Top 7 CMSs to consider for your Angular project

Angular is a popular framework for building dynamic web apps. It's great for handling complex applications, offering features like reactive programming and a structured way to manage components. But when it comes to managing content, things can get tricky.

Hardcoding content into components doesn't scale, and relying on a database for everything slows down development. That's where a CMS (Content Management System) comes in. The right CMS makes it easier to handle content separately while keeping your Angular app flexible and efficient.

However, not all CMSs play well with Angular. Some offer better APIs, better performance, or more customization. In this article, I'll share seven solid options that work seamlessly with Angular, making it easier to pick the best one for your project.

#What to consider when choosing a CMS for Angular

The first big decision when picking a CMS for an Angular project is whether to go with a headless or traditional CMS.

Traditional CMSes like WordPress or Drupal were built for monolithic websites, where content management and front-end rendering are tightly coupled. That approach doesn't work well with Angular, which is purely a front-end framework.

A headless CMS, on the other hand, separates content management from presentation. It provides content via an API (usually REST or GraphQL), allowing Angular to fetch and render data however it wants. This flexibility is why most modern Angular projects work best with headless CMSs.

Beyond that, here are the key factors to consider:

1. API-first approach: Angular doesn't have a built-in backend, so your CMS needs to provide a solid API for fetching content dynamically. A good choice should have a well-documented REST or GraphQL API, allowing you to structure data the way you need. GraphQL, in particular, works well with Angular's reactive patterns, letting you request only the data you need.

2. Performance matters: If the CMS is slow, your app will be slow. Look for a CMS with fast response times, caching mechanisms, and a reliable content delivery network (CDN). This ensures your content loads quickly, even if you're dealing with high traffic.

3. Flexibility in content modeling: Your CMS should let you define content structures that match your project's needs. Some CMSs enforce rigid templates, while others allow you to create flexible content types with custom fields. If your project requires highly structured content (like a documentation site or multi-language support), flexibility is key.

4. Developer experience: A CMS should make your job easier, not harder. Good documentation, SDKs, and a strong developer community help speed up development and troubleshooting. If you have to dig through endless docs or fight against poor API design, it's not worth it.

5. Collaboration features: If content editors, marketers, or other non-developers will be managing content, the CMS should have a clean, intuitive UI. Role-based access control (RBAC) is also useful, allowing you to define who can edit what without breaking things.

Considering these factors will help you choose a CMS that works well with Angular, scales with your needs, and makes content management seamless. Now, let's look at the top CMSs that check these boxes.

#Top 7 CMSs for Angular

Now that we've covered what to look for in a CMS, let's get into the best options available for Angular projects.

Each of these CMSs offers unique advantages, to help you make the right choice depending on your project's needs, whether you're building a large-scale enterprise application, a high-traffic content site, or an interactive web app.

1. Hygraph

Hygraph is one of the most advanced headless CMSs built for modern applications, making it a great choice for Angular projects. As a GraphQL-native CMS, it provides a highly efficient API that lets you query only the data you need, reducing unnecessary API calls and improving performance.

One of Hygraph's biggest advantages is its flexibility. Unlike traditional CMSs that enforce rigid templates, Hygraph allows you to model your content however you want. You can create custom content types, define complex relationships, and localize content for different markets - all without being limited by a predefined structure.

Another standout feature is content federation. If you're pulling content from multiple sources like an external API, another CMS, or a database, Hygraph lets you unify everything into a single API.

Here are some other features of Hygraph:

• Flexible content modeling: Define custom content types, relationships, and fields without being restricted by predefined templates.
• Localization support: Manage multi-language content within the CMS and serve localized versions dynamically.
• Scalable and cloud-hosted: Runs on a global CDN with built-in caching for fast, high-performance content delivery.
• Management API: Automate schema updates and content workflows programmatically.
• RBAC: Set permissions for different users to ensure secure collaboration.

Pros:

• GraphQL-first approach ensures efficient, structured data fetching.
• Seamless Angular integration via Apollo Client.
• Flexible content modeling with no rigid structures.
• Scalable and cloud-hosted, making it enterprise-ready.
• Content federation allows unifying multiple content sources without extra middleware.
• Robust localization support for multi-language applications.
• Fast API response times with caching and a global CDN.

Cons:

• No built-in frontend rendering - It's purely headless, so developers must handle the UI.
• Pricing scales with usage, which can get expensive for large applications.
• Requires some familiarity with GraphQL if you've only worked with REST APIs.

From a developer experience perspective, Hygraph is well-documented and straightforward to integrate.

In terms of pricing, Hygraph offers a free Hobby plan for personal projects, including 2 locales, 3 seats, unlimited asset storage, and live preview features. See the pricing page for more information.

Hygraph is an excellent choice for Angular projects that need structured content, GraphQL efficiency, and the ability to unify multiple content sources. It's especially useful for multi-language applications, large-scale content platforms, and teams that need fine-grained access control.

However, if you prefer a CMS with built-in frontend rendering or aren't comfortable working with GraphQL, you may want to explore alternatives.

2. Strapi

Strapi is an open-source, self-hostable, headless CMS that gives developers full control over their content and API structure.

Unlike SaaS-based CMSs like Hygraph, Strapi lets you host it on your own infrastructure or use Strapi Cloud. It's a great choice for teams that need deep customization, plugin support, and full ownership of their backend.

One of Strapi's defining features is its API-first approach, allowing developers to quickly generate REST or GraphQL APIs from a visual Content-Type Builder. This makes setting up structured content easy, especially for Angular apps that need to consume data dynamically via HttpClient or Apollo Client.

Here are some key features of Strapi:

• API-first (REST & GraphQL): Retrieve content dynamically via auto-generated APIs.
• Content-Type Builder: Define content structures visually without backend coding.
• Customization and plugins: Extend functionality, modify APIs, or install marketplace plugins.
• Dynamic zones: Allow content editors to build and adjust pages without developer help.
• Authentication and permissions: Secure API access with JWT, OAuth, and detailed user roles.
• Self-hosting or cloud: Deploy on your own infrastructure or use Strapi Cloud.

Pros:

• Open-source & self-hostable, avoiding SaaS pricing lock-in.
• Highly customizable, allowing deep API and UI modifications.
• Supports both REST & GraphQL, giving flexibility in data fetching.
• Fast setup with auto-generated APIs from content models.
• Rich plugin marketplace for extending functionality.

Cons:

• Requires more setup compared to fully hosted CMS solutions.
• Dynamic Zones can be tricky for highly structured content needs.

When it comes to deployment flexibility, Strapi can be self-hosted for free, making it budget-friendly for developers who don't want SaaS pricing. Strapi Cloud (starting at $15/month) provides a fully managed infrastructure with PostgreSQL, auto-scaling, and CDN support, but at a higher cost than some hosted alternatives.

Strapi is a great choice for developers who want full control over their CMS, prefer self-hosting, and need API customization. It's ideal for projects that require flexibility, plugins, and a fully customizable backend.

3. Contentful

Contentful is one of the most well-known API-first headless CMSs. It is designed to help businesses create, manage, and deliver content across multiple digital platforms.

Unlike self-hosted solutions like Strapi, Contentful is a fully cloud-based, SaaS CMS that prioritizes speed, scalability, and enterprise-level features.

A major selling point of Contentful is its structured content approach, which makes it easy to create reusable content models for different platforms. Instead of building separate content versions for websites, mobile apps, and IoT devices, Contentful allows you to define content types once and reuse them across multiple channels via its REST or GraphQL API. This makes it a great fit for large-scale projects where content consistency is critical.

Integration with Contentful is straightforward for Angular developers. Using the Contentful JavaScript SDK, you can quickly set up an Angular service to fetch and display content. It works seamlessly with Angular's HttpClient module, making API calls efficient and easy to manage.

Some key features of Contentful include:

• API-First Architecture-Retrieve content via REST or GraphQL APIs for seamless integration with Angular.
• Contentful Studio-A no-code interface for content editors to manage and structure content visually.
• Structured Content Model-Create reusable content types for multiple platforms (web, mobile, IoT, etc.).
• Advanced Localization-Manage content in multiple languages with built-in translation workflows.
• Scalability & Performance-Cloud-native with global CDN, caching, and auto-scaling for fast content delivery.
• Secure & Enterprise-Ready-SOC 2 compliance, role-based permissions, and enterprise-grade security.

Pros:

• Enterprise-level scalability, built for high-traffic websites and global brands.
• Fully cloud-based, removing the need for server management.
• Intuitive UI for content editors, reducing reliance on developers.
• Strong localization & multi-language support.
• GraphQL support for efficient data fetching.

Cons:

• Pricing can be steep for businesses, starting at $300/month for paid plans.
• Limited free plan, with restrictions on API calls and content types.
• Less developer flexibility, as it lacks self-hosting and deep backend customization.

If you need a high-performance CMS with enterprise scalability, Contentful is a solid choice. It offers AI-powered content workflows and integrations. The Lite plan starts at $300/month, while enterprise users get custom pricing with unlimited API calls and premium support.

But if you're looking for a more customizable or budget-friendly option, Strapi or Hygraph might be better suited for your needs. Contentful's full pricing breakdown is available here.

4. Sanity

Sanity is a developer-first, API-driven headless CMS designed for structured content and real-time collaboration.

Sanity offers a fully customizable content backend with an all-code approach, making it a powerful choice for developers who want complete control over content workflows, APIs, and front-end integrations.

What sets Sanity apart is its Content Lake, a fully decoupled backend that stores structured content in real-time. This means content updates are instantly reflected in your Angular app, eliminating the need for scheduled syncs or manual API polling.

For developers, Sanity's query language, GROQ (Graph-Relational Object Queries), offers a flexible way to fetch, filter, and transform content efficiently. While GraphQL is also supported, GROQ provides more powerful querying capabilities tailored to structured content. This makes Sanity particularly well-suited for projects with complex relationships between content types.

Integration with Angular is straightforward. Sanity provides a JavaScript client that works seamlessly with Angular's HttpClient module, allowing you to retrieve and manipulate content efficiently.

Here are some key features that Sanity provides:

• Content Lake: A real-time backend that stores structured content for instant updates.
• Sanity Studio: A fully customizable React-based content editing environment.
• GROQ query language: Fetch and filter content with advanced querying capabilities.
• GraphQL support: Alternative API for structured content retrieval.
• Real-time collaboration: Multiple users can edit content simultaneously without conflicts.
• Localization tools: Built-in support for multi-language content distribution.

Pros:

• Instant content updates; there is no need for scheduled syncs.
• Highly customizable, allowing developers to define the CMS experience.
• Supports both GROQ and GraphQL, giving flexibility in data fetching.
• Strong real-time collaboration tools, ideal for editorial teams.
• Cheaper than Contentful for small teams, with scalable pricing.

Cons:

• Requires developer setup, unlike plug-and-play SaaS CMSs.
• GROQ has a learning curve, especially for developers used to GraphQL.
• No built-in UI for content editors, everything must be configured.

Pricing-wise, Sanity offers a Free plan for individuals, while the Growth plan starts at $15 per user/month, providing additional collaboration tools like AI Assist and content releases. Enterprise solutions come with custom roles, SSO, dedicated infrastructure, and advanced security features. You can explore more details on the Sanity pricing page.

Compared to Contentful, Sanity provides more customization options and developer flexibility at a lower starting price but requires more hands-on setup.

5. Storyblok

Storyblok is a hybrid headless CMS that combines the flexibility of an API-first CMS with a visual editor that marketers and content teams love.

Unlike purely developer-focused headless CMSs, Storyblok stands out by offering a real-time, component-based editing experience while still giving developers the freedom to build with Angular and other modern frameworks.

One of Storyblok's biggest strengths is its visual editing experience. Unlike most headless CMSs, which require developers to preview changes in a separate staging environment, Storyblok's Live Preview lets marketers and content creators edit content directly on the page. This makes it an appealing choice for businesses that need both flexibility and usability in their content workflow.

For developers, Storyblok offers a component-based approach to content management. Instead of rigid content models, Storyblok uses "Bloks" — reusable, nestable components that make it easy to build dynamic and flexible layouts.

Here are some key features of Storyblok:

• Live visual editing: Edit and preview content in real time without needing a separate staging environment.
• Component-based content model: Uses "Bloks" to create reusable, modular content structures.
• GraphQL and REST APIs: Fetch structured content efficiently for any frontend framework.
• Enterprise-grade performance: Global CDN, automatic caching, and built-in security compliance.
• Multi-language support: Manage localized content with built-in translation workflows.

Pros:

• Best-in-class visual editing experience, reducing reliance on developers.
• Component-based content modeling.
• Supports both GraphQL & REST, offering API flexibility.
• Scalable infrastructure with built-in performance optimizations.
• Strong security and compliance, making it enterprise-ready.

Cons:

• Higher pricing for advanced features, starting at $90/month for teams.
• More structured than fully flexible CMSs like Strapi, limiting deep backend customization.
• Can be overkill for developers who don't need visual editing features.

When it comes to pricing, Storyblok offers an Entry plan at €99/month, which includes essential collaboration features for growing teams. If you need more scalability, additional seats, or enterprise-grade capabilities, you can explore their Business and Enterprise plans on the Storyblok pricing page.

For Angular developers looking for a headless CMS with a powerful visual editor, Storyblok is a great option. However, if you prefer a purely API-driven CMS without the need for visual content management, alternatives like Hygraph or Contentful may be a better fit.

6. ButterCMS

ButterCMS is a lightweight, API-first headless CMS designed for fast, hassle-free content management.

Unlike some of the more complex headless CMSs, ButterCMS focuses on simplicity, speed, and ease of integration, making it a great choice for Angular developers who want an out-of-the-box solution without the overhead of managing infrastructure.

ButterCMS is particularly well-suited for marketing-driven websites. Its intuitive UI and drag-and-drop page builder allows content teams to create and manage landing pages, blog posts, and product pages without requiring developer intervention. This makes it an attractive option for startups, SaaS companies, and e-commerce businesses looking for a developer-friendly yet marketer-friendly CMS.

For Angular projects, ButterCMS offers a simple drop-in API and SDK, enabling developers to fetch and display content within minutes. It supports server-side rendering (SSR) with Angular Universal, making it a strong option for SEO-driven projects.

Here are some key features:

• Simple API integration: Easily fetch and display content via REST API or SDKs for Angular.
• Zero-maintenance CMS: Fully managed SaaS solution with built-in security, hosting, and scaling.
• SEO-friendly: Comes with metadata fields, dynamic URLs, and structured content for better rankings.
• Drag-and-drop page builder: Allows marketing teams to create and manage content independently.
• Multi-site and multi-channel support: Manage content across multiple brands, apps, or websites.
• Angular Universal support: Enables server-side rendering (SSR) for improved performance and SEO.

Pros:

• Quick setup, with Angular SDK and simple API calls.
• Fully managed, removing the need for infrastructure maintenance.
• Built-in SEO tools, eliminating the need for third-party plugins.
• Intuitive UI and page builder, making it easy for non-developers to manage content.
• Affordable pricing compared to enterprise-grade CMSs.

Cons:

• Less flexible than self-hosted CMSs like Strapi or Sanity.
• Advanced features (multi-language, user roles) are locked behind higher-tier plans.
• No GraphQL support, unlike other headless CMS options.

For pricing, ButterCMS provides a 14-day free trial and starts with the Micro plan at $99/month, which includes 3 users, 5 pages, and 50 blog posts. Higher plans unlock additional features like multi-language support, advanced permissions, and enterprise-grade scalability. You can explore the full details on their pricing page.

If your Angular project needs fast setup, minimal maintenance, and a CMS that empowers marketers, ButterCMS could be a solid choice. However, if you're looking for a highly customizable backend or self-hosting options, alternatives like Strapi or Sanity may be a better fit.

7. Builder.io

Builder.io is a visual headless CMS that goes beyond traditional content management by offering a drag-and-drop editor, AI-powered design-to-code features, and seamless developer integration.

Unlike most CMSs, which focus purely on structured content, Builder.io empowers teams to build pages, manage content, and optimize experiences — all without needing constant engineering support.

For Angular developers, Builder.io provides a native Angular SDK, making it easy to integrate its visual editor and structured content API into your applications. Whether you're working on marketing websites, e-commerce storefronts, or enterprise applications, Builder.io allows you to visually compose content while keeping everything under developer control.

Builder.io is also API-first, providing a GraphQL-based headless CMS that enables Angular applications to fetch and display content dynamically. It supports SSR and static site generation (SSG), ensuring SEO-friendly performance while allowing for real-time content updates.

Key features of Builder.io include:

• Visual Editor: Drag and drop to create pages using Angular components.
• Headless CMS API: GraphQL-based structured content API for dynamic content delivery.
• AI-powered design-to-code: Converts Figma designs into production-ready Angular code.
• A/B Testing and personalization: Optimize content without developer intervention.
• SSR and SSG: Ensures SEO-friendly performance.
• Roles and permissions: Control who can edit, publish, and manage content.

Pros:

• Seamless Angular integration, with a native SDK and structured content API.
• Allows developers to enforce design systems, ensuring content consistency.
• AI-driven code generation, speeding up frontend development.
• Built-in A/B testing and personalization, reducing the need for third-party tools.
• Supports real-time updates and SSR/SSG for better performance.

Cons:

• Higher learning curve compared to simpler headless CMSs like ButterCMS.
• Premium features (AI, A/B testing) are locked behind higher-tier plans.
• Might be overkill for projects that don't require a visual editor.

Builder.io is a strong contender for Angular developers and teams that want a headless CMS with a powerful visual editor, dynamic personalization, and AI-driven design-to-code capabilities.

Builder.io has a free plan with a 14-day Pro trial, but serious teams will need the Pro plan at $19/user/month for more AI code generations and features. Enterprise plans offer SSO, custom integrations, and premium support. See the full details on their pricing page.

#What next?

Choosing the right CMS for your Angular project depends on your team's workflow, technical needs, and long-term goals.

If you need a GraphQL-native API with content federation, Hygraph is a strong choice. If you prefer an open-source and self-hosted CMS with deep customization, Strapi is worth considering.

Contentful stands out for structured content management with a robust enterprise ecosystem. Sanity shines with its real-time collaboration and flexible content architecture, while Storyblok offers best-in-class visual editing without sacrificing headless flexibility. ButterCMS simplifies content management for marketing teams with its zero-maintenance, API-first approach, and Builder.io takes things a step further with AI-powered design-to-code, A/B testing, and a powerful visual editor.

Ultimately, the best CMS is the one that aligns with your development workflow while empowering content teams to manage content effectively. Whether you're building a high-traffic e-commerce site, a marketing-driven website, or a scalable enterprise platform, these CMS options give you the flexibility, performance, and scalability you need to build great digital experiences.

If you're ready to move forward, start by exploring the documentation, testing a free trial, or experimenting with an integration that fits your project. The best way to know which CMS works for you is to get hands-on and see how it fits into your development flow.

If you're leaning towards a GraphQL-first approach with powerful content federation, you might want to check out Hygraph's Angular integration page to see how easily it fits into your stack. It's always fun working with a CMS that feels like it was built for developers first - and Hygraph definitely delivers on that.