cms comparison
Sanity vs Contentful: Which Is Right for You?
Sanity and Contentful are both leading hosted headless CMSes. Sanity is more flexible and developer-friendly. Contentful is more enterprise-friendly with established workflow approvals and SLAs.
Our Verdict
Sanity is our recommendation for most projects. Contentful is worth considering if your organisation requires enterprise SLAs, has an existing Contentful investment, or needs formal editorial workflow approvals.
Sanity vs Contentful: At a Glance
Sanity wins when…
- ✓ More flexible schema definition — content types are code, not UI-configured and rigid
- ✓ GROQ queries are more powerful and intuitive than Contentful's REST and GraphQL APIs
- ✓ Real-time collaboration and live preview built into the Studio interface
- ✓ More generous free tier — excellent for projects still in development
Contentful wins when…
- ✓ Contentful has enterprise SLAs and compliance certifications that some organisations require
- ✓ Contentful's workflow approvals and scheduled publishing are more mature for regulated content teams
Detailed Comparison
| Criterion | Sanity | Contentful |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Fixed-price projects | Varies |
| Timeline | Predictable sprints | Varies |
| Accountability | Single point of contact | Varies by provider |
| Quality | Senior team standard | Varies |
| Post-launch | 30 days support included | Typically billable |
| Best for | Production products that need to scale | Contentful has enterprise SLAs and compliance |
Sanity vs Contentful — FAQ
What is the main difference between Sanity and Contentful?
Sanity and Contentful are both leading hosted headless CMSes. Sanity is more flexible and developer-friendly. Contentful is more enterprise-friendly with established workflow approvals and SLAs.
When should I choose Sanity over Contentful?
Choose Sanity when: More flexible schema definition — content types are code, not UI-configured and rigid; and GROQ queries are more powerful and intuitive than Contentful's REST and GraphQL APIs.
Are there cases where Contentful is the better choice?
Yes, honestly. Contentful wins when: Contentful has enterprise SLAs and compliance certifications that some organisations require; Contentful's workflow approvals and scheduled publishing are more mature for regulated content teams. We believe in giving you an accurate picture, not just selling you on our services.
What is the verdict?
Sanity is our recommendation for most projects. Contentful is worth considering if your organisation requires enterprise SLAs, has an existing Contentful investment, or needs formal editorial workflow approvals.
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