With so many CMS options available, choosing the right one for your Astro project can be challenging. After gathering insights from the community, here’s a breakdown of the most mentioned CMS solutions, their strengths, weaknesses, and user opinions.
Git-Based CMSs
These CMSs store content in a Git repository and trigger site rebuilds upon content changes.
DecapCMS (formerly Netlify CMS)
Pros: Easy to set up, free, Git-based, editorial workflow support, integrates well with Netlify.
Cons: Vendor lock-in with Netlify for authentication, poor mobile UI, limited live preview capabilities.
User Opinions:
"DecapCMS works well, but I don’t like the authentication dependency on Netlify."
"I chose DecapCMS for its editorial workflow and ease of use."
TinaCMS
Pros: Git-based, integrates with Vercel, free cloud-based editor, live preview.
Cons: Paid plan required for editorial workflow, React-based, some issues with sorting.
User Opinions:
Keystatic
Pros: Git-based, good integration with Astro content collections, self-hostable.
Cons: Requires GitHub authentication, lacks live preview.
User Opinions:
SveltiaCMS
Pros: Built with Svelte, extends DecapCMS, additional features like DeepL translation.
Cons: Editor is still being improved, lacks MDX support.
User Opinions:
Darkmatter
Pros: Native app for Astro content collections, developer-friendly.
Cons: Mac-only, requires Git knowledge, lacks a web version (in development).
User Opinions:
GitCMS
Pros: Git-based, lightweight, integrates directly with Git repositories.
Cons: Still very new, limited free plan, fewer integrations.
User Opinions:
FrontMatter
Pros: VS Code extension for managing Markdown-based content, integrates with Git.
Cons: Requires VS Code, limited to file-based workflows.
User Opinions:
API-Based / Headless CMSs
These CMSs provide an API for fetching content dynamically.
Sanity
Pros: Free tier (250k API requests/month), powerful querying (GROQ), webhook support.
Cons: Requires React for full use, some complexity in setup.
User Opinions:
Storyblok
Pros: Powerful visual editor, structured content, API-based.
Cons: Overkill for simple blogs.
User Opinions:
Squidex
Pros: Open-source, API-first, real-time collaboration features.
Cons: Requires hosting, slightly complex setup.
User Opinions:
PocketBase
Pros: Lightweight, self-hostable, integrates database and authentication.
Cons: Less feature-rich compared to full-fledged CMSs.
User Opinions:
Cockpit
Pros: Lightweight, PHP-based, flexible.
Cons: Less modern than other options.
Wix Studio
Pros: No-code platform with advanced design tools, built-in hosting.
Cons: Limited customization compared to fully headless solutions.
User Opinions:
Database-Driven CMSs
These CMSs store content in a database instead of Git.
Directus
Pros: Fully customizable, Vue-based, self-hostable, supports complex workflows.
Cons: More complex than Git-based CMSs.
User Opinions:
Payload CMS
Pros: TypeScript-based, developer-friendly, highly extendable.
Cons: Requires significant setup, React-based.
User Opinions:
WordPress (as Headless CMS)
Drupal
Pros: Highly customizable, enterprise-grade security, strong community support.
Cons: Steeper learning curve, requires maintenance.
User Opinions:
Keystone
Pros: Database-driven (Postgres/MongoDB), customizable UI, flexible layout system.
Cons: Requires setup and hosting.
StudioCMS
Pros: Tight integration with Astro, combines static and dynamic content options.
Cons: Still in development.
User Opinions:
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right CMS depends on your project’s needs:
For Non-Technical Clients: DecapCMS, Sanity, and Keystatic.
For Devs Wanting Control: Payload, Directus, or a custom-built solution.
For Self-Hosting: Keystatic, Directus, Kirby, PocketBase.
For Git-Based Workflow: DecapCMS, TinaCMS, Keystatic, GitCMS.
For API-Based Flexibility: Sanity, Directus, Payload, Squidex.
For DB-Backed: Keystone, Drupal, StudioCMS.
What’s your preferred CMS for Astro? Have you had any positive or negative experiences with the ones listed above? Share your thoughts below!