vs
Headless WordPress
The world's most popular CMS, now headless
vs
Prismic
Headless website builder
Feature
Headless WordPress
Prismic
Core Features
API Type
The type of API provided
REST (built-in), GraphQL (WPGraphQL)
REST & GraphQL
API Type
The type of API provided
REST (built-in), GraphQL (WPGraphQL)
REST & GraphQL
Content Versioning
Track content history
Yes (revisions)
✓
Content Versioning
Track content history
Yes (revisions)
✓
Real-time Collaboration
Multiple users editing simultaneously
Via plugins
✗
Real-time Collaboration
Multiple users editing simultaneously
Via plugins
✗
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
Via plugins (WPML, Polylang)
✓
Multi-language Support
Built-in localization and internationalization
Via plugins (WPML, Polylang)
✓
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?
✓
✓
Free Tier
Does it offer a free tier?
✓
✓
Starting Price
Minimum monthly cost
Free (+ hosting $4+/month)
£6/user/month
Starting Price
Minimum monthly cost
Free (+ hosting $4+/month)
£6/user/month
Pricing Model
How pricing is structured
Hosting costs only
Per user
Pricing Model
How pricing is structured
Hosting costs only
Per user
Content
Asset Management
Built-in DAM for images and media
Basic media library
Built-in
Asset Management
Built-in DAM for images and media
Basic media library
Built-in
Image Processing
Built-in image transformation and optimization
Via plugins
Built-in (Imgix-powered)
Image Processing
Built-in image transformation and optimization
Via plugins
Built-in (Imgix-powered)
Video Streaming
Native video hosting and streaming
Via plugins or third-party
✗
Video Streaming
Native video hosting and streaming
Via plugins or third-party
✗
Developer Features
Webhooks
Event-based notifications for content changes
Via plugins
✓
Webhooks
Event-based notifications for content changes
Via plugins
✓
GraphQL API
GraphQL query support
Yes (WPGraphQL plugin)
✓
GraphQL API
GraphQL query support
Yes (WPGraphQL plugin)
✓
REST API
RESTful API support
✓
✓
REST API
RESTful API support
✓
✓
SDKs Available
Official client libraries and SDKs
Community plugins for various languages
JS, React, Next.js, Vue, Nuxt
SDKs Available
Official client libraries and SDKs
Community plugins for various languages
JS, React, Next.js, Vue, Nuxt
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
✓
✗
Headless WordPress Pros & Cons
Pros
- ✓Massive plugin ecosystem (60,000+ plugins)
- ✓Familiar interface for content editors worldwide
- ✓REST API built-in, GraphQL via WPGraphQL plugin
- ✓Affordable hosting options available everywhere
- ✓Huge community and extensive documentation
- ✓Can leverage existing WordPress expertise
Cons
- ✗Not designed as headless-first (requires plugins)
- ✗Performance and security concerns with many plugins
- ✗Legacy architecture can feel dated
- ✗GraphQL requires additional setup
- ✗Content modeling less structured than purpose-built headless CMS
- ✗Can be bloated for headless-only use cases
Prismic Pros & Cons
Pros
- ✓Great for marketing websites and landing pages
- ✓Slice Machine for component-based content editing
- ✓Affordable pricing for small to medium teams
- ✓Good developer experience with modern SDKs
- ✓Built-in image optimisation
- ✓Multi-language support included
Cons
- ✗Less flexible content modeling than Sanity or Contentful
- ✗Smaller community and ecosystem
- ✗Limited advanced features for complex use cases
- ✗Content modeling can feel restrictive
Need help deciding?
Our team can help you choose the right platform for your specific needs.
Get in touch