Pelican vs Storyblok

Pelican and Storyblok are both content management systems, but they cater to different needs. Pelican is a static site generator, ideal for developers who prefer simplicity and control over their website’s structure. Storyblok, on the other hand, is a headless CMS that offers a user-friendly interface for content creators to manage and publish content across various platforms.

General information

Pelican
Storyblok
Introduction :
Pelican is a static site generator that is open source and was first released in 2010. It is popular for its simplicity, speed, and flexibility, making it a preferred choice for developers who want to create fast and secure websites. Pelican allows users to write content in Markdown or reStructuredText and offers a range of plugins and themes for customization.
Introduction :
Storyblok is a headless CMS that was launched in 2017. It is known for its user-friendly interface, flexible content modeling, and powerful visual editor. Storyblok is popular among developers and content creators for its ability to create and manage content across different platforms seamlessly. It offers a range of integrations and is open source, allowing for easy customization and scalability.
Advantages :
  • Easy to use and beginner-friendly interface
  • Fast loading times for websites
  • Strong security features to protect content
  • Customizable themes and plugins for flexibility
  • Good for small to medium-sized websites
Advantages :
  • Easy-to-use visual editor for content creation
  • Flexible content modeling with custom fields
  • Seamless integration with various technologies
  • Fast and reliable content delivery via CDN
  • Scalable for projects of any size
Disadvantages :
  • Limited customization options
  • Steeper learning curve compared to others
  • Lack of built-in SEO features
  • Limited plugin and theme options
  • Less user-friendly interface compared to competitors
Disadvantages :
  • Limited customization options
  • Steep learning curve for beginners
  • Higher cost compared to some competitors
  • Limited built-in features and functionalities
  • Lack of robust SEO capabilities
Website users : Thousands
Pelican is used by thousands of websites, making it a popular choice among content management systems for website creation and management.
Website users : Thousands of websites
Storyblok is used by a significant number of websites, making it a popular choice among content management systems for web development.
๐ŸŸก Difficulty : Average.
Getting started with Pelican requires some technical knowledge and familiarity with static site generators, but resources are available for support.
๐ŸŸก Difficulty : Average.
Getting started with Storyblok requires some initial learning, but with its user-friendly interface and documentation, users can navigate through it relatively easily.
Year launched : 2002
Pelican was launched in 2002, making it one of the earlier content management systems available for users to create and manage websites.
Year launched : 2017
Storyblok was launched in 2017, making it a relatively newer option compared to other content management systems on the market.
Official website : https://www.pelicanweb.org/
Official website : https://www.storyblok.com/


Commercial details

Pelican
Storyblok
๐ŸŸก Open source : Partially.
Pelican is partially open source, with the core codebase being fully open source, but some plugins and themes may have different licenses.
๐ŸŸก Open source : Partially.
Storyblok is not fully open source, but offers a limited version of its platform for open source use.
๐ŸŸข Free option : Yes.
Pelican offers a free self-hosted option with no limitations on features, making it a cost-effective choice for users looking to manage their own content.
๐ŸŸข Free option : Yes.
Storyblok offers a free plan with limited features, suitable for small projects or personal websites. Hosted option available.
๐ŸŸข Paid option : Yes.
Pelican offers a paid option for users looking for additional features and support, providing a more comprehensive experience for those willing to invest.
๐ŸŸข Paid option : Yes.
Storyblok offers a paid option with additional features and support, providing more flexibility and customization for users.


Platform details

Pelican
Storyblok
๐ŸŸข Hosted : Yes.
Pelican offers a hosted option for users looking for a convenient and managed solution for their website hosting needs.
๐ŸŸข Hosted : Yes.
Storyblok offers a hosted option for users, providing convenience and ease of use without the need for self-hosting.
๐ŸŸข Self host : Yes.
Pelican can be self-hosted on various 3rd party vendors, giving users more control over their hosting environment.
โšช Self host : Unknown.
Self-hosting options for Storyblok are not clearly stated, but there may be third-party vendors available for hosting.
๐ŸŸก Headless CMS : Supported via plugin.
Pelican does not natively support headless features but can be integrated with plugins or APIs for headless functionality.
๐ŸŸข Headless CMS : Support natively.
Storyblok is a headless CMS by design, allowing users to create content and deliver it through APIs to any platform or device.
๐ŸŸข Static content generation : Support natively.
Pelican natively supports static content generation, making it efficient and reliable for creating static websites without the need for additional plugins.
๐ŸŸก Static content generation : Supported via plugin.
Static content generation is possible in Storyblok through third-party plugins, offering flexibility for users who require this feature.


Key features

Pelican
Storyblok
๐ŸŸข Content management : Support natively.
Pelican is a good platform for managing content as it offers native features specifically designed for content management tasks.
๐ŸŸก Content management : Supported via plugin.
Storyblok offers robust content management capabilities through its plugin system, allowing for seamless integration with various platforms and tools.
๐ŸŸก Blogging : Supported via plugin.
Pelican can be enhanced by third-party plugins for blogging functionality, offering flexibility and customization options for bloggers.
๐ŸŸก Blogging : Supported via plugin.
Storyblok is a good platform for blogging when enhanced by popular 3rd party plugins/extensions for added functionality and customization.
๐ŸŸก E-commerce : Supported via plugin.
Pelican can be used for e-commerce with plugins like Pelican-Commerce, but it may require additional setup compared to dedicated e-commerce platforms.
๐ŸŸก E-commerce : Supported via plugin.
Storyblok can be used for e-commerce with third-party plugins, offering flexibility and customization options for online stores.
๐ŸŸก Community forum : Supported via plugin.
Pelican can support a community/forum with plugins like Disqus, but lacks native features for robust community engagement compared to other platforms.
๐ŸŸก Community forum : Supported via plugin.
Storyblok does not natively support community/forum features but can be enhanced with third-party plugins/extensions for this functionality.
๐ŸŸก Content subscription : Supported via plugin.
Pelican does not natively support content subscriptions/paywalls but can be enhanced with third-party plugins for this functionality.
๐ŸŸก Content subscription : Supported via plugin.
Support for content subscriptions/paywalls can be enhanced through third-party plugins/extensions in Storyblok.


Other features

Pelican
Storyblok
๐ŸŸก Multi-site : Supported via plugin.
Support for multi-site in Pelican is typically achieved through third-party plugins, offering enhanced functionality for managing multiple sites within the platform.
๐ŸŸก Multi-site : Supported via plugin.
Storyblok does not support multi-site natively but can be enhanced with third-party plugins for multi-site functionality.
๐ŸŸก Multi-language : Supported via plugin.
Pelican does not natively support multi-language but can be enhanced with plugins like Pelican-i18n for multi-language functionality.
๐ŸŸข Multi-language : Support natively.
Storyblok supports multi-language natively, allowing users to easily create and manage content in multiple languages without the need for additional plugins.
๐ŸŸก XML Sitemaps : Supported via plugin.
Support for XML sitemaps can be enhanced by popular third-party plugins/extensions in the Pelican ecosystem.
๐ŸŸก XML Sitemaps : Supported via plugin.
XML sitemaps can be implemented through third-party plugins, enhancing SEO capabilities and ensuring proper indexing of content.


When choosing between Pelican and Storyblok, consider your technical expertise and content management requirements. If you value flexibility and customization, Pelican may be the right choice. However, if you prioritize ease of use and collaboration between content creators and developers, Storyblok could be the better option. Ultimately, the decision should align with your specific goals and preferences.