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Craft CMS vs Concrete5 vs Story Chief Comparison

Last updated:

Craft CMS

4.3(52 reviews)

Starting at $199

  • Individuals
  • Freelancers / Consultants

Craft is flexible and powerful content management software that helps manage website; from writing, to publishing, to editing and refinement. Craft features a simple content editing interface for users who are not as fam…

Concrete5

4.1(156 reviews)

Starting at Contact for pricing

  • Large Enterprises
  • Medium Business

Concrete5 is the powerful, open-source Content Management System that will help to build and manage dynamic web sites, including blogs, community forums, eCommerce stores, online resumes and portfolios. With an easy to u…

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…

Craft CMS leads on user satisfaction with a 4.3-star rating across 52 reviews.

SpotSaaS Analysis

Craft CMSConcrete5Story Chief

The core difference between Craft CMS and Concrete5 lies in their target user experience; Craft CMS is tailored for developers seeking deep customization, while Concrete5 focuses on ease of use for both technical and non-technical users. Ideal buyers for Craft CMS are teams with strong technical expertise, whereas Concrete5 is best suited for organizations that require a user-friendly interface for diverse content contributors.

- Highly flexible and customizable data structure - Ideal for complex website builds - Best suited for teams with developers and designers - Priced at $199 - Focused on intricate site collaboration - Not specifically aimed at non-technical users

- Scalable and customizable CMS - Easy on-page editing for varied users - Suitable for both developers and non-technical editors - Flexible creation of custom blocks and themes - Ideal for corporate or eCommerce sites - Price not listed

Craft CMS vs Concrete5 vs Story Chief — at a glance

FeatureCraft CMSConcrete5Story Chief
Rating4.3 / 54.1 / 54.5 / 5
Reviews5215620
Starting price$199Contact for pricing$12 /Month
Free trial No No Yes
Free version No No No
Best forIndividuals, Freelancers / Consultants, Medium BusinessLarge Enterprises, Medium Business, Small BusinessLarge Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business
CategoryContent Management SoftwareContent Management SoftwareContent Management Software
PlatformsSaaS/Web/CloudSaaS/Web/CloudSaaS/Web/Cloud
APIAvailable
Support modesOnline24/7 (Live rep), OnlineBusiness Hours, Online
CertificationsGDPRGDPRGDPR
Data residencyUSGlobalGlobal

Key differences between Craft CMS and Concrete5

  • Pricing: Craft CMS starts at $199. Concrete5 pricing is not publicly listed.
  • Target audience: Craft CMS is built for Individuals and Freelancers / Consultants, while Concrete5 targets Large Enterprises and Medium Business.
  • User satisfaction: Craft CMS scores higher with a 4.3-star average.
  • Deployment: Craft CMS supports SaaS/Web/Cloud; Concrete5 supports SaaS/Web/Cloud.

Compare Craft CMS vs Concrete5 vs Story Chief — and walk away knowing which one fits.

01

Which tool fits your team best

02

Which is actually cheaper for your team size

03

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.

Craft CMS - Content Management Software
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Concrete5 - Content Management Software
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Talk to an expert

Biggest differences

Start here before you go deeper into features.

Craft CMS

Best for developers needing flexible, customizable CMS with intuitive editing.

Choose if
  • You require a highly flexible and customizable data structure for complex sites.
  • Your team includes developers and designers collaborating on intricate website builds.
  • You want a user-friendly back-end editor with live preview for content editors.
Consider alternatives if
  • You are a non-technical user without developer support for setup and maintenance.
  • You need extensive out-of-the-box front-end features like advanced form handling.

Concrete5

Best for scalable, customizable CMS with easy on-page editing for varied users.

Choose if
  • You need a CMS suitable for both non-technical content editors and developers.
  • You want flexible creation of custom blocks and themes for corporate or eCommerce sites.
  • You prioritize ease of use with scalable solutions for small to medium businesses.
Consider alternatives if
  • You require a large, diverse third-party plugin and theme ecosystem.
  • Your business demands highly stable, disruption-free update cycles.

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.

Craft CMS: Best for developers needing flexible, customizable CMS with intuitive editing. Concrete5: Best for scalable, customizable CMS with easy on-page editing for varied users.

Description

Craft is flexible and powerful content management software that helps manage website; from writing, to publishing, to editing and refinement. Craft features a simple content editing ... Read More about Craft CMS

Concrete5 is the powerful, open-source Content Management System that will help to build and manage dynamic web sites, including blogs, community forums, eCommerce stores, online resumes ... Read More about Concrete5

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 $199
  • Not Available
  • Starts from $12 , Billed Yearly

Free Trial Availability

  • No free trial
  • No free trial

Spotsaas Score

What's this? ↗

9.1/10

9.2/10

9.1/10

User Ratings

Based on verified Spotsaas reviews

4.3

(52)

4.5

(20)

Best Company Size

Small BusinessMedium Business
Small BusinessMedium Business
Small BusinessMedium Business
Get pricing help
Get pricing help

Software Demo

Demo

No software demo available

Craft CMS has not given any software demo yet

If you're the owner of this profile, add your demo.Contact us

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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.

How do Craft CMS, Concrete5 and Story Chief Compare on Features?

Total Features

10 Features

10 Features

10 Features

Unique Features

No unique features

No unique features

No unique features

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Compare Craft CMS, Concrete5 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

        • $199
        • Not Available
        • $12 , Billed Yearly

        Pricing Plans

        • Not Available
        • Not Available
        • Free

          • World-class online editor

          • Invite team members & guest writers

          • Get approval from stakeholders

          Show more +

        • Essential

          • Unlimited Stories & Social Updates

          • Measure Article Performance

          • Removed StoryChief Branding

          Show more +

        • Pro

          • Includes featurtes of Essential plan, plus

          • Smart Content Calendar

          • Editorial Briefing

          Show more +

        • Browse all pricing plans

        Pricing Page

        Craft CMS pricing

        Pricing information not available

        Story Chief 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

        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)

        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
        • Available
        • Not Available
        Get help choosing
        Get help choosing

        Security & Compliance

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

        HIPAA

        ✗ No

        GDPR

        ✓ Yes
        ✓ Yes

        Single Sign-On (SSO)

        ✓ Yes
        ✓ Yes

        Multi-Factor Auth (MFA)

        ✓ Yes

        Data Encryption

        ✓ Yes
        ✓ Yes

        Audit Logs

        ✓ Yes

        Data Residency

        🇺🇸 US
        🌐 Global

        Craft CMS vs Concrete5 User Reviews & Rating Comparison

        User Ratings

        Rating Distribution

        17

        11

        3

        1

        0

        33

        22

        3

        4

        0

        20

        1

        1

        0

        0

        Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI

        Buyer sentiment

        Overall positive sentiment highlighting flexibility and developer-friendliness, tempered by concerns about bugs and pricing.

        What buyers like

        • Flexibility and customization
        • Intuitive content editing interface
        • Active community support

        Common complaints

        • Bugs and stability issues
        • Pricing concerns

        Buyer sentiment

        Users generally appreciate Concrete5 for its scalability, ease of use, and customization, though some express concerns about limited plugins and update stability.

        What buyers like

        • Ease of use
        • Customization flexibility
        • Scalability

        Common complaints

        • Limited plugin/theme availability
        • Update-related disruptions

        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

        • Highly flexible and customizable data structure

        • User-friendly back-end editor with live preview

        • Strong support and active developer community

        • Occasional bugs and stability issues, especially with text formatting and asset management

        • Pricing can be a barrier for smaller businesses

        • Highly scalable and suitable for front-end users

        • Easy on-page editing and customization for users with varying technical expertise

        • Flexible creation of custom blocks and themes

        • Limited themes and plugins compared to other platforms

        • Updates can disrupt site operations and cause issues

        • 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

        Media and Screenshots

        Screenshots

        Settings

        8 Screenshots

        Manage blog entry

        1 Screenshots

        Videos

        No videos available.

        video-0

        2 Videos

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        Related Blogs and Articles for Content Management Software

        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, Craft CMS or Concrete5?
        Craft CMS 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 Craft CMS and Concrete5 offer a free trial?
        Neither Craft CMS nor Concrete5 currently lists a free trial.
        What is the starting price of Craft CMS vs Concrete5?
        Craft CMS starts at $199. Concrete5 starts at Contact for pricing.
        What are the top alternatives to Craft CMS?
        Top alternatives to Craft CMS include Story Chief, WordPress, Webflow, TalentLMS, Drupal.
        What are the top alternatives to Concrete5?
        Top alternatives to Concrete5 include Story Chief, WordPress, TalentLMS, Drupal, Kentico CMS.

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