Headless CMS comparison 2021
Looking for the best headless CMS?
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"How to select a future-proof headless CMS".
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Prepr
| Feature | Included |
|---|---|
| Team level pricing | $99 - $249 |
| Environments | 1 - 3 |
| Users | 10 - 25 |
| Publications | Unlimited |
| Free forever plan | Yes |
| Feature | Included |
|---|---|
| Multi-channel publishing | Yes |
| Aggregated publishing | Yes |
| Rich content editor | Yes |
| Scheduling & Previews | Yes |
| Custom content models | Unlimited |
| Locales | Unlimited |
| Versioning & Roll-back | Yes |
| Integration fields | Yes |
| A/B-testing | Yes |
| Search engine optimization | Yes |
| Custom roles & Permissions | Yes |
| Worksflows & Commenting | Yes |
| Feature | Included |
|---|---|
| Authentication | Yes |
| Data management | Yes |
| Personalization | Yes |
| Segments | Yes |
| Notifications | Yes |
| Recommendations | Yes |
| Feature | Included |
|---|---|
| Query & Mutation API | Yes |
| GraphQL API | Yes |
| API calls | Unlimited |
| Webhooks | Yes |
| SDKs | Yes |
| Global CDN | 100 GB |
Prismic
| Feature | Included |
|---|---|
| Team level pricing | $125 - $575 |
| Environments | 1 |
| Users | 25 |
| Publications | Unlimited |
| Free forever plan | Yes |
| Feature | Included |
|---|---|
| Multi-channel publishing | Yes |
| Aggregated publishing | No |
| Rich content editor | Yes |
| Scheduling & Previews | Yes |
| Custom content models | Unlimited |
| Locales | Unlimited |
| Versioning & Roll-back | Yes |
| Integration fields | Yes |
| A/B-testing | No |
| Search engine optimization | No |
| Custom roles & Permissions | Yes |
| Worksflows & Commenting | No |
| Feature | Included |
|---|---|
| Authentication | No |
| Data management | No |
| Personalization | No |
| Segments | No |
| Notifications | No |
| Recommendations | No |
| Feature | Included |
|---|---|
| Query & Mutation API | Read only |
| GraphQL API | Yes |
| API calls | Unlimited |
| Webhooks | Yes |
| SDKs | Yes |
| Global CDN | 500 GB |
GraphCMS
| Feature | Included |
|---|---|
| Team level pricing | $299 - $799 |
| Environments | 2 - 3 |
| Users | 15 - 25 |
| Publications | 25 - 50k |
| Free forever plan | Yes |
| Feature | Included |
|---|---|
| Multi-channel publishing | Yes |
| Aggregated publishing | No |
| Rich content editor | Yes |
| Scheduling & Previews | Yes |
| Custom content models | 50 - 75 |
| Locales | 8 |
| Versioning & Roll-back | Yes |
| Integration fields | No |
| A/B-testing | No |
| Search engine optimization | No |
| Custom roles & Permissions | Max 4 |
| Worksflows & Commenting | Workflow only |
| Feature | Included |
|---|---|
| Authentication | No |
| Data management | No |
| Personalization | No |
| Segments | No |
| Notifications | No |
| Recommendations | No |
| Feature | Included |
|---|---|
| Query & Mutation API | Yes |
| GraphQL API | Yes |
| API calls | 1.000.000 |
| Webhooks | Yes |
| SDKs | Yes |
| Global CDN | 500 GB |
Contentful
| Feature | Included |
|---|---|
| Team level pricing | $489 - $879 |
| Environments | 3 - 5 |
| Users | 25 |
| Publications | 25 - 50k |
| Free forever plan | No |
| Feature | Included |
|---|---|
| Multi-channel publishing | Yes |
| Aggregated publishing | No |
| Rich content editor | Yes |
| Scheduling & Previews | Yes |
| Custom content models | 48 |
| Locales | 7 |
| Versioning & Roll-back | Yes |
| Integration fields | No |
| A/B-testing | No |
| Search engine optimization | No |
| Custom roles & Permissions | No |
| Worksflows & Commenting | Yes |
| Feature | Included |
|---|---|
| Authentication | No |
| Data management | No |
| Personalization | No |
| Segments | No |
| Notifications | No |
| Recommendations | No |
| Feature | Included |
|---|---|
| Query & Mutation API | Yes |
| GraphQL API | Yes |
| API calls | 2.000.000 |
| Webhooks | Yes |
| SDKs | Yes |
| Global CDN | 750 GB |
Kontent
| Feature | Included |
|---|---|
| Team level pricing | $999 - $1999 |
| Environments | 3 - 6 |
| Users | 10 - 25 |
| Publications | 10 - 25k |
| Free forever plan | No |
| Feature | Included |
|---|---|
| Multi-channel publishing | Yes |
| Aggregated publishing | No |
| Rich content editor | Yes |
| Scheduling & Previews | Yes |
| Custom content models | Unlimited |
| Locales | 3 - 10 |
| Versioning & Roll-back | Yes |
| Integration fields | No |
| A/B-testing | No |
| Search engine optimization | No |
| Custom roles & Permissions | 1 - 2 |
| Worksflows & Commenting | Yes |
| Feature | Included |
|---|---|
| Authentication | No |
| Data management | No |
| Personalization | No |
| Segments | No |
| Notifications | No |
| Recommendations | No |
| Feature | Included |
|---|---|
| Query & Mutation API | Yes |
| GraphQL API | No |
| API calls | 2.000.000 |
| Webhooks | Yes |
| SDKs | Yes |
| Global CDN | 500 GB |
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| System | Prepr | Prismic | GraphCMS | Contentful | Kontent |
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| Subscription plans | |||||
| Team level pricing Monthly pricing for team level plans | $99 - $249 | $125 - $575 | $299 - $799 | $489 - $879 | $999 - $1999 |
| Environments Maximum number of environments | 1 - 3 | 1 | 2 - 3 | 3 - 5 | 3 - 6 |
| Users Maximum number of users | 10 - 25 | 25 | 15 - 25 | 25 | 10 - 25 |
| Publications Maximum number of publications/documents/articles | Unlimited | Unlimited | 25 - 50k | 25 - 50k | 10 - 25k |
| Free forever plan Is a free forever plan available? | Included in Prepr | Included in Prismic | Included in GraphCMS | Not included in Contentful | Not included in Kontent |
| Content management | |||||
| Multi-channel publishing Can you publish across websites, apps and brands? | Included in Prepr | Included in Prismic | Included in GraphCMS | Included in Contentful | Included in Kontent |
| Aggregated publishing Can you publish across environments and share content between environments? | Included in Prepr | Not included in Prismic | Not included in GraphCMS | Not included in Contentful | Not included in Kontent |
| Rich content editor Can you create rich publications with images, audio, video and social media posts? | Included in Prepr | Included in Prismic | Included in GraphCMS | Included in Contentful | Included in Kontent |
| Scheduling & Previews Can you preview & schedule publications? | Included in Prepr | Included in Prismic | Included in GraphCMS | Included in Contentful | Included in Kontent |
| Custom content models How many custom content models can you make? | Unlimited | Unlimited | 50 - 75 | 48 | Unlimited |
| Locales How many locales are supported? | Unlimited | Unlimited | 8 | 7 | 3 - 10 |
| Versioning & Roll-back Can you see previous versions of a publication and roll back if needed? | Included in Prepr | Included in Prismic | Included in GraphCMS | Included in Contentful | Included in Kontent |
| Integration fields Can you look up content in external systems and include it in publications? | Included in Prepr | Included in Prismic | Not included in GraphCMS | Not included in Contentful | Not included in Kontent |
| A/B-testing Can you A-B-test texts & images? | Included in Prepr | Not included in Prismic | Not included in GraphCMS | Not included in Contentful | Not included in Kontent |
| Search engine optimization Do you get SEO suggestions? | Included in Prepr | Not included in Prismic | Not included in GraphCMS | Not included in Contentful | Not included in Kontent |
| Custom roles & Permissions Can you add custom roles and permissions? | Included in Prepr | Included in Prismic | Max 4 | Not included in Contentful | 1 - 2 |
| Worksflows & Commenting Can you enroll publications in a workflow and collaborate with messages? | Included in Prepr | Not included in Prismic | Workflow only | Included in Contentful | Included in Kontent |
| Personalization | |||||
| Authentication Can you authenticate visitors? | Included in Prepr | Not included in Prismic | Not included in GraphCMS | Not included in Contentful | Not included in Kontent |
| Data management Can you capture interaction data for personalization? | Included in Prepr | Not included in Prismic | Not included in GraphCMS | Not included in Contentful | Not included in Kontent |
| Personalization Can you personalize content? | Included in Prepr | Not included in Prismic | Not included in GraphCMS | Not included in Contentful | Not included in Kontent |
| Segments Can you group visitors in segments? | Included in Prepr | Not included in Prismic | Not included in GraphCMS | Not included in Contentful | Not included in Kontent |
| Notifications Can you deliver personal notifications when new content becomes available? | Included in Prepr | Not included in Prismic | Not included in GraphCMS | Not included in Contentful | Not included in Kontent |
| Recommendations Can you recommend related publications? | Included in Prepr | Not included in Prismic | Not included in GraphCMS | Not included in Contentful | Not included in Kontent |
| Development | |||||
| Query & Mutation API Is a REST API available for read, write, and system management operations? | Included in Prepr | Read only | Included in GraphCMS | Included in Contentful | Included in Kontent |
| GraphQL API Is a GraphQL API available? | Included in Prepr | Included in Prismic | Included in GraphCMS | Included in Contentful | Not included in Kontent |
| API calls How many API-calls are included in the plan? | Unlimited | Unlimited | 1.000.000 | 2.000.000 | 2.000.000 |
| Webhooks Can you configure webhooks to automate processes? | Included in Prepr | Included in Prismic | Included in GraphCMS | Included in Contentful | Included in Kontent |
| SDKs Are SDKs available for often used development frameworks? | Included in Prepr | Included in Prismic | Included in GraphCMS | Included in Contentful | Included in Kontent |
| Global CDN How much bandwith is included in the plan? | 100 GB | 500 GB | 500 GB | 750 GB | 500 GB |
This table is compiled with publicly available information from these vendors websites. Last updated December 2020.
How to find the best headless CMS?
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A headless content management system benefits enterprises that want to publish on multiple channels and deliver highly personalized user experiences. But if your brand only operates a single website populated with static content that doesn't change often, you have little need to switch to a headless CMS. But if you're a modern brand with ambitions to conquer multiple channels with personalized content, continue with your headless cms comparison.
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Are you looking to increase efficiency in content production, or do you want to generate more leads? Make sure everybody's expectations are aligned and set KPIs that will indicate whether you achieve your objectives. Consider your budget, taking into account implementation as well as ongoing costs. How much time are you willing to spend comparing potential solutions and on the implementation process? Think about how you can split the implementation of the CMS into multiple phases? Can you start with a pilot project for a single brand and then spread the CMS to minimize risk?
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When explaining the benefits of a headless CMS to management and other business stakeholders, it's essential to highlight the technical advantages of the solution model, as well as their future-proof and extensible nature. While traditional implementation models require the CMS and UI to be developed in together, headless solutions allow the CMS to evolve at a different rate than the UI. Headless solutions are also offer the flexibility to evolve alongside the ever-changing expectations of modern consumers. Using a headless CMS solution, additional channels and emerging touchpoints - such as wearables, apps, and voice assistants – can be included into the solution over time, with all content managed centrally in one place. Delivering a highly future-proof architecture, headless solutions provide agility, simplify cross-channel engagement, and position organizations to more quickly adapt to the newest customer experience trends.
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Your content team, development team, and marketing team all have their needs for the content management system. And of course, the business has some demands of its own. Make sure you are connected with all stakeholders and include criteria for every team within your company to ensure a balanced headless cms comparison.
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A 1-on-1 live demo with the vendor will not only help you get answers to your product questions, it's also a unique opportunity to learn more about who you'd be working with. Are they responsive? Do they have someone in your area or at least in your time zone? Don't let the vendor rely on PowerPoint presentations in their demo. Give them your most important use cases and let them show you what it's like to complete typical tasks in their CMS. Record the demo so that you are well prepared for the next step.
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Now you may want to cut the headless cms comparison list down to your top three options and go for the test drive. Most cloud-based headless CMS vendors offer free trials that can help your developers and marketers get to grips with the model and user interface—and we highly recommend taking advantage of those offers before investing too heavily. If you plan a complex architecture, do a proof of concept or ask the vendor to create a proof of concept for you. You can use the critical use cases mentioned in the previous step. This concludes our list of most important steps for your headless cms comparison.
What to look for in a headless CMS?
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Content comes in a million forms. Articles, videos, pages, events, performances, a. Don't get stuck with fixed content structures and make sure to choose a headless cms that offers flexible content models.
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When publishing content for multiple brands and websites, you want to keep your content and data consistent across the whole platform. Make sure to choose a cms that enables you to manage content models, metadata, interaction data and profiles for all brands in one place.
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Managing and translating content for different languages can be hard. When you publish multi-language content, look closely at how easy and flexible it is.
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Traditional cms systems only manage content, but don't show you how your audience engaged with your content. This is valuable data for your team that provides crucial insights to improve the user experience, drive data-driven marketing campaigns and deliver targeted recommendations. Modern content management systems store interaction data right with the content to make sure you can provide an optimal user experience.
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Personalized recommendations are a great way to increase the time people spend with your content. Modern headless CMS tools store behaviour data of your visitors and use this data to provide real-time AI-powered recommendations.
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Look beyond basic metrics like page views and popularity to understand how your audience interacts with your content. Learn what they like and what can be improved. Check if your headless cms can provide the level of detail you need to make informed decisions. This concludes our list of things to look at while comparing headless cms tools. Good luck with your journey.
Meet Prepr, the data-driven headless CMS
We combine the power of both content and data to maximize the impact of your content.
Key benefits of a data-driven CMS
- Deliver content at scale
- Manage all your content with one easy to use CMS and publish effortlessly across multiple websites, apps, and brands.
- Increase engagement
- Improve visitor retention, time-on-site, and conversions with A/B-testing, notifications, and recommendations.
- Get more value for money
- Save on license fees and operational costs with one seamless solution for content management and personalization.
A powerful headless CMS with five additional tools to maximize the impact of your content
Key features
Drag-and-drop content editing
Localization
Search engine optimization
Scheduling & previews
Images, audio & video
Workflows & collaboration
Versioning
Integration fields
Multi-brand publishing
Custom roles & permissions
Flexible content modeling
GraphQL API
Query & mutation API
Webhooks & SDKs
Global CDN
Impact tools
Optimize
Optimize headlines, images and content length with A/B-testing.
Notify
Notify your audience about new content to stay top of mind.
Capture
Capture event data and user interactions to fuel personalization.
Recommend
Configure and deliver personalized recommendations without coding.
Analyze
Analyze data-driven results to learn about the impact of your content.
Trusted by leading content-driven companies
Are you ready for the next step?
Check these resources to help you find the best headless CMS for your situation.
Key benefits of a data-driven CMS
- How to select a future-proof CMS in 2021?
- Discover how a headless CMS could work for you
- Test Prepr yourself with the forever free plan
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Data-driven CMS
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