Top 7 CMS For Static Websites In 2024  

Let’s explore the top 7 CMS for static websites that are reshaping how we approach the creation and maintenance of web content.

Key Takeaways

• Contentful excels with an API-first approach
• Netlify CMS stands out for Git integration
• DatoCMS offers robust content modeling and GraphQL support
• Forestry strikes a balance with user-friendly Git integration
• TinaCMS provides in-context editing
• ButterCMS focuses on simplicity with a clean interface and RESTful APIs
• Siteleaf emphasizes collaborative editing and built-in versioning for straightforward team workflows. 

What Is a Static Website?

A static website content management system (CMS) simplifies the process of managing and updating the content of a static website. Unlike dynamic websites, where content is generated on the server side and delivered to users in real time, static websites consist of fixed, pre-built HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files.

7 Best CMS For Static Websites

Here, we will explore our top 7 best CMSs for static websites; let’s see which CMS is best for your business.

Contentful 

Contentful is a headless CMS designed for creating, managing, and delivering digital content. It offers a cloud-based approach, enabling developers to structure and deliver content through APIs.

Pros & Cons 

Pros

• Flexible content modeling allows for customized content structures.
• Powerful API enables seamless content delivery to any platform or device.
• Real-time collaboration features facilitate efficient team collaboration.

Cons

• Expensive for larger projects or high-traffic websites.
• Steeper learning curve compared to some other CMS options.
• Require technical knowledge for advanced customization.

Key Features

• API-First: Contentful is built with an API-first architecture, allowing developers to retrieve content and integrate it seamlessly into different applications. 
• Contentful’s AI Content Type Generator: Design and build content models effortlessly with AI-generated content types based on your provided descriptions.
• Content Modeling: The platform allows users to define and structure content models, making it easy to manage different types of content, from text to multimedia. 
• Visual Modeler Workflow: Plan, build, and test in a single visual workflow. Effortlessly visualize content models and navigate connected entries.
• EU Data Residency: The exclusive EU data residency option allows European businesses to store their data within the EU, surpassing standard compliance.
• Elevated Governance: Enhanced identity and access management provide robust security, ensuring comprehensive protection for Contentful’s platform and resources.
• Real-time Collaboration: Contentful facilitates collaboration with real-time editing and versioning, ensuring teams can work efficiently on content creation and updates.  

What Customers Say About the Website

• “Handling content is my game, and I’ve danced with CMS like WordPress, but Contentful takes the cake for simplicity. The setup is nice, and whipping up unique structures for every webpage or email is a breeze. Even without a hint of developer skills, I found it a smooth sail to get the hang of and learn.” – Gabriela R.
• “This tool is the bomb because it rocks a sleek and clean UI, and gives you tons of ways to link up your app code with Contentful. The Contentful team is ace at keeping the convo flowing. Plus, it’s been running smooth as butter, and the team’s always lightning-fast with the answers to our questions.” – Contentful user

Publii 

Publii is a desktop-based CMS that caters specifically to static site generation. It combines the simplicity of a static site with the convenience of a user-friendly desktop application, providing a smooth user experience and the local preview feature to visualize changes before publishing.

Pros & Cons 

Pros

• Simple and intuitive interface for easy content management.
• Generates static HTML files for faster page loading times and improved security.
• Built-in SEO optimization features for better search engine rankings.

Cons

• Limited customization options compared to more advanced CMS platforms.
• Offline editing may not be necessary for all users.
• Smaller community and fewer integrations compared to some other CMS options.

Key Features

• Automated Microdata Markup: Easily enhance Google results with microdata for rich results.
• Efficient Theme Speed: Swift load times without sacrificing aesthetics, no frameworks needed.
• User-Friendly Migration: Seamlessly switch or create blogs with built-in WP Importer.
• Flexible Structuring: Tags and Authors system for diverse content organization.
• Rich Media Features: Elevate stories with image galleries, videos, and more.
• Writing Tools: WYSIWYG editor with real-time stats for optimal content length.
• Speedy Markdown Editor: Lightning-fast typing with a user-friendly Markdown editor.
• Classic WYSIWYG Editing: Choose the classic WYSIWYG editor in Publii CMS for a user-friendly experience. Expect familiar options with added style for webpage customization.
• Embedded Content Consent:  Protect user data by controlling embedded content consent.
• Intuitive Plugin Integration: Easily add plugins to a cookie banner for GDPR compliance.
• Offline Editing: Publii enables users to create and edit content offline, making it convenient for those who need to work without a constant internet connection.
• Separate custom CSS & HTML: When using a blogging platform’s theme, it is vital to edit or add extra custom CSS code to align with your brand’s aesthetic. Publii offers a dedicated container for custom CSS, eliminating the need to navigate through an entire CSS document for your edits. This can streamline your process and reduce the risk of removing crucial CSS code.

What Customers Say About the Website

• “Publii is a desktop-based CMS that rolls on Linux, Mac, and Windows. It rocks various themes and a WordPress Importer. You can whip up all sorts of websites and blogs without tossing software onto a server or dealing with a pesky database.” – Andreas Kandschur

Netlify 

Netlify CMS is a Git-based CMS that seamlessly integrates with the Netlify hosting platform. It simplifies content management for static sites, enabling non-technical users to make updates through a user-friendly interface.

Pros & Cons 

Pros

• Seamless workflow for building and deploying static websites.
• Continuous deployment ensures that the website is always up to date.
• Built-in form handling and serverless functions add dynamic functionality to static sites.

Cons

• Limited content management features compared to dedicated CMS platforms.
• Some features may require technical knowledge to set up and configure.
• Advanced customization may require familiarity with static site generators.

Key Features

• Customizable Workflow: The CMS supports customizable content workflows, ensuring that content creation, review, and publishing align with the team’s specific processes.
• Authentication and Access Control: Netlify CMS provides robust authentication and access control features, allowing administrators to manage user permissions securely. This includes GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket. Moreover, Netlify incorporates JSON web tokens for secure, token-based authentication. 
• A Git-based Approach: This method creates faster and more secure websites, adopted by companies like Smashing Magazine and Mailchimp. It involves separating website building and hosting, using GitHub to store content, and delivering it through CDNs. You can use tools like Jekyll or JavaScript frameworks for building, with most pages in simple Markdown or YAML format.
• Content Database Integration: Use the platforms as a content database, leveraging their version control capabilities. Moreover, all content changes are tracked and be rolled back if necessary. 
• Flexible control management: Users can follow a workflow for content creation and publishing, including draft, review, and publish. 

What Customers Say About the Website

• “If you’re after a super affordable fix to handle website content and your users aren’t exactly tech wizards but still want a simple WYSIWYG editor with some basic goodies, there are loads of options out there. But, if you’re also craving a personalized content storage setup, more grip on the infrastructure and data access, and want it all free and open-source, well, you’re in a bit of a pickle.” – Mani Kumar Reddy Kancharla.

DatoCMS

DatoCMS is a headless CMS designed to empower developers and content creators to build dynamic, scalable websites. It supports multiple content types and provides a GraphQL API for flexible content delivery.

Pros & Cons 

Pros

• User-friendly interface and easy content creation and editing.
• Powerful GraphQL API for efficient content retrieval and dynamic website building.
• Robust localization support for multilingual websites.

Cons

• Pricing can be high for larger projects or high-traffic websites.
• Limited support for non-technical users compared to some other CMS options.
• Advanced customization may require knowledge of GraphQL and API integration.

Key Features

• GraphQL API: DatoCMS offers a GraphQL API for querying and retrieving content, giving developers fine-grained control over the data they retrieve.
• Localization: The platform supports multilingual content, making it suitable for projects with an international audience.
• Content Relationships: DatoCMS allows users to define relationships between content types, creating a flexible and interconnected content structure.
• Efficient Workflows: Dato CMS supercharges your content approval process for optimal efficiency.
• Data Integrity Boost: Ensure content reliability with Dato CMS’s robust data integrity tools.
• Structured Text Freedom: Dato CMS introduces structured text, providing editors creative freedom and developers precise control.

What Customers Say About the Website

• “Setting it up and meshing it with your team’s groove is a piece of cake. We really like the modular content fields, auto-optimized images, and the straightforward text field structure. The whole deal is smooth sailing, whether you’re editing content or getting down to the engineering nitty-gritty. Plus, their support team is lightning-fast and fixed all our problems in a jiffy.” – Cairin M.
• “As a marketing manager, I’ve had an exceptional experience with DatoCMS. What I like best about DatoCMS is its user-friendly interface, flexibility, and robust management capabilities. It has greatly streamlined our content workflow and made it easy to manage our website content effectively. I have found no major dislikes about DatoCMS; it has consistently met and exceeded our expectations.” – Darina P.

Forestry 

Forestry is a Git-based CMS designed for managing content in static site generators. It provides a user-friendly interface while leveraging the power of Git for version control and collaboration.

Pros & Cons 

Pros

• Visual editor for easy content creation and editing without coding.
• Git-based workflow for version control and collaboration.
• Customizable templates for unique website designs.

Cons

• Limited features compared to more robust CMS platforms.
• Less suitable for non-technical users who require extensive content management capabilities.
• Advanced customization may require knowledge of static site generators.

Key Features

• Git Integration: Forestry uses Git for version control, enabling teams to manage content changes, collaborate, and maintain a clear audit trail.
• Preview Environment: Users can preview changes in a staging environment before publishing, ensuring content creators can review and refine their work.
• Custom Front Matter: Forestry allows users to define custom front-matter templates, providing flexibility in structuring content metadata. 

What Customers Say About the Website

• “I am really into Forestry. The layout is smooth and looks good, the product is super easy to handle, and it’s a cool option for folks who prefer straightforward static website generators but still need a CMS for clients and collaborators to tweak content.” – Alejandro Narváez

TinaCMS 

TinaCMS is a lightweight, JavaScript-based CMS designed for modern static site generators. It enables developers to add an in-context editing experience to their websites.

Pros & Cons 

Pros

• Modern and intuitive content management experience.
• Inline editing for seamless content creation and editing.
• Flexible architecture for easy customization and extension.

Cons

• Less suitable for non-technical users who require extensive content management capabilities.
• Advanced customization may require familiarity with React and JavaScript.
• Smaller community and fewer integrations compared to some other CMS options.

Key Features

• Optimized Content Editing: Enjoy a smooth editing experience in Markdown, MDX, and JSON files with Tina’s live preview feature, taking user experience to the next level.
• Fully Open Source: TinaCMS is licensed under Apache 2.0, offering complete openness. It can be self-hosted or utilized on Tina Cloud, providing flexibility.
• Git-Based Content Management: Leverage Git for a unified source of truth for content and code. Enhance collaboration between developers and content editors with direct content changes committed to your repository, ensuring version control and content history.
• Content Control and Ownership: Tina’s open-source model grants absolute control and ownership over your content. The optional self-hosted backend provides freedom from vendor lock-in.
• Scalable Performance: Tailored for large-scale projects, TinaCMS ensures optimal performance, whether handling hundreds or tens of thousands of pages.
• Robust Query Capabilities: TinaCMS’s unique data layer empowers your Markdown content, making it as flexible and queryable as it is in a database.
• Real-Time Visual Editing: Experience real-time visual editing directly within your website or application. Tina’s customizable content blocks enable intuitive page assembly, resembling a site builder. Editors can preview changes before publishing, ensuring content quality.

What Customers Say About the Website

• “TinaCMS, being a Git-based CMS, brings a strong and easy-to-use interface, smooth Git integration, and tweakable content models into the mix. It’s undeniably one of the top choices among Git-based CMS options!” – Kausar Ahmed Pial.

ButterCMS 

ButterCMS is a headless CMS that focuses on simplicity and ease of use. It provides a clean user interface for content management and offers APIs for retrieving content.

Pros & Cons 

Pros

• User-friendly interface and visual editor for easy content management.
• Powerful RESTful API for content retrieval and dynamic website building.
• Integrations with popular static site generators for a seamless workflow.

Cons

• Limited customization options compared to more advanced CMS platforms.
• Pricing can be high for larger projects or high-traffic websites.
• Smaller community and fewer integrations compared to some other CMS options.

Key Features

• Centralized Content Management: Efficiently manage all content types from a unified dashboard. Butter simplifies CMS tasks through intuitive content modeling and seamless integration of the content API.
• Pre-Built Blog Engine: Instantly deploy our pre-built blog engine, saving you time and allowing you to focus on more engaging challenges.
• Built-In SEO Optimization: Rapidly set up your blog on a subdirectory with built-in SEO metadata and descriptions for streamlined search engine optimization.
• Versatile Field Types: Utilize dozens of flexible field types, including Components, References, and Repeaters, to construct content UIs that resonate with your marketing team.
• Scheduled Content Management: Plan and schedule content releases effortlessly, allowing seamless coordination with your team for promotions and significant content launches.
• Automatic Image Compression: Optimize website loading times and enhance SEO with automatic image compression in the web format, reducing image sizes by up to 10x.
• In-App Image Editing: Transform images directly within the Butter CMS dashboard with a modern interface. Crop, resize, apply filters, and more for a tailored visual experience.
• Effortless Multilingual Management: Easily handle content in multiple languages through our user-friendly interface.
• Enterprise-Wide Content Management: Centralize content management across your entire enterprise with fine-grained site-level user access.
• Globally Cached Content: Experience optimal performance, resiliency, and scalability with our globally cached API.
• One-Click Migrations: Simplify content migrations across Butter CMS environments effortlessly. Create schema and/or content migrations via the dashboard, and let Butter CMS handle the complexity.
• WYSIWYG Powerups: Elevate content creation and editing with enhanced WYSIWYG tools, providing a comprehensive set of features for an enriched user experience.

What Customers Say About the Website

• “ButterCMS embodies simplicity and elegance! Initially, I found using Butter to be a cool experience, thanks to its user-friendly UI and intuitive UX that succinctly conveys the essence of the entire product. While adapting to the schema aspect took some time, once mastered, working with it became an effortlessly cool endeavor!” – Nikhil M.
• “ButterCMS was among the few fresh headless CMS options that kept our clients content. It allowed us to juggle marketing and engineering for this product simultaneously.” – Nikhil Wadhwani.

Siteleaf

Siteleaf is a cloud-based CMS designed for static sites, emphasizing simplicity and collaboration. It supports Markdown for content creation and provides an easy-to-use interface for managing websites.

Pros & Cons 

Pros

• Simple and intuitive interface for easy content management.
• Version control features for tracking changes and reverting to previous versions.
• Integrations with popular static site generators for a seamless workflow.

Cons

• Limited customization options compared to more advanced CMS platforms.
• Advanced customization may require knowledge of static site generators.
• Smaller community and fewer integrations compared to some other CMS options.

Key Features

• Versatile Text Editing: Opt for a visual editor or plain Markdown. Enjoy flexibility by dragging and dropping images or entire text files effortlessly.
• Open Source Foundation: Siteleaf is built on open source, embracing compatibility with Jekyll, the static site generator powering over a million websites on GitHub Pages. Leverage a vast open-source community, utilize existing Jekyll themes, or craft your own using Liquid and preferred tools. Develop locally and offline for ultimate convenience.
• GitHub Harmony: Integrate seamlessly with GitHub to prevent accidental overwrites or deletions. Every Siteleaf change syncs to GitHub, offering a comprehensive edit log and rollback capability. Gain a content time machine. Your theme evolves with automatic updates based on GitHub commits, fitting seamlessly into your established workflow.
• Headless API Access: Unleash your content by accessing data for integration into other websites and apps. Automate tasks effortlessly through Zapier, expanding the reach and functionality of your content.
• Dynamic Content Capabilities: Elevate your site’s customization with document collections, advanced metadata, and custom permalinks. Siteleaf empowers you with powerful content creation tools for a tailored online presence.

What Customers Say About the Website

• “Commencing the construction of my new website using @siteleaf v2—its seamless GitHub syncing and compatibility with Jekyll are truly exceptional.” – Jonnie Hallman.
• “Siteleaf proves to be a useful tool for crafting customizable websites editable by humans. Celebrations are in order!” – Jason Huff. 

Wrapping Up

The featured top 7 CMS platforms exemplify a synergistic blend of efficiency, adaptability, and user-friendly interfaces, providing a powerful toolkit for web developers and content creators to influence the digital landscape of the future.

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