Introduction

In Part 1, we examined the rise of headless CMS and why traditional platforms fall short. Now, let’s look at the top 13 headless CMS platforms, explore the concept of API-driven omnichannel delivery, outline steps for successful implementation, and see why Flotiq stands out as a leading solution.

Top 13 Headless CMS platforms in detail

Below is a closer look at thirteen leading headless CMS platforms, each with strengths that address different use cases. While Flotiq brings many of these capabilities together, it’s valuable to understand the wider landscape.

ButterCMS –  Best for quickly adding blogs

ButterCMS began as a hosted headless blog engine aimed at making it easy to drop a blog into an existing site without the pains of WordPress. Today, it’s a full-fledged API-first CMS that integrates with any framework. Developers get content via REST APIs and SDKs, while editors enjoy an intuitive dashboard. It’s a SaaS solution with features like custom content types, media library, CDN, WYSIWYG editor, and content previews.

DatoCMS –  Fast performance, Jamstack favorite

DatoCMS is a cloud-based CMS known for speed and a clean UI. It supports multilingual content, a rich media library, responsive image APIs, and video streaming. Developers get GraphQL and REST APIs, custom modeling, and SDKs. Particularly popular in the Jamstack community, it powers static sites needing dynamic content.

Sanity –  Real-time collaboration

Sanity is an open-source headless CMS with Sanity Studio, a customizable React-based editor. Editors benefit from a rich-text editor with structured “portable text.” Sanity also offers live previews, versioning, and fine-grained access control. Developers use GROQ and GraphQL APIs for flexible queries. Sanity excels at custom workflows and real-time teamwork.

Strapi –  Open-source, developer-first

Strapi is a popular Node.js-based CMS that’s self-hosted or available via Strapi Cloud. It gives developers full control of the content model and API. Features include REST/GraphQL APIs, plugins, role-based access, and a media library. Its open-source nature avoids vendor lock-in, making it ideal for projects requiring customization.

Builder.io –  Visual editing meets headless
Builder.io bridges developers and marketers with a drag-and-drop Visual Editor. Developers register components, and marketers visually build pages, while Builder outputs structured JSON behind the scenes. It supports scheduling, A/B testing, personalization and integrates with any modern framework. Ideal for teams wanting no-code editing with developer freedom.

Kontent.ai –  Enterprise-ready SaaS

Kontent.ai focuses on enterprise workflows and governance. It features structured content modeling, versioning, localization, workflow approvals, and SLA-backed uptime. It integrates with e-commerce, DAM, and analytics tools. Editors enjoy a strong WYSIWYG interface, and developers get GraphQL/REST APIs. AI-powered authoring assistance is a recent innovation.

Contentstack –  Enterprise-grade, MACH Alliance member

Contentstack is a leading enterprise CMS, part of the MACH Alliance (Microservices, API-first, Cloud-native, Headless). It balances developer APIs with a drag-and-drop editor for marketers. Features include multi-language, roles/permissions, extensions, and real-time previews. Pure SaaS with premium pricing, it’s trusted by global brands like Chase and Cisco.

Contentful –  The pioneer of headless CMS

Often credited with popularizing headless CMS, Contentful offers robust REST and GraphQL APIs backed by a global CDN. Developers define custom content models, while editors use a structured UI for entries. Features include staging, preview, rich text editor, and a strong marketplace of integrations. It serves both startups and enterprises.

Magnolia –  Hybrid CMS/DXP

Originally a Java-based CMS, Magnolia evolved into a hybrid DXP with strong integration capabilities. It consolidates content from multiple systems into one interface. Editors can manage products, analytics, and third-party data in one view. Features include personalization, multi-site/multi-language, and low-code-friendly configuration. Popular with enterprises requiring complex content hubs.

Storyblok –  Headless CMS with a visual editor

Storyblok combines headless architecture with an in-context visual editor. Developers define reusable blocks, and editors compose pages visually by dragging components. It supports multilingual content, workflows, roles/permissions, and a robust GraphQL API. With a generous free tier, Storyblok is loved by marketers for its WYSIWYG editing and by developers for its flexibility.

Payload CMS –  Code-first, performance-focused

Payload is a TypeScript-based CMS where schemas are defined in code. It appeals to dev teams wanting version-controlled configuration. Self-hosted (Node.js, Express, MongoDB), it’s fast and API-driven, supporting REST and GraphQL. Unique features include in-context editing (edit directly on your live front-end). A strong choice for dev-centric teams.

Prismic –  Slice-based content authoring

Prismic pioneered “Slices” — reusable content sections editors combine to build pages. Editors enjoy a slick document-style editor with scheduling and versioning. Developers use REST/GraphQL APIs and SDKs. Integration fields connect external data like e-commerce. Used by companies like Google and Netflix, Prismic balances editor simplicity with developer reliability.

Hygraph (GraphCMS) –  GraphQL-native headless CMS

Hygraph is built entirely around GraphQL. It instantly generates a GraphQL API for defined content models and relationships, making it powerful for complex queries. Features include localization, granular permissions, and API federation (connecting external APIs as remote fields). Hygraph is ideal for GraphQL-heavy projects and composable architectures.

API-Driven content and omnichannel experiences

At the heart of headless CMS is the concept of API-driven content. Content is accessible via REST or GraphQL, typically as JSON.

This means any application or device can consume the same content in real time.

📌 Omnichannel example: A news organization publishes once → instantly updates website, mobile app, email, push notifications, and Alexa flash briefings. This ensures consistency, speed, and broad reach.

Implementing a headless CMS successfully

Switching to a headless CMS is a strategic move. Success requires:

• Plan your content model: Define structured content types instead of page-based layouts.
• Choose the right platform: Balance editor UX and developer APIs. Evaluate scalability, integrations, and pricing.
• Empower your team: Educate devs on API-first workflows and train editors on new interfaces.
• Develop the Front-End(s): Choose frameworks (React, Vue, native apps) or use starters from CMS vendors.
• SEO & marketing considerations: Ensure SSR/prerendering for SEO. Configure structured data and preview links.
• Migration strategy: Migrate core content first. Run legacy and headless in parallel until stable.

Flotiq: Powering headless CMS success

When it comes to choosing a headless CMS, Flotiq offers the best of both worlds: developer power and editor simplicity, without enterprise pricing overhead

Key advantages

• Easy content modeling: Create custom content types in minutes, no coding required.
• Auto-generated APIs & SDKs: REST & GraphQL endpoints plus typed SDKs (JS, Python, PHP, .NET).
• Omnichannel by design: Deliver to JAMstack sites, mobile apps, portals, IoT.
• Performance at scale: CDN delivery + static site generator support for global speed.
• Integrations: Zapier, Make, and starter kits for Next.js/Gatsby.
• Cost-effective: Free tier and scalable plans, unlike premium-only enterprise CMS.
• Support & Community: Fast support responses and active resources (docs, tutorials, Discord).

Conclusion: Embrace the future of content

Modern content delivery demands are only going to grow. Customers will expect even more personalized, immediate experiences on new devices, and businesses will need to orchestrate content across all touchpoints.

Embracing a headless CMS now future-proofs your content strategy. It provides flexibility to adapt, speed to seize opportunities, and consistency to build trust.

By leveraging a platform like Flotiq, organizations can turn content management from a bottleneck into a competitive advantage. Developers gain freedom, marketers gain speed, and customers gain cohesive experiences.

👉 It’s time to break free from legacy limitations. Go headless, and let Flotiq help lead the way.