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Strapi

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Top open-source alternative to Contentful

πŸš€ Strapi is the leading open-source headless CMS. It’s 100% JavaScript/TypeScript, fully customizable, and developer-first.

Tech StackTypeScript, Node.js, React
Self-Host DifficultyMedium
License ModelMIT
GitHub Repositorystrapi/strapi

Recommended VPS & Hardware Sizing

Estimated Hosting: $10 - $15/mo (e.g. Hetzner CPX21 or Linode)
Min RAM:2 GB
Rec RAM:4 GB
Compute:2 vCPU
Disk Space:25 GB SSD

Strapi vs Contentful Comparison Matrix

Evaluation CriteriaStrapi (Open Source)Contentful (Proprietary)
Content Types & SchemasUnlimited custom collections and relationsStrict quota limits on content types
Database IndependenceDirect access to PostgreSQL / MySQLClosed proprietary cloud document store
API Delivery QuotasUnlimited API hits on local serverBilled on CDN bandwidth and API calls
INTERACTIVE TCO MODELEstimated Rate: $650/user/mo

Financial Impact: Migrating from Contentful to Self-Hosted Strapi

Detailed Stack Calculator β†’
5 Users (Early Startup)50 Users (Scaleup)200 Users (Enterprise Org)
Contentful (Cloud SaaS)Per-Seat Tax
$195,000per year ($16,250/mo)
3-Year Spend:$585,000

* Excludes enterprise SSO add-ons & usage overages

Strapi (Self-Hosted)Zero Per-Seat Fee
$120per year ($10/mo Linux VPS)
3-Year Compute:$360

* Commodity Hetzner / DigitalOcean compute instance

Cumulative 3-Year ROI+$584,640Net savings across 36 months (100% reduction)
Annual Free Cash:+$194,880/yr
Need C-Level Buy-In? Generate an instant ROI proposal memo to present to your CTO or CFO.

Core Capabilities & Features

βœ“100% JavaScript / TypeScript
βœ“Customizable Content Models
βœ“REST & GraphQL APIs
βœ“Role-Based Access Control

Self-Host Strapi with Docker Compose

Tweak configuration ports, secrets, and volumes live. Download or copy your ready-to-run container file:

1-Click Docker Compose Generator

Generate production-ready container definitions with customizable ports and volumes.

StrapiMIT

The leading open-source headless CMS that gives developers full control

Difficulty: Medium73,297 ⭐
Configure Parameters
docker-compose.strapi.yml
version: "3.8"
services:
  strapi:
    image: strapi/strapi:latest
    ports:
      - "${PORT:-1337}:1337"
    environment:
      NODE_ENV: production
      DATABASE_CLIENT: sqlite
    volumes:
      - strapi_data:/srv/app
    restart: unless-stopped
volumes:
  strapi_data:

Frequently Asked Questions: Self-Hosting Strapi

How do I self-host Strapi using Docker Compose?

You can deploy Strapi (strapi/strapi) on any Linux server by copying the docker-compose.yml template on this page, configuring your desired host port and persistent volume directory, and running 'docker compose up -d'.

How does Strapi compare to Contentful?

Strapi is an open-source, self-hosted alternative to Contentful built with TypeScript, Node.js, React. Unlike Contentful ($300 - $999+ / month), Strapi has zero per-user licensing fees and keeps 100% of your data on your own infrastructure.

What are the minimum VPS RAM and CPU requirements for Strapi?

For production self-hosting (Medium difficulty tier), we recommend at least 4 GB RAM (minimum 2 GB), 2 vCPU, and 25 GB SSD storage, which typically costs $10 - $15/mo (e.g. Hetzner CPX21 or Linode).

Is Strapi free for commercial business use under the MIT license?

Yes. Distributed under the MIT license, Strapi can be self-hosted internally by businesses and engineering teams of any size without per-seat royalties.

README INTEGRATION // REPO EMBED

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SIMILAR REPOSITORIES // PEER COMPARISON

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