Contentful vs WordPress: Which is the better CMS for you?

When evaluating Contentful and WordPress, the decision often hinges on their distinct approaches to content management. Contentful is a headless-only CMS, built with API-driven content delivery at its core. WordPress, on the other hand, has brought powerful headless and hybrid content delivery capabilities to its traditional (monolithic) content management platform, offering a more versatile ecosystem.

Both platforms offer flexibility, but they serve very different starting points. The choice comes down to your priorities:

• Are you aiming for developer autonomy and building a fully custom, API-led ecosystem from scratch with Contentful?
• Or are you looking for a hybrid architecture that offers control, scalability, and a vast plugin ecosystem, something WordPress now supports with much more ease, especially when paired with concept like OnePress?

In this guide, we’ll explore how these platforms work and compare their distinct approaches. If you’re deciding between Contentful and WordPress, this comparison handbook will help you with the insights you need to make an informed choice.

Key questions we’ll explore

1. Which platform is better suited to future-proof your CMS strategy? Does Contentful’s headless-first model offer more adaptability, or does WordPress’s hybrid approach strike a better balance between innovation and reliability?
2. How do the platforms handle developer and cross-functional team needs? Does Contentful’s API-first architecture empower developers while potentially adding barriers for marketing and editorial teams? How does WordPress’s hybrid setup address the needs of both technical and non-technical users?
3. How does Contentful’s focus on API-driven delivery compare to WordPress’s REST API and GraphQL integrations in terms of performance and ease of use?
4. How well do the platforms integrate with modern frontend frameworks? Which CMS offers the more seamless developer experience and faster deployment?
5. What role does ecosystem maturity play? And which CMS’s ecosystem better aligns with your long-term goals across key areas?
6. How do they compare in total cost of ownership (TCO)? Of Contentful’s subscription-based pricing and WordPress’s open-source model (with optional subscription-based managed services), which CMS works better with your budget and growth plans?
7. What about scalability and innovation? Does Contentful’s clean-slate approach bring agility, or does WordPress’s hybrid flexibility cater better to both evolving and immediate needs?

And more.

About rtCamp

We’re a WordPress VIP Gold Agency Partner. We build enterprise-scale WordPress solutions, including headless WordPress implementations. We’re also working on our own solution for implementing headless WordPress, check out SnapWP. 

Because headless capabilities weren’t originally native to WordPress, we often hear clients wondering how it measures up against purpose-built headless CMS platforms like Contentful, Strapi, and Sanity. In this handbook, we’re offering a thorough comparison between Contentful and WordPress to help you make a more informed choice.

Still have questions? Book a free consultation to discuss your needs. As part of this, we offer up to 20 hours of complimentary scoping to assess your requirements and, if suitable, propose a custom headless WordPress solution tailored to your goals.