Sitecore offers several products that share a name and a heritage, so it is easy to wonder how they relate. This guide explains Sitecore XP, XM Cloud and SitecoreAI in plain terms and shows which one tends to fit which team.
The three names in one minute
- Sitecore XP (Experience Platform) is the established platform that combines content management with built-in marketing and personalization capabilities. Many enterprises run it today.
- XM Cloud is Sitecore's cloud-based content management product, designed for headless and composable delivery.
- SitecoreAI launched on 10 November 2025. XM Cloud is its core, together with entry-level CDP & Personalize, Search and Content Hub, and Agentic Studio.
Sitecore has stated that XM Cloud customers were upgraded to SitecoreAI automatically, and that XP and XM remain supported. Moving from XP to SitecoreAI is a migration.
Sitecore XP: where it fits
XP is a strong match for teams that value an integrated platform with content management and marketing capabilities in one place, and that already have experience running it. Organizations with established Helix-based solutions and mature release processes continue to get value from XP. Our E.ON Polska programme, which built the my E.ON portal for more than one million customers, used Sitecore with Helix architecture.
XM Cloud: where it fits
XM Cloud suits teams that want a cloud-hosted CMS with a modern front end, for example Next.js, and that prefer Sitecore to manage hosting and platform updates. It works well when several brand sites should share components and a common delivery pattern. The Regal Rexnord project moved from Sitecore XP to a headless XM Cloud setup with a Next.js hub-and-spoke model, Coveo search and Azure microservices.
SitecoreAI: where it fits
SitecoreAI builds on XM Cloud and adds an AI layer. Agentic Studio includes prebuilt agents, custom standard and workflow agents, skills, brand kits, an Agent API, spaces and flows with human checkpoints. It suits teams that want to bring AI-assisted work into content and marketing operations, with people reviewing key steps. Sitecore states that SitecoreAI does not share customer data with external providers or train external models on it.
To learn more, read What is SitecoreAI and how to build a custom agent in Agentic Studio.
A comparison by team situation
| Team situation | Product to look at first | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Established XP solution, stable roadmap, in-house Sitecore skills | Sitecore XP | Continue to evolve and plan the next step at your own pace |
| Plans for a headless front end and faster multi-site delivery | XM Cloud | Cloud-hosted CMS with modern front-end frameworks |
| Wants AI-assisted content and marketing workflows | SitecoreAI | XM Cloud core plus Agentic Studio and related services |
| Mixed estate with several Sitecore versions | Start with an audit | Clarifies what to keep, migrate or retire |
Architecture and team considerations
- Front end: XM Cloud and SitecoreAI use a headless pattern, so front-end engineering becomes a first-class skill.
- Hosting and updates: in a cloud model, Sitecore manages more of the platform, while XP teams manage more themselves.
- Search and personalization: check which services are included and which you will add, for example Coveo or Sitecore Search.
- Content authoring: involve authors early so their workflows shape the new design.
- Integrations: list the systems connected to your current platform before you plan.
Planning a move between products
A move from XP to XM Cloud or SitecoreAI is a migration, so it helps to treat it as a project with its own phases. A typical plan starts with an inventory of templates, components, integrations and content. Then the team decides what to carry over, what to simplify and what to rebuild in a headless pattern.
- Audit the current solution and document what authors use every day.
- Define the target architecture, including front end, search and personalization.
- Migrate in phases so that marketing can keep publishing.
- Run both environments in parallel for a defined period if the plan calls for it.
- Train authors and developers on the new tools before go-live.
Teams that already run XM Cloud do not need to plan a product change in the same way, because Sitecore upgraded XM Cloud customers to SitecoreAI automatically. They can focus on which SitecoreAI capabilities to adopt first.
Questions to ask before you choose
- What are our goals for the next two to three years: stability, speed of delivery, or AI-assisted work?
- Which version of Sitecore do we run, and what is its support horizon?
- Do we have front-end engineers ready to work in a headless model?
- Which features of our current solution do authors rely on every day?
- Which integrations and customizations must be carried over?
- How will marketing keep publishing during any migration?
- Which governance and review steps do we want around AI-assisted content?
How Kogifi helps
Kogifi is a Sitecore Silver Partner and works with SitecoreAI, XM Cloud, XP, CDP & Personalize, Search and Content Hub. We offer platform audits, migrations and updates and upgrades. Our article on migrating from Sitecore XP to SitecoreAI outlines a phased plan. See our Sitecore services or reach out through the contact form.
FAQs
Is XM Cloud part of SitecoreAI?
Yes. According to Sitecore, XM Cloud is the core of SitecoreAI, which also includes entry-level CDP & Personalize, Search and Content Hub, plus Agentic Studio.
Are Sitecore XP and XM still supported?
Yes. Sitecore has stated that XP and XM remain supported, so teams can plan a move at a pace that suits their roadmap.
Is moving from XP to SitecoreAI an upgrade or a migration?
Moving from XP to SitecoreAI is a migration. XM Cloud customers were upgraded to SitecoreAI automatically. Our migration article describes a phased plan that keeps marketing publishing going.
