Browse / Alternatives / Sanity
Open source Sanity alternatives for AI agents
2 alternatives to Sanity. 2 have an interface an agent can drive. 2 are open source.
| Listing | License | Agent interface | Reach | Effort | Last activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payload CMS | MIT | MCP server, from the builder | 4 of 10 jobs | Light edit | Sep 3, 2026 |
| Strapi | MIT core with EE license under ee/ (GitHub NOASSERTION) | API, from the builder | 6 of 10 jobs | Light edit | Sep 2, 2026 |
Payload CMS
Next.js-native headless CMS with an official MCP plugin that exposes every collection to an agent.
Free · Payload Cloud
- I want a CMS inside my Next.js app that my agent can fill and update without me building endpoints
- I need a content backend with auth and drafts that deploys to Vercel or Cloudflare in one click
- Define collections, fields, and blocks
- Configure access control
- Live preview and on-demand revalidation
3 more jobs are undetermined.
- plugin-mcp is versioned 4.0.0-canary.14 in the monorepo; check whether the release you install is stable
- Each collection must be explicitly enabled in the plugin config before an agent can reach it
- MCP requests need a user API key created in the admin panel; keys inherit that user's access control
- Payload runs inside Next.js; there is no standalone server binary
Strapi
Open-core headless CMS: content types in the admin, auto-generated REST and GraphQL APIs, env-file config.
Community · Growth and Enterprise (self-hosted) · Strapi Cloud Starter: $35 per month · Strapi Cloud Pro: $90 per month · Strapi Cloud Business: $450 per month
- I need a content API for a site or app fast, and editors who want a normal CMS screen
- I want my agent to push entries and media through a documented API while the content model stays under my control
- Define content types and components
- Manage admin roles and API tokens
- Customize the admin panel
1 more job is undetermined.
- Open-core: anything under ee/ is not MIT; the license file also says a registered Cloud account changes the terms
- All content types are private by default; grant public access or use an API token before the API answers
- No official Docker image; generate one with npx @strapi-community/dockerize
- Content types cannot be created through the API; define them in the admin or as schema.json files
Questions
Is there an open source alternative to Sanity?
Yes. Both listings here are open source: Payload CMS (MIT), Strapi (MIT core with EE license under ee/ (GitHub NOASSERTION)).
Which Sanity alternatives have an MCP server?
Payload CMS has an MCP server from its builder.
Which Sanity alternative can an agent do the most with?
Strapi: 6 of 10 recorded jobs reachable. Jobs differ by listing, so read each list before you choose.
Listings come from reading each repo and its docs. Reach counts the jobs an agent can do through the stated interface, and each listing page shows the evidence. Order follows fit. For agents: Markdown · JSON