Which is better, Contently or Shorthand?

Shorthand edges out Contently based on user ratings across 81 reviews. That said, the best pick depends on your workflow — Contently may be a stronger fit for specific team sizes or use cases. Review the full comparison to decide.

What are the main differences between Contently and Shorthand?

Key differences between Contently and Shorthand include target audience (Contently targets Freelancers / Consultants while Shorthand serves Large Enterprises); free trial availability (Shorthand offers one, Contently does not). Use the Spotsaas comparison table to evaluate each dimension before deciding.

Do both Contently and Shorthand offer a Free trial?

Shorthand offers Free Trial, but Contently does not.

Who are the typical users of Contently?

Contently is designed for Freelancers / Consultants, Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business.

Who are the typical users of Shorthand?

Shorthand is designed for Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business.

What is the starting price of Contently and Shorthand?

Pricing details for both Contently and Shorthand are unavailable.

What are the best alternatives to Contently?

Some top alternatives to Contently include Genially, Joomag, Skyword, TechValidate, Naviga Writer.

What are the best alternatives to Shorthand?

Some top alternatives to Shorthand include Storykit, ContentStudio, Posted, OpenStories, StoryForj.

Contently vs Shorthand vs TechValidate Comparison

Last updated: May 18, 2026

Contently

4.4(135 reviews)

Starting at Contact for pricing

Freelancers / Consultants
Large Enterprises

Contently is a tool that makes it simple to find, manage, and communicate with writers, editors, and designers. It help content creators get the stories they need to tell while publishers save time and money on these pro…

View Pricing Read Reviews

Shorthand

4.7(81 reviews)

Starting at Contact for pricing

Free Trial
Large Enterprises
Medium Business

The Shorthand Content Creation System is a streamlined platform for creating and sharing content. It provides an environment where teams can collaborate in real time around shared content, manage schedules and budgets ef…

View Pricing Read Reviews

TechValidate

4.5(34 reviews)

Starting at Contact for pricing

Large Enterprises
Medium Business

TechValidate is a content creation software that provides a cloud-based environment where anyone can develop knowledge about many IT topics. In addition to having thousands of questions available for immediate delivery,…

View Pricing Read Reviews

Shorthand leads on user satisfaction with a 4.7-star rating across 81 reviews.

Contently vs Shorthand vs TechValidate — at a glance

Feature	Contently	Shorthand	TechValidate
Rating	4.4 / 5	4.7 / 5	4.5 / 5
Reviews	135	81	34
Starting price	Contact for pricing	Contact for pricing	Contact for pricing
Free trial	No	Yes	No
Free version	No	No	No
Best for	Freelancers / Consultants, Large Enterprises, Medium Business	Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business	Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business
Category	Content Creation Software	Content Creation Software	Content Creation Software
Platforms	SaaS/Web/Cloud	SaaS/Web/Cloud	SaaS/Web/Cloud
API	—	—	—
Support modes	Business Hours, Online	Online	Online
Certifications	GDPR	GDPR	—
Data residency	US	US	US

Key differences between Contently and Shorthand

Free trial: Shorthand offers a free trial; Contently does not.
Target audience: Contently is built for Freelancers / Consultants and Large Enterprises, while Shorthand targets Large Enterprises and Medium Business.
User satisfaction: Shorthand scores higher with a 4.7-star average.
Deployment: Contently supports SaaS/Web/Cloud; Shorthand supports SaaS/Web/Cloud.

Compare Contently vs Shorthand vs TechValidate — 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 Creation 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

	Contently (56) Talk to an expert Talk to an expert	Shorthand (92) Talk to an expert Talk to an expert	TechValidate (19) Talk to an expert Talk to an expert

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Biggest differences

Affiliate Disclosure

Start here before you go deeper into features.

Contently

Best for managing professional content creators in medium to large teams.

Choose if

You need access to a vetted global network of writers and editors.
You want to streamline communication and management of multiple content creators.
Your team requires a flexible platform to reduce time and cost in content production.

Consider alternatives if

You are a freelancer or small team seeking low-cost, self-service content tools.
You need transparent, off-the-shelf pricing and quick, simple setup.

Shorthand

Best for small to mid-sized teams needing simple, collaborative content creation.

Choose if

You need real-time collaboration on shared content within small teams.
You want effortless schedule and budget management integrated into content workflows.
You prioritize high quality control and accuracy in content creation.

Consider alternatives if

Your organization is a large enterprise requiring complex, customizable content workflows.
You require transparent, fixed pricing and extensive third-party integrations.

TechValidate

Best for IT teams needing customizable, cloud-based knowledge content.

Choose if

You require a large library of IT-specific questions for training or knowledge management.
Your team needs to tailor content with comments and notes to fit precise audience needs.
You want a flexible, cloud-accessible platform for collaborative IT content creation.

Consider alternatives if

You need ready-made marketing content outside of IT topics.
You are a small team without dedicated IT or content staff to manage customization.

Contently: Best for managing professional content creators in medium to large teams. Shorthand: Best for small to mid-sized teams needing simple, collaborative content creation.

Description	Contently is a tool that makes it simple to find, manage, and communicate with writers, editors, and designers. It help content creators get the stories they need to tell while publishers ... Read More about Contently	The Shorthand Content Creation System is a streamlined platform for creating and sharing content. It provides an environment where teams can collaborate in real time around shared content, ... Read More about Shorthand	TechValidate is a content creation software that provides a cloud-based environment where anyone can develop knowledge about many IT topics. In addition to having thousands of questions ... Read More about TechValidate
Free Trial Availability	No free trial	Get Free Trial	No free trial
User Ratings Based on verified Spotsaas reviews	4.4 (135)	4.7 (81)	4.5 (34)
Best Company Size	Medium BusinessLarge Enterprises	1-50 employees51-500 employees	Medium BusinessLarge Enterprises
	Get pricing help	Get pricing help	Get pricing help

Software Demo

Demo

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Share your priorities, budget, and team needs, and we’ll help you narrow the options and understand the tradeoffs before you talk to vendors.

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Step 1 of 4

How big is your team?

We tailor recommendations to companies your size.

Trusted by teams at

Compare Contently, Shorthand and TechValidate 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
Pricing Plans	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available
Pricing Page	Pricing information not available		Pricing information not available
	View detailed pricing	View detailed pricing	View detailed pricing

Other Details

Organization Types supported	Freelancers Individuals Medium Business Small Business Large Enterprises	Freelancers Individuals Medium Business Small Business Large Enterprises	Freelancers Individuals Medium Business Small Business Large Enterprises
Platforms Supported	Browser Based (Cloud) Mobile - Android Mobile - iOS Installed - Windows Installed - Mac Browser Based (Cloud)	Browser Based (Cloud) Mobile - Android Mobile - iOS Installed - Windows Installed - Mac Browser Based (Cloud)	Browser Based (Cloud) Mobile - Android Mobile - iOS Installed - Windows Installed - Mac 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
API Support	Not Available	Not Available	Not Available
	Get help choosing	Get help choosing	Get help choosing

Security & Compliance

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

HIPAA	✗ No	✗ No	✗ No
GDPR	✓ Yes	✓ Yes	—
Data Residency	🇺🇸 US	🇺🇸 US	🇺🇸 US

Contently vs Shorthand User Reviews & Rating Comparison

User Ratings	4.4 (based on 135 reviews)	4.7 (based on 81 reviews)	4.5 (based on 34 reviews)
Rating Distribution	43 10 1 0 2	81 9 1 0 1	15 4 0 0 0
Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI	Buyer sentiment Buyers appreciate Contently for its professional network and content management capabilities but note concerns about pricing transparency and onboarding complexity. What buyers like Quality of writers and editors Content workflow management Time and cost savings Common complaints Pricing opacity Complex onboarding process	Buyer sentiment Users generally appreciate the platform's ease of use and collaborative features but note concerns around pricing transparency and scalability. What buyers like Ease of use Collaboration features Content quality control Common complaints Pricing transparency Limited advanced features	Buyer sentiment Overall positive sentiment with appreciation for content customization and IT focus, tempered by concerns over pricing transparency and limited user feedback. What buyers like Content customization IT topic coverage Cloud accessibility Common complaints Pricing opacity Limited user base
Pros and Cons	Access to a large network of professional writers and editors Streamlined communication and management of content creators Helps reduce time and cost in content production Pricing is quotation-based and not publicly available May be complex for small teams or freelancers to onboard	Real-time team collaboration around shared content Effortless schedule and budget management High levels of quality control and accuracy Pricing is quotation based, lacking transparency Limited information on advanced features and integrations	Extensive library of IT-related questions for immediate use Ability to add comments and notes to customize content Cloud-based platform enabling easy access and collaboration Pricing is quotation-based and not publicly available Limited information on integrations or advanced features
Positive Reviews	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	Cardinal Health American Express RBC	NBC BBC Dartmouth	Verizon Booking.com SendGrid

Media and Screenshots

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

Alternatives

Alternatives	Genially 4.6 Joomag 4.7 Skyword 4.5	Storykit 4.6 ContentStudio 4.6 Posted 4.1	Catalyst 4.6 Genially 4.6 Joomag 4.7

Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].

Frequently asked questions

Which is better, Contently or Shorthand?: Shorthand edges out the other on user ratings (4.7 vs 4.4). That said, the best pick depends on your use case — use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.
Do Contently and Shorthand offer a free trial?: Shorthand offers a free trial. Contently does not.
What is the starting price of Contently vs Shorthand?: Contently starts at Contact for pricing. Shorthand starts at Contact for pricing.
What are the top alternatives to Contently?: Top alternatives to Contently include Genially, Joomag, Skyword, TechValidate, Naviga Writer.
What are the top alternatives to Shorthand?: Top alternatives to Shorthand include Storykit, ContentStudio, Posted, OpenStories, StoryForj.

Contently vs Shorthand vs TechValidate Comparison

Contently

Shorthand

TechValidate

Contently vs Shorthand vs TechValidate — at a glance

Key differences between Contently and Shorthand

Compare Contently vs Shorthand vs TechValidate — and walk away knowing which one fits.

Contently

Shorthand

TechValidate

Download this Contently vs Shorthand vs TechValidate comparison

Biggest differences

Description

Free Trial Availability

User Ratings

Best Company Size

Software Demo

Demo

Get shortlist help from a software advisor

How big is your team?

Compare Contently, Shorthand and TechValidate on pricing

Other Details

Organization Types supported

Platforms Supported

Modes of support

API Support

Security & Compliance

Contently vs Shorthand User Reviews & Rating Comparison

List of Customers

Customers

Media and Screenshots

Screenshots

Videos

Alternatives

Frequently asked questions