cms comparison
Sanity vs Strapi: Which Is Right for You?
Sanity is a hosted, developer-first headless CMS with a flexible schema and real-time collaboration. Strapi is self-hosted and open-source — you own your data and server, but manage the infrastructure yourself.
Our Verdict
We default to Sanity for most projects. Its developer experience, real-time collaboration, and managed hosting eliminate a class of infrastructure problems. We recommend Strapi when data sovereignty or FOSS requirements mandate self-hosting.
Sanity vs Strapi: At a Glance
Sanity wins when…
- ✓ Hosted infrastructure with 99.9% SLA — no server to maintain or secure
- ✓ GROQ query language allows complex content queries in a single request
- ✓ Real-time collaborative editing built in — multiple editors see each other's changes live
- ✓ Content Lake and portable text make structured content truly portable across channels
Strapi wins when…
- ✓ Strapi is fully open-source and self-hosted — no vendor lock-in and complete data ownership
- ✓ Strapi can be more cost-effective at high query volumes since you control hosting costs
Detailed Comparison
| Criterion | Sanity | Strapi |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Fixed-price projects | Varies |
| Timeline | Predictable sprints | Varies |
| Accountability | Single point of contact | Varies by provider |
| Quality | Senior team standard | Varies |
| Post-launch | 30 days support included | Typically billable |
| Best for | Production products that need to scale | Strapi is fully open-source and self-hosted |
Sanity vs Strapi — FAQ
What is the main difference between Sanity and Strapi?
Sanity is a hosted, developer-first headless CMS with a flexible schema and real-time collaboration. Strapi is self-hosted and open-source — you own your data and server, but manage the infrastructure yourself.
When should I choose Sanity over Strapi?
Choose Sanity when: Hosted infrastructure with 99.9% SLA — no server to maintain or secure; and GROQ query language allows complex content queries in a single request.
Are there cases where Strapi is the better choice?
Yes, honestly. Strapi wins when: Strapi is fully open-source and self-hosted — no vendor lock-in and complete data ownership; Strapi can be more cost-effective at high query volumes since you control hosting costs. We believe in giving you an accurate picture, not just selling you on our services.
What is the verdict?
We default to Sanity for most projects. Its developer experience, real-time collaboration, and managed hosting eliminate a class of infrastructure problems. We recommend Strapi when data sovereignty or FOSS requirements mandate self-hosting.
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