When should you choose Umbraco?

Umbraco is a strong choice for organisations looking for a user-friendly CMS with full control over content, technology and custom development. It is particularly well suited to businesses that operate within the Microsoft ecosystem or place a high value on content editing, administration and flexibility. Umbraco also performs well in large multisite environments. For example, we manage a hospitality platform with 45 hotel websites running on a single Umbraco installation.

When is Sanity a better choice?

Sanity is an excellent fit when content needs to be published across multiple channels, such as websites, mobile apps, customer portals and other digital platforms. It is well suited to organisations that want to manage structured content centrally while maintaining complete flexibility over the front end and integrations.

Is Umbraco suitable for headless websites?

Yes. Umbraco can also be used as a headless CMS. This allows you to combine Umbraco's powerful content editing capabilities with a modern, flexible front-end architecture. It is a good option for organisations that want to build modern digital experiences while continuing to use Umbraco.

Is Sanity suitable for content teams?

Yes, provided the content model is designed correctly. Sanity requires more planning upfront to define content structures, workflows and content types. Once implemented, it gives content teams a consistent and efficient way to manage content across multiple channels.

Which CMS is better for custom development?

Both platforms support custom development, but they do so in different ways. Umbraco provides extensive flexibility within a more traditional CMS architecture. Sanity offers greater flexibility in how content is structured, connected and delivered across different digital experiences.

How important is your technical environment when choosing between Umbraco and Sanity?

Your technical environment is an important factor. If your organisation primarily uses Microsoft technologies and .NET, Umbraco is often the natural choice. If you are building a composable architecture with modern front-end frameworks, Sanity may be a better fit.

How much does a website built with Umbraco or Sanity cost?

Umbraco is open source and does not require a CMS licence. Hosting through Umbraco Cloud is available as an optional service. Sanity uses a usage-based pricing model with a free entry-level tier. For both platforms, the primary investment is in design, implementation and integrations rather than software licensing.

Umbraco or Sanity

Q: What is the difference between Umbraco and Sanity?

Umbraco is an open-source CMS built on Microsoft .NET, offering an intuitive editing experience with extensive options for customisation. Sanity is a headless content platform that focuses on structured content, making it available through APIs for websites, apps and other digital channels.

Q: How does New Orange help you choose between Umbraco and Sanity?

New Orange evaluates your content processes, technical landscape, operational requirements and growth ambitions. Based on that assessment, we recommend the CMS that best fits your organisation and configure the platform so that content editors, developers and business users can work efficiently. New Orange is an Umbraco Platinum Partner and the first official Sanity partner in the Netherlands.

Which CMS is the right fit for your organisation?

A new digital platform needs a CMS that fits your content processes, technical environment and growth ambitions. Umbraco and Sanity are both strong options for modern websites and digital platforms, but they start from different principles.

Umbraco is an open-source CMS built on Microsoft .NET, with strong editorial usability, customisation options and technical control. Sanity is a headless content platform built around structured content, made available through APIs across multiple channels.

What is Umbraco?

Umbraco is a flexible CMS for websites, customer portals and digital platforms. It gives editorial teams a familiar content management environment, while giving developers plenty of room for custom development, integrations and technical control. Umbraco can be used in a traditional, hybrid or headless setup and fits well with Microsoft, .NET and Azure environments.

What is Sanity?

Sanity is a headless content platform for organisations that want to manage content separately from presentation. Content is stored in a structured way and used via APIs across websites, apps, campaigns and other digital channels.

Sanity is a good fit for composable architectures, modern front ends and organisations that want to reuse content across multiple touchpoints.

What is the difference between Umbraco and Sanity?

Umbraco starts from a complete CMS where website management, content structure and custom development come together. Sanity starts from content as structured data that can be used freely across different channels and front ends.

This makes Umbraco a logical choice for organisations looking for a manageable CMS for a website or platform with custom requirements. Sanity is a better fit when content forms a central layer within a headless or composable architecture.

The key differences between Umbraco and Sanity

Time-to-market and implementation

Umbraco is usually faster to implement when you need a powerful CMS with a clear editorial foundation. Many CMS features are available out of the box, so teams can get started quickly. Sanity requires more preparation around content modelling and front-end architecture, but gives you more freedom in how content is structured and reused.

Editorial and content management

Umbraco gives editorial teams a familiar CMS environment. Pages, templates, media and content structures can be managed clearly and efficiently. Sanity requires more upfront thinking, because content is modelled as separate, reusable components. This makes it strong for multiple channels, brands, countries or use cases.

Flexibility and architecture

Umbraco can be used in a traditional, hybrid or headless setup. This makes it suitable for organisations that want to combine editorial usability with technical control. Sanity is headless and composable by design. It fits well with organisations that work with modern frameworks and separate front ends.

Integrations and custom development

Umbraco fits well with Microsoft and .NET environments and offers plenty of room for custom development and integrations with CRM, ERP, PIM and marketing tools. Sanity is strongly API-driven and works well in environments where content needs to connect with multiple systems and channels.

Scalability and future readiness

Umbraco provides a solid foundation for websites, customer portals and platforms that need to grow in a controlled and manageable way. Sanity is strong when content will be used more broadly over time, for example across websites, apps, campaigns, product data, international platforms or AI applications.

Hosting and management

Umbraco gives you a high level of control over hosting, infrastructure, security and management. This works well for organisations with specific technical or compliance requirements. Sanity largely works as a managed cloud platform. This reduces the emphasis on infrastructure management, but also means you are more closely tied to Sanity’s platform model.

AI, structured content and findability

Sanity is strong in structured content. This makes content easier to reuse for AI applications, personalisation and distribution across multiple channels. Umbraco also offers options for this, but more often starts from website and page structures. The best choice depends on how central content is to your digital strategy.

How does New Orange help you choose between Umbraco and Sanity?

At New Orange, we look beyond features. We look at the role the CMS needs to play within your organisation. We map how your content team works, which systems need to be connected and what kind of digital growth you want to achieve.

As a Platinum Umbraco Partner, the highest partner status in the Umbraco partner programme, we know Umbraco inside out. At the same time, our advice does not start with a preference for one platform. It starts with what your organisation needs. Sometimes that is Umbraco. Sometimes Sanity. Sometimes the right solution calls for a broader composable architecture in which CMS, commerce, CRM, ERP and marketing technology work together properly.

Want to know which platform is the best fit for your organisation? We would be happy to think it through with you.

Send a message

Umbraco or Sanity

Which CMS is the right fit for your organisation?

Time-to-market and implementation

Editorial and content management

Flexibility and architecture

Integrations and custom development

Scalability and future readiness

Hosting and management

AI, structured content and findability

How does New Orange help you choose between Umbraco and Sanity?

Want to know which platform is the best fit for your organisation? We would be happy to think it through with you.

Send a message

Umbraco or Sanity

What is Umbraco?

What is Sanity?

What is the difference between Umbraco and Sanity?

The key differences between Umbraco and Sanity

Time-to-market and implementation

Editorial and content management

Flexibility and architecture

Integrations and custom development

Scalability and future readiness

Hosting and management

AI, structured content and findability

FAQ

Umbraco or Sanity

What is Umbraco?

What is Sanity?

What is the difference between Umbraco and Sanity?

The key differences between Umbraco and Sanity

Time-to-market and implementation

Editorial and content management

Flexibility and architecture

Integrations and custom development

Scalability and future readiness

Hosting and management

AI, structured content and findability

FAQ