Next.js vs Traditional CMS: Making the Right Choice

Choosing between a modern framework and a traditional CMS is a critical decision. Let's break it down.

Traditional CMS (WordPress, Drupal)

Pros

• Easy content management for non-technical users

• Huge plugin ecosystems

• Large community and support resources

• Lower initial development cost

Cons

• Performance limitations

• Security vulnerabilities from plugins

• Limited customization without development work

• Technical debt accumulates quickly

Modern Frameworks (Next.js, Remix)

Pros

• Superior performance out of the box

• Complete design freedom

• Better developer experience

• Built-in SEO optimization

Cons

• Requires technical expertise to manage

• Higher initial development cost

• Content editing requires additional CMS setup

The Best of Both Worlds

The headless CMS approach combines the content management ease of a traditional CMS with the performance and flexibility of a modern framework. Tools like Sanity, Strapi, and Contentful provide familiar editing experiences while your frontend delivers blazing-fast performance.

Our Recommendation

For most businesses in 2026, we recommend a headless approach: Next.js for the frontend paired with a headless CMS. This gives you the best performance, SEO, and developer experience while keeping content management simple for your team.