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Last verified 2026-07-15/Independently scored/No paid placementHow we score →
Headless CMS

Strapi

8.0/10
Our verdict

The open-source default. Full control if you'll run it yourself; the managed Cloud tier removes the ops burden for a price.

At a glance

CategoryHeadless CMS
HostingSelf-hosted, or SaaS via Strapi Cloud
Free tierYes (self-host free; Cloud has trial)
Pricing fromCloud $18-450/mo; self-host = infra only
APIREST, GraphQL
FrameworksNode.js, any
Open sourceYes (community edition)
Self-hostYes
Best forSelf-hosting, Node/TS teams, data ownership

The honest split

+ What's good
Open source and self-hostable
Full control of your data
Large community and plugins
− Who it's not for
You own the ops if self-hosting
Cloud tier gets pricey
Admin performance at scale needs tuning

The full review

Strapi: our verdict

The open-source default. Full control if you'll run it yourself; the managed Cloud tier removes the ops burden for a price.

Our score: 8/10

At a glance

  • Category: headless CMS
  • Hosting: Self-hosted, or SaaS via Strapi Cloud
  • Free tier: Yes (self-host free; Cloud has trial)
  • Paid from: Cloud $18-450/mo; self-host = infra only
  • API: REST, GraphQL
  • Self-host: Yes
  • Best for: Self-hosting, Node/TS teams, data ownership

What's good

  • Open source and self-hostable
  • Full control of your data
  • Large community and plugins

What's not

  • You own the ops if self-hosting
  • Cloud tier gets pricey
  • Admin performance at scale needs tuning

Who it's for

Strapi is best for: Self-hosting, Node/TS teams, data ownership.

Data last verified 2026-07-15. Prices and plans change, so always confirm on the vendor's site.

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