Sanity vs Contentful

by Gralio Feb 27, 2025

Sanity and Contentful are both powerful content management systems, but they cater to different needs. Sanity excels in customization and flexibility, empowering developers to build highly tailored content experiences. Contentful prioritizes ease of use and faster content delivery, making it a good choice for teams with less technical expertise.

At Gralio.ai we help to simplify your decision-making process by offering detailed, side-by-side software comparisons like this one, to help you confidently choose the tool that aligns with your business goals.

This comparison was created by analysing 1095 reviews and 60 websites, saving 6 hours, 35 minutes of reading.

Sanity

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Contentful

Website LinkedIn Twitter

About

Sanity is a cloud-based content management system that goes beyond traditional website content. It allows you to manage all your content in one place and deliver it to any platform, like websites, apps, and more. Sanity provides customizable tools for creating and editing content and makes collaboration easy. It's designed to integrate with other business systems and scales to fit large companies' needs. Sanity is trusted by major brands for its flexibility and reliability.

Contentful is a content management system that helps businesses create, manage, and deliver content across different digital platforms. Unlike traditional systems, Contentful doesn't dictate how your website looks, giving you flexibility in presenting your content. It's particularly useful for managing content across multiple channels like websites, apps, and social media. Contentful is trusted by large companies and offers tools to streamline content creation and collaboration for marketing and development teams.

Summary

Main difference

Sanity is a more developer-centric platform with a focus on customization and flexibility, ideal for complex content structures and integrations. Contentful, while also developer-friendly, offers a simpler interface and pre-built features that cater to a wider range of users, making it better for teams prioritizing ease of use and faster content delivery.

Relative strengths of Sanity (compared to Contentful)

Greater flexibility and customization for complex content models.
More powerful and precise querying with GROQ.
Stronger developer tools and API-first architecture.

Relative weaknesses of Sanity (compared to Contentful)

Steeper learning curve and requires more technical expertise.
Pricing can be complex and potentially higher for advanced features.
Less intuitive interface for non-technical users.

Who should use Sanity VS. Contentful

Sanity is a versatile cloud-based CMS ideal for businesses of all sizes, especially those with complex content needs. Users praise its flexible content modeling, real-time collaboration, and developer-friendly tools. However, some find the learning curve steep and pricing complex. It's a great choice for teams seeking a powerful, customizable CMS but requires technical proficiency.

Contentful is a flexible content management system (CMS) empowering businesses to create and deliver content across various digital platforms. Its API-first approach and customizable content models are praised for seamless integrations and flexibility. However, some users note a steep learning curve and potential cost concerns. Contentful is best for companies seeking a robust, adaptable CMS but prepared to invest time in learning the system.

Best for small to large businesses seeking a flexible and scalable content management solution.
Ideal for businesses with complex content needs in any industry, particularly those focused on rich digital experiences.

Ideal for businesses of all sizes with a strong digital presence, especially those in e-commerce, media, marketing, or software.
Best fit for E-commerce, Education, and Software, IT & Telecommunications industries.

Sanity and Contentful features

Supported

Partially supported

Not supported

Type in the name of the feature or in your own words tell us what you need

Master Data Management

Not supported

Sanity is a content management system, not a master data management system.

Partially supported

Contentful does not natively support Master Data Management. It requires integration with other systems.
Multi-Channel Content Delivery

Supported

Sanity supports multi-channel content delivery, including websites and mobile apps.

Supported

Contentful excels at multi-channel delivery, supporting websites, apps, and more via API.
Structured Content Platform

Supported

Sanity.io supports structured content with collaborative editing and a powerful query language.

Partially supported

Contentful offers structured content, a query language, and collaboration features, but not an open-source editor.
SharePoint integration

Partially supported

SharePoint integration is available via third-party solutions like OneTeg.

Partially supported

SharePoint integration is available via third-party platforms like Appy Pie and Zoho Flow.
Automated task management

Supported

Sanity offers automated task management through its Tasks feature and AI Assist plugin.

Not supported

Contentful supports task management but not automated repetitive document-centric tasks.
Real-time co-editing

Not supported

Sanity supports collaborative editing with real-time updates but not simultaneous co-editing.

Partially supported

Contentful supports simultaneous editing, but co-editing the same document is not explicitly confirmed.

Qualities

Value and Pricing Transparency

No data

No data
Customer Service

No data

No data
Ease of Use

No data

No data
Reliability and Performance

No data

No data
Ease of Implementation

No data

No data
Scalability

No data

No data

Sanity and Contentful Pricing

Sanity offers a Free plan and a Growth plan with optional add-ons. The Enterprise plan requires contacting sales for custom pricing. The pricing model is primarily seat-based, with additional costs for usage exceeding the included quotas.

Plans

See full Pricing page

Contentful offers a free plan and two paid plans, Lite and Premium. The Lite plan is for small teams and is priced at $300 per month. The Premium plan is custom priced and requires contacting sales. Contentful also offers Spaces, which are content repositories for different projects or teams.

Plans

See full Pricing page

Sanity and Contentful review insights

Users love

Flexible and customizable content modeling, praised for its adaptability.
Real-time collaboration for seamless teamwork.
Developer-friendly with JavaScript-based studio and API-first architecture.
Excellent media handling and image optimization.
GROQ query language praised for flexibility and precision.

Highly customizable content models allow for flexible content structure.
API-first approach enables seamless integration with various platforms and tools.
User-friendly interface for content editors and managers.
Robust API and extensive documentation facilitate development and customization.

Users dislike

Steep learning curve for users unfamiliar with schema-based systems.
Pricing can be a concern for advanced features and higher quotas.
Limited out-of-the-box features, requiring more development effort.
Occasional slowdowns and glitches in the Studio editor.
Limited data migration options between datasets.

Pricing can be a barrier, especially for smaller organizations with limited budgets.
Steep learning curve for users unfamiliar with headless CMS and data modeling.
Limited built-in functionality; reliance on third-party apps for advanced features can increase costs.
Occasional slow UI performance, especially with large content volumes.

Sanity and Contentful Ratings

G2

4.7/5

(791)
Glassdoor

3.4/5

(26)

G2

4.2/5

(302)
TrustPilot

2.5/5

(5)
Glassdoor

3.3/5

(262)

Company health

Employee growth

36% increase in the last year

1% increase in the last year

Web traffic

4% decrease in the last quarter

2% decrease in the last quarter

Financing

March 2022 - $51M

April 2021 - $350M

How do Sanity's GROQ queries compare to Contentful's GraphQL for content retrieval?

Sanity uses GROQ, a powerful and flexible query language designed for structured content, allowing for precise filtering and retrieval of data. Contentful uses GraphQL, a widely adopted query language known for its strong typing and introspection capabilities, enabling developers to request specific data and relationships efficiently. While both offer powerful querying, GROQ is more tightly integrated with Sanity's data model and offers unique features for working with structured content, while GraphQL benefits from a larger community and broader tooling support.

Which platform offers better out-of-the-box features for non-developers, Sanity or Contentful?

Contentful offers better out-of-the-box features for non-developers. While both are headless CMS platforms requiring some technical understanding, Contentful's user-friendly interface and focus on content editors and managers, as highlighted in user reviews, make it more accessible for non-technical users. Sanity, while flexible and powerful, is geared towards developers and has a steeper learning curve for those less technically inclined, evidenced by user feedback mentioning its limited out-of-the-box features and the need for more development effort.

What are the advantages of Sanity?

Sanity offers a more flexible and customizable content modeling approach, praised for its adaptability and developer-friendly tools, including a JavaScript-based studio and API-first architecture. Users appreciate Sanity's excellent media handling and powerful GROQ query language. While Contentful is also praised for its API-first approach and user-friendly interface, Sanity's focus on structured content and customization may be more appealing to technically-savvy teams seeking greater control over their content.

What are the disadvantages of Sanity?

Sanity's disadvantages include a steep learning curve for users unfamiliar with schema-based content management, pricing that can become expensive with advanced features and higher usage, limited out-of-the-box features requiring more development effort, occasional slowdowns or glitches within the Studio editor, and limited data migration options between datasets.

Is Sanity cheaper than Contentful?

Sanity's Growth plan starts at $15/month/seat, while Contentful's Lite plan starts at $300/month. Therefore, for smaller teams or those needing fewer seats, Sanity is likely cheaper than Contentful. However, for larger teams, the overall cost comparison depends on the number of seats required by Sanity and the custom pricing of Contentful's Premium and Enterprise plans. It's impossible to definitively say which is cheaper without specific usage needs.

Alternatives to Sanity and Contentful

Storyblok

Storyblok is a user-friendly content management system designed for both technical and non-technical users. It allows you to easily create and manage content for websites, apps, and other digital platforms. With its visual editor and flexible content structure, Storyblok allows developers to build customized websites while empowering marketing teams to update content without coding knowledge. This helps businesses deliver consistent and engaging digital experiences across all channels.

prismic.io

Prismic.io is a headless content management system (CMS) that makes websites faster and easier to update. It lets developers build websites with their preferred tools while giving marketing teams the ability to edit and publish content independently, without needing technical help. This means faster website updates, a consistent brand, and the flexibility to grow. It's ideal for mid-sized companies looking for a balance of powerful technology and ease of use.

Contentstack

Contentstack is a cloud-based content management system designed for businesses that need to deliver content across many different channels quickly and efficiently. It gives developers the flexibility to build custom websites and apps, while also offering user-friendly tools for marketers to manage content without needing technical skills. Contentstack is focused on enterprise-level businesses and is known for its strong customer support.

Adobe Experience Manager

Adobe Experience Manager is a comprehensive content management platform for building and delivering personalized digital experiences. It enables you to create and manage website content, digital assets, and online forms, and then deliver those assets across various channels, including websites and mobile apps. Experience Manager uses AI to streamline workflows, personalize content, and provide valuable customer insights so you can optimize your marketing efforts.

iManage Work

iManage Work is a document and email management software designed for mid-sized to large organizations, especially in legal and financial sectors. It offers a secure platform to store, organize, search, and share information, enhancing productivity and collaboration. iManage Work integrates with Microsoft Office and prioritizes security and compliance, making it suitable for handling sensitive data. Its features aim to streamline workflows and improve knowledge sharing within an organization.

Progress Sitefinity

Progress Sitefinity is a digital experience platform that helps you create and manage your company's website and online content. It allows you to personalize your website visitors' experience and track their activity. Sitefinity can be hosted on your company's servers or in the cloud and integrates with other Progress software solutions for data and analytics.

Page co-authored by

Michal Kaczor

CEO at Gralio

Michal has worked at startups for many years and writes about topics relating to software selection and IT management. As a former consultant for Bain, a business advisory company, he also knows how to understand needs of any business and find solutions to its problems.

Tymon Terlikiewicz

CTO at Gralio

Tymon is a seasoned CTO who loves finding the perfect tools for any task. He recently headed up the tech department at Batmaid, a well-known Swiss company, where he managed about 60 software purchases, including CX, HR, Payroll, Marketing automation and various developer tools.

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