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CMS comparison Storyblok vs WordPress

Storyblok vs WordPress

Storyblok is a closed-source headless CMS that runs on the vendor's cloud. WordPress is an open-source traditional CMS that you host yourself. The table below sets them side by side on 28 features. They get a different status on 18.

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  • Storyblok Headless · Closed source · 15 of 28 built in
  • WordPress Traditional · Open source · 13 of 28 built in

Sources checked: Storyblok on 29 Sept 2026, WordPress 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
Storyblok vs WordPress feature comparison. Columns are the two platforms. Rows are features, grouped by area.
Platform
Storyblok Headless
WordPress Traditional
Overview
What it is Hosted headless CMS with a Visual Editor where editors compose pages from developer-defined blocks. Run by Storyblok GmbH.Open-source PHP CMS that renders sites through themes and extends through plugins. Teams self-host it or buy managed WordPress hosting.
Edition compared The product and release each column describes. Storyblok SaaS, Starter to Elite plans SaaS, continuously updated WordPress 7.1 core, self-hosted from WordPress.org Version 7.1.2, released 22 Sept 2026
Vendor Storyblok GmbH storyblok.com WordPress.org community project (Automattic is the largest contributor) wordpress.org
Licence Closed source Proprietary Open source GPL-2.0-or-later
Hosting No self-hosting Vendor cloud Spaces run in Storyblok's EU, US, Canada or Australia regions. Self-hosting No vendor cloud Automattic's WordPress.com and many third-party hosts sell managed WordPress.
Built with SaaS, JavaScript SDKs and CLIPHP, JavaScript, React block editor
Database Managed by StoryblokMySQL, MariaDB
Pricing Public list prices only. Hosting and implementation are extra everywhere. Free to start Starter free. Growth $99, Growth Plus $349 per space per month. Premium and Elite on request. Free to start Free to download and self-host. Hosting and premium plugins cost extra.
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 The CLI pulls and pushes JSON component schemas. Typed @storyblok/schema is in preview. 234 Built in Post types, taxonomies and meta registered in PHP.
Content model in the UI Admins can create and change content types and fields in the admin interface without writing code. Built in 1 Plugin or add-on ACF or Custom Post Type UI plugins. Core has no content type builder. 12
Reusable blocks Editors compose pages from reusable, typed components or blocks, and can reorder them. Built in Nestable blocks inside stories. 1 Built in Block editor with patterns and synced patterns.
Localization Editors translate content per locale inside the CMS, by field or by entry, without a separate site for each language. Built in Starter includes 2 locales. Growth adds locales at $20 each per month. 1 Plugin or add-on WPML or Polylang plugins. Core translates the interface only. 13
Image transformations The CMS resizes, crops or converts images on request, through URL parameters or generated sizes, with no external service. Built in Image Optimization Service on all plans. 1 Built in WordPress generates registered image sizes on upload.
APIs and delivery
REST API A documented REST or JSON HTTP API returns content. Built in Content Delivery API and Management API. 1 Built in 5
GraphQL API The vendor or an official module provides a GraphQL API for content. Paid tier GraphQL Content Delivery API on Premium and Elite. 1 Plugin or add-on WPGraphQL, a canonical plugin on WordPress.org. 6
Webhooks The CMS can call an external URL when content is created, changed or published. Built in 3 webhooks on Starter, 5 on Growth, 15 on Premium. 1 Plugin or add-on WP Webhooks plugin. Core sends no outgoing webhooks. 16
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 Block themes and classic PHP themes.
Editorial workflow
Drafts Editors save changes as a draft and publish them later. The live version stays untouched until then. Built in Limited Edits to a published post go live on update. PublishPress Revisions adds pending drafts. 11
Scheduled publishing An editor can set a future date and time for content to publish or unpublish. Paid tier Single story scheduling from Growth. Growth allows 2 scheduled stories, Premium 100. 1 Built in Scheduled publishing only. Scheduled unpublishing needs a plugin.
Version history The CMS keeps earlier versions of an entry, and editors can compare or restore them. Limited Starter keeps 1 day of versions. Growth 30 days, Premium 180, Elite unlimited. 1 Built in Revisions with a visual scrubber since 7.0. 2
Preview Editors can see unpublished content rendered as it will appear on the site before publishing. Built in 1 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 all plans. 1 Built in Block Editor and Site Editor edit content inside the theme's styles.
Approval workflows Content moves through review stages you configure, such as draft, review and approved, with permissions per stage. Paid tier Custom workflows and stages on Premium and Elite. Lower plans get fixed default stages. 1 Plugin or add-on PublishPress plugins. Core has only the Pending Review status. 711
Content releases Editors group changes across several entries and publish them together as one release. Paid tier 20 releases on Premium, unlimited on Elite. 1 Not available
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 Comments and content locking. No simultaneous editing of one story. 110 Not available Pulled from 7.0. Still experimental in the Gutenberg plugin. 3418
Access and governance
Custom roles Admins define their own roles with granular permissions instead of picking from a fixed set. Paid tier 10 custom roles on Premium, unlimited on Elite. 15 Plugin or add-on Plugins such as Members or User Role Editor. Core roles are fixed. 7
Field-level permissions Admins can restrict access to single fields, on top of content types and entries. Paid tier Field permissions come with custom roles on Premium and Elite. 15 Not available
Single sign-on Editors can sign in through SAML or OpenID Connect against a company identity provider. Paid tier Premium and Elite. 1 Plugin or add-on SAML or OIDC plugins, e.g. miniOrange SAML Single Sign On. 15
Audit log The CMS logs who changed what and when across the whole installation, and admins can review the log. Limited Activity log on all plans. Starter keeps 1 day, Growth 30 days, Elite unlimited. 1 Plugin or add-on Simple History or WP Activity Log plugins. 14
Platform and extensibility
Multiple sites One installation or account can manage several separate websites or brands with shared users. Built in One account can own many spaces, each on its own plan. 6 Built in Multisite network in core, with shared users. 8
Extensible admin UI Developers can add their own components, views or fields to the editing interface. Built in Field plugins on all plans. Tool and space plugins on Premium and Elite. 17 Built in Custom blocks, admin pages and meta boxes.
Plugin marketplace The vendor runs an official directory or marketplace of installable extensions. Built in Storyblok App Directory. 8 Built in WordPress.org plugin directory.
Form builder Editors can build and publish forms and collect submissions without code. Not available Plugin or add-on Form plugins such as WPForms or Contact Form 7. 17
Site member accounts The platform handles sign-up and login for public site users or members, separate from editors. Not available Built in Open registration with the Subscriber role. 7
AI writing assistant A first-party AI feature in the editing interface generates, rewrites or translates content. Built in AI content generation and translation on all plans, metered by AI credits. 1 Plugin or add-on Official AI plugin plus a connected provider. Core ships the AI Client only. 29
Official MCP server The vendor publishes a Model Context Protocol server so AI agents can read or write content. Built in Hosted server over the Management API. 9 Plugin or add-on MCP Adapter plugin from the WordPress AI team. 10

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

Where they differ

Storyblok and WordPress get a different status on 18 of the 28 features and the same status on 10. Storyblok has 15 built in on its baseline edition, WordPress has 13. Two matching statuses can still name different paid tiers or limits, so read the notes in the table before treating a row as equal.

Licence
Storyblok is closed source (Proprietary). WordPress is open source (GPL-2.0-or-later).
Self-hosting
Storyblok cannot be self-hosted. WordPress can be self-hosted.
Vendor cloud
Storyblok has a vendor-run cloud. WordPress has no vendor-run cloud.

Built in on Storyblok, a different answer on WordPress 6

  • Content model in the UI Storyblok: Built in. WordPress: Plugin or add-on.
  • Localization Storyblok: Built in. WordPress: Plugin or add-on.
  • Webhooks Storyblok: Built in. WordPress: Plugin or add-on.
  • Drafts Storyblok: Built in. WordPress: Limited.
  • AI writing assistant Storyblok: Built in. WordPress: Plugin or add-on.
  • Official MCP server Storyblok: Built in. WordPress: Plugin or add-on.

Built in on WordPress, a different answer on Storyblok 4

  • Renders the website Storyblok: Not available. WordPress: Built in.
  • Scheduled publishing Storyblok: Paid tier. WordPress: Built in.
  • Version history Storyblok: Limited. WordPress: Built in.
  • Site member accounts Storyblok: Not available. WordPress: Built in.

Built in on neither, with different answers 8

  • GraphQL API Storyblok: Paid tier. WordPress: Plugin or add-on.
  • Approval workflows Storyblok: Paid tier. WordPress: Plugin or add-on.
  • Content releases Storyblok: Paid tier. WordPress: Not available.
  • Custom roles Storyblok: Paid tier. WordPress: Plugin or add-on.
  • Field-level permissions Storyblok: Paid tier. WordPress: Not available.
  • Single sign-on Storyblok: Paid tier. WordPress: Plugin or add-on.
  • Audit log Storyblok: Limited. WordPress: Plugin or add-on.
  • Form builder Storyblok: Not available. WordPress: Plugin or add-on.

More comparisons

Full write-ups with worked examples and costs: Storyblok vs Payload and WordPress vs Payload.

Storyblok against other platforms

WordPress against other platforms

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

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