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It's a split decision.
Choose Acquia if your work centers on Drupal content, assets, governance, and AI-assisted page building—and you can get a custom quote. Choose Pantheon if you need WebOps across WordPress, Drupal, or Next.js, or manage a site portfolio. Pantheon lists a free Silver workspace with two sandbox sites, but paid site plans start at $41.67 per site monthly on annual billing; Gold is $500 per workspace monthly. Neither source publishes seat pricing, and Acquia’s prices are custom-quoted.
01Side by side
| Acquia | Pantheon | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Custom quote; no public starting price | $41.67/site/month annual; free workspace |
| Free plan | No free plan listed | Free Silver workspace; two sandbox sites |
| Best for | Complex Drupal content and governance | Multi-CMS WebOps and site portfolios |
| Core strength | Drupal CMS, DAM, governance, AI site building | Dev-Test-Live workflows and portfolio operations |
| Learning curve | Not published | Not published |
| Integrations/data | Drupal ecosystem, native MCP; storage limits listed | WordPress, Drupal, Next.js; Git-based CI/CD |
| Team/seat costs | Custom quote; seat pricing not published | $500/workspace/month Gold; site plans separate |
| Support | 2 advisory hours; 1-hour critical response SLA | Basic chat free; Gold 24/7; Elite priority on-call |
Acquia Choose Acquia if
- Choose Acquia if Drupal is your required CMS foundation.
- Choose Acquia if content governance and DAM belong together.
- Choose Acquia if native MCP support matters.
Pantheon Choose Pantheon if
- Choose Pantheon if you run WordPress, Drupal, or Next.js sites.
- Choose Pantheon if Dev-Test-Live workflows fit your team.
- Choose Pantheon if portfolio governance matters across many sites.
02Pricing compared
Acquia’s pricing is custom-quoted; the published pricing details do not list monthly or annual terms. Its Standard plan includes one Drupal application, 100 GB each of file and database storage, and Acquia Search with 50,000 monthly queries. Ask for a quote before comparing its total cost with Pantheon’s.
Pantheon separates workspace and site costs. The Silver workspace is free and includes two sandbox sites. Paid site plans start at $55 per site monthly, or $41.67 per month on annual billing, for Basic. Performance plans range from $160.42 to $916.67 per site monthly on annual billing. Gold costs $500 per workspace monthly; its annual price is not published. Elite pricing is also not published. Budget for both workspace and per-site plans where applicable. Neither source lists seat pricing.
03Features and depth
Acquia is the more focused fit for teams building around Drupal content. It combines content management, digital asset management, governance, and AI-assisted page and content workflows. Its Drupal foundation can carry forward existing Drupal skills, modules, and integrations, and Acquia lists native MCP support for connecting AI agents to content. The Standard plan includes Acquia Search, with a stated monthly query and index allowance.
Pantheon is positioned around WebOps across WordPress, Drupal, and Next.js. Its Dev-Test-Live environments, Git-based CI/CD, and infrastructure automation support site building and operations; the Silver workspace includes a command-line interface. Pantheon also emphasizes portfolio governance and multi-site management, with a stated higher-education use case of up to 1,000 sites. Elite includes unlimited visits, up to 270 domains, multi-zone failover, and a 99.95% SLA. For Next.js full-stack setups, Pantheon says two site plans are required.
04Ease of use and learning curve
Neither product’s published pricing details explain onboarding time or publish a formal learning-curve estimate. Acquia’s Drupal basis may be a more direct fit if your team already works with Drupal; its product description says existing Drupal skills, modules, and integrations carry forward. Teams without Drupal experience should clarify implementation and training needs with Acquia, since pricing is custom-quoted.
Pantheon provides pre-configured Dev-Test-Live environments, automated workflows, and a command-line interface on the free Silver workspace. Those are concrete workflow tools, not a promise that every team will find setup easy. Confirm which workspace and site plans your workflow needs, especially if you manage multiple sites or use Next.js. Seat limits and seat pricing are not listed on the vendor's site.
Questions people ask
How much does Acquia cost compared with Pantheon?
Acquia’s price is custom-quoted, with monthly and annual terms not published. Pantheon lists a free Silver workspace, paid site plans from $41.67 per site monthly on annual billing, and a $500 monthly Gold workspace. Add site and workspace costs when comparing.
Does Pantheon support WordPress as well as Drupal?
Yes. Pantheon’s product description says it supports WordPress, Drupal, and Next.js. Acquia is described as a Drupal-based content platform. Pantheon says Next.js full-stack setups require two site plans, so include that in a cost estimate.
Does Pantheon have a free plan?
Pantheon lists a free Silver workspace for small teams and projects. It includes two sandbox sites, Git-based CI/CD, a command-line interface, and basic chat support. The free workspace does not mean every production site plan is free; paid site plans are listed separately.
Which platform should a Drupal team choose?
Choose based on the job, not just the CMS. Acquia focuses on Drupal content, digital assets, governance, and AI-assisted building, with custom-quoted pricing. Pantheon supports Drupal alongside WordPress and Next.js and focuses on WebOps and site portfolios, with separate workspace and site plans.