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CMS comparison HubSpot CMS vs Optimizely CMS

HubSpot CMS vs Optimizely CMS

HubSpot CMS is a closed-source site builder that runs on the vendor's cloud. Optimizely CMS 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 12.

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  • HubSpot CMS Site builder · Closed source · 16 of 28 built in
  • Optimizely CMS Enterprise DXP · Closed source · 22 of 28 built in

Sources checked: HubSpot CMS on 29 Sept 2026, Optimizely CMS 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
HubSpot CMS vs Optimizely CMS feature comparison. Columns are the two platforms. Rows are features, grouped by area.
Platform
HubSpot CMS Site builder
Optimizely CMS Enterprise DXP
Overview
What it is HubSpot's hosted CMS and site builder, sold as Content Hub. Pages and blogs connect to the HubSpot CRM, and HubSpot hosts every site.Optimizely's .NET CMS for rendered and headless sites, hosted on Optimizely's DXP cloud or self-hosted, with Optimizely Graph for delivery.
Edition compared The product and release each column describes. Content Hub: Free, Starter, Professional, Enterprise SaaS, continuously updated Optimizely CMS 13 PaaS, the current flagship. CMS SaaS is a separate hosted variant. Version 13.1.3, released 9 Sept 2026
Vendor HubSpot, Inc. hubspot.com Optimizely optimizely.com
Licence Closed source Proprietary Closed source Proprietary
Hosting No self-hosting Vendor cloud Self-hosting Vendor cloud Self-hosted installs lose Opti ID features such as Opal and the DAM.
Built with HubL templates, HubSpot CLI.NET 10, ASP.NET Core
Database Managed by HubSpot, with HubDB for structured dataSQL Server, Azure SQL on DXP
Pricing Public list prices only. Hosting and implementation are extra everywhere. Free to start Free plan for 2 users. Starter $20 per seat per month. Pro from $450 per month for 3 seats. Enterprise from $1,500. No free option Pricing 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. Built in Theme and module fields live in fields.json, synced with the HubSpot CLI. 3 Built in Content types as C# classes. 3
Content model in the UI Admins can create and change content types and fields in the admin interface without writing code. Paid tier Module fields in Design manager on Starter. HubDB tables on Professional. 14 Built in Content types and properties in Settings. 4
Reusable blocks Editors compose pages from reusable, typed components or blocks, and can reorder them. Built in Drag-and-drop modules and sections. 5 Built in Blocks in content areas and Visual Builder elements.
Localization Editors translate content per locale inside the CMS, by field or by entry, without a separate site for each language. Built in Free tools cover 3 languages, Starter 50, Professional unlimited. 16 Built in Language branches per content item. 5
Image transformations The CMS resizes, crops or converts images on request, through URL parameters or generated sizes, with no external service. Built in Automatic resizing plus the HubL resize_image_url function. 7 Built in DXP CDN resizes, crops and converts images by URL parameters. 6
APIs and delivery
REST API A documented REST or JSON HTTP API returns content. Built in CMS APIs for pages, blog posts and HubDB. 8 Built in Content Delivery API 13 and a management REST API. 12
GraphQL API The vendor or an official module provides a GraphQL API for content. Paid tier Content Hub Professional. 9 Built in Optimizely Graph, included in the CMS 13 licence. 28
Webhooks The CMS can call an external URL when content is created, changed or published. Not available Webhooks API covers CRM objects. No page publish events. 10 Limited Graph webhooks fire on sync batches and expired content only. Per-item hooks need code. 72
Renders the website The CMS itself renders and serves the public pages through themes or templates. Headless-only products answer no. Built in HubL themes and templates on HubSpot hosting. Built in ASP.NET Core MVC and Razor rendering, or headless. 2
Editorial workflow
Drafts Editors save changes as a draft and publish them later. The live version stays untouched until then. Built in Built in 9
Scheduled publishing An editor can set a future date and time for content to publish or unpublish. Built in 118 Built in 9
Version history The CMS keeps earlier versions of an entry, and editors can compare or restore them. Built in Restore previous versions on all plans. 12 Built in
Preview Editors can see unpublished content rendered as it will appear on the site before publishing. Built in 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 Drag-and-drop editor edits the rendered page. 5 Built in Visual Builder. 2
Approval workflows Content moves through review stages you configure, such as draft, review and approved, with permissions per stage. Paid tier Content approvals on Enterprise. 1 Built in Approval sequences. 10
Content releases Editors group changes across several entries and publish them together as one release. Paid tier Content staging on Professional publishes staged pages together. 13 Built in Projects publish or schedule grouped items together. 11
Real-time co-editing Two or more editors can work on the same entry at once and see each other's changes live. Not available Not available Comments and notifications only. 12
Access and governance
Custom roles Admins define their own roles with granular permissions instead of picking from a fixed set. Paid tier Permission sets on Enterprise. Per-user permissions on all plans. 14 Built in Access rights for roles and virtual roles. 13
Field-level permissions Admins can restrict access to single fields, on top of content types and entries. Not available Not available Access rights apply per content item. Not documented per property. 13
Single sign-on Editors can sign in through SAML or OpenID Connect against a company identity provider. Paid tier SAML SSO on Content Hub Professional and Enterprise. 15 Built in Opti ID with an external identity provider, or OpenID Connect in code. 2
Audit log The CMS logs who changed what and when across the whole installation, and admins can review the log. Paid tier Activity logging on Enterprise. 1 Built in Change Log in Settings. 14
Platform and extensibility
Multiple sites One installation or account can manage several separate websites or brands with shared users. Paid tier Multisites on Enterprise. 1 Built in Several sites and hosts in one installation. 15
Extensible admin UI Developers can add their own components, views or fields to the editing interface. Built in Custom modules and their fields appear in the page editor. 3 Built in Shell modules, gadgets and custom editor widgets. 16
Plugin marketplace The vendor runs an official directory or marketplace of installable extensions. Built in HubSpot Marketplace for apps and themes. 16 Built in Optimizely connectors directory and NuGet add-ons. 17
Form builder Editors can build and publish forms and collect submissions without code. Built in Plugin or add-on Optimizely Forms package. No extra licence. 18
Site member accounts The platform handles sign-up and login for public site users or members, separate from editors. Paid tier Memberships on Professional with 2 access groups and Enterprise with 100. 12 Limited Visitor login uses ASP.NET Core authentication set up in code. 2
AI writing assistant A first-party AI feature in the editing interface generates, rewrites or translates content. Built in Breeze generates and refines content in editors on all plans. 17 Plugin or add-on Opal, billed through Opal credits. Needs Opti ID on DXP. 219
Official MCP server The vendor publishes a Model Context Protocol server so AI agents can read or write content. Built in Remote HubSpot MCP server reads site pages, landing pages and blog posts. 18 Built in MCP server in the Optimizely.Cms.Opal.Tools package. 20

Considering more platforms? Compare HubSpot CMS and Optimizely CMS with the rest of your shortlist in the CMS comparison tool.

Where they differ

HubSpot CMS and Optimizely CMS get a different status on 12 of the 28 features and the same status on 16. HubSpot CMS has 16 built in on its baseline edition, Optimizely CMS has 22. 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
HubSpot CMS cannot be self-hosted. Optimizely CMS can be self-hosted.
Free option
HubSpot CMS has a free option. Optimizely CMS has no free option.

Built in on HubSpot CMS, a different answer on Optimizely CMS 2

  • Form builder HubSpot CMS: Built in. Optimizely CMS: Plugin or add-on.
  • AI writing assistant HubSpot CMS: Built in. Optimizely CMS: Plugin or add-on.

Built in on Optimizely CMS, a different answer on HubSpot CMS 8

  • Content model in the UI HubSpot CMS: Paid tier. Optimizely CMS: Built in.
  • GraphQL API HubSpot CMS: Paid tier. Optimizely CMS: Built in.
  • Approval workflows HubSpot CMS: Paid tier. Optimizely CMS: Built in.
  • Content releases HubSpot CMS: Paid tier. Optimizely CMS: Built in.
  • Custom roles HubSpot CMS: Paid tier. Optimizely CMS: Built in.
  • Single sign-on HubSpot CMS: Paid tier. Optimizely CMS: Built in.
  • Audit log HubSpot CMS: Paid tier. Optimizely CMS: Built in.
  • Multiple sites HubSpot CMS: Paid tier. Optimizely CMS: Built in.

Built in on neither, with different answers 2

  • Webhooks HubSpot CMS: Not available. Optimizely CMS: Limited.
  • Site member accounts HubSpot CMS: Paid tier. Optimizely CMS: Limited.

More comparisons

Full write-ups with worked examples and costs: Optimizely CMS vs Payload.

HubSpot CMS against other platforms

Optimizely CMS against other platforms

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

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