Contently built its reputation as an enterprise content marketing platform that combined a network of vetted freelance writers with content strategy tools, editorial workflow management, and performance analytics. For large organisations with substantial content marketing budgets, this all-in-one approach offered genuine value by consolidating the content creation process under a single platform with enterprise-grade features and support.
However, the content creation landscape has changed dramatically since Contently established its market position. The proliferation of specialist content marketplaces, the advancement of AI-assisted content tools, and the shifting economics of content creation have created an environment where many businesses, including those with enterprise-scale content needs, are finding that dedicated content platforms no longer represent the best value proposition for their requirements.
A growing number of content teams are actively evaluating a Contently alternative that offers comparable or superior writer quality at significantly lower cost, with greater flexibility and without the constraints of an enterprise platform contract. This article explores the factors driving this shift and what the alternatives offer.
The Enterprise Content Platform Model: What Worked and What Changed
Enterprise content platforms like Contently were designed to solve a specific set of problems that large organisations faced in the early years of content marketing. Finding reliable freelance writers at scale was difficult. Managing editorial workflows across dozens of simultaneous projects required dedicated tools. Maintaining brand consistency across content produced by multiple writers demanded editorial oversight systems. And measuring content performance required analytics integrations that individual freelance relationships could not provide.
Contently addressed these challenges effectively through its combination of a curated writer network, editorial workflow tools, and analytics capabilities. For enterprises spending six or seven figures annually on content marketing, the platform’s pricing was justified by the operational efficiencies and quality controls it provided.
What has changed is the competitive landscape. The capabilities that once justified enterprise platform pricing are now available through a combination of specialist content marketplaces and widely available content management and analytics tools. Writer quality on modern marketplaces matches or exceeds what enterprise platforms provide, because many of the same writers work across multiple platforms. Editorial workflows can be managed through tools like Asana, Monday, or Notion at a fraction of the cost. And content analytics are available through Google Analytics, SEMrush, and other tools that most marketing teams already use.
The result is that the bundled value proposition of enterprise content platforms has been unbundled by cheaper, more flexible alternatives. Businesses that once needed an all-in-one solution can now assemble a best-of-breed stack that delivers superior results at lower total cost.
What Modern Content Marketplace Alternatives Offer
The content marketplace landscape in 2026 offers remarkable depth and quality. Specialist marketplaces for content writing services provide access to thousands of vetted writers across every conceivable subject matter expertise, language, and content format. From SEO blog articles and white papers to email marketing copy, social media content, and technical documentation, the breadth of available talent matches or exceeds what any single enterprise platform can offer.
The economics are significantly more favourable for buyers. Enterprise platforms typically charge premium rates that include platform overhead, account management, and technology costs in addition to the writer’s fee. Marketplace alternatives allow buyers to work directly with writers, paying competitive rates without the enterprise markup. For a business producing fifty articles per month, the cost difference between an enterprise platform and a marketplace alternative can easily reach several thousand pounds monthly.
Quality is maintained through marketplace review systems, portfolio displays, and rating mechanisms that create transparent track records for every writer. Rather than relying on the platform’s curation judgements, buyers can evaluate writers based on published samples, client reviews, subject matter expertise, and demonstrated track records with similar content types. This buyer-driven quality assessment often leads to better matches than top-down platform curation, because the buyer knows their specific requirements better than any matching algorithm.
Flexibility is another significant advantage. Enterprise platform contracts typically require annual commitments with minimum spending thresholds. Marketplace alternatives allow buyers to scale their content production up or down dynamically, purchasing exactly the volume they need at any given time without contractual obligations or minimum spend requirements.
When Enterprise Platforms Still Make Sense
It would be misleading to suggest that enterprise content platforms have been entirely superseded by marketplace alternatives. For certain organisations with specific requirements, the enterprise model continues to offer genuine value.
Large organisations with complex governance requirements, such as financial services companies or healthcare organisations, may need the editorial oversight and compliance workflow tools that enterprise platforms provide. Teams that lack content strategy expertise may benefit from the strategic guidance and content planning support that some enterprise platforms include in their service offering.
However, even for these organisations, the question is whether the enterprise platform premium is justified by these specific additional features, or whether comparable capabilities could be assembled at lower cost through a combination of marketplace talent and dedicated workflow tools.
For the majority of businesses, including many that currently use enterprise content platforms, the marketplace alternative provides equal or better writer quality, significantly lower costs, greater flexibility, and sufficient operational tools to manage content production effectively. The enterprises that benefit most from re-evaluating their approach are those spending meaningful budgets on content but not fully utilising the advanced features that justify enterprise platform pricing.
How to Evaluate and Transition
If you are considering moving from an enterprise content platform to a marketplace alternative, the transition can be managed gradually and with minimal disruption. Start by identifying three or four marketplace platforms that specialise in content creation services. Create accounts and browse the available writer profiles in your subject matter areas, evaluating the depth and quality of talent available.
Commission test articles from two or three writers on your preferred marketplace platform, using the same briefs and quality standards you currently apply to your enterprise platform content. Compare the results honestly on quality, turnaround time, and communication experience. In most cases, marketplace-sourced content will meet or exceed the quality of enterprise platform content at a fraction of the cost.
If the test results are positive, begin shifting a portion of your content production to the marketplace while maintaining your enterprise platform for any content types or workflows that specifically require its features. Over time, as you build relationships with reliable marketplace writers and develop efficient briefing and editorial processes, you can progressively shift more of your content budget to the marketplace model.
The content creation market in 2026 rewards buyers who evaluate their options periodically and are willing to adopt more efficient models as they become available. For many organisations, the transition from enterprise platforms to marketplace alternatives represents one of the highest-impact cost optimisation opportunities in their marketing budget.
