Contentful vs Sanity
| Tested on | ContentfulRunner-up | SanityOur pick |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 8.0/10 | 9.0/10 |
| Category | Headless CMS | Headless CMS |
| Hosting | SaaS | SaaS |
| Pricing from | $300/mo (Lite) | $15/seat/mo (Growth) |
| Free tier | Yes (free tier) | Yes, generous (3 users, dev datasets) |
| API | REST, GraphQL | GROQ, GraphQL |
| Self-host | No | No |
| Best for | Enterprise content operations, large teams | Developers, structured content, multilingual, Next.js |
Our pick
Sanity takes it, scoring 9 on our scale. Read the full reasoning below, then decide against your own constraints.
Contentful vs Sanity
Contentful and Sanity both get recommended a lot, but they suit different teams. Here's an honest, side-by-side look, no vendor spin.
How they differ
- Hosting: Contentful (SaaS); Sanity (SaaS)
- Pricing from: Contentful ($300/mo (Lite)); Sanity ($15/seat/mo (Growth))
- Free tier: Contentful (Yes (free tier)); Sanity (Yes, generous (3 users, dev datasets))
- API: Contentful (REST, GraphQL); Sanity (GROQ, GraphQL)
- Self-host: Contentful (No); Sanity (No)
- Best for: Contentful (Enterprise content operations, large teams); Sanity (Developers, structured content, multilingual, Next.js)
- Our score: Contentful (8/10); Sanity (9/10)
Our verdict
On our scoring, Sanity edges it (9/10 vs 8/10). Best-in-class structured content and developer experience. The default reach for serious Next.js teams. Overkill for simple sites. That said, Contentful is the better pick if its strengths (Enterprise content operations, large teams) match your needs.
Data last verified 2026-07-15. Prices and plans change, so always confirm on the vendor's site.