Top Headless CMS & Platforms For E-commerce Growth

New products? Next markets? More visitors? Sure, that’s the goal but meeting it could be overwhelming or difficult if your e-commerce platform isn’t proper for such a scale-up. Flexibility and freedom to rearrange your ecosystem give you just the boost to outsmart competitors and meet your audience where they’re at. 

And there are so many headless options you can try out. In this article, we’ve gathered solutions we particularly recommend as a headless & composable commerce web development company.

How Do Headless Commerce Platforms & CMS Support Your Online Store? 

Adding more effective analytical tools, connecting the platform with the ERP of your choice, speeding up the performance, personalizing the checkout, or modifying any content quickly… All matter. And this is where headless commerce comes in, making it quicker, easier, or – sometimes – even possible.

Headless platforms separate the front-end presentation layer from the back-end functionality. Here are some of the key benefits of headless commerce for your business:

• Flexibility & Customization: Design a unique and engaging user experience (UX) tailored to your brand. Integrate the front end with any framework (React, Vue.js, etc.) for ultimate design freedom.

• Omnichannel Marketing: Deliver a consistent brand experience across multiple touchpoints – mobile apps, kiosks, smart displays – by managing content through a central e-commerce headless CMS.

• Scalability & Agility: Easily integrate new features and functionalities as your business grows. Update content and product information without affecting the front-end presentation.

• Improved Performance: Headless architecture often leads to faster loading times due to the separation of concerns between presentation and data processing.

Headless CMS & Platforms vs. Traditional Solutions In E-commerce

Traditional e-commerce platforms offer an all-in-one solution, bundling the front-end and back-end functionalities. While this might seem convenient for small businesses starting, it comes with limitations:

• Limited Customization: Restricted design templates make it difficult to differentiate your brand and create a unique user experience.

• Integration Challenges: Integrating third-party applications and marketing tools can be complex or even impossible.

• Scalability Issues: Scaling the platform as your business grows can be expensive and time-consuming.

What Distinguishes The Architecture of Headless E-commerce Platforms?

Headless commerce revolutionizes digital retail by separating back-end content management from front-end presentation, using APIs for seamless communication. This architecture offers unprecedented flexibility, allowing for customizable shopping experiences across various devices.

How Do You Implement Headless Commerce?

For each headless e-commerce platform, you usually need to choose a headless CMS that will work with it. However, it’s not always the case as this approach is adaptable; businesses can choose integrated solutions or separate systems for more control.

• The Headless CMS manages content like product descriptions and blog posts, enabling updates or pages’ look and feel rearrangement. Basically, it’s a tool that lets content marketers or e-commerce specialists add and modify content or arrange the look & feel of the particular pages of the website. What’s additionally great though, is that developers have the freedom to use any technology to create engaging interfaces, ensuring content shines on every platform.

• The Headless E-commerce Platform handles e-commerce essentials – product management, inventory, orders, check-outs, payment methods, and other back-end functionalities – integrating smoothly with the CMS for content and ensuring efficient transactions with its APIs.

Both headless CMS and headless e-commerce platforms are complemented by a huge range of API-based third-party tools & integrations you’re free to choose, test out, and exchange. When implemented, they can take over some of the tasks initially reserved for e-commerce platforms, such as:

• onsite search engines

• order management systems

• checkout personalization tools

• analytical tools

• marketing automation solutions

• product management

That way, you can arrange your e-commerce ecosystem just the way you want it. Most platforms and CMSs have ready-made integrations or plugins that you can use when connecting these tools as well as a range of third-party tools.

Headless CMS for E-commerce - When To Choose Existing Platforms & When To Go For A Custom One?

• Existing Platforms: Opt for a pre-built headless commerce platform like Shopify Plus or BigCommerce if you need a scalable solution with a robust feature set that doesn't require extensive customization. These platforms offer pre-built integrations with popular headless CMS solutions. 

Note: both Shopify Plus and BigCommerce aren’t headless by default; to become headless, they should be implemented with this specific approach in mind. Once it happens, and paired with a headless CMS, they become a powerful e-commerce asset.

• Custom CMS Development: Choose a custom headless CMS for e-commerce if you have highly specific business needs, a large product catalog, or require a very unique front-end design. This approach offers maximum flexibility but requires significant development resources and ongoing maintenance.

Note: though ultra-personalized, custom headless CMS isn’t required to maintain a highly efficient e-commerce platform. You’ll run your online store with hundreds of thousands of products very well with an established headless CMS. And you’ll still be able to customize almost anything you want to.

Best Headless E-commerce Platforms & CMSs - A List With Comparison

Here's a quick comparison of some leading e-commerce platforms & CMSs, which can tell you which headless solution will be most convenient for your headless e-commerce website.

1. Shopify & Shopify Plus (E-commerce Platforms)

Shopify & Shopify Plus are leading e-commerce platforms that enable businesses to create and manage online stores with ease. They offer a user-friendly interface, a vast selection of apps and integrations, and scalability to accommodate businesses of all sizes.

They’re both part of the Shopify ecosystem, however, they’re designed to cater to different business sizes and needs. If you don’t know which to choose, read our article about the difference between Shopify vs Shopify Plus.

Three great features to consider:

• Extensive App Store: Platforms boast a comprehensive app store offering a vast selection of apps and Shopify & Shopify Plus integrations. This allows businesses to enhance their store's functionality and tailor it to their specific requirements, from marketing automation to advanced shipping solutions. And you can also independently create Shopify app that you need the most.

• Robust Marketing Tools: Shopify and Shopify Plus provide a suite of marketing tools, including SEO features, customizable storefronts, and social media integration. These tools are designed to help businesses increase visibility, drive traffic, and boost conversions. Additionally, Shopify Plus offers enhanced marketing capabilities like automation and segmentation that are particularly useful for large-scale campaigns.

• Omnichannel Selling: Shopify & Shopify Plus empower businesses to sell across multiple channels, including online storefronts, social media platforms, and marketplaces. This provides a cohesive shopping experience for customers and maximizes sales opportunities.

Shopify is best for:

• Small to Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs): Well-suited for businesses seeking a user-friendly platform with robust features and the ability to scale as their business grows.

Shopify Plus benefits are best for:

• Companies seeking customized solutions with great performance granted: Offers high-volume businesses and enterprises the ability to create highly customized shopping experiences that can handle large amounts of traffic and transactions seamlessly 

Both Shopify & Shopify Plus are best for: 

• Businesses with diverse, high-volume product catalogs: Can handle a wide range of products, from physical goods to digital downloads and subscriptions.

• E-commerce needing to enter omnichannel: Provides extensive omnichannel capabilities, allowing businesses to sell through multiple channels (online, in-person, social media, online marketplaces) while managing everything from a single platform.

Potential drawbacks:

• While Shopify & Shopify Plus offer extensive customization options, some advanced functionalities may require additional coding or third-party integrations. However, it is one of the better platforms that grow with your business.

Read more about the Shopify documentation

2. BigCommerce (E-commerce Platform)

BigCommerce is a leading e-commerce platform designed to empower businesses to build, manage, and scale their online stores. It offers a user-friendly interface and robust features to handle growing sales volume and complex product catalogs.

Three great features to consider:

• Open SaaS Architecture: BigCommerce is an Open SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) solution. This means you're not limited to pre-built features or functionalities. BigCommerce allows for extensive customization through plugins, APIs, and headless integrations. 

• Built-in Scalability: The platform is built to handle high volumes of traffic and complex product structures. It can effortlessly scale to accommodate an expanding product range, increasing sales, and new markets. This eliminates the need for costly and time-consuming platform migrations down the line.

• Omnichannel Selling Power: It empowers businesses to sell across multiple channels, including mobile apps, social media platforms, and online marketplaces. It also integrates seamlessly with various marketing and sales tools, allowing you to manage your entire omnichannel commerce strategy from a centralized platform.

Best for:

• Scaling Businesses: If you're expecting rapid growth, BigCommerce's scalability and open architecture ensure your platform can keep pace with your ambition. This makes it a perfect fit for businesses on a fast track to success.

• Businesses with Complex Products: Selling technical products with intricate variations or fashion items with multiple size and color options? BigCommerce excels at handling large product inventories with complex features and variations. This ensures your customers have a smooth and informative shopping experience.

• Businesses Targeting Global Markets: BigCommerce facilitates omnichannel selling and integrates with various internationalization tools. This makes it a strong choice for businesses aiming to expand their reach into new markets. By offering a localized shopping experience, you can effectively cater to a global audience.

Potential drawbacks:

• Although BigCommerce offers headless functionality, the level of design customization might be slightly less extensive compared to open-source options. However, it is still a great solution for some businesses.

Documentation from BigCommerce 

3. Commercetools (E-commerce Platform)

Commercetools is a unique headless e-commerce platform designed for businesses that prioritize creating immersive brand experiences across various touchpoints. It prioritizes flexibility and scalability, empowering businesses to tailor the customer journey to their specific needs.

Three great features to consider:

• Effortless Ecosystem Integration: Commercetools boasts an expansive API portfolio, enabling seamless connection with your existing B2C and B2B commerce channels, as well as various digital ecosystems. This ensures a unified customer experience across all touchpoints, regardless of where your customers interact with your brand.

• Advanced Analytics: It integrates powerful analytics tools to analyze customer data and gain actionable insights. You can identify trends, predict purchase behavior, and segment your audience for targeted marketing campaigns, ultimately optimizing your marketing strategies for maximum impact.

• Speedier Navigation and Checkout: Improved rendering speeds ensure lightning-fast page load times and a smooth browsing experience. This, combined with business unit customization capabilities, allows buyers to find the products they need faster. The ability to personalize the shopping experience for different departments or customer segments further streamlines product discovery. 

Best for:

• Businesses with Complex Sales Processes: Facilitated B2B transactions with customizable features and automated workflows will enable organizations to personalize the purchasing journey according to their specific requirements.

• Innovators in E-commerce: Businesses that push the boundaries of e-commerce, such as those implementing IoT (Internet of Things) integrations or advanced AI-driven recommendations, will find Commercetools' flexible and scalable architecture especially advantageous.

• Organizations Prioritizing Agile Operations: For companies that need to iterate quickly and adapt to market changes or customer demands, Commercetools provides the agility required to update and deploy new features rapidly without downtime or disruptions.

Potential drawbacks:

• Due to its API-first nature and headless architecture, Commercetools might require a steeper learning curve compared to user-friendly e-commerce platforms. On the other hand, the use of artificial intelligence to automate repetitive activities and draw valuable conclusions from data is its undoubted advantage.

Let's look at the materials from Commercetools

4. Spryker (E-commerce Platform)

Spryker stands out in the headless commerce realm by offering a Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) solution built on a headless foundation. It caters to businesses seeking a feature-rich, pre-built platform for headless commerce.

Three great features to consider:

• Empowering Customers with Digital Self-Service: Spryker fosters customer autonomy through a robust digital self-service portal. This portal centralizes all essential information and functionalities, including order history, product updates, service data, and knowledge base articles. Customers can manage accounts, track orders, access self-service options, and find answers independently, reducing support team workload and enhancing customer satisfaction.

• Unlocking Revenue Streams with Product as a Service (PaaS): It facilitates the implementation of PaaS models, enabling businesses to offer flexible rental or subscription options for their products. These capabilities streamline PaaS management, including configurable product bundles, flexible pricing models, and integrated inventory management.

• Driving Sales with Enhanced Visual Commerce: The platform recognizes the power of visual storytelling in e-commerce. Spryker integrates seamlessly with Visual Commerce solutions, allowing businesses to create immersive and interactive product experiences.

Best for:

• Headless B2B E-commerce: Spryker excels in B2B e-commerce due to its robust features tailored to meet the specific needs of businesses selling to other businesses. It offers features such as bulk ordering, custom pricing and discounts, account management, multiple buyer roles, complex product configurations, and integration capabilities with existing ERP systems. 

• Enterprise Marketplaces: The platform provides a powerful foundation for building and managing enterprise-level marketplaces. With its modular architecture and extensive customization options, Spryker enables businesses to create highly scalable and customizable marketplaces that can accommodate multiple vendors, diverse product catalogs, and complex transaction flows.

• Unified Commerce: It offers a unified commerce platform that integrates various sales channels, including online stores, mobile apps, social media, and offline touchpoints, into a seamless omnichannel experience. This enables businesses to deliver consistent branding, product information, pricing, and promotions across all channels, enhancing customer engagement and driving sales.

Potential drawbacks:

• Spryker’s comprehensive and modular nature, while a significant advantage, may present a challenge in terms of initial setup complexity and ongoing management, particularly for businesses with limited internal technical resources.

Find out more about the Spryker

5. Swell Commerce (E-commerce Platform)

Swell Commerce is a user-friendly headless e-commerce platform designed for businesses of various sizes and models. It caters to B2B, B2C, and specific commerce needs, offering a scalable and versatile solution.

Three great features to consider:

• Built-in Loyalty and Rewards Programs: Swell Commerce comes equipped with robust loyalty and rewards features, allowing businesses to incentivize customer engagement and foster brand loyalty. This includes the ability to create customizable loyalty programs, offer points for purchases and referrals, and redeem rewards for discounts or exclusive perks. 

• Unified Customer Data and Insights: It provides a unified view of customer data and insights, enabling businesses to gain a deeper understanding of their audience and tailor their marketing strategies accordingly. This includes tracking customer behavior, preferences, and purchase history across various channels and touchpoints.

• Flexible Subscription and Recurring Billing: The platform offers flexible subscription and recurring billing features, enabling businesses to monetize subscription-based products and services while providing customers with convenient payment options. This includes support for various billing models, such as monthly, quarterly, or annual subscriptions, as well as customizable billing cycles and automated billing management. 

Best for:

• Customer-Centric E-commerce Brands: It is ideal for e-commerce brands prioritizing customer retention and lifetime value. Businesses can leverage Swell Commerce to implement engaging loyalty programs that drive customer engagement, increase brand affinity, and ultimately boost sales and revenue.

• Data-Driven E-commerce Businesses: The platform is well-suited for e-commerce businesses seeking to leverage data-driven insights to enhance their marketing effectiveness and drive revenue growth. 

• Subscription-Based E-commerce Ventures: Swell Commerce is an excellent choice for e-commerce ventures looking to launch or optimize subscription-based offerings. Whether selling subscription boxes, membership programs, or software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions, businesses can leverage Swell Commerce's subscription management capabilities to streamline the billing process, enhance customer convenience, and maximize recurring revenue potential.

Potential drawbacks:

• While Swell Commerce offers a robust suite of features, it may not encompass all the advanced functionalities found in some more complex headless platforms. This might limit businesses looking for highly specific customizations or those needing to integrate deeply complex systems.

Documentation of Swell Commerce

6. Storyblok (Headless CMS)

Storyblok, as an e-commerce headless CMS, empowers users to easily create, manage, and publish digital content. It offers a visual editor and a flexible API for seamless integration with various front-end frameworks.

Three great features to consider:

• Visual Editor: Storyblok boasts a user-friendly visual editor that allows non-technical users to create and manage content without needing coding knowledge.

• Global Assets: Manage and reuse global assets, like images and videos, across different content types, ensuring consistency throughout your project.

• Dynamic Content Management: The ability to manage dynamic content elements, such as live product information, reviews, and customer testimonials, helps businesses keep their online presence fresh and engaging.

Best for:

• Growing E-commerce Businesses: As businesses grow, Storyblok’s flexible content structures and rich APIs allow for the seamless scaling of content management processes, supporting an expanding product range and entry into new markets.

• High-Volume Retailers and Global Brands: Storyblok facilitates omnichannel content delivery, enabling brands to maintain consistency and update content across all touchpoints—from web and mobile apps to in-store screens and social media—through a single platform.

• Innovative and Complex E-commerce Projects: Developers can leverage Storyblok’s APIs and SDKs to create bespoke e-commerce experiences, from custom product configurators to interactive customer journeys, without being constrained by the limitations of traditional CMS platforms.

• Multilingual E-commerce Sites: Storyblok natively supports multi-language content, enabling businesses to easily manage and deploy their e-commerce sites in multiple languages from a single content repository, crucial for global brands aiming to cater to a worldwide audience.

Potential drawbacks:

• Storyblok's pricing plans can be slightly higher compared to some basic headless CMS options. However, its flexibility and simplicity of creating a website using templates speak in its favor.

Here you are, it’s your Storyblok documentation.

7. Strapi (Headless CMS)

Strapi is a leading open-source headless CMS that empowers users to create, manage, and publish digital content with ease. It boasts a user-friendly interface, a flexible data model, and a powerful API for seamless integration with various front-end frameworks.

Three great features to consider:

• Custom Content Modeling: Strapi offers a highly flexible data model, allowing businesses to define and structure their content according to their specific needs. This feature is particularly beneficial for e-commerce businesses with unique product catalogs or complex content requirements, such as those selling customizable products, subscription-based services, or niche items. 

• Extensive Integration Capabilities & Plugin System: Strapi's powerful API enables seamless integration with various front-end frameworks, third-party services, and external systems. This feature is invaluable for e-commerce businesses seeking to create cohesive digital experiences across multiple channels and touchpoints.

• Real-Time Content Management: Strapi supports real-time content editing and publishing, which is crucial for e-commerce platforms needing to update their content dynamically. This feature ensures that promotions, product changes, and content updates can be pushed live without delays, keeping the digital storefront current and competitive.

Best for:

• Niche E-commerce Businesses: Strapi is ideal for niche e-commerce businesses that require tailored content modeling to effectively showcase their products or services. Whether selling artisanal goods, specialty foods, or handcrafted items, businesses can leverage Strapi's customizable content structures to create compelling product presentations and engage their audience on a deeper level.

• Growing E-commerce Enterprises: It is also well-suited for growing e-commerce enterprises looking to expand their digital ecosystem and integrate disparate systems for enhanced efficiency and scalability. Whether scaling their operations, launching new marketing initiatives, or adopting emerging technologies, businesses can rely on Strapi to serve as a centralized hub for managing and distributing digital content across their organization.

• Security-Conscious E-commerce Brands: The platform is a good choice for e-commerce brands prioritizing data security and compliance with industry regulations. Whether operating in highly regulated sectors (healthcare or finance) or simply aiming to build trust and credibility with their customers.

Potential drawbacks:

• While Strapi's open-source nature offers extensive customization opportunities, setting up and optimizing these custom features can require specific technical expertise, particularly for larger or more complex deployments. It’s very important to choose a web development company with significant Strapi development experience.

Check out the Documentation of Strapi 

8. Sanity (Headless CMS)

Sanity is a powerful and user-friendly headless CMS designed for managing structured content. It offers a flexible data model, a visual content editor, and a robust API for seamless integration with various front-end frameworks.

Three great features to consider:

• Structured Content Modeling: Sanity offers a flexible and structured content modeling approach, allowing businesses to define and organize their content according to their specific needs. This feature is particularly beneficial for e-commerce businesses with diverse product catalogs or complex content requirements. 

• Real-Time Collaboration and Version Control: This CMS facilitates real-time collaboration and version control, enabling teams to work seamlessly and efficiently on content creation and management tasks. This includes features such as real-time editing, comments and annotations, and granular revision history tracking.

• Rich Media Management: With robust support for rich media, Sanity allows businesses to integrate video content seamlessly into their platforms, enhancing user engagement and conversion rates. The CMS ensures that media-rich sites remain fast and responsive, critical for maintaining high performance and user satisfaction during browsing and shopping.

Best for:

• Content-Driven E-commerce Brands: This CMS is ideal for e-commerce brands prioritizing content quality and storytelling to engage their audience and drive conversions. Whether curating editorial content, showcasing product features, or highlighting customer testimonials, businesses can leverage Sanity's structured content modeling capabilities to create compelling narratives that resonate with their target audience. 

• Agile E-commerce Teams: Sanity is well-suited for e-commerce teams operating in fast-paced environments and requiring agile content management processes. Whether coordinating marketing campaigns, updating product information, or launching new landing pages, businesses can rely on Sanity's collaborative features to drive alignment across departments, resulting in more efficient content production and deployment.

• Omnichannel E-commerce Strategies: It is an excellent choice for e-commerce businesses aiming to deliver consistent and personalized experiences across multiple channels and touchpoints. 

Potential drawbacks:

• Despite its powerful capabilities and flexible design, Sanity's rich feature set and advanced content modeling systems can present a steep learning curve for non-technical users or teams transitioning from more traditional CMS platforms. This could lead to longer onboarding times and require additional training to fully leverage the platform's capabilities. However, with great support from a CMS development company, it’s doable!

Check out the Documentation of Sanity

Best Headless CMS for E-commerce Business - For More Effective Content Management

Now we can examine features that distinguish the best headless CMS and impact the effectiveness of content management. 

For example, Storyblok prioritizes content management flexibility.  It leverages independent APIs to streamline integration with various distribution channels. This empowers content creators to easily publish content across blogs, social media platforms, and email marketing campaigns.

Whereas hallmarks of Strapi are its open-source nature and a large, active user community. This translates to faster content creation workflows. A wealth of plugins and extensions are readily available, allowing content managers to customize the platform to fit their specific content needs without extensive coding knowledge.

Additionally, Sanity's flexible content modeling empowers content creators to structure and manage content types precisely, ensuring a well-organized content library.

In this way, headless CMSs enable effective content management through flexibility, scalability, and openness to innovation.

How Do Headless Platforms Work With Different Tools?

The magic of headless architecture lies in its ability to work with a variety of tools beyond just traditional CMS platforms. Here's a breakdown of how individual headless platforms might integrate with different tools:

Marketing Automation Tools (e.g., Mailchimp, HubSpot)

Headless platforms can often integrate with marketing automation tools via APIs. This allows you to leverage customer data stored in the headless platform to personalize email campaigns, trigger automated workflows, and deliver targeted content based on user behavior.

Analytics & Reporting Tools (e.g., Google Analytics, Tableau)

Many headless platforms offer built-in analytics or integrate with external tools for performance tracking. This allows you to measure content effectiveness, and user engagement, and track key performance indicators (KPIs) across all channels.

Social Media Management Tools (e.g., Sprout Social, Hootsuite)

When deciding on a headless platform can connect with social media management tools to streamline content scheduling and publishing across various social media platforms.

Headless E-commerce CMS & Platforms as a Key to Achieving Evolving Business Goals

Headless platforms and CMS empower you to achieve your evolving business goals in several key ways:

• Enhanced Customer Experience: Deliver personalized content experiences across all channels, fostering customer engagement and loyalty.

• Improved Agility: Make content updates and deploy new features rapidly without impacting your entire storefront.

• Omnichannel Marketing: Effortlessly manage and deliver content across various platforms like mobile apps, social media, and email marketing campaigns.

• Future-Proof Technology: Headless architecture empowers you to adapt to new technologies and business models with ease.

• Scalability: Accommodate business growth seamlessly by integrating additional features and functionalities.

Remember: Choosing the right Headless CMS and integrating it effectively with your e-commerce platform requires careful consideration. Evaluate your specific needs, partner with experienced developers if needed, and leverage the power of headless e-commerce CMS to unlock the full potential of your online store.

Do you know the benefits of headless E-commerce Platforms & CMSs and what's next?

Naturaily, as an expert in custom e-commerce development, specializes in implementing headless commerce and headless CMS.

Thanks to this, you can be sure that the whole process will run smoothly, and you will be able to delve into functionalities after the work is completed. Contact us to find out more!