Sanity CMS vs WordPress: Which is better as a headless CMS?

Sanity and WordPress represent two distinct approaches to content management, making this comparison especially relevant for mid-to-large enterprises evaluating CMS solutions for omnichannel delivery, developer autonomy, or editorial scalability, each with its own strengths and use cases.

This handbook offers an in-depth Sanity CMS vs WordPress comparison to help you make an informed choice for your enterprise CMS needs.

Sanity, a headless CMS, focuses on delivering content as structured data via APIs. This approach aims to develop scalable web applications. With Sanity, you necessarily build the custom frontends tailored to your needs.

On the other hand, WordPress integrates content management and presentation layers and can fully serve content through headless/decoupled or hybrid setups. 

For over two decades, it has been the cornerstone of website creation, supported by its extensive ecosystem of plugins, themes, and a vibrant global community.

WordPress is a go-to solution when you look for an easy-to-use, all-in-one platform, one that enables faster publishing cycles, reduces training time for new team members, and lowers total cost of ownership through its intuitive dashboard and expansive plugin ecosystem.

Comparing Sanity and WordPress

To make your decision easier, here’s a summary of the key differences between Sanity and WordPress.

Criteria	Sanity	WordPress
What it is?	A modern, API-first “backend-only” headless CMS that positions itself as a “content operating system.” It comes with a  “data as a service” approach built for composability.	The ubiquitous CMS supporting traditional, headless, and hybrid architectures. Offers both visual UI and APIs (REST/GraphQL) for flexible content delivery.
TCO	Enterprise licensing can feel steep. Features like support from Sanity are available as add-ons ($799/month).	Transparent and flexible pricing, even at the enterprise level. Hosting providers with headless delivery experience (like WordPress VIP) offer plans that scale without hidden costs.
Hosting infrastructure	Sanity provides a fully managed, cloud-hosted backend where your data, assets, and APIs live. The authoring interface, Sanity Studio, is a customizable React application that your team builds and maintains; you can host it wherever you choose (like Vercel or Netlify) or use Sanity’s optional Vercel integration for one-click Studio deployment. Your client-facing frontend (your actual website or app) is always completely decoupled and must be built, deployed, and hosted separately by your team.	Can be self-hosted or run on managed infrastructure (e.g., WordPress VIP). Backend and frontend are already integrated. Headless frontends can be hosted separately, but infrastructure overhead remains minimal.
Deployments	Requires setting up multiple components (Content Lake, Studio, frontend app, CI/CD). You manage Studio + frontend; Sanity manages the backend infrastructure.	Easy deployments even in headless and hybrid setups. One-click installs for monolith; in headless mode, you only need to deploy the frontend. Backend (content admin, APIs, media) stays operational out of the box.
Updates, maintenance, and backward compatibility	Major version upgrades require manual intervention. Updating Studio typically involves modifying the codebase, testing schema and plugin compatibility, among other things. Sanity’s high-level APIs are backward-compatible.	WordPress stays low-maintenance even in a headless or hybrid setup. Even major updates work seamlessly. Also, WordPress’s mature ecosystem ensures that updates are generally backward-compatible.
Integrations	Sanity takes an API-first approach, making it flexible for integrating with any service across your stack. However, most integrations require custom development. It shines in composable architectures and Jamstack environments.	With its ready-to-deploy integration solutions with third-party services, WordPress integrates easily with most DXP stacks. It can also deliver content as structured data via REST or GraphQL APIs, making it a solid fit for headless or hybrid setups.
Learning curve	Steep learning curve for all stakeholders: developers must learn GROQ and Sanity Studio customization. Complex, requiring extensive and costly training on infrastructure, workflows, and maintenance.	Ubiquitous: Minimal learning curve. Familiar to most content creators, marketers, and developers. Even a headless setup, when done right, inherits the same intuitiveness for all stakeholders.
Vendor lock-in & flexibility	Locked into Sanity’s platform (e.g., GROQ, Content Lake). Even with open-source Studio, migrating to another CMS involves rewriting schema logic, frontend integration, and data migration.	Fully open-source. You can host it anywhere, modify it deeply, and switch infrastructure providers without changing your CMS. APIs are standards-based, and content is portable.
Ecosystem & community support	Developer community is active, especially among Jamstack users. Fewer resources for non-technical users. Paid support is the default for enterprise help.	A huge global community with thousands of experienced agencies, vetted developers, and managed hosting providers that offer enterprise-grade support, security, and competitive pricing. Easy to hire for, train on, and scale with, even as your needs grow or change.
Security	The enterprise plan, which can feel very steep, comes with a rich security feature set. Working with its other plans will need security add-ons and layering security, adding significant overhead.	WordPress is secure at its core, backed by a dedicated security team and a transparent, open-source model that enables rapid patching and updates. Implementing additional security layers is also more cost-effective compared to proprietary CMSs.
Innovation	Built around a structured content-as-data model, Sanity treats content like code (versionable, queryable, and portable) enabling highly dynamic, decoupled digital experiences.	Mature CMS adapted for headless use with REST/GraphQL APIs, vast plugin ecosystem, and flexibility to build custom frontends – delivering even decoupled digital experiences at scale.
Long-term sustainability	Strong option for teams invested in composable builds and treating content purely as data, but its sustainability relies on having developers to maintain the Studio, schemas, and CI/CD pipelines. Without that, long-term upkeep can become costly or slow.	Proven and adaptable for the long run. It can handle many headless content delivery scenarios without the added complexity Strong backward compatibility and a huge talent pool make it easier to maintain and evolve as needs change.

In this handbook, we’ll explore the key differences, equipping you with the clarity to choose the CMS that best aligns with your editorial workflows, technical stack, and growth goals, comparing WordPress vs Sanity, helping you make the right decision for your business needs. Whether you’re a developer looking for flexibility or an enteprise seeking a robust, user-friendly solution, this guide will provide the insights you need to choose the right CMS for your project.