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Cockpit alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Cockpit: small community and limited documentation, and few integrations and starters. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Cockpit, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Directus currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Directus logoDirectusFree plan + paidNoSelf-hosted, Web4 of 466.5
2Strapi logoStrapiOpen sourceYesSelf-hosted, Web3 of 362.6
3Squidex logoSquidexOpen sourceYesSelf-hosted, Web5 of 559.6
4Grav logoGravOpen sourceYesSelf-hosted, Web5 of 557.2
5Kirby logoKirbyPaidNoSelf-hosted, Web4 of 455.3
  1. Directus logo

    1. DirectusTop pick

    Best for: Developers who want an admin app and APIs over a SQL database they already own

    Free plan + paidSelf-hostableSelf-hosted, Web

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Cockpit

    More features over SQL databases, free for smaller organisations.

    Pros

    • Works on top of existing SQL databases without migrating
    • Instant REST and GraphQL APIs with fine-grained permissions
    • Free self-hosting for smaller organisations

    Cons

    • Source-available licence, not OSI open source
    • Larger organisations must buy a commercial licence
    • Licence terms have changed more than once
    Visit Directus Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Directus a good Cockpit alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Self-hosting
    Free under $5M revenue and 50 employees
    Checked Oct 25, 2026directus.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Cloud starting price
    $89/month billed yearly ($99 monthly)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026directus.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    14 days
    Checked Oct 25, 2026directus.io(opens source in a new tab)
    License
    Monospace Sustainable Core License
    Checked Oct 25, 2026directus.io(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Strapi logo

    2. Strapi

    Best for: JavaScript teams that want a self-hostable headless CMS they can customise in code

    Open sourceSelf-hostableSelf-hosted, Web

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Cockpit

    Larger open-source headless CMS with a big plugin ecosystem.

    Pros

    • MIT-licensed core that's free to self-host
    • Generates REST and GraphQL APIs from your content types
    • Extensible with custom code and plugins in Node.js

    Cons

    • Major version upgrades can be painful
    • SSO, audit logs and review workflows are paid
    • You run and scale the server yourself unless you pay for Cloud
    Visit Strapi Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Strapi a good Cockpit alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    License
    MIT
    Checked Oct 25, 2026strapi.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Cloud starting price
    $35 per project/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026strapi.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Cloud Pro
    $90 per project/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026strapi.io(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Squidex logo

    3. Squidex

    Best for: .NET teams and European organisations wanting a self-hostable, API-first CMS

    Open sourceSelf-hostableSelf-hosted, Web

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Cockpit

    Open-source headless CMS with workflows and EU cloud hosting.

    Pros

    • MIT-licensed and free to self-host
    • Workflows, versioning and rules built in
    • Cloud hosting in Europe

    Cons

    • Small community and ecosystem
    • Interface feels dated next to newer CMSs
    • Requires MongoDB
    Visit Squidex Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Squidex a good Cockpit alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    License
    MIT
    Checked Oct 25, 2026squidex.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Cloud free plan
    Starter, free (label required)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026squidex.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Cloud Basic plan
    €19/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026squidex.io(opens source in a new tab)
    API
    GraphQL endpoint
    Checked Oct 25, 2026squidex.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Free under MIT, Docker and Kubernetes files provided
    Checked Oct 25, 2026squidex.io(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Grav logo

    4. Grav

    Best for: Developers and tinkerers who want a light, database-free PHP site

    Open sourceSelf-hostableSelf-hosted, Web

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Cockpit

    Flat-file PHP CMS if you also want rendered pages.

    Pros

    • No database: Markdown files that live happily in Git
    • Runs on cheap shared PHP hosting
    • MIT-licensed and free, with an optional admin panel

    Cons

    • Smaller community and theme choice than big CMSs
    • Third-party plugin quality varies
    • Large sites with many editors outgrow flat files
    Visit Grav Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Grav a good Cockpit alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    License
    MIT
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Storage
    Flat-file, no database
    Checked Oct 25, 2026getgrav.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Grav 2
    Adds first-party API and MCP server
    Checked Oct 25, 2026getgrav.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Requirements
    PHP 8.3+ (Grav 2)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026getgrav.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Multi-language
    Built in
    Checked Oct 25, 2026getgrav.org(opens source in a new tab)
  5. Kirby logo

    5. Kirby

    Best for: Designers and small agencies who want database-free sites with a tailored editing panel

    PaidSelf-hostableSelf-hosted, Web

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Cockpit

    File-based PHP CMS with a customisable panel and API.

    Pros

    • No database: content is plain files you can version and copy
    • Editing panel fully shaped by blueprints for each site
    • One-off licence with no subscription

    Cons

    • Paid licence needed for every live site
    • Smaller plugin ecosystem than larger CMSs
    • Anything custom needs PHP development
    Visit Kirby Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Kirby a good Cockpit alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Basic licence
    €99 per site (orgs under €1M revenue)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026getkirby.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Enterprise licence
    €349 per site
    Checked Oct 25, 2026getkirby.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Subscription
    No, one-off licence
    Checked Oct 25, 2026getkirby.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free to try
    Locally or on a test server
    Checked Oct 25, 2026getkirby.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Cockpit alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Directus logo

Best Cockpit alternative for most people

Directus

More features over SQL databases, free for smaller organisations.

Strapi logo

Best Cockpit alternative for a free option

Strapi

Larger open-source headless CMS with a big plugin ecosystem.

Directus logo

Best Cockpit alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Directus

More features over SQL databases, free for smaller organisations.

Squidex logo

Best Cockpit alternative for open source

Squidex

Open-source headless CMS with workflows and EU cloud hosting.

Grav logo

Best Cockpit alternative for self-hosting

Grav

Flat-file PHP CMS if you also want rendered pages.

Kirby logo

Best Cockpit alternative for working in the browser

Kirby

File-based PHP CMS with a customisable panel and API.

Cockpit alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Cockpit?

Directus ranks first right now. More features over SQL databases, free for smaller organisations. Strapi and Squidex follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Cockpit?

Yes. Directus (free plan + paid), Strapi (open source), Squidex (open source) and Grav (open source) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Cockpit?

Yes: Strapi, Squidex and Grav. Strapi, Squidex and Grav can also be self-hosted.

Why do people switch from Cockpit?

The complaints we hear most: small community and limited documentation; few integrations and starters; depends on a small team for updates.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Cockpit, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.