Blog5 platforms compared

Best CMS for a Blog in 2026

Compare the best content management systems for blogging. From lightweight Markdown setups to full headless CMS platforms, find the right fit for your blog.

Whether you publish weekly or daily, the right CMS makes writing a joy instead of a chore.

TL;DR — Our Top Pick

Astro + MDX is our top recommendation for blog sites.

Blazing fast static output, content collections for MDX, near-zero JavaScript shipped to the browser. Ideal for developer bloggers who want maximum speed.

What a Blog CMS Needs

Writers and content creators looking for the easiest, fastest platform to publish articles regularly.

Fast content authoring and publishing workflow

SEO-friendly output with meta tags, sitemaps, and schema

Flexible theming and design control

Low hosting cost for high traffic

RSS feed support

Top 5 Platforms Ranked

Astro + MDX

Content-focused framework that ships zero JavaScript by default

TOP PICK

Blazing fast static output, content collections for MDX, near-zero JavaScript shipped to the browser. Ideal for developer bloggers who want maximum speed.

Open SourceJavaScript/TypeScript (framework-agnostic)Free (open-source)

Strengths

Ships zero JS to the client by default (Islands Architecture)
Use React, Vue, Svelte, or any framework in the same project
Content collections with type-safe Markdown/MDX

Trade-offs

Not ideal for highly interactive apps (designed for content sites)
Smaller ecosystem than Next.js — fewer integrations available

Next.js + MDX

React framework for production with SSR, SSG, and API routes

Full React ecosystem with hybrid static/dynamic rendering. Great for blogs that also need interactive features like dashboards or comments.

Open SourceJavaScript/TypeScript (React)Free (open-source)

Strengths

Hybrid rendering — SSG, SSR, ISR, and client-side in one app
Most popular React framework with massive community
Built-in image optimization, API routes, and middleware

Trade-offs

React learning curve for non-JavaScript developers
App Router introduced complexity with Server Components

Ghost

Modern publishing platform built for professional content creators

Purpose-built blogging platform with a beautiful editor, built-in newsletters, and membership features. Zero setup required.

Open SourceNode.jsFree (self-hosted) / $9-199/month (managed)

Strengths

Beautiful, focused writing experience (Markdown + rich editor)
Built-in membership and subscription payment system
Newsletter/email delivery built right into the platform

Trade-offs

Limited to blogs and newsletters — not a general CMS
Small theme ecosystem compared to WordPress

Sanity + Next.js

Real-time collaborative headless CMS with customizable Studio

Real-time collaborative editing with customizable content studio. Best for teams with non-technical writers who need a visual editor.

Open SourceJavaScript/TypeScript (React-based Studio)Free / $15+/month per user

Strengths

GROQ query language is more powerful and flexible than GraphQL
Real-time collaborative editing (like Google Docs)
Fully customizable React-based Studio admin panel

Trade-offs

GROQ is a custom query language with its own learning curve
Studio customization requires React development knowledge

Hugo

Fastest static site generator, written in Go

The fastest static site generator. Builds thousands of pages in seconds. Great for high-volume blogs with minimal JavaScript needs.

Open SourceGo (Go templates)Free (open-source)

Strengths

Blazing fast builds — renders 10,000 pages in seconds
Single binary with zero dependencies
Built-in image processing, taxonomies, and i18n

Trade-offs

Go template syntax has a steep learning curve
No JavaScript framework — limits client-side interactivity

How to Decide

If your blog has a single author who writes Markdown, Astro or Hugo is the simplest option

If you need memberships or paid newsletters, Ghost has these built-in

If non-technical editors will write posts, pick a headless CMS with a visual editor like Sanity or Payload

If your blog is part of a larger app (e-commerce, SaaS), Next.js keeps everything in one codebase

Ready to migrate from WordPress?

WordPress → Astro WordPress → Next.js WordPress → Ghost

Frequently Asked Questions

Which CMS is best for SEO?

Static output frameworks like Astro and Next.js produce the fastest pages, which directly improves Core Web Vitals and search rankings. Pair with proper meta tags, sitemaps, and schema markup for best results.

Can I migrate my WordPress blog?

Yes. Tools like LeaveWP export all your WordPress posts, categories, tags, and metadata to MDX or any headless CMS. Your URLs and SEO data are preserved.

Do I need a developer to use these?

Ghost requires zero coding. Sanity and Payload have visual editors. Astro and Next.js with MDX require basic developer knowledge but offer the most flexibility.

How often should I publish blog posts for SEO?

Consistency matters more than volume. Aim for 1-2 quality posts per week rather than daily low-effort content. Google rewards sustained publishing cadence and user engagement over raw post count.

Can I schedule posts with a static site?

Yes. Most headless CMS platforms (Sanity, Payload, Ghost) include scheduled publishing. For MDX-based blogs, use a build trigger (e.g., Vercel cron) or CMS scheduling features to publish at future dates.

What about comments on a static blog?

Use third-party solutions like Giscus (GitHub-based), Disqus, or utterances. For privacy-friendly options, consider Commento or a custom solution. These load client-side so they don't affect your static build.

How do I handle images in MDX blog posts?

Use the Next.js Image component or Astro's built-in image optimization. For external images, Cloudinary or imgix provide transformations. Sharp can process images at build time for Astro and other static generators.