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WordPress

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Sanity

WordPress vs Sanity

WordPress vs Sanity: which is right for your project? WordPress is php-based cms powering 43% of the web. Sanity is real-time collaborative headless cms with customizable studio. We compare features, performance, and pricing.

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TL;DR — Our Recommendation

It depends — WordPress and Sanity serve different use cases well. Choose WordPress for Content-heavy sites where non-technical editors need full control. Choose Sanity for Developer-led teams wanting maximum flexibility in content modeling and editing experience.

Official docs: WordPress REST API Docs · Sanity Documentation

Migrate WordPress → Sanity

Feature by Feature Comparison

Feature	WordPress	Sanity
Ease of Use	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐
Performance	⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Flexibility	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Cost Value	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐
Scalability	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ecosystem	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐

Pros & Cons

WordPress

Pros

Massive plugin ecosystem with 59,000+ plugins
Huge community — easy to find developers and tutorials
Visual block editor (Gutenberg) for non-technical users
Works for any site type from blogs to e-commerce

Cons

PHP rendering is slow compared to static HTML
Requires constant security patches and plugin updates
Database-driven architecture limits scalability under load
Plugin conflicts can break your site after updates

Sanity

Pros

GROQ query language is more powerful and flexible than GraphQL
Real-time collaborative editing (like Google Docs)
Fully customizable React-based Studio admin panel
Portable Text format gives structured rich text (not raw HTML)

Cons

GROQ is a custom query language with its own learning curve
Studio customization requires React development knowledge
Per-user pricing gets expensive for large editorial teams
Steeper setup curve than GUI-first headless CMS options

Platform Details

Detail	WordPress	Sanity
Language / Stack	PHP	JavaScript/TypeScript (React-based Studio)
Type	traditional cms	headless cms
Pricing	Free (self-hosted) + hosting costs	Free / $15+/month per user
Open Source	Yes	Yes
Best For	Content-heavy sites where non-technical editors need full control	Developer-led teams wanting maximum flexibility in content modeling and editing experience
Export Method	REST API or WP All Export plugin	GROQ API, GraphQL API, or Sanity CLI export

When to Choose Each Platform

Choose WordPress if…

You need content-heavy sites where non-technical editors need full control
Your team is comfortable with PHP
You want an open-source solution with full code ownership
You want a low learning curve for non-technical team members

Choose Sanity if…

You need developer-led teams wanting maximum flexibility in content modeling and editing experience
Your team is comfortable with JavaScript/TypeScript (React-based Studio)
You want an open-source solution with full code ownership

Which Should You Pick?

The right choice between WordPress and Sanity depends on three things: your team's technical skills, your project timeline, and your long-term content strategy.

These platforms take fundamentally different approaches. WordPress is a traditional cms built with PHP, while Sanity is a headless cms built with JavaScript/TypeScript (React-based Studio). That architectural difference shapes everything from daily content editing workflows to deployment and hosting costs. If your team includes non-developers who need to publish content frequently, WordPress's familiar editing interface may save you onboarding time.

From a cost perspective, both platforms are open-source, so the real cost difference is hosting and operational overhead. Factor in plugin or extension costs, developer rates for each tech stack, and whether you need managed hosting or can self-host.

Whichever you choose, migrating between them is straightforward. LeaveWP offers a free WordPress → Sanity migration tool that preserves your URLs, metadata, and content structure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is WordPress better than Sanity?

They're closely matched (22/30 vs 24/30). WordPress is best for Content-heavy sites where non-technical editors need full control, while Sanity excels for Developer-led teams wanting maximum flexibility in content modeling and editing experience. Your choice should depend on your team's skills and project requirements.

Can I migrate from WordPress to Sanity?

Yes. Export your WordPress content via REST API or WP All Export plugin, then import it into Sanity. LeaveWP can help automate this process while preserving your SEO metadata and URL structure.

What are the main differences between WordPress and Sanity?

WordPress is php-based cms powering 43% of the web, while Sanity is real-time collaborative headless cms with customizable studio. Key differences: ease of use (WordPress: 4/5, Sanity: 3/5), pricing (Free (self-hosted) + hosting costs vs Free / $15+/month per user), and ecosystem size (WordPress: 5/5, Sanity: 3/5).

How much does WordPress cost compared to Sanity?

WordPress: Free (self-hosted) + hosting costs. Sanity: Free / $15+/month per user. Both are open-source, so the main cost difference is hosting and infrastructure.

Which is easier to learn, WordPress or Sanity?

WordPress is easier to pick up (4/5 vs 3/5). Massive plugin ecosystem with 59,000+ plugins. Sanity GROQ is a custom query language with its own learning curve.

Which performs better, WordPress or Sanity?

Sanity has the performance edge (5/5 vs 2/5). Sanity has strong performance characteristics. WordPress PHP rendering is slow compared to static HTML.

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