Why teams prefer Storyblok to AEM Sites
Storyblok gives marketers publishing independence, developers architectural freedom, and enterprises a content foundation that is structured, scalable, and AI-ready. All without the cost and complexity of Adobe Experience Manager.
How AEM creates friction
Adobe Experience Manager was built for a different era of enterprise software. Today's content teams need speed, autonomy, and flexibility—not a platform that holds them back.
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Driving with the handbrake on
Marketers can't publish, edit, or launch without raising a developer ticket, no matter how small the change. -
Legacy architecture dressed up as modern
AEM Site's headless and hybrid capabilities are bolt-ons to a decades-old foundation. The underlying costs, dependencies, and constraints don't change.
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Costs that add up every year
AEM's license is just the starting point. Deployment, specialist developers, and annual renewal increases stack into a total cost most teams have never fully modelled, often for features and complexity they don’t need. -
A migration deadline, whether you're ready or not
Adobe Experience Manager 6.5 reaches end of life in February 2027. The decision about what comes next can't wait.
What you get with Storyblok
Marketer independence
Once components are set up, the Visual Editor lets content teams publish, edit, and launch without raising developer tickets for routine updates.
Faster time-to-market
Go from brief to live in days, not months. No more waiting for development sprints to publish a campaign page.
Your choice of tech
Build with any modern framework: Next.js, Nuxt, React, Vue. Storyblok is API-first and never determines your stack.
Transparent and flexible pricing
No seven-figure contracts, no surprise renewal inflation. Pricing that scales with your business and reflects what you actually use.
Migration on your terms
Start with one use case, run Storyblok alongside Adobe, and expand at your pace. No rip-and-replace required.
Built for what's next
Headless-first from day one, with structured, AI-ready content and omnichannel delivery out of the box.
Try it for yourself
A better experience for developers...
With Storyblok, developers get:
- Clean JSON APIs
- First-class SDKs
- Framework freedom: React, Next.js, Nuxt, and more
- Component-based content modeling
- Build once — no dual-build, no parallel Java codebase
- No AEM-specific expertise required
Build your frontend the way you want. Storyblok stays out of your way.
...and for content teams.
With Storyblok, marketers and editors can:
- Visually edit pages in real time with instant preview
- Reuse pre-built components across pages and markets
- Launch content without developer involvement
- Manage localization from one system
- See exactly how content looks before it goes live
- Work independently, without raising a ticket for every change
No more waiting weeks for a developer to fix a typo.
See it side-by-side
Storyblok vs AEM Sites at a glance.
| Storyblok | AEM Sites | |
|---|---|---|
| Implementation | Fast; go live in days to weeks | Complex; 6 to 18 months typical |
| Native headless architecture | Yes | No; bolt-on to legacy foundation |
| Transparent, predictable pricing | Yes | No; multi-year enterprise contracts, modular add-on costs |
| Vectorized / AI-ready content | Yes | Yes; only AEM Headless |
| Visual editor with real-time preview | Yes | Limited; no live preview until UAT |
| Marketer independence | Yes | No; developer required for most changes |
| Role-based access control | Yes | Yes |
| Modern framework support | Yes; any framework | Limited; Java/HTL dependency |
| Personalization | Yes; bring your own | Yes; requires Adobe Target license |
| n8n integration/automation | Yes | No |
View the complete Technical Comparison Guide here.
G2 users prefer Storyblok
Reviewers rank Storyblok above Adobe Experience Manager for ease of use, ease of setup, and overall satisfaction.
It’s also been named the #1 Enterprise CMS in Europe, EMEA, Germany, and the UK (Spring 2026).
What teams accomplish with Storyblok
Check out what our customers who moved away from AEM Sites have to say, and find out what they've built since.
Virgin Media O2
VMO2 moved from AEM to Storyblok to unify two major brands and dozens of platforms into one CMS. This helped them cut page launch time from days to hours, enabled editors to manage 40k+ pieces of content autonomously, and achieved multi-million pound annual savings.
The feeling is mutual
Three of the industry's most impartial voices, one common conclusion:
Storyblok stands out for its flexible architecture, intuitive editing experience, and enterprise scalability.
Storyblok was recognized for its visual editor, content authoring, API coverage, and next-generation features.
Migrating from AEM Sites is more manageable than you think
AEM 6.5 reaches end of life in February 2027. If your team is already facing a migration decision, it's worth asking whether you're migrating to the right destination.
You don't need to replace everything at once. Many teams start with a single use case: a new market launch, a small campaign, or a content workstream that AEM can't serve fast enough. Storyblok runs alongside Adobe while you prove the value, then expand at your own pace.
Our step-by-step guide shows you how to migrate faster, reduce risk, and launch with confidence.
Extra resources to help you get started
Explore technical guides, migration patterns, and product comparisons to support your move to Storyblok. Whether you are planning your approach or already migrating, these resources help you move faster and with fewer surprises.
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Migration Documentation
Dive into our developer docs, covering importing content, mapping fields, asset handling, deployment and more. Use this as your source of truth when planning or validating migration steps.
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Technical Comparison
Storyblok offers a modern alternative to AEM Sites that makes it easier to deliver content at scale and maintain a strong customer experience. View for a deeper technical comparison.
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Storyblok Discord Community
Connect with peers and Storyblok experts to exchange ideas, discuss challenges, and share best practices around migration projects.
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Storyblok enabled us to achieve a multi-million-pound annual saving, streamlining and centralizing multiple platforms and use cases into one.
Frequently Asked Questions
A few answers to questions we hear most often.
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01 How secure is Storyblok for enterprise use?
Storyblok meets enterprise security standards including SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 certification, GDPR compliance, role-based access control, audit logging, and encryption in transit and at rest. SSO and custom authentication flows are also supported. Current certification details are available on the Storyblok Trust Center.
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02 Can Storyblok integrate with our existing stack?
Yes. Storyblok integrates with most enterprise tools—analytics platforms, marketing automation, CRMs, personalization engines, and more. Our API-first approach makes these integrations straightforward, meaning you can keep the Adobe tools that bring you value.
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03 How do we handle our complex content workflows and approval processes?
Storyblok supports multi-step workflows, role-based permissions, and custom approval chains. You can replicate your existing processes, but many teams simplify them once they see how Storyblok's interface streamlines collaboration. Teams moving from AEM often find they need fewer manual steps because the content modeling is cleaner.
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04 What's the learning curve for our developers?
Developers familiar with APIs and headless architecture will be immediately productive. Coming from AEM's monolithic model means an architectural shift, but most find it simpler and more flexible. You build once—no dual build, no parallel Java codebase. Storyblok's clean APIs, first-class SDKs, and framework freedom (React, Next.js, Nuxt, and more) mean your team can use tools they already know. No AEM-specific expertise required.
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05 What happens to our existing AEM digital assets?
Your digital assets (images, videos, PDFs) can either migrate to Storyblok's integrated asset management system or stay in your existing DAM, depending on your preference.
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06 Can we run AEM and Storyblok in parallel during transition?
Yes. You can run both systems simultaneously, which lets you validate Storyblok starting with a contained use case, for example a new market or small campaign. This reduces risk and gives your team confidence before the full migration.
Ready to replace AEM Sites?
Find out why content teams at leading enterprises are making the switch.