i.
Next.js + Sanity
Our most-shipped stack. Sanity Studio gives marketers a structured editor with custom field types, real-time collaboration, and clean preview flows. Best for content-heavy sites with bespoke schemas.
Web Development/Headless CMS
Headless CMS development.
Next.js + Sanity, Contentful, Payload, or custom admin. Marketing teams ship without engineering tickets — the way modern content sites should work.
Next.js · SanityContentful · PayloadLighthouse 95+$25K – $200K6 – 16 weeks
Updated 2 min read
Headless beats monolithic on three dimensions. Performance: headless sites hit Lighthouse 95+ where WordPress and Drupal often run 60–80 mobile. Marketing autonomy: modern headless CMSes have better authoring UX than WordPress, meaning fewer engineering tickets per landing page. Integration depth: headless front-ends consume APIs from any service; monolithic CMSes lock you into their ecosystem.
We design custom field schemas around your specific content types so marketers ship landing pages, blog posts, case studies, and integration pages without filing engineering tickets. The schema design is the most important part of the engagement — we spend significant discovery time understanding your content workflows before building.
Stacks we ship
Six common engagements.
ii.
Next.js + Contentful
Better at multi-team, multi-environment setups. Contentful's content modeling is robust for enterprise teams, and the workflow tools handle staging/production neatly.
iii.
Next.js + Payload
Self-hosted CMS with a TypeScript-first developer experience. Best when you need full data control, custom auth, or want to host the CMS alongside the front-end.
iv.
Next.js + custom admin
We build a custom Prisma-backed admin in your Next.js app — no third-party CMS. Best when content schemas need tight integration with your business logic or product data.
v.
Headless Shopify (Hydrogen + Sanity)
Custom Next.js storefront with Shopify backend (commerce, checkout, inventory) and Sanity for content. Best for DTC brands past $5M annual GMV that need design freedom + performance.
vi.
Migration from monolithic CMS
WordPress, Drupal, Sitecore → Next.js + headless CMS. We map content, build new schemas, migrate, set up redirects, and cut over with minimal SEO impact.
FAQ
Common questions.
Why headless instead of WordPress / monolithic CMS?
Three reasons. First, performance — headless sites hit Lighthouse 95+ where monolithic CMS sites often run 60-80 mobile. Second, marketing autonomy — modern headless CMSes have better authoring UX than WordPress, meaning fewer engineering tickets per landing page. Third, integration depth — headless front-ends consume APIs from any service; monolithic CMSes lock you into their ecosystem.
What's the cost of going headless?
Custom build: $25K-$75K typical, $75-$150K for larger platforms. Plus CMS subscription ($15-$300/mo for Sanity/Contentful tiers; $0 for self-hosted Payload). Plus retainer for ongoing work ($3-12K/mo). Total first-year is usually $60-200K including build, tools, and retainer.
How long does a headless project take?
6-10 weeks for a marketing site rebuild from a known stack. 10-16 weeks for a programmatic-SEO platform with custom schemas. 16-24 weeks for full multi-language enterprise builds. Migration projects: 8-14 weeks depending on existing site complexity.
Can our marketing team use this without engineering help?
Yes — that's the whole point. We design custom field types in the CMS so marketers ship landing pages, blog posts, case studies, integration pages without filing engineering tickets. The schema design is a critical part of the engagement; we spend significant discovery time understanding your content workflows before building.
Get started
Ready to ship a real CMS?
Tell us where the current CMS falls short. We'll scope the schema work, the migration, and the front-end build that fixes it.
Book a discovery callHave one specific question? Email hello@werz.ai