Founder of Goodspeed
Startups operate in a fast-paced digital environment where speed, efficiency, and adaptability are key to success. A website should not only look great but also allow teams to update content quickly and iterate on the fly. Yet, many startups relying on Contentful find themselves constrained by developer dependency, fragmented workflows, and technical complexities that slow them down.
Enter Framer—a powerful alternative that blends content management and design into a single, intuitive platform. By switching to Framer, startups can launch faster, reduce costs, and gain full creative control without the bottlenecks of a traditional headless CMS. If you are looking to scale efficiently while maintaining a seamless workflow, this guide explores why a Contentful migration to Framer is a smart move for startups.
1. Speed Matters: Launching & Iterating in Record Time
Time is one of the most valuable assets for a startup. A slow content update cycle can delay marketing campaigns, hinder rapid product pivots, and impact investor readiness. The ability to launch, iterate, and refine content quickly is a competitive advantage—and this is where Framer outperforms Contentful.
1.1 Why Agile Startups Need Rapid Launches
Startups must be able to adjust their messaging, branding, and campaigns on the go. However, traditional headless CMS platforms like Contentful often require multiple developer touchpoints to make simple content or design changes. This delays the go-to-market strategies and slows down iteration cycles.
Imagine you are in the middle of a product launch, and you need to tweak the landing page messaging based on real-time feedback. With Contentful, you might need a developer to update content through structured fields, ensure API integrations work properly, and test the changes before pushing them live.
In contrast, if you migrate to Framer, it allows your team to edit the page instantly within its visual editor, ensuring the update goes live in minutes rather than hours. Additionally, Framer’s pre-rendered pages cut load times, ensuring faster site performance for visitors.
1.2 Framer vs. Contentful: Quick Setup & Workflow
With Framer, content and design coexist in a unified workspace, eliminating the need for separate systems and lengthy developer workflows. Here’s how Framer streamlines the process:
Visual Editing: A drag-and-drop interface allows teams to edit both content and design elements in real time.
No Developer Dependency: Unlike Contentful, which requires dev work for structural changes, Framer lets marketers and designers make updates instantly.
Optimised Performance: Framer’s native HTTP/3 integration is 33% faster, improving page load speeds and enhancing user experience.
When Formula Bot completed its migration to Framer with Goodspeed, they experienced faster content updates and 75% faster site performance, leading to a smoother user experience. Formula Bot’s CEO praised Goodspeed’s expertise, stating, “They exceeded my expectations and showcased their creativity.”
2. Flexibility & Creative Control: Breaking Design Limitations
Startups need the freedom to tell their brand story without being held back by rigid CMS structures. Contentful is powerful, but it lacks native design flexibility, forcing teams to rely on third-party tools and developer intervention to create dynamic, visually engaging experiences.
2.1 Dynamic Content & Interactive Prototypes
Framer was built with interactive design in mind, allowing startups to easily create dynamic landing pages, animations, and prototypes without custom code. Instead of static content blocks, Framer enables:
On-the-fly animations that engage users.
Fully interactive prototypes that let teams experiment with design before going live.
Instant visual feedback without needing external prototyping tools.
If a startup wants to add interactive pricing sliders or animated case study previews, Contentful requires separate code scripts or third-party integrations. With Framer, these elements can be created natively, cutting development time and reducing complexity.
For more insights on Framer’s interactive design capabilities, check out How Framer Templates Can Elevate Your Website’s Design Efforts.
2.2 Intuitive CMS & Visual Edits
One of the biggest challenges of using a headless CMS like Contentful is that content and design are managed separately. Marketers often find themselves relying on developers to preview and implement changes, making workflows inefficient.
With Framer’s built-in CMS, teams can:
Edit content directly within the design interface.
See changes live without switching between multiple tools.
Avoid miscommunication between designers and marketers.
3. Cost & Resource Efficiency: Less Reliance on Dev Hours
For early-stage startups, minimising costs and optimising resource allocation are crucial for sustainable growth. A traditional headless CMS like Contentful often comes with hidden expenses, including developer fees, third-party integrations, and ongoing maintenance. Framer, on the other hand, offers a cost-effective, all-in-one solution that eliminates unnecessary spending.
3.1 Understanding the True Costs of Contentful
While Contentful’s headless architecture provides flexibility, the total cost of ownership can add up quickly due to
Developer dependency: Startups often require ongoing technical support to implement design updates, API configurations, and structural changes.
Integration costs: Many essential features—such as dynamic design updates—require external plugins or custom API work, increasing both complexity and cost.
SEO migration risks: Poorly managed website migrations can result in an 80% drop in organic traffic, requiring months of recovery time.
3.2 Framer’s Leaner, In-House Approach
Framer simplifies website management by removing unnecessary technical complexity, reducing both costs and reliance on developers. Here’s why startups benefit financially from migrating to Framer:
Lower learning curve: Marketers and designers can update content themselves, eliminating the need for expensive developer interventions.
Transparent pricing: Framer’s plans start at $5/month without hidden future plugin costs, providing an affordable solution for startups.
No additional third-party tools: Unlike Contentful, which often requires extra services, Framer offers built-in design, prototyping, and CMS capabilities in a single platform.
Want to ensure your site is optimised after migrating? Read our guide on Optimising Your Framer Template for Speed and Performance.
3.2.1 Quick Comparison Table
Factor | Contentful | Framer |
|---|---|---|
Learning Curve | Steep (Requires integrations) | Beginner-friendly |
Cost Over Time | High (Developer hours, add-ons) | Lower (Transparent pricing) |
Content & Design | Separate systems | Unified environment |
Interactivity | Requires coding | Built-in features |
4. Seamless Collaboration for Growing Teams
As startups grow, collaboration between designers, marketers, and developers becomes essential for an efficient workflow. However, Contentful’s separation of content and design can create silos, leading to miscommunication and slower turnaround times. Framer removes these barriers by allowing all teams to work within a single, integrated platform.
4.1 Integrated Design & Content Teams in One Place
Framer’s real-time collaboration features empower teams to work together seamlessly, eliminating the friction caused by separate content and design workflows. Benefits include:
Live editing: Team members can edit content and visuals together without delays.
Faster feedback cycles: Marketers, designers, and developers can see changes in real time, eliminating long back-and-forth review processes.
One centralised platform: No need for third-party prototyping tools, as Framer integrates content and design natively.
Zen Educate’s Group Product Manager noted: “Goodspeed’s reactivity, collaboration, and good energy were impressive.” This flexibility enabled their team to iterate quickly without development bottlenecks.
4.2 Eliminating Siloed Workflows
With Contentful, design and content updates happen in separate environments, often leading to:
Slow implementation of content changes due to technical roadblocks.
Misalignment between marketing and design teams over how content should appear.
Reduced branding consistency, as multiple tools create inconsistencies.
With Framer, all elements—content, design, animations, and layout—exist in one interface, ensuring consistency and minimising errors.
5. Future-Proofing Your Startup’s Web Presence
A website should be a scalable asset, not a temporary fix. As a startup grows, its website infrastructure should evolve effortlessly without requiring costly overhauls. Framer provides a future-proof solution that supports scaling without technical bottlenecks.
5.1 Scaling Capabilities & Integration Flexibility
One major challenge with Contentful is that scaling a website often requires more developer work, particularly for new integrations or expanding functionality. Framer removes these limitations by:
Supporting seamless integrations with external tools, making it easy to expand website capabilities.
Providing unlimited real-time collaborators, allowing teams to grow without increasing platform costs.
Offering a GDPR-compliant CMS with built-in analytics, ensuring compliance and future readiness.
If you’re planning to expand your Framer site, check out Integrating Third-Party Tools with Your Framer Template.
5.2 Keeping Your Brand's Story Fresh
A startup’s brand is constantly evolving, requiring regular updates and design refinements to remain relevant. Traditional CMS platforms like Contentful make this difficult by:
Requiring developer assistance for UI or layout changes.
Lacking built-in animation or interactive features, making engagement harder.
Increasing turnaround time for updates, limiting adaptability.
With Framer, teams can keep their brand dynamic through:
Instant design refreshes without coding.
Interactive content updates to keep engagement high.
A fully integrated workflow that ensures content updates don’t disrupt design consistency.
83% of mobile users expect a seamless experience across all devices, reinforcing the importance of a platform like Framer that enables smooth, responsive design updates.
6. FAQs for Startups Switching from Contentful
Switching from a headless CMS like Contentful to an all-in-one solution like Framer can raise some concerns. Below, we address some of the most common questions startups have about the transition.
Is Framer suitable for content-rich, dynamic sites?
Yes! Framer’s built-in CMS and interactive design capabilities allow startups to manage content dynamically without requiring third-party integrations. Unlike Contentful, which separates content and design, Framer keeps everything unified, making it easier to build highly interactive, content-rich sites.
What about SEO and migration best practices?
When handled correctly, a Framer migration will not harm your SEO rankings. Best practices include:
Implementing 301 redirects to maintain search engine rankings.
Ensuring content parity so that all essential metadata, alt text, and structured data remain intact.
Optimising for speed, as Framer’s pre-rendered pages load 40% faster, contributing to better search rankings.
For more detailed guidance, check out Best Practices for Content Migration: Ensuring No Data or Traffic Loss.
Do we need developers after migration?
In most cases, minimal developer support is needed once the migration is complete. Framer’s no-code and low-code tools allow non-technical teams to manage content updates, design changes, and new pages independently. However, if your startup requires advanced integrations or custom backend features, occasional developer assistance may be beneficial.
Conclusion
Migrating from Contentful to Framer is more than just a platform switch—it’s a strategic move towards greater speed, flexibility, and cost-efficiency. By making the transition, startups gain:
Faster launch times with an all-in-one content and design environment.
A reduced need for developer resources, cutting costs significantly.
Seamless collaboration across teams, eliminating workflow silos.
A future-proof website that can scale and adapt as your startup grows.
Many startups have already made the switch to Framer, experiencing smoother workflows, better performance, and enhanced creative control.
Need more help? Download our Migration Checklist today!
Written By
Harish Malhi
Founder of Goodspeed
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