Why choose Flotiq as an alternative to Contentful?
Flotiq
and Contentful both adopt an API-first headless CMS approach to streamline
content management for teams and developers.
1. API foundations:
Both platforms are API-first CMS systems. Flotiq generates RESTful endpoints
for each content type with OpenAPI documentation and multi-language SDKs for
seamless delivery. Contentful offers both REST and GraphQL APIs for content
delivery and uses separate REST endpoints for content management, which can add
complexity to backend workflows. Flotiq’s unified, JSON-ready APIs aim to
simplify development, while Contentful requires managing multiple APIs and
credentials for different operations.
2. Visual and
flexible content modeling: Both platforms provide visual schema editors to
create custom content types and fields. Flotiq supports defining rich field
types (text, media, geolocation, etc.), relationships between content, and
automatic versioning via API. Contentful allows content types definition
through a web UI and supports references for modular content design, including
robust localization with multiple locales per content and a rich text field
that can embed entries. Contentful's powerful schema and localization features
may require more upfront planning to avoid complex migrations later, whereas
Flotiq encourages quicker iteration with less governance.
3. Intuitive content
editing for teams: Both platforms offer modern editorial interfaces. Flotiq
emphasizes a streamlined experience with a clean UI, built-in SEO extensions,
draft/publish workflows, field-level permissions, and live preview integration,
facilitating autonomous content team workflows. Contentful provides a
feature-rich editorial experience suited for larger teams with a rich text
editor, inline entry and asset links, and collaboration tools such as comments
and tasks. Contentful’s interface includes advanced collaboration features
suitable for enterprise settings, though smaller teams might find it more
complex to configure. Flotiq is designed for out-of-the-box usability with
minimal setup for basic workflows.
4.
TypeScript and Next.js support:
Flotiq integrates end-to-end with TypeScript and frontend readiness,
synchronizing CMS schema changes to TypeScript types, ensuring type-safe API
usage, and providing a Next.js plugin with Draft Mode and live previews. In
practice, Flotiq’s SDK facilitates pulling content types into a Next.js app
with minimal configuration. Contentful supports TypeScript indirectly through
official JavaScript/TypeScript SDKs and GraphQL schemas but requires manual
generation of type definitions using tools or CLI scripts. Configuring Next.js preview also demands setting up draft mode and preview API tokens—making Flotiq’s workflow significantly more automated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bartek Musiał
Product Evangelist at Flotiq. I empower developers and content teams to build faster, smarter, and more flexible digital experiences with Headless CMS. Bridging product, tech, and community, I focus on sharing knowledge, driving adoption, and shaping a future where content flows freely across platforms.
Finding the right headless CMS can determine the success of your digital strategy. Both Flotiq and Contentful deliver powerful APIs, elastic scalability, and rich toolsets, yet they serve different audiences and project goals. Whether you’re a developer craving instant, standards-compliant APIs; an editor seeking intuitive workflows and built-in localization; or a leader balancing budget, compliance, and growth, understanding their trade-offs is essential.
Comparing Flotiq and Contentful: Headless CMS Capabilities
Please
refer to the following side-by-side comparison of high-level headless CMS
capabilities. Further details on features for content teams and developers are
provided below.
Capability
Flotiq
Contentful
API
REST (OpenAPI), GraphQL, JSON-ready APIs auto-generated for each content type
REST
and GraphQL APIs for content delivery (GraphQL schema auto-generated per space)
+ separate REST Content Management API for writes
Rich
editing interface; inline comments and team presence; tasks and multi-step
workflow; advanced RBAC in enterprise tiers
Deployment Models
SaaS (shared), Hybrid (private cloud), Full Enterprise (on-premise or private cloud)
SaaS
cloud service only
Digital Asset Management
Built-in DAM, image optimization, CDN delivery (Cloudflare), basic video streaming
Built-in
asset management with robust Image API; CDN via Fastly; requires third-party
for video
Community & Resources
Growing community, Discord, examples, tutorials, vetted development agencies
Large
ecosystem; extensive docs; Marketplace for integrations
Plans & Pricing
Free forever plan, transparent pricing, custom plans available
Free
community space; Basic plan starts at $300/month; Enterprise custom pricing
Security & Compliance
ISO 27001, GDPR, supports on-premise and private cloud deployments
Enterprise-grade
security; SSO; audit logs; 99.99% SLA on enterprise
Support & SLA
Support available for all plans, enterprise SLAs
Standard
support on basic; priority support on enterprise; 99.99% SLA on enterprise
Learning Curve
🚀 Fast for developers and editors - REST + visual tools
Moderate
to steep; strong docs
Developer Ecosystem
Certified development agencies vetted by Flotiq
Official
SDKs for major languages; community libraries
User Roles & Permissions
Basic + custom roles, field-level access control
Granular
RBAC and field-level permissions on Enterprise plans
Key differences for business decision makers
Pricing Transparency and Predictability
Contentful
offers a free community tier, limited to one space with restricted content
types, entries, locales, and users. The Basic plan starts at $300/month, while
enterprise features require a Premium plan (about $81k/year). Costs increase
based on usage, making budgeting challenging.In short, Contentful’s pricing skews toward large enterprise budgets,
whereas Flotiq aims to remain accessible as you scale.
Flotiq provides a free tier suitable for small
projects. Paid plans start at $39/month, including advanced features like daily
backups and role-based permissions. Flotiq’s fixed pricing tiers ensure
predictable expenses without needing sales negotiations for enterprise
features.
Business continuity and data protection
Contentful is a cloud-based service that manages data
durability internally. The platform replicates all content across multiple
servers and performs daily backups to ensure high availability. Contentful
offers version history on content entries and a Preview API for safely
reviewing unpublished changes. However, there is no single-click backup export
option for users; instead, content export requires using their APIs or CLI
tools. Deleted content in Contentful is not recoverable unless previously
exported or relying on internal backups. Contentful advises users to manually
export content via the Content Delivery API for offsite backups if needed.
Flotiq
offers automatic daily backups with a 30-day retention period starting from its
Basic plan, along with an easy restore feature in the user interface. This
provides smaller teams with self-service recovery options if issues arise.
Additionally, Flotiq’s on-premise deployment option allows enterprises to
maintain in-house backups or comply with strict data residency requirements.
Flotiq incorporates business continuity features such as backups, data export,
and recovery tools into its product, providing these capabilities even for
mid-tier customers, whereas Contentful's backup and retention processes are
managed internally with limited customer visibility.
Platform uptime SLA
Contentful boasts
a strong uptime record, often over 99.9% for its APIs. Enterprise plans include
a contractual guarantee of up to 99.99% uptime SLA, while lower-tier plans lack
an explicit SLA. Although reliable, smaller customers must rely on the standard
service without financial guarantees.
Flotiq
guarantees 99.9% uptime on all paid plans and 99.99% on higher “Growth” tiers,
without needing an enterprise contract. This allows growing startups to rely on
formal uptime commitments. While both platforms are reliable, Flotiq’s SLA at
lower price points sets it apart for business risk management.
Flotiq vs Contentful – deployment models overview
One strategic consideration is deployment model. Flotiq offers flexible deployment:
multi-tenant cloud, single-tenant instances, or on-premise installations. This
suits organizations with regulatory or data residency needs. You can choose
your environment or let Flotiq host it.
Contentful, however, is only available as a SaaS in its
own cloud. Self-hosting or running it on a private cloud isn't an option.
Contentful handles scaling and updates but limits deployment control. This
works for most digital businesses, but those needing an on-prem CMS might
prefer Flotiq.
Feature
Flotiq
Contentful
Shared Cloud (Multi-tenant SaaS)
✅ Yes
✅ Yes
Dedicated Cloud (Single-tenant)
✅ Yes
❓ Limited*
On-Premise Installation
✅ Yes
❌ No
Custom Infrastructure & SLAs
✅ Yes
✅ Yes (Enterprise only, on Contentful’s cloud)
* Contentful’s enterprise plans may offer some dedicated infrastructure aspects (e.g. choosing regional data residency), but there is no fully private self-hosting option.
Flotiq vs Contentful for Engineering Teams
Flotiq and Contentful both offer robust tools for
developers, but the specifics vary. Flotiq
has an official TypeScript SDK that auto-generates Type definitions from
content models. Its Next.js plugin supports Draft Mode and real-time previews
for a smooth development experience. Using Flotiq’s API keys, developers can
quickly fetch content by including a read-only key in environment variables.
Contentful, on the other hand, supports multiple languages
with extensive tools but may require more manual setup compared to Flotiq.
Below, we compare key engineering-focused features:
Feature
Flotiq
Contentful
Programming languages
All popular programming languages – JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, PHP, .NET, Dart, Go
Official SDKs covering JavaScript/TypeScript, Python, Ruby, PHP, .NET, Java, Swift, Kotlin, etc., plus community libraries for additional languages.
Typescript support
Full native support, automated typing
Partial. The JS SDK includes base typings, but model-specific types must be manually regenerated (e.g., with contentful-typescript-generator) after each schema change, adding an extra step.
Frameworks
Supports any framework (Next.js is a primary focus, with a starter and live preview plugin)
Compatible with any framework via APIs. Offers starter repos (e.g. Next.js) and Draft Mode docs, but no Next.js plugin—live previews demand manual preview-route setup and the Live Preview SDK.
Native GraphQL Content APIs
Efficient, type-enriched content retrieval via GraphQL
Contentful provides a GraphQL Content Delivery API (read-only) for each space.
REST API with OpenAPI support
RESTful API generated based on your data model (auto-documented via OpenAPI)
Contentful provides two REST APIs—Content Delivery for published data and Content Management for writes/drafts—each with its own endpoint and credentials.
Rich Set of Developer Tools
SDKs for multiple languages
Automatically generated API documentation and code samples
Integrated API sandbox
Generated Postman collections
Typescript integration
Command Line Interface (CLI) for migrations and space exports
Web GraphiQL Playground app available via the marketplace
Asynchronous webhooks to trigger external actions on content events
App Framework for building custom field editors or dashboard widgets in the CMS UI
New Contentful Functions (serverless code on Premium plans)
Webhooks Configuration
Async webhooks
Synchronous webhooks
Hosted webhook code
Asynchronous webhooks (per environment/branch) that notify external services on content changes.
Typescript Support in action
Flotiq’s
TypeScript integration synchronizes your code with CMS models directly, unlike
Contentful which needs an extra generation step for model changes.
Aspect
Flotiq
Contentful
Type Generation
✅ Automatic – Flotiq auto-generates and updates TypeScript definitions with every schema change, requiring no manual steps.
⚠️ Manual – You must regenerate TypeScript interfaces after every schema change (e.g., export JSON and run a CLI tool); it’s not automated.
Sync Frequency
Instant - Types are updated in real-time as soon as a content model is changed, ensuring your IDE always reflects the latest schema.
On-Demand - Developers have to re-run the type generation script whenever content types change. If this step is skipped, your app’s types may become stale until regenerated.
IDE Experience
Full IntelliSense—new fields show up instantly in your IDE (VS Code/WebStorm) with type info and OpenAPI-powered docs.
Good IntelliSense after you generate types, but no live updates—IDE hints lag until you rerun the generator.
Setup & Maintenance
Minimal – Just install Flotiq’s TypeScript SDK and import your auto-generated types. The build process is straightforward since Flotiq handles type publishing.
Moderate – You must install and run a type-generator (e.g., a CLI tool) in your build/CI whenever models change, or risk stale types.
Bottom Line
Flotiq reduces friction for TypeScript users by baking type safety into the platform. Fewer manual steps means less room for error.
Contentful supports TypeScript, but full type safety demands extra tooling and build steps—plan for this to prevent runtime mismatches.
Key Takeaways for Engineering Teams
Feature
Flotiq
Contentful
API approach
✅ Unified & auto-documented: Instant REST/JSON APIs for all content (with OpenAPI docs), plus optional GraphQL API for query flexibility.
✅ Robust but split: REST and GraphQL content APIs are available , but writes use a separate management API. Documentation is thorough, though integrating both APIs adds complexity.
TypeScript workflow
✅ Seamless: Native TypeScript SDK with types that auto-sync on schema changes – no manual upkeep.
⚠️ Extra steps: No auto-sync for types – developers run generators or craft types manually after schema updates.
Next.js Integration
✅ First-class: Official Next.js starter kits, plus out-of-the-box Draft Mode preview support via plugin. Minimal setup for previews and revalidation.
⚠️ DIY setup: Next.js can absolutely be used, but devs must configure Draft Mode and Preview API by following guides. No dedicated plugin means more custom code for preview.
Custom logic extensions
✅ Built-in: Supports synchronous and async webhooks, a plugin framework for adding custom processors, and on-premise code injection if needed.
⚠️ Limited – async webhooks and a UI App Framework for client-side extensions. True server-side code was unavailable until enterprise-only Contentful Functions, which offer limited in-platform execution.
Learning curve
⭐ Developer-friendly: Quick to get started due to simple REST APIs and automatic tooling (great for smaller dev teams or hackathons).
📚 Enterprise-depth – a steeper learning curve as content modeling and GraphQL add flexibility but demand time to master. Robust docs and community support help ease onboarding.
Flotiq vs Contentful for Content Teams
Content teams require intuitive tools that facilitate
creation, collaboration, and publishing. Both Flotiq and Contentful provide user-friendly authoring experiences,
but they address different needs and levels of complexity. Flotiq's streamlined
workflows and out-of-the-box simplicity enable smaller teams to operate
efficiently with minimal configuration. Contentful,
on the other hand, offers an extensive array of editorial features suitable for
enterprise use – though some features may necessitate setup or higher-tier
plans.
Flotiq facilitates content delivery across various platforms
(websites, mobile apps, smart devices) by providing content in a
presentation-neutral format. Similarly, Contentful supports comprehensive
omnichannel strategies and has been widely utilized to publish content across
web, mobile, and voice applications, among others. The primary distinction lies
in the degree of effort required from content creators versus developers to
implement these workflows.
This comparison will examine how each platform
supports content editors and marketers:
Feature
Flotiq
Contentful
Independent Content Publishing
Individual permissions to access content can be defined
Subsets of the REST API can be published
Editors can schedule and publish via the UI and trigger builds with webhooks, but true autonomous site updates need developer-configured preview URLs or CI pipelines.
Granular Permissions
Basic roles
Custom roles
Field-level access permissions
Basic roles are available on all plans; custom roles, ACLs, and SSO/SCIM require Premium/Enterprise upgrades and extra setup.
Workflow
✅
✅
Collaboration Tools
Presence information
Versioning
Inline comments work out of the box; assignable tasks and live presence indicators need the Tasks app on Lite+.
Bulk Operations
One-click bulk create/update/delete via API or UI - streamlined for high-volume edits
Multi-select publish/delete is in the web UI; large imports or edits rely on the CLI or Management API—no built-in CSV importer.
Rich Editing Experience
Intuitive Markdown/WYSIWYG editor with SEO previews and custom field descriptions - editor-first design
Structured form-based editing with rich-text and basic image tools is standard; visual page builders require paid Compose/Studio add-ons.
Digital Asset Management built-in
Built-in DAM with real-time image transformations and edge caching via Cloudflare CDN
Built-in media library offers CDN-delivered assets with URL transforms; advanced DAM features need third-party integrations.
Content Versioning and Validations
Automatic version history and field-level validation rules - no-add-ons required
All published entries are versioned, and field validations (required, regex, size) are configured in the model on every plan.
Drafts and Live Previews
Out-of-the-box live preview (Next.js ready) and draft mode - no custom setup
Draft content publishes on demand; live preview via API/iframe is possible but requires developer setup.
Localization / Multilingual
Native multi-locale support with DeepL integration for fast translations
Side-by-side locales are supported (limits by plan); independent language rollouts and locale workflows are Enterprise-only.
AI translations
DeepL integration included - automate translations with minimal configuration
No native machine translation; add AI or translation apps from the Marketplace, each requiring separate configuration.
Powerful App Framework, webhooks, CLI, and 100+ apps exist, but installing and coding them is manual and plan-limited.
Custom UI Modifications
First-class plugin support for custom UI components and dashboards - seamless, single-framework development
Core UI can’t be re-skinned—any custom widgets or dashboards must be built as apps or via the separate Studio product.
In
summary, content editors at smaller organizations or those without dedicated
operations staff may find Flotiq’s straightforward, ready-to-use approach
appealing, as it addresses all the fundamental needs with minimal
configuration. Conversely, larger organizations, or those managing complex
multilingual content and formal approval processes, will benefit from
Contentful’s extensive feature set for content governance (including
localization, roles, workflows, etc.). It should be noted that some of Contentful's
most advanced collaboration features are available in its higher-tier plans
(e.g., advanced roles, unlimited locales), while Flotiq offers substantial
functionality even in its basic plans.
Final Thoughts: your CMS should grow with you
Selecting
the appropriate headless CMS platform involves balancing current requirements
with future growth potential. Flotiq simplifies the creation and deployment of
content-driven applications, streamlining content management and reducing
complexity for both developers and editors. Whether your needs include seamless
developer workflows, expeditious content publishing, or reasonable pricing as
you scale, choosing the right platform is crucial.
Contentful
offers a robust, enterprise-level solution with an extensive ecosystem and
comprehensive feature set. It is particularly beneficial for large teams that
can invest in the setup and are prepared for higher ongoing costs.
Nevertheless, Contentful often requires more initial setup, higher budgets, and
specialized expertise to fully optimize its advanced capabilities. Teams may
need proficiency in GraphQL, meticulous content modeling, and vigilance
regarding usage limits to utilize Contentful efficiently.
Developer-first APIs: Auto-generated REST endpoints and OpenAPI
specifications (with optional GraphQL) enable developers to start coding
against Flotiq immediately using familiar tools, thus eliminating the need for
extensive API configuration.
Instant TypeScript support: The platform maintains synchronization of your
types, removing manual steps and reducing errors during development. This
results in lower maintenance overhead as your project expands.
Next.js readiness: Official starters and built-in Draft
Mode/preview integration offer an impeccable editorial feedback loop straight
out of the box. There is no need to assemble preview solutions; Flotiq provides
this functionality from the outset.
Built-in business continuity: Features such as daily backups, flexible
deployment options (cloud or on-premises), and transparent SLAs and support
across all price tiers ensure that your CMS scales with enterprise-grade
reliability. Moreover, this is achieved at more modest price points compared to
Contentful's enterprise plans.
With
Flotiq, agility does not have to be sacrificed for power, nor budget for
features. It is designed to expand alongside your needs. You can begin today at
no cost to discover how a modern headless CMS like Flotiq can accelerate
development, enhance the satisfaction of your content teams, and grow with your
ambitions from day one.
👉 Start with Flotiq’s free plan today and experience how a modern headless CMS can support your team, your workflows, and your ambitions - from day one.
Flotiq vs ...
