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CMS comparison Contentstack vs Liferay DXP

Contentstack vs Liferay DXP

Contentstack is a closed-source headless CMS that runs on the vendor's cloud. Liferay DXP is a closed-source enterprise DXP that you can host yourself or run on the vendor's cloud. The table below sets them side by side on 28 features. They get a different status on 11.

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  • Contentstack Headless · Closed source · 17 of 28 built in
  • Liferay DXP Enterprise DXP · Closed source · 26 of 28 built in

Sources checked: Contentstack on 29 Sept 2026, Liferay DXP on 29 Sept 2026. Plans and releases can change after those dates.

WAYF is an official Payload partner and top contributor. Every platform in the table is classified by the same published definitions, and each answer lists the vendor page it came from.

Feature comparison

Built inPaid tierPlugin or add-onLimitedNot available
Contentstack vs Liferay DXP feature comparison. Columns are the two platforms. Rows are features, grouped by area.
Platform
Contentstack Headless
Liferay DXP Enterprise DXP
Overview
What it is Hosted headless CMS run by Contentstack, sold alongside its AI agent and customer data products. It delivers content over REST and GraphQL APIs.Java platform for websites, portals and commerce, with a new object-based CMS. Self-hosted or run by Liferay as PaaS or SaaS.
Edition compared The product and release each column describes. Contentstack Content Cloud headless CMS, Free, Growth and Enterprise plans SaaS, continuously updated Liferay DXP 2026.Q3, Enterprise Subscription. The Free Tier replaced Liferay Portal CE from 2026.Q1. Version 2026.q3.5, released 25 Sept 2026
Vendor Contentstack contentstack.com Liferay, Inc. liferay.com
Licence Closed source Proprietary Closed source Proprietary, under the Liferay EULA. Free Tier activation key at no cost
Hosting No self-hosting Vendor cloud Self-hosting Vendor cloud Free Tier suits smaller-scale use and gets no security patches, SAML or AI Hub.
Built with Hosted SaaS with REST and GraphQL APIs, CLI and SDKsJava, OSGi, React
Database Managed by ContentstackMySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, Oracle, SQL Server, IBM Db2
Pricing Public list prices only. Hosting and implementation are extra everywhere. Free to start Free plan. Growth $299 per month, extra users $25 per user per month. Enterprise on request. Free to start Free Tier at no cost for smaller-scale use. Enterprise Subscription per server instance, price on request.
Content modelling
Content model in code You define content types in files in your repository, review them like any other code and apply them from there. Imperative migration scripts alone count as limited. Limited Migration scripts run by the Contentstack CLI. No declarative schema files. 2 Built in Definitions export to JSON and deploy from the repo as batch client extensions. 7
Content model in the UI Admins can create and change content types and fields in the admin interface without writing code. Built in 1 Built in Objects and web content structures. 6
Reusable blocks Editors compose pages from reusable, typed components or blocks, and can reorder them. Built in Modular Blocks fields, plus the Visual Editor for page layout. 12 Built in Fragments on content pages. 11
Localization Editors translate content per locale inside the CMS, by field or by entry, without a separate site for each language. Built in Entry-level localization in over 200 languages. 15 Built in
Image transformations The CMS resizes, crops or converts images on request, through URL parameters or generated sizes, with no external service. Built in Image Delivery API resizes, crops and converts by URL parameter. 3 Built in Adaptive Media generates set image resolutions. 8
APIs and delivery
REST API A documented REST or JSON HTTP API returns content. Built in 5 Built in Headless REST APIs. 9
GraphQL API The vendor or an official module provides a GraphQL API for content. Built in 4 Built in 9
Webhooks The CMS can call an external URL when content is created, changed or published. Built in Built in Object actions call a webhook on add, update or delete. 10
Renders the website The CMS itself renders and serves the public pages through themes or templates. Headless-only products answer no. Not available Built in
Editorial workflow
Drafts Editors save changes as a draft and publish them later. The live version stays untouched until then. Built in Built in
Scheduled publishing An editor can set a future date and time for content to publish or unpublish. Built in 6 Built in Display and expiration dates.
Version history The CMS keeps earlier versions of an entry, and editors can compare or restore them. Built in Built in
Preview Editors can see unpublished content rendered as it will appear on the site before publishing. Built in 12 Built in
Visual editing Editors can click on the rendered page and edit content in place or in a side panel next to it. Built in Visual Editor on every plan. 112 Built in Inline editing in the content page editor. 11
Approval workflows Content moves through review stages you configure, such as draft, review and approved, with permissions per stage. Paid tier Custom workflows on Growth and Enterprise. 17 Built in Kaleo workflow, also included in the Free Tier. 3
Content releases Editors group changes across several entries and publish them together as one release. Built in Releases deploy grouped entries and assets to an environment. 6 Built in Publications group changes and publish them together. 12
Real-time co-editing Two or more editors can work on the same entry at once and see each other's changes live. Limited Field-level locks and presence. Rolling out in phases with Drafts and Auto Save. 8 Not available A page locks while one editor has it open. 13
Access and governance
Custom roles Admins define their own roles with granular permissions instead of picking from a fixed set. Paid tier 2 custom roles on Growth, 500 on Enterprise. None on Free. 1 Built in
Field-level permissions Admins can restrict access to single fields, on top of content types and entries. Paid tier Field rules inside custom roles, from Growth. 19 Not available Permissions apply per object, entry or asset. 14
Single sign-on Editors can sign in through SAML or OpenID Connect against a company identity provider. Limited SAML 2.0 documented; baseline availability unconfirmed. Eligible tiers are not public. Confirm access in the contract. 10 Built in SAML and OpenID Connect. The Free Tier lacks SAML. 315
Audit log The CMS logs who changed what and when across the whole installation, and admins can review the log. Limited Stack and organization logs documented; baseline availability unconfirmed. Confirm access and retention in the contract. 11 Built in Audit framework with search and export of events. 16
Platform and extensibility
Multiple sites One installation or account can manage several separate websites or brands with shared users. Built in Separate stacks in one organization. Scaling stacks is a Growth and Enterprise option. 1 Built in
Extensible admin UI Developers can add their own components, views or fields to the editing interface. Built in Developer Hub apps in field, sidebar and dashboard UI locations. 13 Built in Client extensions. 7
Plugin marketplace The vendor runs an official directory or marketplace of installable extensions. Built in Contentstack Marketplace. 13 Built in Liferay Marketplace. 17
Form builder Editors can build and publish forms and collect submissions without code. Not available Built in Liferay Forms.
Site member accounts The platform handles sign-up and login for public site users or members, separate from editors. Not available Built in
AI writing assistant A first-party AI feature in the editing interface generates, rewrites or translates content. Plugin or add-on Official AI Assistant app with Contentstack-managed or your own model keys. 113 Built in AI Hub writing tools in the new CMS. Not in the Free Tier. 418
Official MCP server The vendor publishes a Model Context Protocol server so AI agents can read or write content. Built in Official server run locally with npx @contentstack/mcp. 14 Built in Built-in MCP server released in 2026.Q3, switched on by feature flag. 19

Contentstack sources

Checked 29 Sept 2026. Contentstack Content Cloud headless CMS, Free, Growth and Enterprise plans.

  1. Contentstack pricing
  2. Contentstack docs: Migrate content using the CLI migration command
  3. Contentstack docs: Image Delivery API
  4. Contentstack docs: GraphQL Content Delivery API
  5. Contentstack docs: Content Delivery API
  6. Contentstack docs: About Releases
  7. Contentstack docs: About Workflows
  8. Contentstack docs: Real-Time Collaboration in the Entry Editor
  9. Contentstack docs: Examples to create custom roles
  10. Contentstack docs: About Single Sign-On (SSO)
  11. Contentstack docs: Monitor stack activities in Audit Log
  12. Contentstack docs: About Visual Editor
  13. Contentstack docs: AI Assistant app
  14. Contentstack docs: Contentstack MCP Server
  15. Contentstack docs: About Languages

Liferay DXP sources

Checked 29 Sept 2026. Liferay DXP 2026.Q3, Enterprise Subscription. The Free Tier replaced Liferay Portal CE from 2026.Q1..

  1. Liferay DXP 2026.q3.5 release files
  2. Now available: Liferay DXP Quarterly Release 2026.Q3
  3. Liferay DXP Free Tier (Liferay Learn)
  4. Liferay DXP Free Tier: what it is, how to get it, and when to upgrade
  5. CE is sunsetted. What's your next move?
  6. Liferay Learn: Content Management System
  7. Liferay Learn: Client Extensions
  8. Liferay Learn: Using Adaptive Media
  9. Liferay Learn: Consuming GraphQL APIs
  10. Liferay Learn: Object actions
  11. Liferay Learn: Using Content Pages
  12. Liferay Learn: Publications
  13. Liferay Learn: Configuring Locked Pages
  14. Liferay Learn: Objects permissions framework integration
  15. Liferay Learn: Using OpenID Connect
  16. Liferay Learn: Audit Framework
  17. Liferay Marketplace
  18. Liferay AI Hub
  19. Liferay Learn: Using Liferay as an MCP Server
  20. Liferay Learn: Cloud

Considering more platforms? Compare Contentstack and Liferay DXP with the rest of your shortlist in the CMS comparison tool.

Where they differ

Contentstack and Liferay DXP get a different status on 11 of the 28 features and the same status on 17. Contentstack has 17 built in on its baseline edition, Liferay DXP has 26. Two matching statuses can still name different paid tiers or limits, so read the notes in the table before treating a row as equal.

Self-hosting
Contentstack cannot be self-hosted. Liferay DXP can be self-hosted.

Built in on Liferay DXP, a different answer on Contentstack 9

  • Content model in code Contentstack: Limited. Liferay DXP: Built in.
  • Renders the website Contentstack: Not available. Liferay DXP: Built in.
  • Approval workflows Contentstack: Paid tier. Liferay DXP: Built in.
  • Custom roles Contentstack: Paid tier. Liferay DXP: Built in.
  • Single sign-on Contentstack: Limited. Liferay DXP: Built in.
  • Audit log Contentstack: Limited. Liferay DXP: Built in.
  • Form builder Contentstack: Not available. Liferay DXP: Built in.
  • Site member accounts Contentstack: Not available. Liferay DXP: Built in.
  • AI writing assistant Contentstack: Plugin or add-on. Liferay DXP: Built in.

Built in on neither, with different answers 2

  • Real-time co-editing Contentstack: Limited. Liferay DXP: Not available.
  • Field-level permissions Contentstack: Paid tier. Liferay DXP: Not available.

More comparisons

Contentstack against other platforms

Liferay DXP against other platforms

Open the CMS comparison tool to put up to six platforms in one table.

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