Craft CMS vs Strapi
Craft CMS
A flexible, user-friendly CMS for developers and content creators
vs
Strapi
Open-source headless CMS
Feature
Craft CMS
Strapi
Core Features
API Type
The type of API provided
REST & GraphQL
REST & GraphQL
API Type
The type of API provided
REST & GraphQL
REST & GraphQL
Content Versioning
Track content history
Yes (revisions)
Via plugins
Content Versioning
Track content history
Yes (revisions)
Via plugins
Real-time Collaboration
Multiple users editing simultaneously
✗
✗
Real-time Collaboration
Multiple users editing simultaneously
✗
✗
Live Preview
Preview content changes before publishing
✓
Via plugins
Live Preview
Preview content changes before publishing
✓
Via plugins
Multi-language Support
Built-in localization and internationalization
Yes (built-in)
Yes (i18n plugin)
Multi-language Support
Built-in localization and internationalization
Yes (built-in)
Yes (i18n plugin)
Getting Started
Ease of Use
Skill level required: 1 = DIY friendly, 5 = Developer expertise required
Ease of Use
Skill level required: 1 = DIY friendly, 5 = Developer expertise required
Pricing
Free Tier
Does it offer a free tier?
Yes (Solo edition)
✓
Free Tier
Does it offer a free tier?
Yes (Solo edition)
✓
Starting Price
Minimum monthly cost
$299 one-time (Pro)
Free (self-hosted)
Starting Price
Minimum monthly cost
$299 one-time (Pro)
Free (self-hosted)
Pricing Model
How pricing is structured
One-time license or cloud subscription
Flat rate (cloud) or self-hosted
Pricing Model
How pricing is structured
One-time license or cloud subscription
Flat rate (cloud) or self-hosted
Content
Asset Management
Built-in DAM for images and media
Powerful built-in system
Basic built-in
Asset Management
Built-in DAM for images and media
Powerful built-in system
Basic built-in
Image Processing
Built-in image transformation and optimization
Built-in transforms
Via plugins
Image Processing
Built-in image transformation and optimization
Built-in transforms
Via plugins
Video Streaming
Native video hosting and streaming
No (third-party)
Via plugins
Video Streaming
Native video hosting and streaming
No (third-party)
Via plugins
Developer Features
Webhooks
Event-based notifications for content changes
✓
✓
Webhooks
Event-based notifications for content changes
✓
✓
GraphQL API
GraphQL query support
✓
✓
GraphQL API
GraphQL query support
✓
✓
REST API
RESTful API support
Yes (Element API)
✓
REST API
RESTful API support
Yes (Element API)
✓
SDKs Available
Official client libraries and SDKs
PHP, JavaScript
JS, React, Vue, Angular
SDKs Available
Official client libraries and SDKs
PHP, JavaScript
JS, React, Vue, Angular
Deployment
Open Source
Is the platform open source?
✗
✓
Open Source
Is the platform open source?
✗
✓
Self-Hosting Option
Can be self-hosted on your infrastructure
✓
✓
Self-Hosting Option
Can be self-hosted on your infrastructure
✓
✓
Craft CMS Pros & Cons
Pros
- ✓One-time license fee (no recurring costs for self-hosted Pro)
- ✓Extremely flexible and customisable content modelling
- ✓Beautiful, intuitive admin interface
- ✓Built-in multi-site support
- ✓Strong security track record
- ✓Excellent for complex content structures
- ✓GraphQL API available
Cons
- ✗PHP-based (may not fit modern JavaScript workflows)
- ✗Smaller ecosystem than WordPress or major headless platforms
- ✗Self-hosting requires PHP/MySQL knowledge
- ✗Fewer third-party integrations than enterprise options
- ✗Cloud hosting more expensive than some competitors
Strapi Pros & Cons
Pros
- ✓100% open source and self-hostable for full control
- ✓No content limits on self-hosted deployments
- ✓Good plugin ecosystem with customisable admin panel
- ✓Supports both REST and GraphQL APIs
- ✓Active community and frequent updates
- ✓Great for custom integrations
Cons
- ✗Requires server management if self-hosting
- ✗Fewer out-of-the-box integrations than commercial options
- ✗Performance depends heavily on hosting setup
- ✗UI less polished than enterprise alternatives
Need help deciding?
Our team can help you choose the right platform for your specific needs.
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