Best Self Hosted Alternatives to Kontent.ai

Strapi is an open-source headless CMS for building content-driven applications with a customizable admin panel and API-first architecture. It lets teams model content, manage media, and deliver content to any frontend via REST or GraphQL.

Key Features

• Content-type builder for modeling structured content (including components and dynamic zones)
• Auto-generated REST and optional GraphQL APIs for content delivery
• Customizable and extensible admin panel with plugin architecture
• Role-based access control and permissions for APIs and admin users
• Media library for managing uploads and reusable assets
• Internationalization support for localized content
• Multi-database support, including PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, and SQLite
• CLI tooling to scaffold projects and accelerate development

Use Cases

• Headless CMS backend for websites built with modern frontend frameworks
• Content API for mobile apps and multi-channel publishing workflows
• Custom backend framework for building internal tools and content services

Strapi is well-suited for teams that want full control over content modeling, API behavior, and deployment. Its plugin system and API-first approach make it a flexible foundation for many application backends.

Payload is an open-source, TypeScript-first CMS and application framework that runs natively inside Next.js. It provides a configurable backend, APIs, and an extensible admin panel to manage content and power fullstack applications.

Key Features

• Next.js-native architecture that can live directly in an existing Next.js app folder
• TypeScript-first data modeling with generated types for collections and globals
• Extensible React-based admin UI, including support for custom components
• Built-in authentication and granular access control for users, roles, and content
• Content workflow tools such as drafts and versioning
• Rich text editing and block-based layouts for flexible page building
• REST and GraphQL APIs, plus hooks for server-side customization and automation

Use Cases

• Building a headless CMS backend for marketing sites, blogs, and documentation
• Creating fullstack Next.js applications that need content, auth, and admin tooling
• Managing structured content for ecommerce, portfolios, and multi-language sites

Limitations and Considerations

• Requires a Node.js/Next.js environment and is primarily tailored to the Next.js ecosystem
• Database choice and deployment model depend on project configuration and adapters

Payload is well-suited for teams that want the flexibility of a code-first CMS while keeping content management and application logic in a single, TypeScript-friendly stack. Its extensibility makes it a strong foundation for both content-heavy websites and custom business applications.

Directus is a flexible data platform that sits on top of an existing SQL database to provide an admin studio and real-time APIs. It can be used as a headless CMS, a backend for custom apps, or an internal data management interface without requiring database migrations.

Key Features

• Instantly generates REST and GraphQL APIs on top of supported SQL databases
• Admin Studio for managing content, data models, and relationships through a no-code UI
• Works with new or existing databases, keeping full control of the underlying schema
• Role-based access control with granular permissions for collections and fields
• Extensible platform with support for custom modules and interfaces
• Digital asset management for organizing and delivering uploaded files

Use Cases

• Headless CMS for websites and apps using an existing PostgreSQL/MySQL/SQLite database
• Internal admin panels for business data with fine-grained permissions
• Backend layer for custom products that need both REST and GraphQL APIs

Limitations and Considerations

• Licensed under Business Source License (BSL) 1.1 with an additional use grant, which may require a commercial license for some larger organizations

Directus is well-suited for teams that want to keep their SQL database as the source of truth while rapidly adding APIs and a modern admin UI. Its database-first approach and extensibility make it a strong fit for custom builds that outgrow traditional CMS patterns.

Wagtail is an open-source content management system built on Django, designed to provide an excellent authoring experience while giving developers full control over site structure and front-end implementation. It supports traditional, template-driven websites as well as headless architectures via an API.

Key Features

• Editor-friendly admin interface for creating, scheduling, and publishing content
• StreamField for flexible, structured page building with reusable content blocks
• Full front-end freedom using Django’s templating and view patterns
• Built-in image handling and rich media embedding capabilities
• Headless content delivery via a content API for decoupled front ends
• Integrated search with support for PostgreSQL or Elasticsearch backends
• Multi-site and internationalization features suitable for large organizations

Use Cases

• Building custom marketing sites and editorial websites with bespoke design
• Running multi-site deployments for institutions, departments, or brands
• Delivering content to decoupled front ends (web or mobile) using a headless API

Wagtail fits teams that want a polished editorial workflow without sacrificing developer flexibility, and it scales from small deployments to large, high-traffic installations. Its Django foundation makes it well-suited for organizations standardizing on Python for web development.

KeystoneJS is a developer-focused, open-source headless CMS and app framework for Node.js. It lets you declare data models (lists) in TypeScript or JavaScript and immediately provides a GraphQL API plus a configurable React-based Admin UI for managing content and data.

Key Features

• Schema-first data modelling with Lists and rich field types (text, relationship, document, password, timestamp, etc.).
• Auto-generated GraphQL API and CRUD resolvers that follow your schema and access rules.
• Full TypeScript typing and developer DX for compile-time safety and editor autocompletion.
• Admin UI built with React and Next.js, supporting custom React components and field views.
• Prisma-powered database layer with automated migrations and direct Prisma client access.
• Built-in access control, session management, hooks, and custom queries/mutations.
• Pluggable storage adapters and file handling to integrate with object stores or local storage.
• Designed to fit git-based workflows and common CI/CD/deployment targets.

Use Cases

• Headless CMS for websites, marketing sites, and multi-channel content delivery.
• Backend and content platform for web or mobile applications requiring custom schemas and role-based access.
• Internal admin panels, editorial tools, or lightweight e-commerce backends built on top of a generated API.

Limitations and Considerations

• Keystone 6 relies on Prisma as its ORM abstraction; currently supported database providers are relational (PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite). Official MongoDB support is not provided due to Prisma/migrations considerations.
• Behaviour of text filtering and some field types can differ between supported SQL providers; developers must consider provider-specific column types and collation implications.
• Large-scale or highly-custom multi-database scenarios may require additional engineering around migrations, transactions, and Prisma client extensions.

KeystoneJS is focused on giving developers a fast, type-safe starting point for APIs and content management while allowing deep customization of UI, access control, and persistence. Its core strengths are schema-driven APIs, TypeScript-first tooling, and a React-based Admin experience.

ApostropheCMS is an open-source, full-stack content management system and framework built on Node.js and MongoDB. It combines a visual, in-context editing experience for content teams with a developer-focused architecture that can also run as a headless CMS.

Key Features

• In-context (on-page) editing so content changes are made directly on live pages
• Headless-ready architecture with APIs to power decoupled frontends and omnichannel delivery
• Modular, extensible system designed for customization via a full-stack JavaScript workflow
• Role-based permissions and access controls suitable for team and enterprise setups
• Flexible deployment options for running on your own infrastructure

Use Cases

• Build and manage marketing sites and content-heavy web properties with visual editing
• Run Apostrophe as a headless CMS for frontends built in React, Vue, Svelte, Astro, or other frameworks
• Create multi-team editorial workflows for organizations that need structured content management

ApostropheCMS is a strong fit when you want a modern JavaScript-based CMS that supports both editor-friendly visual editing and developer-driven headless implementations, without giving up a full-featured admin experience.

Squidex is an open-source headless CMS and content management hub designed for structured content and an API-first workflow. It provides a web UI for editors while developers consume content via robust APIs to power websites, apps, and backend services.

Key Features

• Schema-based content modeling for structured, reusable content
• REST API with OpenAPI/Swagger definitions and advanced querying (OData-style filtering)
• GraphQL endpoint, including support for real-time subscriptions
• Workflow and role-based permissions to control draft, review, and publishing processes
• Content versioning with history, comparisons, rollback, and audit-oriented change tracking
• Event-driven integrations and automation hooks to connect external systems
• Asset management and import/export tools, including CLI-based administration
• Built-in backup and restore capabilities for migrations and recovery

Use Cases

• Centralized content backend for websites, mobile apps, and multi-channel publishing
• Product catalogs, marketing pages, and structured content for multiple frontends
• Content hub integrated with internal systems via events and APIs

Limitations and Considerations

• Requires external database infrastructure and careful sizing for high-scale deployments
• API-first approach means frontend rendering must be implemented separately

Squidex is well-suited for teams that want a flexible, developer-friendly headless CMS with strong APIs, workflows, and operational tooling. It can be deployed via containers or platform-native setups and scaled for production workloads.

AtomicServer is an open source headless CMS and real-time graph database built around the Atomic Data model. It provides a structured, schema-driven way to create and query data, plus a web UI for editing content and building collaborative apps.

Key Features

• Schema and ontology tooling to define custom classes, properties, and validation rules
• REST API with JSON-oriented responses and multiple serialization formats for linked data
• Real-time synchronization for clients using WebSockets
• Full-text search with fuzzy matching and operators
• Table editor with keyboard and copy/paste workflows (Airtable-like)
• Collaborative rich-text documents
• File management for uploading, downloading, and previewing attachments
• Authorization model with read/write permissions and hierarchical structures
• Event-sourced versioning and history tracking
• Optional AI integration via MCP, with support for using hosted models or local model backends

Use Cases

• Building schema-driven internal tools and business apps with real-time UIs
• Headless CMS for structured content with powerful search and custom data models
• Collaborative knowledge bases and document-centric workflows with permissions

Limitations and Considerations

• Project status is marked as alpha; breaking changes may occur before a 1.0 release

AtomicServer is a strong fit when you need a flexible data model, fast querying, and real-time collaboration in a self-hosted stack. Its SDKs and built-in editors help bridge backend data modeling with modern web app front ends.

TYPO3 is an open-source, PHP-based enterprise content management system (CMS) designed for large, multilingual and multisite web projects. It combines a structured content model, fine-grained access controls and an extension-driven architecture to support both classic and headless delivery modes. (github.com)

Key Features

• Enterprise-grade multisite and multilingual support with fine-grained user and permission management. (t3gov.com)
• Structured content management, editor workflows, versioning and visual diffs for content auditing and rollback. (t3gov.com)
• Extension ecosystem and package management via Composer and the TYPO3 Extension Repository (TER) for functional extensibility. (github.com)
• Modern developer stack that uses PHP, Composer and selected Symfony components (DependencyInjection, EventDispatcher, Mailer, etc.), with Doctrine DBAL for database abstraction and PHPUnit-based testing. (docs.typo3.org)
• Support for major relational databases and web servers, image-processing tooling, CLI utilities and a Long-Term Support (LTS) release cadence for enterprise maintenance. (docs.typo3.org)

Use Cases

• Powering large corporate, educational or government multisite portals with centralized governance and local editorial teams. (typo3.com)
• Acting as a headless content provider for SPAs, mobile apps or decoupled frontends while keeping editorial workflows and versioning in the CMS. (typo3.com)
• Implementing regulated publishing workflows, audit trails and staged deployments for organisations that require strict content governance. (t3gov.com)

Limitations and Considerations

• TYPO3 has a steeper learning curve and a larger operational footprint compared with lightweight CMSs; it requires familiarity with PHP, Composer and server configuration, and benefits from experienced integrators for complex projects. (github.com)

TYPO3 is a mature, extensible CMS aimed at organisations that need scalable multisite and multilingual capabilities along with enterprise-grade workflows and long-term maintenance. It suits projects where stability, structured content and editorial governance are priorities.

Automad is a flat-file content management system and template engine designed for building websites without a database. Content is stored as human-readable files, while Automad still provides core features like searching, tagging, and caching for fast page rendering.

Key Features

• Flat-file storage (no database required), suitable for version control workflows
• Browser-based admin dashboard for content, settings, uploads, and theme management
• Block editor for composing pages/posts from reusable content blocks
• In-page edit mode for editing content while browsing the site
• Multi-layer caching engine for high performance on limited hardware
• Flexible template language and PHP extension mechanism for advanced customization
• Optional headless mode exposing content via a read-only JSON API
• Package ecosystem for installing themes and extensions

Use Cases

• Personal sites, portfolios, and blogs that benefit from a lightweight stack
• Small business or brochure sites needing a simple editorial workflow
• Headless content backend for custom frontends consuming a JSON API

Automad is a strong fit when you want a database-free CMS with a modern editing experience, templating built in, and the option to switch between monolithic and headless setups as needed.

Cockpit is an API-first headless content management system for managing structured content and delivering it to any frontend via REST or GraphQL. It is designed to stay lightweight while providing flexible content modeling, an admin UI, and optional add-ons for common content workflows.

Key Features

• Headless CMS with REST and GraphQL APIs for content delivery
• Flexible content modeling with Collections, Singletons, and Trees
• Asset management with built-in image processing capabilities
• Roles and permissions, API tokens, and optional two-factor authentication
• Multi-language content support for localized experiences
• Extensible via add-ons, hooks, and events; supports webhooks for automation
• Supports SQLite (default) or MongoDB as the backend datastore

Use Cases

• Power content for websites, SPAs, and static frontends via API
• Provide a shared content backend for mobile apps or multi-channel delivery
• Manage product catalogs, documentation, or marketing content with localization

Limitations and Considerations

• Requires modern PHP (notably PHP 8.3+) and correct filesystem permissions for the storage directory
• Backend storage is limited to SQLite or MongoDB, which may not fit teams standardized on relational databases

Cockpit fits teams that want a developer-friendly, API-first CMS with minimal overhead and strong flexibility in content structure. It works well as a lightweight content platform where you control data, deployment, and integrations.

Roadiz is a PHP CMS built around a polymorphic node/content schema that lets you model arbitrary content types and organize them hierarchically. It provides both a traditional themable back office and API-first features for headless deployments.

Key Features

• Polymorphic node system for flexible content schemas and structured content modelling
• Built on Symfony (Symfony Flex) using Doctrine ORM for data persistence
• API-first architecture with API platform integrations to expose headless endpoints
• Decoupled theming with Twig-based templates allowing multiple themes per repository
• Administrative back office focused on usability and content editing workflow
• Extensible bundle ecosystem (search bundle integrations such as Solr are available)
• Developer tooling: Docker-based development environment, composer-based PHP workflow, and entity/model generators

Use Cases

• Create headless content APIs for single-page applications or mobile apps
• Build content-heavy websites with custom content types and complex relationships
• Publish themable marketing or institution websites that require multiple themes and editorial workflows

Limitations and Considerations

• The v1.x repository is legacy and receives only security updates; active v2+ development moved to a monorepo and newer packages
• Some functionality is delivered via optional bundles; specific integrations (search, auth, markdown) may require additional configuration or separate packages

Roadiz is suitable for teams that need a highly customizable CMS with strong developer tooling and both traditional and headless delivery options. Evaluate the v2+ ecosystem for up-to-date packages and recommended project skeletons.

Localess is a translation management tool and headless content management system designed to manage multilingual content and localization for web and mobile applications. It provides a browser-based admin UI built with Angular and uses Firebase services for storage, auth, realtime data and hosting.

Key Features

• Angular-based admin UI for editing localization and content in real time
• Uses Firebase products (Authentication, Firestore, Storage, Functions, Hosting) as the backend
• AI-assisted translation support (Google Translate integration) to speed up initial translations
• Schema-driven content (schematics) with validation and hierarchical content models
• Low-code content management and instant publish workflow with CDN-cached generated payloads
• Import / export tools for migrating or backing up translation and content data
• Granular user management and permissions for admin roles and access control
• Exposed APIs for integrating translations and content with web, mobile, or server apps

Use Cases

• Manage translations and localization strings for multi-language web and mobile applications
• Serve as a headless CMS for small to medium projects that require schema-driven multilingual content
• Provide a low-code interface for product/content teams to update and publish content without builds

Limitations and Considerations

• Core backend relies on Firebase services and Google CDN, which implies vendor dependence and associated cloud costs
• AI translation is tied to Google Translate integration; using it requires appropriate API credentials and may incur usage fees
• Not focused on enterprise translation workflows such as advanced translation memory, glossaries, or multi-vendor MT orchestration out of the box

Localess is suitable for teams that want a lightweight, Firebase-native approach to localization and headless content management. It streamlines i18n workflows and quick publishing for apps that can accept a cloud-managed backend.

SilverStripe is an open-source, PHP-based content management system (CMS) and accompanying MVC framework designed for both content authors and developers. It provides a web-based administration UI for editors and a structured framework and ORM for developers to build custom websites and web applications.

Key Features

• Web-based admin UI with rich-text editing, block-based content and split-screen preview for editors
• SilverStripe Framework (MVC) with an ORM that scaffolds and migrates database schema
• REST and GraphQL APIs for decoupled or headless content delivery
• Asset management with image resizing, file handling and media controls
• Versioning, draft/publish workflows, role-based permissions and content history
• Extensible module ecosystem distributed via Composer; modular architecture for reusable components
• Developer tooling integrates Composer for PHP dependencies and Node/Yarn + Webpack for front-end builds
• Multi-language support and configurable URL/meta controls for SEO

Use Cases

• Custom-designed corporate, government or institutional websites requiring editorial workflows and security
• Content-driven web applications where developers need an opinionated PHP framework and ORM
• Decoupled/headless setups delivering content to SPAs or mobile apps via GraphQL or REST APIs

Limitations and Considerations

• Customization requires PHP and Composer familiarity; many integrations and deeper custom features need developer involvement
• Front-end admin and theme changes commonly rely on Node/Yarn and build tooling, which raises the developer toolchain requirement
• Out-of-the-box appearance and marketplace themes are fewer than some managed SaaS CMS marketplaces, so projects often require design/development effort

SilverStripe combines an editor-friendly CMS with a developer-oriented framework, making it well suited to projects that need both robust editorial controls and custom development. It is most productive when teams include developers familiar with PHP and modern front-end build tooling.