Strapi vs WordPress Headless: Which CMS is Best for Your Project?

Making a website may feel daunting, but CMS (content management system) makes it a lot easier. 

However, choosing the right CMS is where it all begins.

Just like you, most people stumble upon WordPress and Strapi. And it’s the beginning of a huge dilemma. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

Having developed hundreds of CMS-powered websites through our Strapi cms development services, we’ve gained deep expertise in comparing Strapi vs. WordPress headless. 

In this blog post, we have covered everything you need to know simply to make this choice easier for you.
Let’s get in.

What is a Content Management System (CMS)?

A CMS or content management system is a software application for creating and managing digital content. With a CMS, you can easily make and update a website's or an application's content. 

A traditional CMS does not require knowledge of web programming languages and offers simple UIs with easy-to-use editing tools. Thus, it has a shorter learning curve. However, this limits development flexibility.

Traditional CMS architecture works on the standard front-end web management system. This means you store all your content in one system or database from the front end to the back end. 

On the other hand, headless CMS works on decoupled architecture. Thus, their back-ends are independent of any front-end. Thus, if you want to develop a website on a headless CMS, you’ll need to develop front-end code because headless systems only offer back-ends.

Organizations increasingly opt for headless CMS thanks to the development flexibility and scalability. It's worth noting that the market for headless CMS is projected to reach $1,628.6 million by 2027. 

To help you make an informed decision, here is a comprehensive comparison of Strapi vs. WordPress headless. 

What is Strapi Headless?

Strapi is an open-source headless CMS. It’s a developer’s dream, allowing them to build and manage customizable APIs via an admin panel rapidly. Based on in-built RESTful and GraphQL APIs, it is an ideal CMS for front-end integration.

Strapi is becoming a popular choice for many content creators. With Strapi:

• Creators can focus on front-end development with a flexible back-end while effectively managing data. 

• It offers flexibility in both deployment and customization. So you can host Strapi yourself or use Strapi Cloud.

• Moreover, you can integrate it with custom or third parties to further extend its capabilities. 

• Strapi prioritizes security. It supports robust authentication methods like JWT and OAuth. 

• For data storage, you can choose from popular database options, such as MongoDB, MySQL, and SQLite.

Apart from standing out from its headless architecture, there are many other features of Strapi. 

Let’s have a look.

Key Features for Strapi

Gaining popularity for its ease of use and tailored solutions, Strapi offers a wide range of features. It is a great choice if you are looking for a CMS for a project that needs custom plugins and components. 

But what else makes Strapi the talk of the town?

• Customization Content: Tailor the CMS exactly to your needs. You can define the content structure and relations that match your specific requirements. 

• API-First Flexibility: Make API content creation a breeze with Strapi’s intuitive interface. 

• Role-Based Access: Strapi offers role-based access control, which provides robust security. Thus allowing you to maintain data integrity and privacy.

• Adaptability: The flexibility of easy content management allows CMS to adapt to the unique requirements of any project. 

• Seamless Integration: With modern and responsive websites or apps, you can deliver a superior user experience. 

No matter which of the two Strapi vs. WordPress headless you choose, you can easily structure your content with Strapi with dynamic API-driven content management.

What is WordPress Headless?

WordPress is a commonly used open-source content management system. WordPress, a no-code user-friendly interface, allows you to create and manage content for websites and applications. 

It dominates the CMS market, powering 43.5% of all websites worldwide as their CMS. With several features and an easy-to-use interface, it is an ideal choice for small—to medium-sized projects. 

With its array of features and user-friendly interface, WordPress Headless is a versatile choice that can adapt to the needs of small to medium-sized projects. 

• WordPress Headless offers a unique approach to content management, departing from its traditional WordPress themes.

• While you might not get the same pre-built design options, you can use customized plugins to enhance backend functionalities and extend API.

• WordPress Headless delivers a decoupled CMS capability, empowering users with a highly tailored digital experience.

• It delivers versatility by allowing users to use its single stack, headless and hybrid features. 

• It relies on MySQL/MariaDB, with options for database replication and optimization for improved performance.

• You get security with cookie-based authentication, application passwords and OAuth for secure API access.

But what makes WordPress Headless reliable, secure and scalable? Before you start creating your content and digital experiences, let's have a look at the key features of WordPress. 

Key Features of WordPress

WordPress has millions of users worldwide. Its wealth of resources, including tutorials and documentation, makes it a popular platform. WordPress also has various standout features. 

• Content Agility: Quickly handles massive scale traffic. This gives you the flexibility to create and manage content across any channel with WordPress. 

• Robust Security: Keep your site safe with a robust infrastructure. Get regular updates on the latest security and threat detection. 

• Reliability and Scalability: WordPress effortlessly scales to your growing content needs and user base. You also get consistent performance and uptime, even during heavy traffic loads. 

• User-friendly: WordPress is unparalleled for projects with extensive ecosystems of plugins and themes. You can easily create, edit and manage your content with advanced tools. 

• Seamless Integration: Leverage the power to manage content and commerce operations with a single platform. 

With WordPress features like built-in SEO and customizable permalinks, users can easily engage with it. 

With unique and intriguing features, selecting headless WordPress vs. Strapi becomes challenging. Isn’t it? Well, the good news is that we present all the pros and cons of both platforms. 

See what works for you. 

Strapi vs. WordPress: Pros and Cons

Are you still looking for an ideal content management system for your project? We understand the dilemma. Strapi and WordPress Headless are both formidable contenders when it comes to choosing the best CMS. 

Despite being famous among creators, each has its advantages and disadvantages. Read ahead to find the one for your project. 

Strapi Advantages:

• Strapi offers flexibility to its users. 

• It easily extends with custom plug-ins and components.

• Its built-in authentication makes your content secure.

• Makes a good-choice for multilingual users with over 20 languages.

• Connect easily with third parties with built-in REST and GraphQL APIs.

Strapi Disadvantages:

• Need experience and expertise in programming languages. 

• Not as widely used as WordPress. 

• A newer CMS with fewer resources compared to WordPress. 

• Limited plugins and themes. 

WordPress Advantages:

• Easy to create a basic website or blog with WordPress.

• User-friendly with a no-code architecture.

• An array of features, including built-in-blog, media management and support for third-party plugins. 

• Designed with SEO in mind. 

• Numerous plugins and themes to help you optimize your website.

• Large community support. 

WordPress Disadvantages

• Does not offer 100% customization freedom. 

• Not as scalable for large-scale projects. 

• A popular target for hackers.

• Easy to use, but can be confusing for new users. 

The difficulties of your project's type, financial resources and developer's expertise are the architects of your project's success.

Strapi vs. WordPress Headless: The Difference

WordPress vs. Strapi. Is choosing between the two still a difficult decision? Here is a table of differences for you to get a more in-depth insight.

Strapi vs. WordPress: Use Cases

Building an app or a website is no walk in the park. 

From planning and designing the user interface to developing and integrating databases and API, each step demands precision and expertise. Rigorous testing, security and the final deployment and maintenance of the application are also crucial for successful outcomes.

Moreover, selecting the right CMS is not an easy feat, especially if its Strapi vs. WordPress Headless.

Some of the leading companies are leveraging Strapi for custom content management and WordPress for powerful blogging. 

When to Use Strapi?

If you are working on projects that need extensive customization and scalability, Strapi is for you. It is an ideal CMS choice for complex web applications, enterprise-grade projects, and mobile applications. 

You can also use Strapi to build any type of content-oriented application, including those that deliver content to portable IoT devices or internal tools.

When to Use WordPress?

Conversely, WordPress is used by millions to create blogs, small and medium-sized websites and content-focus platforms. You may also use WordPress headless if you want to use a different front-end or create a website for multiple platforms.

Moreover, WordPress is an excellent platform for individuals, content creators, marketers and bloggers. 

Thus, depending on your needs, choose the one (WordPress vs. Strapi) that makes your project worth your target audience, competition and market risks. 

This brings us to the cost. Which is more affordable: Strapi vs. WordPress Headless? 

WordPress vs. Strapi Cost 

WordPress is open source and so is Strapi. However, additional costs can vary significantly. Hence, understanding the total cost of a CMS is crucial. Different factors affect the cost when comparing Strapi vs. WordPress.

Platform Cost

While WordPress is often budget-friendly for small projects, Strapi requires a larger upfront investment. Strapi costs may include premium features if you use Strapi Cloud or enterprise plans. On the other hand, WordPress may charge for additional themes, plugins and hosting resources.

Hosting Costs

WordPress' cost may change as it requires separate hosting services. These services can range from inexpensive shared hosting to costly managed WordPress hosting. 

Strapi, on the other hand, offers the flexibility of separate hosting services or Strapi Cloud. This flexibility empowers you to choose the hosting solution that best fits your project's scale and usage, potentially saving you money.

Development and Maintenance

WordPress' development, design and ongoing maintenance costs can vary depending on complexity and expertise.

Strapi development and integration are often custom as a headless CMS, leading to higher initial costs. Ongoing maintenance can also be high because of consistence backend and frontend synchronization.

Each platform has its own set of features, which may affect the overall cost. Evaluating and determining which CMS is worth the investment is always better. This responsible approach ensures you get the most value for your money.

Strapi or WordPress? 

No matter how hyped a platform is, making a decision based solely on its popularity is not the right approach. 

Your business requirements, developer preferences, costs, features and many other factors need to be considered. 
So, Strapi vs. WordPress? Still not sure? Contact us today.