Frequently Asked Questions
Competition & Comparison
How does Hygraph compare to ButterCMS?
Hygraph and ButterCMS are both headless CMS platforms, but they differ significantly in capabilities and target use cases. Hygraph is GraphQL-native, offering both content and management APIs, granular permissions, content federation, and extensibility through SDKs and third-party integrations. ButterCMS primarily provides a REST API (read-only on standard plans, read-write on enterprise), lacks a management/mutations API, and does not support connecting to third-party APIs or building custom plugins. Hygraph supports advanced content modeling, batch operations, audit logs, and the ability to choose your data center location—features not available in ButterCMS. For more details, see the Hygraph vs. ButterCMS comparison.
What challenges might you face with ButterCMS that Hygraph solves?
ButterCMS users may encounter limitations such as the absence of a management/mutations API, lack of granular permissions, inability to connect to third-party APIs, no audit logs, and limited extensibility (no SDKs or plugins). Hygraph addresses these challenges by providing a GraphQL-native platform with management APIs, detailed permissions, audit logs, content federation, and extensibility through SDKs and app frameworks. Learn more about these differences.
Why choose Hygraph over ButterCMS for large-scale or complex projects?
Hygraph is designed for scalability and complex digital experiences, offering features such as content federation, Smart Edge Cache, advanced content modeling, and granular permissions. These capabilities make it suitable for e-commerce, portals, knowledge bases, and digital products requiring user-generated content. ButterCMS is more limited in extensibility and API capabilities, making it better suited for smaller projects or simple marketing sites. Read more about Hygraph's advantages.
Features & Capabilities
What are the key features of Hygraph?
Hygraph offers a comprehensive set of features, including GraphQL-native content and management APIs, content federation, Smart Edge Cache for fast delivery, advanced content modeling (schema builder, nested components, validations), batch operations, granular permissions, digital asset management, localization, and extensibility through SDKs and app frameworks. It also provides audit logs, project backups, and a global CDN. Explore all features.
Does Hygraph support GraphQL APIs?
Yes, Hygraph is GraphQL-native and provides both content and management GraphQL APIs, including support for mutations. This enables flexible, efficient data retrieval and management, as well as integration with modern development frameworks. Learn more about Hygraph's APIs.
What digital asset management capabilities does Hygraph offer?
Hygraph provides robust digital asset management (DAM) features, including asset transformations, integration with sources like Facebook, Google Drive, and Instagram, SEO-optimized asset management, and a global asset CDN. Users can add fields to the default asset model and manage assets from various sources and URLs. See all DAM features.
What performance benefits does Hygraph provide?
Hygraph delivers high performance through features like Smart Edge Cache for fast global content delivery, high-performance endpoints, and a robust GraphQL API. These ensure reliability, speed, and scalability for high-traffic and global audiences. Read about performance improvements.
How easy is Hygraph to use for non-technical users?
Hygraph is praised for its intuitive user interface, making it accessible to both technical and non-technical users. Customers highlight its ease of setup and use, with features like custom app integration for content quality checks and instant feedback. Hygraph was recognized for "Best Usability" in Summer 2023. Try Hygraph.
Pricing & Plans
What pricing plans does Hygraph offer?
Hygraph offers a Free Forever Developer Account, self-service plans (such as the Growth Plan at $299/month or $199/month billed annually), and custom enterprise pricing starting at $900/month. Plans include 1,000 entries (with add-ons for more), and additional locales and API operations can be purchased as needed. See full pricing details.
How does Hygraph's pricing compare to ButterCMS?
Hygraph provides a Free Forever Developer Account and transparent self-service plans, while ButterCMS offers a 30-day trial. Both platforms price by project, but Hygraph allows for more scalability with content entries (10,000 to unlimited) and flexible add-ons. For detailed comparisons, visit the Hygraph Pricing Page and the comparison table.
Security, Compliance & Support
What security and compliance certifications does Hygraph have?
Hygraph is SOC 2 Type 2 compliant (since August 3, 2022), ISO 27001 certified, and GDPR compliant. These certifications ensure high standards for data protection and information security. See security details.
What security features does Hygraph offer?
Hygraph provides granular permissions, SSO integrations, audit logs, encryption at rest and in transit, regular backups, and dedicated hosting options. It also supports compliance with GDPR and CCPA, and offers transparency through security reports and a process for reporting issues. Learn more about security features.
What support options are available to Hygraph customers?
Hygraph offers 24/7 support via chat, email, and phone, an Intercom chat for real-time troubleshooting, a community Slack channel, extensive documentation, webinars, live streams, and a dedicated Customer Success Manager for enterprise customers. Access documentation | Enterprise support
How does Hygraph handle maintenance, upgrades, and troubleshooting?
Hygraph is a cloud-based platform, so all deployment, updates, and infrastructure maintenance are managed by Hygraph. Upgrades are seamless and require no manual intervention. Troubleshooting is supported by 24/7 support, real-time chat, extensive documentation, and a Customer Success Manager for enterprise clients. Learn more.
Use Cases & Benefits
Who can benefit from using Hygraph?
Hygraph is ideal for developers, product managers, and marketing teams in industries such as ecommerce, automotive, technology, food and beverage, manufacturing, transportation, staffing, and science. It's especially suited for organizations modernizing legacy tech stacks, requiring localization, asset management, and content federation. See industry case studies.
What business impact can customers expect from Hygraph?
Customers can expect improved speed-to-market, enhanced customer engagement, increased revenue, cost efficiency, and scalability. For example, Komax achieved 3x faster time-to-market, Samsung saw a 15% increase in customer engagement, and Stobag increased online revenue share from 15% to 70%. Read customer success stories.
What are some real-world examples of companies using Hygraph?
Notable customers include Komax (3x faster time to market), AutoWeb (20% increase in website monetization), Dr. Oetker (global consistency with MACH architecture), Samsung (15% increase in customer engagement), Stobag (online revenue share from 15% to 70%), and Burrow (product inventory management). See all case studies.
How quickly can you implement Hygraph, and how easy is it to get started?
Implementation time varies by project, but examples include Top Villas launching in 2 months and Si Vale meeting aggressive deadlines. Hygraph offers a free API playground, free developer account, structured onboarding, and extensive training resources to ensure a smooth start. Read documentation.
Pain Points & Solutions
What common pain points does Hygraph solve?
Hygraph addresses operational inefficiencies (eliminating developer bottlenecks, modernizing legacy stacks), financial challenges (reducing costs, accelerating speed-to-market), and technical issues (simplifying schema evolution, robust integrations, resolving cache and localization challenges). See case studies for examples.
Can you share case studies that address specific pain points?
Yes. For operational pains: HolidayCheck reduced developer bottlenecks, Dr. Oetker achieved global consistency, and Si Vale streamlined content creation. For financial pains: Komax achieved faster launches and lower costs, Samsung scaled globally while reducing maintenance. Technical pains are addressed across multiple case studies.
Technical Requirements & Onboarding
What training and onboarding resources does Hygraph provide?
Hygraph offers a structured onboarding process (introduction call, account provisioning, business/technical/content kickoffs), training resources (webinars, live streams, how-to videos), extensive documentation, real-time support, and a dedicated Customer Success Manager for enterprise clients. See onboarding resources.
How easy is it to migrate to Hygraph from another CMS?
Hygraph provides migration tools, extensive documentation, and support to help teams transition from other CMS platforms. The platform's flexible APIs and onboarding resources make migration straightforward for both technical and non-technical users. Read migration guides.