Headless WordPress vs Sanity
Headless WordPress
The world's most popular CMS, now headless
vs
Sanity
The platform for structured content
Headless WordPress and Sanity compared — feature by feature, with pricing and our honest take on which fits your build.
Feature
Headless WordPress
Sanity
Core Features
API Type
The type of API provided
REST (built-in), GraphQL (WPGraphQL)
GraphQL & REST
API Type
The type of API provided
REST (built-in), GraphQL (WPGraphQL)
GraphQL & REST
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)
£79/month
Starting Price
Minimum monthly cost
Free (+ hosting $4+/month)
£79/month
Pricing Model
How pricing is structured
Hosting costs only
Usage-based (bandwidth, assets)
Pricing Model
How pricing is structured
Hosting costs only
Usage-based (bandwidth, assets)
Content
Asset Management
Built-in DAM for images and media
Basic media library
Built-in DAM
Asset Management
Built-in DAM for images and media
Basic media library
Built-in DAM
Image Processing
Built-in image transformation and optimization
Via plugins
Built-in (Sanity Image URLs)
Image Processing
Built-in image transformation and optimization
Via plugins
Built-in (Sanity Image URLs)
Video Streaming
Native video hosting and streaming
Via plugins or third-party
Via Mux integration
Video Streaming
Native video hosting and streaming
Via plugins or third-party
Via Mux integration
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, Vue, PHP, Python, Go
SDKs Available
Official client libraries and SDKs
Community plugins for various languages
JS, React, Vue, PHP, Python, Go
Deployment
Open Source
Is the platform open source?
✓
Yes (Sanity Studio)
Open Source
Is the platform open source?
✓
Yes (Sanity Studio)
Self-Hosting Option
Can be self-hosted on your infrastructure
✓
No (cloud-only)
Self-Hosting Option
Can be self-hosted on your infrastructure
✓
No (cloud-only)
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
Sanity Pros & Cons
Pros
- ✓Highly flexible content modelling with customisable schemas
- ✓Real-time collaboration like Google Docs
- ✓Excellent developer experience with modern tooling
- ✓Powerful GROQ query language for precise data fetching
- ✓Portable Text for rich content
- ✓Live preview capabilities
Cons
- ✗Steeper learning curve for non-developers
- ✗Can be expensive at scale for high-traffic sites
- ✗Requires more initial setup than plug-and-play solutions
- ✗Smaller ecosystem compared to WordPress
Pricing
Headless WordPress vs Sanity pricing
Headless WordPress
Free (self-hosted). Managed hosting from £3/month. WP Engine from £16/month
Sanity
Free tier available. Team plan starts at £79/month
How to choose
How to choose between Headless WordPress and Sanity
Both are strong choices — the right one comes down to what your build needs most. Here is where each one leans.
Lean Headless WordPress if you want
- →Massive plugin ecosystem (60,000+ plugins)
- →Familiar interface for content editors worldwide
- →REST API built-in, GraphQL via WPGraphQL plugin
Lean Sanity if you want
- →Highly flexible content modelling with customisable schemas
- →Real-time collaboration like Google Docs
- →Excellent developer experience with modern tooling
The SmartaStudio take
We build with both Headless WordPress and Sanity, so we have no dog in the fight — the right choice depends on your project, not a leaderboard. See the full Headless CMS lineup on our platforms hub, or tell us about your build and we will give you a reasoned recommendation.
Still weighing it up?
Answer a few questions about your project and get a reasoned recommendation — or talk it through with us directly.