9 Best CMSes for Shopify Stores

Retailers are increasingly turning to headless commerce to streamline operations, accelerate innovation, and provide richer, more personalized, omnichannel shopping experiences. 

A recent survey of over 1,000 executives at major retail companies conducted for the 2024 IDC MarketScape Report revealed that more than a quarter (27%) have adopted a fully headless and composable (modular) approach, leveraging a combination of vendors for their e-commerce platform. Nearly half (45%) utilize a customizable third-party CMS front-end with a traditional back-end system. The remaining 29% rely on a single, all-inclusive solution.

In our article, we'll explore the 9 best CMS options for Shopify stores that help you break free from platform rigidity, providing creative freedom to craft unique customer experiences.

Whether it's headless CMS solutions for omnichannel delivery or open-source flexibility for developers, you'll find a comprehensive analysis of each platform's features, use cases, and benefits.

Is Shopify's Built-In Content Management System A Solid Foundation?

While Shopify serves primarily as one of the best (headless) e-commerce platforms, it does offer some built-in content management capabilities that help business owners manage and organize their digital storefronts.

However, when evaluated as a comprehensive CMS, Shopify’s built-in system may not fully meet the needs of businesses with content-heavy or highly customized requirements:

1. Limited Customization Options

   • Shopify's built-in CMS offers basic customization for pages and layouts, but the design flexibility is restricted compared to a dedicated CMS. Brands seeking a specific look or layout for their store might struggle with these constraints, especially if their vision includes non-standard structures.

2. Lack of Content Types

   • While Shopify supports basic pages and blog posts alongside products, orders, and customer data, its content capabilities pale in comparison to specialized CMS platforms. Businesses that rely heavily on complex and varied content types like multimedia galleries, landing pages, or interactive elements will likely find Shopify’s CMS limiting.

3. Fewer Integrations and Extensions

   • With fewer integrations and extensions than a standalone CMS, adding functionality and connecting to other systems can be challenging. This makes Shopify less suitable for businesses that depend on integrating third-party tools for analytics, marketing automation, or other specialized functions.

4. Potential Slowdown Over Time

   • As content and traffic grow, Shopify stores may experience slower load times due to the limited caching options. Unlike a dedicated CMS, which can cache and serve content more efficiently, Shopify’s infrastructure might cause noticeable performance issues for content-heavy sites.

5. Limited Control Over Server Resources

   • Hosted on Shopify’s servers, businesses have less control over server resources and infrastructure optimization. This lack of flexibility can impede efforts to optimize performance, which is particularly crucial for stores experiencing high traffic or needing specific infrastructure configurations.

Shopify CMS - What Options Are There?

When considering options for using a CMS other than the built-in Shopify solution, e-commerce business owners have several pathways they can explore to enhance or replace Shopify’s default content management capabilities.

Here's a detailed breakdown of viable options.

Why Shopify Stores Need a Customizable Third-Party CMS Solution?

As we mentioned above, Shopify's built-in content management system provides a foundational starting point for e-commerce businesses, but for content-heavy sites and advanced SEO requirements, it may not deliver the flexibility or performance necessary.

Here’s why an easily customizable CMS solution for Shopify is vital for businesses looking to differentiate their brand and maximize their reach:

1. Overcoming Shopify’s Content Limitations - For businesses with a high volume of content and varied types like multimedia galleries, resource pages, or educational blogs, Shopify’s CMS may prove insufficient. Third-party CMS platforms provide the ability to manage more diverse content efficiently, ensuring an optimal UX across channels.

2. Scalable Content Strategy - A third-party CMS can support a more dynamic and scalable content strategy, allowing businesses to manage and expand their content repository without impacting website performance. This is particularly beneficial for e-commerce platforms that need to handle large volumes of product information and multimedia content.

3. Advanced SEO Capabilities - Shopify’s standard SEO tools are helpful but not always robust enough for comprehensive optimization. The wide array of third-party Shopify CMS solutions unlocks essential features like keyword-rich URLs, auto-generated meta descriptions, customizable page titles, and a user-friendly interface for quickly implementing SEO best practices. The right CMS simplifies these processes, boosting page rankings and click-through rates.

4. Improved Performance and Scalability - Customizable CMS platforms can better accommodate high traffic volumes and efficiently serve content using advanced caching mechanisms. This ensures that even as traffic surges or content libraries expand, the site maintains optimal load times, reducing the risk of slowdowns that impact conversions.

5. Enhanced UX - Modern shoppers (especially in the wake of AI and Gen Z shopping) expect seamless navigation, flexible design, and fast load times. Customizable CMSes allow businesses to create tailored, mobile-friendly experiences that enhance the shopping journey. Easy-to-use visual editors, design templates, and responsive layouts make it simple for teams to keep the store fresh and relevant.

6. Streamlined Collaboration Between Departments - A third-party CMS often includes features that facilitate easier collaboration between marketing, sales, and IT departments. Tools such as role-based access control, real-time content updates, and workflow management reduce bottlenecks and enhance productivity, enabling teams to launch campaigns faster and more efficiently.

7. Cost-Effective Maintenance and Updates - By leveraging a third-party CMS, businesses can reduce dependency on specialized technical resources for routine updates and content management, thereby lowering operational costs. These platforms often provide user-friendly interfaces and drag-and-drop editors that empower non-technical users to manage and update the site independently.

8. Customizable Workflows to Match Business Processes - Tailoring content creation and approval workflows to align with specific business processes is possible with a sophisticated CMS. This customization can significantly improve efficiency by automating repetitive tasks and ensuring that all content aligns with brand guidelines before going live.

9. Integration Features - Shopify’s native CMS may not have the breadth of integrations available with dedicated platforms. By incorporating third-party CMS options, businesses can easily integrate analytics tools, email marketing platforms, A/B testing solutions, and more to enrich their marketing stack. This flexibility is crucial for delivering innovative, data-driven strategies.

10. Simplified Management and Customization - CMSes for Shopify offered by third parties empower businesses to experiment with new layouts, run promotions, and make rapid changes without relying on developers. Its streamlined user interface allows store owners to move quickly and trial new features to optimize the user experience.

11. Support for Headless Commerce Architecture - Adopting a headless CMS enables Shopify stores to separate the back end from the front end, offering unmatched flexibility in how content is delivered. Headless architecture ensures consistency across multiple touchpoints, whether it's websites, apps, or IoT devices.

Incorporating a third-party CMS with Shopify helps stores break free from platform constraints and achieve the agility needed to adapt to changing consumer behaviors.

For businesses that require more than Shopify’s built-in CMS offers, going custom is the answer to scalability, creativity, and growth.

The Rising Popularity of Headless in E-commerce Business Platforms

The e-commerce landscape is witnessing a surge in the adoption of headless commerce. But what exactly is it, and how does it benefit Shopify solutions?

In a traditional (headed) e-commerce platform, the front end (presentation layer) and back end (commerce engine) are tightly coupled. This can limit flexibility and innovation. For example, whenever developers want to apply changes on the front end, they need to modify the back end.

Headless commerce breaks this barrier. It separates the front-end presentation layer (think website design, customer experience) from the back-end commerce engine (product data, shopping cart functionality) powered by Shopify. This allows you to choose a best-in-class CMS for content management while leveraging Shopify's robust commerce features.

Salesforce State of Commerce Report shows that 77% of companies utilizing headless architecture credit it with increased agility. This translates to faster website updates – a 32% improvement in making changes within hours compared to traditional setups.

These solutions also fuel omnichannel expansion, with 77% of headless companies rapidly entering new sales channels compared to just 54% of non-headless businesses.

By embracing headless with Shopify, you unlock the potential to adapt, innovate, and outpace the competition.

Choosing the Best CMS for Your Shopify Store - Top Contenders

When it comes to integrating a third-party CMS with Shopify, it's essential to select a platform that aligns with your e-commerce business's unique content needs and goals. But with numerous options available, choosing the right fit can feel overwhelming.

Here's a closer look at some of the leading contenders, each offering unique strengths to consider:

Storyblok - Streamlining Content with a Visual Editor

Storyblok stands out as a headless CMS that integrates seamlessly with Shopify and Shopify Plus. It champions the concept of a composable CMS for Shopify (Plus) users.

Storyblok lets you manage content for your entire brand ecosystem – landing pages, product details, and more – all within a user-friendly interface. This e-commerce platform empowers businesses to efficiently organize content, create compelling pages, and enhance product detail pages using its powerful visual editor.

Key Features and Unique Selling Points:

1. Centralized CMS for All Platforms - Storyblok enables a consistent, omnichannel content strategy, allowing businesses to deliver personalized experiences across web, mobile, social, IoT, and even virtual reality. With its headless architecture, content can be efficiently managed and published across all platforms simultaneously.

2. Fast Shopping Experience - Leveraging a RESTful API to deliver content on any hosting PaaS like Vercel or Cloudflare Pages, Storyblok ensures rapid page load times, contributing to a smooth shopping experience. By reducing load times significantly, it helps increase online conversion rates and enhances customer satisfaction.

3. Visual Editor and Content Blocks - Storyblok’s intuitive visual editor allows marketers to visually track changes before going live, enabling them to launch new websites and landing pages without relying heavily on developers. The flexible content block system empowers teams to reuse, rebuild, and customize layouts efficiently, offering a highly tailored experience.

4. Trusted by Leading Brands - Storyblok is trusted by e-commerce leaders like Adidas, Panini, HappySocks, and PizzaHut, demonstrating its ability to handle the demands of top-tier businesses. At the same time, SMEs can also easily benefit from Storyblok’s unique collaboration, page-creation, and integration features.

Strapi - Open-Source Flexibility for Developers

Strapi is an open-source headless CMS known for its adaptability and developer-friendly approach, making it a strong contender for Shopify integration. Its flexibility enables businesses to customize their e-commerce platforms while maintaining a seamless shopping experience.

Key Features and Unique Selling Points:

1. Custom E-commerce Functionality - Strapi offers robust integration capabilities, enabling you to connect your preferred platforms and services, from payment gateways to helpdesk solutions. This flexibility allows you to build a personalized customer journey using microservices that align with your unique business needs.

2. Boost Online Sales with an E-commerce CMS - Strapi centralizes your content management by providing a single source of truth for all product and brand data. This centralized approach helps ensure consistent messaging and enables businesses to deliver a seamless shopping experience, regardless of the device or platform.

3. Localization for Global Audiences - Strapi’s multilingual capabilities allow businesses to create localized versions of their platform tailored to specific countries and cultures. This ensures that content and messaging are optimized for different audiences, increasing global engagement and conversion rates.

4. Enterprise-Grade Security and Support - The Strapi Enterprise Edition includes advanced security features such as Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) and Single Sign-On (SSO). Enterprise-level support is also available, offering peace of mind for companies that require comprehensive assistance.

5. Developer-Centric Design - Strapi’s open-source nature allows developers to customize their CMS setup without compromising efficiency. Building data relationships and customizing the back end is streamlined, reducing development friction and enhancing the overall user experience.

Sanity - Real-Time Collaboration and Customization

Sanity is a highly flexible headless CMS that integrates with Shopify to deliver immersive shopping experiences by seamlessly blending storytelling with commerce.

By enabling real-time collaboration and customization, it allows businesses to build captivating and authentic shopping journeys that reflect their brand values.

Key Features and Unique Selling Points:

1. Real-Time Shopify Data Sync - Sanity ensures a smooth synchronization of Shopify data, including products, variants, and collections, to Sanity Studio. This immediate syncing creates an enhanced editing environment, where structured content and product data merge to provide an intuitive and comprehensive editing experience.

2. Stunning Visual Customization - Businesses can use Sanity to go beyond standard templates, offering rich media, flexible visual modules, social media integrations, and more. This provides a captivating visual experience that brings the product character to life and keeps customers engaged.

3. Structured Storytelling - Sanity empowers e-commerce brands to tell their unique stories by enriching product data with structured content that highlights what makes the company special and how products solve customer needs. This combination of shopping and storytelling helps build a deeper connection with customers.

4. Developer Tools and Modern Frameworks - Sanity is designed to support modern frameworks and developer practices, providing flexibility and confidence in content as data. It features powerful developer tools and a cloud-hosted database to facilitate building custom storefronts.

5. Flexible Storefront Creation - Sanity allows you to build Shopify storefronts using Liquid templates or the Hydrogen framework for headless storefronts. Deploy them on Oxygen, Shopify's new infrastructure, for greater composability and customizations.

Agility CMS - Flexibility & Multi-Channel Support

Agility CMS is a versatile, API-driven platform that enables businesses to efficiently manage and deliver content across multiple channels and devices. 

Key Features and Unique Selling Points:

1. Visual Editor - Agility’s visual editor provides an intuitive drag-and-drop interface, allowing Shopify users to create and edit content freely. This flexibility empowers marketers to quickly update pages and layouts, ensuring that the customer experience remains fresh and relevant without needing technical expertise.

2. Content Modeling - With custom content modeling, Agility CMS enables brands to design structures that precisely fit their needs and goals. This feature provides maximum flexibility, helping store owners create distinctive content that resonates with their audience and aligns with their business objectives.

3. Multi-Language Support - Agility’s multi-language capabilities allow businesses to easily manage content in various languages, ensuring a cohesive and localized user experience for global audiences. This is particularly important for brands operating in multiple regions when the ability to include cultural differentiation is a huge asset.

4. Integrations with Other Systems - Agility CMS integrates seamlessly with other systems, such as Shopify Plus, to enhance the e-commerce experience. The integration allows businesses to leverage Shopify’s powerful e-commerce functionalities while benefiting from Agility’s advanced content management features.

5. Comprehensive Support and Resources - Agility provides a wealth of support and resources to help businesses maximize their platform use. This is crucial for Shopify Plus users, who receive dedicated account management and technical support.

Prismic - Powerful APIs & Data Modeling

Prismic’s combination of an intuitive UI, flexible data structures, and strong API support makes it an excellent choice for Shopify commerce owners aiming to deliver customized, omnichannel content that resonates with their audience.

Key Features and Unique Selling Points:

1. Intuitive User Interface - Prismic’s user interface prioritizes usability, making it simple for marketers to navigate and find what they need without being overwhelmed by excessive options. Its clean design helps content creators and editors focus on delivering compelling shopping experiences without technical distractions.

2. Flexible Data Modeling - As a headless CMS, Prismic allows complete control over data structures, ensuring content can be stored in any desired format without predefined constraints. This flexibility ensures businesses can model their data according to their specific needs, allowing them to tailor their CMS to unique goals and preferences.

3. Powerful APIs - Prismic’s APIs are robust and enable developers to access content across platforms and programming languages. This empowers teams to build custom applications with ease, making it simpler to query data and integrate content with various technologies.

4. Omnichannel Content Delivery - Prismic enables flexible content delivery across multiple channels. With tailored content based on location, device type, or user preferences, Shopify online stores can easily create personalized shopping experiences that cater to each customer’s unique context, leading to higher engagement and conversions.

DatoCMS -  Features For Product Management

DatoCMS is an open-source content management system built on Node.js and React, allowing users to efficiently manage and publish content across websites and applications.

Key Features and Unique Selling Points:

1. Feature-Rich Platform - DatoCMS is equipped with a comprehensive set of features, making it ideal for managing complex e-commerce stores. Its editing tools facilitate product page creation and management directly within the system, while customizable content fields and templates provide the flexibility to tailor the experience to your store’s needs. Its powerful APIs simplify managing intricate product data.

2. Easy Setup and Maintenance - DatoCMS enables quick store setup and easy ongoing management. Adding new products or editing existing ones is seamless, reducing the need for coding knowledge or developer assistance when implementing changes.

3. Integration with Other Platforms - DatoCMS lets you sync product data between both systems in real time. This integration ensures that store owners can effortlessly manage their Shopify inventory and content within the DatoCMS interface.

4. High Performance - By caching all published content on its servers, DatoCMS guarantees high performance and responsiveness even during traffic spikes. This caching mechanism ensures that your e-commerce store remains efficient and delivers an exceptional user experience regardless of visitor volume.

Contentful - Ease Of Use And Scalability

Contentful is a powerful, AI-native composable commerce content platform that enables businesses to deliver intelligent and impactful digital experiences at scale. 

Key Features and Unique Selling Points:

1. Contentful Platform - It serves as a unified composable content source, breaking down information silos to facilitate consistent and multi-brand experiences. Its orchestration tools make it simple to repurpose modular content components across channels, regions, and customer segments.

2. Contentful Studio - Allows teams to visually assemble compelling content experiences with design flexibility, enabling the reuse of templates and importing brand components. Its AI Content Generator accelerates creativity by suggesting new titles, copy, and SEO keywords.

3. Contentful Ecosystem - It provides a wealth of apps and integrations through its marketplace. This allows businesses to easily extend Contentful’s capabilities to meet specific requirements and connect with leading third-party services.

4. Intelligent Automation with AI - Contentful harnesses the power of AI to automate routine tasks, increasing productivity and innovation. Its AI Content Type Generator assists in creating content models from prompts, while the AI Image Generator can dream up new visuals or edit existing ones.

5. Live Preview and Visual Modeler - The Live Preview feature helps teams visualize digital experiences before publishing, eliminating guesswork and ensuring content aligns with brand standards. The Visual Modeler simplifies navigation through connected entries, improving collaborative design.

6. Enterprise-Level Governance - Contentful enforces enterprise-grade governance through property controls and tokenized design values that maintain brand integrity. Teams can set rules defining which design elements remain consistent and which can be customized, ensuring brand compliance at scale.

Hygraph - Personalization & Marketing Automation Tools

Hygraph is a headless content platform that offers a powerful GraphQL API to manage and deliver content across channels and devices.

Key Features and Unique Selling Points:

1. Inventory Management - With Hygraph, Shopify users can efficiently manage their inventory through a streamlined system that allows customers to easily find desired products. Track stock levels, refine product descriptions, and set up alerts to reorder stock at specified thresholds, ensuring that your inventory is always optimized.

2. Marketing Automation - Hygraph provides marketing automation tools that help Shopify store owners create targeted campaigns and analyze conversion rates across multiple channels. This data-driven approach allows businesses to identify the most effective marketing strategies and allocate their budget toward high-performing tactics.

3. Personalization at Scale - Hygraph makes it easy to integrate customer data platforms (CDP), data management platforms (DMP), and marketing technologies into your e-commerce platform. This allows for highly personalized customer experiences, creating deep engagement by delivering relevant content that meets individual preferences.

4. Omnichannel Features - Reach your customers through any medium imaginable. Hygraph empowers you to distribute & publish content across websites, mobile devices, smart speakers, wearables, and more. This ensures that your native material is consistently presented to customers in every locale and format.

Directus - Security & Customer Insights

Directus is an open-source headless CMS built with developers in mind, providing powerful tools to create and manage custom digital experiences efficiently.

Its composable architecture integrates seamlessly with any frontend framework or language, making it ideal for dynamic web applications and customized websites.

Key Features and Unique Selling Points:

1. Customization Options - Directus offers comprehensive customization features, including an intuitive drag-and-drop builder that makes creating custom pages and templates simple. Developers can access API endpoints to delve into the underlying data and further tailor the system to meet unique business needs.

2. Scalability - Directus ensures that businesses won't outgrow their capabilities. New features can be easily added or modified without causing disruption or downtime. Running on AWS allows Directus to scale dynamically with demand, providing the flexibility to manage server resources while controlling costs.

3. Security - Directus takes security seriously, offering features like SSL encryption, two-factor authentication, and regular security updates. Its caching engine ensures fast load times and smooth performance, even during peak traffic, providing a secure and reliable experience when managing sensitive customer data.

4. Analytics - The built-in analytics dashboard provides real-time insights into customer behavior, empowering Shopify merchants to make data-driven decisions for optimizing their stores. These insights can help refine marketing strategies, streamline inventory management, and improve the overall customer experience.

Factors to Consider - What To Keep An Eye On When Deciding On A CMS for Shopify?

Best Practices - Implementing CMS with Shopify Online Store

Integrating a third-party CMS (Content Management System) can be a game-changer. Here are some easy-to-follow tips for a smooth setup and a stunning online experience for your customers:

• Drag-and-Drop Design Freedom: Many CMS options come with visual editors. This means you can create beautiful custom pages and menus that perfectly match your brand, without needing coding knowledge, like easy-to-use tools to optimize content for search engines and boost your store's visibility. Plus, you can integrate features like email marketing and cart recovery tools to keep customers engaged and coming back for more.

• Tech Stack Harmony: Choosing a CMS that works seamlessly with your existing tools and Shopify is key. Look for integrations with your favorite marketing platforms, customer management systems, and analytics software. Imagine automatic email campaigns launched for customers who abandon their carts – that's the power of streamlined workflows!

• Plan Your Content Calendar: Staying organized is key, especially if you manage a large product catalog or a blog. A content calendar is your best friend! Schedule product launches, blog posts, and other content in advance to ensure a steady stream of fresh content that keeps your audience engaged.

• Data-Driven Content Decisions: Your CMS can be packed with valuable insights! Use analytics to understand customer behavior and what search terms they're using. This data helps you refine your content strategy, target the right keywords, and publish content your audience craves, ultimately driving more sales.

• Building Blocks for Success: Think of some CMS options as offering building blocks. These modular components allow you to mix and match features to create a custom solution that perfectly fits your store's needs. This flexibility makes it easy to integrate with other systems and build a tech stack that supports your specific business goals.

• App Integration Flexibility: Ensure the CMS you choose supports extensive integration capabilities with Shopify's vast app ecosystem, including both third-party and custom Shopify apps. This allows for greater customization and functionality of your store, enabling features like advanced inventory management, personalized recommendations, and more sophisticated customer interaction tools.

• Enhanced Security Features: Security is paramount in e-commerce. Select a CMS that provides advanced security features, such as SSL support, regular security audits, and compliance with e-commerce security standards. This protects both your data and your customers' information, maintaining trust and credibility.

• Customizable Access Levels: To enhance team collaboration while maintaining control over your site, use a CMS that allows you to set different access levels for team members. This way, you can streamline operations by allowing marketers, product managers, and other team members to update content directly, without the risk of unauthorized changes to critical components.

• Scalable Architecture: As your business grows, your CMS should grow with you. Choose a platform known for its scalability, capable of handling an increase in content, traffic, and transactions without performance issues. This ensures that your e-commerce platform can evolve with your business needs without requiring frequent migrations or rebuilds.

Feeling overwhelmed? If you're unsure which CMS is right for you or how to integrate it with Shopify, e-commerce websites & software development companies like Naturaily are here to help! Our expert team of e-commerce developers can guide you through exploring various headless options and ensure a smooth CMS integration for your Shopify store.

Contact us today and unlock the full potential of your online store!