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APIs · head to head

Astra vs Sanity

Astra logo

Astra

APIs

Instant payments API for push-to-card, card-to-account and FedNow transfers

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sanity logo

Sanity

APIs

Headless CMS with real-time collaborative editing and structured content APIs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Sanity has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Astra push-to-card costs materially more per transaction than ACH, so a platform that switches all payouts to instant sees payment costs rise sharply, and the usual answer of charging the recipient for speed only works where recipients will pay.; Sanity free plan limited to 10,000 documents and 100GB assets
  • They diverge on capability: Astra covers Instant disbursements, Sanity covers Content API.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Astra and Sanity actually diverge.

Attributes where Astra and Sanity differ
AttributeAstraSanity
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsAPI, Web, iOS, AndroidWeb
FoundedUnknown2011

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (APIs).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Astra

  • Instant disbursements
  • Card to account
  • Net debit mode
  • FedNow and RTP transfers
  • ACH transfers
  • Routing logic
  • SDK
  • Sandbox

Only in Sanity

  • Content API
  • Collaborative editing
  • Structured content
  • Webhooks
  • Third-party services
  • GROQ query language
  • Cloud support
  • JavaScript SDK support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Astra

  • A gig or marketplace platform paying workers to their debit cards at the end of a shift rather than on a weekly ACH cyclenot Sanity
  • An insurer settling small claims instantly to a claimant debit card to remove the cheque processnot Sanity
  • A lending product disbursing approved funds in seconds so the borrower experience matches the approval decisionnot Sanity
  • A consumer fintech letting users fund a new account from an existing debit card so the balance is usable immediatelynot Sanity

Sanity

  • Headless CMS for structured content managementnot Astra
  • Collaborative content editing with real-time multiplayer supportnot Astra
  • API-driven content delivery with GROQ query languagenot Astra

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Astra

  • Push-to-card costs materially more per transaction than ACH, so a platform that switches all payouts to instant sees payment costs rise sharply, and the usual answer of charging the recipient for speed only works where recipients will pay.
  • Original Credit Transaction support is not universal across card issuers, so a proportion of payouts fall back to slower rails and you must build and explain a two speed experience rather than promising instant to everyone.
  • The programme depends on Cross River Bank as sponsor, a bank with concentrated fintech exposure and a documented regulatory history, so a single supervisory action on that institution is a direct operational risk to your payouts.
  • Nothing is published on pricing, and per transaction economics vary by rail and volume, so small platforms cannot estimate cost before a sales conversation and have limited leverage in it.
  • FedNow reach still depends on the recipient bank participating, so instant account-to-account is not available to every recipient and the routing logic has to degrade gracefully, which is more integration work than the single API framing suggests.

Sanity

  • Free plan limited to 10,000 documents and 100GB assets
  • Free plan supports only public datasets
  • Growth plan capped at 50 seats maximum
  • Private datasets, scheduled drafts, and comments/tasks require paid plans
  • Annual billing unavailable for Growth plan; Enterprise-only

Pricing, plan by plan

Astra

On request
  • Astra Payments$undefined/year
    • Per transaction pricing quoted by volume and rail
    • Push-to-card economics differ materially from ACH
    • Net debit mode available in place of prefunding

Sanity

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 20 seats
    • 2 public datasets only
    • 10,000 documents included
  • Growth$15/month
    • Up to 50 seats per seat
    • 2 private or public datasets
    • 25,000 documents included
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • Custom seats
    • Custom datasets
    • Custom document limits

Which should you pick?

Choose Astra if

  • You need instant disbursements.
  • You work on API, Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want card to account.
Astra review

Choose Sanity if

  • You need content api.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want collaborative editing.
Sanity review

Questions people ask

Is Astra or Sanity better?
Neither clearly leads. Astra starts at On request and Sanity at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Astra or Sanity?
Sanity has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Astra and Free for Sanity.
Does Astra or Sanity run on more platforms?
Astra runs on API, Web, iOS, Android. Sanity runs on Web.
Can I use Sanity for free?
Yes. Sanity has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Astra starts at On request.
What is Astra best used for?
Astra is most often used for a gig or marketplace platform paying workers to their debit cards at the end of a shift rather than on a weekly ach cycle, an insurer settling small claims instantly to a claimant debit card to remove the cheque process, a lending product disbursing approved funds in seconds so the borrower experience matches the approval decision, a consumer fintech letting users fund a new account from an existing debit card so the balance is usable immediately. Of those, a gig or marketplace platform paying workers to their debit cards at the end of a shift rather than on a weekly ach cycle and an insurer settling small claims instantly to a claimant debit card to remove the cheque process are not what Sanity is typically brought in for.
What can Astra do that Sanity cannot?
Astra covers Instant disbursements, Card to account, Net debit mode, FedNow and RTP transfers. Sanity covers Content API, Collaborative editing, Structured content, Webhooks.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Astra: Who is the sponsor bank?

Cross River Bank. All banking and payment services run through that relationship, so the bank should be part of your diligence rather than an implementation detail.

Sanity: What does the Sanity Free plan include?

The Free plan includes up to 20 seats, 2 public datasets, 10,000 documents, 1 million API CDN requests per month, and 2 permission roles.

Source
Astra: Do I have to prefund payouts?

Not necessarily. Astra offers a net debit arrangement where disbursements settle against a reserve rather than a permanently funded float account, which is the main working capital argument for the product.

Sanity: How much does Sanity Growth plan cost per user?

The Growth plan costs $15 per seat per month, with up to 50 seats, and includes 25,000 documents, 1 million API CDN requests, and 5 permission roles.

Source
Astra: Is every payout instant?

No. Push-to-card requires the recipient card issuer to support Original Credit Transactions, and FedNow requires the recipient bank to participate. The rest fall back to ACH.

Sanity: What is included in Sanity Enterprise pricing?

Enterprise pricing is custom and requires contacting sales. It includes custom seat limits, custom datasets, Single Sign-On, and dedicated support.

Source
Astra: What does it cost?

Nothing is published. Pricing is per transaction and varies by rail and volume, and card rails cost considerably more than ACH.

Sanity: Does Sanity offer annual billing discounts?

Annual and invoice payment options are available exclusively for Enterprise customers. Self-serve plans (Free and Growth) use monthly billing only.

Source
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