's own site on 23 October 2026.

  1. Siteshare

    An editor at the site's own address, /edit. Clients chat, select or draw on the real site; every publish is build-checked and lands as one commit on main.

    Best for
    Sites you build and hand over to a client who changes things now and then.
    Price
    Free for 1 site; then $9 a site a month, down to $4 as you grow (5 sites $36, 20 sites $126); clients and builders unlimited. VAT is added where it applies.
    Keep in mind
    Sites on GitHub only. No structured content API for other channels.

  2. Payload

    An open-source headless CMS and app framework that installs into your Next.js app, now part of Figma.

    Best for
    Developers building custom Next.js apps with a code-first backend.
    Price
    Self-hosted free (MIT); Enterprise on request.
    Keep in mind
    Needs a database and a server; an on-page visual editor is listed as Enterprise, coming soon.

  3. Sanity

    A headless content platform with Sanity Studio, click-to-edit visual editing and AI features.

    Best for
    Structured content reused across channels, edited by a team.
    Price
    Free (up to 20 seats); Growth $15 per seat a month.
    Keep in mind
    Content lives in Sanity's Content Lake; visual editing needs draft mode and plugins.

  4. Storyblok

    A hosted headless CMS with a visual editor showing your site beside the fields.

    Best for
    Block-based pages edited visually by marketing teams.
    Price
    Starter free (1 seat); Growth €99, Growth Plus €349 a month per space.
    Keep in mind
    Content lives in Storyblok; AI agents are in beta.

  5. Contentful

    A hosted headless platform with a typed content model and live preview for React frameworks.

    Best for
    Businesses with structured content across many channels.
    Price
    Free (hard limits); Lite €300 a month; Enterprise custom.
    Keep in mind
    Visual Studio and AI Actions are Enterprise only.

  6. TinaCMS

    An open-source, Git-backed CMS with forms and click-to-field visual editing for React.

    Best for
    Typed content in Git with visual editing, without a separate content store.
    Price
    Free (2 users); Team $24, Team Plus $41, Business $249 a month per project.
    Keep in mind
    A schema in tina/config.ts; visual editing is wired up per component.

  7. Prismic

    A hosted headless CMS where editors build pages from developer-made slices.

    Best for
    Marketing pages assembled from reusable sections.
    Price
    Free (1 user); Starter $10 to Platinum $675 a month per repository, billed annually.
    Keep in mind
    Content lives in Prismic; developers build every slice.

  8. Strapi

    An open-source headless CMS with an admin panel and API, self-hosted or on Strapi Cloud.

    Best for
    One content API for a site and apps.
    Price
    Self-hosted free; Growth $45 a month; Cloud from $35 a month per project.
    Keep in mind
    Content lives in a database; Live Preview is on Growth and up.

  9. Builder.io

    A drag-and-drop visual CMS on your registered React components.

    Best for
    Marketing teams at larger companies editing pages visually.
    Price
    The CMS is Enterprise only, priced on request.
    Keep in mind
    No public price for the CMS; components must be registered first.

  10. Keystatic

    An open-source editor for Markdown, JSON and YAML in your repository.

    Best for
    Content-driven Next.js sites with content in Git, on a zero budget.
    Price
    Free (MIT). Keystatic Cloud free up to 3 users; Pro from $10 a month per team.
    Keep in mind
    A keystatic.config.ts with collections; forms only, no visual editing.

How to choose

  • A handed-over site with an occasional editor: keep it simple. Siteshare or a Git-based editor means no database, no API and nothing to migrate.
  • An app with content, built by developers: Payload lives inside your Next.js app and keeps the backend in your code.
  • Marketing pages assembled from sections: Storyblok, Prismic and Builder.io let editors compose pages visually from components you build.
  • Content shared across a site, apps and other channels: Sanity, Contentful and Strapi give you one content API.

The hidden cost: wiring

Every headless option asks for a schema and for the site to fetch from its API, plus draft mode for previews. That’s worth it when the content model is the product. For a brochure site a client changes now and then, it’s usually more machinery than the job needs.

Checked on October 23, 2026, from the sources below. Prices and features change; tell us if something is out of date.

Questions

What is the best headless CMS for Next.js?

For a code-first backend inside your app: Payload. For a hosted platform with strong visual editing: Sanity or Storyblok. For enterprise content across channels: Contentful. It depends on who edits and whether content is reused elsewhere.

Can a client edit a Next.js site without a CMS?

Yes. Siteshare lets a client change the site itself, including texts inside components, by talking to it. Each publish is build-checked and lands as one commit on main.

Which options keep content in Git?

Siteshare, TinaCMS and Keystatic keep content in your repository. Payload and Strapi use a database; Sanity, Storyblok, Contentful, Prismic and Builder.io use their own hosted stores.

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