Contentful vs Joomla vs TakeShape vs Story Chief Comparison

Last updated: May 22, 2026

Contentful

4.3(235 reviews)

Starting at $489 /Month

Large Enterprises
Medium Business

Contentful is a Content Management Software (CMS) or File Delivery Network for web and mobile apps. It allows developers and designers to create applications with an interface and an API. Applications can be configured a…

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Joomla

4.1(632 reviews)

Starting at Contact for pricing

Freelancers / Consultants
Large Enterprises

Joomla is a content management system that powers millions of websites and enables people to build online communities and powerful online applications. It is used by all types of organizations and individuals, from blogg…

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TakeShape

Starting at $100 /Month

Individuals
Large Enterprises

TakeShape is a content management system with a completely new design that allows users with no technical expertise to build websites, blogs, create forms and respond to others' input. The new responsive design features…

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Story Chief

4.5(20 reviews)

Starting at $12 /Month

Free Trial
Large Enterprises
Medium Business

StoryChief is a cloud-based content management system that allows editors and designers to manage and automate the process of creating brand-specific content for editorial and marketing teams within an organization. Stor…

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Contentful leads on user satisfaction with a 4.3-star rating across 235 reviews.

Contentful vs Joomla vs TakeShape vs Story Chief — at a glance

Feature	Contentful	Joomla	TakeShape	Story Chief
Rating	4.3 / 5	4.1 / 5	—	4.5 / 5
Reviews	235	632	—	20
Starting price	$489 /Month	Contact for pricing	$100 /Month	$12 /Month
Free trial	No	No	No	Yes
Free version	No	No	No	No
Best for	Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business	Freelancers / Consultants, Large Enterprises, Medium Business	Individuals, Large Enterprises, Medium Business	Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business
Category	Content Management Software	Content Management Software	Content Management Software	Content Management Software
Platforms	SaaS/Web/Cloud	SaaS/Web/Cloud	SaaS/Web/Cloud	SaaS/Web/Cloud
API	Available	Available	—	—
Support modes	24/7 (Live rep), Online	Online	Online	Business Hours, Online
Certifications	SOC 2, GDPR, ISO 27001	GDPR	—	GDPR
Data residency	Global	Global	US	Global

Key differences between Contentful and Joomla

Pricing: Contentful starts at $489 /Month. Joomla pricing is not publicly listed.
Target audience: Contentful is built for Large Enterprises and Medium Business, while Joomla targets Freelancers / Consultants and Large Enterprises.
User satisfaction: Contentful scores higher with a 4.3-star average.
Deployment: Contentful supports SaaS/Web/Cloud; Joomla supports SaaS/Web/Cloud.

Compare Contentful vs Joomla vs TakeShape vs Story Chief — and walk away knowing which one fits.

Which tool fits your team best

Which is actually cheaper for your team size

Where each product wins, per real buyers

Most Content Management Software tools look identical on paper. This comparison cuts to the differences that matter — pricing structure, team fit, and what real buyers found after signing up.

Biggest differences

Features

Pricing

Buying details

Security

Buyer feedback

Integrations

Product tour

Other options

	Contentful (142) Talk to an expert Talk to an expert	Joomla (366) Talk to an expert Talk to an expert	TakeShape Talk to an expert Talk to an expert

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Biggest differences

Affiliate Disclosure

Start here before you go deeper into features.

Contentful

Best for scalable, API-first content management in web and mobile apps.

Choose if

You need a cloud-native, headless CMS with strong multi-language support.
Your team includes developers and designers requiring flexible content modeling.
You want robust APIs for seamless integration with custom applications.

Consider alternatives if

You require extensive UI customization without relying on extensions.
Your team prefers a simple CMS with minimal learning curve and setup.

Joomla

Best for customizable, multilingual websites for businesses and large organizations.

Choose if

You need a flexible, open-source CMS with extensive customization options.
You require strong multilingual support for global or diverse audiences.
Your team includes web developers or content managers comfortable with medium complexity.

Consider alternatives if

You want a simple, out-of-the-box website solution with minimal setup.
You need access to a large, diverse marketplace of plugins and templates.

TakeShape

Best for

Individuals, Large Enterprises, Medium Business

Story Chief

Best for streamlined multi-channel content creation and SEO guidance.

Choose if

You need simple, intuitive content editing with built-in SEO tips.
Your team requires easy distribution across multiple social and publishing channels.
You are a small to medium business focused on content or digital marketing.

Consider alternatives if

Your organization demands extensive template design customization.
You require real-time simultaneous collaboration on content creation.

Contentful: Best for scalable, API-first content management in web and mobile apps. Joomla: Best for customizable, multilingual websites for businesses and large organizations.

Description	Contentful is a Content Management Software (CMS) or File Delivery Network for web and mobile apps. It allows developers and designers to create applications with an interface and an API. ... Read More about Contentful	Joomla is a content management system that powers millions of websites and enables people to build online communities and powerful online applications. It is used by all types of ... Read More about Joomla	TakeShape is a content management system with a completely new design that allows users with no technical expertise to build websites, blogs, create forms and respond to others' input. The ... Read More about TakeShape	StoryChief is a cloud-based content management system that allows editors and designers to manage and automate the process of creating brand-specific content for editorial and marketing ... Read More about Story Chief
Entry Level Pricing	Starts from $489	Not Available	Starts from $100	Starts from $12 , Billed Yearly
Free Trial Availability	No free trial	No free trial	No free trial	Get Free Trial
Spotsaas Score What's this? ↗	9.6/10	9.7/10	8.5/10	9.1/10
User Ratings Based on verified Spotsaas reviews	4.3 (235)	4.1 (632)		4.5 (20)
Best Company Size	Medium BusinessLarge Enterprises	Small BusinessLarge Enterprises	—	Small BusinessMedium Business
	Get pricing help	Get pricing help	Get pricing help	Visit website

Software Demo

Demo

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How do Contentful, Joomla, TakeShape and Story Chief Compare on Features?

Total Features	10 Features	10 Features	9 Features	10 Features
Unique Features	No unique features	No unique features	No unique features	No unique features
	Get Quote	Get Quote	Get Quote	Visit website

Compare Contentful, Joomla, TakeShape and Story Chief on pricing

Review starting price, plan structure, and free-trial access side by side so you can see which option fits your budget and buying process.

Pricing Option
Starting From	$489	Not Available	$100	$12 , Billed Yearly
Pricing Plans	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available	Free Get Started World-class online editor Invite team members & guest writers Get approval from stakeholders Show more + Essential Get Started Unlimited Stories & Social Updates Measure Article Performance Removed StoryChief Branding Show more + Pro Get Started Includes featurtes of Essential plan, plus Smart Content Calendar Editorial Briefing Show more + Browse all pricing plans
Pricing Page		Pricing information not available
	View detailed pricing	View detailed pricing	View detailed pricing	View detailed pricing

Other Details

Organization Types supported	Medium Business Large Enterprises Small Business Freelancers Individuals	Medium Business Large Enterprises Small Business Freelancers Individuals	Medium Business Large Enterprises Small Business Freelancers Individuals	Medium Business Large Enterprises Small Business Freelancers Individuals
Platforms Supported	Browser Based (Cloud) Installed - Windows Installed - Mac Mobile - Android Mobile - iOS Browser Based (Cloud)	Browser Based (Cloud) Installed - Windows Installed - Mac Mobile - Android Mobile - iOS Browser Based (Cloud)	Browser Based (Cloud) Installed - Windows Installed - Mac Mobile - Android Mobile - iOS Browser Based (Cloud)	Browser Based (Cloud) Installed - Windows Installed - Mac Mobile - Android Mobile - iOS Browser Based (Cloud)
Modes of support	24/7 (Live rep) Business Hours Online	24/7 (Live rep) Business Hours Online	24/7 (Live rep) Business Hours Online	24/7 (Live rep) Business Hours Online
API Support	Available	Available	Not Available	Not Available
	Get help choosing	Get help choosing	Get help choosing	Visit Website

Security & Compliance

Certifications, data handling, and security controls for IT and compliance evaluators.

SOC 2	✓ Yes	—	—
HIPAA	✗ No	✗ No	✗ No
GDPR	✓ Yes	✓ Yes	—
ISO 27001	✓ Yes	—	—
Single Sign-On (SSO)	✓ Yes	✓ Yes	—
Multi-Factor Auth (MFA)	✓ Yes	✓ Yes	—
Data Encryption	✓ Yes	✓ Yes	—
Audit Logs	✓ Yes	✓ Yes	—
Data Residency	🌐 Global	🌐 Global	🇺🇸 US

Contentful vs Joomla vs TakeShape User Reviews & Rating Comparison

User Ratings	4.3 (based on 235 reviews)	4.1 (based on 632 reviews)	No reviews available for the product	4.5 (based on 20 reviews)
Rating Distribution	93 40 8 0 1	184 122 36 17 7	No reviews available for this product	20 1 1 0 0
Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI	Buyer sentiment Overall positive sentiment highlighting ease of use and flexibility, tempered by concerns about learning curve and some feature limitations. What buyers like Ease of use Flexibility in content modeling Cloud-based reliability Common complaints Steep learning curve Limited UI customization	Buyer sentiment Overall positive sentiment highlights Joomla's flexibility, customization options, and suitability for both novice and advanced users, tempered by concerns about complexity and plugin availability. What buyers like Ease of customization User-friendly interface Open-source flexibility Common complaints Learning curve for new users Limited plugin and template selection	What buyers like User-friendly interface Responsive design No technical skills required Common complaints Limited advanced features Basic analytics tools Customization may be restricted	Buyer sentiment Users generally express high satisfaction with StoryChief’s ease of use, SEO features, and multi-channel distribution, though some desire more customization and collaboration capabilities. What buyers like Ease of use SEO guidance Multi-channel publishing Common complaints Limited template customization Lack of simultaneous collaboration
Pros and Cons	User-friendly interface with multi-language content management Cloud-based service ensuring high availability without infrastructure management Modern UI and robust API enabling flexible app integration Steep learning curve for beginners and overwhelming features Limited UI customization options requiring reliance on extensions	Extensive library of components and plugins enabling high customization User-friendly interface suitable for both novice and experienced users Open-source platform allowing customization without licensing fees Steep learning curve due to complex customization features Smaller selection of plugins and templates compared to competitors	Intuitive design allows quick setup and management. Responsive layout ensures optimal viewing on all devices. Empowers users without technical skills to create content. May lack advanced customization options. Not suitable for large-scale enterprise needs.	Intuitive editor with collaboration tools SEO guidance and readability analysis Seamless multi-channel content distribution Limited customization options in design and templates Restricted native posting channels (e.g., no Vkontakte or Telegram)
Positive Reviews	No reviews available for the product	No reviews available for the product	No reviews available for the product	No reviews available for the product
	Read reviews	Read reviews		Read reviews

List of Customers

Customers	Wework spotify The British Museum	No Customers information available.	No Customers information available.	No Customers information available.

Media and Screenshots

Screenshots	2 Screenshots	No screenshots available.	No screenshots available.
Videos	2 Videos	3 Videos	1 Videos

Alternatives

Alternatives	Story Chief 4.5 WordPress 4.1 TalentLMS 4.1	Story Chief 4.5 WordPress 4.1 Wix 3.2	Story Chief 4.5 TalentLMS 4.1 Drupal 4	TalentLMS 4.1 Posted 4.1 Drupal 4

Frequently asked questions

Which is better, Contentful or Joomla?: Contentful edges out the other on user ratings (4.3 vs 4.1). That said, the best pick depends on your use case — use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.
Do Contentful and Joomla offer a free trial?: Neither Contentful nor Joomla currently lists a free trial.
What is the starting price of Contentful vs Joomla?: Contentful starts at $489 /Month. Joomla starts at Contact for pricing.
What are the top alternatives to Contentful?: Top alternatives to Contentful include Story Chief, WordPress, TalentLMS, Sitefinity, Drupal.
What are the top alternatives to Joomla?: Top alternatives to Joomla include Story Chief, WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, Webflow.

Contentful vs Joomla vs TakeShape vs Story Chief Comparison

Contentful

Joomla

TakeShape

Story Chief

Contentful vs Joomla vs TakeShape vs Story Chief — at a glance

Key differences between Contentful and Joomla

Compare Contentful vs Joomla vs TakeShape vs Story Chief — and walk away knowing which one fits.

Contentful

Joomla

TakeShape

Download this Contentful vs Joomla vs TakeShape vs Story Chief comparison

Biggest differences

Description

Entry Level Pricing

Free Trial Availability

Spotsaas Score

User Ratings

Best Company Size

Software Demo

Demo

Get shortlist help from a software advisor

How big is your team?

How do Contentful, Joomla, TakeShape and Story Chief Compare on Features?

Compare Contentful, Joomla, TakeShape and Story Chief on pricing

Other Details

Organization Types supported

Platforms Supported

Modes of support

API Support

Security & Compliance

Contentful vs Joomla vs TakeShape User Reviews & Rating Comparison

List of Customers

Customers

Media and Screenshots

Screenshots

Videos

Alternatives

Related Blogs and Articles for Content Management Software

Frequently asked questions