Headless CMS: I Spent $80,000 Learning What Actually Works (Practical Guide)
"Let's go headless. It's the future!"
My client was convinced. His developer friend said headless CMS was revolutionary.
Six months and $80,000 later, they had a beautiful headless site that:
- Loaded fast (impressive!)
- Looked amazing (really nice!)
- Cost $3,000/month to maintain (ouch)
- Required developer for every tiny change (frustrating)
- Had 1/3 the features of their old WordPress site (problem)
"Why did we do this again?" the client asked.
Good question.
Let me tell you when headless actually makes sense, when it's overkill, and what it really costs.
What "Headless" Actually Means (Without the Hype)
Every article explains headless with diagrams and technical terms. Useless.
Here's what it actually means:
Traditional CMS (like WordPress):
Backend (content) + Frontend (display) = One package
You edit content in WordPress. It displays on your WordPress site. Simple.
Headless CMS:
Backend (content) is separate from Frontend (display)
Content lives in CMS (Contentful, Sanity, etc.)
Frontend is custom (React, Next.js, whatever)
They talk via API
Like separating your brain from your body. Brain still works. Body still works. Just need nervous system (API) to connect them.
Why Anyone Does This:
Reason 1: Multiple Frontends
Content once, display everywhere:
- Website
- Mobile app
- Smart TV app
- Voice assistant
- In-store displays
Makes sense if you have multiple platforms.
Reason 2: Performance
Headless sites CAN be faster (if built right).
Reason 3: Flexibility
Frontend developers have total control.
Reason 4: It Sounds Cool
"We're using a modern headless architecture with Next.js and Contentful!"
Impresses investors. Confuses everyone else.
When Headless Actually Makes Sense
I've built 12 headless sites. Here's when it was the right choice:
Case 1: Mobile App + Website
Client: Fitness brand
Needs:
- Website
- iOS app
- Android app
- All showing same content (workouts, articles, nutrition plans)
Solution:
Headless CMS (Contentful) + Three frontends
Result:
- Update content once, appears everywhere
- Different user experience per platform
- Consistent content
Cost:
$45,000 build + $500/month Contentful + $2,000/month maintenance
Worth it?
Yes. Alternative was managing content in three different places.
Case 2: International Website
Client: B2B software company
Needs:
- Website in 12 languages
- Different content per market
- Same branding
- Fast globally
Solution:
Headless (Sanity) + Next.js + Vercel
Result:
- Edge deployment (fast worldwide)
- Easy content management per language
- Scalable infrastructure
Cost:
$60,000 build + $800/month hosting/CMS
Worth it?
Yes. Traditional CMS would be nightmare for 12 languages.
Case 3: Content Syndication
Client: News publisher
Needs:
- Own website
- Content syndicated to partners
- Apple News
- Google News
- Newsletter
Solution:
Headless CMS + multiple outputs
Result:
Write once, publish everywhere automatically
Worth it?
Absolutely. Their business model requires it.
When Headless Is Overkill
I've also seen 20+ projects waste money on headless. Here's when it was stupid:
Waste Case 1: Simple Business Site
Client: Local law firm
What They Needed:
- 10-page website
- Contact form
- Blog (occasional post)
What Developer Convinced Them:
"Let's build headless with Contentful and Gatsby!"
Cost:
$25,000 build
What They Should've Done:
WordPress with $60 theme = $2,000 build
Maintenance:
Headless: $800/month (developer required for changes)
WordPress: $50/month (they could do it themselves)
Over 2 years:
Headless: $25,000 + $19,200 = $44,200
WordPress: $2,000 + $1,200 = $3,200
Wasted: $41,000
For a simple site. Criminal.
Waste Case 2: E-commerce Store
Client: Clothing brand
What Developer Sold Them:
"Shopify headless with custom React frontend!"
Cost:
$50,000 build
$2,000/month Shopify Plus
$1,500/month developer retainer
Problems:
- Lost Shopify's checkout
- Had to rebuild cart functionality
- Apps didn't work
- Constant bugs
What They Should've Done:
Regular Shopify with custom theme = $5,000
Outcome:
After 18 months, migrated back to regular Shopify.
Wasted: ~$100,000
Waste Case 3: Blog
Yes, someone built a headless blog.
The Pitch:
"Blazing fast! Modern stack! JAMstack!"
The Reality:
- Build time: 5 minutes for 100 posts
- Publishing: Not instant (regenerate site)
- Cost: $30/month hosting + $200/month CMS
What They Should've Done:
WordPress with caching = fast enough and way easier
Why They Did It:
Developer wanted to learn new tech. Client paid for education.
The Real Costs of Headless
Everyone talks about platform costs. Nobody talks about total costs.
Development Costs
Traditional CMS:
- WordPress: $2,000-10,000 for custom theme
- Install plugins, configure, done
Headless:
- Backend setup: $5,000-15,000
- Frontend development: $20,000-50,000
- Integration: $5,000-10,000
- Total: $30,000-75,000
Minimum 3x more expensive.
Maintenance Costs
Traditional CMS:
- Updates: $100-300/month
- Can do basic changes yourself
Headless:
- Developer needed for everything
- $1,000-3,000/month typically
- Can't touch code without breaking things
Time to Market
Traditional CMS:
- WordPress site: 2-8 weeks
Headless:
- Simple headless: 3-6 months
- Complex headless: 6-12 months
Much slower.
Content Management
Traditional CMS:
- User-friendly interface
- WYSIWYG editor
- Anyone can use it
Headless:
- Depends on headless CMS choice
- Usually more technical
- Content editors need training
Headless CMS Options
If you're going headless, here are the options:
Contentful
Pros:
- User-friendly
- Good documentation
- Reliable
- GraphQL API
Cons:
- Expensive ($489/month+)
- Can get complicated
- Vendor lock-in
Best For:
Enterprise, multiple platforms
Sanity
Pros:
- Flexible
- Developer-friendly
- Good free tier
- Real-time collaboration
Cons:
- Steeper learning curve
- Need developer
Best For:
Developer-heavy teams
Strapi
Pros:
- Open source
- Self-hosted or cloud
- Customizable
Cons:
- Need to manage infrastructure
- Less polished
- Smaller ecosystem
Best For:
Technical teams wanting control
WordPress (Headless)
Pros:
- Familiar CMS
- Huge plugin ecosystem
- Free
Cons:
- Still need WordPress hosting
- Some plugins won't work headless
Best For:
Teams already using WordPress
Prismic
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Slice machine (modular content)
- Developer-friendly
Cons:
- Smaller ecosystem
- Less flexible than Contentful
Best For:
Marketing sites, campaign pages
The Hybrid Approach (Usually Smarter)
Most sites don't need full headless. Consider hybrid:
Option 1: WordPress + Headless Frontend
How It Works:
- WordPress as CMS (content editing)
- Custom React/Next.js frontend
- WordPress REST API or GraphQL
Pros:
- Familiar content management
- Custom frontend
- Keep WordPress plugins for CMS features
Cons:
- Still need WordPress hosting
- More complex than pure WordPress
When to Use:
Want custom frontend but easy content management
Option 2: Traditional CMS + API Endpoints
How It Works:
- WordPress/Drupal for main site
- Expose content via API
- Use content in app or other platforms
Pros:
- Best of both worlds
- Don't rebuild everything
- Add headless features gradually
Cons:
- Managing two systems
When to Use:
Adding mobile app to existing site
My Decision Framework
Here's exactly how I decide:
Simple Site (1-20 pages, basic features):
→ Traditional CMS (WordPress)
Headless is overkill. Don't waste money.
Blog/Content Site:
→ Traditional CMS (WordPress, Ghost)
Unless you have specific reason for headless.
E-commerce:
→ Shopify or WooCommerce
NOT headless unless you have $100K+ budget and specific needs.
Corporate Site (50+ pages, multiple languages):
→ Consider headless
Especially if need:
- Multiple frontends
- Strict design control
- Global performance
Platform with App + Web + More:
→ Headless
This is what it's designed for.
Startup MVP:
→ Never headless
Ship fast, iterate. Use traditional CMS.
Questions to Ask Before Going Headless
1. Do we have multiple frontends?
If no, you probably don't need headless.
2. Do we have budget for $50,000+ build?
If no, don't go headless.
3. Do we have ongoing developer budget ($1,500+/month)?
If no, you can't maintain headless.
4. Are we technical/developer-heavy organization?
If no, headless will frustrate you.
5. Do we need features traditional CMS can't provide?
If no, don't fix what isn't broken.
6. Can we wait 3-6 months to launch?
If no, traditional CMS is faster.
If you answered "no" to most of these, don't go headless.
Common Headless Myths
Myth 1: "Headless Is Always Faster"
No. Poorly built headless can be slower than well-optimized WordPress.
Speed depends on implementation, not architecture.
Myth 2: "Headless Is More Secure"
Not automatically. You still need to secure:
- CMS
- API
- Frontend
- Infrastructure
Different attack surface, not necessarily smaller.
Myth 3: "Headless Is The Future"
For some use cases, yes. For small business websites? No.
Traditional CMS isn't dying. It's evolving.
Myth 4: "Headless Saves Money Long-term"
Usually costs MORE long-term due to developer dependency.
Only saves money if you need multiple platforms (build once, use everywhere).
Myth 5: "Content Editors Prefer Headless"
Most content editors prefer familiar WYSIWYG.
Headless CMS interfaces are often more technical.
Real World Examples
When Headless Worked:
Nike:
Content in CMS → Website, app, in-store displays, Nike Training Club
Makes sense. Multiple platforms.
Spotify:
Content → Web, iOS, Android, TV apps, car systems
Absolutely need headless.
When Traditional CMS Worked Fine:
TechCrunch:
WordPress powers millions of pageviews. Works great.
The New Yorker:
Also WordPress. One of the world's premier publications.
If it's good enough for them, it's probably good enough for you.
The Bottom Line
Headless CMS is powerful. For the right use cases.
Use headless if:
- You have multiple platforms (app + web + more)
- You have technical team
- You have budget ($50K+ build, $1.5K+/month maintenance)
- You need features traditional CMS can't provide
- Performance at global scale matters
Don't use headless if:
- Simple website
- Limited budget
- Non-technical team
- Need to launch quickly
- Traditional CMS does what you need
Consider hybrid if:
- Want custom frontend
- But easy content management
- Don't need full headless complexity
Most sites don't need headless. They need good WordPress with caching.
That client who spent $80,000 on headless? We migrated them back to WordPress. Cost $5,000. Works better. Content team is happier.
Developer wanted to use cool tech. Client paid the price.
Don't make the same mistake.
Build what you need, not what's trendy.
---
Thinking about going headless? Or regret going headless? Share your story in comments.