CMS Orbit vs Storyblok: how they compare
Both build pages from components with a visual editor. CMS Orbit adds version compare, approval steps, SEO checks, regions and SSO without a top-tier plan.
8 min read
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Storyblok and CMS Orbit are both headless CMSs, and they have a lot in common. Both build pages from components that editors manage without code. Both show the real website while you edit, and both give developers APIs and a typed SDK.
Where they part ways is in what each plan includes. Several things that Storyblok keeps for its Premium and Elite plans, or leaves to apps, are built into CMS Orbit: compare versions, approval steps, SEO checks, regions and single sign-on. CMS Orbit adds campaigns too. CMS Orbit also shares one sign-in, one set of people and one set of roles with every other Orbit tool you use.
Here's where Storyblok shines, where CMS Orbit is stronger and how to choose.
Based on each product's public documentation in October 2026. Products change, so check the latest details.
What Storyblok does well
- The Visual Editor: Editors see the page as they edit it and click a part of the page to change it, once the front end adds Storyblok's bridge.
- Blocks without code: The Block Library lets teams create content types and nestable blocks in the browser.
- Many SDKs: SDKs for JavaScript and TypeScript frameworks, PHP, Swift and Kotlin, with TypeScript type generation from the CLI.
- A choice of hosting region: The EU by default, or the US, Australia, Canada or China, chosen when you create a space.
- Security credentials: ISO 27001 and TISAX.
- Collaboration basics: A standard review workflow and an activity log on every plan, and field comments with @mentions.
It suits marketing teams who build lots of pages from components, and agencies who hand websites over to clients.
Where CMS Orbit is stronger than Storyblok
Components without code, with more built into the fields
Both products let you create content types and components in the browser, and both do it well. CMS Orbit adds more to each field. There are 21 field types, including approved claims and component slots with an allowed list. Fields can appear only when they're relevant, follow a regex rule with your own message, differ by region or protect a price or promotion. Each component shows where it's used, so you know what a change will touch.
Shared sections, edited in place
Storyblok has no dedicated global component. Its documented pattern is a 'global' content type placed with a References field, which developers resolve in code with resolve_relations. In CMS Orbit, any block can become a shared section with no code. Place it on many pages, then edit it in place from any of them. It has its own draft, publishing and preview, it lists the pages that use it, and you can detach it to one page when that page needs to differ.
Compare versions on every plan
Storyblok's compare view between two versions is on Premium and Elite. In CMS Orbit, every plan can compare. The old version and your draft are rendered side by side on the real website, each with its own desktop, tablet and phone switch. 'What changed' lists every field and block that was added, changed or removed, SEO text included, and restoring adds a new version so nothing is lost. History goes back further too: CMS Orbit keeps 365 days on Growth, where Storyblok's Growth plan keeps 30.
Approval steps on Growth, not only on top plans
Storyblok's standard workflow, Drafting, Reviewing and Ready to Publish, is on every plan, and custom workflows start on Premium. CMS Orbit's review on every plan approves one exact version, and nobody can approve their own changes. On Growth and Enterprise, content types can require several named steps, such as Product safety, then Legal, then Brand. Each step is limited to a role, regions can have their own steps, and the record shows who approved, with which role and which version.
SEO checks, not only SEO fields
Storyblok's SEO app adds meta and Open Graph fields with a snippet preview on Growth and up, and we found no automated SEO checks or scoring. CMS Orbit includes an SEO workspace on every plan. Each page gets a health score with a 90-day trend, checked on drafts before they go live. Quick wins are sorted by impact, and you can fix in place or assign a fix to a person. Redirects follow URL changes with an automatic 301, 404s are tracked with scanner noise filtered out, and broken links, structured data, hreflang and sitemaps are covered too.
Regions and translation included
Storyblok handles markets with its Dimensions app on Growth and up, and DeepL through a third-party app. In CMS Orbit, a region has its own address prefix, time zone, currency and pages. Linked copies pull in later changes from the source while keeping regional prices, and DeepL suggestions are included in every plan.
Campaigns built in
Storyblok has no dedicated landing page or popup feature. CMS Orbit's Growth plan includes campaigns: landing pages with an end action for when the offer ends, banners with a countdown and follow-up chains, and popups with promo codes, audiences and snooze days.
Governance for content that must be right
Every CMS Orbit plan includes a library of approved claims. Edit the wording once and every page that uses it updates within a minute, without republishing. An emergency banner skips review when you need it, but asks for a reason and is fully audited. Publish blockers stop pages with missing alt text or image consent, and review-by dates on Growth remind owners before pages go out of date.
Single sign-on and roles without a top-tier plan
Storyblok's SAML SSO is on Premium and Elite, and custom roles start on Premium. CMS Orbit includes Microsoft Entra ID and Google Workspace single sign-on on every plan at no extra cost. Its six built-in roles can be adjusted on every plan, and custom roles come with Growth. People, roles and regions live in Orbit and apply to every satellite you add.
AI agents with hard limits
Both products have an MCP server. CMS Orbit's has no tools to publish, schedule or delete other people's work, and none to change prices, people, settings or schemas. Everything an agent writes is marked Drafted by AI and needs another person's approval.
Pricing that doesn't grow with every seat
Storyblok's plans are seat-based, with caps on API requests, traffic and assets. CMS Orbit has a flat monthly price per organisation. Starter includes 5 members and Growth 15, and Orbit itself is free.
Side by side
| Feature | CMS Orbit | Storyblok |
|---|---|---|
| Create content types and components | In the CMS, no code. 21 field types, conditional fields and regex rules | In the browser, no code, with the Block Library |
| Reusable sections across pages | Shared sections, edited in place on any page, with their own draft and a list of pages that use them | A 'global' content type and references, resolved in code with resolve_relations |
| Visual preview of the real site | Live preview beside the editor at desktop, tablet and phone widths. Click a block to edit it | Visual Editor. The front end adds Storyblok's bridge |
| Compare versions | Yes, all plans. Both versions rendered on the real website, plus a field-by-field list of changes | Premium and Elite plans only |
| Version history kept | 30 days on Starter, 365 days on Growth, all history on Enterprise | 1 day on Starter, 30 on Growth, 180 on Premium, unlimited on Elite |
| Scheduled publishing | Yes, all plans, in each region's time zone | Not on Starter. 2 scheduled stories on Growth |
| Reviews before publishing | Yes, all plans. Approves one exact version, and nobody approves their own changes | Standard workflow on all plans |
| Multi-step approvals | Growth and Enterprise. Named steps by role and by region, set up without code | Custom workflows on Premium (2) and Elite |
| SEO checks and score | Yes, all plans. Score per page, quick wins and fixes assigned to people | SEO app for meta fields on Growth and up. No automated checks found |
| Regions with currency and prefix | Address prefix, time zone, currency and linked copies. 1, 5 or unlimited regions by plan | Dimensions app on Growth and up |
| Machine translation | DeepL suggestions included: 50,000 or 500,000 characters by plan | AI Translations with AI credits. DeepL through a third-party app |
| Landing pages, banners and popups | Growth and Enterprise. Timed landing pages, banners with follow-ups, popups with promo codes | No dedicated landing page or popup feature |
| Single sign-on | Microsoft Entra ID and Google Workspace, included on every plan | SAML SSO on Premium and Elite |
| Audit log | Yes, all plans. How far back it goes depends on the plan | Activity log on all plans, from 1 day on Starter to unlimited on Elite |
| Custom roles | Six built-in roles you can adjust on every plan. Custom roles on Growth and Enterprise | Custom roles on Premium (10) and Elite |
| AI agents over MCP | Yes. No tools to publish, delete or change prices, and a person approves every change | Yes, an MCP server for the Management API |
| EU hosting | By default: servers in Spain, files and backups in Ireland | EU by default. US, Australia, Canada or China if chosen |
| SDKs | JavaScript and TypeScript with React and Next.js, PHP, Swift and Kotlin, with type generation for each, plus REST and GraphQL | JavaScript and TypeScript frameworks, PHP, Swift and Kotlin. GraphQL on Premium and Elite |
| Pricing model | A flat monthly price, not per seat. Starter includes 5 members, Growth 15. Orbit is free | Seat-based plans, with caps on API requests, traffic and assets |
Both keep content in the EU by default. CMS Orbit names every provider on its sub-processors page.
When to choose CMS Orbit
- You reuse sections across many pages and want editors to change them in place, with no developer code.
- You want to compare versions on the real website, on every plan.
- Content needs sign-off by role or region, and you want approval steps without moving to a top-tier plan.
- Search matters, and you want SEO scores, redirects and 404 tracking in the CMS.
- Your website serves several countries with different prices, claims or rules.
- You run campaigns with landing pages, banners and popups.
- You want single sign-on included, and one set of people across your tools.
When Storyblok may suit you better
- You need hosting in the US, Australia, Canada or China.
- You rely on Storyblok's apps, or prefer a product with a longer track record. CMS Orbit is newer.
- You need ISO 27001 or TISAX certification from your CMS provider.
The short version
Both give editors a visual way to build pages from components, without code. Choose Storyblok for its SDK range, hosting regions and maturity. Choose CMS Orbit if you want shared sections, version compare, approval steps, SEO, regions, campaigns and single sign-on without moving to a top-tier plan.
See how CMS Orbit handles your own pages with a 14-day free trial, no card needed. Compare plans, or book a demo and we'll show you.