Headless CMS & E-commerce Platforms: Which is Best for You?

Headless E-commerce Platforms & CMS Options

In 2025, customers expect way more than a simple online store. They want seamless shopping on your website, mobile app, Instagram, and maybe even a voice assistant or AR mirror in a store. If you’re still locked into a rigid e-commerce platform or an outdated CMS, you might be struggling to keep up.

This article dives into when you should consider a headless e-commerce platform or headless CMS solution, and which to choose.

So what are they? In simple terms:

• A headless CMS manages your content (blogs, product descriptions, landing pages) but doesn’t tell you how that content should look on the frontend. It gives you structured content via APIs so developers can present it however they like; on a website, in an app, on a billboard screen, you name it.
• A headless e-commerce platform does the same thing for commerce. It handles your catalog, cart, checkout, and payments, but it’s not tied to a specific storefront design. Everything flows through APIs so you can build a shopping experience anywhere.

How Headless Architecture Powers Flexible, Content-Rich Commerce

If you end up deciding on a headless e-commerce solution is for you. You’ll have 2 choices to make. Which CMS and which e-commerce platform to use. But first dig a bit deeper into why you might go through the trouble of building a headless solution.

A headless setup splits your e-commerce system into two parts. The frontend (what your customers see) and the backend (where your products, orders, and inventory live). This “decoupled” architecture means your store isn’t locked into a single design or platform. You can deliver custom shopping experiences anywhere. On the web, mobile, or even in-store screens. All powered by the same backend.

To make these experiences content-rich, brands often pair a headless commerce platform with a headless CMS. The CMS manages your storytelling, product pages, campaigns, and editorial content. While the commerce platform focuses on transactions, checkout, and fulfilment.

Together, they give you the best of both worlds: creative freedom on the front end and rock-solid performance on the back end. You can choose the CMS and frontend framework your team loves, while your commerce engine handles the heavy lifting behind the scenes. The result? Faster builds, consistent content across every channel, and the flexibility to scale or redesign without starting from scratch.

Now it’s time to review the choices you have available for your headless CMS and headless e-commerce platform.

Link to: Headless Website Architecture - What It Is & What It’s Used For? - in progress

The 12 best headless commerce platforms in 2025

We’re all busy so let’s cut to the chase. In no particular order, these are the 12 top headless commerce options on the market in 2025. Which you choose of course depends on your needs, and we’ll get into that in the rest of the article.

(All with jumplinks to associated sections)

• CommerceTools
• BigCommerce
• Shopify Plus
• Elastic Path
• Magento (Adobe)
• Salesforce Commerce Cloud
• Spryker
• Swell
• OroCommerce
• Nacelle
• Commerce Layer
• Fabric

Skip to CMS comparison matrix

Why companies choose headless

• Flexibility: You’re not stuck with templates; devs can create unique, branded experiences.
• Omni-channel reach: Push content and commerce data to multiple platforms at once (web, mobile, social, even IoT).
• Scalability: Handle global rollouts, complex catalogs, and huge traffic spikes.
• Future-proofing: Add new channels (say TikTok shops or AR glasses) without overhauling your system.

Why companies might not choose headless

• Complexity: You need devs to stitch everything together, it’s not plug-and-play.
• Cost: While flexible, enterprise-grade headless setups can get expensive.
• Overkill for simple sites: If all you need is a basic store, a monolithic platform like Webflow or standard Shopify might be easier.

So, which combo is right for you? Let’s dig into the different headless CMS options and look at some enterprise headless commerce platforms. By the end of the article you should have good idea of which are viable options for your team.

Link to > Headless Ecommerce: What It Is & How It Works - Features & Benefits (In Progress w/ Pawel)

Headless CMS Comparison

Your CMS choice depends on multiple things. A few key factors to consider are level of customisation you require, your channels, your budget, and your team’s background (are they React devs? Java folks?).

Here’s our overview of the 10 leading headless CMS options on the market at the moment.

Skip to comparison table

Sanity

• Best for: Teams that want a scaleable, highly-customisable & collaborative “content platform” (real-time editing + programmable content pipelines).
• Strengths: Customisable studio (Open), real-time collaboration, flexible data model, strong developer tooling and large plugin ecosystem.
• Integrations: GraphQL/GROQ, many SDKs, image pipeline & plugins for search/analytics.
• Support: Growth and Enterprise plans with SLAs and dedicated support add-ons.
• Pricing: Free tier for small projects, per-seat/month growth plans, custom enterprise pricing. See full pricing.

Contentful

• Best for: Large enterprises and multi-channel teams that need scale, governance and a mature SaaS platform.
• Strengths: Very mature API-first platform, strong content model and marketplace ecosystem, good performance & CDN.
• Integrations: Built-in CDNs, many SDKs (REST/GraphQL), marketplace apps, integrations with commerce/marketing stacks.
• Support: Enterprise SLAs, dedicated account/partner network and professional services available.
• Pricing: Free tier, paid plans up to enterprise, custom pricing for large customers. See full pricing.

Strapi

• Best for: Teams that want an open-source, self-hosted headless CMS with full control and extensibility.
• Strengths: Open-source core (extensible plugins), supports REST & GraphQL, can self-host or use Strapi Cloud.
• Integrations: Plugins, webhooks, REST/GraphQL APIs, many hosting & CI/CD integrations.
• Support: Community support for OSS; paid Enterprise edition and hosted cloud with commercial support and SLAs.
• Pricing: Free OSS core, Strapi Cloud and Enterprise tiered plans. See full pricing.

Storyblok

• Best for: Marketing + dev teams who want a visual editor (component-based) and fast editorial workflows.
• Strengths: Visual editor/preview (WYSIWYG for components), strong component & page building UX, good for multi-site setups.
• Integrations: APIs, SDKs, CMS plugins, partner ecosystem, CDNs.
• Support: Enterprise plans with SLA, partner network and onboarding services.
• Pricing: Free tier, tiered paid plans, custom enterprise pricing. See full pricing.

Prismic

• Best for: Marketing teams that want a page-builder-ish headless CMS with good experience for editors.
• Strengths: Slice-based content modelling, page builder tools, easy connectors to popular frameworks.
• Integrations: SDKs for Next.js/Nuxt/SvelteKit, integrations with CDNs, commerce & analytics tools.
• Support: Tiered support with higher plans and enterprise options.
• Pricing: Free starter tier, paid tiers (monthly/annual), custom enterprise. See full pricing.

Kentico Kontent (Kontent.ai)

• Best for: Enterprises that want DXP-like governance, strong enterprise features and professional services.
• Strengths: Enterprise features (governance, workflows), robust i18n and multisite capabilities.
• Integrations: Connectors to marketing/commerce stacks, APIs and SDKs, professional services & partners.
• Support: Enterprise SLAs, 24/7 global support options and onboarding/consulting.
• Pricing: Enterprise-focused, contact sales for custom pricing. See more.

Hygraph (formerly GraphCMS)

• Best for: Teams who want a GraphQL-native CMS and schema-driven content with content federation.
• Strengths: GraphQL-first APIs, built-in localisation and content federation, great for complex content graphs.
• Integrations: GraphQL APIs, SDKs, webhooks, third-party connectors.
• Support: Email support on paid tiers; enterprise plans with SLAs and premium support.
• Pricing: Free tiers, paid tiers, enterprise options. See full pricing.

DatoCMS

• Best for: Agencies and teams that want a polished SaaS headless CMS with good media & image handling.
• Strengths: Intuitive project management, strong media/image pipeline and multi-project support.
• Integrations: REST/GraphQL APIs, image CDN, many framework starters and integrations.
• Support: Professional/enterprise support for higher tiers.
• Pricing: Free starter up to paid plans (e.g., €149/mo for Professional as of vendor docs). See full pricing.

Directus

• Best for: Teams that want a database-first, open-source headless CMS that directly exposes SQL databases via APIs.
• Strengths: Database-driven approach (no lock-in), self-host or cloud, flexible schema and admin app.
• Integrations: Auto-generated REST/GraphQL APIs, webhooks, and direct DB access connectors.
• Support: Hosted tiers include paid support and enterprise SLAs; OSS community for self-host.
• Pricing: Self-host free, Directus Cloud tiers (Starter $15/mo, Professional $99/mo), Enterprise custom. See full pricing.

Agility CMS

• Best for: Organisations that need a hybrid headless solution with page management and strong enterprise services.
• Strengths: Hybrid features (page management + headless APIs), good editorial UX and support for multisite.
• Integrations: APIs, connectors for commerce and analytics, partner & consulting ecosystem.
• Support: Enterprise support, onboarding services and SLAs on higher tiers.
• Pricing: Tiered pricing (Starter / Pro / Enterprise), enterprise custom.

Enterprise Headless Commerce Options

Okay, let’s switch gears. Content is one side of the puzzle; you still need a solid enterprise headless commerce engine to handle catalogs, carts, and checkouts.

Here are some heavy hitters:

Skip to comparison table

CommerceTools

Best for: Large enterprises with complex catalogs and omnichannel needs.

Strengths:

• Hugely flexible, API-first, and future-proof.
• Ideal for experimenting with new digital touchpoints.
• Designed for composable, enterprise-scale commerce.

Integrations: Broad ecosystem; integrates with major CRMs, PIMs, and ERPs such as Salesforce, SAP, and Akeneo.Support: Enterprise support plans available; includes dedicated technical support and partner network.Pricing: POA (custom enterprise pricing).

BigCommerce (Headless)

Best for: Mid-market and scaling brands adopting headless commerce.

Strengths:

• Easier onboarding and lower technical barrier than CommerceTools.
• Strong out-of-the-box commerce features (tax, promotions, shipping).
• SaaS reliability with headless flexibility.

Integrations: Native integrations with HubSpot, NetSuite, Brightpearl, and Akeneo.

Support: 24/7 chat, email, and phone support; community forum.

Pricing: Subscription-based (Standard, Plus, Pro, Enterprise tiers).

Shopify Plus (Headless)

Best for: High-growth D2C and retail brands needing scalability.

Strengths:

• Massive app and partner marketplace.
• Reliable, global infrastructure.
• Familiar CMS and admin for marketers.

Integrations: Integrates with HubSpot, Salesforce, NetSuite, Akeneo, and custom APIs via Storefront API.

Support: 24/7 priority support; dedicated account manager; community and partner ecosystem.

Pricing: POA (custom enterprise pricing).

Elastic Path

Best for: Enterprises with complex B2B/B2C models and custom pricing needs.

Strengths:

• Extremely flexible, composable architecture.
• Excellent for subscriptions, bundles, and tiered pricing.
• Enterprise IT-friendly.

Integrations: Connects with Salesforce, Adobe Experience Manager, SAP, and commercetools ecosystem partners.

Support: Enterprise-grade support and onboarding through dedicated teams.

Pricing: POA (enterprise pricing).

Magento (Adobe Commerce)

Best for: Enterprises wanting a powerful, self-hosted or Adobe-managed solution.

Strengths:

• Deep customisation potential.
• Mature ecosystem with strong B2B support.
• Extensive developer and extension community.

Integrations: Native integration with Adobe Experience Cloud, Salesforce, and ERP systems like SAP and Oracle.

Support: Adobe enterprise support; large community and partner network.

Pricing: POA (based on GMV and deployment).

Salesforce Commerce Cloud

Best for: Large enterprises already using the Salesforce ecosystem.

Strengths:

• Deep CRM and Marketing Cloud integration.
• Advanced personalisation and AI features.
• Proven global scalability.

Integrations: Natively integrates with Salesforce CRM, Service Cloud, and Marketing Cloud.

Support: 24/7 enterprise support; dedicated account teams and partner network.

Pricing: POA (custom enterprise pricing).

Spryker

Best for: Enterprises and marketplaces with unique or complex commerce models.

Strengths:

• API-first, modular, and composable.
• Excellent for B2B and marketplace solutions.
• High level of customisation and extensibility.

Integrations: Integrates with SAP, Akeneo, and other enterprise systems.

Support: Enterprise-level support via partner network and Spryker Cloud.

Pricing: POA (enterprise licensing).

Infosys Equinox

Best for: Enterprises seeking cloud-native, headless solutions with Infosys backing.

Strengths:

• Cloud-native and API-first architecture.
• Enterprise-grade scalability and flexibility.
• Backed by Infosys global delivery and support network.

Integrations: Works with SAP, Salesforce, and Oracle enterprise systems.

Support: 24/7 enterprise support through Infosys service teams.

Pricing: POA (enterprise pricing).

Swell

Best for: Startups and fast-scaling D2C or subscription-based brands.

Strengths:

• Developer-friendly and flexible APIs.
• Great for custom business models (subscriptions, wholesale).
• Fast time-to-market for small to mid-sized teams.

Integrations: Supports integrations with Stripe, Shippo, Klaviyo, and custom APIs.

Support: Email and chat support; growing developer community.

Pricing: Subscription-based (tiered plans).

OroCommerce

Best for: B2B companies needing tailored workflows and custom pricing.

Strengths:

• Built specifically for B2B (buyer portals, procurement).
• Open-source flexibility.
• Strong support for complex order flows.

Integrations: Works with OroCRM, ERP systems (SAP, Microsoft Dynamics).

Support: Community support, enterprise SLA options.

Pricing: Open-source (Community) or POA (Enterprise).

Nacelle

Best for: Teams transitioning to headless setups using modern frontends.

Strengths:

• Accelerates performance with JAMstack integration.
• Prebuilt connectors for faster headless adoption.
• Simplifies multi-platform architectures.

Integrations: Connects with Shopify, BigCommerce, Contentful, and Sanity.

Support: Email and Slack-based community support; enterprise support available.

Pricing: POA (usage-based enterprise pricing).

Commerce Layer

Best for: Global brands managing multi-currency, multi-market commerce.

Strengths:

• Lightweight, API-driven, cloud-native solution.
• Excellent internationalisation capabilities.
• Simple, scalable architecture.

Integrations: Connects easily with CMS, PIM, and ERP systems like Contentful, Sanity, and Akeneo.

Support: Email and developer documentation; enterprise support available.

Pricing: Usage-based or POA for enterprise.

Fabric

Best for: Enterprise retailers modernising legacy systems with composable commerce.

Strengths:

• API-first, modular architecture.
• Scales with enterprise-grade performance.
• Rapid deployment for digital-first retailers.

Integrations: Integrates with major ERPs, CRMs, and CMSs (Salesforce, Contentful, Akeneo)

Support: Dedicated enterprise support and onboarding.

Pricing: POA (enterprise pricing).

Sanity + Shopify: A Modern Composable Stack

Here’s where things get really interesting. Pairing Sanity (a headless CMS) with Shopify (a headless e-commerce platform) is like combining the best of content and commerce. You get storytelling and flexibility on one side, and reliable checkout and product management on the other.

What you can do with Sanity + Shopify

• Tell better product stories: Use Sanity to design rich product detail pages that go beyond basic SKU data.
• Run global campaigns: Localise content in Sanity while keeping Shopify as your core store engine.
• Test and personalise: Try out new content variations in Sanity without messing up Shopify.
• Omni-channel magic: Push campaigns to websites, apps, or even IoT devices with Sanity’s structured content, while Shopify keeps transactions smooth.

Why teams love this combo

• Super flexible: Sanity’s structured content model connects nicely with Shopify APIs.
• Faster launches: Starter kits and integrations mean you’re not reinventing the wheel.
• Scales with you: Works for scrappy startups and enterprise brands alike.
• Better workflows: Content teams work in Sanity; e-commerce managers work in Shopify, without stepping on each other.

If you’re looking for a scalable, streamlined headless e-commerce platform + CMS solution, Sanity + Shopify is about as future-proof as it gets.

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How to Pick the Right Platform & CMS for Your Business

So how do you decide? Here are some things to think about:

1. Team skills
   • JavaScript team? React-friendly CMS like Sanity is a win.
   • Java-heavy org? Stick to a Java headless CMS like Magnolia.
2. Content vs. commerce
   • Content-led brand? Go Sanity or Ghost.
   • Transaction-heavy? Look at CommerceTools or BigCommerce.
3. Do you need multisite/localisation?
   • If yes, pick a multisite headless CMS with strong localisation features.
4. Hosting preferences
   • Want control? Self-hosted headless CMS like Strapi or Directus.
   • Want peace of mind? SaaS like Sanity.
5. Integration ecosystem
   • Make sure your CMS + commerce platforms play nice with analytics, personalization, and marketing automation tools.

Decision Matrix: CMS + Ecommerce Selection Guide

Final food for thought before you make your choice

The move to headless e-commerce platforms and headless CMS systems is about giving brands freedom. Instead of picking one all-in-one system, you can compose your own stack that actually fits your needs.

It’s not about finding the single “best headless CMS for e-commerce” or “best headless e-commerce platform.” It’s about matching your goals and team skills to the right mix.

Saying that, we do have a favourite combo. For those looking for a future-proof content setup with a tried and testing commerce engine, Sanity + Shopify should be high on your list, especially for the Next.js teams out there.

However our guiding ethos is business-first, so we would never advise a stack that’s not fit for purpose. Let’s have a chat if you’re still not sure what you need.

Schedule an intro call.