Softwr

Software · head to head

Airbase vs Contentful

Airbase logo

Airbase

Software

The first all-in-one spend management platform

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Contentful logo

Contentful

Software

The content platform for the digital-first era

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Contentful has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Airbase airbase was acquired by Paylocity; its pricing page now redirects to paylocity.com/pricing and the product is marketed as 'Airbase, a Paylocity Company' within Paylocity's HCM platform rather than as a standalone product.; Contentful pricing model with content type limits (48) forces full tier upgrades
  • They diverge on capability: Airbase covers Corporate cards, Contentful covers Content modeling.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Airbase and Contentful actually diverge.

Attributes where Airbase and Contentful differ
AttributeAirbaseContentful
Starting price$29/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, API
Founded20172013

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Airbase

  • Corporate cards
  • Bill payments
  • Expense management
  • Procurement
  • Approvals
  • NetSuite
  • Sage Intacct
  • QuickBooks

Only in Contentful

  • Content modeling
  • RESTful APIs
  • GraphQL API
  • Webhooks
  • Rich text editor
  • Asset management
  • Multi-language support
  • Version control

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Airbase

  • Spend managementnot Contentful
  • Expense reportingnot Contentful
  • Vendor paymentsnot Contentful

Contentful

  • Website content managementnot Airbase
  • Mobile app contentnot Airbase
  • E-commerce catalogsnot Airbase
  • Multi-channel publishingnot Airbase
  • Digital experiencesnot Airbase

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Airbase

  • Airbase was acquired by Paylocity; its pricing page now redirects to paylocity.com/pricing and the product is marketed as 'Airbase, a Paylocity Company' within Paylocity's HCM platform rather than as a standalone product.

Contentful

  • Pricing model with content type limits (48) forces full tier upgrades
  • Limited GraphQL mutations for content management complexity
  • Requires significant technical expertise and developer dependency
  • Uncertainty following Salesforce acquisition announcement in June 2026

Pricing, plan by plan

Airbase

$29/month
  • StandardFree
    • Corporate cards
    • Expense reports
    • Bill pay
  • Premium$10/month
    • Advanced approvals
    • NetSuite sync
    • Procurement
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Custom workflows
    • API access
    • Dedicated support

Contentful

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 10 users
    • 100K API calls per month
    • 1 Space
  • Team$489/month
    • Higher usage limits
    • Additional collaboration features
    • Professional support

Which should you pick?

Choose Airbase if

  • You need corporate cards.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want bill payments.

Choose Contentful if

  • You need content modeling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want restful apis.

Questions people ask

Is Airbase or Contentful better?
Neither clearly leads. Airbase starts at $29/month and Contentful at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Airbase or Contentful?
Contentful has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for Airbase and Free for Contentful.
Does Airbase or Contentful run on more platforms?
Airbase runs on Web, Ios, Android. Contentful runs on Web, API.
Can I use Contentful for free?
Yes. Contentful has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Airbase starts at $29/month.
What is Airbase best used for?
Airbase is most often used for spend management, expense reporting, vendor payments. Of those, spend management and expense reporting are not what Contentful is typically brought in for.
What can Airbase do that Contentful cannot?
Airbase covers Corporate cards, Bill payments, Expense management, Procurement. Contentful covers Content modeling, RESTful APIs, GraphQL API, Webhooks.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Contentful: Does Contentful offer a free tier?

Yes, Contentful has a Free tier with 10 users, 100K API calls per month, and support for 1 Space. This is suitable for small projects and proof-of-concept work.

Source
Contentful: What is the difference between Contentful and traditional CMS platforms?

Contentful is a headless CMS that decouples content from presentation, allowing you to deliver the same content across websites, mobile apps, IoT devices, and voice assistants without duplication.

Source
Contentful: How does Contentful handle multi-locale content?

Contentful supports multi-locale content, though multi-locale costs must be negotiated upfront depending on your pricing tier and requirements.

Source
Contentful: Does Contentful integrate with e-commerce platforms?

Yes, Contentful partners with Commerce Layer, an API-first commerce platform, to enable enterprise-grade e-commerce experiences alongside headless CMS capabilities.

Source

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