18.3
Free planOpen sourceWebAPILinux
Best CMS Tools in 2026
CMS tools help teams create, organise and publish website content. This category includes hosted, self-hosted and open-source options, with tools that can work through a web interface, API or local platform. Compare the CMS type, hosting model and content API. Check pricing for a free plan, paid starting point or trial, then review custom roles, supported locales and content versioning.
28.0
WordPress is free, open-source publishing software for creating websites, blogs, portals, and applications.
Free planOpen sourceAndroidiOSWeb
37.5
Prismic is a headless CMS with developer tools and a visual page builder for creating and managing website content within an existing stack.
Free planWebAPI
- 4
Pimcore
Pimcore is a platform for managing product information, master data, digital assets, digital experiences, and commerce on a shared data foundation.
Free planWebAPILinuxSelf-hosted7.3From $9,900 a year - 5
Storyblok
Storyblok is a web-based content management platform for creating and managing localized content.
Free planWeb7.3From $99 a month - 6
MODX
MODX is a content management system and application framework for building custom digital experiences.
Free planWebAPISelf-hosted7.2From $36 a month - 7
ApostropheCMS
Free planWebAPISelf-hosted7.1From $39 a month - 8
Drupal
Drupal is content management software for building websites and applications.
Free planWebAPILinuxmacOS7.1Free plan - 9
Sanity
Sanity is a web-based content platform for teams building websites, mobile products, content applications, and customer-facing or internal agents.
Free planWeb7.1From $15 a month - 10
DatoCMS
DatoCMS is a headless content management system for managing content in a central hub and distributing it through APIs.
Free planWebAPI7.0From €149 a month - 11
dotCMS
dotCMS is a content management platform for enterprises managing digital experiences at scale.
Free planWebAPILinuxSelf-hosted6.8Free plan - 12
Umbraco CMS
Free planWeb6.8From €45 a month - 13
Contentful
Free planWeb6.7From $300 a month - 14
Bloomreach Content
Bloomreach Content is an enterprise CMS for creating digital experiences across channels, languages, and brands.
AndroidiOSWebAPI6.6 - 15
6.6From $499 a month - 16
6.6From $199 a month - 17
Joomla
Joomla! is a free, open-source content management system for publishing and managing website content.
Free planWebAPILinuxSelf-hosted6.6Free plan - 18
Orchard Core
Orchard Core is a free, BSD-3-Clause-licensed CMS for editors and application framework for developers, built on ASP.NET Core.
Free planWebAPILinuxSelf-hosted6.5Free plan - 19
Payload CMS
Free planWebAPISelf-hosted6.5Free plan - 20
Wagtail
Free planWebAPILinuxSelf-hosted6.5Free plan - 21
Silverstripe CMS
Silverstripe CMS is a free, open-source content management system for websites, intranets, and sophisticated web applications.
Free planWebAPISelf-hosted6.4Free plan - 22
Progress Sitefinity
Progress Sitefinity is a composable digital experience platform for marketers and developers to build, manage, and optimize digital experiences.
WebAPISelf-hostedWindows6.3 - 23
Strapi
Strapi is an open-source, MIT-licensed headless CMS that generates REST and GraphQL APIs from content models.
Self-hosted6.3From $35 a month - 24
Magnolia DXP
Magnolia DXP is a digital experience platform for managing content, channels, governed AI, and connected systems.
WebAPISelf-hosted6.2From $3,500 a month - 25
Kontent.ai
Kontent.ai is an agentic headless CMS for automating content operations, applying governance and reducing developer dependency.
WebAPI6.1
Choosing well
Choose a hosting model
Check whether the CMS is hosted by its maker or can be self-hosted. Self-hosted options may also list Linux or Windows support, while web access can suit browser-based work.
Review the platform notes before setup.
Compare free and paid access
Look for a genuine free plan, a free trial and the paid starting price. Craft CMS lists a free plan with paid access from $279; DatoCMS lists a free plan, a 14-day trial and paid access from €149 per month on annual billing.
Directus lists a free plan, a 14-day trial and paid access from $499 per month on annual billing. Pricing details can differ by tool, so read the listing before choosing.
Check content controls
Use the comparison fields for content API, custom user roles, locales supported and content versioning. These features affect how teams connect content, manage permissions, publish languages and track changes.
CMS type also matters: compare the way a tool structures and delivers content with the workflow you need.
Review openness and documentation
If you need to read or change the code, check whether the tool offers open-source code and review its licence. Published documentation is part of the ranking basis and can help explain setup and available interfaces.
Questions people ask
Which CMS tools offer a free plan?
Craft CMS, DatoCMS and Directus list free plans. dotCMS is marked freemium. Check each listing for current terms and paid options.
Which tools include a free trial?
DatoCMS and Directus list 14-day trials. Trial availability can vary, so confirm the terms on the tool’s listing.
Can I self-host a CMS tool?
Self-hosting is one of the hosting models covered in this category. Check the individual tool’s hosting and platform details before deployment.
What should I compare between CMS tools?
Compare free plan, paid starting price, CMS type, hosting model, content API, custom user roles, locales supported and content versioning.