5 min read
How to Migrate from Contentful to an Open-Source CMS
Contentful pricing got too high? Here is how to migrate to a self-hosted open-source CMS without losing content or SEO.
R
ruben
Why Teams Leave Contentful
Contentful is excellent but expensive. The jump from free to paid ($300/mo+) catches many teams off guard. And once you are locked into Contentful's content model, migration feels daunting.
Migration Steps
- Export content — Use Contentful's Management API to export all entries
- Map content types — Translate Contentful content types to your new CMS schema
- Transform content — Convert Contentful Rich Text to HTML or your new format
- Import into new CMS — Use the new CMS API to create entries programmatically
- Migrate media — Download assets from Contentful CDN, upload to new storage
- Set up redirects — If URL structure changes, 301 redirect every old URL
- Test everything — Verify content, images, links, SEO meta
Preserving SEO
- Keep the same URL slugs
- Migrate all meta titles and descriptions
- Preserve publish dates
- Submit new sitemap to Search Console immediately
- Monitor rankings for 4 weeks post-migration