Astro.js and Next.js websites with Payload or Sanity
When Webflow is not the right fit, I build fast custom sites in Astro.js or Next.js with Payload or Sanity, so your team still has a simple place to edit content.
Start a projectWhen to choose Astro
Astro is my pick for marketing sites, portfolios and content-heavy sites where speed matters. It ships almost no JavaScript by default, so pages load fast and stay fast as you add content.
When to choose Next.js
Next.js is for sites that need more than pages: user accounts, dashboards, or custom data models that sit alongside the marketing site. If your site is closer to a product than a brochure, this is usually the route.
Sanity or Payload, in plain language
Sanity is a hosted content platform with an editing studio your team logs into. It suits content-heavy sites where editors need a clean, purpose-built place to work.
Payload is open source and lives inside your Next.js app. It suits projects where content sits next to accounts, permissions and custom data.
Either way, you get a CMS your team can use without touching code, and I'll recommend the one that fits your project.
Timeline
- Custom build, Astro or Next.js
- 3-5 weeks
- Price
- Agreed before we start
Proof
ELD VA Services is a client website I migrated from Webflow to Astro. This site runs on Astro with Sanity, hosted on Cloudflare Workers. Trenta Nights is a Next.js game I built as a personal project.
ELD VA Services migration →Trenta Nights (personal build) →All projects →
Who this suits
Teams that have outgrown a template, need speed or custom logic, or want full ownership of the code. If a visual editor and a quick launch matter more, Webflow is usually the better choice.
Not sure Webflow is the right fit?
Tell me what the site needs to do. I'll say straight away whether it's a Webflow job or a custom build.