Looking for Forestry.io Alternatives? Check Out Our Review of CloudCannon CMS

Introduction

As a Jamstack development agency, we need to use and evaluate a broad range of headless Content Management Systems. In our review of five different headless CMS we checked out some of the major players in 2021. But the landscaqpe has changed and that article now feels outdated. With Forestry.io coming to the end of its life we are actively looking for alternatives to convert our clients to a more dependable Content Management System. Some of them are choosing to move to CloudCannon CMS, which is a powerful Content Management System (CMS) that allows users to build, host, and manage websites with ease. So we have taken it upon ourselves to do an in depth review of some of the most competitive headless CMS on the market.

Tody we’re reviewing Cloudcannon. Our clients are loving the visual bbuilder functionality so we thought we’d tell you a bit more about it. Cloudcannon is an all-in-one solution for those who are looking for a fast and reliable CMS with a lot of features. In this review, as part of our forestry.io alternatives series, we will take a closer look at CloudCannon and explore its strengths and weaknesses.

Features of this Headless CMS

CloudCannon is a powerful headless CMS with a lot of features that make it a popular choice among web developers. Some of its key features include:

1. Easy to use: CloudCannon is designed with a user-friendly interface that allows even beginners to create and manage websites with ease.
2. Customizable themes: CloudCannon offers a range of customizable themes that users can choose from, or they can create their own custom theme.
3. Fast and reliable hosting: CloudCannon offers fast and reliable hosting services, making sure that your website is always up and running.
4. Easy content management: With CloudCannon, it’s easy to manage content. You can add, edit, and delete content with just a few clicks.
5. Automatic backups: CloudCannon automatically backs up your website, ensuring that you never lose any data.
6. Collaboration tools: CloudCannon offers collaboration tools that allow multiple users to work on the same website simultaneously.
7. SEO optimization: CloudCannon has built-in SEO optimization tools that help you optimize your website for search engines.
8. Support: CloudCannon offers 24/7 customer support to help you with any issues you may encounter with your static websites.

Usability

One of the standout features of CloudCannon is its ease of use. This certainly makes it a viable forestry.io alternative.

The user interface is clean and simple, making it easy for beginners to get started. Creating a website is as simple as choosing a theme, adding content, and publishing it. \

The dashboard is well-organised, with clear navigation menus that allow you to access all of the different features of the Content Management System. The content editor is intuitive and easy to use, with a WYSIWYG editor that allows you to see exactly how your content will look before you publish it.

Customisation with static site generators

CloudCannon offers a range of customisable themes that allow you to create a unique look for your website. You can choose from a variety of pre-designed themes or create your own custom theme. The customisation options are extensive, allowing you to change colours, fonts, layouts, and more.

If you’re a developer, you can use CloudCannon’s built-in tools to customise the website even further. It supports a wide range of static site generators such as Gatsby, Next.js and Hugo. They offer scripts for conversion from other CMS as well as Bookshop, a component workflow.

Hosting

CloudCannon offers fast and reliable hosting services, with servers located around the world. This ensures that your website is always up and running, no matter where your audience is located. CloudCannon uses Amazon Web Services (AWS) to host websites, which provides excellent reliability and scalability. You can of course choose other hosting partners such as Netlify or Vercel for your site but as your jamstack development agency, we can help with that.

Content management

With CloudCannon, managing content is easy. The content editor is intuitive and easy to use, allowing you to add, edit, and delete content with just a few clicks. You can also use the CMS to create blog posts, add images, and manage pages.

Collaboration

CloudCannon offers collaboration tools that allow multiple users to work on the same website simultaneously. This is especially useful for teams that need to collaborate on content creation or website design. The collaboration tools are easy to use and allow team members to communicate with each other directly from the CMS.

SEO optimization

CloudCannon has built-in SEO optimization tools that help you optimize your website for search engines. You can add meta descriptions, tags, and keywords to your pages, and the headless CMS will automatically generate sitemaps and robots.txt files to improve search engine visibility.

Support

CloudCannon offers 24/7 customer support to help you with any issues you may encounter. The support team is responsive and knowledgeable and can help with anything from technical issues to general questions about using this headless CMS.

Pricing

CloudCannon offers a range of pricing plans to suit different needs and budgets. The plans range from a free plan that includes basic features to premium plans that offer advanced features and more storage.

The free plan is a great option for small websites or those who are just starting out. It includes 100MB of storage, basic features, and a CloudCannon subdomain. The paid plans start at $20/month and include more storage, custom domains, and advanced features like SSL certificates and e-commerce functionality.

Pros

• CloudCannon is easy to use, making it a great choice for beginners and those who don’t have a lot of technical expertise with their jamstack site.
• The headless CMS is customizable, with a range of themes and customization options that allow you to create a unique website.
• CloudCannon offers fast and reliable hosting, ensuring that your static sites are always up and running.
• The content editor is intuitive and easy to use, allowing you to add, edit, and delete content with just a few clicks.
• CloudCannon offers collaboration tools that allow multiple users to work on the same website simultaneously.
• The headless content management system has built-in SEO optimization tools that help you improve your search engine visibility.
• CloudCannon offers 24/7 customer support to help you with any issues you may encounter.

Cons

• CloudCannon is a static site generator, which means that it may not be the best choice for websites that require dynamic content or frequent updates.
• The customization options, while extensive, may not be as flexible as some other CMSs.
• The pricing plans can be expensive for those who require advanced features or a lot of storage.

Conclusion

Overall, CloudCannon is a powerful and easy-to-use headless CMS that is a great choice for beginners and those who want a fast and reliable website. Its customization options, collaboration tools, and SEO optimization features make it a great choice for businesses and individuals who want to create a unique jamstack website with support for many static site generators

While it may not be the best choice for websites that require dynamic content or frequent updates, its ease of use and reliability make it a great option for those who want a simple and effective CMS. If you’re looking for an alternative to forestry.io and are in the market for a new CMS, CloudCannon is definitely worth considering. Every year we test five of the top CMS and you might want to see how Cloudcannon stacks up against the competition in our 2023 review of the top 5 Content Management Systems.