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Sanity vs Strapi
Comparing two headless cms platforms on pricing, features, free tier, and trade-offs.
Quick summary
Sanity — The composable content cloud. Sanity is a headless CMS with real-time collaboration, structured content, and the GROQ query language.
Strapi — Open source Node.js headless CMS. Strapi is an open-source, self-hosted headless CMS built with Node.js, with customizable admin and APIs.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Sanity | Strapi |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting price | $15/user/mo | $9/user/mo (cloud) |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Free Tier | 3 users, 10k docs | Self-hosted free |
| Image CDN | Yes | No |
| Real-time | Yes | No |
| Self-hosted | No | Yes |
| Localization | Yes | Yes |
| Visual Editing | Yes | No |
| Structured Content | Yes | Yes |
Sanity
The composable content cloud
Pros
- Powerful structured content model
- Real-time collaboration
- Great image pipeline
Cons
- Per-user pricing adds up
- GROQ learning curve
Strapi
Open source Node.js headless CMS
Pros
- Fully open source
- Self-hostable
- Highly customizable
Cons
- You manage hosting
- Admin UI heavier than Sanity
Which should you choose?
Choose Sanity if you value open source and want the option to self-host, and a free tier is important for your stage. Choose Strapi if you value open source and want the option to self-host, and a free tier is important for your stage.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, Sanity or Strapi?
There is no universal “better.” For most teams, Sanity is the safer default because Sanity has a larger community and more third-party integrations, which often translates to better long-term support. For edge cases, the comparison table above highlights where each tool wins.
Is Sanity cheaper than Strapi?
Sanity starts at $15/user/mo, while Strapi starts at $9/user/mo (cloud). Exact costs depend on usage — check both vendors' calculators before committing.
Can I migrate from Sanity to Strapi?
Migration difficulty depends on how deeply Sanity-specific features (APIs, SDK conventions, data schemas) are baked into your app. Most headless cms migrations take days to weeks. Both vendors typically publish migration guides — check their docs.
Is Sanity or Strapi open source?
Yes, both Sanity and Strapi are open source and can be self-hosted.
Does Sanity or Strapi have a free tier?
Both Sanity and Strapi offer a free tier.
Which is best for startups and indie hackers?
Startups usually optimize for the lowest friction to ship and the cheapest possible free tier. The one with the most generous free tier here is Sanity. For production workloads, revisit the trade-offs in the feature table above.