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WordPress

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Contentful

WordPress vs Contentful

WordPress vs Contentful: which is right for your project? WordPress is php-based cms powering 43% of the web. Contentful is api-first headless cms for omnichannel content. We compare features, performance, and pricing.

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TL;DR — Our Recommendation

It depends — WordPress and Contentful serve different use cases well. Choose WordPress for Content-heavy sites where non-technical editors need full control. Choose Contentful for Enterprises needing to deliver content across web, mobile, and IoT channels.

Official docs: WordPress REST API Docs · Contentful Documentation

Feature by Feature Comparison

Feature	WordPress	Contentful
Ease of Use	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐
Performance	⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Flexibility	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐
Cost Value	⭐⭐⭐	⭐
Scalability	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ecosystem	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐

Pros & Cons

WordPress

Pros

Massive plugin ecosystem with 59,000+ plugins
Huge community — easy to find developers and tutorials
Visual block editor (Gutenberg) for non-technical users
Works for any site type from blogs to e-commerce

Cons

PHP rendering is slow compared to static HTML
Requires constant security patches and plugin updates
Database-driven architecture limits scalability under load
Plugin conflicts can break your site after updates

Contentful

Pros

Powerful content modeling with structured content types
Global CDN-backed API delivers content at edge speed
Rich ecosystem of integrations (Algolia, Netlify, Vercel)
Excellent SDKs for every major language and framework

Cons

Expensive — free tier is very limited, paid starts at $300/month
Editing experience is functional but not beautiful
No built-in preview or visual editing (requires custom setup)
Vendor lock-in with proprietary content storage

Platform Details

Detail	WordPress	Contentful
Language / Stack	PHP	API-based (any frontend)
Type	traditional cms	headless cms
Pricing	Free (self-hosted) + hosting costs	Free / $300+/month
Open Source	Yes	No
Best For	Content-heavy sites where non-technical editors need full control	Enterprises needing to deliver content across web, mobile, and IoT channels
Export Method	REST API or WP All Export plugin	Content Management API or CLI export

When to Choose Each Platform

Choose WordPress if…

You need content-heavy sites where non-technical editors need full control
Your team is comfortable with PHP
You want an open-source solution with full code ownership
You want a low learning curve for non-technical team members

Choose Contentful if…

You need enterprises needing to deliver content across web, mobile, and iot channels
Your team is comfortable with API-based (any frontend)

Which Should You Pick?

The right choice between WordPress and Contentful depends on three things: your team's technical skills, your project timeline, and your long-term content strategy.

These platforms take fundamentally different approaches. WordPress is a traditional cms built with PHP, while Contentful is a headless cms built with API-based (any frontend). That architectural difference shapes everything from daily content editing workflows to deployment and hosting costs. If your team includes non-developers who need to publish content frequently, WordPress's familiar editing interface may save you onboarding time.

From a cost perspective, WordPress is open-source (Free (self-hosted) + hosting costs), while Contentful (Free / $300+/month) carries ongoing license costs. Factor in plugin or extension costs, developer rates for each tech stack, and whether you need managed hosting or can self-host.

Whichever you choose, migrating between them is straightforward. LeaveWP supports migration between 60+ platforms, so you're never locked in regardless of which you pick today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is WordPress better than Contentful?

They're closely matched (22/30 vs 22/30). WordPress is best for Content-heavy sites where non-technical editors need full control, while Contentful excels for Enterprises needing to deliver content across web, mobile, and IoT channels. Your choice should depend on your team's skills and project requirements.

Can I migrate from WordPress to Contentful?

Yes. Export your WordPress content via REST API or WP All Export plugin, then import it into Contentful. LeaveWP can help automate this process while preserving your SEO metadata and URL structure.

What are the main differences between WordPress and Contentful?

WordPress is php-based cms powering 43% of the web, while Contentful is api-first headless cms for omnichannel content. Key differences: ease of use (WordPress: 4/5, Contentful: 3/5), pricing (Free (self-hosted) + hosting costs vs Free / $300+/month), and ecosystem size (WordPress: 5/5, Contentful: 4/5).

How much does WordPress cost compared to Contentful?

WordPress: Free (self-hosted) + hosting costs. Contentful: Free / $300+/month. WordPress is open-source and free to self-host, while Contentful is a paid platform.

Which is easier to learn, WordPress or Contentful?

WordPress is easier to pick up (4/5 vs 3/5). Massive plugin ecosystem with 59,000+ plugins. Contentful has a steeper learning curve, especially for teams new to API-based (any frontend).

Which performs better, WordPress or Contentful?

Contentful has the performance edge (5/5 vs 2/5). Contentful has Global CDN-backed API delivers content at edge speed. WordPress PHP rendering is slow compared to static HTML.

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