16 tools · Checked
Every CMS that keeps content in your repo and publishes with a commit. Prices, review flow and one real con each.
Number one is the tool built for clients who edit. From two, the order is developer fit. Each verdict says why, and names the catch.
Best for agencies handing finished sites to non-technical clients
First because it is the only tool here built for clients who edit: chat, per-field guards, one commit per publish. Paid, and a developer working alone does not need it.
The catch: Paid, while most Git-based panels are free
Best battle-tested free panel
The default. Free, works with any static site generator, and the 3.x line ships again. The config file stays your job.
The catch: config.yml written and maintained per site
Best for React sites wanting in-place editing
Visual editing on React sites. Editors see the page while they type. You add a schema and a data layer to get it.
The catch: Schema and a data layer added to the site
Best for technical editors who want clean files
Clean files and a typed schema for Next.js and Astro. Editors need GitHub write access or Keystatic Cloud seats.
The catch: Editors need GitHub write access or Keystatic Cloud seats
Best modern take on the free panel
Decap's config with a faster UI, real asset management and PR drafts. Still a 0.x beta from one maintainer.
The catch: Config maintained per site
Best free option with hosting and sign-in handled
Hosted and free, sign-in handled by email invite. GitHub only, and no review step.
The catch: Config file still maintained per site
Best hosted visual editing
Real visual editing across frameworks, hosted. Per-seat pricing grows with every client editor you add.
The catch: Per-user pricing grows with client editors
Best free hosted panel for agencies, GitLab on paid tiers
Free hosted tier, cheap paid tiers, GitLab on Pro. A form-based panel that a rare editor must relearn.
The catch: Form-based panel a rare editor must relearn
Best for developers who edit content in VS Code
The whole CMS inside VS Code, free and MIT. Editors need VS Code and a clone of the repository.
The catch: Editors need VS Code and a clone of the repository
Best free dashboard for Markdown in a Next.js app
A free Markdown dashboard for Next.js apps. Self-hosted, it is Next.js and GitHub only.
The catch: Self-hosted install is Next.js only; GitHub only
Best free option if the site is Nuxt
Free and MIT, lives inside the Nuxt site. Nuxt Content only, and the site must run with SSR.
The catch: Nuxt with Nuxt Content only, SSR deployment required
Best one-time price for a Markdown content layer
$49 one-time per site with a review workflow on by default. Markdown and MDX only, GitHub only.
The catch: Markdown and MDX only; component copy is out of reach
Best client-billed click-to-edit layer for component copy
Click-to-edit for component copy, billed to the client at €90 per site per year. Every field is unlocked by hand.
The catch: Developer unlocks every editable value per site by hand
Best scheduled publishing for a Markdown marketing blog
Scheduling and a content calendar for a Markdown blog. $39/mo with a five-member minimum.
The catch: $39/mo with a 5-member minimum, card required for the trial
Best if the team already lives in Netlify
A visual layer for teams already on Netlify. No marketing page; the product lives in the docs.
The catch: No marketing page; the product lives in the docs
Best hosted panel if the site is Jekyll
A hosted panel for Jekyll, still running. Jekyll only, and the prices are not published.
The catch: Jekyll only
| # | Tool | Model | Setup | Review | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CMS Brew | Hosted, chat-based | Connect repo, automatic mapping | Included, per-field guards | $39/mo, 5 sites |
| 2 | Decap CMS | Self-hosted panel | config.yml + OAuth | Drafts via editorial workflow | Free |
| 3 | TinaCMS | In-site visual editor | Tina schema per site | Team Plus tier, $49/mo | OSS core; cloud from $29/mo |
| 4 | Keystatic | Self-hosted admin UI | keystatic.config per site | No | Free; Cloud from $10/mo |
| 5 | Sveltia CMS | Self-hosted panel | Decap-style config + OAuth | PR drafts on GitHub/GitLab | Free (MIT) |
| 6 | Pages CMS | Hosted or self-hosted panel | Config file, email invites | No | Free (MIT) |
| 7 | CloudCannon | Hosted, visual editing | Editable regions per site | On Team tier | From $55/mo + $10/user |
| 8 | Sitepins | Hosted or self-hosted panel | Connect repo, fields auto-detected | Branch + PR flow on Pro | Free tier; $12 to $49/mo |
| 9 | Front Matter CMS | VS Code extension | Local clone, frontmatter.json | No | Free (MIT) |
| 10 | Outstatic | Panel in a Next.js app, or hosted | Next.js install or hosted dashboard | Draft or published only | Free; PRO $9.99/user/mo |
| 11 | Nuxt Studio | Editor module inside a Nuxt site | Install module, connect repo | No; PRs on the roadmap | Free (MIT) |
| 12 | GitCMS | Hosted Markdown editor | GitHub App, collections | Editorial workflow, on by default | $49 one-time per site |
| 13 | Unfreez | Hosted, click-to-edit | Developer unlocks fields per site | No; undo per publish | €90 per site per year |
| 14 | Spinal | Hosted Markdown CMS | Connect GitHub, pick folders | Roles only, no approval | $39/mo |
| 15 | Netlify Visual Editor | Hosted visual layer | Netlify site + content source | Builder and Publisher roles; PR mode | Netlify Pro $20/mo |
| 16 | Siteleaf | Hosted panel for Jekyll | GitHub sync, Jekyll only | Writer drafts on Team plan | Unpublished; per site |
I am a software developer with 10+ years of experience and an entrepreneur.
I check every tool on this list against its live site and update the facts on the date shown.
Picking a Git-based CMS? Need a second opinion? Say hi.