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Strapi alternatives: 6 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Strapi: major version upgrades can be painful, and SSO, audit logs and review workflows are paid. We ranked 6 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Strapi, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Payload currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Payload logoPayloadOpen sourceYesSelf-hosted, Web4 of 466.5
2Directus logoDirectusFree plan + paidNoSelf-hosted, Web4 of 462.6
3Keystone logoKeystoneOpen sourceYesSelf-hosted, Web4 of 459.6
4Sanity logoSanityFree plan + paidNoWeb3 of 357.2
5Squidex logoSquidexOpen sourceYesSelf-hosted, Web5 of 553.6
6Contentful logoContentfulFree plan + paidNoWeb0 of 044.8
  1. Payload logo

    1. PayloadTop pick

    Best for: TypeScript and Next.js developers who want the CMS inside their own codebase

    Open sourceSelf-hostableSelf-hosted, Web

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Strapi

    TypeScript-first open-source CMS with config in code and a Next.js-native admin.

    Pros

    • MIT-licensed and fully self-hostable
    • Lives inside your Next.js app with a type-safe local API
    • Auth, uploads, drafts and access control built in

    Cons

    • Content model changes require code and deploys
    • You manage the database and hosting yourself
    • SSO and some workflow features are enterprise-only
    Visit Payload Compare with StrapiDetails 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 Payload a good Strapi alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    MIT
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Framework
    Next.js
    Checked Oct 25, 2026payloadcms.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Codebase
    Open-source TypeScript
    Checked Oct 25, 2026payloadcms.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Enterprise features
    SSO, publishing workflows, visual editor
    Checked Oct 25, 2026payloadcms.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Directus logo

    2. Directus

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

    Free plan + paidSelf-hostableSelf-hosted, Web

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Strapi

    Wraps any existing SQL database with an admin app and APIs.

    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 ×0.387
    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 Directus a good Strapi 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)
  3. Keystone logo

    3. Keystone

    Best for: Node.js developers who want a code-defined GraphQL backend with an admin UI

    Open sourceSelf-hostableSelf-hosted, Web

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Strapi

    Open-source Node.js CMS with a GraphQL API, defined entirely in code.

    Pros

    • Schema in TypeScript generates API and admin
    • Strong access control and hooks
    • MIT-licensed and free

    Cons

    • Smaller community and slower releases than rivals
    • GraphQL-centric API
    • Admin UI is basic for marketing teams
    Visit Keystone 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 Keystone a good Strapi alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    License
    MIT
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    npm installs
    1m+
    Checked Oct 25, 2026keystonejs.com(opens source in a new tab)
    First commit
    2013
    Checked Oct 25, 2026keystonejs.com(opens source in a new tab)
    API
    GraphQL
    Checked Oct 25, 2026keystonejs.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Sanity logo

    4. Sanity

    Best for: Developer teams who want an editing interface tailored to their content

    Free plan + paidWeb

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Strapi

    Hosted content platform with real-time collaboration and no servers to run.

    Pros

    • Editing studio is fully customisable in code
    • Real-time collaboration and visual editing
    • Generous free plan with many user seats

    Cons

    • Needs developers to set up and evolve the studio
    • GROQ is a proprietary query language to learn
    • Add-ons for extra quota and support cost extra
    Visit Sanity 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 Sanity a good Strapi alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Free plan
    $0 forever, up to 20 seats
    Checked Oct 25, 2026sanity.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Growth plan
    $15 per seat/month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026sanity.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Dedicated support add-on
    $799 per month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026sanity.io(opens source in a new tab)
  5. Squidex logo

    5. Squidex

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

    Open sourceSelf-hostableSelf-hosted, Web

    53.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Strapi

    Open-source headless CMS on .NET with hosted cloud plans.

    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 ×0.357
    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 Strapi 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)
  6. Contentful logo

    6. Contentful

    Best for: Larger companies delivering structured content to many sites, apps and markets

    Free plan + paidWeb

    44.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Strapi

    Fully managed headless CMS for teams that don't want to self-host.

    Pros

    • Mature APIs, SDKs and integrations for any front end
    • Strong roles, environments and localisation for big teams
    • Fully hosted with no servers to maintain

    Cons

    • Paid plans get expensive quickly
    • Quotas on records and locales constrain content models
    • Form-based editing feels abstract to page-builder users
    Visit Contentful Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1515
    Votes ×0.150

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

    Is Contentful a good Strapi alternative?

    Verified facts

    0 of 0 verified

    No sourced facts yet.

The best Strapi alternative for…

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

Payload logo

Best Strapi alternative for most people

Payload

TypeScript-first open-source CMS with config in code and a Next.js-native admin.

Keystone logo

Best Strapi alternative for a free option

Keystone

Open-source Node.js CMS with a GraphQL API, defined entirely in code.

Directus logo

Best Strapi alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Directus

Wraps any existing SQL database with an admin app and APIs.

Squidex logo

Best Strapi alternative for open source

Squidex

Open-source headless CMS on .NET with hosted cloud plans.

Payload logo

Best Strapi alternative for self-hosting

Payload

TypeScript-first open-source CMS with config in code and a Next.js-native admin.

Sanity logo

Best Strapi alternative for working in the browser

Sanity

Hosted content platform with real-time collaboration and no servers to run.

Strapi alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Strapi?

Payload ranks first right now. TypeScript-first open-source CMS with config in code and a Next.js-native admin. Directus and Keystone follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Strapi?

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

Is there an open-source alternative to Strapi?

Yes: Payload, Keystone and Squidex. Payload, Keystone and Squidex can also be self-hosted.

Why do people switch from Strapi?

The complaints we hear most: 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.

How is this list ranked?

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