[Head-to-head comparison]

Storyblok vs Contentful

Storyblok vs Contentful for marketing websites, compared across visual editing, content modeling, localization, governance, APIs, cost and migration.

Kalle Bertell

By Kalle Bertell

Direct answer

Choose Storyblok when editors should assemble campaign pages from reusable blocks in a built-in visual editor. Choose Contentful when structured entries, field-level locales and scripted content models matter more than a default page canvas. Both keep the content backend vendor-managed. Contentful Studio, preview integration and the governance plan decide how independent editors become.

Choose Storyblok when

  • Visual page composition

    Editors assemble approved blocks in the embedded editor. Developers still define those blocks and connect the preview.

  • Several localization structures

    Field, folder and space localization are product patterns for shared translations and regional sites. Agree the structure before launch.

  • One managed editing product

    The visual editor ships with the platform. You do not add a separate Studio license to get click-to-edit page composition.

Choose Contentful when

  • Structured entries across channels

    Content types and references reuse the same entry on websites and other channels. Page layout stays in the frontend or in Experiences.

  • Field locales on one entry

    Localized fields live on the entry. Separate entries or spaces remain available when markets must publish independently.

  • Scripted model releases

    CLI migrations and environment merges move content-type changes between environments. The team still reviews conflicts before production.

Consider neither when

  • Self-hosted content storage

    Both vendors operate the content backend. Hosting your website does not move entries, assets or the editor onto your own infrastructure.

  • No budget for frontend work

    Both need a frontend, preview integration and content modeling. A simpler site builder may cost less when those responsibilities are unfunded.

  • Unconfirmed enterprise controls

    Workflows, custom roles, SSO and SLAs differ by plan on both products. Do not choose until the contract lists the controls you require.

Criterion-by-criterion comparison

How we evaluate platforms

Marketer autonomy

Storyblok’s default path is block assembly; Contentful’s default path is the structured entry form.

Storyblok

Visual composition from governed blocks

Editors assemble approved blocks without changing frontend code; their independence depends on the component library and validation rules.

View sources (2)
  • Storyblok Visual Editor: Documents embedded preview, click-to-edit and live editing, including HTTPS and iframe/CSP requirements.
  • Storyblok content modeling: Explains fields, blocks and stories, plus schema management through the UI, API and CLI.

Contentful

Entry editing; page assembly is extra

Editors can update structured fields, references and localized values in the web app. Assembling pages from design-system components depends on Studio setup and the role granted to that editor.

Plan considerations: Free spaces include administrator and editor roles. Custom roles that narrow publishing or locales require Premium.

View sources (3)
  • Contentful live preview: Side-by-side preview needs a content preview; live updates and inspector mode need the SDK.
  • Contentful Experiences: Describes the drag-and-drop canvas, registered design-system components and field-level locales.
  • Contentful space roles: Lists default roles and states that custom, translator and freelancer roles require Premium.

Choosing between them

Storyblok:

Editors gain independence when the block library and validations already cover the pages they publish.

Contentful:

Editors can update structured entries in the hosted form; layout freedom still waits on Experiences components and role rules.

Ask marketers to finish the same page task in both products, and record every step that still needs a developer.

Content modeling

Storyblok maps pages to blocks and stories; Contentful maps reusable entries, fields and references.

Storyblok

Reusable content built from fields, blocks and stories

Reusable schemas can be managed in the UI or automated through the Management API and CLI.

View sources (1)

Contentful

Content types, fields, references and rich text

Teams model entries with up to 50 fields, rich text and references to other entries. The same model can be edited in the web app or changed with the management API and CLI migrations.

Plan considerations: Premium cross-space references allow three reference fields per type and cap how many entries can be linked.

View sources (3)
  • Contentful data model: Defines spaces, content types and up to 50 fields, including rich text and entry references.
  • Contentful references: Describes one-to-one and one-to-many entry references, including Premium cross-space references.
  • Contentful import and export: CLI export and import cover entries, assets, models and roles. Version history is not migrated.

Choosing between them

Storyblok:

Use it when each design-system component is a block that editors assemble into campaign pages.

Contentful:

Use it when the same entry must be referenced from many pages, products and channels.

Model one shared item, such as a legal notice or product blurb, and see which structure editors can reuse without duplication.

Workflow and governance

Both gate advanced roles, releases and workflows behind the plan you buy.

Storyblok

Useful defaults; advanced controls are tiered

A default three-stage workflow is documented; custom workflows, roles, pipelines and retention depend on the selected plan.

Plan considerations: Governance and environment features depend on your plan and contract; confirm which capabilities are included.

View sources (3)
  • Storyblok workflows: Documents the default publishing stages, with assignees, roles, dates and notifications.
  • Storyblok roles: Details role-based permissions for content, schemas, assets, languages, workflows and releases.
  • Storyblok pricing: Lists space-based plans and limits for seats, API requests, traffic, content, assets, locales and governance.

Contentful

Roles and releases depend on the plan

Workflow count depends on the plan, and a Starter space lists workflows as unavailable. Custom roles are Premium, and Launch lists specific paid plans for grouped releases.

Plan considerations: Confirm current plan names. The Launch page still lists Team and Enterprise alongside Lite and Premium.

View sources (4)
  • Contentful workflows: Says workflows are available only on specific plans and limits one workflow to 20 steps.
  • Contentful space roles: Lists default roles and states that custom, translator and freelancer roles require Premium.
  • Contentful pricing: Free column and Starter quotas include two locales, API caps and no Starter workflows.
  • Contentful Launch app: Groups entries into releases and lists Team, Lite, Enterprise and Premium as eligible plans.

Choosing between them

Storyblok:

A default workflow is documented; custom roles, pipelines and retention still depend on the space plan.

Contentful:

Custom roles are Premium, workflows are absent on Starter spaces, and Launch eligibility is plan-listed.

Write down the required roles, approval steps and release calendar, then match each item to a current written plan entitlement.

Localization and multisite

Storyblok offers folder and space patterns; Contentful starts with locales on the entry.

Storyblok

Field, folder and space localization

Combine translated fields, market-specific folders and separate spaces to balance shared content with regional independence.

View sources (1)

Contentful

Field locales, with other structures optional

Field-level locales are built in. Entry, content-type and space copies support independent publishing, and those separated approaches do not get straightforward fallback.

Plan considerations: The free plan lists two locales. Translator roles require Premium, and locale-based publishing is described as an Enterprise-space feature.

View sources (3)

Choosing between them

Storyblok:

Prefer its field, folder or space patterns when regional teams need clearly different publishing boundaries.

Contentful:

Field locales suit synchronized translations; independent market publishing needs another structure and, for locale-based publishing, an Enterprise space.

Decide whether locales share an entry, a folder or a space, then test fallback behavior and who is allowed to publish.

Developer experience

Storyblok integrates a managed editor; Contentful expects scripted models plus preview code.

Storyblok

Framework-agnostic APIs plus schema tooling

Component-based models and API/CLI tooling support schema automation and version control; preview still needs frontend integration.

View sources (3)

Contentful

CLI migrations, environments and management APIs

Developers script content-model changes, merge environments and call management APIs. The team still owns the frontend, the Live Preview SDK and any custom editor extensions.

View sources (4)
  • Contentful import and export: CLI export and import cover entries, assets, models and roles. Version history is not migrated.
  • Contentful Merge app: Compares content-type changes between environments and can export a migration script.
  • Contentful API basics: Separates delivery, preview, management, Images and GraphQL APIs, including separate EU hosts.
  • Contentful live preview: Side-by-side preview needs a content preview; live updates and inspector mode need the SDK.

Choosing between them

Storyblok:

Teams automate schemas with the API and CLI while the visual editor remains the vendor’s application.

Contentful:

Teams own migrations, environment merges and the preview SDK, on top of a vendor-managed content API.

Run one schema change and one preview task in each product, then assign who owns that editor integration after launch.

APIs and extensibility

Both cover delivery, management and webhooks; the query style and preview API differ.

Storyblok

REST, GraphQL, management, images and webhooks

Use delivery and management APIs, an image service and event webhooks; REST remains the broadest documented API surface.

View sources (2)

Contentful

Delivery, preview, management, GraphQL and webhooks

Published content uses the delivery and GraphQL APIs, drafts use the preview API, and the management API plus webhooks cover writes and events. EU customers have separate API hosts.

View sources (2)
  • Contentful API basics: Separates delivery, preview, management, Images and GraphQL APIs, including separate EU hosts.
  • Contentful webhooks: Webhooks call a public endpoint for selected content events from the web app or management API.

Choosing between them

Storyblok:

REST delivery and management are the broad surface, with GraphQL, images and webhooks beside them.

Contentful:

Delivery, preview, management and schema-derived GraphQL are separate APIs, with EU hosts for residency customers.

Call the preview and delivery endpoints your frontend actually needs, then check monthly API caps on the plan you expect to buy.

Hosting and operations

Both vendors run the content platform; neither moves that backend onto your servers.

Storyblok

Managed delivery with CDN and regions

Storyblok runs the content platform and CloudFront delivery with region-specific endpoints; your team still owns frontend hosting, builds and runtime operations.

View sources (2)

Contentful

Managed AWS platform; frontend stays with you

Contentful runs the content APIs, editor and CDN on AWS, with US or EU residency options. Your team still hosts the website, builds and application runtime.

View sources (1)

Choosing between them

Storyblok:

It fits when managed CDN delivery and the vendor’s regions are acceptable for the content API.

Contentful:

It fits when AWS regions, including the EU option, meet your residency needs and you will host the site.

If the content database must run in your account, stop here. Otherwise compare residency, CDN and the frontend you will operate.

Security and governance

Certifications differ in name; both still tie advanced identity and SLAs to the contract.

Storyblok

Managed security; advanced controls vary by plan

Documented protections include AWS infrastructure, residency options and ISO 27001; SSO, access controls, backups and SLAs vary by plan or contract.

View sources (3)
  • Storyblok Trust Center: Documents AWS hosting, regional residency options, ISO 27001 and platform reliability controls.
  • Storyblok roles: Details role-based permissions for content, schemas, assets, languages, workflows and releases.
  • Storyblok pricing: Lists space-based plans and limits for seats, API requests, traffic, content, assets, locales and governance.

Contentful

ISO 27001 and SOC 2; controls vary by plan

Documented assurance includes ISO/IEC 27001:2022, SOC 2 Type 2, encryption and daily backups on AWS. Confirm SSO, SCIM, embargoed assets and the uptime SLA on the plan you will buy.

Plan considerations: Custom roles are Premium. EU residency is a documented customer option with separate API hosts, not the default US regions.

View sources (3)

Choosing between them

Storyblok:

ISO 27001 and AWS residency are documented; SSO, custom roles and the SLA still follow the plan.

Contentful:

ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type 2 are documented; custom roles are Premium and SSO should be confirmed in writing.

Map residency, SSO, roles, backups and the SLA to the order form. Do not treat a certification list as that map.

Pricing and cost drivers

Storyblok prices by space and usage; Contentful prices spaces, users and separate product licenses.

Storyblok

Space plans with seat, usage and locale limits

Budget per space for included seats, requests, traffic, content, assets and locales; extra capacity and advanced controls can increase total cost.

Plan considerations: Check current pricing in your billing currency, including fair-use terms and contract-specific allowances.

View sources (1)
  • Storyblok pricing: Lists space-based plans and limits for seats, API requests, traffic, content, assets, locales and governance.

Contentful

Spaces, users, API calls and add-on products

Free includes one Starter space, 10 users and hard API and bandwidth caps. Lite raises the user cap and can add one space; Premium prices spaces and users by contract, and Studio is licensed separately.

Plan considerations: Starter spaces list 25 content types, two environments, 10,000 records, two locales and no workflows. Confirm current overages before you budget.

View sources (3)

Choosing between them

Storyblok:

Budget seats, requests, traffic, stories, assets, locales and the governance tier attached to each space.

Contentful:

Budget users, API calls, bandwidth and locales, plus a Studio license if the canvas is required.

Build a two-year model of spaces, users, locales and API traffic, then add preview work plus any separate Studio license.

Migration and exit

Both can export content; references, assets and the frontend still need a mapped cutover.

Storyblok

APIs and JSON/XML export; plan for assets

APIs and CLI tooling support content and schema migration; separately plan the transfer of asset files, references, translations and application code.

View sources (3)

Contentful

CLI export and import; history is not copied

The CLI can export entries, assets, content types, roles, tags and webhooks, then import them into another space. Version history starts fresh, and your frontend, URLs and preview code still need a separate plan.

Plan considerations: Drafts are excluded unless include-drafts is set. Embargoed assets need the download and upload options.

View sources (1)

Choosing between them

Storyblok:

Story export helps, but asset files, translations and block structure still need a target model.

Contentful:

Space export moves entries and types, not version history, and drafts stay behind unless you opt in.

Export a sample of entries, assets and locales from each, then rehearse the import into a neutral model before signing.

Marketing website fit

Storyblok is the more direct page builder; Contentful fits when entries matter more than the canvas.

Storyblok

Visual page composition from reusable components

Campaign and marketing teams benefit from visual composition, provided the component library stays flexible and well maintained.

View sources (2)
  • Storyblok Visual Editor: Documents embedded preview, click-to-edit and live editing, including HTTPS and iframe/CSP requirements.
  • Storyblok content modeling: Explains fields, blocks and stories, plus schema management through the UI, API and CLI.

Contentful

Fits structured sites when preview is funded

Marketing pages work when entries, references and a preview URL match the design system. Visual composition is practical only after Studio components and roles are set up.

View sources (3)
  • Contentful data model: Defines spaces, content types and up to 50 fields, including rich text and entry references.
  • Contentful live preview: Side-by-side preview needs a content preview; live updates and inspector mode need the SDK.
  • Contentful Experiences: Describes the drag-and-drop canvas, registered design-system components and field-level locales.

Choosing between them

Storyblok:

Campaign and corporate pages align with visual composition, as long as the block library stays maintained.

Contentful:

Structured campaigns work when entries are the model; visual page building needs Studio and a maintained component set.

For most marketing website briefs, start with Storyblok unless reusable entries or scripted models are the requirement you must meet.

Visual editing and preview

Storyblok centers an embedded editor; Contentful’s canvas is a licensed Studio add-on.

Storyblok

Embedded visual editor with click-to-edit

Editors work in the embedded frontend; setup requires an HTTPS preview URL and compatible iframe and content-security settings.

View sources (1)
  • Storyblok Visual Editor: Documents embedded preview, click-to-edit and live editing, including HTTPS and iframe/CSP requirements.

Contentful

Live preview; visual canvas needs Studio

Side-by-side preview works after a preview URL is configured. Live updates, click-to-field editing and drag-and-drop Experiences need the relevant SDK, and Experiences also need a Studio license.

Plan considerations: A Studio license enables Experiences in up to three spaces unless additional spaces are purchased.

View sources (3)

Choosing between them

Storyblok:

Fits teams that want click-to-edit composition in the embedded editor, after the preview URL and blocks exist.

Contentful:

Fits teams that will integrate the Live Preview SDK, and Experiences only if they need a canvas.

Prototype one real campaign page in both products, then name who will maintain the blocks or Experiences components after launch.

Recommendations by use case

[Marketing website]

Start with Storyblok

Use Storyblok when editors compose campaign pages from blocks. Choose Contentful when the site is structured entries and Experiences is funded for layout.

[Structured content platform]

Favor Contentful for shared entries

Contentful content types and references suit content reused beyond the page. Storyblok still fits when the model is mainly components on the website.

[Multilingual multisite]

Match the publishing boundary

Contentful field locales suit shared entries. Storyblok folder and space patterns suit regional sites that publish separately. Confirm locale limits and roles on the plan.

[Ecommerce]

Favor Contentful for linked entries

Contentful references suit product and campaign entries reused across channels. Prefer Storyblok when the CMS mainly composes storefront landing pages.

[Enterprise governance]

Validate the contract

Check workflows, releases, SSO, custom roles, backups and the SLA on the exact plan. Contentful custom roles are Premium; Storyblok governance features are tiered.

[Small team]

Choose a sustainable editor

Storyblok can reduce custom editor work for a visual site. Contentful can suit a team that will live in structured entries and skip Experiences. A simpler product may still be enough.

Related resources

Temporary image for the draft Storyblok profile

[Platform]

Storyblok

Visual page building with reusable content components.

Read more
Contentful logo

[Platform]

Contentful

Structured entries with plan-dependent visual page composition.

Read more