Jardine Studio
TOOL / CMS COMPARISON

The right CMS for the engagement, picked honestly.

Picking a CMS is not about the best platform. It is about the right tradeoff between who maintains the site, what the business needs the site to do, and what holds up over three years. The studio builds custom and migrates between platforms; this is the tool that picks the one that fits.

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The comparison belongs inside the studio's custom website design process, where platform choice shapes the editing model, maintenance plan, and launch path.

Facts reviewed . Ratings and recommendations are the studio's judgments, not benchmark scores or a complete list of every capable platform. Sources appear in each platform explanation below. Confirm current plans and integrations before buying.

FIT FINDERQuestion 1 of 5 · Site type

Question 1 of 5. Site type.

What kind of site is the business?

Pick the closest match. The tool weights everything else against this.

The fit logic, platform by platform.

Squarespace
Squarespace becomes the wrong fit when the site needs an arbitrary structured-content model, a complex custom backend, or ownership of the layout code. Fluid Engine covers a wide range of brand and page work inside the editor, while deeper customization may require Code Injection or an external integration. For an owner-operated wellness or hospitality business editing weekly, Squarespace can be the right tool. A different platform becomes worth considering when structured CMS depth, backend control, or source-code ownership is a firm requirement.

Facts reviewed . Ratings and fit judgments reflect the studio's assessment.

Wix
Wix ties the running site to its hosting platform. CMS collections can be exported to CSV, so leaving does not mean losing all structured content. Moving to another platform still requires rebuilding layouts and replacing Wix services. The studio prefers another architecture when independent hosting or source-code ownership is a firm requirement. Evaluate the actual content export, booking workflow, apps and performance before deciding to rebuild.

Facts reviewed . Ratings and fit judgments reflect the studio's assessment.

Webflow
Webflow suits a team with a designer responsible for layouts and a clear editing handoff. Native User Accounts ended on January 29, 2026, but membership sites remain possible through providers such as Memberstack or Outseta. That adds another subscription, integration and support relationship to assess. Check current CMS quotas and available plans against the content model. A custom stack becomes worth considering when independent hosting, backend logic or integration control is a firm requirement.

Facts reviewed . Ratings and fit judgments reflect the studio's assessment.

Framer
Framer Basic currently allows 30 custom site pages, 2 CMS collections and 1,000 CMS items. CMS items have a separate allowance; they do not each consume the 30-page allowance. Higher plans support more content. Keep important text and navigation outside overlays because Framer says overlay content is absent from initial HTML. Its portability documentation conflicts with its no-HTML-export guide, so verify a working export for the required features if independent hosting matters. The studio considers another CMS when its relationships, workflow or operating model fit better.

Facts reviewed . Ratings and fit judgments reflect the studio's assessment.

Shopify
The studio generally recommends Shopify when a product catalog, checkout and order management are central. Service-only websites may have a simpler fit elsewhere, although bookings and memberships can be added through apps or integrations. Confirm the operational fit and recurring app costs rather than treating those capabilities as impossible. Custom storefronts can extend design control while retaining Shopify commerce.

Facts reviewed . Ratings and fit judgments reflect the studio's assessment.

WordPress.com
WordPress.com provides managed WordPress hosting. All paid plans support plugins, third-party themes and custom code, so a lower paid tier can support a customized site. Business or Commerce is required for SFTP, SSH and database access. Check plugin compatibility, developer tools, backups and support against the selected plan. Self-hosting is worth comparing when infrastructure control matters and the team can own maintenance; it is not automatically cheaper once that work is included.

Facts reviewed . Ratings and fit judgments reflect the studio's assessment.

WordPress.org
Self-hosted WordPress needs funded maintenance. Patchstack reported 11,334 new ecosystem vulnerabilities during 2025, with 91% in plugins. Its 2026 report measured a five-hour activity-weighted median time to first exploitation in a heavily targeted subset, not across every vulnerability or website. The studio considers WordPress when the editorial workflow, WooCommerce or established extensions justify it. The poor fit is an unowned update and recovery process, a risk that also applies to custom software.

Facts reviewed . Ratings and fit judgments reflect the studio's assessment.

Craft CMS
Craft is the wrong fit when ecommerce is the primary use case (Craft Commerce exists but Shopify is the better tool) or when the team needs the WordPress plugin ecosystem. Self-hosting requires a developer in the loop for deploys and updates; Craft is not a hand-it-to-the-owner platform. Wrong tool when: the team has no developer relationship; the project is a small brochure site that does not need Craft's depth; the budget assumes WordPress prices.

Facts reviewed . Ratings and fit judgments reflect the studio's assessment.

Sanity
Sanity requires a developer to build and maintain the Studio configuration and frontend. Growth currently includes 25,000 documents, with an add-on for 50,000 total; Enterprise offers custom limits. Localization choices can increase document usage, so model translated content before selecting a plan. Sanity is not a complete website, booking or membership service by itself. The studio considers it when structured content and a custom frontend justify that implementation and maintenance work.

Facts reviewed . Ratings and fit judgments reflect the studio's assessment.

Payload
Payload needs a developer to configure the CMS, application, database and deployment. It can suit a Next.js project with a custom data model and a team that owns releases and maintenance. A one-page site may not justify that setup. Compare hosting and support options against the project rather than assuming a CMS alone supplies a complete managed website.

Facts reviewed . Ratings and fit judgments reflect the studio's assessment.

Custom Next.js
Custom Next.js needs a developer or studio responsible for the framework, dependencies and hosting. A CMS such as Sanity or Payload can give the owner an editing interface, but does not remove that maintenance work. For ecommerce, the studio generally prefers Shopify as the commerce engine; a custom frontend can still integrate with it when scope justifies the added work. A simple site with modest editing needs may be better served by a hosted builder.

Facts reviewed . Ratings and fit judgments reflect the studio's assessment.

How they stack up across the criteria that matter.

  • Squarespace
    Homepage
    Editor experience
    Owner-friendlyA non-technical owner can run it the day after handoff.
    Design ceiling
    Editor-boundedFluid Engine provides flexible page layouts within the platform. Deeper changes depend on supported code and integration options.
    SEO control
    SolidAuto sitemap, meta, canonical, native schema on collections. Custom JSON-LD via Code Injection.
    Performance
    Build-dependentManaged hosting provides the baseline. Media, scripts and page design determine the delivered performance.
    Custom code surface
    Plan-dependentCode blocks and Custom CSS extend pages. Code Injection is available on Core, Plus, Advanced and some legacy plans.
    Content model depth
    CollectionsNative Blog, Events, Products, Portfolio, Members. No arbitrary structured types.
    Booking built in
    Paid integrationAcuity Scheduling integrates with Squarespace but requires a separate subscription. It handles appointments and classes; verify fit for accommodation inventory.
    Memberships
    NativeBuilt-in Members area with content gating and paid tiers.
    Ownership
    Partial exportBlog WXR + product CSV exportable. Page layouts and design do not export.
    Maintenance
    Managed hostingSquarespace maintains the platform. The owner still manages content, integrations, subscriptions and account access.
  • Wix
    Homepage
    Editor experience
    Drag-anywhereWix Editor is the simplest drag-anywhere experience for a non-technical owner.
    Design ceiling
    Editor-boundedWix Studio matches Webflow's responsive model; standard Wix Editor does not.
    SEO control
    CappedMeta, redirects, schema presets. JSON-LD capped at 7,000 chars per page.
    Performance
    Build-dependentMeasure the proposed build. Apps, media and custom code affect performance; this comparison does not rank platforms by an independent benchmark.
    Custom code surface
    Velo onlyVelo runs server and client JS with npm packages. Hosting tied to the platform.
    Content model depth
    CollectionsCMS collections, reference fields and dynamic pages support structured content. Check the chosen editor and plan against the required model.
    Booking built in
    Native appWix Bookings supports appointments, classes and courses. Accepting bookings or payments depends on the selected plan.
    Memberships
    Full-featuredMembers, paid plans, and groups are native and full-featured.
    Ownership
    Content exportCMS collections export to CSV. The Wix site design and platform services do not transfer as an independently hosted site.
    Maintenance
    Hands-offNear-zero for the client. Velo code does require maintenance.
  • Webflow
    Homepage
    Editor experience
    Role-based editingClient seats, roles and permissions govern editing access. The legacy Editor retired on August 4, 2026.
    Design ceiling
    ExceptionalReal HTML/CSS output, near-total design control, custom interactions and animations.
    SEO control
    FullStatic HTML for crawlers, per-page meta and schema, redirects manager, auto sitemap.
    Performance
    Build-dependentHosted delivery and control over the page structure support optimization. No Lighthouse score is guaranteed.
    Custom code surface
    Embeds and CloudDesigner sites support custom code embeds. Webflow Cloud separately hosts full-stack applications; check framework, runtime and plan requirements.
    Content model depth
    StructuredDeepest structured-content model of the hosted builders. Multi-reference, dynamic templates.
    Booking built in
    Third-partyNo native booking. Integrates with Cal.com, Calendly, or custom widgets.
    Memberships
    IntegrationNative User Accounts ended January 29, 2026. Memberstack, Outseta and other integrations can provide membership features.
    Ownership
    Export codeStatic code export available. CMS data via API. Best ownership of the hosted builders.
    Maintenance
    Managed platformWebflow maintains its platform. Custom code, integrations and changes to editing workflows still need an owner.
  • Framer
    Homepage
    Editor experience
    Designer-firstDesigners learn it fastest. Clients learn it faster than Webflow.
    Design ceiling
    Motion-richBest motion and interaction tooling in any hosted builder.
    SEO control
    Overlay riskPer-page meta, structured data, AI meta. Overlay content invisible to crawlers.
    Performance
    Build-dependentManaged rendering and asset optimization support performance. Measure the actual page, including motion, media and integrations.
    Custom code surface
    React onlyCode Components in React, overrides, embeds. Limited compared to Webflow's inline flexibility.
    Content model depth
    ShallowCollections with typed fields. Shallower than Webflow. Awkward for nested taxonomies.
    Booking built in
    Third-partyNo native booking. Embeds or custom integrations.
    Memberships
    Third-partyNo native member areas. Possible via third-party embeds.
    Ownership
    Verify export scopeCMS content can export through plugins. Framer documentation conflicts on full-site HTML portability; verify the required exit path before committing.
    Maintenance
    Hands-offNear-zero.
  • Shopify
    Homepage
    Editor experience
    Admin-shapedSection and block theme editor. Clients edit via Admin, not in-context.
    Design ceiling
    Theme-boundedOnline Store 2.0 sections and metaobjects give designers structured templates. Headless via Hydrogen opens up more.
    SEO control
    Commerce-tunedMeta fields, sitemaps and redirects are available. Structured data depends on the theme or implementation; standard product URL prefixes are constrained.
    Performance
    App-dependentStrong with Online Store 2.0 themes. Apps can drag it down.
    Custom code surface
    Liquid-boundLiquid theme files, Custom Liquid, App Embed, Shopify Functions. Storefront API for headless.
    Content model depth
    Commerce-firstProducts, Collections, Pages, Blog, Metaobjects (custom structured types), Metafields.
    Booking built in
    Not nativeNot a booking platform. Integrates via apps or custom.
    Memberships
    Customer accountsCustomer accounts and B2B Plus. Member-only product gating via apps.
    Ownership
    API exportProducts, customers, orders exportable via CSV and API. Theme code exports as zip.
    Maintenance
    App-drivenHigher than other builders. Third-party apps update independently and occasionally break.
  • WordPress.com
    Homepage
    Editor experience
    GutenbergGutenberg block editor. Moderate learning curve for non-technical authors.
    Design ceiling
    Themes and codeAll paid plans support third-party themes and custom code. Check any theme or plugin compatibility restrictions.
    SEO control
    Plugins on paid plansSEO plugins can be installed on all paid plans. Hosting-level tools and built-in features vary by plan.
    Performance
    ManagedManaged hosting handles caching and CDN by default.
    Custom code surface
    Plan-dependentPlugins and custom code are available on all paid plans. SFTP, SSH and database access require Business or Commerce.
    Content model depth
    Native deepNative taxonomies, custom post types via plugins, deep editorial workflow.
    Booking built in
    Plan or pluginAppointment booking features vary by plan; paid plans can also use booking plugins. Check the specific scheduling workflow.
    Memberships
    Paid content or pluginsPaid-content features and membership plugins support gated offerings. Check fees, payment support and plugin requirements.
    Ownership
    Content exportWordPress content export supports moving posts and pages. Themes, plugins, media and settings may require separate migration steps.
    Maintenance
    Hands-offManaged by Automattic. Plugin and theme updates handled or assisted.
  • WordPress.org
    Homepage
    Editor experience
    Build-dependentGutenberg block editor. Custom themes can simplify or complicate the experience.
    Design ceiling
    UnlimitedCustom themes match any design. Quality depends on the developer.
    SEO control
    FullYoast, Rank Math, or hand-rolled. Full schema and meta control.
    Performance
    Build-dependentHosting, themes, plugins, caching and media determine performance. A platform name alone cannot predict a Lighthouse score.
    Custom code surface
    UnrestrictedFull PHP, JavaScript, server access. Anything is buildable.
    Content model depth
    Native deepCustom post types, taxonomies, ACF, deep editorial workflow.
    Booking built in
    Plugin-onlyVia plugins. Quality varies.
    Memberships
    Plugin-richRestrict Content Pro, MemberPress, Paid Memberships Pro.
    Ownership
    FullFull code, full database. Move hosts at will.
    Maintenance
    Ongoing ownershipAssign responsibility for core, theme and plugin updates, backups, compatibility checks and vulnerability response.
  • Craft CMS
    Homepage
    Editor experience
    RefinedThe best admin UX of any CMS in this list. Editors learn it quickly.
    Design ceiling
    UnlimitedTwig templating, full control over output. Custom themes only.
    SEO control
    FullSEOmatic plugin or hand-rolled. Full schema, redirects, sitemap control.
    Performance
    LeanLean by default. No plugin bloat baseline.
    Custom code surface
    UnrestrictedFull PHP and Twig. Anything is buildable.
    Content model depth
    Matrix fieldsMatrix field for structured content blocks, deep relations, native localization.
    Booking built in
    Plugin or integrationVia plugins or integration.
    Memberships
    Users and integrationsNative user groups, permissions, paid content via Craft Commerce or plugins.
    Ownership
    FullSelf-hosted. Full code and database control.
    Maintenance
    Ongoing ownershipThe team maintains Craft, plugins and hosting. The workload depends on extensions and deployment choices.
  • Sanity
    Homepage
    Editor experience
    Real-timeSanity Studio is customizable, real-time collaborative. The strongest editor in the headless category.
    Design ceiling
    Frontend-ledFrontend is whatever you build. Pairs with Next.js, Astro, custom React.
    SEO control
    FullFull control. Schema, redirects, meta on the frontend's terms.
    Performance
    Frontend-limitedAs fast as the frontend. Sanity is a content API, not a render layer.
    Custom code surface
    Studio + GROQCustom Studio plugins, custom input components, GROQ queries.
    Content model depth
    Portable TextPortable Text for rich content. Strong relations and references.
    Booking built in
    Not nativeNot a booking platform. Integrate at the frontend.
    Memberships
    Custom integrationMember authentication and server-enforced content access require an application or auth service. Sanity is not a turnkey membership product.
    Ownership
    API exportContent lives in Sanity's hosted infra. Export via API. Frontend code is the team's.
    Maintenance
    API-managedSanity handles the API. Frontend maintenance is the team's.
  • Payload
    Homepage
    Editor experience
    Configurable adminConfigurable admin, custom fields, drafts and version history. Collaboration requirements should be checked against the current implementation.
    Design ceiling
    Next.js-ledFrontend is Next.js or any custom stack. Payload is content + admin.
    SEO control
    FullFull control on the frontend. Built-in SEO plugin available.
    Performance
    Local APIAs fast as the frontend. Local API runs inside Next.js for zero-network reads.
    Custom code surface
    TypeScript-firstFully custom. TypeScript-first. Extensible at every layer.
    Content model depth
    Native draftsRich field types, relations, blocks, localization, drafts and versioning native.
    Booking built in
    Not nativeNot native. Build on the frontend.
    Memberships
    NativeAuth and access control native. Roles, collections, document-level permissions.
    Ownership
    MIT-licensedMIT-licensed. Self-hosted. Code and database are the team's.
    Maintenance
    Deployment ownershipThe team owns application updates, database, storage and hosting configuration, whether self-hosted or managed by a provider.
  • Custom Next.js
    Homepage
    Editor experience
    Best with a CMSCustom Next.js does not include an editor on its own. The studio pairs it with a headless CMS (Sanity by default) so the owner edits in a real admin instead of in the code.
    Design ceiling
    UnlimitedAnything renderable in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. No platform ceiling.
    SEO control
    FullTotal control: schema, redirects, meta, performance, every render decision.
    Performance
    Optimization controlRendering, caching and asset delivery are configurable. Actual Lighthouse and Core Web Vitals results depend on the build, content, hosting and test conditions.
    Custom code surface
    UnrestrictedEverything is custom code. The escape hatch is the platform.
    Content model depth
    From the paired CMSStructured content lives in the paired CMS. Sanity for most builds; Payload when the team needs the admin shaped to a custom data model.
    Booking built in
    IntegrateNot native. Integrate Cal.com, Mews, or build custom.
    Memberships
    Stack of choiceAuth.js, Clerk, custom. The frontend stack is the team's choice.
    Ownership
    Source and deploymentThe team can own the source repository and choose compatible hosting. Portability still depends on integrations and deployment-specific services.
    Maintenance
    Ongoing ownershipAssign framework and dependency updates, security response, hosting and regression checks. Updates follow risk and compatibility, not a fixed quarterly schedule.

Want the full read on a specific pair?

Questions about the CMS comparison tool.

How often is this comparison tool updated?
The page shows the date of its latest fact review and links to platform documentation in each platform explanation. Plans and capabilities can change between reviews. Confirm the selected plan and required integrations before buying. The ratings and shortlists are the studio's judgments, not independent benchmark scores.
Why is Contentful not in the matrix?
This tool covers the studio's usual shortlist for owner-operated businesses. Contentful can be a valid option, including for teams whose content operations justify it, but it is outside this comparison's current scope. An omission is not a capability or pricing disqualification.
Why does WordPress show as two rows?
WordPress.com is a managed hosting service for WordPress; WordPress.org supplies the open-source software used with a chosen host. Their editing and plugin capabilities overlap. All WordPress.com paid plans support plugins, while developer tools such as SFTP are restricted to higher plans. Compare the specific hosting plan, operational responsibility and migration requirements.
Does the tool always recommend Webflow?
No. Rules match site type, maintainer, booking needs, budget and memberships. The shortlist reflects the studio's implementation preferences and is not a complete list of every capable platform. Budget rules run before broader defaults, and the result explains the matched rule. Validate the required workflow and total operating cost before committing.
Can Webflow still support memberships?
Webflow retired native User Accounts on January 29, 2026. Membership sites can still use providers such as Memberstack or Outseta. The tool does not automatically exclude Webflow when memberships are needed. Compare authentication, paid access, content protection, recurring costs and who supports the integration.
Why doesn't the matrix show pricing?
Pricing on these platforms varies more than a comparison row can honestly show. The same plan tier costs different amounts depending on traffic, payment fees, team seats, plugin renewals, hosting region, and whether ongoing maintenance is in-house or a retainer. A row of dollar ranges flattens all of that into something readers will misread. The matrix is for capability fit. The studio sizes the platform plus the engagement on the first call, no sales pitch attached.
Has the studio shipped on every platform in the matrix?
Direct experience: Squarespace, WordPress.org, Webflow, Shopify, Custom Next.js. Informed experience (the studio knows the platform through agency partners, prior employer work, or hands-on testing rather than shipped client work): Wix, WordPress.com, Framer, Sanity, Craft CMS, Payload. The matrix marks each platform's experience level honestly; the verdicts on direct-experience platforms read with more weight than the verdicts on informed-experience platforms.
What happens if the recommendation points at a custom build?
The tool offers custom development when its rules suggest that content, integrations or interactive workflows may justify it. This reflects the studio's implementation preference. Hosted platforms can also support custom code and integrations. Compare the required workflow, CMS, maintenance and total cost before choosing.

Still weighing it?

We size the platform decision in about 30 minutes on the first call. Send the current URL, the constraint, and what the business needs the site to do.

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