2 Free & Open-Source Contentful Alternatives
Contentful's free tier caps the number of users and content types, and pricing on paid tiers scales with both. Strapi and Directus cover the same API-first, front-end-agnostic content model — self-hosted, with no per-seat fee.
The best Contentful alternatives
Strapi
Our top pickOpen sourceSelf-hostedThe most widely-used open-source headless CMS.
Strapi lets you define content types through an admin UI and immediately get REST and GraphQL APIs for them — the same core workflow as Contentful, with a large plugin ecosystem and no per-user pricing when self-hosted.
- Visual content-type builder
- Auto-generated REST and GraphQL APIs
- Role-based permissions and content workflows
- Self-hosted or Strapi's own cloud plan
Directus
Open sourceSelf-hostedA CMS layer that wraps an existing SQL database.
Directus takes a different approach from Strapi — it sits on top of a database you already have rather than owning the schema itself, which is useful if your content needs to live alongside other application data.
- Works on top of existing SQL databases
- Auto-generated REST and GraphQL APIs
- Built-in asset management and workflows
- Self-hosted, database stays fully yours
Licensing and pricing models change over time — confirm current terms on each project's own site before making a procurement or compliance decision.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the better Contentful alternative — Strapi or Directus?
Strapi if you're starting fresh and want the most widely-adopted option with the largest plugin ecosystem. Directus if you already have a database and want a CMS layer on top of it rather than a new data store.
Can front-end frameworks like Next.js or Gatsby pull content from these?
Yes — both expose REST and GraphQL APIs designed for exactly this headless, front-end-agnostic use case, the same way Contentful does.
Do these support multiple content editors with permissions?
Yes, both have role-based permission systems, though neither has per-seat pricing when self-hosted, unlike Contentful.
More free alternatives
Not sure which way to go?
A free Growth Audit can help you weigh self-hosting against the tool you already pay for.