As of 2024, over 80 million websites use a content management system (CMS), which is a significant shift from traditional hand-coded sites to more dynamic, user-friendly platforms.
Contentful powers over 46,000 live websites, and Builder.io is used by over 4,500 live sites. This article delves into their unique features, pricing structures, and ideal use cases to guide your decision-making process.
In brief:
- Contentful is a developer-focused headless CMS, while Builder.io emphasizes ease of use and visual editing for marketers and non-technical users.
- Contentful is highlighted for its robust API-first design, content modeling, and scalability for large enterprises, while Builder.io stands out with its drag-and-drop editor, personalization tools, and real-time visual editing capabilities.
- Contentful's pricing is higher and geared towards enterprise users, requiring technical expertise, while Builder.io offers affordable entry-level plans and a user-friendly interface tailored to smaller teams and marketers.
Content Modeling
Builder.io focuses on website-specific content models. This means it’s designed to make creating and managing website content straightforward and efficient. If your primary goal is to build and maintain a website, Builder.io’s content modeling approach might be more intuitive for you.
Contentful, on the other hand, supports more general-purpose content types. It’s built to handle a variety of content needs, from multisite content management to mobile apps and beyond. This flexibility can be beneficial if you’re looking to manage content across multiple channels and platforms.
Visual Editing
Builder.io offers drag-and-drop page building. This feature allows you to visually construct your web pages by dragging elements into place. It’s user-friendly and can be a significant time-saver, especially if you prefer a more hands-on approach to design.
Contentful provides a rich text editor and Content Studio because of which it is known as the best CMS for B2B websites, While it doesn’t offer the same level of visual page building as Builder.io, its rich text editor is robust and versatile. The Content Studio adds another layer of functionality, allowing for more detailed content management and editing.
Integrations
Both platforms offer various integrations, making it easier to connect with other tools and services you might be using. However, Contentful has a larger marketplace of extensions. This extensive marketplace means you have more options when it comes to adding new features and functionalities to your CMS.
When it comes to selecting the right CMS for your SaaS company, integration capabilities are very important.
Pricing
Builder.io and Contentful have different pricing tiers. It’s important to consider not just the base price but also the entire tech stack costs for each platform. Depending on your specific needs and the scale of your project, one might be more cost-effective than the other.
Contentful
Free Plan: $0 per month
- Designed for developers and marketers working on individual projects.
- Includes 5 users, 2 locales, 1 million API calls per month, and community-based support.
- Basic Plan: $300 per month
- Premium Plan: Custom pricing (annual subscription)
Builder.io
- Free Plan: $0 per user per month
- Pro Plan: $19 per user per month
- Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing
When evaluating pricing, think about the long-term costs associated with each platform, including any additional services or integrations you might need. This comprehensive view will help you understand the true cost of using either Builder.io or Contentful.
Security
Contentful prioritizes enterprise-grade security with features like single sign-on (SSO), role-based access control (RBAC), and audit logs. It complies with standards like ISO 27001, SOC 2, and GDPR to ensure data protection and regulatory compliance. It also offers encrypted API communications, secure asset storage, and optional two-factor authentication (2FA).
Builder.io focuses on secure content delivery through its CDN-backed architecture. It supports custom access control policies, ensuring users can define granular permissions. Builder.io also leverages SSL/TLS encryption for all data transmissions and provides options for integrating secure authentication systems like OAuth or SAML for custom enterprise setups.
Use Cases
Contentful excels where scalability and developer-centric workflows are important. It’s ideal for enterprises that manage complex, multi-channel channels, such as global websites, mobile apps, and IoT integrations. Industries like e-commerce, media, and SaaS often use Contentful for content modeling and API-driven solutions.
Builder.io is tailored for non-technical users, focusing on quick, visually-driven content creation. It's great for marketing landing pages, personalized e-commerce experiences, and A/B testing for content optimization. Small-to-mid-sized businesses and marketing teams benefit from its drag-and-drop editor, enabling faster iterations and reduced dependency on developers.
What do Users Say About Builder.io?
Our clients in B2B have shared varied experiences with Builder.io. Some report performance issues with the visual builder. They mention that the interface can lag, especially when handling complex layouts or large amounts of content. This lag can slow down the design process and create frustration, particularly for those working on tight deadlines.
On the positive side, many of our B2B clients appreciate the ease of use. They have reported that it has been very effective in B2B website strategy. The drag-and-drop functionality makes it simple to create and edit pages without needing extensive technical knowledge. This feature is especially beneficial for teams that include non-developers, allowing them to contribute to the website’s design and content directly.
Builder.io’s integration with Shopify receives high praise. Our clients - and our team as well - find it straightforward to connect their eCommerce store, enabling them to manage product pages and other content seamlessly. This integration helps streamline workflows and ensures that the website and online store remain synchronized.
Opinions on customer support responsiveness are mixed. Some users report quick and helpful responses from the support team, while others feel that their issues take too long to resolve. This inconsistency can impact the overall user experience, especially when dealing with urgent problems.
What do Users Say About Contentful?
Contentful receives high praise for its API-first approach and scalability by our clients. It is considered among top enterprise CMS platforms for B2B users who appreciate how the platform prioritizes APIs, making it easier to integrate with various systems and tools. This approach ensures that Contentful can handle large volumes of content and scale efficiently as your needs grow. The flexibility offered by its APIs allows developers to build custom solutions tailored to specific requirements.
The developer experience and documentation also receive positive feedback, including by our team at Webstacks. Developers find the platform intuitive and well-documented, which simplifies the learning process and reduces development time. The comprehensive guides and examples provided by Contentful help developers quickly understand how to implement and use the platform effectively. This strong support system contributes to a smoother development process and a more enjoyable user experience.
However, some users find the learning curve steep for non-technical users. While developers may find Contentful straightforward, those without a technical background might struggle initially. The platform's powerful features and extensive capabilities can be overwhelming for beginners. This steep learning curve can slow down content creation and management for teams that include non-technical members.
Concerns about costs for larger organizations are also common. As your content needs grow, so do the costs associated with using Contentful. Larger organizations may find the pricing structure challenging, especially when factoring in additional services and integrations. This concern highlights the importance of carefully evaluating the total cost of ownership when considering Contentful for large-scale projects.
Overall, user feedback on Contentful highlights its strengths in scalability, SEO capabilities, developer experience, and documentation, while also noting some challenges for non-technical users and larger organizations.
Our Take on Contentful vs Builder.io
Both Contentful and Builder.io offer distinct advantages.
Contentful excels with its content modeling and API-first approach, making it ideal for complex, large-scale projects that need extensive customization and scalability. Its structured framework benefits development teams that want flexibility and control over content delivery.
Builder.io emphasizes a user-friendly, visual editing experience, catering to marketing teams and non-technical users who prioritize speed and ease of content creation. Its drag-and-drop interface makes rapid page building easy without deep technical knowledge.
Choosing between the two depends on project requirements: opt for Contentful when customization and scalability are your primary concerns, and Builder.io when quick, visual content management is the focus.
Which Headless CMS is Right for Your Project?
Builder.io excels at visual page building and Shopify integration. Its drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to design web pages without extensive coding knowledge. If your project involves a lot of visual content and you need a seamless integration with Shopify, Builder.io might be the better choice.
Contentful, on the other hand, is a robust, developer-friendly platform for omnichannel content. It supports a wide range of content types and is designed to handle complex content management needs. If your project requires managing content across multiple platforms and channels, Contentful’s flexibility and extensive API support will be beneficial. Understanding the benefits of composable CMS can also help in making an informed decision.
Consider your team's technical expertise when making a decision. Builder.io’s user-friendly interface is ideal for teams with limited technical skills, allowing non-developers to contribute easily. Contentful requires more technical know-how, making it a better fit for teams with strong development capabilities.
Evaluate pricing, performance, and support for your project's scale. Builder.io and Contentful have different pricing tiers, so consider the overall costs, including any additional services or integrations you might need. Assess the performance of each platform based on your content volume and complexity. Also, look into the support options available to ensure you have the necessary assistance as your project grows.
See the Webstacks difference: Schedule a brief discovery call today. Let us help you build a scalable, beautiful, and cutting-edge website tailored to your needs. Visit Webstacks to get started.
