Softwr

E-Commerce · head to head

Contentful vs Strapi

Contentful logo

Contentful

E-Commerce

The content platform for the digital-first era

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Strapi logo

Strapi

APIs

Headless CMS with REST and GraphQL APIs

From
$35/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Contentful has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Contentful pricing model with content type limits (48) forces full tier upgrades; Strapi cloud pricing is per project, not per account, so a second project doubles the bill
  • They diverge on capability: Contentful covers Content modeling, Strapi covers REST API.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Contentful and Strapi actually diverge.

Attributes where Contentful and Strapi differ
AttributeContentfulStrapi
Starting priceFree$35/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, APINode.js, Cloud, Self-hosted, Docker
CategoryE-CommerceAPIs
Founded20132015

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

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 Contentful

  • Content modeling
  • RESTful APIs
  • Rich text editor
  • Asset management
  • Multi-language support
  • Version control
  • Gatsby
  • Next.js

Only in Strapi

  • REST API
  • Content management
  • PostgreSQL
  • MySQL
  • MongoDB
  • Node.js support
  • Cloud support
  • Self-hosted support

Both cover

  • GraphQL API
  • Webhooks
  • AWS

What people use each for

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

Contentful

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

Strapi

  • Running a self hosted headless CMS with a REST or GraphQL APInot Contentful
  • Giving editors a content admin panel over a custom content modelnot Contentful

Where each one falls short

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

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

Strapi

  • Cloud pricing is per project, not per account, so a second project doubles the bill
  • Starter at $35 a month allows 100,000 API requests, and overage is $1.50 per 25,000
  • Extra bandwidth is $30 per 100 GB and extra asset storage $0.60 per GB
  • Backups start at the Pro plan, weekly, and only become daily at Business
  • An uptime SLA is Business only, at $450 a month per project
  • Additional environments cost $60 a month on Pro and $300 a month on Business

Pricing, plan by plan

Contentful

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

Strapi

$35/month
  • Starter$35/month
    • 100k API requests
    • 50 GB asset storage
    • 50 GB asset bandwidth
  • Pro$90/month
    • 1M API requests
    • 250 GB asset storage
    • 500 GB asset bandwidth
  • Business$450/month
    • 10M API requests
    • 1000 GB asset storage
    • 1000 GB asset bandwidth

Which should you pick?

Choose Contentful if

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

Choose Strapi if

  • You need rest api.
  • You work on Node.js, Cloud, Self-hosted, Docker.
  • You also want content management.
Strapi review

Questions people ask

Is Contentful or Strapi better?
Neither clearly leads. Contentful starts at Free and Strapi at $35/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Contentful or Strapi?
Contentful has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Contentful and $35/month for Strapi.
Does Contentful or Strapi run on more platforms?
Contentful runs on Web, API. Strapi runs on Node.js, Cloud, Self-hosted, Docker.
Can I use Contentful for free?
Yes. Contentful has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Strapi starts at $35/month.
What is Contentful best used for?
Contentful is most often used for website content management, mobile app content, e-commerce catalogs, multi-channel publishing. Of those, website content management and mobile app content are not what Strapi is typically brought in for.
What can Contentful do that Strapi cannot?
Contentful covers Content modeling, RESTful APIs, Rich text editor, Asset management. Strapi covers REST API, Content management, PostgreSQL, MySQL. Both handle GraphQL API, Webhooks, AWS.

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
Strapi: How much do API request overages cost?

Additional API requests beyond the plan limit cost $1.50 per 25000 requests. Extra asset storage costs $0.60 per GB, and additional bandwidth costs $30 per 100 GB.

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
Strapi: Is yearly billing available?

Yes, yearly billing saves up to 17% compared to monthly billing on Strapi Cloud plans.

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
Strapi: What is included with the Pro plan?

The Pro plan costs $90 per month per project and includes 1M API requests, 250 GB asset storage, 500 GB bandwidth, multi-environment support, weekly backups, and manual backups.

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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