The Best CMS Tools in 2026
We researched CMS tools using vendors’ official websites, including pricing pages, plan tables, and product documentation. Rankings focus on the core job of managing and publishing content, value for money, and verified features, helping teams compare platforms for their publishing and website needs.
Our top picks
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Top ranked
WordPress#1 of 328.9/10A flexible, free self-hosted CMS with extensive publishing and extension options.
Free plan
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Runner-up
Drupal#2 of 328.8/10A flexible open-source CMS for teams that need control over content and architecture.
Free plan
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Top-ranked free plan
Joomla#3 of 328.7/10A free, extensible CMS with multilingual publishing, permissions and built-in SEO tools.
Free plan
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
The full ranking 32 tools, best first
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Best forTeams wanting a flexible, free self-hosted CMS
A flexible, free self-hosted CMS with extensive publishing and extension options.
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit WordPress -
Best forOrganizations needing a free, extensible CMS
A flexible open-source CMS for teams that need control over content and architecture.
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit Drupal -
Best forTeams seeking a free multilingual CMS
A free, extensible CMS with multilingual publishing, permissions and built-in SEO tools.
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit Joomla -
Best forTeams wanting managed or self-hosted CMS flexibility
A hybrid Umbraco CMS for teams balancing open-source control with managed cloud hosting.
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit Umbraco -
Best forTeams building structured headless content
A structured headless CMS with broad APIs, localization, and governance for growing teams.
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit Contentful -
Best forTeams publishing structured content together
A flexible headless CMS for teams that need structured content and collaborative editing.
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit Sanity -
Best forTeams that want visual headless editing
A visual headless CMS with structured content, previews, and localization.
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit Storyblok -
Best forSmall teams building localized websites visually
Prismic pairs reusable content slices and visual editing with REST and GraphQL APIs.
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit Prismic -
Best forMid-market teams using hybrid CMS delivery
A hybrid CMS for mid-market teams balancing visual authoring with headless delivery.
- Content versioning
- Content API
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit Optimizely -
Best forEnterprises managing multilingual, personalized sites
Sitefinity pairs enterprise content management with personalization, testing and flexible delivery.
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Sitefinity -
Best forEnterprises managing complex web experiences
A broad CMS for enterprises coordinating complex sites, workflows and delivery channels.
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit OpenText -
Best forEnterprises managing large digital asset libraries
A deep enterprise DAM for governing, finding, and delivering rich media at scale.
- Content API
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit Adobe -
Best forEnterprises combining CMS and digital experience tools
Enterprise CMS combining visual editing, headless delivery, personalization, and asset management.
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit Magnolia -
Best forTeams wanting managed Concrete CMS hosting
Managed Concrete CMS hosting with editing controls, backups, and tiered deployment options.
7.6/10★★★★☆Visit Concrete CMS -
Best forTeams building customizable hybrid CMS projects
A customizable hybrid CMS with deep editorial controls and a free Solo license.
7.5/10★★★★☆Visit Craft CMS -
Best forMid-market teams needing governed headless content
A governed headless CMS for teams managing localized content across digital experiences.
7.4/10★★★★☆Visit Kontent.ai -
Best forMid-market teams needing flexible headless delivery
Flexible headless and hybrid CMS for complex, multilingual digital operations.
7.3/10★★★★☆Visit Bloomreach -
Best forDevelopers building with an open-source headless CMS
A developer-focused CMS with flexible content modeling, APIs and self-hosting.
7.2/10★★★★☆Visit Strapi -
Best forTeams connecting SQL data to content APIs
Connect SQL data to REST and GraphQL APIs, with content workflows and granular permissions.
7.1/10★★★★☆Visit Directus -
Best forMid-market teams managing multi-site content
A multi-site headless CMS with visual editing, APIs, localization, and deployment flexibility.
7.0/10★★★★☆Visit dotCMS -
Best forTeams wanting free Python-based editorial publishing
A flexible, open-source CMS for teams that want control over publishing and hosting.
6.9/10★★★☆☆Visit Wagtail -
Best forTypeScript teams building self-hosted content systems
A self-hosted headless CMS with APIs, localization, access controls, and live previews.
6.8/10★★★☆☆Visit Payload CMS -
Best forTeams wanting open-source visual editorial workflows
ApostropheCMS combines visual editorial workflows with open-source flexibility and paid scaling tiers.
6.7/10★★★☆☆Visit ApostropheCMS -
Best forTeams evaluating free localized headless CMS
A developer-oriented CMS with GraphQL, localization, visual editing, and cloud or self-hosted deployment.
6.6/10★★★☆☆Visit Enonic XP -
Best forTeams needing GraphQL content federation
A structured headless CMS for teams that need GraphQL content federation and localization.
6.5/10★★★☆☆Visit Hygraph -
Best forSmall teams building API-driven content sites
A cloud headless CMS for teams delivering localized content through APIs.
6.4/10★★★☆☆Visit DatoCMS -
Best forDevelopers seeking a free, customizable CMS core
A customizable CMS core for developers, with managed hosting available as a paid add-on.
6.3/10★★★☆☆Visit MODX -
Best forSelf-hosting teams building multi-tenant sites
A developer-focused, self-hosted CMS for configurable multi-tenant sites.
6.2/10★★★☆☆Visit Orchard Core -
Best forTeams wanting a free self-hosted CMS framework
A self-hosted CMS with configurable workflows, structured content and API delivery.
6.1/10★★★☆☆Visit Silverstripe -
Best forDevelopers comfortable operating self-hosted CMS
A free, self-hosted CMS for developer-led teams needing workflow and implementation control.
6.0/10★★★☆☆Visit TYPO3 -
Best forEnterprises optimizing audience experiences
A cloud DXP pairing content tools with personalization, experimentation and analytics.
6.0/10★★★☆☆Visit Squiz -
Best forOrganizations managing product data and assets
A deep product-data platform for teams that need more than general-purpose CMS.
6.0/10★★★☆☆Visit Pimcore
No tools match those filters.
Compare at a glance
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | WordPress | Yes | Free | 8.9 |
| 2 | Drupal | Yes | Free | 8.8 |
| 3 | Joomla | Yes | Free | 8.7 |
| 4 | Umbraco CMS | Yes | €45/mo | 8.6 |
| 5 | Contentful | Yes | $300/mo | 8.5 |
| 6 | Sanity | Yes | $15/seat/mo | 8.4 |
| 7 | Storyblok | Yes | $90.75/mo | 8.3 |
| 8 | Prismic | Yes | $10/unit/mo | 8.2 |
| 9 | Optimizely CMS | No | 8.1 | |
| 10 | Progress Sitefinity | No | 8.0 | |
| 11 | OpenText Web CMS | 7.9 | ||
| 12 | Adobe Experience Manager Assets | No | 7.8 | |
| 13 | Magnolia DXP | Yes | 7.7 | |
| 14 | Concrete CMS Hosting | No | 7.6 | |
| 15 | Craft CMS | Yes | 7.5 | |
| 16 | Kontent.ai | No | 7.4 | |
| 17 | Bloomreach Content | 7.3 | ||
| 18 | Strapi | Yes | $45/mo | 7.2 |
| 19 | Directus | Yes | $499/mo | 7.1 |
| 20 | dotCMS | Yes | 7.0 | |
| 21 | Wagtail | Yes | Free | 6.9 |
| 22 | Payload CMS | Free | 6.8 | |
| 23 | ApostropheCMS | Yes | $199/mo | 6.7 |
| 24 | Enonic XP | Yes | 6.6 | |
| 25 | Hygraph | Yes | $199/mo | 6.5 |
| 26 | DatoCMS | Yes | €149/mo | 6.4 |
| 27 | MODX | Yes | $90/mo | 6.3 |
| 28 | Orchard Core | Yes | Free | 6.2 |
| 29 | Silverstripe CMS | Yes | Free | 6.1 |
| 30 | TYPO3 | Yes | Free | 6.0 |
| 31 | Squiz DXP | 6.0 | ||
| 32 | Pimcore | Yes | $9,900/yr | 6.0 |
Head-to-head All 19 comparisons →
- WordPress vs Drupal
- WordPress vs Joomla
- WordPress vs Umbraco CMS
- WordPress vs Contentful
- WordPress vs Sanity
- WordPress vs Storyblok
- WordPress vs Prismic
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How we rank CMS tools
Every tool on this page was researched by iTechGuides Editors from its official website — pricing pages, plan tables and product documentation. We rank on how well each one does this category's core job, what the free or entry plan includes, and where it falls short. Where we have enough verified facts, the score out of 10 is a rubric — job fit, value and how much we could verify — shown with its breakdown on every tool's page; a tool we have not verified enough to score yet shows its rank without a number. Scores are re-checked when a product changes its plans. Read the full editorial policy, or submit a tool we missed.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update