Gentics Mesh vs Webiny

Gentics Mesh is a free, open-source headless CMS that manages content through HTTP APIs. It provides REST and GraphQL interfaces, with GraphQL currently limited to read-only operations. Content can be arranged in hierarchical trees that generate navigation menus, breadcrumbs and URLs. The REST API supports multilingual content, custom user and permission management, previews, search with Elasticsearch and image resizing or cropping for PNG, JPEG, BMP, GIF and WebP files. GraphQL filtering can work independently of Elasticsearch. Authentication options include login, API tokens, OAuth2 and anonymous access; passwords use bcrypt hashes. Deployment documentation covers Docker, AWS Elastic Container Service and Linux systemd. MariaDB is the default database, while premium connectors support Microsoft SQL Server 2019+, Oracle 19+ and PostgreSQL 14.4+. The open-source edition costs nothing under Apache 2.0. Commercial plugins and extended SQL storage require a Gentics license.

Webiny is a programmable content platform combining a Headless CMS, Website Builder, File Manager, and administration panel. Developers can define models, APIs, workflows, and behavior in code, with AI agents available for building and customization. The platform offers GraphQL APIs, localized content, custom role permissions, webhooks, and content preview. One instance can isolate multiple sites, brands, customers, or markets as tenants. Governance features include versioning, rollback, permissions, publishing workflows, and audit logs on eligible plans. Deployment can be self-hosted on AWS serverless infrastructure or locally through Standalone, which is labeled alpha and local-only; code is portable to AWS, but content migration awaits a script. The Website Builder includes a Next.js SDK and supports deployment to Vercel or another cloud. Community is free forever. Business Small costs $79 a month, Medium $299 a month, and Large $599 a month.