Comparison

ZeroCMS vs TinaCMS for Astro 2026.

Both keep your content in the repository. ZeroCMS leads on codebase footprint, AI and publishing. TinaCMS leads on API reach, governance and the repository.

ZeroCMS

Git-based · Cloud · From $15 / month, editors need no seat

Connect a GitHub repository and Zero reads your Astro Zod schemas and .astro components to generate the editor — no plugins, no config, nothing added to your repository. Editors work against a live preview of the real site, and every publish lands as a clean commit. An AI agent works in the editor, and eight content checks run on demand or as a pre-publish gate.

Overview

  • Astro fit
  • Codebase fit
  • Editing
  • Publishing and review
  • Governance and access
  • Git and the repository
  • APIs and extensibility
  • AI capabilities

Reviewed 1 Sep 2026 Full CMS comparison →

Git-based · Cloud or self-hosted · Free tier · from $29 / site / month

Tina serves its own editor from your repository and keeps content as files, then queries those files back through a generated GraphQL client rather than astro:content. Visual editing works on Astro pages once an adapter and per-page wiring are in place. Editors sign in through Tina Cloud, so they need no GitHub account of their own.

Overview

  • Astro fit
  • Codebase fit
  • Editing
  • Publishing and review
  • Governance and access
  • Git and the repository
  • APIs and extensibility
  • AI capabilities

Reviewed 3 Sep 2026 Full CMS comparison →

Pick ZeroCMS when

You want a CMS that adds nothing to the repository and runs content checks before anything publishes.

  • You want the CMS to leave your codebase alone
  • AI should do the routine work
  • AI agents edit the content

Pick TinaCMS when

You want a CMS that offers SAML SSO and connects to self-hosted Git.

  • Other systems read and write the content
  • The budget is zero
  • Roles, approvals and sign-in are policy

What actually differs.

Codebase fit

Code in your repository

ZeroCMS

Nothing. The editor is generated from the schemas and components already in the repository.

TinaCMS

A dependency, a config file owned by the CMS, an integration in your Astro config, an admin route served by your own site, the content model declared a second time, fetching and rendering code you maintain, generated types committed to the repo, and credentials the repo and deploy carry.

AI capabilities

AI capabilities

ZeroCMS

A built-in agent you hand tasks to, with custom skills.

TinaCMS

No built-in AI.

Publishing and review

Selective publish

ZeroCMS

Publish one change while others wait.

TinaCMS

Everything pending publishes together.

APIs and extensibility

GraphQL API

ZeroCMS

No GraphQL API.

TinaCMS

A full GraphQL API.

Governance and access

Single sign-on (SSO)

ZeroCMS

No SAML SSO yet.

TinaCMS

SAML SSO is available.

Git and the repository

Self-hosted Git instances

ZeroCMS

Hosted Git only.

TinaCMS

Connects to a self-hosted Git instance.

Editing

Custom field controls

ZeroCMS

No custom field controls.

TinaCMS

Custom field controls are supported.

Astro fit

Content loading

ZeroCMS

As the files Astro's content collections already read. The repository is the backup.

TinaCMS

Fetched through the vendor's SDK at build or request time.

Every aspect, side by side, in the full Astro CMS comparison →
Still not sure?

Zero adds nothing to the repository.

TinaCMS adds eight things to your repository, the content model declared a second time among them. That matters if you want the repo left alone. Connect an Astro repo and see the difference in ten minutes.

Connect your repo Try the live demo

14 days free · no credit card