Why agencies are leaving Sitecore for headless CMS tools

You know that feeling when your smartphone gets slower, your apps crash, and updates take forever?

It worked great a few years ago, but now, compared to newer models, it’s obvious the technology hasn’t kept up. At some point, no matter how well it used to work, you realize it no longer fits your needs, and it’s time for something better.

That’s what’s happening right now in the digital agency world.

For over a decade, agencies built their businesses around traditional Digital Experience Platforms (DXPs) like Sitecore, Adobe Experience Manager, and Kentico. These tools were powerful, all-in-one solutions that gave enterprise clients everything they needed to manage content, personalization, and customer journeys. For a while, they were the industry standard.

But times have changed. Fast.

Today, clients expect more agility, faster delivery, and better integration with their modern tech stacks. They’re focused on outcomes, not extra work, and they’re no longer willing to wait months (or spend millions) to launch and maintain a digital experience.

And while client expectations have evolved, many agencies haven’t. They're still tied to the same complex systems that now feel heavy and outdated. The very platforms that once gave them a competitive edge are starting to hold them back.

And agencies that don’t evolve risk being left behind, by both their clients and their competitors.

Pressure from clients, developers, and budgets is forcing agencies to rethink everything.

Clients want faster, more cost-effective solutions. Developers are drawn to modern tools and cleaner architectures. Legacy platforms are expensive to implement, slow to adapt, and increasingly hard to justify, both in pitches and performance.

Agencies that recognize these signals are shifting toward headless CMS platforms that are faster to implement, easier to maintain, and better aligned with today’s digital demands.

And among the rising headless options, data-driven headless CMS like Prepr stands out by combining headless flexibility with built-in personalization, real-time A/B testing, and easy omnichannel publishing, all essential for today’s client expectations.

Let’s take a closer look at the key reasons behind this important change.

1. Client expectations have changed

Brands need to move faster. Marketing teams want to launch campaigns without waiting for developers. Product teams want content that works across multiple platforms. And developers want modern tools, not legacy platforms with steep learning curves.

Headless CMS platforms like Prepr, Contentful or Storyblok give teams that flexibility. They support modern workflows, faster iteration, and seamless omnichannel delivery. Clients are noticing—and they expect their agency partners to deliver the same.

2. DXP implementations are too slow and expensive

Implementing Sitecore used to be a badge of honor. Today, it's a red flag.

Clients are increasingly pushing back on six-figure budgets for projects that should be simple. They’re frustrated with long delivery timelines and high maintenance costs. Licensing fees, hosting, upgrades, and the need for specialized developers quickly drive up the total cost of ownership.

Worse, many of these platforms are overbuilt for what most businesses actually need. Clients end up paying for features they never use, while agencies spend months managing systems that slow them down.

Agencies tied to these platforms are struggling to justify those costs, especially when leaner headless alternatives can deliver 80% of the functionality at a fraction of the time and cost. That’s hard to ignore.

3. Developers don’t want to work on legacy stacks

Your best developers don’t want to work on Sitecore.

They want to use modern tools like React, Next.js, and Node. They want to build in JAMstack environments and deploy to platforms like Vercel or Netlify. Traditional DXPs feel like a step backward, and for many, they are. This makes hiring and retaining technical talent harder for agencies that cling to outdated systems.

Headless platform like Prepr integrates seamlessly with modern frameworks and workflows, making it easier for agencies to attract forward-thinking developers.

4. Fewer RFPs, longer sales cycles

If your agency has built its pipeline around legacy platforms, you may already feel the impact—slower sales, fewer leads, and more client hesitation.

That’s because clients are doing their homework. They’re asking for headless-first proposals, shorter timelines, and more flexibility. Agencies that can deliver on these expectations are winning more RFPs and closing deals faster.

5. Performance and speed are the new standard

Website performance is no longer a backend concern, but it’s a business priority. Slow page loads and rigid systems hurt user experience and conversion rates.

Headless CMS tools are built for speed. They enable faster builds, more frequent updates, and better performance across devices. That’s why clients and their users are choosing them.

Data-driven headless CMS like Prepr enhances this further with real-time content delivery, and audience-aware personalization, making speed a competitive advantage.

Beyond performance, the future of digital experience is undeniably API-first and composable. Analysts from Gartner to Forrester agree that headless CMS sits at the center of this transformation.

These platforms empower teams to create content once and publish it everywhere, web, app, voice, signage, and beyond. They’re scalable, adaptable, and aligned with the way modern digital experiences are built.

Agencies that master these tools are positioning themselves as strategic partners for future-ready digital transformation.

More and more clients are comparing traditional monolithic DXPs to modern, headless CMS toolsand the differences are clear. Here's how they stack up:

Agencies that adopt data-driven, headless CMS platforms like Prepr combine the benefits of headless architecture with built-in personalization, A/B testing, and easy content modeling—all the capabilities you’d expect from an enterprise DXP, without the baggage.

This is what clients expect now.

As the shift toward headless CMS accelerates, agencies can’t afford to stand still.

To stay competitive, they need to rethink how they position themselves, the tools they use, and the value they offer to clients.

Delivering what clients expect today requires more than swapping out technology; it calls for a strategic realignment.

Here’s how leading agencies are adapting:

• Rethink your stack: Ditching legacy stacks like Sitecore in favor of frameworks like React, Next.js, and Astro. Headless CMS tools are designed to work with these technologies out of the box, reducing complexity and speeding up delivery.
• Reskill your team: Developers want to work on future-facing projects. Agencies that invest in training, experimentation, and modern workflows are better positioned to attract and retain top talent.
• Reposition your brand as a strategic partner: Clients don’t want a “Sitecore expert.” They want a digital partner who understands agility, speed, and composable architecture. Update your messaging, case studies, and service offerings accordingly.
• Lead the change for your clients: Your clients are looking to you for guidance. Help them escape legacy systems. Introduce them to more agile solutions. Show them how headless can cut costs, increase speed, and future-proof their digital strategy.
• Partnering with the right platforms. Working with flexible, API-first CMS providers allows agencies to focus on delivering value instead of managing complexity. The right tools reduce friction across projects.

So ask yourself—are you moving your clients forward, or holding them back?

Legacy platforms are falling out of favor, and agencies that rely on them are losing ground. But this shift opens the door for reinvention.

Agencies that adopt headless CMS tools, modern development frameworks, and API-first strategies are becoming faster, leaner, and more valuable partners to their clients.

The future of digital experience is already here, defined by speed, composability, and data-driven strategy.

Will your agency lead the way—or watch others take your place?